One of the amazing things about Jesus (among everything else) is that He really did become fully human at the same time as being sinless God. He, too, understood how human it is to avoid pain. Obviously, He didn’t avoid it, and we are so thankful that He followed through! This should underscore how He does, in fact, understand our all too human ways of just wanting to “give up” when it looks hopeless.
Questions for further thought: 1. Do you ever wish pain would just “go away” from you, and your family and friends? 2. How do you deal with that feeling, knowing most times, it won’t? Challenge: Lord, we realize that we don’t like pain. We realize, though, that you also endured worse pain than we ever will, and you didn’t even deserve it. Help us in the midst of what “looks” like no-win situations and help us to persist in the midst of them, with your help, strength, and presence. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen.
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4/24/2024 0 Comments Fear and Self-LoathingIt’s often said that we are our own worst enemies (next to Satan). When we’ve disappointed ourselves or others, or even THINK we have, we’re far harder on ourselves than almost anyone could be. Maybe sometimes we even develop a bit of self-loathing, as Peter did. Those were dark times for him, and we’ve certainly had our own. How do we get through those?
Questions for further thought: 1. Have you ever felt like you’ve hit “rock bottom?” 2. During those times, did you feel like you’d ever emerge out of it? Challenge: Lord, we know that we’ve felt like Peter, and we’ve been so disappointed and even disgusted with ourselves that we don’t even know how to look in the mirror. But help us to remember that YOU love us even so. And help us to ask for your forgiveness and love at our weakest moments so that we don’t start hating ourselves. For we are your masterpieces, even amidst our own sinful natures. Thank you, Father. Amen. As mentioned yesterday, we all feel pretty confident, so long as there are no problems, hiccups, delays, and the world runs “as it should” for us. But the minute it doesn’t, we get disappointed, upset and, often, we say (or do) rash things. We are fearful, so we lash out to cover where we feel weak. Though we know this is us at our weakest, we often struggle to recognize these emotions and actions before they happen, and often deny they’re there, just like Peter. So why can’t we see them clearly beforehand?
Questions for further thought: 1. What happens when someone or something shakes our confidence? 2. How do you think Peter felt when his own loyalty was questioned by Jesus Himself? Challenge: It’s not a question of “if,” but “when” troubles and tribulations come, and those will shake us (sometimes to the very core). Remember to pray to Him who, as pastor Doug often says, “Never changed and never moved.” He knows we’ll need Him in those times and He’s waiting. Let’s not keep Him waiting, even today. Pray to Him for whatever you need (strength, endurance, or just a sense of Him with you) and don’t delay! 4/22/2024 0 Comments Confidence and OverconfidenceWe all know how great we feel when we feel confident of ourselves and our situation. It’s great, isn’t it? We feel like we can “take on the world” and do anything we set our minds to. But, honestly, in our lives: how long has that confidence lasted once we’ve run into real opposition, or challenges? Peter felt very confident. How long would that last?
Questions for further thought: 1. Have you ever felt a twinge of doubt with all of that confidence? 2. How did you deal with the doubt that, maybe, everything (at the moment) might be “too good to be true?” Challenge: Lord, it is good to feel confident, particularly in your will and goodness and love for us. But, Lord, help us to deal with doubts that come in, and also help us to not feel overconfident, as that will lead us into trouble. In your name, Amen. 4/19/2024 0 Comments Waiting on HeavenChristians look forward to the day we will be with Christ in heaven where the great street of the city is made of gold. It can be hard to wait until that time, especially as we live in a fallen, sinful world. We might wonder why it’s taking God so long to bring all believers home. But His waiting means that more people have time to be brought into His family. His love is so great that He gives unbelievers time to repent and come to a saving faith in Him.
Questions for further thought: 1. What do you most look forward to about heaven? 2. Who in your life needs to know the Good News of Jesus? Challenge: Pray for God to show you practical ways you can demonstrate His love to those who don’t know Him. Maybe it’s having coffee with a co-worker and sharing something God has done in your life. Maybe it’s reading Bible storybooks to young children in your extended family who have never heard of Jesus. There are many storms in life and if you haven’t gone through one yet, you will. Some of the big storms include relationships that go south, job losses, loved ones dying, and serious health concerns. Storms are challenging to live through. We can wonder what the purpose is and have trouble waiting for God to help us. We know from reading John 12 that Jesus was troubled thinking about His impending death on the cross, but he also knew that God’s name would be glorified because of it.
Questions for further thought: 1. In what ways did you wait (or are you waiting) on God during a storm in your life? 2. How has God proven faithful to carry you through the storms of life? Challenge: Are there ways you have been able to glorify God due to a hardship you’ve experienced? Think about someone you can help support and show God’s love to who may be going through something hard that you went through in the past. 4/17/2024 0 Comments Waiting = ProtectionWaiting can often be difficult, but do we ever consider that God makes us wait to protect us? Think about the times when you’ve wanted to do something or say something, but it didn’t work out. Maybe you became sick or technology didn’t work to send a text or email. These roadblocks that caused us to wait might very well have been God protecting us from the wrong people and wrong situations.
Questions for further thought: 1. When was a time when you didn’t want to wait but God caused you to wait anyway for your own protection? 2. What have you learned about waiting and God’s protection? Challenge: Pray for the awareness to know that sometimes having to wait means that God is protecting you. God made you unique in your mother’s womb. He chose the set time for you to be on this earth – just like He chose the set time for His Son to be born. Remember that you were born for a purpose and that purpose isn’t always revealed in one moment. It might take some waiting – even a long amount of waiting – to see how God has your purpose unfold.
Questions for further thought: 1. What are some ways God has guided you to fulfill the purpose He created you for? 2. What positive choices and actions can you take to align with God’s will as you live out your purpose? Challenge: Think about a Christ-follower you know who lives out their purpose well and then ponder how this can inspire you to live out your purpose. 4/15/2024 0 Comments Waiting = Being AvailableWhen I looked up the word “wait” in the dictionary, it had several definitions. One was “to be ready and available.” Another was “to remain stationary in readiness or expectation.” At the wedding in Cana, Jesus’s mother waited expectantly for Him to act when there was a crisis at the wedding. In our waiting and wondering, God has a plan in place and blessings in store.
Questions for further thought: 1. In what ways are you making yourself ready and available to God while you wait on Him and His leading? 2. How are you waiting in readiness or expectation for Jesus’s answer to a long-time prayer? Challenge: As you wrestle with waiting on God’s timing for the things going on in your life, hold onto the promise of Matthew 17:20 “… Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” 4/12/2024 0 Comments Boldly SurrenderingAfter Jesus explained to his disciples how he would have to suffer, he made the radical statement that true followers must give up their lives. This is another example of the “upside down Kingdom.” Hold tightly to control of your life and you’ll lose it. But surrender to Jesus, who proved his absolute love for us, and your life will be saved for eternity. Humbly giving him authority seals us as his own and allows us to boldly approach the very throne of God!
Questions for further thought: 1. How valuable do you consider your soul? 2. Does the way you interact with the world match up with that value? Challenge: Jesus paid a high price for you. There is no reason to question his love. Like children who trust their parents to know what’s best and care for their needs, we can depend on our Lord. Therefore, allow yourself to experience the joy and freedom of letting him take charge! |
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April 2024
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