Vol 3 No 35 THEO'S DEVOS
Ephesians 2:19b-20 You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.\
Does any of the political chaos that the country seems to be in right now bother you? Are you noticing any changes in our culture that concerns you? There are lots that cause me to fret a little until I, like David, Paul, and other biblical writers, begin to see more clearly what is really happening and where I/we really belong.
It is true that most of Theo's Devos readers are citizens of the USA but there are many that are citizens of several other countries all around the world. The truth of the matter is that if you are a Christian, you have a dual citizenship and it is the primary citizenship that makes all the difference in the world. Our verses today clearly point out the our primary citizenship is in God's holy family. We are citizens of that spiritual world that lies, unseen, behind what we think is reality. This citizenship contains certain benefits that the citizens of any country simply cannot draw on without accepting Christ as their personal savior.
I have had the great privilege to travel to many countries of the world and, wherever I have gone it is has always been a blessing to run into a fellow citizen of my home country. It is as though we were best of friends from the moment we have met. It has always been a point of pride to say that I was a US citizen. That feeling is always twice as intense when I find out that I have just met a fellow Christian. Someone who shares my heavenly citizenship. There is no way to explain that feeling and, what is more interesting, is that I receive that feeling when I meet a Christian in this country. It is as though my citizenship of heaven is even more important that my citizenship here on earth. The reason? Because the Godly citizenship is an eternal one where my earthly citizenship is just that: earthly.
There is an even more important factor here. I am not just a citizen of heaven but I am a member of God's family. My heavenly father is the King of King and Lord of Lords. If you meet a citizen of another country you will be in the presence of someone who has a special standing with the leader of that country. But if you ever met the son of daughter of that leader you would be meeting someone who has an even greater important to him or her. This means that we are not simply citizens of heaven but we have a very special position within that citizenship. We have certain benefits that a mere citizen would not have. We are heirs to that Kingdom and will inherit it someday.
Please do not live your life as though you had little meaning in the scheme of things. You are related to the apostles and prophets. You have been chosen by God for something very special. When you start each day be sure to thank God for these truths. It will warm the heart of God and transform your day from the very beginning.
May God bless you as you consider the impact of this fact.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Ephesians 2
QUICK QUESTION: What is the best thing about being a citizen of the United States?
1.What happens when you believe the message the Jesus brought?
2.What does it mean when Paul refers to the foundation?
3.How does the church live and grow?
4.In what way does God live in us?
5.How should we treat foreigners and aliens?
6.How can your church reach out to others in your community?
REFLECTION: Is there someone in your community that may be considered and 'outsider?' If so how can you reach out to them in the love of God?
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Precious Lord
Vol 3 No 34 THEO'S DEVOS
Psalm 23
I rarely do this but I thought you would like to read the following that was sent to me by one of our readers. I don't know who the author is but I know that you will find it inspirational as I did.
This is the first time I have used something like this for Theos Devos. It was so good I just had to pass it on. Thanks to one of our readers for finding it.
THE BIRTH OF THE SONG 'PRECIOUS LORD'
Back in 1932, I was a fairly new husband. My wife, Nettie and I were living in a little apartment on Chicago's south side. One hot August afternoon I had to go to St. Louis where I was to be the featured soloist at a large revival meeting. I didn't want to go. Nettie was in the last month of pregnancy with our first child. But a lot of people were expecting me in St. Louis. I kissed Nettie good-bye, clattered downstairs to our Model A and, in a fresh Lake Michigan breeze, chugged out of Chicago on Route 66.
However, outside the city, I discovered that in my anxiety at leaving, I had forgotten my music case. I wheeled around and headed back.
I found Nettie sleeping peacefully. I hesitated by her bed; something was strongly telling me to stay. But eager to get on my way, and not wanting to disturb Nettie, I shrugged off the feeling and quietly slipped out of the room with my music.
The next night, in the steaming St. Louis heat, the crowd called on me to sing again and again. When I finally sat down, a messenger boy ran up with a Western Union telegram. I ripped open the envelope. Pasted on the yellow sheet were the words: YOUR WIFE JUST DIED.
People were happily singing and clapping around me, but I could hardly keep from crying out. I rushed to a phone and called home. All I could hear on the other end was 'Nettie is dead. Nettie is dead.'
When I got back, I learned that Nettie had given birth to a boy. I swung between grief and joy. Yet that same night, the baby died. I buried Nettie and our little boy together, in the same casket. Then I fell apart.
For days I closeted myself. I felt that God had done me an injustice. I didn't want to serve Him anymore or write gospel songs. I just wanted to go back to that jazz world I once knew so well. But then, as I hunched alone in that dark apartment those first sad days, I thought back to the afternoon I went to St. Louis. Something kept telling me to stay with Nettie. Was that something God? Oh, if I had paid more attention to Him that day, I would have stayed and been with Nettie when she died.
From that moment on I vowed to listen more closely to Him. But still I was lost in grief. Everyone was kind to me, especially one friend. The following Saturday evening he took me up to Maloney's Poro College, a neighborhood music school. It was quiet; the late evening sun crept through the curtained windows.
I sat down at the piano, and my hands began to browse over the keys. Something happened to me then. I felt at peace. I felt as though I could reach out and touch God. I found myself playing a melody, once into my head they just seemed to fall into place: 'Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn, through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light, take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.'
The Lord gave me these words and melody, He also healed my spirit. I learned that when we are in our deepest grief, when we feel farthest from God, this is when He is closest, and when we are most open to His restoring power.
And so I go on living for God willingly and joyfully, until that day comes when He will take me and gently lead me home.
-Tommy Dorsey-
For those too young to know who he is, Tommy Dorsey was a band leader in the Thirties and Forties.
Did you know that Tommy Dorsey wrote this song? I surely didn't. What a wonderful story of how God CAN heal the brokenhearted! Beautiful, isn't it?
Worth the reading, wasn't it? Think on the message for a while. Thought you might like to share this,
Theo
PS Due to a lack of response, I have decided to forego the Small Group Bible Studies. If you have been using them and would like me to continue them, please email me at ted426@gmail.com. If I get enough requests I will add them back in. Thank you.
Psalm 23
I rarely do this but I thought you would like to read the following that was sent to me by one of our readers. I don't know who the author is but I know that you will find it inspirational as I did.
This is the first time I have used something like this for Theos Devos. It was so good I just had to pass it on. Thanks to one of our readers for finding it.
THE BIRTH OF THE SONG 'PRECIOUS LORD'
Back in 1932, I was a fairly new husband. My wife, Nettie and I were living in a little apartment on Chicago's south side. One hot August afternoon I had to go to St. Louis where I was to be the featured soloist at a large revival meeting. I didn't want to go. Nettie was in the last month of pregnancy with our first child. But a lot of people were expecting me in St. Louis. I kissed Nettie good-bye, clattered downstairs to our Model A and, in a fresh Lake Michigan breeze, chugged out of Chicago on Route 66.
However, outside the city, I discovered that in my anxiety at leaving, I had forgotten my music case. I wheeled around and headed back.
I found Nettie sleeping peacefully. I hesitated by her bed; something was strongly telling me to stay. But eager to get on my way, and not wanting to disturb Nettie, I shrugged off the feeling and quietly slipped out of the room with my music.
The next night, in the steaming St. Louis heat, the crowd called on me to sing again and again. When I finally sat down, a messenger boy ran up with a Western Union telegram. I ripped open the envelope. Pasted on the yellow sheet were the words: YOUR WIFE JUST DIED.
People were happily singing and clapping around me, but I could hardly keep from crying out. I rushed to a phone and called home. All I could hear on the other end was 'Nettie is dead. Nettie is dead.'
When I got back, I learned that Nettie had given birth to a boy. I swung between grief and joy. Yet that same night, the baby died. I buried Nettie and our little boy together, in the same casket. Then I fell apart.
For days I closeted myself. I felt that God had done me an injustice. I didn't want to serve Him anymore or write gospel songs. I just wanted to go back to that jazz world I once knew so well. But then, as I hunched alone in that dark apartment those first sad days, I thought back to the afternoon I went to St. Louis. Something kept telling me to stay with Nettie. Was that something God? Oh, if I had paid more attention to Him that day, I would have stayed and been with Nettie when she died.
From that moment on I vowed to listen more closely to Him. But still I was lost in grief. Everyone was kind to me, especially one friend. The following Saturday evening he took me up to Maloney's Poro College, a neighborhood music school. It was quiet; the late evening sun crept through the curtained windows.
I sat down at the piano, and my hands began to browse over the keys. Something happened to me then. I felt at peace. I felt as though I could reach out and touch God. I found myself playing a melody, once into my head they just seemed to fall into place: 'Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn, through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light, take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.'
The Lord gave me these words and melody, He also healed my spirit. I learned that when we are in our deepest grief, when we feel farthest from God, this is when He is closest, and when we are most open to His restoring power.
And so I go on living for God willingly and joyfully, until that day comes when He will take me and gently lead me home.
-Tommy Dorsey-
For those too young to know who he is, Tommy Dorsey was a band leader in the Thirties and Forties.
Did you know that Tommy Dorsey wrote this song? I surely didn't. What a wonderful story of how God CAN heal the brokenhearted! Beautiful, isn't it?
Worth the reading, wasn't it? Think on the message for a while. Thought you might like to share this,
Theo
PS Due to a lack of response, I have decided to forego the Small Group Bible Studies. If you have been using them and would like me to continue them, please email me at ted426@gmail.com. If I get enough requests I will add them back in. Thank you.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Sweating the Details
Vol 3 No 33 THEO'S DEVOS
Psalm 139:14a I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;...
I have no idea where all of you work but there is one thing I do know: if your company is at all successful in this economy it is because it is sweating the details. Companies that gloss over the important minutiae are either out of business or headed that way. I am not a detail person but have had to become that over time in order to be successful at what I have done. I remember someone saying, when I was a youth pastor, that it seemed as though I were flying by the seat of my pants. I just had to smile at the ignorance of that statement because I knew how much time I had put in trying to make the job look that way. Tiger Woods makes golfing seem easy but for those of us who have played that game; we know it is very difficult if you want to play well.
I look at the heavens and I marvel. I have examined pond water through a microscope and have been absolutely amazed. Enough so that I am stunned when I hear scientists say that all of creation was just happenstance and that there is no God to give it all sense. The Bible never tries to argue for the existence of God. It is as if the writers never felt the need to. They may have written in ancient times but there observations are just as true in the technological world as they were back when men road camels and lived in tents.
Then, when we turn our attention to the human body the amazement is off the chart. How our bodies work is magnificent. The human eye is better than any camera lens. It seems that no matter how fast my computer goes, I find myself drumming my fingers on the desk hoping it will go faster. My brain, and I admit to not being the brightest person to ever live, still outperforms my computer on many levels save detailed computations. We use to be able to jam the typewriter keys by typing too fast but, no longer. You can't out type a computer it seems.
This is why the Psalmist praises God and why we should as well. No matter what condition your body is in, it is still wonderful. God made you and He loves you just the way you are. With all your flaws and imperfections, He loves you. He wants to use you for the betterment of eternity and can accomplish amazing things through you if you will let Him. Fearfully and wonderfully made! Do you believe that? You should and, if you do, it will spur you on to acts of faith that you would not have believed possible. What can you do today that would challenge your faith? What could you do with that wonderful body God gave you? Think about that. Pray about it. Act on it. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Faith = Risk. Don't worry, God is there to help. May He bless you today.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
The opinions in this writing do not express the opinions of my employer/
Psalm 139:14a I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;...
I have no idea where all of you work but there is one thing I do know: if your company is at all successful in this economy it is because it is sweating the details. Companies that gloss over the important minutiae are either out of business or headed that way. I am not a detail person but have had to become that over time in order to be successful at what I have done. I remember someone saying, when I was a youth pastor, that it seemed as though I were flying by the seat of my pants. I just had to smile at the ignorance of that statement because I knew how much time I had put in trying to make the job look that way. Tiger Woods makes golfing seem easy but for those of us who have played that game; we know it is very difficult if you want to play well.
I look at the heavens and I marvel. I have examined pond water through a microscope and have been absolutely amazed. Enough so that I am stunned when I hear scientists say that all of creation was just happenstance and that there is no God to give it all sense. The Bible never tries to argue for the existence of God. It is as if the writers never felt the need to. They may have written in ancient times but there observations are just as true in the technological world as they were back when men road camels and lived in tents.
Then, when we turn our attention to the human body the amazement is off the chart. How our bodies work is magnificent. The human eye is better than any camera lens. It seems that no matter how fast my computer goes, I find myself drumming my fingers on the desk hoping it will go faster. My brain, and I admit to not being the brightest person to ever live, still outperforms my computer on many levels save detailed computations. We use to be able to jam the typewriter keys by typing too fast but, no longer. You can't out type a computer it seems.
This is why the Psalmist praises God and why we should as well. No matter what condition your body is in, it is still wonderful. God made you and He loves you just the way you are. With all your flaws and imperfections, He loves you. He wants to use you for the betterment of eternity and can accomplish amazing things through you if you will let Him. Fearfully and wonderfully made! Do you believe that? You should and, if you do, it will spur you on to acts of faith that you would not have believed possible. What can you do today that would challenge your faith? What could you do with that wonderful body God gave you? Think about that. Pray about it. Act on it. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Faith = Risk. Don't worry, God is there to help. May He bless you today.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
The opinions in this writing do not express the opinions of my employer/
Saturday, August 15, 2009
I Will See God
Vol 3 No 32 THEO'S DEVOS
Job 19:25-27a “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand upon the earth at last. 26And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! 27I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes.
The verses for today are the oldest in the Bible and they contain a truth that transforms our lives. It is the oldest promise of life after death and, with that in mind, our lives before death become totally changed. Someone has said that if a man, or woman, cannot face death then they cannot face life. Fear of what lies on the other side can paralyze anyone. It tells us that in the midst of whatever life throws at us, God is working. We can know that our God is alive and at work behind the scenes giving meaning to what we sense. He is the spiritual meaning behind what we call reality.
One cannot read the book of Job without coming to the conclusion that the life we live is a mystery that we are unable to understand. And the life we live is surrounded by a spiritual world that we can only get glimpses of through the pages of God's Holy Word. Slowly but surely we begin to see what God is doing and begin to realize that His purposes transcend mortality. He is our Redeemer and He has committed Himself to us. That fact changes everything.
God is working in and through you for a Divine purpose. What that purpose is, only He knows. That there is a purpose gives us reason to get up in the morning and do whatever the day holds for us. You may feel as though your life has no meaning but that simply is not the case. And when you actively seek God's will for your every day, you will sense that all you do is important in terms of eternity.
Hold your head up. Walk tall. Remember that you are the child of the King of Kings. Act like it.
May God bless you as you do.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read:
QUICK QUESTION: Of all the prople you know, which ones are the most important to you? Why?
1.What happened to the people closest to Job?
2.Why did Job request pity?
3.What did Job say about God?
4.What did Job say he would see after death?
5.Where did Job's friends think his troubles came from?
6.Why is honor so important?
REFLECTION: Is there any relationship in you life that needs repair? What can you do to fix it?
Job 19:25-27a “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand upon the earth at last. 26And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! 27I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes.
The verses for today are the oldest in the Bible and they contain a truth that transforms our lives. It is the oldest promise of life after death and, with that in mind, our lives before death become totally changed. Someone has said that if a man, or woman, cannot face death then they cannot face life. Fear of what lies on the other side can paralyze anyone. It tells us that in the midst of whatever life throws at us, God is working. We can know that our God is alive and at work behind the scenes giving meaning to what we sense. He is the spiritual meaning behind what we call reality.
One cannot read the book of Job without coming to the conclusion that the life we live is a mystery that we are unable to understand. And the life we live is surrounded by a spiritual world that we can only get glimpses of through the pages of God's Holy Word. Slowly but surely we begin to see what God is doing and begin to realize that His purposes transcend mortality. He is our Redeemer and He has committed Himself to us. That fact changes everything.
God is working in and through you for a Divine purpose. What that purpose is, only He knows. That there is a purpose gives us reason to get up in the morning and do whatever the day holds for us. You may feel as though your life has no meaning but that simply is not the case. And when you actively seek God's will for your every day, you will sense that all you do is important in terms of eternity.
Hold your head up. Walk tall. Remember that you are the child of the King of Kings. Act like it.
May God bless you as you do.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read:
QUICK QUESTION: Of all the prople you know, which ones are the most important to you? Why?
1.What happened to the people closest to Job?
2.Why did Job request pity?
3.What did Job say about God?
4.What did Job say he would see after death?
5.Where did Job's friends think his troubles came from?
6.Why is honor so important?
REFLECTION: Is there any relationship in you life that needs repair? What can you do to fix it?
Thursday, August 6, 2009
An Inconvenient Truth
Vol 3 No 31 THEO'S DEVOS
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Please forgive me for this but there are a few things in the Bible that I wish were not true. One of them is that the heart of every person is evil and not good. You may be tuning me out right now but stay with me for a minute. There is a pervasive theory throughout the world that men and women are basically good with a tendency toward bad acts once in a while and, they would admit, there may be some people who are truly evil. What the Bible teaches is not that everyone is totally evil but that the natural inclination of all people is not goodness but just the opposite.
I think the best place to notice this is with children. Have you ever noticed that you don't have to train kids to be bad. Why is it that parents have to work hard to train children to be good. Now some children are just wonderful and we have very little difficulty with them. Although that is probably true of your kids, if you have any, but even the best of kids don't have to be shown how to do bad things like be self-centered or do mischievous things. They manage to do that without any help from anyone. Most children, if not all, have to be taught to share, to be courteous, to not lie, etc.
Even we as adults often have to think and will ourselves to do the right thing. Think about someone who has hurt you; about the person you need to forgive but have not been able to do so. Even knowing that to not forgive is like a cancer eating away at you from the inside out. Your lack of forgiveness only hurts you. The one who needs forgiveness may not even know it. They lose no sleep and never think about it while it may haunt your thoughts quite often. Why is it so hard to forgive even when you know it is the right thing to do? Because doing the right thing does not come naturally to human beings. In fact it is such a Godly thing that it takes the help of God to pull it off.
When we sinned against God, the first thing He did was work out a plan so that we could not only be forgiven for that sin but that we could be brought into a position of reward. The worst of sinners can find forgiveness from God because doing the right thing is the nature of God.
Admitting that we have sinned is the first step toward getting God's forgiveness and forgiving others should be a natural act for us. However, unfortunately we, as adults, often act like children and do the wrong thing even though it hurts us. Paul said that he felt like the worst of sinners but wasn't afraid to admit that because he knew how much God loved him and would forgive him for that sin.
Do you know how much God loves you? I hope so because when you do it will make all the difference in your life. You will be able to love others even when they are mean to you because you know that you are passing on the love God has given you. You will be able to avoid the natural tendency to do the wrong thing because you believe that doing the right thing will make your God happy and that, in turn will bring happiness to you.
I am not happy that we are not all good at the core but I am ecstatic that God can reverse out natural tendencies and show us the way to loving others in His name. I truly hope and pray that this day will be one of great blessing for you. If it is not then I pray that you will allow God to guide you through it so that by the time it is over, you will know that God is in your life making the difference.
Theo
Eph 4:11-13
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Romans 3:21-31
QUICK QUESTION: If you wanted to send an encouraging note to all your friends, how would you get it to them?
1.Where does our righteousness come from?
2.How can someone appropriate righteousness?
3.What quality do you share with everyone else?
4.How much did our justificatgion cost God?
5.What is the relationship between law and faith?
REFLECTION: How could you share the good news with someone this week?
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Please forgive me for this but there are a few things in the Bible that I wish were not true. One of them is that the heart of every person is evil and not good. You may be tuning me out right now but stay with me for a minute. There is a pervasive theory throughout the world that men and women are basically good with a tendency toward bad acts once in a while and, they would admit, there may be some people who are truly evil. What the Bible teaches is not that everyone is totally evil but that the natural inclination of all people is not goodness but just the opposite.
I think the best place to notice this is with children. Have you ever noticed that you don't have to train kids to be bad. Why is it that parents have to work hard to train children to be good. Now some children are just wonderful and we have very little difficulty with them. Although that is probably true of your kids, if you have any, but even the best of kids don't have to be shown how to do bad things like be self-centered or do mischievous things. They manage to do that without any help from anyone. Most children, if not all, have to be taught to share, to be courteous, to not lie, etc.
Even we as adults often have to think and will ourselves to do the right thing. Think about someone who has hurt you; about the person you need to forgive but have not been able to do so. Even knowing that to not forgive is like a cancer eating away at you from the inside out. Your lack of forgiveness only hurts you. The one who needs forgiveness may not even know it. They lose no sleep and never think about it while it may haunt your thoughts quite often. Why is it so hard to forgive even when you know it is the right thing to do? Because doing the right thing does not come naturally to human beings. In fact it is such a Godly thing that it takes the help of God to pull it off.
When we sinned against God, the first thing He did was work out a plan so that we could not only be forgiven for that sin but that we could be brought into a position of reward. The worst of sinners can find forgiveness from God because doing the right thing is the nature of God.
Admitting that we have sinned is the first step toward getting God's forgiveness and forgiving others should be a natural act for us. However, unfortunately we, as adults, often act like children and do the wrong thing even though it hurts us. Paul said that he felt like the worst of sinners but wasn't afraid to admit that because he knew how much God loved him and would forgive him for that sin.
Do you know how much God loves you? I hope so because when you do it will make all the difference in your life. You will be able to love others even when they are mean to you because you know that you are passing on the love God has given you. You will be able to avoid the natural tendency to do the wrong thing because you believe that doing the right thing will make your God happy and that, in turn will bring happiness to you.
I am not happy that we are not all good at the core but I am ecstatic that God can reverse out natural tendencies and show us the way to loving others in His name. I truly hope and pray that this day will be one of great blessing for you. If it is not then I pray that you will allow God to guide you through it so that by the time it is over, you will know that God is in your life making the difference.
Theo
Eph 4:11-13
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Romans 3:21-31
QUICK QUESTION: If you wanted to send an encouraging note to all your friends, how would you get it to them?
1.Where does our righteousness come from?
2.How can someone appropriate righteousness?
3.What quality do you share with everyone else?
4.How much did our justificatgion cost God?
5.What is the relationship between law and faith?
REFLECTION: How could you share the good news with someone this week?
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Friends
Vol 3 No 30 THEO'S DEVOS
Psalm 17:17 A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
I feel so blessed to have been able to serve God as a pastor for over thirty years. Among the reasons for my blessings is the fact that I have been able to develop so many friends all over the world and they have enriched my life in ways that cannot be fully explained. These friends have not been simple acquaintances but true friends, people who have prayed for me and encouraged me and allowed me to to the same for them. How can you distinguish between real friends and mere acquaintances? The Psalmist says that friends love at all times. Not just in the good times but in the bad times also.
Someone has said that to have friends it simply requires us to be a friend. There is one friend that I have that really needs to have a capitol F as in Friend. I have never seen Him in the flesh but I know that He is with me and I talk to Him every day. It is His attitude and action toward me that helps me to understand what kind of attitude and action I should have toward those I call friends. Over the years I have discovered something that I have not gotten excellent at, but have tried to get better at. It is that bringing joy to my friends brings joy to me. I truly believe that my best friend, Jesus, gets joy by bringing me joy. I believe that when I smile, He smiles. I know that when I see a friend smile, it makes me smile.
When I was younger I am afraid that I focused more on my needs and what I wanted out of life more than what my friends wanted or needed. In those days I was very self-centered. Now please don't think that I am saying I am not self-centered today, only that I think I am less so. My problem was that I was doing what I thought was expected of me. Let me explain.
As a young man I was, as I mentioned, self-centered. After a brief time in college the first time I went, I had to drop out and, due to the Viet Nam war, was going to be drafted into the Army. Wanting to be in control of my destiny, I joined the Army Security Agency for four years. After basic training I was sent to Fort Devens in MA for advanced training where I was given a top secret, cryptographic clearance and trained with Special Forces or Green Berets at the time. During those years I was expected to develop an attitude conducive with staying alive in combat. Most of my training was in individual fighting and learning escape and evasion. I was good at that. They taught me to kill in several different ways and although I found it abhorrent at first, I actually felt that I was getting ripped off when, by the time I got out of the Army I hadn't gotten to actually kill anyone.
After leaving the military I got a job as a bricklayer in Philly. I worked on houses and high rises. I worked on the courthouse at 5th and Market Street in Philadelphia, a 28 story high rise. I remember laying brick on the 18th floor, on a swinging scaffold that would swing out from the side of the building allowing you to look straight down 18 stories. In those days I couldn't have cared less what you thought of me. Between that attitude and the one trained into me by the military, I was able to fit in and had a successful time as a construction worker. What I am saying here is that I knew exactly how to take care of myself without too much concern about anyone else and those I worked for seemed to love it.
Then an interesting thing happened. God called me into the ministry! I will describe that in detail at another time. I mention it here because it seemed to me that I was the least qualified person I could conceive of for that calling. Learning how God wanted me to treat others was both the most difficult thing I have ever experienced and the most wonderful. Realizing how important others were to God was a revelation to me. It actually became so fantastic that it enlivened me. It felt like a breath of fresh air. Learning about people, studying them, helping them has enriched my life so much that explaining it completely just will not go into words.
Please think about those people that you call friends. Consider your attitude toward them. Think about how Jesus feels about you. Think about what He has done for you. He laid down His life for you. Perhaps one of the things that causes us the most pain is our expectations from our friends. If we reduce those expectations and think more about what we can do for them, maybe we will feel better about our lives and realize more of what it is like to be Jesus.
I am not very good at this but I know that I am much better at it than I was all those years ago and feel much better off because of the lessons that God has taught me in this area. May He bless you today as you consider blessing your friends.
Theo
Thank You for subscribing to THEO'S DEVOs. This subscription is free and no email address will ever be given to anyone. To un-subsribe just reply and put un-subscribe in the subject line. Thank You
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Psalm 17:1-15
QUICK QUESTION: Why is it so hard to follow through on resolutions?
1.What did David think of himself?
2.What caused David to trust in God?
3.How does God display His love towards us?
4.How does God provide for us?
5.What does God do for us?
REFLECTION: What can you do to insure that you will stand before God, happy with yourself?
Psalm 17:17 A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
I feel so blessed to have been able to serve God as a pastor for over thirty years. Among the reasons for my blessings is the fact that I have been able to develop so many friends all over the world and they have enriched my life in ways that cannot be fully explained. These friends have not been simple acquaintances but true friends, people who have prayed for me and encouraged me and allowed me to to the same for them. How can you distinguish between real friends and mere acquaintances? The Psalmist says that friends love at all times. Not just in the good times but in the bad times also.
Someone has said that to have friends it simply requires us to be a friend. There is one friend that I have that really needs to have a capitol F as in Friend. I have never seen Him in the flesh but I know that He is with me and I talk to Him every day. It is His attitude and action toward me that helps me to understand what kind of attitude and action I should have toward those I call friends. Over the years I have discovered something that I have not gotten excellent at, but have tried to get better at. It is that bringing joy to my friends brings joy to me. I truly believe that my best friend, Jesus, gets joy by bringing me joy. I believe that when I smile, He smiles. I know that when I see a friend smile, it makes me smile.
When I was younger I am afraid that I focused more on my needs and what I wanted out of life more than what my friends wanted or needed. In those days I was very self-centered. Now please don't think that I am saying I am not self-centered today, only that I think I am less so. My problem was that I was doing what I thought was expected of me. Let me explain.
As a young man I was, as I mentioned, self-centered. After a brief time in college the first time I went, I had to drop out and, due to the Viet Nam war, was going to be drafted into the Army. Wanting to be in control of my destiny, I joined the Army Security Agency for four years. After basic training I was sent to Fort Devens in MA for advanced training where I was given a top secret, cryptographic clearance and trained with Special Forces or Green Berets at the time. During those years I was expected to develop an attitude conducive with staying alive in combat. Most of my training was in individual fighting and learning escape and evasion. I was good at that. They taught me to kill in several different ways and although I found it abhorrent at first, I actually felt that I was getting ripped off when, by the time I got out of the Army I hadn't gotten to actually kill anyone.
After leaving the military I got a job as a bricklayer in Philly. I worked on houses and high rises. I worked on the courthouse at 5th and Market Street in Philadelphia, a 28 story high rise. I remember laying brick on the 18th floor, on a swinging scaffold that would swing out from the side of the building allowing you to look straight down 18 stories. In those days I couldn't have cared less what you thought of me. Between that attitude and the one trained into me by the military, I was able to fit in and had a successful time as a construction worker. What I am saying here is that I knew exactly how to take care of myself without too much concern about anyone else and those I worked for seemed to love it.
Then an interesting thing happened. God called me into the ministry! I will describe that in detail at another time. I mention it here because it seemed to me that I was the least qualified person I could conceive of for that calling. Learning how God wanted me to treat others was both the most difficult thing I have ever experienced and the most wonderful. Realizing how important others were to God was a revelation to me. It actually became so fantastic that it enlivened me. It felt like a breath of fresh air. Learning about people, studying them, helping them has enriched my life so much that explaining it completely just will not go into words.
Please think about those people that you call friends. Consider your attitude toward them. Think about how Jesus feels about you. Think about what He has done for you. He laid down His life for you. Perhaps one of the things that causes us the most pain is our expectations from our friends. If we reduce those expectations and think more about what we can do for them, maybe we will feel better about our lives and realize more of what it is like to be Jesus.
I am not very good at this but I know that I am much better at it than I was all those years ago and feel much better off because of the lessons that God has taught me in this area. May He bless you today as you consider blessing your friends.
Theo
Thank You for subscribing to THEO'S DEVOs. This subscription is free and no email address will ever be given to anyone. To un-subsribe just reply and put un-subscribe in the subject line. Thank You
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Psalm 17:1-15
QUICK QUESTION: Why is it so hard to follow through on resolutions?
1.What did David think of himself?
2.What caused David to trust in God?
3.How does God display His love towards us?
4.How does God provide for us?
5.What does God do for us?
REFLECTION: What can you do to insure that you will stand before God, happy with yourself?
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
THE WORD OF GOD
Vol 3 No 29 THEO'S DEVOS
Genesis 3:1-5 1Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the creatures the LORD God had made. “Really?” he asked the woman. “Did God really say you must not eat any of the fruit in the garden?”
2“Of course we may eat it,” the woman told him. 3“It’s only the fruit from the tree at the center of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God says we must not eat it or even touch it, or we will die.”
4“You won’t die!” the serpent hissed. 5“God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil.”
Someone has said that the more things change, the more they stay the same. For many years the Bible, the Word of God has been under attack. How important is that? I know that, for the Christian we would be quick to state that the Bible is the one book that we can count as a way to live and a way to God.
It is also important to know that strategy of one's enemy is important to know. It is easy to lose in a battle if you don't know the strategy of your opponent. We know that Satan is our enemy. We know that he is at war with God in the battle for souls. What is his strategy? Where does he make his attacks and how can he be overcome?
The verses for today hold that key to these questions and it is interesting to note that his strategy has not changed since the beginning of time. Satan knows that the key to a relationship with God is His Word. He also knows that the scriptures hold the guidelines for living the Christian life and defeating his attacks. So what was his strategy back there in the garden?
Satan makes takes three shots at God's Word and Eve falls for them all as do many modern day Christians. The first thing that Satan does is to question God's Word. “Did God really say...?” The answer is obvious and Satan knows that but to begin an attack by asking questions is deadly. Many a Christian has virtually lost his/her faith simply because they were asked questions that they did not know how to answer. Please be careful here. Just because you do not know an answer to a question about the Bible does not mean that there is no answer. I could ask you a question about nuclear physics and, if you couldn't answer them does not mean that nuclear physics is faulty.
The result of Satan's simple question is that Eve adds to the Word of God. Her answer is “God says we must not eat of it or even touch it, or we will die.” There is no indication in all of scripture that God said they couldn't touch it. Eve, apparently, made that up. It reminds me of pastors in the church who seem to think that just about everything is sin. In many churches there are so many things considered sin that the people fear doing just about anything for fear of being in trouble.
Satan's next strategy is to simply deny the Word of God. “You won’t die!” Now that is so easy to do. Simply say that whatever the Bible says is wrong. The problem is that the person making the accusation doesn't feel as though he or she has to back it up. I have had many an occasion to have a college student tell me that there are many mistakes in the Bible. When pressed to produce them it becomes obvious that the student had never read the Bible and is simply parroting an accusation he had heard somewhere. If more Christians would read the Bible, and study it, they would be much more prepared to stand up against the pitiful attacks of Satan and those blinded by him.
These verses have much more to consider than we can go into here. We will revisit them in the future but, for now, suffice it to say that those who would go against God's Word are using the same tactics used by the devil so many years ago. The fact is that you can believe what God has said in His Word. It holds the key to life and life everlasting. Please do not fall for the strategy of Satan whenever it lifts its head.
May God bless you today. I am praying for you.
Ted
Eph 4 :11-13
Genesis 3:1-5 1Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the creatures the LORD God had made. “Really?” he asked the woman. “Did God really say you must not eat any of the fruit in the garden?”
2“Of course we may eat it,” the woman told him. 3“It’s only the fruit from the tree at the center of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God says we must not eat it or even touch it, or we will die.”
4“You won’t die!” the serpent hissed. 5“God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil.”
Someone has said that the more things change, the more they stay the same. For many years the Bible, the Word of God has been under attack. How important is that? I know that, for the Christian we would be quick to state that the Bible is the one book that we can count as a way to live and a way to God.
It is also important to know that strategy of one's enemy is important to know. It is easy to lose in a battle if you don't know the strategy of your opponent. We know that Satan is our enemy. We know that he is at war with God in the battle for souls. What is his strategy? Where does he make his attacks and how can he be overcome?
The verses for today hold that key to these questions and it is interesting to note that his strategy has not changed since the beginning of time. Satan knows that the key to a relationship with God is His Word. He also knows that the scriptures hold the guidelines for living the Christian life and defeating his attacks. So what was his strategy back there in the garden?
Satan makes takes three shots at God's Word and Eve falls for them all as do many modern day Christians. The first thing that Satan does is to question God's Word. “Did God really say...?” The answer is obvious and Satan knows that but to begin an attack by asking questions is deadly. Many a Christian has virtually lost his/her faith simply because they were asked questions that they did not know how to answer. Please be careful here. Just because you do not know an answer to a question about the Bible does not mean that there is no answer. I could ask you a question about nuclear physics and, if you couldn't answer them does not mean that nuclear physics is faulty.
The result of Satan's simple question is that Eve adds to the Word of God. Her answer is “God says we must not eat of it or even touch it, or we will die.” There is no indication in all of scripture that God said they couldn't touch it. Eve, apparently, made that up. It reminds me of pastors in the church who seem to think that just about everything is sin. In many churches there are so many things considered sin that the people fear doing just about anything for fear of being in trouble.
Satan's next strategy is to simply deny the Word of God. “You won’t die!” Now that is so easy to do. Simply say that whatever the Bible says is wrong. The problem is that the person making the accusation doesn't feel as though he or she has to back it up. I have had many an occasion to have a college student tell me that there are many mistakes in the Bible. When pressed to produce them it becomes obvious that the student had never read the Bible and is simply parroting an accusation he had heard somewhere. If more Christians would read the Bible, and study it, they would be much more prepared to stand up against the pitiful attacks of Satan and those blinded by him.
These verses have much more to consider than we can go into here. We will revisit them in the future but, for now, suffice it to say that those who would go against God's Word are using the same tactics used by the devil so many years ago. The fact is that you can believe what God has said in His Word. It holds the key to life and life everlasting. Please do not fall for the strategy of Satan whenever it lifts its head.
May God bless you today. I am praying for you.
Ted
Eph 4 :11-13
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Every Spiritual Blessing
Vol 3 No 28 THEO'S DEVOS
Eph 1:3-4 How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ.
Our verses today are hard to grasp. I have seen Christians who earnestly seek the blessings of God. Some refer to a special grant called the Second Blessing. I must confess that I have been saddened to see the church divided over this kind of thought but I fully understand the desire to have something special from God. The problem is that, according to Paul, we already have everything coming to us. He tells us that we have been blessed with 'every spiritual blessing.' How can that be? I have needs just as you do. Things don't always go the way I want them to and I have prayed to God for things and God has said 'No' or 'Wait' many times.
I can't take a long time to delve into the mystery of this verse here but I do know what it says and have to try and understand. What it comes down to is not that we need another blessing but that we need to know how to access those blessing already given to us. How is that done? Firstly we must acknowledge that God is not holding out on us as many Christians seem to feel. We must believe that God loves us and will always do what is best for us as it fits into His plan. Next we must ask God for understanding concerning our present condition. Good or bad, as we see it, we are where God wants us to be. After we have bowed to the sovereignty of God we can begin to rest in our state and seek that inner confidence that God will pour out on us.
This falls back on the devotional on answered prayer. We can know that God sees us and loves us. But we must also know that His plan, ultimately, is more important than our temporary pleasure. I have often said that 30 seconds after we die and enter heaven,all this life will seem like a split second and none of the suffering that we have had to endure will matter. God will have eternity to help you understand what was happening in this life and how your part was crucial to His effort.
No Christian suffers in vain unless they refuse to acknowledge God's will and do not give Him the glory for whatever happens. This is a lot harder to do than to say, I fully understand but according to Paul those blessing in the heavenly realms are there for the taking. We just need to reach out in faith and they can be ours. God is not holding out on you. There are no first and second class Christians. There are only those who exercise faith and those who do not. Please, today, ask God to help you be a person of faith. It is what He has been looking for all along.
Here is an extra blessing given to us by one of our readers. Thanks Debbie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtrnB4FZ-yc
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Ephesians 1:1-14
QUICK QUESTION: Share some blessing with the others in your group.
1.In what ways has God blessed us?
2.What is the meaning of 'redemption'?
3.What does the Holy Spirit do in our lives?
4.What are 'spiritual blessings'?
5.Why did God give us these blessings?
REFLECTION: How can others around you benefit from your blessings?
Eph 1:3-4 How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ.
Our verses today are hard to grasp. I have seen Christians who earnestly seek the blessings of God. Some refer to a special grant called the Second Blessing. I must confess that I have been saddened to see the church divided over this kind of thought but I fully understand the desire to have something special from God. The problem is that, according to Paul, we already have everything coming to us. He tells us that we have been blessed with 'every spiritual blessing.' How can that be? I have needs just as you do. Things don't always go the way I want them to and I have prayed to God for things and God has said 'No' or 'Wait' many times.
I can't take a long time to delve into the mystery of this verse here but I do know what it says and have to try and understand. What it comes down to is not that we need another blessing but that we need to know how to access those blessing already given to us. How is that done? Firstly we must acknowledge that God is not holding out on us as many Christians seem to feel. We must believe that God loves us and will always do what is best for us as it fits into His plan. Next we must ask God for understanding concerning our present condition. Good or bad, as we see it, we are where God wants us to be. After we have bowed to the sovereignty of God we can begin to rest in our state and seek that inner confidence that God will pour out on us.
This falls back on the devotional on answered prayer. We can know that God sees us and loves us. But we must also know that His plan, ultimately, is more important than our temporary pleasure. I have often said that 30 seconds after we die and enter heaven,all this life will seem like a split second and none of the suffering that we have had to endure will matter. God will have eternity to help you understand what was happening in this life and how your part was crucial to His effort.
No Christian suffers in vain unless they refuse to acknowledge God's will and do not give Him the glory for whatever happens. This is a lot harder to do than to say, I fully understand but according to Paul those blessing in the heavenly realms are there for the taking. We just need to reach out in faith and they can be ours. God is not holding out on you. There are no first and second class Christians. There are only those who exercise faith and those who do not. Please, today, ask God to help you be a person of faith. It is what He has been looking for all along.
Here is an extra blessing given to us by one of our readers. Thanks Debbie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtrnB4FZ-yc
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Ephesians 1:1-14
QUICK QUESTION: Share some blessing with the others in your group.
1.In what ways has God blessed us?
2.What is the meaning of 'redemption'?
3.What does the Holy Spirit do in our lives?
4.What are 'spiritual blessings'?
5.Why did God give us these blessings?
REFLECTION: How can others around you benefit from your blessings?
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Because of Their Unbelief
Vol 3 No 27 THEO'S DEVOS
Mark 6:4-6 Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” 5And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any mighty miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6And he was amazed at their unbelief.
Scattered through Theo's Devos is the thought that all you sense is not all there is. There is an unseen world behind what we think of as existence. A spiritual world, in which, our world finds its meaning. Not everyone believes this and, because of this unbelief, there are serious consequences. In our verses for today it appears that Jesus did not perform many of the works He would have liked to due to the unbelief of the people. They were stymied by their limited vision. They believed what they could see and what they saw was a human being, a carpenter's son. Maybe he built some of their houses or maybe he built an addition to their house and they had given him lunch while he worked.
Whatever they thought, it did not lead them to accept who Jesus really was and what he could do. Their limited belief was tragic. Jesus, we are told healed a few of them but, in his heart was 'amazed at their unbelief.”
Now it is very easy to put our finger of criticism on those people and think that they should have known better. Didn't they see the miracles or at least hear about them? What was it about Jesus that caused them to limit their faith? You would have expected them to have been discussing this unusual man quite often. I am sure that they did but it was the content of the conversations that may have led them to look down on Jesus rather then look up to him.
In any event it doesn't matter much today what they thought or what happened in their town. What is critical is what do we think? Can we look at verses like this and examine our own belief structure? Where is you faith today? How much are you willing to risk in your service of God? Churches are made up of large numbers of people. What that local church can accomplish will be in line with the collective faith of the members. A single pastor can't overcome the lack of faith of his congregation and those full of faith can be greatly discouraged, as was Jesus, when those of limited faith voice that limitation in board meetings and public gatherings.
There was a church that was considering a needed change in government. In a crucial meeting one of the older members said that he didn't believe in fixing something that wasn't broke. It was his way of saying that the church should maintain the status quo. With that, a young man (who reads Theo's Devos) stood up and told the congregation that his father had bought a new tractor for their farm. The old tractor worked great. It didn't need to be fixed. It just didn't do what needed to be done on this modern farm. It had been purchased years before when tractors did little more than pull things. The wisdom of this young man carried the day and the church was filled with the faith it needed to take the necessary steps toward church government much more suitable for the society in which it existed.
So how about your faith? Have you been stretched lately? Or are you still doing the same things for the Lord that you have been doing for some time? Maybe it is time for a change in your life. Maybe Jesus would like to perform something nearly miraculous through you but, like the people in our verses, your unbelief is hindering him. Before you run off and start making changes, or do nothing at all, maybe you should talk to a spiritual advisor that you respect and prayerfully determine if a change is due. Checkups like this are helpful every once in a while. Just don't put it off. Don't miss the kinds of exciting things that the people of our verses missed. Life is way to short for that.
May God bless you.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Mark 6:1-6
QUICK QUESTION: If you had the chance to witness, would you prefer it to be a friend, family member or total stranger and why?
1.Why did these people reject Jesus message?
2.What was Jesus reaction?
3.What hindered Jesus from doing some of the things He wanted to?
4.What amazed Jesus?
5.What hinders us from listening to people we know well?
6.What can we do about our response to question 5?
REFLECTION: When do you think it is necessary to seek the advice of a family member, if ever?
Mark 6:4-6 Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” 5And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any mighty miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6And he was amazed at their unbelief.
Scattered through Theo's Devos is the thought that all you sense is not all there is. There is an unseen world behind what we think of as existence. A spiritual world, in which, our world finds its meaning. Not everyone believes this and, because of this unbelief, there are serious consequences. In our verses for today it appears that Jesus did not perform many of the works He would have liked to due to the unbelief of the people. They were stymied by their limited vision. They believed what they could see and what they saw was a human being, a carpenter's son. Maybe he built some of their houses or maybe he built an addition to their house and they had given him lunch while he worked.
Whatever they thought, it did not lead them to accept who Jesus really was and what he could do. Their limited belief was tragic. Jesus, we are told healed a few of them but, in his heart was 'amazed at their unbelief.”
Now it is very easy to put our finger of criticism on those people and think that they should have known better. Didn't they see the miracles or at least hear about them? What was it about Jesus that caused them to limit their faith? You would have expected them to have been discussing this unusual man quite often. I am sure that they did but it was the content of the conversations that may have led them to look down on Jesus rather then look up to him.
In any event it doesn't matter much today what they thought or what happened in their town. What is critical is what do we think? Can we look at verses like this and examine our own belief structure? Where is you faith today? How much are you willing to risk in your service of God? Churches are made up of large numbers of people. What that local church can accomplish will be in line with the collective faith of the members. A single pastor can't overcome the lack of faith of his congregation and those full of faith can be greatly discouraged, as was Jesus, when those of limited faith voice that limitation in board meetings and public gatherings.
There was a church that was considering a needed change in government. In a crucial meeting one of the older members said that he didn't believe in fixing something that wasn't broke. It was his way of saying that the church should maintain the status quo. With that, a young man (who reads Theo's Devos) stood up and told the congregation that his father had bought a new tractor for their farm. The old tractor worked great. It didn't need to be fixed. It just didn't do what needed to be done on this modern farm. It had been purchased years before when tractors did little more than pull things. The wisdom of this young man carried the day and the church was filled with the faith it needed to take the necessary steps toward church government much more suitable for the society in which it existed.
So how about your faith? Have you been stretched lately? Or are you still doing the same things for the Lord that you have been doing for some time? Maybe it is time for a change in your life. Maybe Jesus would like to perform something nearly miraculous through you but, like the people in our verses, your unbelief is hindering him. Before you run off and start making changes, or do nothing at all, maybe you should talk to a spiritual advisor that you respect and prayerfully determine if a change is due. Checkups like this are helpful every once in a while. Just don't put it off. Don't miss the kinds of exciting things that the people of our verses missed. Life is way to short for that.
May God bless you.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Mark 6:1-6
QUICK QUESTION: If you had the chance to witness, would you prefer it to be a friend, family member or total stranger and why?
1.Why did these people reject Jesus message?
2.What was Jesus reaction?
3.What hindered Jesus from doing some of the things He wanted to?
4.What amazed Jesus?
5.What hinders us from listening to people we know well?
6.What can we do about our response to question 5?
REFLECTION: When do you think it is necessary to seek the advice of a family member, if ever?
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Faint Not
Vol 3 No 26 THEO'S DEVOS
Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Today's text is one of those incredible promises that almost seems to good to be true and many of us have seen it to be true and it sure can help all of us through some tough spots. I remember a TV preacher speaking on the topic “Tough times don't last, tough people do.” The problem lies in that we, often do not feel like a tough person and yet, with the indwelling Holy Spirit we are.
The first part of this verse, however, almost appears out of place. Paul is writing, not to those who are hurting but to those who are doing well and may be getting weary anyway. Have you ever been there? Things are going well but, in order for that to have happened, you have been working extra hard and don't think you are going to make it. I find it interesting to note that most inmates who escape from jail have less than 6 months to serve. It is hard to imagine why someone would risk the added punishment that comes with escaping when you have a short time left to serve.
In any event, there may be some of you who, right now, are experiencing weariness. Whether things have been going good or bad, you just wish you could hang it up and walk away. Well the Bible says that it is at that point that you need to build your trust in the Lord and keep going. You will reap. You will see the end and when it comes you will be glad that you stuck with it.
I think it was Franklin D Roosevelt who when asked to speak at a commencement service gave, perhaps the sho0rtest commencement address ever. He said: “Never give up. Never give up, Never give up.” And then he sat down. This was the advice, in a secular setting, of what it takes to succeed. If that is the case, and it is, how much more for the child of God who has the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to enable and empower if we will allow Him to.
My prayers are with you who are struggling right now. No one may know what you are up against but God does and He is the one working behind the scenes on you behalf. Faint not. Not now, not tomorrow, not ever and watch what God will reap.
May He bless you richly. You are in my prayers.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Galatians 6:1-10
QUICK QUESTION: What is the hardest thing about serving other people?
1.How can you and the others in your group help each other?
2.How can you keep yourself from being fooled?
3.What is your responsibility toward your elders?
4.What responsibilities do you have toward each other?
5.If a Christian brother or sister is caught in sin, what is your responsibility?
REFLECTION: If someone is your group is hurting this week, how can the group help?
Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Today's text is one of those incredible promises that almost seems to good to be true and many of us have seen it to be true and it sure can help all of us through some tough spots. I remember a TV preacher speaking on the topic “Tough times don't last, tough people do.” The problem lies in that we, often do not feel like a tough person and yet, with the indwelling Holy Spirit we are.
The first part of this verse, however, almost appears out of place. Paul is writing, not to those who are hurting but to those who are doing well and may be getting weary anyway. Have you ever been there? Things are going well but, in order for that to have happened, you have been working extra hard and don't think you are going to make it. I find it interesting to note that most inmates who escape from jail have less than 6 months to serve. It is hard to imagine why someone would risk the added punishment that comes with escaping when you have a short time left to serve.
In any event, there may be some of you who, right now, are experiencing weariness. Whether things have been going good or bad, you just wish you could hang it up and walk away. Well the Bible says that it is at that point that you need to build your trust in the Lord and keep going. You will reap. You will see the end and when it comes you will be glad that you stuck with it.
I think it was Franklin D Roosevelt who when asked to speak at a commencement service gave, perhaps the sho0rtest commencement address ever. He said: “Never give up. Never give up, Never give up.” And then he sat down. This was the advice, in a secular setting, of what it takes to succeed. If that is the case, and it is, how much more for the child of God who has the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to enable and empower if we will allow Him to.
My prayers are with you who are struggling right now. No one may know what you are up against but God does and He is the one working behind the scenes on you behalf. Faint not. Not now, not tomorrow, not ever and watch what God will reap.
May He bless you richly. You are in my prayers.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Galatians 6:1-10
QUICK QUESTION: What is the hardest thing about serving other people?
1.How can you and the others in your group help each other?
2.How can you keep yourself from being fooled?
3.What is your responsibility toward your elders?
4.What responsibilities do you have toward each other?
5.If a Christian brother or sister is caught in sin, what is your responsibility?
REFLECTION: If someone is your group is hurting this week, how can the group help?
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Some Things May Change
Vol 3 No 25 THEO'S DEVOS
Proverbs 21:2 People may think they are doing what is right, but the LORD examines the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.
We have noted, over the last couple weeks, that some things must never change and some things must change. We have come to this week to note that some things may change. This is where some of the trouble occurs in our lives and in the church. They say that variety is the spice of life. I believe that and I also believe that if nothing changes in our lives we can become bored and restless. I used to think that change for the sake of change was not good. I no longer hold that position. I honestly believe that change is not only important, but essential. If nothing has changed for a while it is a good idea to look for something to do differently if only to keep your life from getting monotonous.
A very helpful activity was introduced to me many years ago and it has proven to be very beneficial. On each of my birthdays, I have searched for some activity that I had never done before and dedicated the next year to it. I have learned to play several musical instruments, taken up ballooning among many others which enhanced both my life and my ministry. Did you ever notice that the Bible doesn't specify what every Christian should do? God has given us all a gift but He has never said exactly how we were to use it. Over a lifetime there could be many applications of the spiritual gifts God gave you and, if you use them for His glory, they are all profitable. If you want to be a missionary, for instance, it doesn't matter where you go as long as you exercise your gifts when you get there.. Some may have solid reasons for doing what they are doing and others are doing what they love doing but each will be in the center of God's will if you are applying biblical principals to those activities.
What are you doing these days? Is it fulfilling? Is it accomplishing God's will for your life? Unless you can answer 'yes' you probably ought to be thinking about a change in your life.
Following God is to 'be' not simply to 'do.' We are human beings, not human doings. If you are sincerely following the will of God in your life in terms of what you are on the inside, you can do whatever you want on the outside and it will glorify God. In His sovereignty, God will use your efforts to accomplish His will and goals and you will have had a part in that.
God looks on the heart while man looks on the outside.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: 1 Samuel 16:1-13
QUICK QUESTION: Was there ever a time when you were singled out for some honor no matter how small? How did you feel?
1.When God looked for Samuel, what was he (Sam) doing?
2.Why did Samuel think that Eliab might be the chosen one?
3.What was God's response?
4.What does God concern Himself with?
5.Why did Samuel go over each son?
6.When considering leadership, what should we look for in those leaders?
REFLECTION: Is there someone in you life about whom you have been influenced by their outer appearance and should you re-evaluate how you feel about them now?
Proverbs 21:2 People may think they are doing what is right, but the LORD examines the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.
We have noted, over the last couple weeks, that some things must never change and some things must change. We have come to this week to note that some things may change. This is where some of the trouble occurs in our lives and in the church. They say that variety is the spice of life. I believe that and I also believe that if nothing changes in our lives we can become bored and restless. I used to think that change for the sake of change was not good. I no longer hold that position. I honestly believe that change is not only important, but essential. If nothing has changed for a while it is a good idea to look for something to do differently if only to keep your life from getting monotonous.
A very helpful activity was introduced to me many years ago and it has proven to be very beneficial. On each of my birthdays, I have searched for some activity that I had never done before and dedicated the next year to it. I have learned to play several musical instruments, taken up ballooning among many others which enhanced both my life and my ministry. Did you ever notice that the Bible doesn't specify what every Christian should do? God has given us all a gift but He has never said exactly how we were to use it. Over a lifetime there could be many applications of the spiritual gifts God gave you and, if you use them for His glory, they are all profitable. If you want to be a missionary, for instance, it doesn't matter where you go as long as you exercise your gifts when you get there.. Some may have solid reasons for doing what they are doing and others are doing what they love doing but each will be in the center of God's will if you are applying biblical principals to those activities.
What are you doing these days? Is it fulfilling? Is it accomplishing God's will for your life? Unless you can answer 'yes' you probably ought to be thinking about a change in your life.
Following God is to 'be' not simply to 'do.' We are human beings, not human doings. If you are sincerely following the will of God in your life in terms of what you are on the inside, you can do whatever you want on the outside and it will glorify God. In His sovereignty, God will use your efforts to accomplish His will and goals and you will have had a part in that.
God looks on the heart while man looks on the outside.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: 1 Samuel 16:1-13
QUICK QUESTION: Was there ever a time when you were singled out for some honor no matter how small? How did you feel?
1.When God looked for Samuel, what was he (Sam) doing?
2.Why did Samuel think that Eliab might be the chosen one?
3.What was God's response?
4.What does God concern Himself with?
5.Why did Samuel go over each son?
6.When considering leadership, what should we look for in those leaders?
REFLECTION: Is there someone in you life about whom you have been influenced by their outer appearance and should you re-evaluate how you feel about them now?
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Some Things Must Change
Vol 3 No 24 THEO'S DEVOS
Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
While it is true that some things must never change it is also true that some things must change. Someone has said that God loves you just the way you are, but loves you too much to let you stay that way. Who among us would say that we have no area for improvement? In our lives, work, church, et al. Even Jesus, we are told, grew and, as hard as it is to imagine, He changed as He grew. All living things change. It can be said that just about all dead things change as well due to deterioration so we know that virtually all things change.
So what has changed in you over the past year? Are you more loving? More intelligent? I remember going to an ordination council where the son of a very famous church leader was seeking approval for ordination. The person who was recommending him began by telling us that it had been several years since this man had attended a seminary so we should not expect him to be as sharp as most candidates. I thought to myself, what a cop out. Ate we to think that after we graduate from school we begin getting dumber? Well I suppose some do but if you are seeking ordination, it would seem that you would be staying on top of your game and not ignoring those things that you have learned. Now maybe an exception could have been made concerning Greek or Hebrew considering that he may not have stayed up on those subjects but they are rare;u, if ever, covered in the councils I have sat on. So it would appear that we can't stop change, we can only decide what kind of change will there be,
One huge problem in the church is that many are trying to minister to people in ways that are very outdated. As our culture changes, we must decide what we can do to minister to it without violating Biblical principles. To say that changing the way we do things to reach the world is capitulating with it is to miss the point. When God wanted to reach His creation and save it, He became a man. I doubt that there has ever been a change as dramatic as that. He did it without sin. He loved the sinner enough to become like him without sinning which He hates. When they put Jesus on the cross we are told that He became sin for us. He took on the sin of the world and paid for it with His sacrifice so that we, sinners, would not have to.
Please don't be afraid of change even if you don't like it. Change is going to happen whether we like it or not so we need to orchestrate that change in such a way as to be more effective for the Lord, not less. Instead of getting worse at what we do, we must get better. As iron sharpens iron, we need to challenge each other to better ways of serving God. Especially in these difficult times when the government seems to be heading in who knows what direction, we need to keep our target sharply in focus and continue to work at improving the way we fire at it.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
QUICK QUESTION: In what way have you grown in the last year? Was it good growth or bad?
What is the definition of wisdom?
What is the definition of stature in this verse?
How could Jesus, being God in flesh, change?
How could He have grown in favor with God?
How could He have grown in favor with man?
How could Jesus have grown in favor with man and end up crucified?
REFLECTION: What can you do this coming month to follow Jesus' example?
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Some Things Must Never Change
Vol 3 No 23 THEO'S DEVOS
Jude 1:3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
Leadership can be a difficult thing. This is made more difficult due to the fact that everyone of us is a leader. You don't think so? Well every morning, when you start your day, you must take the lead. You must decide so many things as you proceed through the day that one thing is quite clear, if nothing else, you are leading your life. Even if you turn over the leadership to someone else, there are still many times when the decision as to what you should do falls into your hands. Our thought for today is that, no matter what form of leadership you have, some things must never change.
In the church this phrase has led to all kinds of trouble which we will look at over the next couple weeks. It feels good to think that things don't change. The problem is that our subject tells us that some things don't change, not all things. Jude makes it clear that the foundation of our faith is not something that has evolved through the years. The content of our faith was 'once for all' delivered and has not changed since the apostles spelled it out. There are many who would distort our faith but the clear teaching of scripture lays out the things we should believe. It allows for differences in many ways but the foundations are strong. Among them is that salvation comes through the shed blood of Jesus and does not include human merit as many believe in this world. That the Bible is the Word of God and that Jesus is coming again are two more verities that have not changed.
The problem is that there are not as many things that must not change as we think. However, it is necessary to search through our lives and make sure that, as we grow in the Lord, we are not allowing things to slip and our lives to turn back to the kind of life we led before becoming Christians. It is easy to do. Just don't give much thought to it and you will find yourself allowing for all kinds of things to crowd out your devotion to Jesus. Things like not reading your Bible or not praying as often as you can.
An interesting discussion at any point in leadership is to try and discover those things that must never change. You might be surprised, as you study scripture, how few those things are. In any event, I suggest that you take inventory of your life and mark out the things you think should never change. Be careful to not allow human tradition to dictate what those things are.
May God bless you as you take stock of that life you are living this week.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Jude 1-16
QUICK QUESTION: If you could live your life over again, what is one thing you would change?
How does Jude describe himself?
What does Jude mean by godless?
What relationship do godless people have with God's will?
What does Jude want his readers to remember about history?
To what does the writer liken godless people and why?
What can we learn from history?
What kind of things have happened in your life that have helped you get better at living it?
REFLECTION: What can you do to keep from repeating the mistakes of your own personal history?
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Your Spiritual GPS
Vol 3 No 22 THEO'S DEVOS
Psalm 48:14 For this God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide even to the end
The US Census Bureau just told me that they want me to work for them in the next phase of the census. They said that I had done a good job and they want me to stay with them. Now in order to do that good job I had a very valuable helper. I have a GPS for my car. This device allows me to find any address anywhere and find the quickest route. By having this I am able to quickly find the addresses I have to map. I can get more done than someone just using a map. However, two days ago it developed a problem. I turned it on and it could not acquire the satellite. Without being able to contact the satellite circling the earth it is rendered useless. Everything else works fine and the thing does all kinds of extra stuff.
The problem is that I didn't buy the GPS to play music or look at pictures or convert currency. I bought it for one reason: to locate addresses. Since it cannot do that right now, it has to be sent back and replaced. I have no idea why it can't acquire a satellite. If you were to look at it, you would say that it looks OK. All the controls work but something inside does not function properly and it has been cut off from the source of its purpose.
Our verse today tells us that, spiritually we, as Christians have a built in GPS that leads us through life. God guides us and He is there for ever and ever. So, if that is true, and it is, why do we get off track and end up places that we know God does not want us to be. The answer is to know how this spiritual GPS works. What is it that connects us to the source of our guidance?
There are two parts to this answer. First is God's Word. Without access to His book we cut ourselves off from the map that we need to walk the path God desires for us. We need to read and study the map. My GPS does that first of all. It loads the right maps so it can find the locations that I ask it for. Without those maps I is useless. But my GPS does that, or at least it tells me that it loads them. So what else could be wrong? That is the second thing: prayer. Prayer, talking to God when He is not physically present, is the connection that plugs us into the source of our guidance. If we do not pray, we cut ourselves off from the pipeline that delivers the information to us. When we pray, God can bring the concepts of scripture, the truth that He wants us to know, so that it can lead and guide us into making the right decisions that will take us along the proper path in life.
Many Christians seem to think that everything will go right without having any contact with the Bible and without praying. This is a critical mistake. The only way that God can lead you if that is your plan, is to let you make mistake upon mistake and learn the hard way. But even if that is the path you take, you still cannot get going in the right direction without reading scripture and praying. The mistakes will just pile up and after years of living like that, you may find that there is no way to accomplish all that God had in store for you. It is very important that you begin to connect to your spiritual source as quickly as you can. Begin reading your Bible and praying to your Father so that your spiritual GPS will function properly. If you do, you will discover that life is not as difficult as it has seemed to be. This is not to promise that life will be smooth with no bumps but it is to say that it can be smoother than it has been.
May God bless you as you keep in touch with Him. I am praying for you.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Psalm 48
QUICK QUESTION: Do you have protection for your house and, if so, what kind? Does it make you feel safe?
What is this writer primarily trying to say?
What causes God's people to give thanks to God?
What is so important about the city of Zion?
How does the Paalm end?
What does this Psalm tell you about God's power?
Why does the phrase, “God has no grandchildren” ring true?
REFLECTION: For what would you like to praise God this week?
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Rest for the Weary
Vol 3 No 21 THEO'S DEVOS
Psalm 23:2-3a He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength.
As I travel the back roads of Oregon I notice something very interesting. This state has plenty of water and grass, the two things most necessary for the raising of sheep. And that explains why there are so many sheep here. Flocks and flocks of sheep, along with so many other forms of animal. It makes my job almost fun Notice that in our verse for today we see God letting us rest in green meadows. In other words we have all that we need for our souls. So much so that we can rest without having to struggle for that nourishment. We also are led beside peaceful streams. I must say that I have seen more of them since coming to Oregon than I have seen in my whole life and I have traveled throughout Central and South America as well as most of Europe. That is not to say that those places do not have these things, it is just that Oregon seems to have more of them throughout the state. In thinking of these verses even today, Oregon gave me mental pictures of just what the psalmist was describing.
In a spiritual sense this is what God offers us. A quiet nourishment for our inner person. Our souls can have the rest that it needs if we simply, by faith, appropriate it. The Bible promises us these things but we need to activate our faith if we want to benefit from them. They do not come naturally. The natural man is restless. He, or she, will always struggle with life. Life is hard. We know that. Life does not get easier as we mature. In fact life can get more and more difficult as we go along but the rest we need is always right there for us when we need it.
So how do we appropriate this rest? Is it though prayer? Do we simple ask God and He gives it? Is it something that we thinks about, meditate on, and it is available? Well prayer is a great help but it is not the final answer unless it must be because we do not have access to the tool we really need. The real answer is the Word of God. It is the Bible that gives us the rest we need. The living words therein, coupled with prayer to God our Father, is the solution to the rest problem. God can speak to your inner spirit though His word; He can touch you deep inside where no one else can reach. By believing the things that God tells us in His book, we can relax and know that He is in control no matter what our outer circumstances are and we can rest in Him.
We have direct access to the God of all creation through His word the Bible. His power resides there and can be poured into your soul by reading its words. When you open your Bible, you open the mouth of God. He will speak to you through its pages and He will give you the rest you desperately need by simply reading it. If you then go so far as to dig into it and study it, there is no telling what will happen. It has inspired many men and women to bring about great change in our world by studying the Bible. Just by reading Theo's 'Devos each week will bring thoughts to your mind that will aid in your spiritual growth and bring you closer to the rest He wants you to have.
I have seen hundreds of sheep over the last few weeks resting in the pastures of Oregon. I can only wish that more Christians would find that kind of rest for there own lives in the turbulent pastures where they live.
May God bless you this week.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Psalm 23
QUICK QUESTION: When is it most difficult for you to rest?
List the nouns used in this Psalm.
List the adjectives.
List the verbs.
Discuss the reason why those parts of speech are used. How do they impact the meaning of the Psalm?
REFLECTION: How can the group best pray for your peace and rest this week?
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Sheep and the Shepherd
Vol 3 No 20 THEO'S DEVOS
John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Rev 5:12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.
I have been working for the US Census Bureau for the last couple of weeks and have been driving all over this section of Oregon. It is interesting work and I meet lots of interesting people. I also see lots of cool animal like turkeys, deer, buffalo, horses, llamas, alpacas, and sheep, thousands of sheep. They are so cute, especially the new born ones. I really like sheep and think of the scriptures that calls us sheep quite often. So I guess we can consider ourselves cute and stupid. Now I could go into proving that by giving an analysis of sheep but that has been done so many times I think I will pass.
What I am more interested in is Jesus. These are devotionals you know. One of the things that I find interesting about Jesus in His inscrutability. Our verses today says that He is the Shepherd and the Lamb. Now how does that work? How can Jesus be the shepherd and the sheep? Well it is just like Him isn;t it. I mean He is the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God. He is the beginning and the end. He is all man and all God. He was before the beginning and is, already, at the end. How can that be? It can be because of two important facts. One, He is God. And, two, we are not. We are finite and He is infinite.
I mention that because I find it fascinating when I hear prople trying to figure out Jesus. They seem to only be able to grasp things about Him that they can understand. If we could it would mean only one thing. Our God is too small. If you ever get the chance, read the book, Your God Is Too Small by J B Phillips. I have read that little book three times and always am greatly blessed by it. It has helped me to understand that not grasping all there is about God and scripture is a good thing. I don't want a God who is so small that I can understand Him. There are doctrines that I believe but cannot fully understand. That is OK with me now. When I was younger it bothered me but as I matured I understood that I could trust God. I could trust Him with my life and my eternity.
When you get to the point where you do not have to have a complete explanation for everything about God, your life will relax a lot. You won't find yourself wrestling with the things taught in scripture and you will find yourself arguing less with other Christians about what you should or should not, believe. We must contend for the faith, I know, but we do not need to be contentious while doing it.
Go see some sheep sometime soon. You will find them very cute. They will look like you. Lol.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: John 10:1-10
QUICK QUESTION: What is your impression of sheep? If you were God would you have used sheep as a description for humans? Why or why not?
If they could think, what would sheep think about their shepherd?
When Jesus spoke, how did He impress those He spoke to?
To what did Jesus liken Himself to?
Who would the sheep not listen to?
How did Jesus relate His coming to a thief?
How is Jesus like a shepherd?
REFLECTION: How could you become better at listening for Jesus' direction in your life?
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The Essence of Love
Vol 3 No 19 THEO'S DEVOS
John 3:16-17
16“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.
John 3:16 is arguably the most well known verse in all of the Bible. I have used it first because no matter how often I have read it, it never grows old. The thoughts behind this verse are priceless and timeless.
As I thought about this verse today I could not help but notice some interesting characteristics about the essence of love in them.
You are greatly loved. I know that the verse says that God so loved the world but that is a hard concept to grasp. Also, is an interesting verse in that you can read the entire Old Testament and not discover the fact that God loves the 'whole' world. The Old Testament lets us know that God loved His chosen people but there isn't a hint that He loved the whole world. Aside from the Jewish nation God had some nasty things to say about the gentiles. You read Matthew and we don't find that God loves the whole world. You can read Mark and Luke and hear nothing about God loving the whole world. The first two chapters of John do not mention it. It isn't until you come to John 3:16 that you discover that God, in fact, loves the world.
That is well and good but the major thing to notice is that He loves you. You are a key part of this 'world' that He loves. He reaches out to you. He desires to keep you safe and no matter what happens He will always love you.The essence of love is to give. 'He gave...' When you love someone, you want to give them something. Affection, attention, etc. And God didn't just give us a mere gift, He gave us the gift of His Son. There was no better gift that He could have given us because in that gift came eternal life and the ability to be with God forever. So giving is the essence of love as God sees it and that is a timeless truth we can hold onto.
Love never dies. When love is true it never dies. It is eternal. We often mistake 'like' with love. Like comes and goes. We, sometimes think we love someone or something but time reveals that we merely liked that person or thing and then our feelings change and we find other things to like. But love is not a feeling. It is a commitment. True love is not threatened by time and circumstance. I often wonder how many people have ever really experienced true love. How many people have established relationships with people that they liked a whole lot at some point but have to admit that the reality was not true love.
God does not have that problem so frequent in human relationships. He loved us from eternity past and His love will extend into eternity future
You are greatly loved and that love will never die. It will grow throughout time and eternity. You are safe with Him and He will never let you down. We may fail Him but His great love will overcome our inadequacies and will draw us to Him. May God bless you today.
Friendship is like the breeze,
You can't hold it,
Smell it,
Taste it,
Or know when it's coming,
But you can always feel it,
And you'll always know it's there,
It may come and then go,
But you can know it'll always be back.
- Terri Fanning -
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read:
QUICK QUESTION: If you could go back and start over, would you or wouldn't you and why?
What is required in order to be saved?
What is the result of the belief stated here?
What did God do to show the world His love?
Why did Jesus enter our world?
Exactly what does John say here that you must do to be saved? Search the book of John to see if there are any other requirements (no other book, just John).
REFLECTION: What can you and/or your group do this week to show your love and gratefulness to God?
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
A PLEA
Vol 3 No 18 THEO'S DEVOS
Psalm 51:1,2 Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.
As we pass through this life we can oftentimes feel as though we have failed God. Not being perfect, we fall short of what He expects of us and of what we expect of ourselves. This can put pressure on us even though we may not notice it. Personally, I usually fail to recognize stress until something happens, like I get sick or my blood pressure shoots up. Other people recognize stress much quicker and I am not sure which is better. My problem is to be blissfully ignorant of the stresses and go through life as though everything is fine when it may not be. To be too much in tune with stress can make one depressed much of the time and that isn't good either.
Our problem is that we are human. I know, why didn't someone tell you sooner. Well it is true and, because of that, you will always wrestle with stress. Now it is not my intention here to minimize sin. Not do I want to encourage you to dismiss stress. What is important is that we all recognize it for what it is and handle it properly. It is in doing so that one of the secrets of the Christian life is revealed. You can try to handle life at the human level or you can reach into the spiritual realm and call for help there.
David was very in tune with his sins and he recognized the stress in his life. He also knew that he could not handle it. Did you know that? Did you know that you were not put together in such a way as to handle stress? You can't do it. You were not meant to do it and all the counseling in the world will not correct that. There is a serious limit to what counselors can do. There are techniques that people use to lessen the stress and you may be using one, or more, of them but sin will always plague you and the stress of life will always be there. It can cause you to do drastic things that only add to the stress.
David knew where his salvation came from. He knew that only God can deal with the stress and weight of sin that we humans bow down under. He reminds himself many times, in the Psalms, that the solution lies with God.
It is important that you fix your heart on the truth of today's verses. In turning to God and confessing you sins to him, you can go on without the burden of stress weighing you down. This is not to say that it is fine to just go on sinning and dumping them on God. However it is to say that there is no sin that God cannot forgive except the denial of him as your savior. Once you have accepted the salvation that Jesus offers through faith in the work He did on the cross, all the rest of our sin is forgiven and gone. It may take many times of reminding yourself of this fact, is did for David, but, eventually, you will see the things that accompany stress lessen over time. You will understand the depth of God's love and that will make all the difference in the world for you.
When you pray remember to thank Him for His unfailing love in spite of your failures. The more you pray, the more your mind will lock on to that truth and the stress you experience will lessen its grip. There is a solution to the human dilemma. It just doesn't lie with our humanity, it lies with God.
May He bless you today as you follow Him.
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read:
QUICK QUESTION: In what ways does our society look down on Christianity today?
How did the psalmist look at sin?
How is forgiveness looked at here?
What did the psalmist want from God?
What does God want?
How should we view sin? Forgiveness?
How important is forgiveness to salvation?
REFLECTION: How can those around you help you to follow God's lead this week?
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Prosperity and Adversity
Vol 3 No 17 THEO'S DEVOS
Ecclesiastes 7:14 Enjoy prosperity while you can. But when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. That way you will realize that nothing is certain in this life.
Many of you are experiencing some adversity in the middle of this economic mess. I know of some who have lost jobs and can't find work. Others have lost health insurance. The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us that everything that happens to us comes from God. Now, although that is hard to handle, it also is comforting to know that behind these things is an eternal purpose in which we are involved. We may not know until we get to be with God at the end of life, what that purpose was but I believe it will all have been worth it, no matter what life dishes out in the here and now.
It is also good that the verse includes prosperity because we can always hope that God has some of that in mind for us before we pass on. One of the incredible things about the church that has always been true, is that it is the one place in our society where the haves and the have nots congregate. In fact that is one of the reasons that churchgoers used to, and some still do, 'dress up' for church meetings. The origin of that custom was not to please God but to impress others. Today, of course, it is often hard to tell the well off from the poor because many congregations do not have a dress code and everyone dresses down. I have no problem with that as long as it not done in disrespect.
Years ago a young man came into my office to apologize for not attending the worship services. He felt the need to explain that he had lost his construction job over a year ago, and had gained some weight so that his suits did not fit and he could not afford to buy a new one. He did not feel that he could dress appropriately. I looked him in the eye and implored him to reconsider. I would rather see him with us in rags than think that he was not good enough to attend. If a dress code is important, than there will be an increasing lack of attendance as many more people find themselves in the position of this young man.
So hard times are striking and they may last for a while. Add in the need for all of us to chip in more money in taxes to keep the world from melting in the global warming thing (back in the seventies it was global cooling, they can't seem to make up their mind). What is true is that, if we Christians can stick together and help each other out when necessary, the hard times may not be as hard but if we all go at it on our own they could get much worse. I highly suggest that church leaders prepare for ways the members of their congregations could help each other if, and when it is needed. If every church develops a strategy as to how this could be done, we just may see a purpose for God allowing it to happen. He just may be giving us the impetus to gather and work together.
Wouldn't it be great to see Christians all over the country turn hard times into prosperity? Let's all pray that God will lead us in that way. My prayers are with you and your families and your churches. Let me know if you have specific requests. God bless you all.
Just a little while ago you may have heard of Susan Boyles on Britain Has Talent. It was amazing. Did you see Paul Potts, a year ago on the same show. If you missed it, here it is. Looks can be deceiving.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DelJrP3P7tA&feature=related
If you somehow missed Susan here she is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk
Theo
Dear Small Group Leader (or soon to be Facilitator)
Please allow everyone in your group to answer the Quick Question. It will get things started on the right foot, encouraging quieter ones to open up. Please do not require everyone to answer every question. They may not be ready to share yet. Also please allow at least 5-10 minutes at the end of your study so as many as would like to can respond to the REFLECTION question. This may be the most important time in your small group study. Thank You
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Please Read: Ecclesiastes 7:1-14
QUICK QUESTION: Has this economic downturn affected you and, if so, how?
How is a house of mourning better than a feast?
What do you think we should be doing during these hard times?
What did Solomon liken 'wisdom' to?
Of what value is patience these days?
When were the 'good 'ol days? Why were they so good?
REFLECTION: How can we pray for you this week?
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