Chris Tomlin & Christy Nockels

“We know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
– Romans 8:26

via “The Unrivalled Power Of Prayer” : My Utmost For His Highest : HEARTLIGHT ®.

I see it today as I watch my sons play, and we eat breakfast and laugh together. I want more than anything to show them His love. As little children, they look to me, as their father, to love, cover, protect them and provide for them. Just like we look to the Father to act in that love toward us. I’ll fall short if I try in my own strength to love them unconditionally, but in Him, I can love beyond my own limitations.

His love never fails. It never runs dry. It never recedes. He loves because He wants to, not because he has to or because we deserve it. He loves because He IS love…without Him, there is no true love. His love is inexhaustible, always available, and beyond all measure. And it’s ours to freely receive…and freely give.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. —2 Timothy 4:7

When I was a kid, I dreamed of becoming a black belt in karate. Several years ago, I began training and came close to fulfilling that goal. However, two belts away from my goal, I quit. There were two reasons—my teacher changed styles in the middle of my training, and I got so busy that I could not devote adequate time for training.

Almost every week, I am nagged by the thought that God wants me to be a finisher in all aspects of my life—but especially in my service for Him.

As Paul spoke of the conclusion of his life, he did not have any nagging thoughts of unfinished business about his ministry. In this final farewell (2 Tim. 4:7), Paul used imagery-rich words to talk about finishing his service for Christ. He described his life and ministry in terms of a fight: “I have fought the good fight.” The fight was good because he had engaged in it for God and the gospel. Then he used the imagery of a race as synonymous with his ministry: “I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Paul affirmed that by God’s grace he had finished all that God had given him to do.

“As followers of Jesus, let us strive to be finishers, persevering in our service for Jesus Christ.” — Marvin Williams

For every follower of Christ

There is a race to run;

And when we cross the finish line,

We’ll be with Christ, God’s Son. —Fitzhugh

Run the race with eternity in view.

via Finishers – Our Daily Bread.

Watch as our own Associate Pastor Billy Bauer testifies of God’s healing power on the Tom Martino show!

Pastor Billy was healed of stage 4 Lymphoma after doctor’s had given up treatment and declared that there was nothing more that could be done. Through much prayer, God completely rid Pastor Billy’s body of cancer. His testimony was the lead story on an episode of Martino TV that originally aired January 11, 2010.

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Glynnis Whitwer

“Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.” Galatians 6:7 (NLT)

Devotion:

One of the most damaging choices a person can make is to give up too soon when faced with a failure. I see this in children all the time. A child doesn’t make the sports team in junior high, and gives up before his body has a chance to develop. Another stops singing because she doesn’t get a solo in the school play, and her voice hasn’t reach maturity. Children face “failure” in many ways, and discouragement can hinder their spiritual growth and potential. How can a parent help?

There’s a biblical principle parents can apply when helping a child overcome failure and explore their potential. Galatians 6:7-8 says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life” (NIV).

Paul used the analogy of planting to explain the principle of spiritual growth. He encouraged his readers to sow into the things of God, with the promise they would reap the things of God. In the life of a Christian we sow into God by how we think, speak, our actions, where we spend our money, and our time. These are investments in a God-honoring life, which reaps a harvest of blessing – but not in the same season. There is always a delay between sowing and reaping.

What if we considered our children’s hearts and lives as a garden? The principles of sowing and reaping apply as well. Every day we sow into those “gardens” through our words, behavior, and the disciplines we teach them. However, just like a vegetable garden, if we plant carrot seeds, we will reap carrots – not corn. Consequently, if we sow negative seeds of discouragement, we will reap despair. If we sow seeds of impatience, we will reap frustration. If we sow seeds of laziness, we will reap stress.

Conversely, if we sow healthy seeds of good choices, we will reap self-discipline. If we sow seeds of patience, we will reap peace. If we sow seeds of perseverance, we will reap success. Our children’s hearts are rich soil prepared by God to receive good seed. As conscientious gardeners, we need to plant those that will reap a harvest in our children’s lives and prepare them for service in the kingdom of God.

What if you don’t see results right away? That’s normal. After a few days, the farmer doesn’t get frustrated with slow growth and rip the seeds out of the ground. No. The farmer continues to water the soil, shoo the birds away, and pull the weeds. The farmer protects the seed until it has a chance to grow in its own time.

God designed our children to grow and flourish with love and care. However, failure can be the weeds in our children’s lives. Weeds don’t destroy the good seed, they just leech the nutrients out of the soil limiting the growth of the plant. Failure doesn’t destroy our children’s potential; it just removes the enthusiasm from their hearts.

In order to overcome the pain and heartache of failure, children need a parent who will step in with fresh water and bright sunlight, while replacing the weeds with healthy seed. With this tender care, perseverance and self-discipline will grow and develop. Then in time, our children will produce a harvest of confidence. May we be gardeners who don’t give up until the harvest.

Dear Lord, I praise You for Your almighty power and wisdom. Thank You for making me with potential to grow and change. Help me to see that same potential in those I love and to become a gardener of healthy seed in their lives. Help me to see failure as something to overcome, not stop me for a live of obedience. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

via Encouragement for Today Women’s Daily Devotional, Proverbs 31 Ministries, Christian Bible Devotions.

Isaiah 65:17-20, 23-25;

RELATED TEXTS:

Genesis 1:9-13; Jeremiah 5:22
Psalm 104:14-15;

RELATED TEXTS

Job 12:7-12; 38:8-11
Psalm 104
Revelation 20:11-21:4; 22:1-3

courtesy of Jamie and Jennie Abeyta

C. H. Spurgeon

January 1

The Bible’s First Promise

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)

This is the first promise to fallen man. It contains the whole gospel and the essence of the covenant of grace. It has been in great measure fulfilled. The seed of the woman, even our Lord Jesus, was bruised in His heel, and a terrible bruising it was. How terrible will be the final bruising of the serpent’s head!

This was virtually done when Jesus took away sin, vanquished death, and broke the power of Satan; but it awaits a still fuller accomplishment at our Lord’s second advent and in the Day of Judgment. To us the promise stands as a prophecy that we shall be afflicted by the powers of evil in our lower nature, and thus bruised in our heel; but we shall triumph in Christ, who sets His foot on the old serpent’s head.

Throughout this year we may have to learn the first part of this promise by experience, through the temptations of the devil and the unkindness of the ungodly, who are his seed. They may so bruise us that we may limp with our sore heel; but let us grasp the second part of the text, and we shall not be dismayed. By faith let us rejoice that we shall still reign in Christ Jesus, the woman’s seed.

via Faith’s Check Book–Spurgeon.

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