Week Three: The End of Ignorance

Two weeks down...let's welcome week three with great expectation!  

Week Three:  The End of Ignorance

Scripture:  1 Peter 2:13-15

Objective:  To educate ourselves on the way to end ignorance around us.

I know we all face a day or three in our lives when we have to deal with conversations that we could politely categorize as "ignorant".  Perhaps it's the person who says "well if you are a Christian then..." or "since you are a Christian you...".  The difficulty with these types of conversations is that it is nearly impossible to represent Christ well with a verbal response.  Typically we end up getting angry or confusing ourselves in the conversation.  Week three challenges us to "silence the ignorant talk" with our actions.  

1 Peter 2:13-15 says,

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.

This just may be the secret that we've all been looking for.  Remember our daily walk affects the future walk of others.  So, choose to do what's right even according to society's standards.  When we do so, this silences the ignorance around us.  Instead of trying to combat or explain why Christians do what or what you do and how you do it...choose to follow the word of God which challenges us to do right at all times and in all circumstances.  When we submit ourselves to the various authorities that we are subject to (whether it be on the job...in school...governmental laws...etc), then we are pleasing God and walking in the will of God.  Remember, it is the will of God for us to do GOOD in order to silence ignorance...not try to explain ourselves to others.

THIS WEEK'S LENTEN CHALLENGE:

This week, I challenge each of us to keep quiet and just BE GOOD! Instead of trying to defend ourselves when misunderstood or explain why we are so committed to our Lenten fasts, choose to live "GOOD" or "GOD-LIKE" in all arenas of our lives.  I challenge us to be "the Bible that someone sees" every second of the day.  Whether completing an unfair task at work or finishing up a class assignment with integrity, the way to end ignorance is to DO GOOD...come on, it's God's will!

PRAYER:

All knowing God, we thank You because You knew all of the circumstances we would face before we could have ever imagined them.  Since this is true, we thank You for preparing us to handle all that may come our way.  In our Lenten pursuits, help us to live "in front of people" in a way that encourages others to live for You and not run in the other direction.  Help us to end the ignorance around us by doing good and living in the way that pleases You.  As we do so, we thank You for strengthening us for this journey.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Week Two: What is the Will of God?

Well, you have made it one full week during this Lenten season!  How do you feel?  I pray that you feel lighter...closer to God...clearer in thought...motivated to do better!  Whatever you feel...just don't quit!  Stay strong because we have a few more weeks to go, and I believe the reward is going to be monumental.

Week Two:  What is the will of God?

Scripture:  1 Thessalonians 5:12-18

Objective:  To discover the will of God and begin to DO IT!

This second week of Lent calls for us to go beyond our knowledge.  The will of God calls for a change in our actions.  Am I treating the people of God the way God urges me to or I am responding according to the way I feel?  God places so many different people in our lives to be a blessing to our daily walk.  He also gives us spiritual leaders to help keep us close to Him through their knowledge and reverence of God.  It is essential, according to Paul's letter to the church at Thessalonica, that we respect those individuals whom God has placed over us "in the Lord" and love them.  As we do this, it will enable us to walk in peace with one another.  The scripture is clear:

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.  Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.  Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.  Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. -1 Thessalonians 5:12-18

This is the will of God?  Yes, our prayer life should compel us to treat others as God desires for us to treat them.  Our prayer life should compel us to respond to situations and circumstances in a completely different way.  When others respond to hardship with headache and despair, it is the will of God that we respond with JOY, CONTINUOUS PRAYER, and THANKSGIVING!  As we do so, we are doing the will of God.

THIS WEEK'S LENTEN CHALLENGE:

Take a moment and think about the people whom God has allowed to come into your life.  Have you prayed for them?  Have you sought God on their behalf and demonstrated love towards them?  Try to do something tangible in that area this week.  As you pray for those around you, remember that someone else is also praying for you.  Also, think about circumstances that easily bring you down or cause you to worry.  Instead of worrying this week, I challenge us to write down reasons to have joy about those very situations.  As we do so, I challenge us to thank God even though the circumstance may not be exactly what we desire for it to be.  Remember, this Lenten season stretches us and our faith...let's do it together!

PRAYER:

Most Mighty and Awesome God!  Thank you for bringing us through the first week of the Lenten season.  During this second week, touch our hearts and motivate our spirits to live the way you desire for us to live.  Touch our hearts and motivate our spirits to respect those whom you have placed over us in the Lord.  Touch our hearts and motivate our spirits to love and live in peace with one another-not repaying wrong for wrong, but striving to give what Christ gives us (unconditional love).  Touch our hearts and motivate our spirits to trust you enough to be joyful in all circumstances because we know that You will not fail us!  Touch our hearts and motivate our spirits to keep praying and believing that You are indeed able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than we can ask or think.  We ask this all in the mighty name of Jesus, and so we are compelled to thank you even while we wait.  Amen.

Lent 2013: Week ONE

It's that time again...today is Wednesday, February 13th--Ash Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday kicks off our 40-day Lenten observance.  This year we are revisiting the importance of discerning the will of God through a contemplative prayer life.  During these 40 days, join with us as we strive to become more faithful to the will of God instead of our wants of God.  Remember that today, we stand together as a body of believers and abstain from meat.  We also continue this practice every Friday throughout the Lenten season as a means of solidarity during this season.  Now, for this week's devotion...

Week One: Am I In the Family?

Scripture Focus:  Matthew 12:46-50

Objective:  To perform a spiritual check-in with Jesus--am I really in His family?

In today's society, we refer to a number of individuals as "sister" and "brother," and I do not mean in the church.  Think about it...each of us can think of a minimum of 3 people who we refer to as our "sister" or our "brother," but they do not share our parents or even biological siblings for that matter.  Why do we do this?  I believe we begin to move past just being "friends" when our behaviors, character, and spiritual desires become truly in-sync.  We still have our own lives and hold great value to our biological family members; however, we are acknowledging the blessing of God-born family (those individuals whom God sends our way for our lifetime).

In this same way, Jesus explains to us His understanding of family:

While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him.  Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you."  He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"  Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers.  For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."  

-Matthew 12:46-50

This first week of Lent, we must understand the importance of the will of God in our lives.  If we do not believe that the will of God is more important than our wants of God then Jesus does not see us as a part of His family.  Remember, Jesus says "...whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother".  Our participation in the Lenten observance reminds us that we stand with Christ as His sister or His brother.  In doing so, Christ urges us then to seek and to do the will of His Father.

THIS WEEK'S LENTEN CHALLENGE:

Start this Lenten Season off right!  Remember, this is an opportunity to press reset within our spiritual lives and more importantly within our hearts.  The Bible testifies that our mouth only speaks what is overflowing out of our heart.  Therefore, when I pray/speak to God I am revealing my heart to Him.  I challenge us to cleanse our heart this week.  Start each day of this first week out asking God to "create in me a clean heart".  The more we say it...the more we will actually desire it!  As God gives us a clean heart, we will be more inclined to DO the will of God!  It would be all in vain to pray for the will of God instead of our wants of God if we are not actually ready to DO THE WILL OF GOD!  So, join with us this week as we ask for a clean heart to get Jesus' blood pumping through our veins and take our rightful place in the family.

PRAYER:

God as we start off this Lenten season together, we ask that You strengthen us for the journey.  Please give us a mind to stay focused and faithful to our individual fasts while holding each other up corporately in our aspiration to desire the will of God instead of our wants of God.  We believe that You will see us through this 40-day journey and allow us to be better prepared for what lies ahead.  As we do so, please give us clean hearts that we may be worthy examples of your children.  We thank You for the victory that is already ours and Your will which is truly the best for us!  In Jesus' name we pray together, AMEN.

Something Saturday/Sunday

Something Saturday/Sunday--Daily Dose of Inspiration

"Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." -Matthew 14:16

This SOMETHING Saturday/Sunday inspires us to take responsibility for our sisters and brothers in Christ.  We could send them away to get "food" or we could allow the Lord to use US!  Choose today to do as Jesus said "...You give them something to eat".

*****This weekend will end my three month "Daily Dose of Inspiration" messages as we prepare to enter the Lenten Season on Wednesday, February 13th.  If you desire to receive weekly devotions during the Lenten Season, inbox/send me your email address.

Family Friday

Family Friday--Daily Dose of Inspiration

"He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly."  -Acts 10:2

Today let us re-commit ourselves to our family. Have we taken the time to ensure that our family knows about the Lord, and are God-fearing individuals? Are we generous to those in need and faithful in our prayer life? Let's obtain the reputation of the centurion in this scripture...our entire family is "devout and God-fearing". Am I a good example?

Walk Wednesday

Walk Wednesday--Daily Dose of Inspiration
"Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse." -Proverbs 28:6
I loved singing this part each Christmas "I'd rather have Jesus than silver and gold...gold...gold...gold..." but do we really show God that we mean it? This scripture reminds us that our WALK is much more valuable than any money or fancy things! We are better off being poor and walking in God's way than being rich and walking in our own way. Choose today to WALK LIKE YOU MEAN IT-like you'd rather have Jesus than silver and gold!