Day 225: The Body Of Christ: Set Apart For A Particular Work

Day 225: The Body Of Christ: Set Apart For A Particular Work

Read: Acts 13:1 - 5

My eager brothers and sisters when it comes to doing work for the Lord, we all have a particular job to do. Even though many in the church would much rather work hard at someone else’s job, we must realize that the Lord has already picked us out for a particular mission that has nothing to do with what we prefer we want to do. That is why as Christians we must learn to know when the Lord is speaking to us or not. One of the ways you can tell when and where the Lord is speaking, is when He tells us to do something that might never be on our agenda. So, today, as the warmer weather of Spring and Summer start rolling in, consider where the work of the Lord is for you. Where's the Holy Spirit pointing?

2 While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” While they were in the course of their early ministry, those who were at Antioch in the church that was there, the Holy Spirit came upon those who were present and began to reveal what the will of God was for each of them as individuals. The Holy Spirit would now point to some becoming prophets, some teachers, some would become missionaries, some would become church planters, some would become exhorters, some would become Pastors. But each of them, and each of us today would be, will be, pointed to Christ, set apart by God for His work.

Here is an example of the Holy Spirit's direction: In the early church, the followers are were seeking God through worship and fasting when the Holy Spirit prompted them to commission Barnabas and Saul who would become Paul for service. As a ministry team set apart by God they would take the Good News of Jesus Christ to many countless towns, villages, cities, travel great distances, encounter many who had never heard of Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit, had never experienced the truest expression of love, mercy, forgiveness of sin, reconciliation, sacrifice - grace of God. On his own, Paul would spread the life giving message throughout the known world. What direction is the Holy Spirit pointing for you? 

We are the church. We are the Body of Christ set apart by God for His Kingdom work. I am asking that each of you prayerfully consider the relevance of that truth in your life. Consider the awesome responsibility of what that entails for you as individual, you as one of untold millions of essential member of the church universal. Seek His leading and be patient for you may not hear such a direct call from the Holy Spirit right away. At some point, God is going to find your heart, create a want, a desire, a passion. He is going to draw you in. Draw you in unexpected ways to direct you to go into those unexpected directions. The Challenge: Are we prepared to be the church? Are we prepared to be sent?

Let Us Pray: Everliving God, whose will it is that all should come to you through your Son Jesus Christ: Inspire our witness to him, set us apart for the work of building Your kingdom, proclaiming undying love for Your Son, loving and ministering to our neighbors whoever and wherever they may be, whenever they may be there, that all may know the power of his forgiveness and the hope of his resurrection; In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, one Love, now and for ever. Amen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcxOkht8w7c

Here I am Lord with lyrics

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Here I am Lord I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard My people cry. All who dwell in dark and sin, My hand will save. I who made the stars of night, I wil...

Day 224: I Am Not Perfect, But ....

Day 224: I Am Not Perfect, But ....

Read: Hebrews 2:5 - 15, Psalm 8

'But one has testified somewhere, saying, “What is man, that You remember him? Or the son of man, that You are concerned about him? (6) You know something? I have been sitting here at my table staring at this verse, this passage for about 15 minutes and suddenly it dawned on me ... 'But one has testified somewhere...' My thoughts and perhaps your thoughts too always seemed to go back to 'But one'! I do so pray that you will allow me to roll this around through your minds for a piece. I am
just finding myself fixated on it. 'But one has testified 'somewhere''? It is saying to me that someone dared to stand up to testify to all mankind "Sorry to have to tell you this - You aren't the perfect one!"

For some, this incredibly bold testimony would be quite the stunner. Certainly it would set a few back on their heals to learn that they are not all that they are cracked up to be. They are not the only one's in the universe. Yes, that would certainly be a shocker to the ill prepared. Man is not all that he or she cracks themselves up to be. Someone (namely me) once got up before a group of parishioner's somewhere to address an issue he felt he was more expert in than the next guy. I tried to quell the room down by saying "I am not perfect, but ..." when I suddenly got a rousing chorus of “Yes, we have noticed, O praise the Lord we have noticed. Now maybe you will have to notice it too. Please Sit down.”

(Trying to instill a bit of face saving humor) "Well, thanks a heap! Do you not know who I am by now that when I say something self-deprecating, you are supposed to shower me with compliments and bathe me in praise?! The only correct reply to the statement, “I’m not perfect” should have been, “Oh, but you’re awfully close.” When I announced, “I’m not perfect,” couldn’t you have said, “Well, other than being a little overweight, I don’t see anything wrong?” (giggling) Well, looking around the room at the rest of the faces in there, they were not sharing in my vain attempts at humor. I got the hint - I sat down wondering trying to look my humbled best - how I was going to take this slice of humble pie.

And this is the thought I am asking and praying that you will consider this day and even for this week - "I am NOT perfect, but ..." But that is the common experience of all people. We all know that we are not perfect. We all know that we have huge God sized flaws - well, I pray at least some of us know this. Even the most egotistical of us know that we are never up to par all the time, able to leap tall buildings with a single bound. We know that. The issue is what we do with that realization. The issue is what comes after we acknowledge that we are not perfect. I’m not perfect, but … what? "I’m not perfect, but …" how would you dare to confront this sentence, how would you even dare finish that sentence?

Let Us Pray: Lord, as we finally see it fit to sit ourselves down, as we finally see it fit to get down on our knees, as we ponder the imponderable - that we (gasp) (gulp) & (ahem) are not all that we crack ourselves up to be - help us to clearly see through the Living Words of Psalms 8, just who is the only One entitled to be the only Perfect One in and for our lives. Help us to fully acknowledge the significance of these verses:

'What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
Yet You have made him a little lower than God,
And You crown him with glory and majesty!' (Psalms 8:4 - 5)

Amen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL-mF_FwPnI

Sweetly Broken - Jeremy Riddle

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Worship video with lyrics. I produced several videos for use in my small group. I pray that this video will not only bless you, but bring Glory to the

Day 223: Bearing One Another's Burden's: Bearing Love's Ultimate Burden

Day 223: Bearing One Another's Burden's: Bearing Love's Ultimate Burden

Read: John 3:16 - 17, 15:12 - 17; 1 Corinthians 13; 1 John 4:7 - 21

My beloved friends, there is one more place that I'm being called take you to. Beloved friends one and all, today I am called to stretch your limits once more. Bear with me for a few more moments while your thoughts are fixated on the mortal world around you, to bear witness to another reality that stretches from eternity past to our present and through eternity's far distant shores. I do not guess that this will be easy for you to conceive, after all going from one eternity to another eternity is a little 'out there'. I
believe though it will be time well spent if you would take a few moments from your busyness, to just dislodge yourself from your clocks, meditate for a period of time on the awesome burden born by Love.

Come with me to a place where there is no time - where eternity becomes a piece of the purest whitest canvas stretched infinitely in all directions. Love marks the creation of the universe and the beginning of our existence. Love is there waiting patiently for the first dip into the paint well of creation, the first brush strokes of the Master's hand that will give the finest expression to all that it is, all that it does, all that it is prepared to do for us and for all things that live. God is Love. Love bears all things, believes all
things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. Now, beloved friends, I am asking you to sit back in your chair to contemplate for yourselves the incomprehensible: Love's own burden born for us.

Beloved friends, which of us can say the same thing? Which one of us can say with all humility that we bear all things, believe all things, hopes all things, endures all things? Which of us can honestly say that we never fail? Yet, there it is for all of us to see and bear witness and testify to - Love's ultimate burden to always be there when we need it and even when we do not. Love's ultimate burden to anticipate those moments far distant in our lives, unknown to us, to always be there, to be forever unchangeable, to remain forever a constant, to hold all things together when they would just as soon fly apart at the seams. Blest be the eternal ties that bind our hearts together in Love, the fellowship of kindred minds.

Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is not jealous. Love does not brag. Love is not the least bit arrogant. Love does not act unbecomingly. Love does not seek its own. Love is not provoked. Love does not count the cost or keep score, keep an accounting of a wrong suffered. Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth. For God, who is Love, so Loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Pray about this: No greater Love could Love ever give but to lay down Love's very own life for all of us.

Let Us Pray:

Love,

Because You are patient: Help me to be slow to judge, but quick to listen, hesitant to criticize, but always eager to encourage, remembering your endless patience with me. Because You are love: Help my words to be spoken gently and my actions to be thoughtful. Remind me to smile and to say "Please" and "Thank You" because those little things still mean so much.

Because You do not envy or boast, and are not proud: Help me have a heart that is humble and sees the good in others. May I fully celebrate and appreciate all that I have and all that I am through You, as well as doing the same for those around me.

Because You are not rude or self-seeking: Help me to speak words that are easy on the ear and on the heart. When I am tempted to get wrapped up in my own little world, remind me there's a great big world out there full of needs and hurts.

Because You are not easily angered and keep no record of wrongs: Help me so I might forgive others as you have forgiven me. When I want to hold onto a grudge, gently help me release it so I can reach out with a hand of love instead.

Because You do not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth: Help me stand up for what is right and good. May I defend the defenseless, and help the helpless. Show me how my love for Love can make even but the smallest of difference somewhere.

Because You always protect and always trust: Help my love to be a refuge for those around me. When the world outside is harsh and cold, may the love that flows from my heart, through the Love poured out for me, be a place of acceptance and warmth.

Finally, Love, because You always persevere: Help my heart continually beat with love for You and others. Thank you for the burden that You gladly bear for us. AMEN.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sBuajPzBTw

Tenth Avenue North - Love Is Here

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Music video by Tenth Avenue North performing Love Is Here. YouTube view counts pre-VEVO: 804,340 Facebook- http://smarturl.it/f8gpp9

Day 222: Bearing One Another's Burdens: Care Givers, Those Who Bear Our Burden

Day 222: Bearing One Another's Burdens: Care Givers, Those Who Bear Our Burden

Read: Mark 2:1 - 12

On this short devotional journey we seem to be on 'bearing one another's burdens', it occurred to me yesterday while I was away at a day long conference there was one more burden that was placed on my spirit in no uncertain terms by the Lord. It is one that really hit me square between the eyes - it gave me great pause because it was one that I can quickly identify with for the brief time I was confined in one. I was not in any way tied down, handcuffed, strapped in against my will or anything like that. You see, at the conference I attended, I saw an attendee in a motorized wheelchair.
I realized - What about when the burden carried belongs to those caring for them - The Care Givers?

I ask this with some measure of authenticity because there was a time when I had shattered my Left Hip into seven pieces following a fall on black ice in 2003 and for 5 weeks following replacement surgery I was confined to a wheelchair. I could not walk on my own, nobody would let me walk on my own without the strictest of supervision. What about this burden - when your body will no longer allow you to do like the rest of most people and someone needs to provide care for you? When your own body is your greatest burden to be born by that wheelchair, by that hospital bed, by that tank of oxygen being pulled behind you, a mind once so very whole and complete that is slowly vanishing before ones eyes? 

Remember Christopher Reaves of 'Superman' fame? Remember him before and after he fell off the horse? Remember his wife, by his side - that loving and devoted wife by his side caring for him before and after they were married and until the day he died? So today, I am asking you to pray for those caregivers. I am praying that you will take some time out of this Sunday to pray about those whose burden is the caregiver of the one who can no longer care for themselves - husbands for wives, and vice versa, children caring for parents or grandparents, Doctors, Nurses, Aides, Care Facilities. I am absolutely confident there are more than just a few who bear our burden who deeply need prayers.

Four of a Kind. The Burden Bearers. Of like mind. Their hearts desire was to see this paralytic man brought to Jesus for what care and attention that just only Jesus knew. Of like motive. These men had one single motive, to get this paralytic to their Savior. Nothing would stop them, not pride, manners, people, nothing could deter them from their goal of seeing this man meet Jesus, the great physician. Not willing that any, no not one should perish. Of like Motion. Their effort was concerted, if they had worked hard, but in different directions - would the man have been touched and healed? Yes, our burden bearers, those with caring hands, compassionate hearts - In Jesus Name, please pray for them!

Beatitudes for Caregivers

Blessed are those who care and who are not afraid to show it — they will let people know they are loved.

Blessed are those who are gentle and patient — they will help people to grow as the sun helps the buds to open and blossom.

Blessed are those who have the ability to listen — they will lighten many a burden.

Blessed are those who know how and when to let go — they will have the joy of seeing people find themselves.

Blessed are those who, when nothing can be done or said, do not walk away, but remain to provide a comforting and supportive presence — they will help the sufferer to bear the unbearable.

Blessed are those who recognize their own need to receive, and who receive with graciousness — they will be able to give all the better.

Blessed are those who give without hope of return — they will give people an experience of God. (Author Unknown)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXOiWZonUcQ

For Those Tears I Died [Live]

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Music video by Bill & Gloria Gaither performing For Those Tears I Died (feat. Donnie Sumner) [Live]. (P) (C) 2012 Spring House Music Group. All rights reserv...

Day 220: Bearing One's Another's Burden: Prayer

Day 220: Bearing One's Another's Burden: Prayer

Read: Nehemiah 1:1 - 2:5

Following yesterdays devotional effort, 'baring and bearing one another's burden', the Lord placed upon my heart for our mutual and shared consideration a singular burden of immeasurable significance, a burden of immeasurable responsibility that we know as Prayer. As Christians we are called to prayer. Sometimes God places someone on your heart and you pray. That’s a prayer burden that’s not difficult to recognize. We are approached by family, friends, co-workers, complete strangers and we're given a
prayer concern - please pray for such and such. In Church, we are exposed to many opportunities to pray for much a wider array of concerns specifically on their hearts. We pray in a circle, we go home.

Yes, prayer is a great privilege. You and God, Holding Hands and Sharing Hearts - an awesome moment but one that is probably of short duration. However, for this time of devotion, I am placing prayer before you as a burden. I am placing before you the hard words of Nehemiah Prayer Burden. (4-6)'I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days.… And I said: “I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night.” Wow! Takes your breath away!

"I mourned for many days ..." "... let Your ears be attentive and Your Eyes open, that You may hear ..." Nehemiah prays before You now, day and night." Let that sink in for a while! If we don’t discern the call to pray, if we are going through our own trial and tribulation, if we are not as sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit as we should be or could be, we think it’s us and we dismiss or minimize the moment. So what do we do? We focus on ourselves rather than pressing into intercession. We will suffer in our own souls rather than helping another soul in need. However, Nehemiah's spirit was hammered, hammered hard by the deplorable news of his brethren back home. God's Spirit was definitely working overtime!

Sometimes, our spirits get hammered, even sledge hammered too. When we realize the full extent of what has figuratively and physically brought us to our knees, we are literally, figuratively, physically and spiritually overcome like Nehemiah. A burden of prayer is marked usually by a sense of spiritual weight—a heaviness of heart, a drag on one's emotions, a spirit of mourning, or a growing feeling of restlessness that just arises because we cannot seem to shift ourselves away from a problem or need that has come to our attention. I ask you to recall a specific time or intensely personal moment in life when you have experienced a prayer burden. Feel free to share it in confidence - I will pray for you too!

Let Us Pray: Personalize Psalms 16:5 - 11 and Psalms 84

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2IZ8lrKGW8

Casting Crowns - What if His People Prayed Lyrics

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Casting Crown's song What if His People Prayed lyrics (: Photos are all taken by me, and I do not

Day 219: Baring And Bearing One Another's Burdens

Day 219: Baring And Bearing One Another's Burdens

Read: Psalm 55:12 - 23, Galatians 6:1 - 10

I do not guess that what I am offering today in the name of the Lord may be received very well by many of us 'Christians' out there. It will probably come across to a few of you that I am trying to smack you across the face or insult the 'Christian' walk you are doing such a wonderful job at living right now. "How dare he insinuate that I would do such a thing!" "I am a Christian! I'd never even consider doing what he is suggesting!" "I am not reading his stuff anymore!" "Why would I ever do something so contrary to what God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit teaches us?" What has gotten into his spirit that he or He would believe that I would bare rather than bear someone else's burden?"

'For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, Then I could bear it; Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, Then I could hide myself from him. But it is you, a man my equal, My companion and my familiar friend; We who had sweet fellowship together; Walked in the house of God in the throng (12-14).' Let me now ask you to consider this (not that you would or ever have been guilty of it): Why would a friend or fellow brother or sister in Christ ever do something against another
friend or brother or sister in Christ? Why would they 'lift up their heals' against them? Why would they bare them out before the world? Let me ask you all a silly question: What is a dump truck designed for?

Why did Judas Iscariot go to the Chief Priests of the Temple? Misplaced expectations? Alternative or ulterior motives for following Jesus? Secret agendas? A sense of being or the expectation of being betrayed by your fellow man? Not enough trust going on? Not enough faith in the goodness of God or the goodness of man when he is in the company of another man or a fellow brother or sister in Christ in fellowship with one another? Would a Christian go on a 'snipe hunt' against one of his or her own? I know and expect that this is a tough read, probably even anger provoking, or is right now provoking someone to tears because of a not too distant memory of the ride they took on that dump truck.

'Baring' versus 'bearing'? What choice do I make? Shall we ask Judas how he made his decision? Sometimes that is a tough choice depending on what has been done to the one thrown into the back of the dump truck - kind of like Jesus was - even by His own best friends (Peter) and the one whom He loved the most (John) and the rest of His disciples when they scattered to the hills, ran for their lives when He was arrested that night in the garden. 'Bare' or 'cast off' - to throw off, to throw away, on broken arm, a burden - load, duty, something hard to bear, difficult, hard, oppression. Or to 'Bear' take upon yourself one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ? Yes, a tough choice indeed!

Let Us Pray: Father, we are full of words, but they are often words of anger, great bitterness and jealousy. We use our words to hurt others, to spoil relationships and to build barriers between us. We use words to make ourselves sound compassionate, but our thoughts are selfish and our intentions self - centered. We use words that will criticize others, and belittle them privately and publicly. We will gossip. We will find it easier to tear someone down rather than build them up. We all know why we do this and so does Your Son Jesus who took it on the chin and accepted his ride in the dump truck of our own making. We built it, we fueled it and we drove it then dumped Him. We have no earthly right to expect forgiveness or mercy for our actions from Him. I'm humbled that while we were yet His enemies, He bore our burdens, and set us free. I am humbled that He did not choose to bare my burdens but rather chose to willingly bear the impossible weight of them upon His shoulders, and upon His Cross.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anVweXDcxhA

Hawk Nelson: Words [Official Lyric Video]

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Words is the latest single from Hawk Nelson and features Bart Millard from MercyMe.

Day 218: Nothing Good Or Bad Is Ever Wasted - "Helki" The Lord Is My Portion

Day 218: Nothing Good Or Bad Is Ever Wasted - "Helki" The Lord Is My Portion

Read: Psalm 16, Isaiah 55:8 - 13

Waste not, want not! That was the wise counsel my Mom first gave me the first time I can remember coming to the dinner table and many tables after that. I was one of those ultra finicky eaters when I was a kid and it was expected that if Mom worked hard in the kitchen to fix a meal for her three very young children and husband after a long days work, that everything would disappear off of our plates. Nothing would be thrown away. Dad used to try hard to set the example eating everything on his own
plate and making sure we children saw him do it. He went to the point of holding up his plate to show us. Nothing ever wasted, well almost, there were those leftovers. When are there not always leftovers?

Yes, there were those leftovers, there were those small remnants of food that Mom always seemed to find a way to keep for another day to make some casserole of one kind or another. So, this memory got to me and I began to meditate on God and a couple of passages from the Hebrew text and wondering if you would consider along with me the question: Could anything good or bad ever be wasted by God, like it has been wasted by man? 'The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.' Whether Good, Bad, Indifferent the Lord establishes all the boundaries of all my life circumstances.

I can guess that all of us have at one time or another looked at a given circumstance, tried something new, exciting and different just for the sake of doing it. I can guess also that at one time or another, we have thought to ourselves "How much more can I fit on my plate before I bust at the seams?" Are we selling ourselves and any other person who will listen that some particular thing of interest to us, that new ministry, while sounding good in the beginning, is now "wasted effort in the kitchen" because the end result were the children leaving too many leftovers at the dining room table? And all of those wonderful casseroles Mom made - Yuck! The casseroles God makes? Well, I do not know if I tried one.

Legitimately so, sometimes efforts are complete wastes of time because of our poor efforts at planning and implementing. We just have to try harder in the kitchen. I am wondering about our efforts to testify to God's goodness and love in our lives to one whose table and pantry shelves are barren, in the hopes of making the perfect meal perfectly balanced with equal portions of Father, Son and Holy Spirit from Scripture. Are we too worried of mixing the wrong ingredients, looking at the wrong recipe and
then watch as the person walks away from or takes one look and never approaches the table? What could God do with these 'wasted' efforts of ours? (Isaiah 55:8 - 13) Well, it is something to pray about.

Let Us Pray: Today, I respectfully ask that you prayerfully consider personalizing our text from the Hebrew Scriptures. Personalize them to your own circumstances, your families and your churches. Take the time to make these Living Words your own. See for yourself what portion of His goodness the Lord is asking you to prepare for His Kingdom table on earth as it has most assuredly been prepared for us all in heaven.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvnBhtbATag

Jason Gray- Nothing Is Wasted (Official Lyric Video)

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Jason Gray's lyric video for "Nothing Is Wasted" iTunes: http://bit.ly/ulLCW9 Facebook: