Relevant Ministries

1 June 2006

2006-06-01T19:09:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
If you have noticed, we haven't posted in the last couple of days. I am thinking about changing the Blog a little but I would like to hear from all of you. Would you mind letting me know if you like the current format or would like to see something else? Regardless, please either post a reply (you shouldn't need a password or anything) or email me at hadajobonce@yahoo.com. I really would like to keep the blog going but if no one is reading them, the time might be better spent somewhere else.

Remember, Jesus Loves You......
Tony

29 May 2006

2006-05-29T09:25:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 14:1-15:22, John 18:1-24, Psalm 119:97-112, Proverbs 16:8-9

Psalm 119:104
I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.

I watched a show on discovery channel one time about a village in Africa where scientists found that the water there was toxic. They started testing because the average lifespan was lower in that area. They told the people not to drink the water and set up warning signs at the water holes but the people just thought they were crazy. The scientists were frustrated because they kept drinking the water and kept dying early. The village people were uneducated in science. Their way of testing water was to drink it and if you didn’t die or get sick immediately, it was safe to drink. The people of the village previously had no way of knowing if it was killing them slowly and didn’t know that people lived longer outside of where they lived. This was the first time they ever heard this type of information so it was very difficult to convince them. They just didn’t understand the long term affect and couldn’t comprehend it.

In the verse above the writer discovered, through obeying God, how bad the paths of the world are. I imagine that he had followed some of those paths in his youth because he didn’t understand the long term affects. I know I did. Sometimes to realize how bad something is for you, you have to stop doing it. The bible is like those scientists warning the people not to drink the toxic water. It is up to us to listen to the warning. How much toxic water is too much?

Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank you for your word. Thank you for showing us examples of the wrong path for our lives. Lord help me to discover the best path. Amen

28 May 2006

2006-05-28T07:53:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 13:1-39, John 17:1-26, Psalm 119:81-96, Proverb16:6-7

John 17: 23
I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

In society adoption is strange to many people. Just last week Sandy met a woman that had adopted two children of a different race. The woman had a few kids with her at the time so Sandy asked if they were in the woman’s daycare class. At that point she explained that some of them where, but the two boys were hers. Sandy was very normal about it and said “Cool!” The woman went home and thought about that very small encounter and the next day approached Sandy again to tell her how she appreciated the “Normal” reaction. Apparently, she isn’t used to that type of reaction. She mentioned that she often gets a disapproving look when people find out. I thought about how distressing it is for adoptive parents when people treat their children in this way because it makes the children feel different. To the parents however, they are no different from a birth child. They hope for them, protect them, invest in them, and love them. They truly become their child. They are part of the family just like a birth child.

The bible says that God has adopted us (Christians). Here Jesus talks similarly in terms of Gods love for us. Jesus wants us to take hold of Gods love. It says in this verse that God loves us just like he loves Jesus. How big is that statement? He says that as Christian brothers and sisters we should be a family. The implication is that family will be a witness to the world because that concept of adoption is strange to the world. If we are in complete unity with other Christians, the world will see God because that relationship is something special and God given.

Prayer: Dear Lord, Help me to get to know my Christian friends. Help us grow closer to each other through your love for us. Help us take hold of the family you have given us. Amen.

27 May 2006

2006-05-27T07:58:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 12:1-31, John 16:1-33, Psalm 119:65-80, Proverbs 16:4-5

John 16:32-33
"But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

A great competitor is able to keep their head in a pressure situation. Sometimes when things seem hopeless however, they completely lose it. They choke and make mistakes despite all their mental and emotional strength. Here in this verse Jesus is explaining that this is not our situation. He is telling us that we are not in a hopeless situation at all. He is saying that the game is in the bag. It’s already won as long as they are on His team.

As I thought about that I thought of a football game where one team has a pretty good lead toward the end of the game. If they make a mistake, they don’t get overly upset with themselves and they definitely don’t lose hope of winning. They just get back in there and play. That is what God wants us to do. Just keep trying.

Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank you for providing us a way to be successful in all our troubles. Help me to hang on to that hope as bad times come into my life. AMEN.

2006-05-26T13:01:00.000-07:00

May 26, 2006

2006-05-26T12:57:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 9:1-11:27; John 15:1-27; Psalm 119:49-64; Proverbs 16:1-3
John 15:5 – “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

May 25, 2006

2006-05-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 7:1-8:18; John 14:15-31; Psalm 119:33-48; Proverbs 15:33
Psalm 119:36-37 – “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.”

2006-05-25T08:39:00.000-07:00

May 24, 2006

2006-05-24T13:52:00.001-07:00

2 Samuel 4:1-6:23; John 13:31-14:14; Psalm 119:17-32; Proverbs 15:31-32
John 13:34-35 – “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

2006-05-24T13:52:00.000-07:00

2006-05-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

May 23, 2006

2006-05-23T06:58:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 2:12-3:39; John 13:1-30; Psalm 119:1-16; Proverbs 15:29-30
John 13:14-15 – “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

22 May 2006

2006-05-21T22:10:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 1:1-2:11, John 12:20-50, Psalm 118:19-29, Proverbs 15:27-28

John 12:42-43
Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

As a father, I tell my kids what I want for their life. I tell, to the best of my ability, how they should live their life. I know that they value my opinion of them and like my approval. I also know that as they get older they will value what their friends think also. Truthfully, that scares me. I pray they keep friends that will be people of integrity. I pray that they take the really important things I tell them and make them their own. I see the mistakes kids make and I know mine are really no different. I know that at times they will choose to please their friends instead of do what makes me proud but I keep giving my advice.

You can see that this relates to our relationship with God. The bible is a guide to how to live. It shows us all the things that will suck the life out of us. It shows us how to know God. How silly is it to not stand up to your friends and do what God wants. He just wants what’s best for you. Unlike your parents, he is the only one that always knows what is best.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I have chosen this world over you so many times. I have failed you in so many ways. Thank you for your forgiveness and patience. Amen

21 May 2006

2006-05-20T20:25:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 29:1-31:13, John 11:55-12:19, Psalm 118:1-18, Proverbs 15:24-26

Psalm 118:1
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever

One of the things I have learned in my marriage is that when I complement Sandy it does as much for me as it does for her. As I think about her, I think of what she does for me, how she makes me feel and about the type of mom she is. As I focus and dwell on the things I love about her, it brings the love I have for her to the surface. Then I find myself feeling very fortunate and loved.

In this Psalm, it is saying that we need to give thanks to the Lord. Not just to do it but because God deserves our thanks and because he will always love us. Next time you pray take time to think about the who God is. Think about the all he has created, the things he has done for you and what you have seen him do for others. Then, thank him for them. When you do you will feel the security that he offers you.

Dear Lord, Thank you for all that you done for me. I see how much you have worked in our church. There are people there that you have comforted when no one else could. Thank you. Amen

20 May 2006

2006-05-20T07:40:00.000-07:00

1Samuel 26:1-28:25, John 11:1-54, Psalm 117:1-2, Proverbs 15:22-23

John 11:33-35
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. "Where have you laid him?" he asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied. Jesus wept

Many soldiers that have seen combat have problems when they come home. They have seen things so horrific and sometimes don’t know how to cope. The entire way they look and feel about life can get turned on its head. When they come home, they need to heal from their emotional wounds as well as the physical ones. As we know when we get messed up, sometimes we just need someone that understands to listen. For a soldier, that person will be other soldiers because they trust that they truly understand.

The verses above show something very special about Christ. In them he is brought to tears because of the pain of the person that is talking to him. It shows he totally understands our feelings of pain, sorrow, and sadness. That is amazing to me! It brings an amazing picture of great love to my mind. The idea that in those moments that we are completely desperate for help, he cries with us. And, that when we find the relief only he can provide, he smiles with us.

Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank you for listening to me. Thank you for loving me like no one else. Amen

19 May 2006

2006-05-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 24:1-24:44, John 10:22-42, Psalm 116:1-19, Proverbs 15:20-21

Psalm 116:1-2
I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.

When I was in the military, most of the guys I worked with would party, play sports, and hangout together. Because I had young children, I didn’t really spend a lot of time with them. One of the guys in the shop was married, but he didn’t have children so he was part of the “Group” and considered all those guys his close friends. When it came time for him to be reassigned he asked for help moving from everyone. As it turned out, I was the only one to show up to help him. Before that, he never really considered me a close friend. At the end of the day as we were cleaning up, he told me how much it meant to him that I showed up. He literally couldn’t have done it without me. I could see how disappointed he was that his “Friends” abandoned him that day. I could also tell that our friendship was set in stone after that. He discovered that day that he could trust me as a friend because I showed up when he really needed me.

This verse tells us how our faith in God develops. There are going to be times in our lives when we are emotionally, spiritually, and physically in need. Call out to God in those times. In a similar way to how my friend learned my heart, you will learn Gods. You can trust God, but if you don’t give the things you truly care about to him, you won’t recognize it.

Prayer: Dear Lord, You know my heart. You know my true worries and concerns. You know my needs. Please show yourself to me through those things. I desperately need your help. Amen

18 May 2006

2006-05-18T14:55:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 22:1-23:29, John 10:1-21, Psalm 115:1-18, Proverbs 15:18-19

On Earth people question what is God and who is God. Some people have their own painting of him in their minds. But how can we question when we know our God is in heaven and he is all-powerful. In our world, though, the confused people worship idols and they are blocked from true life. We must go out and show the world the only one worthy of praise is our one true God. Jesus uses a shepherd-sheep comparison many times throughout the bible, but in John he throws in the gate as well. He says he is the gate and the only way to eternal life with God is through him. He also says that there will robbers and criminals on earth that will try to get in the way of our sight, but that if we focus on him we can not stray. If we do stray all we have to do is ask for forgiveness and he will take us back. Everyday look and see how the many reasons God should be praised and thank him for sending his son that provides a gateway to heaven and a light to lead our lives.

Prayer: Dear God, Please help me to understand your greatness and you power so I may share it with others. Thank you for sending you son so I have a guide and a true hero in my life. Thank you for being my friend.
~Amen~

Alana

17 May 2006

2006-05-16T21:30:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 20:1-21:15, John 9:1-41, Psalm113:1-114:8, Proverbs 15:15-17

John 9:1-3
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.

When I was a young boy, my Dad had a good paying job. When I was about 7 years old he decided to quit his job to open his own business. We moved into a smaller home and money was tight. The business never did well and my Dad started searching for God’s plan in his life. When I was 13 my dad felt God calling him to be a pastor. He closed the business and he went back to college. At this point we moved into a two bedroom apartment and Dad worked as a gardener to feed the family. We literally had nothing. I remember going to school and telling my friends we didn’t have a TV or a Microwave. I also remember letting my dad borrow money I earned mowing lawns and doing yard work to pay bills with. I look back on those times with fondness because they truly taught me that money isn’t important. I even sometimes wish that my kids could have some of the lessons I was able to have because we didn’t have a lot. I watched my Dad trust God during those times. Although I didn’t admit it until years later, it taught me the lesson of faith.

Jesus says here that God sometimes uses bad times to show himself to people. When you have something bad happen, give it to God for his purposes. If you think about this blind man, his story has been told over and over. It has given countless people hope in their bad times. In addition, how much stronger do you think his faith is because God delivered him. Pray for God’s purposes to succeed.

Pray: Dear Lord, thank you for all you do for me. Think you for using even the bad times in my life. Give others hope through me. Amen.

16 May 2006

2006-05-15T21:57:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 18:5-19:24, John 8:31-59, Psalm 112:1-10, Proverbs 15:12-14.

1 Samuel 18:8
"They have ascribed David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?"

We all have known people in our lives who always want the best. Even if they have the iPod mini, as long as their friend has the Photo iPod, that's what they want. I know a few people like that. No matter what you have, they have to have better. That is what Saul wants in the above passage. Although he is given credit for thousands of killings, he wants more because David has more. Saul even goes to the extreme by trying to kill David all because he doesn't have ten thousands of killings but because he is being praised for thousands of killings. I think in this verse that God is trying to tell each and everyone of us to be thankful for what we have. Even if it is killings. Some people don't have a penny, and you don't hear them complaining. It's the people who are self-centered and unhappy. They can't be satisfied by the simple things they are able to afford but the other goods their friends have. This is what the devil looks for. He feeds temptation and impatience inside of you and he waits for you to steal, hurt, or in Saul's case, kill. You have to face every obstacle in life as a challenge. Yes, everyone is going to be tempted to steal or maybe put another down for what they have, but God is testing your faith 24/7. When you least expect it, during school, somebody is going to flash their phone and then another and another person has one too until you are the only person in the class without one. What do you do? Pray. Praying is the answer. Peer pressure can cause teens to do many things but praying to God helps. Look at me, I'm getting a bit of topic. The main purpose in this verse and in many other Bible verses is to be thankful for what you have. There is always going to be somebody better than you out there. Whether is be at soccer, football, or killings. We have to be thankful to the one God who has made that possible.

Prayer: Dear Lord, please fill our hearts and souls with thankfulness towards you. Let us not covet what out neighbors have, but be glad for them and be glad what we have instead. Help us to defeat temptation and over come the challenges you put forth our way. In your name, Jesus Christ. Amen.

~Adam

15 May 2006

2006-05-14T20:24:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 17:1-18:4, John 8:21-30, Psalm 111:1-10, Proverbs 15:11

Psalm 111:2
Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them.

The day before yesterday I told you about my grandparents cabin. It is one of those special places in this world where you can’t believe the beauty all around you. When I am there I always seem to say a prayer praising God for his greatness. When I am there I see God all around me. God created the amazing qualities of nature so that we could know Him.

In Romans 1 it says “God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made”. Next time you are looking at the beauty that is all around us here, think about the God that created it. Think about his power over nature and take comfort in that power.

Prayer: Dear Lord, There are so many things I feel powerless over. I look at your creations and see that you have power over more that I can imagine. Help me in my life Lord. Amen.

14 May 2006

2006-05-14T13:12:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 15:1-16:23, John 8:1-20, Psalm 110:1-7, Proverbs 15:8-10

1 Samuel 15
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD." But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

My wife thinks I am a dork because I like the Antique Road Show. If you don’t know what show I am talking about, it is a show where they look at old stuff and assess its value. Many of the people that come in really don’t know the value of what they have. In fact, many times things they think are valuable aren’t, and things they think are worthless are worth a lot. One show this guy brought in a hat that just looked like a cone. He had bought it at a garage sale and had been letting his kids play with it in the yard. It was funny to see his face when they told him it was worth over $250,000 dollars. It happened to be a warrior’s helmet from an ancient tribe. That’s what I like about the show. They look past the visual value of the objects. They see things you and I don’t.

That is what God is like. He see’s the true value of people, not just the outward part of the person. As Christians we need to realize this. One, so that we are open to what God asks us to do. Just because you don’t feel adequate doesn’t mean that God doesn’t see your true value. Second, we need to be patient with others. God may see something in that person that we don’t see.

Prayer: Dear Lord, Help me to be sensitive to your will. I know I don’t always depend on your guidance when I get angry with others. Help me to see people as you do. Amen

13 May 2006

2006-05-13T17:18:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 14:1-52, John 7:31-53, Psalm 109:1-31, Proverbs 15:5-7

John 7:37-39
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive…..

My grand parents own a cabin in the sierra mountains. It is a beautiful place that my entire extended family values very highly. It is a very special place to us. It is in a wonderful location, secluded, it is 10 miles from a lake and it has a giant redwood on it (If you don’t know what I am talking about here is a picture of one -- http://homepage.ntlworld.com/g.mccaughan/e/tree.jpg). With all that, there is one thing a cabin or mountain home can’t go without, water. That is the only real requirement. Especially, if it is somewhere you are going to stay for more that a couple of days. There are so many types of water sources. There are wells or streams that run across your land. I have even read about rain water collection systems. But the one type of water source every land owner wants is a spring. Our cabin has a spring that supplies water all year around. It is safe for drinking because it comes up straight out of the ground. All we have to do is store it for use. It has been running every sense the cabin was built in the 1930’s.

In the above verses Jesus uses this type of water source to describe the holy spirit. Unlike today, people of that time worried about where their water came from. They had to get it for themselves. If they didn’t have it on their land they had to go out and find it or their families would die. Water was truly a source of life. That is what the holy spirit is for people. Without it our souls thirst. We try to satisfy that thirst with contaminated water unless we turn to Jesus for living water.

Pray: Dear Lord, I need you in my life so desperately. Thank you for your spirit amen.

2006-05-10T09:47:00.000-07:00

May 10, 2006

2006-05-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 8:1-9:27; John 6:22-42; Psalm 106:32-48; Proverbs 14:34-35
John 6:35 - Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

May 9, 2006

2006-05-10T08:05:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 5:1-5:17; John 6:1-21; Psalm 106:13-31; Proverbs 14:32-33
Psalm 106:13-14 - But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his counsel. In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the test

2006-05-07T21:23:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 2:22-4:22, John 5:24-47, Psalm 106:1-12, Proverbs 14:30-31

John 5:39-40
You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

In Romans it talks about how the Laws of the Old Testament were created so that we would know what sin is. I never really understood this until I had kids. I set up rules in my house very early on. Don’t draw on the walls, don’t throw your food, dad holds the remote control. Stuff like that. Inevitably, one of the kids would do something that I forgot to tell them not to do and say something like “You said don’t draw on the walls. You didn’t say don’t draw on the cabinets” This absolutely does not fly with me.

Well guess what, it doesn’t fly with God either. In the verses above Jesus is telling them that they spend all their time only doing what the law says because they were looking to satisfy the minimum requirement to get into heaven. He is saying that is wrong and if they truly had loved God they would look to satisfy the concepts that the law implies. When we try to avoid those concepts that truly convict us we miss the whole point of Gods word.

Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank you for you word and your wisdom. Forgive me for avoiding the meaning of your word. Amen

7 May 2006

2006-05-06T20:19:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 1:1-2:21, John 5:1-23, Psalm:37-45, Proverbs 14:28-29

1 Samuel 1:6-7
And because the LORD had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.

At our last church Sandy was often put in charge of some of the large events sponsored by the church. Some of the events she used to do occurred yearly. I remember the first time she did an event. She used to complain to me all the time about all the problems she was running into. She would say, “ I am never doing this again,” but then the next year she would always do it again. It was funny to watch her because those big events would stress her out for months. She would get upset because of people not doing what they were supposed to do or maybe something didn’t go as planned. Then, the event would come and she would see how the Lord worked everything out. It wasn’t until then that she was sure that it wasn’t just a waste of her time and tears. As the years go on, I hear less and less of the complaining. She realizes that God has a plan.

In the reading in 1 Samuel, Hannah had been getting mistreated because she couldn’t have kids. She was very sad. But, God had a purpose for all of that sorrow. Bigger plans than she could have known. When you are having really painful and sad moments in your life, pray that God will show His will. Have faith that He will show the wisdom of those moments. If you look at the prayer Hannah prayed after she gave birth to Samuel, you see how much more she valued what God did for her because of the fact it wasn't easy.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the fact that you know better than me. Help me to keep hope when I am feeling hopeless. Help me to know in my heart that you always use those times when I am feeling in need. Amen.

6 May 2006

2006-05-05T21:56:00.000-07:00

Ruth 2:1-4:22, John 4:43-54, Psalm 105:16-36, Proverbs 14:26-27

Ruth 4:14-15
Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel. May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!”

When I was pregnant with my second child, the pressure was on in Anthony’s family! You see, Anthony was the first grandson to have a child that could possibly carry on the Patterson name! Out of ten grandchildren, there are only two males. Grandpa Patterson made it clear to me that I needed to produce a boy as my due date grew closer! We did have a beautiful baby boy, Billy! Now Grandpa Patterson has over 30 great-grandchildren. Billy and his second cousin Liam now bear the responsibility to carry on the family name. Grandpa is 93 and still enjoys his family, especially the children. He recognizes that they are the future, and though he is blind now, he still sees the hope in them!!!

These verses above express a similar situation. This child redeemed the family, and carried forth the family name. Those of you reading this will sooner than you may realize have your own families. You are our hope. Some of you will most likely be leaders in our churches and communities. It is a great responsibility. Take it seriously and recognize that God can use you for great things if you will only allow Him to. If you are following daily with the devos, then you have taken an important step to building a life that will glorify God. His word will never fail you and if you follow it, you are sure to be blessed!

-Sandy Patterson

Dear Lord,
Thank you for your word! Help me to use it as it is meant, a guidebook. Help me to build a life that will glorify you! Amen.

2006-05-05T11:26:00.000-07:00

May 5, 2006

2006-05-05T11:20:00.000-07:00

Judges 21:1-Ruth 1:22; John 4:4-42; Psalm 105:1-15; Proverbs 14:25
Ruth 1:16 - But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”

2006-05-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

May 4, 2006

2006-05-04T07:03:00.000-07:00

Judges 19:1-20:48; John 3:22-4:3; Psalm 104:24-35; Proverbs 14:22-24
John 3:35-36 – “The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

May 3, 2006

2006-05-03T19:14:00.000-07:00

Judges 17:1-18:31; John 3:1-21; Psalm 104:1-23; Proverbs 14:20-21
John 3:16-17 – “For God loved the world so much that He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”
Enough said

2006-05-02T11:09:00.000-07:00

May 2, 2006

2006-05-02T11:04:00.000-07:00

Judges 15:1-16:31; John 2:1-25; Psalm 103:1-22; Proverbs 14:17-19
Psalm 103:11-12 - For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

1 May 2006

2006-04-30T21:12:00.000-07:00

Judges 13:1-14:20, John 1:29-51, Psalm 102:1-28, Proverbs 14:15-16

Psalm 102:17
He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea.

The word destitute means to lack possessions and resources. I remember one time my son was doing something for an important school project and I recognized he didn’t know what he was doing. The only problem was that he thought he did know. I remember trying to tell him how but, he got angry. At that, I said “ok son, do it your way”. A few minutes later he started to realize that he didn’t have a clue. He had to swallow his pride and ask me for help because he didn’t possess the ability to do it.

The verse above says that God will help us when we realize we don’t have any real power over our life. When we are at that desperate moment when we realize we are lost he will answer us. When we feel we don’t deserve his touch, he will put his arms around us and completely change our life. God make us a promise in this verse that he will not hold back helping us.

Prayer: Dear lord, Thank you for always staying open to my prayers. Thank you for your forgiveness. Thank you for never leaving me helpless. Amen

30 April 2006

2006-04-29T21:35:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 15:23-16:23, John 18:25-19:22, Psalm 119:113-128, Proverbs 16:10-11

John 18:37
“You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

Once in a while my kids will do something that is wrong but they don’t realize it. I ask them a question so they’ll think about their actions, and they realize what they did that was wrong. It kind of irritates them, so they won’t answer the question honestly. They figure that if they don’t they won’t have to admit they were wrong. They just dodge the truth.

Jesus recognized that the people of his times were avoiding the truth of His witness. He knew they were desperately trying to avoid the implications of what He taught. It made them angry because it meant they were wrong. However, that didn’t stop Jesus from fulfilling His purpose…A purpose that led Him to die a miserable death.

Sometimes we talk to our friends about Christ and they get upset. You shouldn’t worry about it if you are being as caring as possible in those situations. It is actually a good thing because they are being challenged. When God convicts people they will often try to avoid it. Don’t let them getting upset discourage you from completing what God has given you to do.

Prayer: Dear lord, I know I often worry about my friend getting upset. Keep my heart in the right place so that I KNOW what to say. Amen.

29 April 2006

2006-04-29T16:10:00.000-07:00

Judges 9:22-10:18, Luke 24:13-53, Psalm 100:1-5, Proverbs 14:11-12

Proverbs 14:12
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

When I was in high school, I remember trying to decide what career I wanted to have. I remember trying to figure out what job took the least schooling with the best pay. I figured that must be the way to go. Some people pick a job that is prestigious. Others choose a career on the basis of power. The truth is that we need to find a job we enjoy. A career you hate will kill you. Do you already know this? I suspect you do. Almost everyone knows this, but how many people act on this truth and search until they find that job. The decision usually goes something like this, “I need to pick something. I might as well go with the one that pays a lot.” Then, they find out half way through school they need to switch majors. It happens all the time.

Just like we know that we need to find a job that we enjoy, we know that God has a plan for our lives. Do you know what it is? Or, are you just going with whatever because it’s the easiest to find. We need to search out what God wants us to do. Take it seriously.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to find your will for my life. Give me the patience to search out and find your will. Amen

2006-04-28T11:50:00.000-07:00

April 28, 2006

2006-04-28T11:48:00.000-07:00

Judges 8:18-9:21; Luke 23:44-24:12; Psalm 99:1-9; Proverbs 14:9-10
Luke 24:5-6 - In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:

2006-04-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

April 27, 2006

2006-04-27T06:51:00.000-07:00

Judges 7:1-8:17; Luke 23:13-43; Psalm 97:1-98:9; Proverbs 14:7-8
Psalm 98:4-6 – “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn—shout for joy before the LORD, the King.”

2006-04-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

April 26, 2006

2006-04-26T08:17:00.000-07:00

Judges 6:1-40; Luke 22:54-23:12; Psalm 95:1-96:13; Proverbs 14:5-6
Psalm 95:6-7 – “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.”

April 25, 2006

2006-04-25T10:47:00.001-07:00

Judges 4:1-5:31; Luke 22:35-53; Psalm 94:1-23; Proverbs 14:3-4
Luke 22:41-42 – “He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

2006-04-25T10:47:00.000-07:00

24 April 2006

2006-04-23T20:14:00.000-07:00

Judges 2:10-3:31, Luke 22:14-34, Psalm92:1-93:5, Proverbs 14:1-2

Luke 22:31-32
"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

There have been times when I have messed up so bad in my relationship with God. These verses are so full of hope to me. They tell us about God’s nature to forgive us. But even more, He forgives us before we know we need forgiving. This seen is amazing to me. At the time, Jesus was about to die and He had been waiting to eat with His disciples. He loved them so much yet He knew Peter was going to totally mess up. But instead of condemning him He just encourages him to make his way back to Him afterwards.

God has plans for us just like He had plans for Peter. As we work on our relationship with God, at times we will be put in a position that when we mess up we will feel so unworthy. We may mess up many times in a row or (like me) we will turn away from Him at times. These verses tell us never to let messing up stop us from trying. God knows what we will do but, He isn’t giving up on us. He is saying just come to me.

Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank you for being a forgiving and merciful God. Please encourage me and show me your hope when I fail you. Amen

23 April 2006

2006-04-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

Judges 1:1-2.9, Luke 21:29-22:13, Psalm 90:1-91:16, Proverbs 13:24-25

Psalm 91:1-2
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

When I was in the Military, I was stationed in Saudi Arabia for 4 months. While I was there Bin Laden declared Jihad on the United States and told all Muslims to kill Americans that were in the “Holy Lands of Islam” (in Saudi Arabia close to holy places). Where I was stationed was close to Mecca which is one of the big ones as far as Muslims are concerned. Almost every soldier was uneasy and worried about the situation. Even with no known threat we worried. I remember one night, because of certain circumstances, the entire base was still up at 3 am because they were worried something would happen. I remember longing to be back in the United States where I didn’t worry about those things all the time. I have never felt like I might be blown up here. So I looked as the US as my refuge and a place of safety. Something I never gave much thought to prior to leaving.

In the verses here, it tells us that God is our refuge. If we live for him we can have a level of security that we could not know without him. Frankly, I don’t ever want to leave the U.S. again. We should feel the same way about God. Actually, we should feel stronger about God. Just like I was “educated” in the fact that the US supplies me with something special, we need to recognize everything God supplies us. We need to search him out by reading the bible, praying and thinking/dwelling on his qualities. If you do that, you will realize he is our refuge.

Prayer: Dear Lord, You have so much power on my life. You bring hope when I thought I would never have it. Protect me lord. Amen.

22 April 2006

2006-04-21T21:27:00.000-07:00

Joshua 24:1-33, Luke 21:1-28, Psalm 89:38-52, Proverbs 13:20-23

Proverbs 13:20-23
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

My parent did a great job raising me. They gave me all the tools and knowledge I needed to have a great life. I was taught about Christ through teaching and example. My parents modeled how to have a good marriage and how to develop healthy relationships.

I never took the idea of what a good friend is seriously. I never used much discretion in choosing who I hung out with when I was young. Even worse, I didn’t look at my role as a good friend as important. What type of friend was I to my friends? I was the fool. Although I had knowledge I abandoned it. I participated in the things I had been taught were not healthy. In those things, I supported those actions in my friends that hadn’t been taught those things. Instead of showing my friends a way to find hope, I let them down. I often reflect on those times and wish I would have been wiser.

What type of friend are you? Are you the type of friend that is setting an example for the people you care about? Are you building them up by sharing all the good knowledge you have been shown? A good friend cares enough to make good choices for their own life. By doing that you are teaching your friends.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I know I could be a better friend. Please show me those places where I need to improve. Amen

April 21, 2006

2006-04-21T08:35:00.000-07:00

Joshua 22:21-23:16; Luke 20:27-47; Psalm 89:14-37; Proverbs 13:17-19
Psalm 89:14-15 – “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD.”

2006-04-20T07:43:00.000-07:00

April 20, 2006

2006-04-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

Joshua 21:1-22; Luke 20:1-26; Psalm 89:1-13; Proverbs 13:15-16
Luke 20:17-18 - Jesus looked directly at them and asked, "Then what is the meaning of that which is written: " 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."

2006-04-19T08:07:00.000-07:00

April 19, 2006

2006-04-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

Joshua 19:1-20:9; Luke 19:28-48; Psalm 88:1-18; Proverbs 13:12-14
Luke 19:45-46 – “Then he entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling. "It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be a house of prayer'; but you have made it 'a den of robbers.”

2006-04-18T06:48:00.000-07:00

April 18, 2006

2006-04-18T06:44:00.000-07:00

Joshua 16:1-18:28; Luke 19:1-27; Psalm 87:1-7; Proverbs 13:11
Luke 19:9-10 - Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

17 April 2006

2006-04-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

Joshua 15:1-63, Luke 18:18-43, Psalm 86:1-17, Proverbs 13:9-10

Proverbs 13:10
Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

What is pride? We have so many meanings for the same word. Pride can be a bad thing or it can be a good thing in the English language. However, in the bible it was used as a bad quality. In newer translations they have started to use the current English uses of the word pride. The NIV uses “pride” in a positive way but the original word used in those instances is not the same word that was originally translated as “pride” bible. The word specifically used in the verse above indicates arrogance or insolence in its original language.

So, when is pride a bad thing? Even in the English language, when pride is used in a negative context it usually has to do with thinking of yourself as better than you are. Our temptation is to try to make people think we are something special. We don’t admit our weaknesses. We want to be better, more correct, wiser, and more knowledgeable than others. The bible says, that will lead to arguments with others. Not only that, but until we understand our place in relationship with God, we can’t know him fully. We need to be honest with ourselves and God.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I know I have nothing on my own. You supply me with everything I have. Help me to give you the credit and praise that I sometime take for myself. Amen

2006-04-15T19:51:00.000-07:00

Joshua 13:1-14:15 ; Luke18:1-17 ; Psalm 85:1-13 ;Proverbs 13:7-8

Luke 18:11-14
The Pharisee stood up and prayed about[ahimself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

My dad always helps me with my math. As soon as I think I know what he is saying I start to stare off into space and stop listening. The next day I end up getting a bad grade on the quiz or test. Because of my “know it all” attitude, it keeps me from learning.

The verses above say that we shouldn’t think too highly of ourself. The tax collector asked for mercy while the Pharisee bragged of his goodness. Thinking highly of yourself is like saying you know everything. That you don’t need to listen to anyone .No one is as important as you.
Prayer: God, Please help me not to be like the Pharisee .Help me not to think too highly of myself. Amen.

-Jaylene Fritz-Patterson

15 April 2006

2006-04-14T20:29:00.000-07:00

Joshua 11:1-12:24, Luke 17:11-37, Psalm 84:1-12, Proverb 13:5-6

Luke 17:26-27
"Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

I read an article last week that gave some of the transcript of the cockpit of the plane that crashed into the ground on 9/11. One of the pilots, as he realized he was probably going to die, said “I don’t want to die” 3 times in a row. He was terrified. As I read the verses above, I thought about that pilot. That morning he had no idea he was going to die. I am sure none of the victims of 9/11 did. By the time the last moment was upon him, he had no time to take care of the things that must have started running through his mind. The fight with his wife, time with his kids, or any of the things we think we need to take care of before we die. And then it was over.

I now think of the various ways we die as a gift from God because they never strike us as pleasant. Death is always something we look at and know we don’t want to go through. It sticks out to us as something we need to be ready for. But, how often do we avoid really addressing our relationship with God anyway? Jesus is warning us not to do that because we don’t know when we will be out of time. We need to search out our relationship with God. It is the only thing we really need to have worked out before we die.

Prayer: Dear Lord, show yourself to me. Open my heart and give me the security I desire. Help me understand your words and let them affect my heart. Amen

April 14 2006

2006-04-13T21:04:00.000-07:00

Joshua 9:3-10:43, Luke 16:19-17:10, Psalm 83:1-18, Proverbs 13:4

Luke 17:8-10
Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get your self ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'

In our household Sandy keeps the house up and basically runs the house on a daily bases. She does a great job and she does it never even acting like she is making a sacrifice. Early in our marriage I remember one time that I cleaned the house for her. I remember thinking about how much she was going to appreciate it. To my (arrogant) surprise her attitude was like “It’s about time you helped out.” Now I think “what was I thinking?” With everything she does for me and my kids and I wanted recognition for something that can’t compare to what she provides me. How self centered can I be?

In the above verses Jesus is illustrating the same concept. A servant is a servant because he depending on his master for his livelihood or because he is indebted to his master. Putting his master first is part of his duty as a servant. When we do things for God, how can we feel like we are ever truly sacrificing? God has done so much more for us than we can do for him. We should adjust our attitude accordingly.

Prayer: Dear Lord, Help me to remember all you have done for me when times get difficult for me. Amen

April 13, 2006

2006-04-13T07:28:00.000-07:00

Joshua 7:16-9:2; Luke 16:1-18; Psalm 82:1-8; Proverbs 13:2-3
Luke 16:13 - "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

12 April 2006

2006-04-11T19:27:00.000-07:00

Joshua 5:1-7:15, Luke 15:1-32, Psalm 81:1-16, Proverbs 13:1

Luke 15:21-22
"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

The story of the prodigal son is a story I really love. I think most of you know that I came from a Christian home and my relationship with God was in a VERY bad state for many years. I can totally identify with the way the son feels. I became a Christian when I was 11, but I wandered so far away. I reached a point where I didn’t feel like a Christian at all. I was sad all the time. To me, life was nothing but hopeless. I knew I didn’t deserve to be one, but when I turned back to Him, He did way more than just remove my pain. He gave me joy in its place. God is truly forgiving. My life will always be different because he accepted me despite my disobedience. I can tell you, no matter how undeserving you feel, God is willing to accept you. Just ask.

Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank you for all you have done for me. Please forgive me for all that I do that keeps me separated from you. Give me that Joy I so deeply need and only you can provide. Amen

Anthony Patterson

April 10 2006

2006-04-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 34:1-Joshua 2:24, Luke 13:22-14:6, 79:1-13, 12:26

Luke 13:23-24
Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" He said to them, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.

I would always say to my parents that I would study more to get good grades in my classes but later on, I would never actually study to get the good grades. When I would get in trouble I would make the same verbal decision to get good grades. And again, I would not study. So really I was deciding to get a bad grade by not studying, over and over. My decision was only verbal but I never backed it up.

In the verses above, Jesus is saying if you are making a decision you should put all your effort in to succeeding in that decision. If we say we are Christians and we decide to put away the evil in our lives we need to make every effort to actually do it. God is willing to save everyone, but the decision is ours. Effort is always a part of a true decision.

Pray: God, Please help me to put all my effort into being successful in my decision to follow You. Help me to have faith that makes me strong. Amen

-Jaylene Fritz-Patterson

April 9 2006

2006-04-08T21:05:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 33:1-29, Luke 13:1-21, Psalm 78:65-72, Proverbs 12:25

Luke 13:18-19
Then Jesus asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches."

How does God lead people to him?

When we left our church in California some close friends (Rich and Julie) took over teaching the Sunday school class that we had been teaching. I remember the first day Sandy talked to me about Julie. It was many years ago. Sandy had said something to her about church and Julie had responded that they wouldn’t attend church. Well a couple of years later Julie became a Christian. The change was so huge in her life it got Rich searching for what she had found. A few months later he accepted Christ also. What an amazing moment for them and for our family. God had so many plans for Julie and Rich and we didn’t even know it. I still wonder when the seed was actually planted.

In the above verses Jesus is illustrating that, with the kingdom of God, huge things come from small things. When we are kind to someone, let them know we believe in Jesus, help them in some way, witness to them, or whatever, God is using it for something larger. He has plans we don’t know about. Plans that will change the person you are talking to regardless of their reaction. Give those moments to God for his purposes.

Prayer: Dear Lord, Help me to keep you at the tip of my thoughts and actions. Help me to show people your love. Thank you for all you have planned. Amen

April 8 2006

2006-04-07T22:24:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 32:28-52, Luke 12:35-59, Psalm 78:56-64, Proverbs 12:25

Luke12:57-59
"Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right? As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way, or he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

When my wife and I were first married we often got in arguments. I remember times when I would realize that she was right and I was wrong. I hated that feeling. Instead of just admitting it, I would still fight. I would try to get out of it without having to admit I was wrong. The fight would just get worse and we would end up staying up half the night fighting. I could have prevented it by just being honest with myself and with her.

It is amazing to me that the concepts in the bible apply to our relationships with others as well as with our relationship with God. When we refuse to admit truth because we are trying to avoid the consequences it only causes more problems. It causes a separation. What does trying to hide get us? Admitting truth is necessary to get close to God.

Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank you for all you do. Please help me see the things that hinder me in my relationship with you. Help me to overcome them Amen

2006-04-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

April 7, 2006

2006-04-07T09:41:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 31:1-32; Luke 12:8-34; Psalm 78:32-55; Proverbs 12:21-23
Luke 12:22-23 - Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!

2006-04-06T08:17:00.000-07:00

April 6, 2006

2006-04-06T08:11:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20; Luke 11:37-12:7; Psalm 78:1-31; Proverbs 12:19-20
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 – “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

2006-04-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

April 5, 2006

2006-04-05T10:26:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 28:1-68; Luke 11:14-36; Psalm 77:1-20; Proverbs 12:18
Luke 11:27-28 - As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you."
He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

April 4, 2006

2006-04-04T09:57:00.001-07:00

Deuteronomy 26:1-27; Luke 10:38 – 11:13; Psalm 76:1-12; Proverbs 12:15-17
Luke 11:9,10 – “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

2006-04-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

April 3 2006

2006-04-02T21:15:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19, Luke 10:13-37, Psalm 75:1-10, Proverbs 12:12-14

Luke 10:36-37
"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

These verses follow the parable of the Good Samaritan. A couple of weeks ago we read how Jesus said that in order to have a strong foundation we need to do what he said. Here Jesus is telling what we should do. He says that if you are the one person that has the most reason to overlook someone’s needs, you should have mercy and help. (It is generally thought that the man that was robbed was a Jew. Samaritans were often mistreated by Jews.) Wow, how contrary is that to the way we normally think?

Who are the people you avoid? Who has hurt you or given you reason to not trust them. Who do you know that is always bothering you? Jesus says you should show mercy to those people and help them in their struggles. There are so many people around us that we are overlooking. Individuals who’s life would completely change if they knew Christ. Just look around, notice them and minister to them.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I know I have moved to the other side of the road at times. Help me to notice when there is someone in need and the heart to help. Amen

April 2 2006

2006-04-01T21:08:00.000-08:00

Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30, Luke 9:51-10:12, Psalm 74:1-23, Proverbs 12:11

Proverbs 12:11
He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.

This is such a practical verse for our lives. When I was young I changed jobs a lot. I would get a job and then find another one that paid a little more. I was always looking to make more money. At one point I worked at a grocery store for about 6 months. I quit that job and moved on. About 3 years later after 4 or 5 jobs I went into the store again. A guy that was hired about the same time I did was now the manager of the store making way more money than I was. He stuck with a job, worked hard and eventually was rewarded. He had the patience that I didn’t have at the time to just work and wait for results.

This lesson applies to our Christian lives also. Sometimes we just want results without having to work hard or wait. In Matthew 25:21 it talks about the faithful servant being given more and more. Sometimes when we are witnessing to friend or trying to figure out our relationship with God we want it to happen right away. But if we just live the life, work the fields and plant the seeds, the harvest will be huge.

Prayer: Dear Lord, So many people that I know need you in their life. Help me to stay strong and live as you ask so that they come to know you through my witness. Amen

April 1 2006

2006-04-01T00:47:00.000-08:00

Deuteronomy 18:1-20:20, Luke 9:28-50, Psalm 73:1-28, Proverbs 12:10

Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

As you know, I just traveled to California this last weekend. On my way home I met a woman that was 80 years old. We talked quite a bit. At one point in the conversation, she said something I didn’t expect. She was saying she didn’t think she would live much longer because of all the pollution and toxins that are around these days. I told her that that may not be the case because we regulate that type of stuff more these days. She kind of scolded me “Don’t tell me that, I don’t want to live that long.” I suddenly realized that this very sweet lady felt like she had nothing to live for. She didn’t have purpose in her life anymore. As far as she could see, there was nothing left for her. Her body is older, she lost her husband 10 years ago, and her kids have been on their own for a while now.

The lady I met had found the desire to live through specific things that God gave her instead of God himself. Once her part in those things faded she lost something. The verse says “God is the strength of my heart and my portion”. He is all we need. When we turn to him he gives us so much more than a purpose. He gives us a desire, hope, and joy. His purpose becomes ours and through that he sustains us.

Prayer: Dear Lord, strengthen me Lord. Help me understand your purpose for my life. Open my heart so I can understand. Amen

2006-03-31T11:17:00.000-08:00

March 31, 2006

2006-03-31T11:12:00.000-08:00

Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20; Luke 9:7-27; Psalm 72:1-20; Proverbs 12:8,9
Deuteronomy 17:18-19 - When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees.

2006-03-30T07:41:00.000-08:00

March 30, 2006

2006-03-30T07:33:00.000-08:00

Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23; Luke 8:40-9:6; Psalm 71:1-24; Proverbs 12:5-7
Psalm 71:22-23 – “I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you— I, whom you have redeemed.”

2006-03-29T09:31:00.000-08:00

March 29, 2006

2006-03-29T09:23:00.000-08:00

Deuteronomy 11:1-12:32; Luke 8:22-39; Psalm 70:1-5; Proverbs 12:4
Luke 8:38-39 – “The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return home and tell how much God has done for you.’ So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.”

2006-03-28T10:27:00.000-08:00

This passage is almost identical to Micah 6:8 which is my all time favorite verse and is the theme of our missions trip this summer. I love this verse so much because it sums up the whole Christian faith, our faith in a nutshell. If there is any verse to keep written on your heart, its Micah 6:8, or this verse in Deuteronomy. What does God require of you? When you’re feeling lost, or confused, a lot of times we wonder, “am I doing the right thing? Am I pleasing God with this choice?” You don’t have to search the scriptures for each and every question you have, or decision you make because sometimes we just don’t have time to refer to the scriptures. Well, refer to this scripture, that I am challenging you to keep tagged on your heart. “Love mercy, act justly, and walk humbly with the Lord your God”. If you follow that, then you are living the Christian life.
Prayer: Heavenly Father I pray that you would show me how to life this life the way you want me to live it. With you on my heart 24 hours a day because my faith isn’t something I leave at the door, but my relationship with you is with me everywhere I go. Give me the strength to walk in your ways always, and I ask that you walk me with too. In Jesus name.

March 28, 2006

2006-03-28T09:57:00.000-08:00

Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22; Luke 8:4-21; Psalm 69:19-36; Proverbs 12:2-3
Deuteronomy 10:12-13 – “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?”

March 27, 2006

2006-03-27T02:26:00.000-08:00

Deuteronomy 7:1-8:20, Luke 7:36-8:3, Psalm 69:1-18, Proverbs 12:1

Luke 7:47
Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

Goals play an important role in our lives. In school the goal it is an A. It is easily laid out for us. We just do everything we are told and we get the A. When we get a job it is a little more difficult. We have to set our own Goals. Regardless, it is always good to honestly assess our progress as we are working toward that goal. Doing this getting a progress report keeps us on track. It gives us a reality check.

In this verse Jesus shows Simon (and us) how to evaluate his relationship with Jesus. When he does, he has to come to the conclusion that he is in sad shape. To evaluate our progress, we can look at the love we have for others and Jesus. Is that love getting stronger or weaker? Do we notice the needs of others more or less? Are we more or less willing to do things that lift other up? Those are the things that tell us where our heart is.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I know that I haven’t reached the Goal. I want to know your love completely. Please work in me. Amen

2006-03-26T00:16:00.000-08:00

Deuteronomy 5:1-6:25, Luke 7:11-35, Psalm 68:19-35, Proverbs 11:29-31

Psalm 68:19
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Selah

My dad is retiring this week and he is moving. I am in California now writing this Devo. I am here as his son, to move all his stuff. I feel that it is my duty because I am his son. When I arrived to load the truck up I couldn’t believe how much stuff there was. I thought “this isn’t going to be easy”. Some of the youth from the church my family and I used to attend came over to help. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated their help. They had no responsibility to help me but there they were sharing my burden. They not only were helping me with the move but they touched my heart because they cared enough to help me.

In the verse above it says that God bears our burdens. Our lives are full of times we don’t want to go through, things we can’t understand, and times of sadness. When we are in that place we don’t have to be alone. God doesn’t want us to be alone. Just like those boys helped me, he wants to carry the load for you.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I need to hand my problems to you. I worry and stress about things daily. Help me to trust you in those times. Thank you for being there for me. Amen

Anthony

Saturday March 25, 2005

2006-03-24T19:39:00.000-08:00

Deuteronomy 4:1-49, Luke 6:39-7:10, Psalm 68:1-18, Proverbs 11:28

Luke 6:47

“ I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it….”

I remember, as a young Christian, wondering what I needed to do to grow in my faith. I was quick to come up with a list. It was something like… pray, read my bible every day, memorize scripture, participate in class, and so on. These are all very important things to do and they take real dedication but I missed something so important back then. The things above are part of it but there is so much more.

Jesus says in these verses that the way you build is to start building a strong foundation first. That foundation is built by putting his instruction into action not just knowing they exist. My best advice is “ never minimize what the bible says”. Apply it just as it says it. We often stop short because we can’t put our minds around it. Or what we see seems hard or inconvenient. If I read the entire bible but don’t take it to heart and allow it to change me, how would I ever really know it is true? Have you ever had someone tell you how to do something but you just didn’t understand until you did it? God gave us the bible. It has things in it that can be applied and that show themselves to be true and life changing. Jesus is saying, if you try it your faith will become strong.

Prayer: Dear lord, Give me the strength to fully put your word into action in my life. Put people in my life that will help me and be an example to follow. Thank you for all that you do. Amen
-Anthony

2006-03-24T10:49:00.000-08:00

March 24, 2006

2006-03-24T10:44:00.000-08:00

Deuteronomy 2:1-3:29; Luke 6:12-38; Psalm 67:1-7; Proverbs 11:27
Luke 6:27-28 – “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

2006-03-23T07:47:00.000-08:00

March 23, 2006

2006-03-23T07:44:00.000-08:00

Luke 6:5 – “Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

2006-03-23T07:27:00.000-08:00

I apologize for yesterday. I recorded the post but apparently it didnt go through right away.

2006-03-22T09:04:00.000-08:00

March 22, 2006

2006-03-22T08:59:00.000-08:00

Numbers 33:40-35:34; Luke 5:12-28; Psalm 65:1-13; Proverbs 11:23
Luke 5:27-28 – “After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. Follow me, Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.”

2006-03-21T09:50:00.000-08:00

March 20, 2006

2006-03-20T17:56:00.000-08:00

Numbers 30:1-31:54, Luke 4:1-30, Psalm 63:1-11, Proverbs 11:20-21
Parts of Luke 4:23-28
"I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown… Well, let me tell you something… there were many lepers in Israel at the time of the prophet Elisha but the only one cleansed was Naaman the Syrian. That set everyone in the meeting place seething with anger.
In these verses Jesus was speaking to people from his home town. He had just told them that he was sent to preach the good new as a fulfillment of prophecy. It seems like instead of focusing and listening to what he was saying they just started talking about how he was someone they knew from a young age. The verses above were his response to them not listening. In these verses he basically got up in front of people and told them the truth. It was something they didn’t want to hear and they got really angry and kicked him out of town.
Do you think he did it to make them mad? Do you think he was trying to be abrasive? In fact, Jesus was trying to help them wasn’t he? His sermon was actually very positive at first. He was really warning them to listen to what he was saying. There is a very important truth here. When we tell people the message of Christ not everyone will react well. That shouldn’t stop us from telling people. Jesus never set that as the example. We are supposed to be bold. Sometimes we may unintentionally upset some people but we should tell them out of love.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I know I am not bold like I should be. Help me to love people enough to tell them the truth Lord. Give me the boldness to tell others about you. Amen
-Anthony

March 19, 2006

2006-03-19T18:20:00.000-08:00

March 19
Numbers 28:16-29:40, Luke 3:23-38, Psalm 62:1-12, Proverbs11:18-19
Psalm 62:7-8
“Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge…”

I was watching TV the other day and I turned to a Billy Graham program where a guy was giving his testimony. A few years ago he had been hunting with his dad. On the way home they stopped to have a drink at a bar. They were both drunk when the left to drive home. The son was driving and he ran off the road and his dad was killed. Who do you think he felt like he could talk to? His mom? People at the hospital? He said he just cried and cried. There was no one. How could anyone understand his guilt, and sadness? He said that many people came to see him, but it all made things worse. Then a man came in and started talking to him about God and His forgiveness. He shared how he could just feel God lifting all of it off of him when he accepted Jesus. God was there for this man right when he felt the least acceptable. He found that when no one else was with him God was.

How many people truly know you? How many people do you trust? In the verse above, it tells us that we can trust God. When we are sad, He listens. When we are hopeless, He knows what we need. When we are feeling lost and alone, He is with us. God is truly our refuge. The one we can trust at all times. He will be there when we don’t feel like we deserve him to be.Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank you for your forgiveness in my life. Help me to realize your presence in my life at all time. Amen
-Anthony

March 18, 2006

2006-03-18T13:33:00.002-08:00

Numbers 26:52-28:15, Luke 3:1-22, Psalms 61:1-8, Proverbs 11:16-17
Luke 3:16-17
John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

This is John the Baptist talking about Jesus. I remember when I was your age I never knew how to take these types of verses. I mean they would kind of scare me but I didn’t know what I was supposed to do with them. The bible tells us to fear God and it tells us to love him with all our heart. It tells us that we can go to heaven or we can go to hell and that it is our choice. It is very very clear on these facts.
I often think of God in terms of our soldiers that are in IRAQ or any other war. Certainly, the enemy is afraid of them. Our soldiers are very effective at what they do.

How about us, do we fear them?
I would if I was caught between them and the enemy.

On the other hand as an American, I have nothing but love and appreciation for our soldiers because they stand between us and the enemy. A soldier loves the people he protects and yet he is someone to be feared. Where do you stand with God? Are you behind him resting in his strength or between him and the enemy not taking him seriously? God wants nothing more than to show you his love. Open your heart and life to him and he will amaze you.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I have never considered myself your enemy but I know I need to know you more. Please help me to find your will for my life and the strength to live it. Amen
-Anthony

March 18, 2006

2006-03-18T13:33:00.001-08:00

March 18, 2006

2006-03-18T13:33:00.000-08:00