30 Days with Jesus - Days 21-30

These last ten days of our month of devotions are beginning to repeat a lot of the same teachings that we have already covered.

Have you ever wondered why there are four books of the Bible that are dedicated to the life and teachings of Jesus? Now days, most of us are more familiar with the New Testament than we are with the Old Testament. We teach more lessons from the New Testament and find more ways to apply the New Testament to our lives, but the New Testament is very short. And the first four books of the New Testament are basically the same (they tell many of the same stories, each from a different point of view).

Why did God think it was necessary to repeat the stories about Jesus and His teachings four times? I think it was because we are so stubborn.

Think about how many times in these 30 days that we have read the Gospel message of salvation. Jesus gave out His wisdom in little stories so that people could understand things that are not of this world. And He repeated Himself a lot because we needed to hear it over and over for it to make a dent in our thick heads.

For the last ten of these devotions, I would love for you to leave a comment about what you have learned in the past 30 days with Jesus.

Thanks for reading!

Mission Kids Summer Schedule

Mission Kids is our Wednesday Night Class for Pre-school through 5th Grade. We meet in the Family Life Center from 6:45 - 8:00 on Wednesday nights. We would love to have your kids in our classes!

Hello Mission Kids Parents!

We've been doing great with our Treasures of the Nile theme on Wednesday nights these past few weeks. Thank you so much to all of you that have volunteered and helped with the kids. The help is greatly appreciated!

We will wrap up Treasures of the Nile a few weeks early (tonight will be our last lesson in the series), and will be spending the month of July celebrating summer! We have lined up a ton of fun and exciting events for our kids. Check out this summer's schedule below:

Wednesday, July 1st - 4th of July Fun Night

We will learn about the armor of God and will celebrate our country. We will have hot dogs strawberry and grape slush drinks for snack. Donations of food/drinks will be appreciated.

Wednesday, July 8th - Open Gym Night

We will host the Mission Kids Games! Each class will learn about teamwork as they work together to complete an obstacle course and other fun games. Please make sure that your child wears appropriate shoes for the night's events. We will also have slush drinks (orange and grape), and you are welcome to send your child Gatorade. We will be in the gym, and it will be hot, but we will have water breaks and will have the fans on.

Wednesday, July 15th - Vacation Bible School! Camp Edge

Wednesday, July 22nd - Movie Night

We will try to beat the heat and get out of the gym tonight. We've been studying Moses in Treasures of the Nile, so we will be watching a cartoon movie about Moses. We will have popcorn and slush drinks. Again, donations will be appreciated.

Wednesday, July 29th - Puppet Show

We will have special guests, Puppets on the Rock, here to teach and entertain the kids.

We're really excited about all the fun activities we have planned for this summer. I will be posting photos of our events, so please get those photo release forms to me if you have not already. Thanks!

Happy Father's Day!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

"The Influence of a Father"
Sermon by Bro. Rick Taylor

Fathers have a profound influence on the family, therefore they have a profound influence on the church. And because they have a profound influence on the church, they have a profound influence on God's kingdom - as designed by God.

"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Joshua 24:14-24

Joshua's Instruction -

1. Fear the Lord (verse 14) "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7
2. Serve the Lord - Joshua instructed the people to serve God in sincerity and truth. In this verse, sincerity means entirely and wholly. Truth means faithful and stable. In other words, we should give God our all, ALL the time!
3. Put away false gods - Here, Joshua was instructing the children of Israel to put away the Egyptian influence and to beware of the influences of the world. He knew that the people of the world were going to try to influence the children of Israel to stray from serving God, and he wanted to make sure that they didn't allow themselves to be easily influenced.

Joshua's Intentions -

"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15 (KJV, emphasis added)

Joshua was the leader of his household and he made sure that his home and family were in the right spiritual condition, just as a father should. He knew that he had taught his family how they should live. He was confident that his family knew God and would serve Him. Joshua understood the influence he had on his family as the spiritual leader of their home, and he did not take his position lightly.

The People's Intentions -

1. They intended to serve God - "And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed: And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God... And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey." Joshua 24:16-18, 24
2. They forgot their good intentions - "And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel." Judges 2:10

Why did they turn from God? Because of the influence of their fathers:

Their fathers were disobedient

Check out Judges 1:21-36. God had instructed the children of Israel to go into the promised land and destroy all that lived there and take the land for their own. He did not want them to cohabitate with Canaanites because He did not want them to be influenced to sin against Him. But the Israelites did not obey God. They didn't drive the Canaanites out of the land and lived among them. In Judges 2:1-4, God sends the angel of the Lord to rebuke and warn the children of Israel -

"And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this? Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept."

As a father (or mother, or big sister, or mentor), the decisions you make effect the future generations. How are you influencing the future?

"Increase our faith" - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 20

Luke 17:1-37

"And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith." Luke 17:5

Has anyone ever told you to be careful what you pray for? I've heard all my life that you shouldn't pray for patience, because God will send you trials that will teach you to be more patient. But what if you really need patience?

The apostles knew that they needed faith, and they asked Jesus to increase their faith. To me, that sounds a little like praying for patience. If your faith is going to increase, it's going to have to be tested and proven. So that's a hard prayer to pray.

But the prayers we usually need to pray the most are the ones that are hard to pray - for example, if you are having a hard time in a relationship with a dear friend, do you pray for God to change her or do you pray for God to change you? We should pray, "Change ME, Lord." We should pray, "Increase MY faith, Lord." We should pray, "Fill ME, Lord."

Why don't we pray this way? Is it because we are afraid to change? Is it because we don't want to admit that we need to change? I think its both.

So I challenge you today - pray for God to increase your faith. He tells us in Luke 17:6 (and Matthew 17:20) that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed that nothing will be impossible to us. Do you know how big a mustard seed is? It's about the size of a pen point. Imagine what we could do if we really had faith! Imagine what we could do with a big faith!

Sure, prayers like that are hard because they usually require us to do some work, but I think the reward is worth the effort, don't you?

Casting Stones - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 19

John 8:1-59

"Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John 8:1-12 (KJV, emphasis added)

I'm sure that I've already told you that John is my favorite book of the Bible. I think Jesus' love for people shines through John's account more than the others. And I especially love the stories that John wrote about women that met Jesus. We've already studied the woman at the well (and if you want to study her story more in-depth, you really need to buy Paperdoll by Natalie Lloyd. It was a great book!), and today we're going to meet the woman caught in adultery.

We all have secrets. I'm sure you have some things that you would not want to have splashed across the front page of your hometown newspaper. We all have things that are private. And, unfortunately, some of those private things are sins.

This woman had a big secret. She was having an affair. I'm sure she didn't try to publicize it. After all, it was a totally different culture and age than the one we live in now. Instead of gossipping and bragging about her affair like women do on tv shows and Lifetime movies, she had to hide it from everyone. She was breaking the Law, and the sin she was committing was punishable by death.

Despite her efforts to keep her affair secret, word somehow got around and she was caught red-handed. Imagine how embarrassed and ashamed she must have felt! Then, to make matters worse, the men that caught her drug her to the Temple, yelling her sins out for all to hear. And of all people to take her to, they drug her up to Jesus, the teacher and miracle worker she'd been hearing about.

I'm sure she felt completely unworthy to look Him in the eye, especially after the men told Him what she was guilty of. He knew the Law, and she was sure that He would be the first to cast a stone at her as punishment for her sins.

But instead of picking up a stone, He just knelt and started writing on the ground. He looked at the men that had brought her there. "Which of you is without sin?" He asked. "Let him cast the first stone at her."

Slowly, all the men left. Not one could say he had never sinned. Her life was spared! I'm sure she breathed a sigh of relief.

But then, He looked at her. I bet she held her breath, afraid of what He was going to say. But all He did was ask her where all the men that had accused her had gone. "Hath no man condemned thee?" He asked.

She humbly looked into His compassionate face and shook her head. "No man, Lord," she said.

"Neither do I condemn thee," Jesus said. "Go, and sin no more."

Do you think that woman skipped home? I do. The Messiah had just spared her life, and He had forgiven her of her sins. He gave her a second chance!

Those men in the village had been quick to point fingers at her and judge her, but Jesus was just as quick to forgive her.

And He is just as quick to forgive us today.

After the woman left, Jesus turned to the people He had been teaching and told them that He was the light of the world. I know that woman felt His light shine in the dark places of her heart that day. She no longer had to be afraid. She was no longer bound by her sin and fear. She was forgiven and free, and He had told her to sin no more.

Whenever a person met Jesus, he or she went away changed. The greatest thing about that is that Jesus is still the same. He is still the light of the world. He still offers forgiveness and redemption. He still tells us that we are not condemned if we just believe in Him.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." John 3:16-17, emphasis added

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1, emphasis added

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. " John 5:24, emphasis added

Who are you serving? - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 18

Luke 16:1-31

"Whoever can be trusted with very little can be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own? 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." Luke 16:10-13 (NIV)

Have you ever heard the expression "little white lie"? We try to classify our sins into big and small. When I was in high school, my youth pastor asked our group to list the worst sins we could think of. Our list contained murder, adultery, alcoholism, gambling and blasphemy.

After that, he asked us to list some little sins. We couldn't think of anything. After all, a sin is a sin, right?

But our youth pastor asked us where we would classify things like telling a little white lie, taking a pen from school, or choosing to go to a concert instead of a church event.

When he started asking us those questions, we realized that we all try to justify the sins we commit by comparing them to sins that we think are worse sins. But to God, all sin is the same.

In today's passage, Jesus tells a story about an estate manager that got fired from his position. In order to get back at his current boss and to make some contacts for future business.

The manager makes some deals with the people that owe his boss money or goods, thinking that they will respect him for getting them a good deal and give him a job when he leaves his current position. Because the men he was dealing with were worldly, they commended him for acting shrewdly.

However, in the next verses, Jesus tells us that what is gained unjustly will be returned to the rightful owners. If we have not been faithful in the little things, then we will not be trusted with more important things.

Every move we make shows God and people who we really serve. Little white lies (even if we think they're okay) are self serving and unrighteous. Choosing a concert or ballgame instead of a church service is selfish. Taking something that doesn't belong to us (no matter how small - like a piece of candy or a pen) is wrong.

Everything - little and big - matters because people are watching us. They look to us to see what Christ looks like. And every action is a testimony.

If we can't serve God in the small things (like paying tithes, choosing church events over going out with friends for a wild party night, etc.), then we probably won't serve Him when it comes to the big things (telling others about Him, standing up for what we know is right even if we're persecuted, etc.).

My pastor says that a good way to see who you serve is to look at your calendar and your checkbook. Where do you spend your time and money?

What about you? What are you serving?

Almost Caught Up! - 30 Days with Jesus - Days 16-17

Day 16 - Luke 14:1-35 and Day 17 - Luke 15:1-32

In this 30 day study, we are reading all the teachings of Jesus. Have you noticed that His teachings often don't make sense according to the conventional wisdom of the world?

His teachings tell that we are strong when we are weak (2 Corinthians 12:10), that the meek shall inherit the earth (Psalm 37:11), and that we should love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-44).

This passage is full of teachings that seem to contradict what the world tells us.

In Luke 14:11, Jesus tells us that if we humble ourselves, we will be exalted. In Luke 14:26, He says that if we want to be His disciples we must hate our families and ourselves. **This does not mean that we should literally hate our families, but that we should love Jesus so much more than we love anything or anyone else that our love for them looks like hate when compared to our love for Christ.**

Then, in Luke 15, we read about the lost sheep and the prodigal son. The Pharisees were still trying to trick Jesus into breaking their laws and they called Him out for eating with sinners. He explained to them that all of Heaven rejoices when one sinner repents (see Luke 15:1-10).

Jesus drives home His point with the parable of the Prodigal Son. The son is drawn in by the lies of the world. He believes that his inheritance and independence will be all he needs to be happy. And he is happy, for a short while. But when the money runs out, he realizes that he is lost. The Bible says, "when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, i have sinned against heaven and before thee." (Luke 15:17-18)

The son thought that the things of the world would fulfill his longings, but they didn't. He ended up coming home, and His father rejoiced at his return - just like our Father rejoices when just one sinner repents.

The Sermon on the Mount - 30 Days with Jesus - Days 13-15

Day 13 - The Sermon on the Mount, part 1 - Matthew 5:1-48

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." Matt 5:14

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matt 5:16

There's a reason we are called witnesses when we share the Good News with others: as Christians, we represent Jesus Christ. We bear His name to a lost and dying world.

In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus teaches us HOW to represent Him and His message to the world:

We should be the salt and light of the world (verses 13-16).

We should know and understand the importance of the law (verses 17-20).

We should control our anger (verses 21-26).

We should flee from sexual sins (verses 27-30).

We should honor the sanctity of marriage (verses 31-32).

We should not swear or make empty promises (verses 33-37).

We should turn the other cheek (verses 38-42).

And, we should love all people (verses 43-48).

Day 14 - The Sermon, part 2 - Matthew 6:1-34



In Matthew 6, Jesus continues the Sermon on the Mount and continues to teach us how we should represent Him to the world:


Jesus teaches about giving (verses 1-4).
Jesus teaches about prayer (verses 5-15).
Jesus teaches about worship (verses 16-18).
Jesus teaches that God is more important than money (verses 19-24).
Jesus teaches us to trust in Him (verses 25-34).



One of my favorite Bible passages comes from Matthew 6:33-34a, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself."



I have a friend that put down "Hakuna Matata" for her favorite quote in the yearbook when we were seniors. It means "no worries" (for those of you that are not familiar with the Disney movie the Lion King).



If we are seeking God and trying to do His will, then we can say "hakuna matata!" He will take care of everything we need!

Day 15 - The Sermon, part 3 - Matthew 7:1-29

The Sermon on the Mount continues! Can you imagine how awesome it would be to hear Jesus preach? I've been blessed to have a lot of really great preachers, and I enjoy listening to the sermon on Sunday morning. But can you imagine what an incredible Teacher Jesus was? The words He said were so important that they were written down and carefully guarded and kept intact by God for us to use them today. His sermons were the kind that changed lives. Let's check out the end of His most famous sermon...

We should not judge others (verses 1-6).

We should ask God for the things that we need (verses 7-11).

We should treat others like we want to be treated (verse 12).

We should take the road less traveled (verses 13-14).

We should beware of false teachings (verses 15-23).

We should make Jesus our firm foundation (verses 24-28).

"Loving God Means Loving People" - Revolve Devotional Bible (Matthew 5, 6, and 7)

"Matthew 5-7, known as the Sermon on the Mount, is packed with important teaching about how we, as followers of Christ, should live. Some of what Jesus said was about how we relate to God, but He also said plenty about how we communicate with each other.

Matthew 5:22-24 deals with both relationships. And apparently, one affects the other. When there's anger in your heart toward a friend, you can't totally focus on God. In fact, God says to stop what you're doing - even if you're in the middle of worship - and go make things right with your friend.

First John 4:20 brings this message home: 'If people say, "I love God," but hate their brothers or sisters, they are liars. Those who do not love their brothers and sisters, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have never seen.'

Does this mean that we have to be friends with everyone? Not exactly. Obviously, we aren't going to click with everyone. But Colossians 3:13 tells us to get along with and forgive each other. And Romans 12:18 says, 'Do your best to live in peace with everyone.'

It all comes down to your heart. It's not capable of loving when it's focuses on self and bursting with anger. Anger turns to bitterness. Bitterness becomes a full-blown grudge. Eventually, we become unpleasant people. God wants us to love each other and live peacefully. Then, with a heart free of anger, we can love Him completely!" - Revolve Devotional Bible (Thomas Nelson Publishing)

Playing Catch Up - 30 Days with Jesus - Days 10-12

Whew! I am so behind on this month's devotions! Sorry about that, but I have been out of town for a family reunion this past week and just didn't get time to get online much. (Besides, sharing a hotel room with my parents and my little brother is not very conducive to creative writing...)


So, I'm just going to pick up where I left off.


Day 10 - Listen and Learn - Luke 8:1-56


Check out the parable of the seeds in Luke 8:5-15. "The seed is the word of God." (vs. 11) How do you receive the word of God? There are four kinds of ground:

1. The way side: this ground is trodden down and the seed is eaten by birds. Do you feel trodden down? Are you letting your circumstances get the best of you? Don't let your circumstances overwhelm you. God is bigger than any problem you are going through!


2. The rock: this ground was hard. The seeds were not able to grow because the ground had no moisture and nourishment. Have you let your heart become hard? Do you no longer feel the Word of God speak to your heart?


3. The thorns: on this ground, when the seeds began to grow, the thorns choked them and they died. This kind of ground makes me think of someone that surrounds themselves with the wrong type of friends. You can be good ground, with good intentions, but your friends can influence you. They can choke out all of the good things you try to do.


4. The good ground: this ground received the seeds and bore fruit. This is the kind of ground we should try to be...

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." James 1:22

Day 11 - A Touch of Something More - Mark 8:1-38

This devotion is from the Revolve Devotional Bible (Thomas Nelson Publishing).

"A Touch of Something More" (Focus on Mark 8:22-26)

"And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.
And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.
And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town." Mark 8:22-26

"The touch of Jesus' hand, even a touch on His cloak, brought instant healing to countless people. When Jesus said the word, diseases fled, lives were made whole and faith was born.

Then why did Jesus take more time healing this blind man? Was it a more difficult case? Stumped Him a bit, maybe? Not by a long shot. There's no such thing as a more difficult case for Jesus - or even a semi-difficult one, for that matter.

Jesus may have had several reasons for working gradually instead of instantly in this man. Because of Jesus' personal touch, the man saw his own healing happen. He experienced his own gradual change, his "rebirth" to new sight. And how incredible that his very first vision of the world was his Savior's face!

Just like that blind man, your spiritual eyes need more of Jesus' personal touch. He isn't your "halfway Savior." He isn't satisfied with giving you a minimal experience of himself. And that's an amazing thought - you have the chance to spend time up close with the all-powerful Lord of the universe, worthy of worship and praise. You get to belong to His loving, heavenly Father who works personally in your life.

When you stay close to God, He'll show you greater depths of Himself. He'll open the eyes of your heart more and more, and He'll give you the ability to understand His truth more clearly. Draw near to God, and let His touch transform you." - Revolve Devotional Bible

Listen to the song "Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord" by Michael W. Smith and pray for God to open your eyes to the wondrous things He has in store for you!

Day 12 - Martha, Martha - Luke 10:1-42

What's your typical day like? I'm still single and living at home, so I know that mine is nowhere near as busy as yours. My mom's typical day consists of getting up, fixing breakfast for my little brother, ironing my dad's work shirt and pants, getting ready for work, working from 8-3, running errands, grocery shopping, balancing the bank statement, washing 2 loads of towels and three loads of clothes, cooking supper (usually two different meals since my family is made up of picky eaters), cleaning the kitchen, washing more towels, loading the dishwasher, ironing, picking up the living room, forcing my brother to wash his hair and brush his teeth...the list goes on and on. I know that your life is probably just as crazy.

It seems like we all are trying to squeeze 25 hours of stuff into a 24 hour day. We run from the time we get up until we fall into bed (usually much later than we should). We juggle families, responsibilities, jobs, hobbies, friends and money - and we're supposed to do it all while looking and smelling good.

Crazy schedules are not new to women. Remember, "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 1:9) And in Luke 10:38, we meet Martha. I love that she's named Martha, because she reminds me of Martha Stewart. She loves to have Jesus over to her house. She loves to entertain. I'm sure that she had stressed for days about Jesus' visit. She had probably washed her best table linens and made sure that she had her best pottery clean and polished. Her menu had to be just right. Nothing but the best would be served at her house...especially when she was serving the Savior! She had probably gathered spices and fragrant flowers for the centerpieces and slaved for hours making sure every little detail was perfect.

And what was her sister doing? Just when Martha needed the most help getting the meat served and the wine poured, she looked around and found her little sister sitting at Jesus' feet. It just wasn't fair! Martha had done all this work, and Mary couldn't even help her get the food on the table once the guests arrived!

Martha had finally had enough. She was sure that Jesus was going to agree with her that Mary should be busy working, so she went and tattled on her sister's laziness. But instead of agreeing with Martha, Jesus rebuked her.

Martha, just like us, was juggling too many things at once. She was so busy that she couldn't even see the wonderful Gift that was sitting at her dinner table. Check out what Jesus told her:

"And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Luke 10:41-42

Martha was troubled. She was so busy and so worried about every little detail. She was so focused on service that she forgot who she was serving and why she wanted to serve Him in the first place.

Mary, on the other hand, had made a good decision to take time to listen to Jesus teach.

I will never be a Mary. Hospitality is one of my spiritual gifts, and business is woven into my DNA. I like to be busy. I like to do things. I'm not one to just sit and watch and listen. But if I work and work without ever stopping to listen to Jesus and let Him teach me, I'm missing out on a "good part." I want to choose the "good part," don't you?

What To Do With Doubt - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 9

Luke 7:1-50

Today's devotion is from the Revolve Devotional Bible (Thomas Nelson Publishling).

Check out the Scripture: Luke 6-7 (focus on Luke 7:18-20)

Check out the Context:

• A dozen special disciples are selected to be apostles.
• Jesus sparks major controversy with His healing and teaching.
• John the Baptist has his people do a little "investigative reporting" to see if Jesus is the Messiah.
• A woman's extravagant gift becomes an object lesson in forgiveness.

"John the Baptist sent his followers to ask Jesus if He really was the long-awaited Messiah. Not that crazy of a question, really. People all over were wondering the same thing. But John? Did he really have to ask? After all, he was the one who jumped for joy in his mother's womb when Mary came to visit (Luke 1:41). And he had experienced a personal encounter with the Savior. He had heard God loudly proclaiim Jesus as His Son when John baptized Him! (Luke 3:21-22)

But now John was in prison. He was dependent on what other people had told him about Jesus, and he'd heard some confusing reports. Jesus' response to John's doubts wasn't an angry or frustrated one. He just expressed a clear report in terms John could understand. Jesus described the works that the prophesied Messiah would do, and said He was doing them.

It's okay for you to ask hard questions, too. It's perfectly fine for you to take any doubts straight to Jesus like John did. He didn't beat himself up for doubting. He just openly and honestly asked Jesus about it. And again, Jesus didn't go off on him for asking either. Instead, He lovingly and patiently reminded John of the truth and all the evidence of who He was.

You can talk to Jesus about anything. He already knows your heart inside and out. He loves you and can answer any question you have. He welcomes the conversation!"

Stand Out - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 8

Luke 6:1-49

There are so many lessons in today's Scripture! In Luke 6, Jesus teaches that He is the Lord of the Sabbath (verses 1-5), heals a man's hand on the Sabbath (verses 6-11), chooses His apostles (verses 12-16), teaches us to love our enemies (verses 27-36), not to judge others (verses 37-42), and that we should be fruitful believers (verses 42-49).

I think the main point of the lessons in this chapter is that we should not be so bound by religious tradition that we forget to follow the will of God and feel His Spirit move on us. This lesson begins in Luke 5 with the parable of the old and new garment (and the old and new wine and bottles).

In Biblical days, clothes were made from wool. When wool is washed, it shrinks. That's why you could not patch an old coat with a new piece of wool - because the old coat had already shrunk and was not going to shrink anymore, but the new piece of fabric was going the shrink when it was washed, and it would tear away from the old fabric when it shrunk.

Jesus was teaching something totally new. His message of salvation and grace was something totally unheard of. It didn't fit in with the old traditional ways of the Jews. The Pharisees were always on Jesus' case about breaking tradition. He ate with tax collectors and sinners (check out the story in Luke 5:27-32). He healed a man on the Sabbath (Luke 6:6-11). In order to serve people and show them the love and grace that He had come to earth to bring, He broke traditions and stormed through racial and social barriers.

He was the new piece that didn't fit in with the old traditional religious ways.

And I think that Jesus wants us to be like Him. We are not called to fit in - we are called to stand out and stand up for Christ!

In order to do this, we have to learn the lessons that Jesus taught in Luke 6:

1. Love Your Enemies - I think this is one of the hardest lessons to learn. It's easy to love someone that loves you back, but when you have to love someone that doesn't love you, it's tough. But we are called to be like Christ, who not only loved His enemies, but gave His life for them (a.k.a - US). "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 If we can achieve the selfless, unconditional love, then we are truly getting more like Christ.
2. Judge Not - I tend to be very critical. It's a daily battle for me to keep from being judgmental, even over the smallest things. But when I'm feeling self-righteous and critical, these verses always put me in my place: "Why do you notice the little piece of dust in your friend's eye, but you don't notice the big piece of wood in your own eye? How can you say to your friend, 'Friend, let me take that little piece of dust out of your eye' when you cannot see that big piece of wood in your own eye! You hypocrite! First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to take the dust out of your friend's eye." Luke 6:41-42 (New Century Version)
3. Produce Spiritual Fruit - Good works are not required for our salvation. There is no way to work your way into Heaven. However, good works (a.k.a - fruit) should be a natural occurrence from a life lived in faith for the glory of God. When we are walking with Christ, we will produce good fruit. (Look up Galatians 5:22-23 to read more about Spiritual fruits.)
4. Check Your Foundation - We've all heard the story (and probably sang the song) about the wise man that built his house upon a rock. Jesus is the rock on which we should stand. Everything we do should be founded on Him and His teachings. In order for us to build our lives around Him, we have to KNOW Him!

A Father's Faith - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 7

John 4:1-54

You all know that the story about the woman at the well (John 4:1-42) is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. I recently read Paperdoll by Natalie Lloyd. In the book, Lloyd looks at the story of the woman at the well and breaks it down so that you can really apply it to your life. I highly recommend it!

But today, I want to look at the rest of John 4.

"Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.
Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee." John 4:43-54

In these verses, we are introduced to another nameless character - a father whose son was dying. This father came to Jesus to ask Him to heal his son. In this story we see that:

1. The father was drawn to Jesus' power: He traveled to Cana in Galilee from his home in Capernaum to ask Jesus to come heal his son.


2. The father obeyed Jesus' command: Jesus did not agree to go home with the man and see his son. Instead, He told the man to go home and assured him that his son would live. The father could have further insisted that Jesus come with him. He could have caused a scene. This man was an officer of the king (verse 46), and he could have ordered that Jesus come with him. But he didn't do any of those things. He believed what Jesus said and he obeyed Jesus' command to return home to his son.


3. The father and his house believed in Jesus: When the man returned home, his servants ran to meet him and told him that his son was well. The man asked when his son began to get well, and when the servants told him, he realized that his son began to get well at the exact moment that Jesus had spoken to him. So he and his house believed in Jesus.

The Faithful Friends - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 6

Luke 5:1-39

The Faithful Friends

In the story of the man sick of palsy in Luke 5:17-26, we see a great story of Jesus' healing. My favorite characters in this story are the sick man's friends. We don't know their names or anything about them except that there were four of them (see Mark 2:3) and that they had faith (Luke 5:20, Mark 2:5, and Matthew 9:2), but we can see that they were great friends.

1. They saw their friend's need: These men saw that their friend was sick. He was paralyzed and could not get out of bed. He could not stand and could not walk. He needed to be healed.

2. They believed Jesus could heal their friend: When they heard the Savior was in town and that He was healing people, they did not hesitate to bring their sick friend to Him.

3. They didn't give up on their friend: The crowd was huge and there were people everywhere. It couldn't have been easy to push through that crowd carrying a man on a mat. I imagine that they were shoved around, bumped into, and probably knocked down quite a few times while they were trying to get to Jesus, but they never gave up.

4. They didn't lose faith in their Savior: Those men believed that if their friend could just meet Jesus, he would be healed. They were determined for their friend to meet the Savior. In fact, they were so determined that they took their friend to the roof and tore out a place in the rooftop so they could lower him in to see Jesus ("...they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of palsy lay." Mark 2:4).

How determined are we to introduce our unsaved friends to the Savior?

5. They witnessed a miracle because of their faith: This story is written in Matthew 9, Mark 2, and Luke 5. They all highlight different parts of the story, but all three accounts say that Jesus forgave the man of his sins and healed him when he saw the faith these four friends had -

Matthew 9:2 "...and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee."

Mark 2:5 "When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee."

Luke 5:20 "And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee."

These men were faithful friends. They were there in the worst of times, and I have no doubt that they were there with their friend celebrating the best of times after Jesus healed him. It was because of their faith that their friend was healed!

"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24

What kind of friend are you?

Less is More - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 5

John 3:1-36

There are a ton of lessons to learn from today's text. John is my favorite book of the Bible (I actually memorized John 3 when I was in elementary school), so of course I couldn't pick just one to highlight. I'm just going to go through it from the beginning. This might be a little long, but hang with me... :)

I was flipping through my old sermon notebooks and found notes from a sermon that Bro. Rick preached in May 2008 titled "When Good Is Not Good Enough" about Nicodemus.

1. Nicodemus was a good man: He was a Pharisee and a leader among the Jews.

2. Nicodemus believed that Jesus was a good man: He had heard Jesus preach and had seen the miracles that Jesus had done. And, he was moved to find out more, which is why he came to see Jesus.

3. Nicodemus was not good enough: Even though he was a good man, he still had to be born of the Spirit. The great thing is that we don't have to understand all the ways of God, we just have to believe!

"For God so loved the world that he gace his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

* * * * *

Less Is More

"He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:30

I think one of the hardest things about being a Christian is that daily battle between your flesh and Spirit. We will never be perfect or sinless like Jesus was. Each day is a battle between our sinful human nature and the Holy Spirit that lives within us. And it is up to us who wins that battle.

"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Matthew 16:24

We are supposed to deny our fleshly desires and pursue Jesus. We are to chase after Him and seek Him. We are to be more like Him.

I think John the Baptist said it best: "He must increase, but I must decrease."

Less of me and more of Him is always best.

Using Your Sword - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 4

Luke 4:1-44

Do you know the Word of God?

I mean really know it.

Do you memorize scriptures? Do you study them and apply them to your life?

In Luke 4, we see Jesus being tempted by the devil. He was tempted for 40 days, and during those 40 days He did not eat. The devil tempted Jesus the same way he tempts us today. He knows our weaknesses, and he uses them to try to drag us into sin and pull us away from God.

In this passage, we see Satan use Jesus's human weaknesses against Him. Satan tempted Jesus in three ways in this passage: he exploited Jesus's hunger (verses 2-4), he tried to to conquer Jesus with greed (verses 5-8), and he tried to make Jesus sin using pride (verses 9-12).

Now, unlike us, Jesus was fully God and fully man. He was perfect and without sin. He was able to withstand the temptations of Satan.

What I find really interesting is that Jesus used scripture to drive Satan away. Each time that He was tempted, Jesus quoted scripture.

Scripture is powerful. In Ephesians 6:17, Paul refers to the Word of God as the "Sword of the Spirit". Hebrews 4:12 says "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

The Word of God is our sword that we can use to defend ourselves against temptation and sin. But it does us no good if we don't use it.

Every week, I give my Wednesday night kids a memory verse to memorize. My older class (4th-6th grade) said last week that they were too old to have to learn memory verses. I lectured them about the value of knowing God's Word for so long that I didn't even get to teach them their Bible story about Joseph before it was time for them to rotate to their next class.

You're never too old, or too young, to learn and apply the Word of God to your life. God gave us His Word as a guide book and a weapon against false teachings, temptation and sin.

Do you know God's Word? Do you use your Sword?

Jesus did, and I think we should too.

Pleasing God - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 3

Mark 1:1-11

Today's scripture talks about Jesus being baptized. After He was baptized, "...there came a voice from heaven saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (verse 11)

That got me thinking...how often is God "well pleased" with me? It seems like I'm always messing up and having to be forgiven over and over again. I'm afraid that I spend a lot more time disappointing God instead of pleasing Him.

So how do we please God?

The answer is actually pretty simple. All we have to do to please Him is love Him and His Son. Jesus tells us this in Matthew 22:37-39, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all they mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

Don't you want to hear God say that He is pleased with you? I know that I do.

What WAC Means to Me

Last month, I asked the ladies in my WAC group to write down what WAC meant to them. Crystal Traweek, our District Secretary/Treasurer and Local Bible Study Chairperson was excited to share what WAC has meant to her:

"What does WAC mean to me?

Women Active for Christ would typically be classified as a noun. But to me, we are not just a group of women who meet once a month for fellowship and Bible study. We are ACTION VERBS! WE DO!

Now, any of you who are a part of our group know that fellowship and Bible study are both important parts, but each month we gather together to pray for people in our church, community, and missionaries around the world and try to see what we can do to help. And on December 15, 2008, those prayers were for me.

As many of you know, a simple trip to K-mart to buy a new Christmas tree to replace our old Charlie Brown tree quickly turned into much more. Before leaving, I laid out my cream cheese to make a chicken cheese ball for the WAC Christmas party that night. Shelby and I returned home with a new "disco ball" Christmas tree, but minus the presents, computer, cameras, guns, jewelry box, and much more! I wanted to run away for Christmas. I didn't want to celebrate, but Adam insisted that the tree had cost us much more than the sale price and he wanted us to put it up that night after all the chaos settled down some. I know while we were putting up the tree, my WAC group was praying for me. I felt it! Who in their right mind could have sat there, laughing and assembling a tree, if there were not prayer warriors praying for her?

Not long after the tree was complete, Amanda called and said she had us a plate of food and wanted to drop it off. She walked in the door with a gift bag as well. When I opened it, I instantly felt tears coming back. It was a makeup bag! Now, someone that had just been robbed usually wouldn't cry or be as excited over a makeup bag as I was. To me, it was so much more. It was God smiling down on me and telling me that He was there, and that He was going to use the people around us to bless us in our time of trouble. You see, during the Christmas party, I had gone into my bathroom, looked around and noticed that the counter was much cleaner than I remembered when I was getting ready that morning. Then I realized they had stolen my makeup!

I can't remember how many WAC meetings I have been a part of where we hear of a need of a woman in our church or community and spring into action! The next Wednesday night at church, I had a huge gift basket FILLED with makeup, jewelry, and a ton of other spirit lifting gifts! I just stood there and cried! Through the bad choices of other people, God was showing us how blessed we are! Our WAC group has always had a special place in my heart. I am so blessed to have a group of women who are willing to literally stop everything else and pray for my needs! I am so thankful for our ladies in WAC and for their commitment to serving others. Stay strong in your faithfulness, ladies, because one day you may be on the receiving end just as I was, and what a blessing it was!"

Thanks to Crystal for sharing her story!

If you would like to share what WAC has meant to you, email me your story at cmhopper.warrior@gmail.com.

The Holy of Holies - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 2

Luke 2:1-52

These verses are pretty familiar to us. We read the Christmas story every year, and most of us have heard of the time when Mary and Joseph left Jesus at the temple when He was 12. But have you met Anna?

She is only mentioned in a few verses, and I've never paid much attention to her story before. But she is a woman of faithfulness. She is the definition of a Woman Active for Christ, and her story needs to be shared.

Anna was married once, for seven years. After her husband died, she spent her time at the temple, fasting and praying. She was never allowed inside the temple. Because she was a woman, she had to stay in the outer courts.

Anna didn't let her husband's death or the Jewish rules and traditions keep her from worshipping God. No matter her circumstance, status or location, she remained faithful.

And eighty four years after her husband died, Anna finally got to stand in the Holy of Holies...Anna, a widow from the tribe of Asher, was one of the first people to see the Messiah. She saw the Promised One that she had so faithfully prayed for. Because of her faithfulness, God rewarded her. He showed her His glory - not in the inner courts of the temple, but right where she stood in the outer courts.

And after she saw the Messiah, she began to share her joy with everyone that passed by.

Anna desperately wanted to feel God's presence. She didn't let circumstance or location hinder her worship.

The Holy of Holies is wherever you feel God's presence. It can be a church, it can be your car, it can be your bedroom, or it can be your favorite chair where you read your Bible. It can be anywhere, as long as you allow Him to meet you there.

Take me past the outer courts

Into the Holy Place

Past the brazen altar

Lord, I want to see Your face

Pass me by the crowds of people

And the Priests who sing Your praise

I hunger and thirst for Your righteousness

But it's only found in one place

Take me into the Holy of Holies

Take me in by the blood of the Lamb

Take me into the Holy of Holies

Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am.

"Take Me In" by Kutless

*"Take Me In" is on the album Strong Tower by Kutless

Come and See - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 1

"Come and See"
John 1:1-51

When Philip met Jesus, the first thing he did was go find his friend Nathanael and tell him that he'd found the Messiah. Nathanael wasn't sure if anything good could come out of Nazareth, but Philip insisted "Come and see." Nathanael did come, and he saw that Philip was right. He had found the Messiah.

The Messiah is still the same today. Come and see...

The Life

1. He gave us earthly life - "All things were made by him..." John 1:3 We learn in Genesis that God created the Heaven and the earth. He is the Master Painter that colored the sky blue. He created the seas, the moon and the stars (which He calls by name). And we are His masterpieces. He created each of us and breathed life into our bodies. (See Psalm 139:13-14) He gave us life.
2. He gives us eternal life - "In him was life..." John 1:4a "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16 "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die..." John 11:25-26a "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." John 6:51 Through His death, Jesus gave us life eternal, IF we accept Him.

The Light

1. See the Light - "...and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not...That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." John 1:5-9 Jesus is the Light of the world, sent to condemn our sins and destroy the darkness in our lives. "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, for their deeds were evil." John 3:17-19 "But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." John 3:21
2. Be the Light - We are to be witnesses for God. "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." Matthew 5:14 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the earth. Amen." Matthew 28:19-20

The Lamb of God

1. Worship the Messiah - Jesus is the promised Messiah and is worthy of our worship. "Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel." John 1:49 "Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy." Psalm 99:5
2. Witness the Miracles - "Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. And he saith unto him, Verily, Verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." John 1:50-51 "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory, and his disciples believed on him." John 2:11

The Messiah is "the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6). He is our Life, He is our Light, and He is the Lamb of God.

Come and see the Man from Nazareth called Christ. He is waiting for you...

30 Days with Jesus - A Reading Plan for June

It's summertime! I love the summer - it's so laid back and carefree, but at the same time, I can let a couple of months go by without much to show for it.

This summer, I have one main goal - to spend my extra time getting closer to God.

I just bought a new Bible and it has a 30 day reading plan called "30 Days with Jesus." This plan is designed to focus on the teachings of Jesus so that we can get to know Him!

Here's the plan - I would love for you to post your comments or email me and let me know how God speaks to you through these scriptures this month! (cmhopper.warrior@gmail.com)

Day 1 - John 1:1-51

Day 2 - Luke 2:1-51

Day 3 - Mark 1:1-11

Day 4 - Luke 4:1-44

Day 5 - John 3:1-36

Day 6 - Luke 5:1-39

Day 7 - John 4:1-54

Day 8 - Luke 6:1-49

Day 9 - Luke 7:1-50

Day 10 - Luke 8:1-56

Day 11 - Mark 8:1-38

Day 12 - Luke 10:1-42

Day 13 - Matthew 5:1-48

Day 14 - Matthew 6:1-34

Day 15 - Matthew 7:1-29

Day 16 - Luke 14:1-35

Day 17 - Luke 15:1-32

Day 18 - Luke 16:1-31

Day 19 - John 8:1-59

Day 20 - Luke 17:1-37

Day 21 - Luke 18:1-43

Day 22 - John 9:1-41

Day 23 - Luke 19:1-48

Day 24 - Luke 20:1-47

Day 25 - John 10:1-42

Day 26 - John 11:1-57

Day 27 - Mark 13:1-37

Day 28 - Luke 22:1-71

Day 29 - Matthew 27:1-66

Day 30 - Luke 24:1-53