Testifying who God is

This morning I read John 5:31-45 and I was struck in particular by verse 36 when Christ said, "I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me. "

It struck me for a few reasons:

1. Because Christ was saying that everything he is doing is because of his life purpose.
2. That everything he was doing testifies to God.
3. Christ finished strong! He accomplished his life purpose.

This led me to 2 questions and I challenge you to think about them as well. It caused me to think:

1. Is everything I am doing what God intended me to do?
2. Is everything I am doing a positive testimony to God?

Everyday, Christ was a living testimony to God's plan for his life and was always a positive witness to God and his Kingdom. Because of this, it is safe to say that Christ has brought more people into the Kingdom of Heaven then we will ever be able to know or understand. His impact is beyond comprehension.

Can the same be said of my life? Of your life?

Psalm 42:1-2 says, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?"

When we hunger and thirst for the Lord and seek Him first and foremost, he is faithful and will encourage us and take us to that next level so that in everything that we do, we know that we are living according to his intended purpose and being a positive testimony to his greatness and glory.

Missed Opportunities

Just recently, Anne and I lost a good friend of ours, Pete Hill. I knew Pete for over 15 years dating back to when he was a youth group leader and I was in high school. Pete was a great man, husband and father. Please pray for his wife and 2 young children.

For the longest time, Pete and I were very close as we shared a love for the Cowboys and a heart for young people to come to know the Lord. We also did ministry together for years, we were roommates for a few years and he was in my wedding. We had several great times together. But, over the last few years, life happens and while we still talked, we rarely hung out. And that, is probably the one thing that bothers me the most. It is the amount of missed opportunities I had with him over the past few years.

I can make excuse after excuse as to why we both allowed things to prevent us from getting together more often, but that does no good now. Pete is gone and I had missed opportunities to spend time with a great man.

Christ says, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20)

I know this scripture is used so much in regards to outreach, but I think this passage reflects exactly what Pete did in his life. He went and made disciples in all that he did. Whether it was how he acted or what he said (or didn't say), he represented Christ and sought to make disciples. Therefore, as fellow believers and followers of Christ, I want to encourage you this week to:

• Make time for those most important to you. Don't miss opportunities and let time pass by without seeing and spending time together. One of the things I loved about Pete was that he was genuinely interested in you and wanted to spend time with you. Life happens and we become busy, but when we allow life to dictate what we do and don't do, we may miss great opportunities to spend time with others who are very important to us.
• Share the love of Christ to others. As I already mentioned, one of the other things I loved about Pete is that he represented and reflected Christ's nature so much that it was impossible for us to be together and not talk about Christ and how we can be growing in Him. When you are with others this week, especially believers, talk about and encourage each other in Christ. It is true that we never know when someone will be taken away from us. Therefore, don't miss opportunities to share Christ and who he is to others. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Pete was saved and knew Christ as his Lord and savior. But, there are others in my life who I am not certain of. Are there others in your life that you may not be certain of? Don't let time go by and miss opportunities to share Christ with them.

It is sad that it takes a very unexpected and tragic event to make you reflect on what matters most. I am going to miss my friend very much. Don't wait for a tragic event to happen in your life. Act now and share Christ with those you care about the most.

Take some time and pray that God opens doors for you to connect with others and share Him this week.

Serving this Summer

This summer has been a great service summer for the youth (and congregation as a whole) of Cedar Run. The Youth went to Coatesville, PA, helped a team to Nicaragua and helped out at Vacation Bible School. Each service opportunity was a great success as many people got to hear about God's love and see it in action.

Why do we serve? What purpose does it meet?

There are many reasons to serve, but I believe a chief reason is to emulate the example of Christ himself.

Read Mark 10:43-45

1. What does Christ say here?
2. How does Christ model servanthood?

Application:

Christ could have simply said, "whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all" and that would have been a great saying. But, as everyone knows, talk is cheap. So, while James and John were asking Jesus to help them hold such a high position in the kingdom of heaven, Christ called them and us to a higher standard. Not only did Christ call us to a higher standard, he modeled it and showed everyone what that meant.

So, again, why do you serve? Do you serve out of the goodness of your heart? Do you serve because you will feel better about yourself or because you want to get recognized?

OR, do you serve because of the example Christ gave to us? Do you serve because the King of Kings viewed service so importantly that he came down from heaven, in obedience to his father (Philippians 2:7-8), to die for our sins?

Remember, Christ didn't have to die. He choose to serve us and die. He gave us his royal throne and all the perks that he had in heaven to die for us. That is sacrificing. That is serving.

Based on Christ's example, how can you serve others this week?

Pray that God opens up opportunities for you to serve others this week.

Mission Trip - Saturday Update and Devotional

Well, we are coming home today! But, it has been an amazing trip. This trip will go down as one of the best mission trips Cedar Run has taken and I pray that we can build upon this and carry the momentum, community and excitement with us into the fall.

Our teams worked so hard yesterday to complete as much work as possible yesterday in their last day. They did such a great job. But, what was even more amazing was to see the looks on our teams faces when they had to leave the families we were ministering to all week. Yes, we did a great work for different families and they were blessed because of it. But, it seemed like we were blessed far more than they were. The memories and stories we have to share are numerous and we will be sharing them all when we return today.

Here is our devotional we will be working on today:

DEVOTIONAL:

Have you ever said something, either blatantly or innocently, that has offended someone? How did that person you offended respond? Were you able to bring resolution to the incident? If so, how?

Read Matthew 5:23-24, 6:14-15, Ephesians 4:25-27

What do these verses say about making a relationship right?


Why should we go and make a relationship right?

Additional Thoughts and Application:

Over the course of a week where you spend 24 hours a day with others, tensions can run high and things can be said to that offend and may even deeply hurt someone else. Whether you intended to do it or now, you may have offended someone over the past week. Because of that offense, a foothold may have been created that could cause friction and ungodly attitudes towards others. Christ calls us to so much more than that. Christ unites, not divides.

Take a minute and think about whether or not you have offended or hurt someone with something you said or did this week. Following the example Christ and Peter talked about, prayerful consider how you can bring reconciliation to a relationship before you leave Coatesville.

Mission Trip - Friday Update and Devotional

Yesterday was a packed day as we accomplished a lot as well as had a great chance to minister to the families we are helping.

Our group basically finished the roof that was desperately needed. Here's a picture of Auston and Trevor taking a breather. It was definitely hotter and more humid today. Other groups finished windows, painted and worked on some interior work. It was a long day, but we are trying to accomplish all we can before we wrap up later today.

After we showered at the YMCA (are you singing the tune in your head now?), we headed over to a very nice park where we invited all the families over for a BBQ. Below is a picture of Heather and Laurel at the swing set with Kylie. We had a great time with them all and got to talk more with the families and learned more about their lives and history. They were all very grateful for us spending time with them and repairing the homes.

As I mentioned yesterday, this trip has been so rewarding. But please, continue to pray for us today:

1. Pray that we can finish strong
2. Pray that God allows more opportunities for us to share the love of Christ with them
3. Pray for the safe travel home for 7 of our students (they are going to YL camp early Saturday morning) and Sue Masters. They are planning on leaving after dinner.

If you would like to follow along with our devotional for the day, here it is.

DEVOTIONAL:

How patient of a person are you? What causes you to become impatient?

Read Philippians 4:6,7; 1 Peter 5:7; Matthew 6:33

What do these verse tell you about patience? Where should our focus be?

How do you think God can help you during times of impatience?

Additional Thoughts and Application:

Today is your last full day on the Mission Trip! Often times, when the end is in sight, I can try to rush things just to get to the end quicker. The problem with doing this is that I can sometimes miss some of the great things I could experience because I was so focused on the end.

Even though this is the last day, God wants to teach you something and reveal himself to you in someway. Spend some time praying that God would teach you something new today and help you grow closer to Him. Then, stay focused throughout the day on being here and what God wants to teach you today.

Mission Trip - Thursday Update and Devotional

I know these are getting kind of long, but please bear with me. This has been a very encouraging trip on a lot of levels:

1. Our group has really bonded well here. In some cases, it feels like these students have known each other for years. I can honestly say that there is not one student in our group who has been left out or felt excluded in any way on this trip (that would be a first). And, I believe this bond can carry over into the fall which will take our group to that next level. This is especially important with losing so many seniors from last year.
2. Our teams are working so hard! As I have mentioned before, we have been asked to do so many things that they have never been asked to do before. But, they have done them and done them with excellence.
3. God is opening up great conversations for me to have with our students. They have always said that going on a trip with youth can replace years of contact work with that I'd be able to do at home. That is very true, especially here on this mission trip. I have had some great conversations with them and gotten to know them in a way I would never have at home.
4. These students love to minister. It may not always be in the verbal proclamation, but they desire to show the love of Christ to others - especially children. When they see them at their homes or at the basketball courts, their eyes light up and they get a new burst of energy being around them.

Pastor Morris came up yesterday to see the students and encourage them. I believe that any time Pastor Morris takes time to see the students or be with them is always a plus. It show them that they matter to him. I have seen to many Senior Pastors never interact with the youth. That is not our Pastor and he does a great job showing our youth that he cares. Gabi Guetierrez couldn't believe that he would come up just for a few hours yesterday to see how we were doing and encourage us.

Some pictures:

This is Auston, Laurel, Trevor and Jonathan working on installing the metal roof on the house we are working on. We made a lot of progress yesterday but PLEASE PRAY that we get the roof on today as they are expecting Thunderstorms this afternoon.

Last night, after our meeting, some of our youth wanted to go watch the Summer League again and see if we could see any more of our V.B.S. youth from last year. Well, we did see more and got a chance to meet a few other students as well. What made this outing great was that after the summer league games were over, Gabi just went up to a few children and started a basketball game! We ended up playing 5-on-5 with these children - very fun.

God is definitely at work here. Please continue to pray for us, for endurance to press on, for God to continue to minister to us and reveal himself to us, and for more ministry opportunities for us to share Him to others.

If you want to track along with what our devotional is today, here it is.

DEVOTIONAL:

Say your friend jus told you he saw a U.F.O. What would it take for you to believe that he was telling the truth?

Read 1 Kings 18:19-39

What did Elijah believe about God?


How did God prevail in this story? Do you think it had anything to do with Elijah’s faith in God? Why or why not?


Additional Thoughts and Application:

What do you believe about God? Do you believe that does not make mistakes? I do and I know that you are here, serving on this trip, for a reason. Whether your parents made you come or you signed up to go with a friend, you are here for a reason! You have been up there for almost a week, so what is that reason? Why does God have you here?

Spend some time with God, asking him to reveal to you what you are suppose to be learning and how you can grow from this experience.

Mission Trip - Wednesday Update and Devotional

Yesterday was another beautiful day up in Coatesville. We have been blessed with really good weather up here - very low humidity and in the low 80s. Because of the great weather, a lot of our work focus has been on outside work. Among other things, yesterday's work consisted of finishing some of the windows we replaced, tearing down a staircase, laying down tile in a bathroom and putting up a new one, and putting on a primer coat on around the a house.

What has impressed me the most so far is how well our students are learning and doing. These are not easy things to do and very few of them have ever done any kind of work like this before. BUT, they are learning and accomplishing the tasks. They are working very hard and have great attitudes about what is expected.

Some great relational work was done as well yesterday. We are continuing to get to know our families and minister to them. On my team, Laurel, Kelly and Jenna got to play with the baby some more and got some good starter conversations with the mother (on Monday, she didn't say anything to them except that they could hold the baby). The husband was at home all day yesterday so we learned a lot about him and he was very interested to know about our church and why we came all the way up from VA to help out.

Last night, we had the "night off" from organized meetings. So, about 15 of us went down to the basketball courts (about 2 blocks away) where Richard Hamiliton (former Wizard, current Piston player) has a Summer Basketball League for Coatesville. He buys them all jerseys and will show up every once in a while (he grew up in Coatesville and is a living legend here). It is some very good basketball to watch. Anyways, when we were down there, we ran into some old friends! We saw some of the V.B.S. students we minister to last year! It was amazing catching up with them. Here is the picture of 2 of the students with Trevor and Joe.

Not bad for a camera phone picture!

Even thought we had the "night off", I did pull our church together to debrief and talk about what we are learning at the sights and in their time with Christ. It is very encouraging to hear their responses - God is working in them. Continue to pray for us. Pray that we remain encouraged with the work we are doing and that the Lord provides opportunities for us to minister to the families we are working for. Also, pray that our group continues to gel together and that we can build strong relationships with each other and the Lord.

If you want to follow along with our devotional today, here it is:

DEVOTIONAL:

How important is prayer to you? What do you pray for? Do you believe that God answers your prayers?

Read Matthew 6:5-13; John 15:7

Jesus gives some guidance in verses 5-8 about where to pray and the manner in which you should pray? What are those?

In verses 9-13, Jesus shows us how to pray? Break it down into today's English. What is he asking you to do in each verse?

V. 9:

V. 10:

V. 11:

V. 12:

V. 13:

Additional Thoughts and Application:

Prayer is a powerful tool God gives us to speak to him and share our heart with him. It is so important he show us exactly how to pray. With today in mind, use the model Christ gave us in verses 9-13 and spend some time right now praying to God. Give him glory and honor, thanking him for all He has done and will continue to do, while also offering up prayers for the day. Remember, God is great and holy. He can and will do anything. Therefore, today, let's seek him and see where he leads and provides.

Mission Trip - Tuesday Update and Devotional

Yesterday was a great start for us. We got met our families and started working on our homes. From the 3 houses, some of what we did was to change out 3 windows, tore out bamboo, took out a microwave, installed flooring and a bathtub thanks to some great help from some local plumbers, and did some exterior beautification. It was neat to see everyone work together and accomplish the tasks we had. I am excited about the work ahead for the day.

But, what made yesterday even better was the interaction with the families. At one house, we had 3 of the children actually help out with the team as they worked on their house! They latched on to the team and just followed them around wherever they went. At my house, 2 of the children were gone to day camp for part of the time. But, there was a 6 month old boy there that Laurel Brubaker, Jenna Millman and Kelly Hard just wanted to pick up and hold. So, when the opportunity came about, and the mother let them hold him, they had a good time as they started to get to know the mother. The 3rd house had a guy who started to share about his love for bikes and that lead to some great conversations.

Please continue to pray for us as we minister to these families and each other. It's some hard work, but pray that God would give us the strength to endure and accomplish some great things for Him.

If you want to follow along with our devotional today, here it is:

DEVOTIONAL:

How would you describe what love is?

Read 1 Corinthians 13

According to this chapter, what are some characteristics of love?

If you do a really good job today and help out a lot of people, but did not love them, your team or God, is that ok? Why or why not?

Additional Thoughts and Application:

Love defined by God can look very different from the way we define love. Reread verses 4-7. What characteristic of love are you really good at and what are you a little weak in? Today, strive to communicate the love of Christ. Write down a few specific things you can do or say to foster the kind of love Paul speaks about here.

Pray, then Love!

Mission Trip - Monday Update and Devotional

The Cedar Run Youth are on our annual mission trip to Coatesville, PA. We arrived safely and ready to do a great work. We are broken up into 3 teams. Each team will have a dedicated house to work on for the entire week. The great news is that every house has 3-5 children there in which we can minister to. In fact, Good Works, Inc. has told us that our 1st priority is to minister to the families and then work on their house. That means that if a child comes up to us and wants to talk and play a game, we are to take the time and minister to them. The work on their house will come later.

We are all very excited for the week ahead. If you want to track along with us on what we are doing devotionally, take a minute and do the devotional below.

DEVOTIONAL

What chore is the hardest for you to do at home? Why?

Read John 14:21

From this verse, what does it mean to obey Jesus?

When we obey, what does that demonstrate?

What does Jesus promise us if we obey?

Additional Thoughts and Application:

Charles Colson once said, “Holiness is obeying God”. We should be striving daily to become holy. Becoming holy comes from obeying God.

Are you obedient to God with your life? Are you being obedient during this trip? Obedience is more than just saying yes and doing the job. It takes place in your heart first and foremost. So, check your heart – how is your heart?

Write down 1 way you can become more obedient this week.

Pray, then Do!

Serving out of Love

On Sunday, Phil Covert shared about serving and how serving others is serving God. Christ, himself, modeled servanthood by coming down to earth and giving his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). But, he didn't just choose to serve others through this one, great deed. He lived his life this way. He served others constantly. One example can be found in John 13:1-17. Take a minute and read it.

1. Why did Jesus do this particular act of service?
2. Why do you think Jesus washed his disciples' feet? Why did Peter want his whole body washed?
3. What did Christ encourage his disciples do now that their feet had been washed (verses 12-17)?

Application:

Make no mistake about it, this was a truly humble experience for Christ. He, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, got down and washed his disciples' feet - probably the dirtiest part of their bodies (Remember, they didn't have close-toed shoes or highly paved sidewalks back then. They walked in sandals on dirt roads).

Why did he do this? Because he wanted to show them the full extent of his love for them (v.1).

Is service to others and God for you an extent of your love for them or is it simply just and act that you are suppose to do?

At the end of his loving act, he challenged his disciples to go and do likewise. This week, choose to serve other and God. But, don't just do it because you are suppose to. Do it with a loving heart and a desire to serve. When we choose to serve that way, then we are truly emulating Christ's example.

Pray, then serve!

Sharing the Truth with others

Two weeks ago, Grant Diamond shared with us on Sunday the benefits of staying in the word and how spending time daily can help us.

Read Deuteronomy 6:3-9

Some of this scripture is familiar from previous weeks, but as you can see, God is preparing to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land - the land filled with milk and honey.

1. Why is God telling them to obey?
2. What should we do with all the knowledge we have gained from spending time with God?
3. How will this benefit others?
4. How will this benefit us?

Application:

Oftentimes, when I read the Bible, I can become me-centric. By that I mean that I tend to focus on myself and how the verses apply to myself. But, God challenges us to look beyond ourselves here. In verse 7-9, he tells us share them with our children, talk about them as you are hanging out with others, and make it known to others what the Truth is.

How are you doing sharing the Truth of God to others? Remember, in Christ's command to make disciples, he challenged his followers to teach others everything he has commanded them (Matthew 28:20). Are you doing that?

This week, spend time reading the Truth. Then, write down an application. When you are doing your application, include one thing you can share with someone else and see how God blesses that.

Pray

FYI - To download Grant Diamond's message, go to http://tompounder.podomatic.com or go to iTunes and search Tom Pounder

Loving God, Reading the Bible and Living our Day

On Sunday, Grant Diamond talked about the importance of staying in the word and living our lives through what God teaches us in it. He used Deuteronomy 6:5-6 as his main scripture.

1. What does God say here about the importance of following his commands?
2. How does it tie into loving God with all we have?

Grant's point was that the only way to truly know how to love God with all we have is to know the truth found in the Bible. It is His source for truth us today.

Read Psalm 119:97, 119:105

1. What does the writer of this Psalm, do with reading the word?
2. How does it benefit him throughout?

The writer meditates on what he reads and uses it to be a guiding light for his daily life. What do you do with God's word?

Application:

Too often than I would like to hope, I read God's word, write down a not or application about it and then forget about what I read. I don't use it as God intends us to. Therefore, I miss out on opportunities to love God during the day benefit from it.

But, if we sit down, meditate on God's word throughout the whole day, it will help us:

1. Love God and
2. Love Others

It will impact us throughout the day! So, right now, take a minute and write down 1 application you can have from today's reading.

Pray, Meditate and Apply God's word to your life today!

Remembering the Good God has done in our Lives

On Sunday, we talked about Memorial Day and how it is the day we remember all of those great Americans who died fighting for our freedom.

Just as we remember our fallen Americans for the great things they have done, do you remember the great things God has done in your life? We looked at Joshua 4:1-7 as just one of the many times the Israelites set up memorials to remember the great things God has done for them. They were set up so that when their children asked what those stones meant, they would be able tell them how God provided for them.

What God has done in your life? Is it an answered prayer, an unexpected provision at the right time, help in overcoming an obstacle or temptation?

Take a minute and think through what God has done for you and do 2 things:

1. Memorialize it in some way. The Israelites set up stone pillars some of the times, but it could look differently for you (and probably should as having a variety of stone pillars set up in your room or throughout your house could become an obstacle for you and your family members). You could do a bookmark, write in a journal or even do a small creation that would help you remember.
2. If, after searching your life, you feel that God hasn't done anything significant in your life, I would challenge you to pray that he does move in your life in some way. Pray specifically and consistently for God to work and see how he brings about a resolution or blessing in your life. Once he does, memorialize it in some way.

When we memorialize the great things God has done in our lives, it enables us to always remember what he has done. So that when tough times hit and we have a crisis of faith, we can remember all that God has done and can do in our lives.

Pray

The Truth be told

On Sunday, Bruce talked about being honest and telling the truth. He shared his experience of being caught trying to change a grade in high school and how that had a snowball effect on his life as his character quickly came into question.

Take a minute and review the scripture he shared. Read Matthew 5:33-37

If we are people who honor our promises and oath, then we have a sense of integrity and truth. Being truthful and honest are a direct reflection on your character - who you really are and what you really believe.

So, where do you get your truth from? Where do you get your sense of integrity and honesty?

Is it from your friends, TV or movies (seriously), what you read in the newspapers or online?

How do you know that those are the truth?

Ultimately, we find truth through Christ. Read John 14:6. What a bold statement! He IS the Truth and since we know that God does not lie (Hebrews 6:18, Numbers 23:19), we know that we can take him for his word and his promises will never fail.

Is that true of the other places we can find truth?

Application:

Even though we may know that the 100% undeniable truth can only be found in Christ, we rarely take the time to spend it with Him. When we become so busy with life and the things we have to do, we fail to get that knowledge and understanding that will help us throughout the day.

So, today, take time and get to know the truth! Spend time reading through the Bible and discovering or rediscovering the truth found in Christ and God alone. Don't rely on other sources, rely on the one who IS the truth.

Then, jot down a note or 2 about what truth you learned and stick it in your pocket so you can reflect or turn to it throughout the day. Who knows, it may end up being very helpful for you throughout the day!

Pray and spend time with Christ today!

Spring Cleaning - What's Important

On Sunday, we talked about identifying what is most important in our lives. That, if we are going to clean out our lives, as we clean out our rooms and homes, we have to first identify the most important things in them so that we don't throw them away.

As we discussed this, we looked at what Christ said to the Samaritan Woman.

Read John 4:4-26

1. What did Jesus ask the woman? What was her response?
2. What did Jesus offer the woman? Why was what he was offering different?
3. How can we have this water?

Application:

Jesus promised the woman that the water he was offering her, living water, would quench her thirst forever. Not only that but it "suggests that availability, accessibility and abundance of the divine life for believers" that ultimately leads to eternal life.

Are you drinking from the water Christ offers or are you trying to quench your thirst with things others view as important and necessary?

We can all have this water by being with Christ. When you are spending time in prayer, mediation, or study of the Bible, you are drinking from the living water that only Christ alone can offer you.

This week, spend time with Christ - more than just a 5-10 minute Bible reading - in which you are drinking the water and then enabling it to quench your thirst and provide that nourishment that we all need.

Pray

Source: Life Application Bible: John (pp. 77-83)

Spring Cleaning - Discovering our Purpose

On Sunday we introduced a new series on Spring Cleaning. The whole purpose of spring cleaning is to clean out all the junk and clutter in our house that we stored up over winter and get it out of the house. It's a time to open up the window and let fresh air in and re-organize your house.

In the same way, we can do a Spring Cleaning in our personal lives as well. In order to do that, it is good to look at what God, our creator, had in mind when he created us.

Read Ephesians 2:10, Colossians 1:16, 1 Peter 4:10

1. What do these scriptures tell us about our purpose?
2. Does everyone have a gift? If so, how are we to use it?

Application:

It is clear that we were created as a masterpiece from God. He perfectly designed us for a purpose. Each person has a purpose and is gifted in some great way to serve others.

What is your purpose and your gift? I have no idea, but the Lord does and wants to reveal it to you.

This week, seek God to have him reveal your purpose and gifting. Spend time praying and listening to hear his truth about your life, direction and gifting. Then, use your gift to serve others and proclaim Christ.

Pray

Staying Connected to God's word

On Sunday we had Karly, Corie and Kim all share about how spending time with Christ has made a tremendous impact in their lives. As they emphasized, it's so important to stay close to Christ daily.

God also emphasizes this to Joshua.

Read Joshua 1:6-9

1. What does God command Joshua to do?
2. Why did he encourage him to be strong and courageous?
3. What is Joshua to do with the book of the law? How do you think this helps him?
4. What's the promise God makes Joshua if he knows the law and obeys it?
5. How does this apply to us?

Application:

When Joshua had this encounter with God, he was just taking over the leadership of the Israelites as they headed into the Promised Land. Moses had just died and now, after 40 years of wondering in the wilderness, Joshua was put into this leadership role as they moved into their new land. Of all the times Joshua needed guidance and direction, it was now.

So, you would probably imagine that Joshua needed to hear something great from God at this point. Of all the things God could have said to him, he challenged him to be strong and courageous and to meditate on His word day and night. It is only through this that Joshua would be prosperous and successful. That's it! Stay close to the Lord by knowing, meditating and understanding his word. When he would do that, he would be prosperous and successful.

In the same way, if we are spending time with Christ daily, meditating and applying it to our lives, we will be in a much better place than if we did not do this. We will be prosperous and successful in life - maybe not in the way the world judges success and prosperity, but you will be successful by walking the path God has set for you.

Are you turning to God and his word for guidance and direction in your life?

This week, take time daily to spend time with Christ and see how you benefit from doing that. Set aside time each day - be intentional about it - and make sure that you can get encouragement and support from our creator. Then, apply what you learn and see what God has in store for you!

Pray

Easter Characters - Jesus

On Sunday, we concluded our Easter series by looking at the reason for the Easter celebration - Jesus. We looked at His resurrection in Luke 24:1-12 and then his appearance to the disciples in John 20:24-29.

But the resurrection and the power of this great event didn't end on this great Sunday.

The power of the resurrection and the greatness of God continued to transform people and the world. Take a minute and read Acts 9:1-31, Acts 11:1-18, Acts 6:1-10). After you read each section, answer these questions:

1. What happened in this story?
2. Who was the person God reached out to? What was their mission?
3. What did each event reveal about God's plan to reach others?
4. Do you think these events would have happened had Jesus not rise from the dead?

Application:

When Christ died, the followers of Christ were left wondering what to do next. They were afraid and scared of what was going to happen to them and what they were going to do from that time forward. BUT, when Christ rose from the dead on Sunday, they got a 2nd wind and a decided to do something great because of it. God continued to guide and direct them as they impacted the world for HIM.

What has the power of Christ's resurrection meant to you? How has it impacted you and your life?

Remember, if Christ can overcome death, is there anything he can't do? Of course not! In Philippians 4:13, Paul says, "I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

Through Christ and his power, you can do all things. This week, allow the power of Christ's resurrection to give you that 2nd wind and a fire to share about Him to those closest to you. When the disciples trusted God and relied on the power of the resurrection, they impacted the world!

Pray that God would put some people on your heart for you to share about Him to them this week.

Easter Characters - Peter

Our Sunday, we continued our series on some of the main Easter Characters by focusing on Peter. We focused on how Peter went from being a fighter for Christ (John 18:7-11) to be a denier of Christ (Luke 22:54-62). Thinking through your life, when is it easy for you to go from a fighter for to a denier of Christ?

It is definitely hard to fight for Christ always as FEAR can creep in and cause you to deny - maybe not so much an an blatant denial, but it could be like not speaking up when you could say something.

Unlike Judas, the great thing for Peter is that he was given an opportunity for reconciliation with Christ.

Read John 21:15-19

1. What did Jesus ask Peter? How many times did he ask him this?
2. Why do you think Jesus asked Peter this and that many times?
3. What were the 3 responses Christ said to Peter's responses? What do you think these mean?

Application:

Christ asked Peter 3 times if he loved him. Christ didn't just model forgiveness here, but he also issued a challenge to Peter. He gave Peter the opportunity to reaffirm his commitment to himself (after denying him 3 times) and then told him to "feed my sheep". Peter went on to become one of the great evangelists ever as he was on the forefront of spreading the gospel, not just the the Jews, but to the Gentiles as well.

Christ gives us the opportunity to reconcile with him daily. But, just like with Peter, he calls us to go and "feed his sheep." We are to go and further his kingdom.

We can not let fear or anything else allow us to prevent us from furthering the kingdom. Considering that this week is Good Friday and Easter, it is the perfect opportunity for you to share the love of Christ to others. Ask the Lord to provide opportunities for you to share about him to others. Then, when those opportunities open up, walk in boldness because you know that the Lord has given them to you.

Pray

Easter Characters - Judas

On Sunday, we introduced our new series on 3 main characters in the Easter story - Judas, Peter and Jesus. We started by looking at Judas (John 12:1-6, Matthew 26:14-15). As a review, what do these verses reveal to us about Judas?

Judas' love of money provided ammunition for Satan to use against him. It gave Satan a foothold against Judas. As Peter talks about in 1 Peter 5:8, the devil roams around the earth looking for someone to devour. As followers of Christ, we are particularly targeted. When we provide him a foothold to use against us in our relationship with Christ, Satan is better equipped to tear us apart.

That is why we need Christ all the more and through him we can overcome.

Read Ephesians 6:10-18.

1. Who are we to be strong in?
2. How are we to be strong in him?
3. What does it mean that our battle is not against flesh and blood? Who is it against?
4. What does each part of the Armor of God help us with? How will they be useful to fight of Satan's attacks?

Application:

Paul calls us to put on the full armor of God "so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes" (v.10). It goes on to say that our battle is not against flesh and blood but "against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms". Whoa! This is some serious stuff.

Because our battle is with Satan and all his goonies, we need this armor! This armor helps us stand firm by providing us the:

• belt of Truth
• breastplate of righteousness
• gospel of peace at our feet
• shield of faith
• helmet of salvation
• sword of the spirit - the word of God

Furthermore, Paul challenges us to be praying continually for those in the fight!

What powerful pieces to combat this battle! Are you equipped to fight with these pieces of armor? When we fail to put on the armor of God, we are leaving ourselves vulnerable to Satan's attacks. This week, let's be intentional about putting on the armor of God. Let's

• speak the truth to others
• live our lives with righteousness
• be ready to share the great news of Christ when needed
• have faith in the promises of God
• spend time with Christ as much as possible
• pray for others, as well as our lives

The battle we fight is daily and long. So, today, let's choose to put on the armor of God so we will be victorious - one day at a time.

Pray that God would give you the strength and desire to pursue him and be victorious for HIM in the battle.