His way is perfect

Psalm 18:30

As for God, his way is perfect:  The Lord's word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.

We often have our own plan for how things should go.  Sometimes those plans do not work out as we would hope.  Last night I got to spend time with my cousin who I haven’t seen in over 20 years and his family.  They are missionary’s in Ecuador and are back in the states visiting for a short bit this summer.  My cousin was telling us about their work and sharing pictures with us.  He kept talking about how there is one village that they haven’t been able to get into yet, that every time they try they run into a road block.  That is when he seemed to have a moment of realization and said it is probably God protecting them as they have heard some pretty bad stories about that village. 

Here he has a plan to share Christ with these people who may have never heard of Christ, his heart is pure and just wants to serve yet he is stopped.  One might think negative in that situation however he realized that God’s way is perfect and that God shields them for taking refuge in him.

Have you planned something and it just never worked out then later you can see that God had a better plan?  I know I can certainly find multiple situations where that is true when I look back at my own life and plans.

May the Lord guide your ways today and always!

Thursday Devotional - Wrongfully Accused

Have you ever been wrongfully accused? If so, what did you do about it?

Joe was pulled over by a policeman who thought he was on the “wanted” list. Joe wasn’t speeding or anything but his old Acura looked similar to the car the “wanted” man drove. After talking to Joe for a while, the policeman realized he had the wrong guy.  

Jesus was wrongfully accused many times, arrested and never released. It amazes me how calm He was throughout all the accusations and abuse.

John 18:19-24         ¹⁹ Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. ²⁰ “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. ²¹ Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

²² When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.

²³ “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” ²⁴ Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.       

The high priest and religious leaders were to love and serve God with their whole heart! However, it’s obvious many of them were far from being in tune with God’s will and plans.

Have you been wrongfully accused within the Church? If so, how did you handle it? Did you retaliate, take revenge, or shun all those in the church?  Or, did you look for God to bring good from the situation and increase your trust in Him as your defender?

God may use the situation to direct you and me to a different local church or He may help us and the other member learn some valuable lessons. However God uses it, He can grow us through the difficult situation. We aren’t to abandon God and the Church. What if Jesus had given up when wrongfully accused?

Alice

Taking A Holiday With God

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.  Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.  Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”  Acts 6:1-4

Many of us took advantage of the 4^th of July holiday to do many things.  Some of which included reflecting and embracing the freedoms we enjoy and watching fireworks displays.  Others included getting away from the house to do mini-vacations to places both near and far from home.  It’s good to get away to unplug from all the things that go on in your life whether it be work or home to just relax.  In that space, I thought about focusing on God and those things that can prevent me from connect with Him.  We are influenced by so much like personal relationships, business situations, and political climate that it can overwhelm one and potentially impede our own ability to focus on God.  How can we successfully connect with Him when so much can become barriers to that connection?

Our efforts to connect with God must be one filled with intention.  We all can get caught up in the ‘busyness’ of life.  If we do not have an intentional plan of action to combat these times, we can lose sight of that which we can all rely on; God’s faithfulness and strength.  We must always focus on our relationship with Christ for the relentless pressures of the world are never ceasing.  In a similar circumstance, the Apostles in their early stages recognized such challenges, and thus looked to others to aide with other business to give themselves “continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:4b)  Thus even then, a great emphasis was placed on ‘getting away’ from other things to focus on God and task they had ahead of them.

We are given access to God; the one who gives us peace.  Matthew 11 tells us what Jesus provides for all of His people.  It says:

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30

Let us not be too shy to call or overburdened to forget.  Remember that God is your resting place.  How can ensure you rely on God when distracted?  What practice can you start to ensure a continual connection with God?  My prayer is that we go about finding peace with God . . . even if it means taking a holiday with Him.  Amen!

Instructions for Marriage Part 3

Ephesians 5:31

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”   This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.  However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

My wedding was far from a traditional wedding.  We opted not to have attendants.  Instead, we had our father’s give a toast or speech at the reception.  This verse is one that my dad read as part of his speech.  It was an important one for us because at the time that we got married, my husband was living with his parents. 

In laws in general have a stereotype of being difficult and my in laws did not disappoint in that.  ;-)  Their son moving out and having his own wife to now care for was a challenge as they had depended on him for a lot.  While at first, it did create some challenges for my husband and I, once he explained to them that we were still there for them however this had to be his first focus, we really came together came together as one. 

As I conclude these devotions on instructions for marriage, I pray that those of you not yet married, take these instructions as you look to your future, should you be called to be married.  For those that may not be, I ask you to take these instructions to heart and use them to realize why your friend might not be able to hang with you at times or use it to understand their struggles and be an ear for them in times that they struggle.  I pray also for all of the marriages out there, that you will keep Christ as the center of your marriage.

A Friend Indeed

A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.  Proverbs 17:17 (NKJV) 

Tuesday was a ‘Thank you, Jesus’ day.  This was not in the sense that everything went well.  It was more of a ‘why anything can’t go right’ kind of day.  My wife and I were at each other, and my daughter was having an emotional meltdown.  I was thrown off schedule at work handling situations, and the stress of the day took all the energy out of me.  So why would I thank God for a day like that?  It reminded me of an inspirational quote that I read the other day.  It says, “In prosperity, our friends know us; in adversity, we know our friends.” (John Churton Collins)  It was then that I thought of God and who He intentionally puts in our lives.  My wife who is such a blessing to me and my youngest daughter who I love dearly are the reasons I can move forward.  In the end, my wife and I began working things out together as we took on the greater challenge of our daughter’s issues.  My daughter told me how much she loved me, and hugged me to prove (Ok, I had to coax her, but she did it with a grin nonetheless).  It reminded me how to better deal with adversity because God mixed in all the right ingredients.  Thus, "Thank you, Jesus!" 

God puts us in adversity so we understand His presence in our lives.  How many of us truly learn how to embrace adversity?  More times than not, we are moaning and groaning from the struggle and difficulties that arise from it.  It’s been a long time since I had to fall on my knees beaten and broken to pray because as each adversity came, I fell sooner than the last.  Each time, there was someone God put in my life to teach me something or show me a different perspective.  It happens so often, most might think it is coincidental.  However, it's not.  It's intentional.  Those of us attune to God’s will know He plans it exactly so that we may gain wisdom for His glory and find true allies who are future brothers and sisters in Christ.  Additionally, you may be that ally God intentionally put in another's life to help them in their faith journey. 

Adversity is a reminder that we are reliant on an awesome and all-powerful God.  A woman reached out to me the other day to talk about how her husband said they were unequally yoked and what she should do.  I told her to talk with him, and have him discuss it with his pastor.  I knew the husband did not need her to change.  Instead, it was for him to be a godly man that she would indeed be submissive to.  I could say that because of the trials and adversity my wife and I have faced.  A friend loves at all times.  That is what God asks of us to all who we touch for if we do, we are protecting the brand of Christ.  Are you a true friend to God and others?  Do you embrace adversity as cursed struggle or blessed opportunity to learn God’s plan?  My prayer is that we are thankful for our adversity so that we may find a friend not only in God but also other brethren.  Amen.

Tues Devo: Power of the Word

Psalm 119:9-12 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You. Blessed are You, O Lord; Teach me Your statutes.” (NASB)

Hello,

I have been reading a new book this past week, and the author was talking about how we have gotten away from a true love of God’s Word in this country. We see that despite His word drive song writing or be the foundation for various programs – we don’t take the time to truly be in the Word – and when we do, how much do we truly let it drive our decisions through the day? God’s Word is the source of power – let’s not live 2 steps away from the source, when we can get right in it and letting it shape our daily path and choices.

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill

Instructions for marriage part 2

Ephesians 5:25-30

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her  to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body.

This week I read a blog that aligned really well with what I was planning to write about this week.  Last week I started talking about the instructions we are given in marriage.  We talked about how the woman is to love the husband. 

This blog talked about how this Christian woman had decided to pursue a divorce because her husband had been repeatedly unfaithful and was caught in substance abuse.

The writer went on to talk about how the enemy prowls and how all of us (men and women) are susceptible to waywardness and the passions.  This motivated him to search his own heart.  He realized that in order to protect his marriage, he needed to keep God at the center of it.  To help himself, he took the time to write out vows.  Things like love big and stay small, get off devices and be present for his wife and children (Be Here Now!), seek quiet, stillness and solitude.  He went on with these vows of ways he was going to focus on his wife.

I thought this was a great read as in Ephesians, husbands are instructed to love their wives just as Christ loved the church.  He gave himself up for the church, to make her holy. 

We often hear about how men are the head of the household and women are to submit to their husband, however we often miss the part about how men are to love their wives as their own bodies. 

When we love our spouse and help them to keep God at the center of your relationship, you also love yourself and help keep yourself clean and blameless.

Thursday Devotional - Peas and Peter

My Mom has a plaque in her kitchen that says “You have 2 choices for dinner – take it or leave it.” However, as a kid, if I “left it,” I got it for breakfast the next morning. I remember eating peas for breakfast more than once! My parents knew best. They knew I needed to eat fruits and vegetables instead of the chips and cookies I preferred. They helped me learn discipline to do the best thing even when it’s the hard thing. They also helped me learn the value of submitting to authority even when I didn’t understand or didn’t see the long-term implications.

Jesus did the same for Peter. Last week we talked about Jesus’ personal selfless surrender. He voluntarily submitted to God’s plans even in the face of terrifying opposition. This week, we will see how Jesus encouraged His disciples, especially Peter, to do the same.

John 18:10-11         ¹⁰ Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) ¹¹ Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

God expects submission, even in the face of opposition. Like Peter, we may not understand or see the long-term implications, but we can trust God knows what He’s doing.


What unavoidable trial, hardship or difficulty are you and I trying to overcome or fight in our own strength? How is it going? What if we embraced the unavoidable difficulty for God’s glory? We can trust God knows best, submit to His authority and then look for His results. 

Alice

Personal Branding

What is about Tide that makes it such a recognized laundry detergent? Before you ask what a guy like me would know about laundry detergent, my mother did teach me how to wash clothes, and you learned which detergents worked best (FYI - I’m not a big Arm & Hammer fan ).  However, I knew about Tide long before I ever used it because it had a strong brand name.  One of the latest trends in career planning focuses on the phase ‘personal branding.’ This in short means ‘what you are known for.’  This includes facts about you, reputation, and impression made by you.  It makes one think about our spiritual brand.  Do we represent worldly values or those that God would expect of us?  What would our brand look like?

We should represent God in ways that honor Him at all times. There are times where we represent ourselves above God.  In many of those instances, things do not work out well.  This can be harmful to the message of the Good News as many who seek God gain an understanding of Him through our actions and behavior.  Although this may seem to be an unfair burden, it is part of our being representatives of Christ.  Put another way, we represent the brand of Christ Jesus to those who do not know Him.  Thus when we truly represent Christ in a way that honors Him, we display all of those values that we ourselves saw when we gave our lives to Him.  Love, acceptance, forgiveness, and kindness were all things that I found when I decided to follow Him.  They became ingrained in me, and as a result God uses those things to help share His message to others.  Furthermore, He inspired me to be bolder in sharing my faith and understanding in helping others when they did not see God as I did.  We all have something foundational within ourselves when we decided to follow Christ.  We must harken back to the foundational parts of our faith for when we do, we show the world the relationship we have forged with Him that love onto others as He first loved us.

God gave us so much for the opportunity to serve Him. Jesus came, and offered Himself as a sacrifice to remove the burden of our sins.  This is nothing new to us, but with this gift of grace, we must accept our representation of Him.  As Jesus points out in the Parable of the farmer planting seeds, we can choose to be either a seed that falls in rocky soil having temporary joy only to have it lost (Matthew 13:20-21), amidst the thorns producing nothing (Matthew 13:22), or in fertile soil rooted in hearing and understanding God’s word to produce a harvest larger than ourselves (Matthew 13:23).  Let us resolve to take up the mantle representing Christ in all we do.  How can you represent less of yourself and more of Christ today?  Who can you talk with to help ensure your branding is in alignment with Christ?  My prayer is that Jesus Christ is fully representative of our personal brand.  Amen.

Tues Devo: Look over here

Hello,

Taken a family photo lately? Trying to get the kid(s) to look at the right spot at the right time often feels impossible. We try different manners of noise making and bribery to get the focus to be the right direction.

It makes me wonder if that is how God feels about us sometime. He just wants us to look at Him….but we are distracted by any noise or flash of light or the smallest movement. When we don’t look, we miss out on timing and direction – just like in a photo with the timing of the shutter or direction of when to say cheese.

Even others in the family can distract us. Try telling one child to look at the camera, and soon another is looking at the one who was not looking…but now the original one is looking, and the other is distracted – and the cycle goes on!

This had me thinking about Hebrews 2:1-3 “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (NASB)

Have a blessed day as you focus your eyes on heaven.

Will Hill