Surrender

Luke 22:42

As Jesus was coming near the time of the cross He knew the horrific suffering He would have to endure. Because He had laid down His divinity, (stripped Himself of all privileges and rightful dignity), so...that He became like men and was born a human being.” (Phil. 2:7), Jesus faced the coming horrors with great dread. He struggled so with this that His sweat became blood. However; Jesus stayed in prayer until the Holy Spirit strengthened Him to the point of total surrender to Father’s will.

When the word of God directs us to do something we cannot do within ourselves, such as forgive someone who has hurt us, defrauded our business, hurt, killed or maimed a loved one, we too must humble ourselves before God, with the desire for His will to be done in us. Confess it. Then we tell Him we want to forgive, but need His help, laying everything before Him, especially the ugly truth.

1 John 1:9 tells us that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Now, we must allow the Holy Spirit of Jesus that is within us, to do the work that restores us into a right relationship with our Heavenly Father. Jesus will bring us back into this relationship with our Heavenly Father as we line up our actions with His word. Then we can sing “I Surrender All,” and His purpose will be done in us.

       I Surrender All

ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER

ALL TO HIM I FREELY GIVE

I WILL EVER LOVE AND TRUST HIM

IN HIS PRESENCE DAILY LIVE.

ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER,

HUMBLY AT HIS FEET I BOW

WORLDLY PLEASURES ALL FORSAKEN

TAKE ME JESUS, TAKE ME NOW 

ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER

MAKE ME SAVIOR WHOLLY THINE

LET ME FEEL THE HOLY SPIRIT

TRULY KNOW THAT THOU ARE MINE

ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER,

LORD I GIVE MYSELF TO THEE

FILL ME WITH THY LOVE AND POWER

LET THY BLESSING FALL ON ME

I SURRENDER ALL

I SURRENDER ALL

ALL TO THEE MY BLESSED SAVIOR

I SURRENDER ALL.

Lyrics by Judson W. Van DeVenter

Written by Karen Jones

God's grace will save you

1 Peter 2:11-25

No one lives on earth without experiencing types of hardships which cause us worry, pain, fear, loss and anguish. The Bible is full of tragic and heart wrenching stories.  Thankfully, many medical conditions can be improved because physicians can heal us and other professionals can help us with other problems.  Spiritual issues which test our faith are not as easy to address unless our Christian beliefs are steadfast and our belief in God's promises can give us hope as we deal with stressful issues.  As a Christian, I pray to God and know He understands my needs because Jesus also experienced turmoil, obstacles and pain on earth.  Sometimes I don't get what I ask for when I pray. I have to trust and believe that God has his own agenda for my life and I must always have faith in God's wisdom.

1 Peter 2:11-25 tells us that we are called to follow Jesus' example of a life of abstinence from sinful desires, a life of Godliness, a life of submission, and a life of servant-hood by living in Jesus' steps and following his example.  The verses indicate that suffering is a means to deeper communion with God. We can go to God in prayer.  The Cross of Christ gave us the hope and courage that by God's grace believers will receive the outcome of our faith.  The resurrection of Christ inspires confidence and hope for our future in heaven and our release from the problems of our world.  We need encouragement to follow the teachings of Jesus even if it means suffering.  Even though we do not see Jesus in physical form, our faith must remain strong enough so that we will love Jesus, believe in Him, rejoice in Him and receive Him. The Bible helps us to understand how our faith needs to stay strong even if you feel no one cares or can help you.  Peter's faith actually grew and became more powerful and effective after Jesus died.

There is no greater gift than knowing that God's grace will save you.  Take time to praise and thank God for this gift.  Take time to get to know God better through prayer and reading your Bible. You may be surprised at the way God will use you and help you when you nurture your faith and grow closer to God.

Written by Becky Hill

Palm Sunday

Time and time again,

He reaches out his hand,

wanting to help us understand;

That living isn’t about what we desire,
it is about Him and we should never tire from asking His guidance
and seeking His will,

for in finding His path our lives fill

with the goodness and
mercy only He can give,

under His watch we begin to live.

Time after time He chose
undesirables to lead,

over and over His people, He freed.

Yet we question, we test, we complain; even as His blessings fall
upon us like rain.

Our own eyes and desires blind us to see, that the truth in His words set us free.

All the qualities He asks us to show,

on us He constantly does bestow.

Patience, acceptance,
forgiveness and grace,

He gives to the whole human race.

Our lives are His,

created to live in His word,
we’ve listened but have we truly heard?

Follow his commandments and accept salvation from His Son,

for then and only then
will our personal battles be won.

Writte by Laura Rucker

He gathers us into his arms and carries us close to his heart

Isaiah 40

Today’s scripture is my favorite scripture passage in the entire bible. I turn to this chapter more than any other – in times of joy, when I’m seeking courage and when I am going through a deep valley, needing comfort. Particularly during this season of Lent, I find Isaiah 40 challenging as I search my soul and reflect on my relationship with God.

I draw spiritual courage and comfort from this passage for several reasons. First, Isaiah is speaking to the nation of Israel and reminding them that they will be restored after their long period of suffering and sin. Recall how disobedient and rebellious Israel was towards God; He punished them for that. In His great love and mercy, God also restores me to a right relationship with Him when I repent of my sins. Isn’t it wonderful we have a long-suffering God who patiently waits for us to return to Him? Look at verse 11; the Shepherd even gathers us into his arms and carries us close to His heart.

Second, this entire passage gives us powerful insight into the very nature, essence and power of God. Notice in verse 8: He tells us that His Word stands forever. Let that sink in for a minute. God and His Word will last through time present through all eternity.

Think about how tough life is – for all of us. Consider all the family, societal, health, political and world problems. We all know these issues will never be resolved in our lifetime, or ever! However, if we turn to God for strength, verses 13-14 and 28-31 show us emphatic truths about the supreme omnipotence, holiness and perfection of God. Verse 14 asks who enlightened the Lord and showed him the right way. Verses 28-31 tell us of the endless strength of the Lord. By renewing my mind with this great scripture, I find God’s supernatural power to continue persevering through this life.

PRAYERS: Awesome God, thank you for giving us your perfect Word. Forgive us when we don’t draw deeply from it as we should. Thank you for providing us loving guidance and principles to live by. Please remind us to look up to you for strength, comfort and hope and to live lives that bring you glory. Amen.

Written by Kathy Austin

Bona Fide

Colossians 1:15-23

BONA FIDE

The internet says (so it must be true) that as an adjective, bona fide means “genuine or real” and as an adverb it means, “sincerely, without intention to deceive”. 

I can’t hear the term bona fide without thinking of a scene from one of my favorite movies, “O Brother, Where Art Thou”.  The scene is where Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney) confronts his daughters, The Wharvey Gals, after they sing, “In the Highways” at a political rally.  The girls tell him that “Mama’s got a new beau”, “He’s a suitor”, “Mama says he’s bona fide”.  Obviously, mama had been making the point to the girls that her new beau was the real deal, he was the genuine article, he was going to be their new daddy.  Apparently that was important to the girls.

It may be a stretch but you can compare the Wharvey girls’ message to Everett to Paul’s words to the church at Colossae (only without the deep Mississippi accent).

Verses 21-23.  You were once enemies of God through your sin, but because of what Jesus did on the cross – dying for you – you’ve been brought back to God’s side.  You don’t walk away from a gift like that.  You embrace such a gift gladly.  Mama’s got a new beau.

Verses 18-20.  He, Jesus, was supreme from the beginning; he towers over everyone; so spacious is He that there is plenty of room for everyone; all broken pieces of the universe (including us) can get fixed and made right because of His death on the cross.  He’s a suitor.

Verses 15-18.  We see Jesus, He is visible, and through Jesus we can see God who is invisible.  In Jesus we can see God’s purpose in creation.  Everything, everything, got started through Jesus.  He was there before anything came into being and everything that came into being was through Jesus.  He is the reason for the church.  He holds the church together and leads the church as a head leads the body.  He’s bona fide.

Jesus and what he means to the church – to us – is real and genuine.  His love for us is absolute and sincere.  He is worthy of our belief, our faith and our love.

BONA FIDE

Written by Jim Morgan

Carry each other's burdens

Galatians 6:2

² Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

One of the best things you can do is help someone carry a burden they cannot bear alone.  Every year, my students participate in a Play Festival where they perform shows for other high school students and judges.  They then receive an oral critique and later are honored with various awards, hoping to be chosen to move up to the State Play Festival. 

Over the years, this event has undergone some significant changes.  It used to be called Play Contest.  It used to be extremely cutthroat.  It used to be a breeding ground for elitism and division.  Then the attitude changed.  The Play Contest became the Play Festival.  The focus on competition became a focus on celebration.  An attitude of division became one of connection.  The intent of the event became to lift each other up in a spirit of support.  I have pushed my students to appreciate and support the new direction.

To help build positive spirit, I stress to my students the importance of carrying each other’s burdens.  As Galatians says, I urge them to help each other with their problems and pick up their cast members who stumble in any way.  As they support each other and carry each other’s burdens, they begin to trust one another and create a positive ensemble that is stronger than any I have taught.  In the end, the positive attitude my students created carried over to other schools and helped create a sense of community.  Several of my fellow directors even commented on how positive, exciting, and encouraging my students are.

This serves as an example of how carrying each other’s burdens can help you live in the spirit of Christ.  It is also proof that if we all strive to help each other and carry one another’s burdens, we can create a community that fulfills the law of Christ.

Written by Dan Treharne

Cornerstone

Matthew 21:42

In book of the Matthew, Jesus said to the folks gathered around him…

“Have you never read in the Scriptures:  The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.”

Jesus was actually quoting from Psalm 118: 22-23 as he addressed the religious leaders of his day. The “cornerstone” to which Jesus was referring served as the base that was used to form the foundation of a building and helped to ensure that the other stones were straight and level.

In another translation, Jesus is said to have chosen the word “capstone” which, if you know your architecture, is the center stone in the top of an arch that holds the whole thing together.

Jesus was referring to himself as the cornerstone…the foundation on which he was going to build a new church.

Unfortunately, we, like the religious leaders in Jesus day often reject that which is supremely important in lieu of that which satisfies our own selfish desires.

However, Jesus is still in business of building new things…new churches, new attitudes, and new lives. We must simply be willing to place Jesus as the cornerstone of all that we are. In doing so, we receive a firm foundation upon which the other stones in our lives may be set straight and level.

“Cornerstone” 

Based on the recording from
the Hillsong album “Cornerstone”

Arr. by Joel Mott ©2011 Hillsong Publishing

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly trust in Jesus’ name.

Christ alone. Cornerstone. Weak made strong in the Savior’s love.

Through the storm, He is Lord. Lord of all!

Written by Danny Buckner

The Day of the Lord

1 Thessalonians 5:18

The day of the Lord:  Nobody knows when the day of the Lord will come.  Therefore, we should live every day the best we can. 

When I was first asked to write a devotion, I had no idea what verse to pick.  I asked one of my best friends what her favorite verse was.  She told me 1 Thessalonians 5:18.  So I looked it up and I could see why she likes it so much.

This verse is like a blue print on how you should live each and every day of your life.  It tells you that you should acknowledge the people who work hard among you and those who care for you.  We all know we are supposed to do this, but how many of us actually do this?  I know I don’t. It also suggests we help people in need.  I try to help everyone who needs it.  However, the majority of the time I can’t.  Either I can’t relate or I just don’t know how.  That is why everyone needs to help.  Everyone is different so we can all help with different problems. 

Another way of saying this is each morning we need to put on faith and love as a breastplate and hope and salvation as a helmet.  Morning, noon and night guard your heart, thoughts, and actions.

Written by Gavin Goforth

In Awe of Christ's Power

Matthew 14:22-36

Matthew 14: 22-36 provides insight into the events leading up to Jesus, and even Peter, walking on water.  Jesus had told his disciples to go ahead of him in the boat while he went off by himself to pray.  The scripture reading begins with a since of urgency.  It is believed that the urgency was due to Jesus being tired and his need to be alone in prayer.  His tiredness can be attributed to his feeding the 5,000 with “five loaves of bread and the two fish.  His need to be alone in prayer was that Jesus had just learned of the death of his cousin John the Baptist. When Jesus heard about the death of John, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.  Interrupted by crowds he gave selfishly of his time to speak and to feed the gathered crowd.  After the 5,000 were fed, Jesus sent his disciples ahead of him while he dismissed the crowds.  He did this because he wanted to withdraw again to a deserted place by himself for needed prayer.

As the disciples were traveling across the lake, a strong wind came up and they were frightened.  Their strength was no match for the powerful wind and water.  Early in the morning, the visibility was poor. When the disciples saw a dim shape of someone coming toward them, they explained the unusual phenomenon by exclaiming, “It’s a ghost!”  Whoever it was who could walk on the water had to have supernatural capabilities, for he was more powerful than the choppy water and wind.  Jesus heard the fear in their terrified screams.  Then they saw Jesus walking toward them on the water.  He identified himself and said, “Be encouraged!”  Peter had the idea of walking on the water toward Jesus.  He asked permission, “Lord, if it’s you; order me to come to you.”  Jesus said, “Come.”  Peter set out with faith but then became distracted by the strong wind.  Fear overtook him, and he began to sink.  He called out to the one he trusted, “Lord, rescue me.”  Jesus grabbed Peter before he was lost in the choppy waters.  He did not calm the storm until he and Peter had reached the boat.  The disciples did not try to explain away the miraculous events they had just witnessed.  They openly confessed their faith in Jesus and exclaimed, “You must be God’s son!”

Remember: ‘Human need requires holy action!!’  God’s gift of a Savior was indeed a holy action, given in response to our human need for salvation.  We pray with faith.  We trust God with our lives, yet I think we still have a feeling of AWE when we experience the very real presence of the almighty God.

PRAYER: Be encouraged! It's me! Don't be afraid!  Without fear anymore, gather up that core part of your resolve, as you see even the scariest things in the world coming toward you.  Find courage, and let it pour through you at this moment.  As disciples, God needs for you to be courageous, even in the face of disease, loss, conflict or pain.  Set aside the fear, because as you look squarely at the difficult thing, for JESUS is right beside you, walking on the waves.  We pray in Jesus’ holy name, Amen.

Written by Alan Hughes

We are all children

“ Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” - Matthew 19:14

Children are most important, God is saying. We are made for our childish personality to reflect that, no matter how hard we try not to, we all, adults as well, are children in the end. Because we need the attitude of a child to be able to approach God. Children might not be as smart or as mature as adults, but we are just as important. God said, from our verse today, “do not hinder them” which basically means don’t hold them back from me.  Adults can learn more about God than children can, but I believe that God made us. So that when we are born, we know about him inside and know we are special. For Lent, adults may choose to give up sweets, read the Bible more, or read a devotional every day. But children can just work their hardest to let God shine through their hearts. For example, they could be nice, or they could think about what God would do if he came to the earth in the form of a child with a child’s personality. We are all God’s children. So, let your personality shine so that you can become closer to God this Lenten season. 

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to spiritually become a child again, so that I can approach you.  Amen.

Written by Emma Buckner

My help comes from the Lord

Psalm 121

2014 so far has been the most emotional year of my life. It was a year filled with many highs and lows. January 1, 2014 began the journey towards graduation for my daughter and college in the fall. It also was a week before my sister would have surgery to see if her cancer was back. The New Year also begins the build up towards Spring and a busy time in my job.  I was also dealing with health issues for both of my parents.

Two weeks later we found out my sister’s tumor was benign, but that day my father found out he had cancer and it was bad. My daughter was struggling with what her future college decision would be and my phone was ringing from clients ready to list or buy.  Psalm 121:1 “ I lift my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from?” There was so much to do and plan for.  I was having a very hard time trying to balance it all.

On March 17th, I left my dad’s side to go with my daughter to ASU for a school visit. I have never seen her as happy as she was that day. The Lord’s peace was upon me. As we were leaving, I received a call that my father had died. Psalm 121:5 “the Lord watches over you...”

The year was quickly passing and the responsibilities were mounting. Moving two sets of parents and a child in one month seemed impossible. By the fall, all were settled and all was well.  At the end of the year I reflected back and hold to the assurance of Psalm 121:7 “the Lord will keep you from all harm-he will watch over your life;”.

In reading about this Psalm, the Israelites were in exile. They looked toward the hills and didn’t know how they would pass over. There are three themes that are presented. 1. The look of longing. 2. The question of weakness. 3. The assurance of faith. As in my year, there were so many times that I didn’t know how I would get through, but God proved himself faithful in all things. Psalm 121:8 “ the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”  Thanks be to God!!

Written by Carol Schenck

Live Christ, Love Christ, Share Christ, Be Christ

Matthew 22:37-40

Recently I attended a youth retreat where I heard Celia Whitler, a Christian speaker/song writer, share her message and stories.  One of her songs, Live Christ, contained this important message to Christians. 

Live Christ
Love Christ
Share Christ
Be Christ

To me, Live Christ means to think of Christ in my every day life and consider Him in all of my choices.  Love Christ reminds me to love Jesus with all my heart, soul and mind and my neighbor as I love myself.  Share Christ means to teach others about Christ and what He means in my life.  Also, it means to share Christ’s teachings and the miracles of knowing Him.  Be Christ means to live out His word, let His light shine through me and be kind to others.

Listening to Celia speak and sing encouraged me to try to be more like Christ in my life and seek His guidance at all times.   She also taught us that love is always going to have the last word.  I challenge you, during this Lenten season and beyond, to remember her important message.

Written by Keeley Benfield

Remove my Mountains

Happy is he…..whose hope is in the Lord His god!  Psalm 146:5

“Fifteen minutes alone with God every morning before you start your day can change circumstances and remove mountains.” 

A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled across the scripture and quotation that I am citing above.  The power of prayer is stronger than anyone can comprehend. I try to spend time in prayer every morning during my commute to Monroe (eyes open), so typically I have at least an hour. Sometimes my prayers are for forgiveness for the other crazy drivers, but mostly my prayers are for my family and friends and any circumstances that require God’s hand.  On this particular morning I prayed (to the point of tears) for God to “move mountains” in circumstances and situations. I don’t know where I had read or heard this before, for God to “move mountains.” When I got to work I looked up the daily devotion for that day on the Cove’s Website (training facility for Billy Graham). The above scripture and quotation appeared for the day… the tears came again!!! God proved to me in that simple way that he was with me and my family and he had more control than I could possibly have. Take the time to cultivate the friendship we can have with our wonderful God.

PRAYER: God, may I continue to spend time with you every day to continue to move my mountains in my life, and may my hope always be in you!!!  Amen

Written by Stephen Schmoutz

Being in their presence is like sitting in sunshine...

Proverbs 12:25

Anxiety in a man’s heart weights him down, but a good word makes him glad.

Kindness.  What is kindness?  Who are the kindest people you know?  Isn’t being in their presence like sitting in sunshine?  Kind people make you glad to be alive; they help you see beyond the fog of worry or discontentment.

Jesus tells us in John 15:12 to “Love one another, as I have loved you”.  I believe Jesus is telling us to be kind, always and to everyone.  Our Lord exemplified kindness by healing the sick, pouring himself out for the crowds who gathered to touch Him or hear Him.  It is important for us to remember He was human, just as you and I.

What does living a life of kindness mean?  To me, kindness is curbing an impulse to speak sharply, refrain from complaining or gossiping, send a card, or visit a shut-in.  Kindness means realizing we are not perfect and that harsh words will escape us in a moment of stress.  During these times it is kindness that should motivate us to make a sincere apology.  What we say, often lasts longer than we realize.  The wonderful thing about kindness is it works as a double blessing.  The individual who offers kindness gets as much or more out of the deed as the recipient.

As we prepare to celebrate Easter, perhaps we should focus a little more on kindness.  Positive words can be life affirming and fill a person with confidence and the security they need to walk with God even when it is scary or uncomfortable. 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, when I am tempted to make judgments about the actions, behaviors, even the looks of others as a way of making myself feel better, come to my aid and bring about in me a spirit of contentment, a spirit of gratitude. Help me to treat each person I encounter as I would like to be treated, and fill me with loving kindness so that my thoughts, words, and deeds flow from your spirit of unconditional Love.  Amen.

Written by Elizabeth Lutz