Today, the words of Peter:
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God,
and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil.
He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.
Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.
In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory
by means of Christ Jesus.
So after you have suffered a little while,
he will restore, support, and strengthen you,
and he will place you on a firm foundation.
All power to him forever! Amen.
1 Peter 5:6-11
Jason
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Jesus walking for us ...
I heard an analogy once talking about Christ’s death. It explained the death of Jesus as a new birth for us. Jesus was led down the road to Golgotha, and as he was going, all the angels or demons could see was a bright shining light bearing a rough-hewn wooden cross. This light filled the streets and blinded both angels and demons. Satan was laughing and cursing Christ, saying, “I have conquered the Son of God!” As this light came to the foot of the hill, it grew brighter and brighter. And then they heard the hammer, driving the nails into the hands of Jesus. Even though the demons couldn’t see Jesus because of the light, they knew he was in pain and about to die. The Romans then stuck the cross in the hole with a thud, and a scream was heard, a scream of pain coming from the cross. Then weeping, then some words coming from the light. “Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing!” With those words, all of a sudden the light started to dim. “Why is Jesus’ light growing dimmer?” one of the angels said. It continued for hours. The light kept growing dimmer. But as the light on the cross was growing dimmer, the darkness among the crowds was giving way to specks of light. A small demon asked his general, “Why are all of the humans losing their darkness?” The large demon, finally realizing what was going on, screamed, “Jesus is taking on the darkness of the sin from the world!” With this shout, the angels finally realized why Jesus was going through with this horrible death. They finally realized why He didn’t call down fire from Heaven. This had to be done. Then with three words and a tear-stained face, all of the sin was taken from the world. The figure on the cross was totally black with sin, and each person standing there was pure, bright, white. Jesus had done His job and made a way out for sinners.
Satan was still laughing though. He said, “The people will get their darkness back, so that’s no problem, we have destroyed Jesus.” Satan didn’t know about God’s plans for three days later. On that day, a few demons were wondering around, and many angels were hidden, waiting for that one shining moment when… “There it is,” said one small angel, “there’s the light, there is the master, the Son of God has just risen from the dead, and He is the Light. Sin and Satan have been conquered.” There were shouts of joy everywhere, and a great many shouts of pain as demons scampered and hid under anything they could find. This meant the end of their existence. They knew though, that they still had time to bring anyone who falls into their trap, down to Hell with them. Satan has been defeated for eternity, but there are still going to be battles between light and darkness.
Brothers and Sisters, this is one way to see the death of Jesus, and to fully understand how he made a way out of sin. We still need to be on our guard, because Satan is after us. He doesn’t want to burn in Hell alone. He wants You! Satan uses little things to get us. Temptation is all around us and if we try and make it on our own, we will surely fall to the darkness. We have won the victory in the end, but always be ready to battle Satan. He’s always ready to battle you.
1 John 1:5-7 says, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship, with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” Walk in the Light! Focus on Jesus, the only true light!
Jason
Satan was still laughing though. He said, “The people will get their darkness back, so that’s no problem, we have destroyed Jesus.” Satan didn’t know about God’s plans for three days later. On that day, a few demons were wondering around, and many angels were hidden, waiting for that one shining moment when… “There it is,” said one small angel, “there’s the light, there is the master, the Son of God has just risen from the dead, and He is the Light. Sin and Satan have been conquered.” There were shouts of joy everywhere, and a great many shouts of pain as demons scampered and hid under anything they could find. This meant the end of their existence. They knew though, that they still had time to bring anyone who falls into their trap, down to Hell with them. Satan has been defeated for eternity, but there are still going to be battles between light and darkness.
Brothers and Sisters, this is one way to see the death of Jesus, and to fully understand how he made a way out of sin. We still need to be on our guard, because Satan is after us. He doesn’t want to burn in Hell alone. He wants You! Satan uses little things to get us. Temptation is all around us and if we try and make it on our own, we will surely fall to the darkness. We have won the victory in the end, but always be ready to battle Satan. He’s always ready to battle you.
1 John 1:5-7 says, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship, with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” Walk in the Light! Focus on Jesus, the only true light!
Jason
Thursday, November 6, 2008
A reminder to keep walking ...
At the Crossroads Church of Christ in Pennsylvania, on the top floor of the church building is a pile of rocks surrounding a cross. These rocks started with just a few from a couple of our teens. After every youth event, rally, camp, or just a one-on-one Bible study, I would have each of the teens grab a stone of any shape or size and write down on the stone their feelings and thoughts that were going through their heads at that point in time. That was two years ago, and right now there is a pile about 4 feet wide and 3 feet high of rocks that symbolize where we have been and where we want to go. Looking back to the things that were milestones in our lives is always a great way of making it to our future with God.
When we read the book of Joshua, we read of many stories that get us excited about our God and his people. One story that has helped me over the years is the crossing of the Jordan in Joshua 3-4. Years before, so many of their ancestors had crossed through a sea and now these descendants get to pass through a river. How amazing!
“The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.” So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”
Joshua 3:17-4:7
I look back to this story and it helps me to remember to make myself a memorial for every time that God has helped me through a struggle, or brought me through a trying time, or just one of those YEAH GOD moments that you have. It is important to remember those times, because you will need them during the hard times of life. If you are already doing something like this, great, if not, I challenge you to start today and grab you a rock for each moment that God changes your life.
God’s blessings!
Jason
When we read the book of Joshua, we read of many stories that get us excited about our God and his people. One story that has helped me over the years is the crossing of the Jordan in Joshua 3-4. Years before, so many of their ancestors had crossed through a sea and now these descendants get to pass through a river. How amazing!
“The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.” So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”
Joshua 3:17-4:7
I look back to this story and it helps me to remember to make myself a memorial for every time that God has helped me through a struggle, or brought me through a trying time, or just one of those YEAH GOD moments that you have. It is important to remember those times, because you will need them during the hard times of life. If you are already doing something like this, great, if not, I challenge you to start today and grab you a rock for each moment that God changes your life.
God’s blessings!
Jason
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Walking like Abram
There has been a new phrase among the Christian community over the past few years. “God is not my co-pilot, he is my pilot.” This is coming off of the many bumper stickers that say, "God is my co-pilot." The more you think about it, the clearer it becomes. If God is our co-pilot, then who is in control? Who is flying the plane? I feel like so often I have been fighting for the control of my life. I have been trying to grab hold with both hands and refusing to let go. Who doesn’t want to have some sort of control over their own lives? Where they will be going, what they will be doing, what they will be eating, who they will be going with? God has a plan for all of us and he lets us know a piece of that plan at a time. The call happens and off we go, or we choose to plant our feet firmly in the dirt and say, no I will not be moved. Hear this call from scripture:
The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.”
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
So Abram left, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him, Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
Genesis 12:1-5
Could you imagine that? One minute you think everything is going great. You have a great wife, you have servants, you have a lot of things, and then you hear the voice of God telling you to go. Go where? To a land I will show you. The planner and organized person in me is screaming at this point. Where am I going, how much food should we take? Get me a map of the area so I know what to expect. It just says he got up and left. He took his wife and their belongings, and Lot and his family and belongings.
Abram could have said no and that he was going to stay right where he was. He could have said no, I am in control of my life here and if I leave here, I will lose that control. That is where having God as your pilot comes in. That is where the faith is built. That is where the dependence on yourself gives way to the dependence on God. God tells us he has a land and a road to show us. We just need to ask where and go! If Abram would not have done this and chosen to stay, then we never would have had an Abraham. Are you ready for an adventure? Hold on tight to the Father and let him guide you through the wonderful life he has planned for you!
Blessings!
Jason
The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.”
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
So Abram left, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him, Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
Genesis 12:1-5
Could you imagine that? One minute you think everything is going great. You have a great wife, you have servants, you have a lot of things, and then you hear the voice of God telling you to go. Go where? To a land I will show you. The planner and organized person in me is screaming at this point. Where am I going, how much food should we take? Get me a map of the area so I know what to expect. It just says he got up and left. He took his wife and their belongings, and Lot and his family and belongings.
Abram could have said no and that he was going to stay right where he was. He could have said no, I am in control of my life here and if I leave here, I will lose that control. That is where having God as your pilot comes in. That is where the faith is built. That is where the dependence on yourself gives way to the dependence on God. God tells us he has a land and a road to show us. We just need to ask where and go! If Abram would not have done this and chosen to stay, then we never would have had an Abraham. Are you ready for an adventure? Hold on tight to the Father and let him guide you through the wonderful life he has planned for you!
Blessings!
Jason
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Walking like David
Today’s devotional from Jason begins with scripture:
Luke 18:35-43
As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. So he began shouting, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
"Be quiet!" the people in front yelled at him.
But he only shouted louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?"
"Lord," he said, "I want to see!"
And Jesus said, "All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you." Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.
This passage of scripture was one of David’s favorite passages to read. David was one of the youth I worked with in Johnson, AR. During one of our Bible study times we were going through this passage and he came and told me how much he loved this story. He said, "I like how no matter how much people kept the blind man from Jesus and tried to shut him up from yelling for help, he just kept on. He only shouted louder for help." David told me that was how he felt most of the time. Like he was constantly yelling for help and no one ever tried to help him. He said that he was the blind man realizing that Jesus was walking by and there was his answer to his blindness.
I will never forget that after this class, David walked up to the front of the auditorium and said that he was tired of feeling spiritually blind. He was tired of feeling like someone walking around with no direction and no hope. He knew the man to yell for and he was going to start shouting louder and louder for Jesus’ help. He rededicated his life to Christ that morning. That was almost 10 years ago now. I was reminded of this because I received an email from David a few weeks ago asking me if I would help him in his youth ministry. He and a few of my old teens, who are now twenty-something with kids of their own, have taken it upon themselves to work with the youth ministry there at Johnson, and are doing a wonderful job. David is developing their ministry goals and strategies, and he wants me to help him. We talked about that “Come to Jesus” moment 10 years ago, and I let him know how much he changed my life just by watching the transforming power of Jesus in his life.
The blind beggar and his amazing faith is one example of a God follower, but David and his outrageous passion for Jesus are another example of how Christ wants to change our lives. I told David that I wanted to be like him when I grow up. I told him that I was so proud of him and am so thankful that God placed him in my life. I have so many other stories of people like David who have been placed in my life that have helped this blind beggar to see, by pointing me to Jesus. What do you want? Jesus asks us. I want to see! Keep calling out! He’s waiting!
Jason
Luke 18:35-43
As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. So he began shouting, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
"Be quiet!" the people in front yelled at him.
But he only shouted louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?"
"Lord," he said, "I want to see!"
And Jesus said, "All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you." Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.
This passage of scripture was one of David’s favorite passages to read. David was one of the youth I worked with in Johnson, AR. During one of our Bible study times we were going through this passage and he came and told me how much he loved this story. He said, "I like how no matter how much people kept the blind man from Jesus and tried to shut him up from yelling for help, he just kept on. He only shouted louder for help." David told me that was how he felt most of the time. Like he was constantly yelling for help and no one ever tried to help him. He said that he was the blind man realizing that Jesus was walking by and there was his answer to his blindness.
I will never forget that after this class, David walked up to the front of the auditorium and said that he was tired of feeling spiritually blind. He was tired of feeling like someone walking around with no direction and no hope. He knew the man to yell for and he was going to start shouting louder and louder for Jesus’ help. He rededicated his life to Christ that morning. That was almost 10 years ago now. I was reminded of this because I received an email from David a few weeks ago asking me if I would help him in his youth ministry. He and a few of my old teens, who are now twenty-something with kids of their own, have taken it upon themselves to work with the youth ministry there at Johnson, and are doing a wonderful job. David is developing their ministry goals and strategies, and he wants me to help him. We talked about that “Come to Jesus” moment 10 years ago, and I let him know how much he changed my life just by watching the transforming power of Jesus in his life.
The blind beggar and his amazing faith is one example of a God follower, but David and his outrageous passion for Jesus are another example of how Christ wants to change our lives. I told David that I wanted to be like him when I grow up. I told him that I was so proud of him and am so thankful that God placed him in my life. I have so many other stories of people like David who have been placed in my life that have helped this blind beggar to see, by pointing me to Jesus. What do you want? Jesus asks us. I want to see! Keep calling out! He’s waiting!
Jason
Monday, November 3, 2008
Walking like Enoch
This week, Jason Roark has agreed to bring our devotional thoughts:
I have a question for you. How many of you, when you get to the genealogies, skip over them and think there is nothing important for me to read here. Blah, blah, begat, blah, blah and blahhhhh. Is that what you think? Well I was reading through Genesis the other day and came across the genealogies and all the ages of everyone who lived a long time ago. Look in Genesis 5:21. When you look there you see the story of Enoch. It’s only about 4 verses, but in those verses is a story that is beyond comprehension.
“When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”
Did you catch the story? Did I even have to bold the important parts? Enoch was a regular man, but he did something that not everyone can totally say about their lives. Enoch walked with God.
A little girl in Sunday school class was asked about this man Enoch walking with God, and where he went when God took him away. This was her reply. “Enoch and God used to go on several walks together. They loved to walk along the river and the mountains. They would walk and talk, and talk and walk. One day Enoch knew he was getting too old to walk very far, but he was with God and he didn’t care how old he was, so they just kept on walking. Enoch started getting tired, and said ‘Father, I think I need to go home, because you are wearing me out.’ And God said, ‘My child, your house is far away now, mine is closer, let’s just go to my house forever!!’ That’s what happened to Enoch. God took him home!”
Oh the innocence of a little child. That makes the most sense to me as well. I want to be like Enoch. I want to walk daily with God. I want to walk so far with Him, that He finally one day says, “We’ve walked a long way, and you’ve done well my child. I want to take you home to my house forever!!” Wouldn’t that be awesome! Let’s walk with God like Enoch. Hand in hand forever!
Jason
I have a question for you. How many of you, when you get to the genealogies, skip over them and think there is nothing important for me to read here. Blah, blah, begat, blah, blah and blahhhhh. Is that what you think? Well I was reading through Genesis the other day and came across the genealogies and all the ages of everyone who lived a long time ago. Look in Genesis 5:21. When you look there you see the story of Enoch. It’s only about 4 verses, but in those verses is a story that is beyond comprehension.
“When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”
Did you catch the story? Did I even have to bold the important parts? Enoch was a regular man, but he did something that not everyone can totally say about their lives. Enoch walked with God.
A little girl in Sunday school class was asked about this man Enoch walking with God, and where he went when God took him away. This was her reply. “Enoch and God used to go on several walks together. They loved to walk along the river and the mountains. They would walk and talk, and talk and walk. One day Enoch knew he was getting too old to walk very far, but he was with God and he didn’t care how old he was, so they just kept on walking. Enoch started getting tired, and said ‘Father, I think I need to go home, because you are wearing me out.’ And God said, ‘My child, your house is far away now, mine is closer, let’s just go to my house forever!!’ That’s what happened to Enoch. God took him home!”
Oh the innocence of a little child. That makes the most sense to me as well. I want to be like Enoch. I want to walk daily with God. I want to walk so far with Him, that He finally one day says, “We’ve walked a long way, and you’ve done well my child. I want to take you home to my house forever!!” Wouldn’t that be awesome! Let’s walk with God like Enoch. Hand in hand forever!
Jason
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