ORDINARY GUYS

Vol 3 No 9 THEO'S DEVOS

Mark 4:40 And he asked them, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith in me?”

A long time ago while I was still a youth pastor, I preached a sermon that spoke of the disciples and I refered to them as 'guys.' Now the reason I used that term was that I had attended several Promise Keeper rallies where they had the word qutie often and it sort of stuck in my head. The next day, the senior pastor who had a very high reverence for all the people of the Bible, pulled me aside and told me that I should not refer to them as 'guys.' I don't remember if he gave any significant reason for that criticism but it was implied that things Biblical should be spoken of in loftier terms. I suppose he is not alone in that thought. In my humble opinion he could not have been more wrong and, in fact, caused some severe problems for our congregation because of that concept.

We must get something straight here if we are going to follow the teaching of scripture. The people of the Bible were ordinary men and women. They were not special in any way. They were people just like you and me. Please do not raise them up to some lofty level and then think that you could never walk in their shoes. If God called you to do something, you could do it as well as Moses. If you think that you couldn't you would still be like him because that was his lame excuse in the beginning as well.

In our verse for today we see the disciples in a boat when a storm came up. It was a fierce storm and they were very afraid. They looked around to see where Jesus was and found him asleep in the back. When they woke him up he simply told the storm to quiet down and then looked at these ragamuffin 'guys' and asked them why they were so afraid. Note the next words: “Do you still not have faith'

They did not have the faith that Jesus wanted them to have. Stop for a minute and think. Do you experience fear? Do you have times where you have a lack of faith? Well then you are in great company because even these men who walked and talked with Jesus, who saw the miracles, who were taught ditectly by him, lacked the faith that they should have had.

What is it that you need right now, no matter what your circumstance? What is the one thing that could make tomorrow a brighter day and help you to calm down regardless of how bad things might really be around you? Faith! Remember what faith is at its core? To risk believing that Jesus, God, is in control. To understand that nothing happens apart from His directive or permissive will and that you are invulnerable unless He allows you to be attacked and, when that happens, it is always for a greater reason even if you never know what that reason is. If it were any different it would not be faith. Read Hebrews 13, the great faith chapter of the Bible and see how many people took steps of faith and many, if not all of them, never saw the fulfillment of that faith.

Some of you are hurting right now. Some of you are worried about the economy or family matters. Those guys back in that boat would be experincing the same feelings if they were in your shoes right now so don't beat yourself up over it. Just talk to yourself for a minute and ask yourself what would Jesus say to you right now if He were standing, or sitting, next to you? I think you might hear Him ask you; Where is your faith? Is faith of any help to you right now?

When they started out in that boat, Jesus said “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” He didn't say 'Let's go half way and drown.' If they had simply listened to what He had said, and they had faith in Him, they would not have cared if a storm came up. They would have held on and let the boat rock. But note this! Even though they did not have the faith that Jesus expected them to have, He did not let them drown. He calmed the storm and they were safe. You may be in the middle of a storm right now and it may not be letting up but Jesus will calm that storm even if it is only in your heart so you can ride it out no matter how bad it gets. People around you will see the storm too but they may never see that your faith is giving you a peace inside and an assurance that you are safe with God. Have faith! You are walking with God. Jesus is there right where you are in the same way that He was with those guys in the boat. He will not leave you by yourself. You will never be alone.

May God impress these thoughts on your mind today and bless you with them.

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 4:35-41

QUICK QUESTION: What 'storm' of life have you been through that really scared you?

1. Who else was on that lake with Jesus and the disciples?
   
   

2. Talk about this scene and describe the events that led up to the disciples waking Jesus.
   
   

3. Do you think that Jesus went to sleep in order to test the disciples? Or was He simply tired.
   
   

4. Why do you think that the verse says that Jesus 'rebuked' the wind?
   
   

5. What was the reaction of the men to Jesus command to the storm?
   
   

6. What do you think Jesus might say about the things that you fear the most today?

REFLECTION: Is there one thing that your group could pray for you about this week? One storm that is keeping you from exercising the faith that you know God wants you to have?

THE CURE FOR TROUBLE

Vol 3 No 8 THEO'S DEVOS

John 14:1 ¹“Don’t be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me.

Talk about powerful words. Here we have, perhaps, the most powerful group of words ever written. Ten words and yet so much depth and meaning – and challenge. Jesus spoke these words to a group of men who were getting very nervous. They had invested their lives in Him and now were wondering what was about to happen. He seemed to be saying that He was going somewhere and that they weren't going with Him for the first time. They were going to be alone. Does that sound familiar to you. Jesus was saying something to them that would resound down through history to right where you are. So where are you? At home? At work? And how do you feel about tomorrow? Are you confident that everything will be the same as it is today.

There is one very nice lady that reads Theo's Devos that thought that way just a few days ago. And then, out of the blue, God decided to take her dear husband home to be with him. Someone that everyone loved but none so much as this woman. If you talk to her she can tell you that tomorrow is not a given. You don't know what will happen even later today, let alone so far ahead as tomorrow. And I am absolutely certain that many others who are reading these words could echo that same thought. Don't take tomorrow for granted, especially in these crazy days. What company is going to call their employees together tomorrow and tell them that they are shutting the doors and everyone is being let go. If that happens, will there be a severance or will you get nothing. Thousands of people out of work. Engineers working at Wendy's. It is not a nice picture.

So where do you go for confidence? Who do you trust? Our verse, in those ten short words, gives us the answer that has held for over two thousand years and is as true for you as it was for those nervous men who heard them uttered. Trust in Jesus! Trust in God and trust in Jesus. It really is as simple as that. You don't have to beat yourself with flails or crawl on your knees for miles to appease some sadistic god. No, you simply have to believe that He, God, Jesus, is there and looking out for you and no matter what some person, or group of persons, does, He is still in control. Of everything. Of your life and this country.

Incidentally you must know that the word pro means forward and therefore progress means to move forward. So is con means to go against or negative movement then what do you think the basic meaning of Congress should be. Just something to think about. You see, it doesn't matter what our government does or doesn't do. You are in the hands of God and He knows your situation and has since before the creation of all that is. Please talk to Him and let Him know how you feel and discuss your hopes and dreams with Him. Then move forward and keep trusting in Jesus. It will make all the difference in the world when something crashes around you. When all is said and done, you will be found standing, supported by the God who is there and who loves you. He may use other Christians as supports but He will be there and you will know Him better and be better prepared for eternity which is really what this life is all about.

May God 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

SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY

Please Read:

QUICK QUESTION: What is the scariest thing that is happening in the world today, in your opinion?

1. Why was Jesus concerned about his disciples when He said these words?
   
   

2. Where was Jesus going?
   
   

3. What is God's house like as described in these verses?
   
   

4. What did Jesus say He was going to do for them?
   
   

5. What did Jesus promise them?
   
   

6. Why would it be hard for the disciples to manage without Jesus there?

REFLECTION: Is there anything you could share with the group that would be helped if they prayed for you? Something for which trusting Jesus may not be easily done.

THERE REALLY IS HOPE

Vol 3 No 7 THEO'S DEVOS

ECCLESIASTES 2: 24-26a A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, ²⁵for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? ²⁶To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness,

While reading Ecclesiastes you might get a depressed feeling On the surface it seems as though Solomon had nothing much to say about joy and happiness. Fortunately our verses for today counter that and we are given a peek at the real secret of life lived well.

One thing is clear however! The things that we often think of as being so important come up short in the long run. We look for satisfaction in so many wrong places. We enjoy food, drink, relationships and work to name a few. These things can turn bad so easy it isn't really funny. The food we enjoyed as a young person almost turns to poison as we grow older. We find pleasure in so many forms of drink from Mountain Dew (my favorite) to various harder drinks such as wine, alcohol, etc. I guess one of the first time people who like alcohol run into a problem is when they find out that they can't drink it while they are taking some form of medicine that clearly states, on the label, that one should not drink alcohol while taking this medicine. And that isn't giving much thought to the one who shouldn't drink because once they start they can't stop. All things in moderation goes out the window.

And what about relationships. I have a hard time writing about this because there are so many who have felt so much pain in this area. It remains true though that no one begins a relationship thinking that it was going to go wrong and provide so much hurt that some prefer to not even live. But relationships do go wrong and we can feel as though we have failed. so we try again, and again, and, maybe even again. Why? Well one reason is because our expectations are misplaced, We look for satisfaction and happiness in the wrong place. The problem of life is that focusing on the obvious is the worst place to look.

In this plane on which we live, this mortal coil as someone has called it. is the last place to look for meaning. It doesn't matter how much money, or power, you have these things do not bring the peace and contentment we require and search for so diligently.

This does not mean, however, that peace, happiness, joy and contentment cannot be found. They simply exist on a plane that can only be contacted spiritually. They are found in heavenly places not earthly ones. Thank God, if we please Him. all these things are open to us and can be our portion in life. And more than them He gives us wisdom, the application of knowledge and the knowledge we need to live our day to day lives.

Think about this for a minute. How much time do we spend working on earthly things: people, jobs, saving for that winter day, shopping, eating, drinking and what have they gotten us? Worry that they will disappear. But to have something that the world didn't give you is to have something that the world cannot take away. To please God is to do those things that God desires us to do and brings with them some awesome things such as the ones listed in our verses today.

Please do not think that I am saying that earthly things are not important at all. What I am saying is that to disregard the things of God day after day is to set yourself up for a fall because earthly things have a way of slipping away but the things of God stay forever. You will know that when you get to heaven but please don't wait until then. Believe what God says and reap the reward here and not.

May God bless you today and thanks for reading Theo's Devos.

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 2:12-26

QUICK QUESTION: What was the best job you ever had and why was it so good? Do you still have it? Why or why not?

1. What did Solomon say would happen to the wise man and the fool?
   
   

2. After all that we do, what does Solomon say will happen?
   
   

3. What does God require of us and what do we get for it?
   
   

4. Why does it seem that it is hard to develop a relationship with God?
   
   

5. Why do you think that the world places such importance on things that fail?

REFLECTION: What can you do this week to change from earthly pursuits entirely to Godly ones?

THE PLACE OF PLEASURE

Vol 3 No 6 THEO'S DEVOS

Ecclesiastes 2:1,2 I thought in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. ²“Laughter,” I said, “is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?”

The book of Ecclesiastes is magnificent. It brings to light concepts that we all thing about but do not articulate very well. It is almost like a literary sniper rifle that sights in on life and exposes the weaknesses in us. Our verse today, and the contest is Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, focuses in on a difficult subject: pleasure.

Pleasure,on its surface, feels good. It is a cathartic that seems to help us through the rough spots. Solomon had the opportunity to experiment with pleasure as few others have. He begins by analyzing laughter. Who doesn't enjoy a good laugh. I notice that when people get together they almost feel as though they have to laugh at some point. We will sometimes laugh just to lighten the moment even if what is being laughed at is not all that funny. But Solomon then says that 'laughter in foolish.' I had a rough time with this for a while. I must say that it is getting easier to understand these days. The reason I say that is because there doesn't seem to be anything that comedians will fail to stoop to in order to get a laugh. I suppose someone like Andrew Dice Clay is an extreme example but if you can stomach it many would say that he is funny. You don't have to go that low however. Just listen to just about any comedian today and, although he, or she, may make you laugh, just stop and listen carefully to what they are saying and you just may ask yourself if the words they are using are, in any respect 'wholesome,' the kind of words that scripture says should pass through your mouth.

And then there are the sitcoms. I hear, everyday, people discussing their favorite sitcom and begin to feel like maybe I am getting too old. The problem is that they may truly be funny but Solomon would say “So what?” Enjoying acts of sin just to get a laugh, at the end of the day, seems sad. Surely there are better ways to find something to laugh at then things that are simply vulgar. Solomon, as long ago as he wrote, still got it right. “And what does pleasure accomplish?”

He isn't saying that pleasure, or laughter is wrong, simply that they do not accomplish anything. "Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools" (Ecclesiastes 7:6) The word amusement means 'to not think.' While we are being amused we are not thinking and not really accomplishing anything accept to pass the time much like getting drunk without the hangover.

Someone said that spending time enjoying a comedian, or a sitcom, helped them at a time when life had gotten very hard and without humor they didn't think that they could have survived. I understand exactly what they mean but, if you think about it, that is the argument some alcoholics use to justify getting drunk. It is as if God needed that to help them through the tough times. Solomon would object to that line of thinking. It really is more a lack of faith. To think that God's word and prayer need help to get us through life is a big mistake.

God is more powerful than that. He can minister to you almost directly through His amazing word. Now please, as I tried to state a while ago, don't think that Solomon, or I, are trying to say the laughter and pleasure are wrong, they aren't. What he is saying is that they are really non productive in terms of accomplishment and can almost become addictive and lead you to seek them at virtually any cost. Be careful here. Do not allow your mind to be filled with unwholesome thought. It may feel good at first but the end doesn't bring you any closer to God.

So have a good laugh. Learn to enjoy life. God desires that for you. Just be careful that you do not violate the teaching of scripture while you are chasing the good life. God wants you to love life. He wants you to be happy but He wants you to know real joy more. He wants your heart full of thoughts of Him so He can be the One you turn to when life gets hard, not some sitcom or dirty mouthed comedian.

I am praying that you can seriously live the good life. I am asking God to bless you beyond measure and that something that happens today will bring you closer to Him than ever before. God loves you and so do I. Thank you for reading Theo's Devos. These thoughts come from my heart to yours and have become the highlight of my week even if, like now, they are written in the middle of the night.

Take care and may God bless you and yours.

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 2:1-11

QUICK QUESTION: What was something funny that made you laugh this week? (Be honest now)

1. What did Solomon think about chasing after happiness?
   
   

2. What did Solomon do to cheer himself?
   
   

3. What kind of things did Solomon do?
   
   

4. When can you get carried away with chasing after happiness?
   
   

5. What gives your life meaning?
   
   

6. What do you think God thinks about modern man's chasing after happiness?
   
   

REFLECTION: How can you prioritize your life to follow God's lead?