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BIBLE READING: Proverbs 23.7 Do you see the glass half full or half empty? The glass holds the exact same amount of water yet our attitude determines our point of view toward making the decision. The answer to this familiar question is used to determine if a person has a positive or negative attitude. There is not a lot of science in this method but the point is our attitude is very important to how we respond to situations in life. Every day we have a choice concerning how we respond to the challenges of life. As Christians, seeking to follow Christ will keep us looking up and not down. Leroy Brownlow wrote in his book “Better than medicine”, that whether a man’s thoughts are positive or negative depends on what he believes or disbelieves. If you believe you are able to do a job, chances are you will. If you don’t believe you are able, you will most likely fail. Your outlook on life plays a big part in success or failure. Solomon said it another way: “As a man thinks in his he...

BIBLE READING: Psalms 51. 10-12 In Psalms 51, after David had sinned with Bathsheba and had her husband killed, David asked God to create in him a clean heart, to take away the guilt of his sin, and to restore the joy of salvation. By making bad choices, David had lost all joy of living. As Christians, we also are faced with many temptations and also will make some bad choices resulting in sin either private or public. In 1John 1:7-9, John tells us of this and that if we confess these sins the blood of Christ will wash those sins away. What a joy it is to know that our God is willing to wipe away sin in our life if we are willing to confess and repent of sin in our life. As adults, the joy of being a Christian can sometimes fade due to the cares of our everyday life. Asking God to restore that joy to our salvation is only a prayer away. Is it important to show the world your joy?

BIBLE READING: Philippians 4.4 If you watch TV or read social media you will see that there are thousands of things designed to make you happy. So it should be easy to find happiness, shouldn’t it? I think the fact is that nothing in this world will bring us happiness. We have to choose to be happy regardless of what is going on in our lives. Solomon said “There is nothing new under the sun and all is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9, 14). Using today’s language we might say, Solomon has been there and done that. Solomon wasn’t a doctor but he realized the mind had a big influence upon the body. In Proverbs 17:22 He presented two options: Live a happy life, and enjoy good health or live without happiness and risk a life of sickness. Sadly, although Solomon knew this because of his God given wisdom, he ended up ignoring his own advice. (Thought) Do we do this same thing a lot of times? About three thousand years later through science we are realizing that happiness is part of being hea...

BIBLE READING: John 15. 11 The Bible tells us in Proverbs 17:22- Happiness is good medicine, but sorrow is a disease. If we don’t constantly work on having a good attitude and think on good things (Philippians 4:8), instead of feeling happy and energetic, happiness is likely to get lost in our busy lives. Without happiness life can feel pretty empty and meaningless. Poor health will follow in a life without joy.  As Christians we have a big reason to be happy. Our savior Jesus, has given us a hope, through His willingness to die on the cross for our sins. He paid the debt we could not pay. How do you think He feels when we let the things of this world trump His ultimate gift of joy?  I think Paul was telling us in Philippians 4:7, as Christians if we focus on Jesus we will have a joy that is beyond the understanding of the world and that peace (joy) within our hearts will help us maintain that joyful attitude in our lives. It is healthy both spiritually and physically...

BIBLE READING: Acts 20.35          A teenage boy, Jack, is riding his aging bicycle down the road when he is pulled over by one of his friends, Tom.  Tom was sporting a new car.  As he exited the car he told Jack that it was a gift from his brother.  He continued to show all of the extras the car had and how plush the insides were. Jack was taken aback by the costly gift Tom's brother had given him.  For a moment he was speechless.  Even though he hadn’t said anything, Tom had a good idea what he was thinking.  Jack opened his mouth and said, "I wish I…."  Tom didn't even listen to what Jack actually said for he knew he was going to say he wished he had a brother like Tom.  However, what came out of Jack's mouth was a surprise.  Jack said, "I wish I could be a brother like that!" Jack has the right idea about gift giving.  As our text says, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."  It is a higher...

BIBLE READING: Hebrews 6. 7-12 There is a short story that is told about a young paper boy. It’s said that an older man was on his way to work one morning and he heard this young voice calling out, “Morning Paper, Get Your Morning Paper.” It was a cold rainy day in November and as he looked up he saw this thinly clad young boy, shivering in a doorway, soaked to the skin. He had no shoes and watched as he would lift one foot and press it against his leg to get a little warmth and then the other one. Every few minutes he would call out “Morning Paper, Get Your Morning Paper.” Now the man was well protected by his coat and his umbrella and he stopped to buy the early edition. And he said to the paper boy, “This kind of weather is pretty hard on you, isn’t it?” Looking up with a smile, the youngster replied, “I don’t mind too much. The sun will shine again.” What a picture of a Christian life! Chilling winds of adversity and gray skies of a sinful environment can easily discoura...

BIBLE READING: Genesis 2. 15-17, 3. 1-6 V.6 – So when the woman saw that the tree was pleasing to the eyes … she took of its fruit. The story is told about a young child that was being cared for by a baby sitter while the mother worked in the office of her home. When the child saw this beautiful vase in the china cabinet, he wanted it. When the baby sitter refused to give it to him he began crying, screaming and kicking. When his mother heard him she came into the room to see what was going on. Picking up her precious little boy she said, “What do you want darling?” He pointed to the vase in the china cabinet, so his mother took it out and gave it to him and went back to work. Not long after that the child started screaming again and the mother came back and said, “Now what does my little darling want?” Between sobs the little boy says, “I want — I want,” and then he blurted out, “I want anything I’m not supposed to have!” The desire for what is off-limits is not confined ...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 6. 19-21 Many times we are so very short-sighted, placing greater value on the pleasures of this life, than on the glories of the future life in heaven. I can’t say we all do it but I do know that it is all too easy to be caught up in the thoughts and cares of daily living and just forget about God. We invest our time and our talents in acquiring more and more earthly wealth, a bigger house, a fancy car, a bigger bank account. For what? I’m reminded of the parable of the “Rich Man” in  Luke 12:13-21 . This guy had acquired so much stuff he had no more room to store it. So he said he would tear down his barns and build them bigger so he could get more stuff. But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will get what you have stored up for yourself? ” This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” I’ve heard it said that the more treasures w...

BIBLE READING: 1 Timothy 1. 1-11 Verse 4 says,  “Give no heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes.” The truth about babies: A new mother said, but we need our rest. So we started him on formula so he’ll sleep through the night. Sounds logical right? We’ve been told this for years by our parents or others we love and respect. The problem is it’s not true. It’s what we might call an old wives tale, handed down through the years. An article in the Detroit News added these common fables about babies. §   A child will catch cold if he’s chilled. They actually catch colds from germs spread by people. §   Babies need to be kept warmer than adults. Actually we are all the same. §   A baby that stands too early will be bowlegged. Not true. §   Cow’s milk is best. Actually it’s harder to digest and doesn’t have as much iron. It’s the same with spiritual matters. What sounds right may be all wrong. For example: §   God wi...

BIBLE READING: Psalm 16 In this Psalm David rejoices that the life God gives cannot be canceled by the grave. But generally speaking, the Old Testament offers little insight into life after death,  but here David’s faith carries him to a deeper understanding. The apostles Peter and Paul understand this psalm as prophesying about the resurrection of Jesus. (See Acts 2:25-28, 13:35-37). Because of the resurrection of Jesus, David and “all God’s people” will come to a new life in him. People have always wanted an answer to the question: “What happens to you after you die?” and the Psalmists were no different. They lived in an age without effective medicine, in an age when wars were fought hand to hand. Dead bodies were a familiar reality. Yet death, however familiar, remained mysterious and frightening. The Israelites called the dark and shadowy place where dead people go “Sheol.” When you got there, your life seemed thoroughly finished. The psalmists emphatically did not want ...

BIBLE READING: James 4. 13-17 How often have you passed someone on the road that needed help and later you felt guilty about not stopping? Maybe you heard of someone in the community that needed help and you did nothing. Have you ever seen someone being abused or mistreated and have done nothing? Has someone depended on you for help, or even just for you to be responsible and you let them down? Maybe there were times when you should have spoken up for good and you did not. James 4. 17 says “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and does not do it, sins.” If you have been guilty of this, and we all have, do not let it happen again. Instead, look for opportunities to help others. Make it your mission to do good.

BIBLE READING: James 5.16 Isn’t it interesting that we read books and watch movies and TV shows about fictional characters that we love and adore, but they all have huge character flaws.  Jack Bauer was the antihero that would toss aside all feeling for other people to accomplish a mission.  Harry Potter had a bad temper.  Katniss Everdeen was insecure.  Winnie the Pooh was depressed (and probably had an eating disorder).  The point is this: We also have faults!  Each of us are flawed in a different kind of way, yet, God, in all His wisdom gave us the perfect place to have our faults be accepted.  Thank God for His wisdom in providing us with the church, where we can forgive, be forgiven, and draw strength from each other .

BIBLE READING: Exodus 3. 10-14 Life is confusing. (I could probably stop the devotional right here.)  You wake up one day, and you’re told not to eat eggs because it’ll raise your cholesterol.  The next day you’re told that they are good because of their protein and they’ll help you lose weight.  Same thing happens with coffee.  “Drink it!  It has compounds in it that are healthy!”  The next day: “Don’t drink it!  It’s killing you!”  Even those of us who are older, we remember that when we were younger, Pluto was actually considered a planet.  Now, I’m not so sure if it is, or it isn’t.  The point is that even though mankind likes to act as if we know everything, we don’t.  There’s always more to learn.  How comforting is it to know that God is always the same?  Just as He told Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.”  He never changes.

BIBLE READING: Matthew 18. 1-5                               Grow up!  Be a child! Huh? Yep.  That’s exactly what Jesus was saying.  It’s included in a discussion He was having about humility.  But why?  Unlike adults, children have no illusions of being in control.  All the adults around them are taller, bigger, and stronger.  Adults tell them when to wake up, what to eat for dinner, and whether they can watch the movie they want to watch so badly.  Sometimes it may seem like children are in control, but they’re not, and they know it. We, as adults, cannot go back to the innocence of childhood, because we have been so influenced by the world around us.  We can, though, recognize that we are in the same situation.  So many things around us are completely out of our control, but we can know that God is using it all to accomplish His purposes (...

BIBLE READING: James 1. 2-6                         If you ever get a chance to, you should watch the movie Evan Almighty , if for no other reason than Steve Carell is in it (and he’s hilarious).  The premise of the movie is that Evan Baxter (Carell) is a newly appointed Congressman who is approached by God, played by Morgan Freeman, and is asked to build an ark but isn’t given the reason as to why.  Evan’s wife, Joan, shows much doubt about her husband’s “crazy” project, and its effects on their 3 sons.  In the middle of the movie, one of the best parts occurs, and if you blink, you’ll miss it.  Joan, sitting in a restaurant, by herself is approached by God (Freeman), who is posing as a waiter named, “Al Mighty.” Al:       I love that story, Noah and the Ark.  You know, a lot of people miss the point of that story.  They think it’s about God’s wrath and anger....

BIBLE READING: Isaiah 64. 8            “He’s still workin’ on me to make me what I ought to be.  It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars, the sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars.  How loving and patient He must be.  ‘Cause He’s still workin’ on me. There really ought to be a sign upon my heart: ‘Don’t judge me yet.  There’s an unfinished part.’  But I’ll be better just according to His plan, fashioned by the Master’s loving hand. In the mirror of His word, reflections that I see, make me wonder why He never gave up on me.  But He loves me as I am and helps me when I pray.  Remember He’s the potter.  I’m the clay.” It’s an unfortunate thing that in life, the human thing to do is to not listen to God unless we are in a troubling, difficult, or painful situation.  Jonah didn’t listen to God until he nearly caused himself and others to perish in a shipwreck (Jonah 1:4-16), and spent 3 days a...

BIBLE READING: Galatians 5. 22-23 Self-control is defined as having control or restraint of oneself or one’s actions and feelings.  Being self-controlled is the very foundation for living a life for God.  But, far too often, we lose control of ourselves and act/behave in ways that are far from Christ like.  Our desires tempt us every day.  The devil knows exactly how to tempt each of us to lose control. In other words, the devil knows how to push our buttons.  Identifying these “buttons” and recognizing that the temptation is from the devil is the first step towards developing self-control.  The closer we stay to God, the easier it is for us to remain in control.   Below are some simple ways each of us can increase our level of self-control:  1)master our moods—do the right thing even when you don’t “feel” like it  2) watch your words-ignore the impulse to say something quickly that you will later regret 3) restrain your reactions –...

Verse:  Galatians 5:22-23 Kindness is doing something and not expecting anything in return.  In Colossians 3:12 we are told that as God’s chosen people we are to clothe ourselves with kindness among other virtues.  The Bible is full of stories of kindness.  I’m reminded of the four friends that brought their paralyzed friend to see Jesus so he could be healed as one of many great examples for us to follow.   God wants us to show kindness to others.  But we are to show kindness to honor God, not ourselves.  There are many ways we can show kindness.  Here are a few examples you might try- 1)when at a restaurant drive thru-pay for the person’s meal behind you, 2)open the door for someone at a department store, 3)offer to baby sit for a single mom or take a widow out to lunch. A simple act of kindness can have a big impact.

BIBLE READING: Galatians 5. 22-23 Patience is defined as the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.  For so many of us, this is one fruit that is very elusive.  We live extremely busy lives and pack so many things into our day that one hiccup in our day starts a domino effect that pushes patience out of our lives extremely quickly.  Looking to God as our example, Exodus 34:6 describes the Lord as "slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity."  The speed at which we are angered is key to preserving our patience.  So, here are some strategies we can employ to increase our level of patience.  1) Slow down; do not fill every hour of your day with activities and deadlines.  2) Listen carefully; don’t think of your response while someone is speaking.  3) Choose patience;  remind yourself that in every situation you have a choice of how you will respond—so respond with calmness.  Fin...

BIBLE READING: Galatians 5. 22-23 In John 14:27 we read "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid".  Peace is the result of resting in a relationship with God.  Peace is more than an absence of conflict. It is the tranquil state of a soul that does not fear and is content, trusting that everything is in God’s hands.   There are several things we can do to show peace and make a difference to people in our lives:  1)forgive someone that has talked about you and let them know you forgive them, 2)smile at strangers, 3) speak kind words to your family the next time they anger you.  There are countless other seemingly small things we can do to promote peace in our lives.  I challenge you to think of 1 thing you can do now to promote peace in your family.  Simple acts can have a big impact. 

BIBLE READING: Galatians 5. 22-23 In Philippians 4:4 Paul writes "Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!"  Often time joy is mistaken for happiness, but there is a definite difference.  Joy is much deeper than happiness.  Joy is rooted in God and comes from Him.  Happiness is a fleeting thought or an emotion.  Joy is  knowing that our strength comes from God and that He is in control regardless of our earthly situation.  We can show joy in our lives when bad things happen to us.  When life becomes difficult or hard, many people give up or abandon their faith and cannot praise God in the bad times as well as the good times.  During these life struggles, go to worship, go to Bible class, go to a home Bible study, read and study the Bible and anytime someone asks where your strength comes from, you can proudly say “from God,” with a smile.  Simple acts can have a big impact.

BIBLE READING: Galatians 5. 22-23 All this week we will concentrate on two verses written to the Galatians by the Apostle Paul.   Many could recite the fruits of the Spirit mentioned by Paul in Galatians, but do we really know “how” to bear these fruits of the Spirit in our everyday lives?  This week, we will highlight one of the fruits each day and give practical advice as to how you can show these fruits to others.  Showing these fruits to others is much more impactful than telling someone about them.    The first fruit Paul mentions is Love.  Love is an intense feeling of affection.  The best definition of love comes from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 where Paul tells us love is patient, kind, not easily angered, etc.   When we want to know how to show love to others, we need to think of how we like to be shown love.  Some simple examples of showing love could be:   text someone to tell them you missed them at church...

BIBLE READING: 1 John 1. 7-9 DISCUSSION:                                      We are always encouraged from youth to do the best you can at what you choose to do. That is good advice, but we must be careful what we choose to do. Life is full of choices. Making the right choice is not easy and many times the right choice will not be the choice we make. So the question becomes “How do I make better choices?” There is not a perfect way, but some things can help. Listen more and talk less, notice the consequences of other people’s choices, don’t put yourself in a place you can’t handle, keep your heart tender, don’t judge, make sure you talk to God daily. If you don’t keep Him in your life daily, you are not doing your best. Is this going to ensure you always make the right choice? Absolutely not! God knew our lives would include bad choices and as we see in 1 John chapter 1, He gave us a way...

BIBLE READING: Exodus 13. 21,22; Hebrews 12.13 DISCUSSION God gave the children of Israel physical signs (cloud by day and fire by night). This provided direction of where to go and comfort that God was with them. They often ignored that and displeased God, but God always provided them with hope and direction. Today the same God guides us with His word. He provides us with direction (straight path) and a comfort to know He is there for us. Do we often ignore His word for which path to follow and displease God? We can be comforted to know He is always there for us, giving us hope and direction. Make sure you go where God leads you. (Psalms 23)

BIBLE READING: Job 1. 13-19;  Matthew 24. 38-42 DISCUSSION:                                            A disaster strikes suddenly and usually without warning. Even though we know tornados, floods, lightning storms, accidents and deaths are going to occur, we are still shocked when they do. The tragedies that claimed Job’s possessions and family came suddenly and without warning. Job and his family were living out their lives in a day to day routine when disaster struck, turning their world upside down. Jesus warns that the conditions when He returns will be similar. People will be going about their day to day routines, forgetful of the fact He is returning. The important difference between us and Job is Job had time for a “do over”. If we are not ready for Jesus when He returns there is no “do over”. Are you ready?

BIBLE READING: 1 Samuel 2. 12-17 DISCUSSION:                              As we raise our children we all notice things about them that remind us of either their mother or father. We are proud of these similarities and consider it to be a genetic trait. It is easy to assume that if you didn’t cause your parents grief growing up your children probably want cause you much either. Eli and Samuel would be the first to say that is not a good thing to assume.  Eli knew his sons were wicked but did nothing, Samuel told Eli of Gods plan to rebuke his family, 1 Samuel 2: 12-17, 1 Samuel 3: 13. Samuel’s two sons were appointed judges by him (1 Samuel 8: 1-5) and they proved to not walk in his ways. They were dishonest, took bribes, and perverted justice. It isn’t obvious Samuel knew of his son’s wickedness until it was brought to his attention in verse 5.   Both Eli and Samuel were men of God. There cou...