Church isn’t where you meet. Church isn’t a building. Church is what you do. Church is who you are. Church is the human outworking of the person of Jesus Christ. Let’s not go to Church, let’s be the Church. – Bridget Willard (more…)
Religion
I grew up in a religious home, went to a religious college and am now trying to live my life not as a religious person but as a Christ Follower. I like many others struggle with faith and have doubts. I know God has a plan for me, sometimes I just wish he would show it me.
Thankfulness Day 7
Sunday, November 7th, 2010Censoring- Devotional
Monday, October 25th, 2010
Several times this week I became very frustrated with things my son was being exposed too. Twice this week our family has sat down to watch television and had to turn the programming off due to explicit sexual content. On Saturday, we went to see a high school play and I could not believe some of the language and sexual content that the play contained. It seems like society is bombarded by these images at every turn. (more…)
Compassion (Part 2)- Devotional
Thursday, October 21st, 2010
The compassion of Jesus does not excuse his children from showing compassion to others. The Bible has a lot to say about how we should show compassion to those in times of need and crisis in their lives. (more…)
Compassion (Part 1)- Devotional
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010
Recently my pastor preached a sermon on compassion. When the message started I thought, “I don’t really need to hear this, I have compassion.” I soon realized that I needed to hear the sermon for reasons other than learning to show compassion to others. I needed to hear this sermon in order to be reminded of the compassion that Jesus has for us. (more…)
The name of the Lord
Monday, October 18th, 2010
Text messages, tweets and facebook comments abound with those who preface what they are saying with 3 letters calling Gods name when it is not necessary. Sometimes the entirety of their status update is just the three letters that when put together make me cringe. (more…)
Changing Focus- Devotional
Wednesday, October 13th, 2010
God word tells us that we need to set our minds on things above and not dwell on the things of this earth. This month has turned out to be more difficult than I expected it would be. It seems that everything from the color of the leaves, the temperature of the air, and family traditions take me back to this time last year. It is hard not to focus on and remember the pain and loss we experienced. During the next several weeks I am going to try to focus more on what his word says concerning where our focus should be and less on the events of last fall. (more…)
Hope
Wednesday, October 6th, 2010
If you have been reduced to God being your only hope, You are in a good place. – Jim Laffon
Sometimes the only thing that gets a person through the most difficult and disappointing times in life is holding on to hope. In our lives sometimes hope is all we have. We face struggles in life not knowing what the outcomes will be. Somehow we know that we can not give up or loose hope. I have seen people who have lost all hope and in the process many of them have lost their faith in God. I don’t want to be one of those hopeless people. I want to cling to the hope that God has given me through him. (more…)
Seeking revenge- Devotional
Friday, September 17th, 2010
Several months ago someone hurt me very deeply. We tried to explain to the person how their actions had hurt me to no avail. Our approaching the person about the situation only made things more complicated and made the hurt I was feeling even worse. To this day I still have trouble thinking of the person without having my feelings of hurt resurface. (more…)
Guilt- Devotional
Friday, September 3rd, 2010
Recently I have had several conversations with people who are experiencing guilt because of their actions in the past. I too often struggle with my own self-inflicted guilt. Feelings of guilt are part of human nature and often times hard to overcome. Feelings of guilt are especially difficult to overcome when others in your life remind you of your past and refuse to forgive you or let you let go of your guilt. During these times we must embrace the words found in Acts 13 and know that we have been forgiven and we are free from all guilt.
Verse: In this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins everyone who believes in him is freed from all guilt and declared right with God (Acts 13:38-39).
Those who remind you of your past sins will not be the one to judge you on the final day of judgement. God alone will be your judge. Once you have asked God for forgiveness you are free from your sins and guilt. Our feelings of guilt do not come from God but from Satan. God wants us to live a life of freedom and forgiveness. Satan wants us to live a life dwelling on our past sins, so that we do not feel the forgiveness and comforting of our savior. When feelings of guilt overpower you seek God and know that you have been forgiven and in his eyes you are guiltless.
The Book of Eli- Devotional
Monday, August 30th, 2010
Recently we watched “The Book of Eli.” For those of you who have not seen the movie it is pretty good but does have some violence and language. The movie is set in a destitute world where everyday life is a struggle about 30 years after a war. At the end of the war every Bible was destroyed except for one. Eli is on a mission to get the Bible to safety. Carnegie is on a mission to have the only copy in his possession so that he can have access to the powerful words within its pages in order to rule the world. Despite the violence and language in the movie it spoke to me of the importance of hiding God’s word in my heart. (more…)