I was reading this morning a devotion on communion. The author stated that it was Christ's supper and he has invited us to eat with him, because of him. He sacrificed everything for us. What have you sacrificed? I know that I have and will never give enough of myself to deserve his love. But he gives it to me anyway.

Can any of us understand that kind of love and devotion? I think very few of us understand. I know I will never understand. Soldiers understand, but even that is hard to fathom. In the Old Testament, the Israelites sacrificed animals. God sacrificed his son. Can you do that? I know I can't. I know God understands that and he wants my devotion to him in return. Being human, that is hard enough, but I am trying.

Genesis 22:2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."

Hebrews 10:10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Which is Better?

If I could give credit for this I would. Mom sent me this the other day and I thought it was just wonderful. Have a great day.

Cell phone vs. Bible

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped through it several time a day?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?

What if we used it when we traveled?

What if we used it in case of emergency?

This is something to make you go...hmm...where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don ' t have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.

Makes you stop and think, where are my priorities? And no dropped calls!

Trust in the Lord and *ASAP (Always Say A Prayer)

Can You Forgive Me?

Forgiveness is a big word. It is even a bigger action. When someone does something that goes against what you believe, what you told them you wanted, or what is acceptable, you are upset. You want to tear them apart, cry, scream, just somehow make it so the other person is miserable and understands how upset you are. It is okay to feel hurt. But to tear them down just to make yourself feel better is not really good. Do we not realize that though we are hurting, so are they?

They came to you and confessed their wrong-doing. They feel the shame and the hurt they put on you. It is so hard for anyone to admit they did something against someone else. None of us want to hear confessions like that. Non of us want to confess our sins. But that is what we have to do. We have to tell our secret and not-so-secret sins to someone. Why not start with God? He is the keeper of our hearts and knows when we are grieved and sorrowful.

The upside to all of this is when you forgive, (and I mean really forgive) and when you are forgiven, your attitude and outlook on the whole situation changes. Your heart is freer and you feel loved. God wants that from you. He wants you to confess what is in your heart and he wants you to forgive. He wants you to be forgiven most of all. Will you confess today what is keeping you from feeling joyful?

Psalm 32:5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD "— and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

Romans 14:11 It is written: " 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.' "

James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Getting Through the Day

In our lives, prayer changes everything. Ask my dad, or Sharon Witt or Gerald Collins. We as a collective group have prayed for many in our congregation and many who aren't apart of our family and all of them can attest to the power of prayer. What do you want us to pray for? Right now there is the H1N1 scare.

Young Bailey has H1N1, a friend of Kim Baker, Molly Knott has two children with it, Sarah Lord took the call about the little boy in Springboro who passed away from it. Many in our midst are hurting and scared of this flu. Prayer is the answer. It sounds like a silly thing, but when I pray, I feel calmer. I know that God is listening and that he loves me enough to deal with it for me.

Years ago, my dad took a group and asked them to write down a prayer request. He told them he would keep them until they had been answered. It took several years, but each person came to him and told them that they had been answered. Faith is the key to that.

Talking to God through the day helps me deal with the small things that come along. How do others get through their day without knowing that no matter what, someone is watching out for them and has control over the universe? Whether it is doing a job correctly, dealing with an illness or something that we think is so big we can't handle, God has it already worked out. I am just along for the ride, aren't you? So tell me what you think we should prayer for. God will listen to all of it.

Matthew 21:22 "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

What a Difference A Year Makes

Last night, the Monroe Junior High and High Schools had a combined band concert. The 7th grade, 8th grade, and high school concert bands all played 3 to 4 songs each. It is amazing how going from elementary band where they meet just a couple of times a week to now meeting every day as a class. In fifth and sixth grade, the students are still getting a feel for their instruments, how to play them and read music. In seventh grade, they start really playing songs that make sense and we know.

The seventh grade played Linus and Lucy from the comic strip and tv specials Peanuts. I recognized it! The eighth grade play harder and songs that were a bit longer. The high school band, well they are really good. They only played three songs, but they were harder and much longer. It has only been 2 months since they kids started school, but I think their practicing everyday is paying off.

That is the same with our Christianity. If you only practice it on Sundays and Wednesdays, then how are you going to get any better at it? You have to keep at it everyday, all the time. Be Christ-like in all you say and do. It is not easy and I am no expert at it. But keeping in The Word, praying, being accountable and having fellowship with your Christian brothers and sisters is a big help. For God chose each of you and you chose him.

1 Peter 2:9 - 10 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Have you ever felt hopeless? I mean that even though you know what you are doing is for the best and what God wants, people are not going to be happy? Why do we feel guilty if we know that what we are doing is in God's plan? Because we do not want to see our family and friends unhappy. We want them to be always happy and love us, but that doesn't seem to be the way of humans.

We are very complex people. Some of us try to make everyone happy all the time, which is impossible. Some of us seem to want to make everyone upset and mad. That seems to be easy to, doesn't? Life isn't about how fair things are. If it was, we all would be on the same level in every aspect. But we are not. Some of us are lucky in love, some of us are lucky in money. Some of us are bad at money and some of us are bad at friendships. That is what we have each other for. To help each of us through the good and the bad times. To help us celebrate the love we have for God and each other as well as wallow in our self-pity and share our sorrows.

I know God wants us to rest on each other and depend on him. To do that you have to share your thoughts and your lives with each other. Fellowship is the best way to do that. Join in when things happen at church. Join a small Bible Study group. Become a part of choir or help with the youth. Be around others that are like-minded in Christ.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Last night at choir practice, we sang "Oh yes, oh yes, I'm a child of the King. His royal blood now flows in my veins." I love that song. I love that fact that I have been accepted as an adopted child of God and that he loves me more than anything. As a child, I am still learning all the things that God expects of me. As an adult, I am still learning what it means to be a Christian. I praise God that I am a child of the King.

1 King 3:7 "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties."

I am like Solomon. I am still learning. I will always be learning. So be patient with me.

Be Devoted

Are you devoted to someone or something? Devotion is being attached to a person or a cause. What are you devoted to? Your devotion to your family, friends, or work may seem admirable. Being devoted and committed to something is a huge undertaking. I am committed to my God, my family and my church. I love to sing and help the choir. I am happy to help when I can.

The Bible shows us several people who were devoted to God.

2 Kings 20:3 "Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

1 Chronicles 28:9 "And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

Let us not forget Job. Even in the midst of his tragedy, he was mindful not to curse God for what had happened. Devotion to God is something that a lot of us have, but not always sure how to show it. But God knows our heart and minds. He can use our motives and our deeds, if we let him.

So be devoted. 1 Corinthians 7:35 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.

Family

Yesterday, our new minister, Michael Dawson, brought a message that really hit home in my heart. He talked about how family dynamics have changed over the years from the "Leave It To Beaver" family, then on to "The Brady Bunch" blended family, to sometimes the almost non-exist family we see today. What kinda of family do you have?

Television has really been shaped by our culture just as much as we have been shaped by television. In the 1950's, the core family of Dad, Mom and kids were shown. It was expected and the norm. In the 1960's, blended families, such as "The Brady Bunch" were popping up in our living room as well as our schools, neighborhoods and families. In the last thirty years, that has exploded into divorced families, single-parent families, non-married families, and same sex partners. The media is now shaping our surroundings more than we are shaping ourselves.

From our parents to our grandchildren, we need to take charge of our families. We need to let them know that God loves them and that we love them. We need to help them shape their lives so that when they leave us, the outside world won't have more of an impression on them than we did. Families today seem to see less and less of each other. We are trying new things in our family. We make sure we have several meals a week together, we all keep in touch and we talk. We talk about the shows we watch, the friends we have and the love we have for each other.

Michael stressed spending time together and that is important for all of us. I hope you and your family find time to spend together. Whether it be game night, watching a show, or just taking a ride. Talk to your spouse, your children, your parents. God loves you and them. Let them know that He does, and that you do too!

Galatians 6:10 "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

More Wisdom

For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
Guarding the paths of justice,
And He preserves the way of His godly ones.
Then you will discern righteousness and justice
And equity and every good course.
For wisdom will enter your heart
And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;

The above verses are Proverbs 2:6 - 10. I like these verses. I like the fact that God will give us wisdom. He stores it for us and preserves it for us. If you are upright and godly you will be able to use your wisdom. It will be in your heart and you will be satisfied with it.

I like that. I hope that we all strive for wisdom to enter our hearts. The hard part is living up to the standards. So today I pray we all strive for the standards of godliness. God wants to give us His wisdom. We just have to want it and ask for it. Then we have to use it to the best of our abilities.

We have to be able to understand that with it comes the ability to discern righteousness and justice. I looked up the word discern. It means to distinguish mentally; recognize as distinct or different. So to recognize that righteousness and justice are different from the world will be a gift of wisdom. That is cool. To know that what the world thinks is justice and what God's justice is helps us to figure out what we need to do.

I hope that if you want more knowledge, start reading your Bible. Proverbs is one of my favorite books. You can read a chapter a day in a month and start all over again.

Instilling Wisdom

The (A)proverbs of Solomon (B)the son of David, king of Israel:
2To know (C)wisdom and instruction,
To discern the sayings of (D)understanding,
3To (E)receive instruction in wise behavior,
(F)Righteousness, justice and equity;
4To give (G)prudence to the naive,
To the youth (H)knowledge and discretion,
5A wise man will hear and (I)increase in learning,
And a (J)man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
6To understand a proverb and a figure,
The words of the wise and their (K)riddles.
7(L)The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

This is the very beginning of Proverbs 1. Wisdom is from God. Having wisdom is having the world, if you use it wisely. Being wise and having wisdom do not go hand in hand. You can have all the wisdom of a certain subject and still be clueless. It amazes me that some people are so smart in school, yet have no wisdom on life.

God wants us to be wise in all ways. Most of us are not wise in all ways. We have some things we are pretty stupid about. I am horrible in math but in life, I think I usually have some good sense. I am a reader and I pick up a lot of things by reading them. That helps me know what I should do in situations. Watching the news seems to show mostly people who have no wisdom. And I get emails about people who do stupid things. We laugh at them, but it really is kind of sad.

Wisdom is not something to be taken lightly. Instilling the passion of learning into our children seem to be the hardest task of all. We advise them to do their homework, take notes in class, pay attention to all we tell them and listen to their elders. As parents, we sometimes feel that that is not happening. But in the end, most of our kids seem to finally get it and do well. It's the ones who seem not to care that we worry about the most.

Trust me....

First off, I apologize for not sending out devotions the past two days. Things around work have been crazy and our home computer is just not up to the task! My father, bless his heart, told me that I better start back or everyone would be upset with me. Ha, ha!

Trust is a crazy thing. When you trust someone whole-heartedly, then there is never a doubt that enters your mind. But if someone says something or if they do something that just seems the bit outside the box, then your mind goes completely crazy! You imagine that everything they are doing has a motive, or everything they say is a lie. You can't relax around them and you just don't know what is right or wrong.

Trust with God does not have to be like that. God wrote in His love letter a lot on trust. The one I hold close to my heart is John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me." I like that Jesus comes right out and said that he can be trusted and that we do not need to doubt Him.

Psalms is full of verses that tell us how to trust. Here are a few for you to ponder today...

Psalms 31:14 'But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God."'

Psalms 40:4 "Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods."

Psalm 118:8 "It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man."

Psalm 143:8 "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul."

So as you can see, trust is a big issue with God. It is with me too. I hope that each of you have those you trust, but more importantly, you have a continual trust in God.

Sick?

When your child is sick, you worry. Do you think God worries when we are sick, physically or spiritually? I do. When a child is sick, the parent does what they can to help them. Mom prays, gives the medicine that is prescribed, and gets advice from the doctor. Dad usually does the running to get the medicine at the pharmacy, and does what is asked of them.

If it is a spiritual sickness, what does a parent do? Hopefully they can pray, read the Bible and seek the advice of their Elders. God has given us all great people in our lives to help us through the turbulent times. He has also given us the Bible, which is the greatest help to Christians. You can read it and understand it if you want. It is full of wonderful stories of people who went through similar things that we go through. But you have to be willing to read it.

Sickness of any kind is hard for us to deal with. We don't like seeing suffering. We want everyone to be upbeat and happy. When someone we love is heartsick, down-trodden, or soul-sick, we ache for them. We want to take that burden away. But only time and God can really do that for them.

James 5:13 - 16 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

I pray that if you feel sick any way, you will pray about it, ask for help and lean on your family and friends. It helps to have others praying for you and for God to know you know that you can not heal yourself.