Do I Make You Proud?

I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles. I bring you the Good News so that I might present you as an acceptable offering to God, made holy by the Holy Spirit. So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God.  Romans 15:16-17

About a year ago, I sat down with my mom just to talk about life in general.  I feel incredibly blessed to have her as my mom, and am so thankful for all that she taught me.  I thanked both her and my Dad for loving me, and thanked God for giving me such wonderful parents.  Then, I asked her a question that probably caught her off guard.  My question was quite simply, “Do I make you proud?”  She happily smiled, and said yes understanding where my heart was in asking.  Like most children, I did not make life easy for my mom, and yes, I certainly took more than I gave her.  So the genesis of my question was that I understood both how challenging I was to raise and what she had sacrificed for me.  As such, the question meant did the man I had become measure up to the hope the hard work and sacrifice both her and my father made when God decided to make me their child. Many might say God blessed them with me, but again, I feel like I got the far better end of the deal.

God gave us so much in grace through Jesus Christ, and through this rebirth, our mission is to dedicate our lives in servitude toward Him.  When we were first forgiven of our sins by God, it was liberating.  Yet, we may lose perspective of the weight our forgiveness carried.  The sacrifice by Jesus Christ was immense, and none of us could ever hope to repay the debt.  This was where the Gentiles were when Paul gave them the Good News.  However in Paul’s mind, it was not just about forgiveness. It was about the hope he had in them having been transformed through Christ.  They would not only know who God was but also joyfully serve Him sharing the Good News to others.  This was the hope instilled in Paul when on the road to Damascus Jesus appeared to Him.  Thus the gift of grace much like the love and sacrifices our parents offered to us are not to be repaid.  They are to be remembered and honored as we to give to others greater than we were once given.

Our lives are to be loving offerings of gratitude to God for all that He has given us.  Deuteronomy 12:28 says, “Be careful to obey all my commands, so that all will go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and pleasing to the Lord your God.” This is what we aspire to be as God’s children.  Do not take God’s gift of grace for granted.  Instead, make all that you do as ‘an acceptable offering to God, made holy by the Holy Spirit.’  Do you humbly accept what Jesus Christ’s sacrifice?  Is your life given in servitude for all God has given you?  My prayer is that our lives are reflective such that when we look up to Heaven, God will smile when we ask, “Do I make you proud?”  Amen.

Tues Devo: Same plan

Acts 20:28-20 “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.” (NASB)

Hello,

Did you know this is the only section in scripture to use the phrase “savage wolves”? OK, not the point of today’s devo…….

As we fight the spiritual battle that we are in, we sometimes miss the predictable patterns of Satan and his allies. The enemy is looking for a quick sequence of two things: 1) Your forward spiritual momentum in some way and then 2) You being momentarily away from the positive influence(s) that brought that spiritual momentum.

Paul knew this – he knew that as soon as he stepped away, Satan would step in and try to destroy what God was doing. Paul knew it in advance – he spent 3 years admonishing them day and night (and you thought your parents/spouse were all over you….) to try and build up their resistance and reinforce what God wanted from their lives on a daily basis.

I know I have seen this in my life too. I see progress or get motivation, then not long after I find discouragement in my life that goes against the forward momentum I was building spiritually. Satan’s plan has not changed. But neither has our defense! We must stay connected to the things that bring us the positive spiritual momentum. This could be people or things we are listening/watching. But it certainly also includes constant prayer and frequent intake of the Bible.

So – Satan has a plan….and he has stuck with it for longer than any of us have been alive. But our plan to be on guard has been around just as long, we just need to follow the plan!

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill

Harsh words

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 15:1 NIV

Have you ever tried to reason with a 3 year old?  This verse really reminded me of life in our house lately.  My son is at that stage of wanting everything he sees.  And of course when you tell him no to something, he starts into a temper tantrum.  While it certainly doesn’t always work, we try to give him a gentle no, to prevent stirring up anger. 

While I know it’s not the best way to deal with him, the times that I lose my cool and tell him a bit more harshly that he is not going to get what he wants, anger is certainly stirred up in him. 

Today I encourage you to think about how you speak to others.  Are you turning away wrath by giving a gentle answer or are you stirring up anger with a harsh response?

Thurs Devo: How's Your Endurance?

How well do you and I wait? What about for something simple like our next meal? If I’m hungry, but busy, I might not think about it too much. If I’m hungry and standing in the kitchen waiting for my food to finish cooking, sometimes I’m not so patient and can get cranky. The same goes for the foster kids we’ve been keeping some weekends. If they are busy playing, they’re fine, but if they are standing in the kitchen or sitting in their chairs waiting for the meal to be fixed, they keep telling me how hungry they are. We endure until our next meal, but sometimes we don’t patiently endure. J  

There’s a difference between enduring something and patiently enduring! God calls us to patiently endure, especially those who will be here in the last days.

Revelation 14:9-13    ⁹ A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, ¹⁰ they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” ¹² This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.

¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

What will patient endurance look like in the last days? I think it will include staying busy doing God’s work, obeying Him without compromise, not giving in to the pressures of the world to worship the beast or take his mark, trusting God’s plan and His timing, not having a complaining or grumbling attitude, not having a pity party, and persevering in faith (even to the point of death).

James 1:12    Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

What difficulty, hardship, or trial (whether big or small) are you and I going through right now? How will you and I seek God’s help to not just endure it, but patiently endure for His glory?


As a child of God, I know that no matter what happens, I’m guaranteed eternal love from the Creator of the universe and eternal life with Him! 

Alice

Have A Talk With God

When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.  Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!  Matthew 6:7-8

People who know me say that sometimes I talk with myself.  Often it is in response to something that I did not do as well as I should (Gee Kent.  That was brilliant), and other times it is for self-motivation (Come on, Kent!).  Someone told me after a workout session at the gym that they enjoyed hearing me talk out loud because it actually motivated them.  People at work would say that they enjoy hearing me speak noting that I have ‘the gift of gab’ you could say.  I’m always humbled to hear that because I was pretty introverted growing up (maybe closet extrovert closer to the truth J).  Lately, I have been challenged to be more prayerful both openly and behind closed doors.  This is not to say that I do not have conversations with God.  In fact, that’s where I’m good.  Yet, what I am referring to is the heart wrenching, totally vulnerable, completely transparent talk with the awesome, Alpha and Omega, all knowing one true living God.

Prayer life is more than just the Lord’s Prayer.  It’s a habit of confessing struggles, thankfulness, failures, and hopes.  It is a total unveiling of those things that you love and those things you struggle with.  It should mirror your life as a Christian; evolving, ever growing, painful, and filled with joy.  A little advise to those of you who feel like you do not know what to say to God.  Don’t get caught up in the order and what are the right things to tell him.  Today’s verse is not meant to discourage.  It’s to encourage that you might not have it all right today, but with each day, you will get better.  My father use to be a man that could pray on anything, and I would marvel the words he would use never ever thinking I could hope to sound like him.  Then one day, I sounded just like he did as the Holy Spirit began to take my words and turn them into His.  Trust God that as today’s verses state, He knows what you need even before you ask, and your goal is to just reach out to Him with an open mind, heart, and spirit.

Prayer changes things.  These are not just idle words to convince one of what God can do.  They are a reminder that you cannot expect change without putting in the work.  Do not focus on where you are in your prayer life.  Focus on the relationship you have with God and your willingness to open up to Him.  Then and only then will you see God truly work within your prayer life and everything else.  How is your prayer life?  If yours is good, how can you make it more heart felt and intentional.  My prayer is that no matter where our prayer life is, we learn to better have a talk with God.  Amen.

Tues Devo: That place

Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.”(NASB)

Hello,

Things may be going well or poorly – but in either case we all want the place. The place where we can go, and just take a breath. The place where we can express our joy or our sorrow. The place that may not bring explanation – but can bring peace. God and His word is that place. We see here in Proverbs that every word has been tested – those words hold up under any circumstance.

We know the place is there. We know that place is reliable. But, are you there enough? Do you go there regularly and quickly?

I hope the answer is yes – if not, I pray this encourages you to make it more yes today than yesterday.

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill

Weather the storm

Acts 20:24

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Last week I wrote about trusting the Lord even through the storms.  As I was thinking of what I wanted to write this week, I actually saw a post on Facebook from a former co-worker and the person that headed up the work place devotions for many years.  Some of you may remember Naressa Allen.  This is what she wrote (I share with permission):

Four years ago last week, I was diagnosed with Stage IV cholangiocarcinoma, which is more aggressive than pancreatic cancer.  My docs said I couldn’t live with only one hepatic vein and 20% of my liver.  I told them, respectfully, that the Lord has His own plan as He is the Great Physician.  They gave me six months…but some are finally understanding that “my times are in His hands”, (Psalm 31:15) and He is in control of this storm.  My oncologists say that we are in “uncharted waters” because I’m STILL breathing.  I’m not in remission, the tumor has a blood flow to it, yet it hasn’t grown any and I haven’t had chemo in over a year.

As I said from the beginning, I wouldn’t trade this cancer for anything.  It has been and continues to be such a blessing.  I thank the Lord for each day that I can tell others about Him and for allowing me these four years of loving on my family, kids and grandkids!  All ten of us go to church together every Sunday, and three of my five grandkids just got baptized.  All this and heaven too!  God bless and thank you to so many for your prayers and being my prayer warriors. 

Naressa is an amazing women of God.  She truly demonstrates considering her life worth nothing to her, but is living to complete the task the Lord gave her.

Her testimony hit my hard last night as when I wrote last week’s devotion, I had just finished under-going some scanning for ovarian cancer.  Praise the Lord that the scans came back clean this week.  Like Naressa though, I had already decided that if that was what the Lord planned for me, then I was okay with it.  I knew that he would use me through whatever circumstances I faced. 

Today, I ask you to join the force in praying for Naressa.  At the same time, I hope that you pray that God would use you as He has her.

Thurs Devo: Wedding Symbols

Today is our 9^th wedding anniversary! (Happy Anniversary, Joe!)

The other day I decided to look back through our ceremony program and saw the information on wedding symbols that we included on the left-hand side of our program. As Joe and I prepared for our ceremony, we were curious about the various traditional wedding symbols and why we have or do certain things at Christian weddings. We decided to research many of the symbols and then included some of our findings in our program.

So, I thought I would stray from our next passage in Revelation and instead share this section of our program with you today!

Wedding

Many of the symbols that are incorporated into modern weddings have traditional biblical meanings. Some of these symbols are as follows:

Bridesmaids – provide light for the groom who comes at night (Matthew 25:1-13)

White wedding gown – symbol of purity and virginity

Veil – symbolizes a wife’s submission, innocence, and being reserved for her husband

Train of the dress – symbol of honor and majesty (Isaiah 6:1)

Jewelry – symbolizes strength and joy (Isaiah 49:18 and 61:10)

White Runner – associated with God’s presence in the covenant

Groom (standing at the front) – symbolizes that he initiates the covenant

Rings/Unity candle/Kiss – symbolize the covenant becoming final and the two becoming one

Reception – Great celebration once the groom has fulfilled the covenant (Revelation 19:7-9 God acts as both host and Groom at the final celebration)

Appreciation Station

I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus.  Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge.  This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true.  Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Corinthians 1:4-7

The other day, someone asked me how do you stay young?  That’s a pretty loaded question considering that I will soon turn fifty, but nonetheless, I took it as an opportunity to share some of the things that have helped me maintain a youthful attitude.  One of those things focused on the appreciation of others.  Why would that be important to my own youthfulness?  You see, it is very easy to focus on the things that go on in your own life.  However when you focus on the wonderful and brilliance of others, you go beyond affecting your own life.  You directly impact the mood and ambitions of someone else as well.  There is nothing more powerful to say to another person than I love you, and yet, I believe there is nothing more motivating to another person than to say, “I appreciate you.”

God expects us to appreciate the potential of all people through Jesus Christ.  When reading the words of Paul, I love how great an encourager he is.  At the beginning of 1 Corinthians, he displayed an ‘attitude of gratitude’ to the church of Corinth and its people.  Reading his words, you have the feeling of a deep relationship he has with them.  Paul shows genuine love and appreciation for them, and if we were members of that early church, we would feel a great deal of encouragement and strength from him.  Furthermore, Paul himself gained strength from them as well.  Thus, the relationship between Paul and the church was mutually beneficial.  As such, our words of appreciation for others have similar effects.  They can strengthen relationships, inspire others, and break down barriers!  What can be more encouraging to a person struggling with something than to hear they are loved and despite their struggles, they are appreciated for what they have brought in your life.

We are to appreciate others for it is paramount to building God’s Kingdom.  Peter, who correctly identified Jesus as the Messiah, had to feel encouraged as Jesus responded to him in appreciation saying, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.  Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” (Matthew 16:17-18)  Appreciating others is necessary for and if we accept and love Christ, our hearts will be transformed such that we will see the greatness of not only others but also within ourselves.  And what can be better than seeing how great we can be through Christ?  Who could you show greater appreciation for?  How can you allow God to help you appreciate others?  My prayer is that we open our hearts where we become an ‘Appreciation Station.’  Amen.

Tues Devo: Foolishness

1 Corinthians 1:20-25 “Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (NASB)

Hello,

Do you ever wonder why it is that the highest levels of education don’t always yield the most percentage of Christ followers? Why is it that this message of Christ seems so foolish to the world – including those who are considered to be the most intelligent? What are we to make of this passage?

The simplicity of the message and method of Christ is amazing. People want it to be more, or they want it to be dependent more on them, or they want something that manifests itself in a different physical way – but it is none of those things. It is straight forward, it is fully based on Him, and the death and resurrection has already happened.

If we try to make it more, we will struggle with the discussion. It is when we come back to the basics of who He is and what He did for us and the why that we have the most success. Interestingly enough, the harder we try to intellectualize the Gospel message, the more we are making the sharing about us instead of Him….ironic isn’t it, since it fully relies on Him to start with?

Now, don’t get me wrong – I am a big advocate of knowledge and learning. The things we learn about God and His creation can help us answer or ask questions to those we share Christ with. (Let alone, just getting to know Him even deeper). But, we cannot stray from the foundation of the amazing simplicity of the love of God.

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill