Pillow Talk
A bed is an interesting object. It's something we can all relate to. Almost everybody has one-whether it's a mat on the floor or a California King- unless they are experiencing some pretty unusual conditions. Another interesting aspect about beds is that they typically reveal us in our most transparent and unpretentious moments. We can wear a lot of disguises out in the world. We can pretend to be someone we're really not at work, at the gym, at a party, at the supermarket, and even at church. But when we go to bed, all semblance of superficiality is stripped away, and we become the person we really are. Our beds represent the most personal and private part of our lives. And it's here, in this place where our true colors are revealed, that the Psalmist calls us to meditate or dwell upon the things of God-who He is and what He's done. Why here? Why on our bed? Because God wants us to acknowledge and invite Him into every aspect of our lives, especially the most personal and private places. Nothing should be off limits to Him. And if that makes us uncomfortable, it's a sure sign that something is "off" in our lives and needs adjusting. If we can't be close to God in the place where we are most real, are we really ever close to God at all? We need to see our beds, the place of rest and repose from the world, as a sanctuary where God is invited, and not a place where we retreat from Him.
Father, may we invite you into every corner of our existence, and may you be our meditation day and night.
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?
By Pastor Bob Coy
Friday, January 7, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Make A Seismic Shift
You may not have felt it. But a monster earthquake that ravaged the South American country of Chile February of 2010 shifted your life too. It registered an 8.8 magnitude.
That's mammoth!
NASA's geophysicists say the massive jolt likely shifted the earth's axis by about eight centimeters, and shortened our days by 1.26 microseconds. That might not seem like a lot. But in life, every second counts. Over time they add up to minutes. And like grains of sand in an hour glass, enough minutes make days, which stretch into years.
Now, thanks to that quake in Chile, we are one microsecond shorter on time.
But way before the killer quake struck, we have been selling ourselves short by not registering the seismic shifts in our own lives. The Bible urges us to “redeem the time, or make the best use of it.” Do not waste it. (Ephesians 5:16a)
Geologically, seismic shifts occur in the earth's crust and can cause major eruptions above ground.
Practically, seismic shifts are those little changes that make a big difference in our lives. Such shifts can be negative or positive.
Let's examine a case in point. What if you wanted to enjoy a rich, more joyful life? Begin by taking small, simple steps to make it happen. Start by doing a blatantly honest self- assessment. Examine what needs to be fixed in your life. Face the truth about your power-draining habits. Identify the impediments that stand in your way. With that done, it's time for another shift.
Tackle your issues one at a time. If bad spending habits are the demons keeping you from being wealthy, commit to taking a money management class that offers practical and sustainable results.
The third shift is to earnestly stick with your plan of action until you conquer that weakness. I call this the FTC approach. Face. Tackle. Conquer.
Shift one: Face the problem.
Shift two: Tackle the problem.
Shift three: Conquer the problem.
This results in positive seismic shifts. Enough of these small steps will yield monumental changes. But remember, if we want true and lasting success, it’s imperative that we factor in God. Proverbs 16:3 instructs us to: “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”
Doing nothing also causes a shift.
Like the earthquake in Chile, you may not have felt the tremor. But it happened. You may not see how taking-no-action hurts your chance at a better, more fulfilling life. But it does. “The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.” (Proverbs 13:4)
Like it or not, what we do everyday creates seismic shifts. They eventually trigger major eruptions. For some, personal success will break through. Others will just shift further into a life of self-defeat.
With God as your guide, you’ve got a slight edge. Make it count.
By Sharon Frame
That's mammoth!
NASA's geophysicists say the massive jolt likely shifted the earth's axis by about eight centimeters, and shortened our days by 1.26 microseconds. That might not seem like a lot. But in life, every second counts. Over time they add up to minutes. And like grains of sand in an hour glass, enough minutes make days, which stretch into years.
Now, thanks to that quake in Chile, we are one microsecond shorter on time.
But way before the killer quake struck, we have been selling ourselves short by not registering the seismic shifts in our own lives. The Bible urges us to “redeem the time, or make the best use of it.” Do not waste it. (Ephesians 5:16a)
Geologically, seismic shifts occur in the earth's crust and can cause major eruptions above ground.
Practically, seismic shifts are those little changes that make a big difference in our lives. Such shifts can be negative or positive.
Let's examine a case in point. What if you wanted to enjoy a rich, more joyful life? Begin by taking small, simple steps to make it happen. Start by doing a blatantly honest self- assessment. Examine what needs to be fixed in your life. Face the truth about your power-draining habits. Identify the impediments that stand in your way. With that done, it's time for another shift.
Tackle your issues one at a time. If bad spending habits are the demons keeping you from being wealthy, commit to taking a money management class that offers practical and sustainable results.
The third shift is to earnestly stick with your plan of action until you conquer that weakness. I call this the FTC approach. Face. Tackle. Conquer.
Shift one: Face the problem.
Shift two: Tackle the problem.
Shift three: Conquer the problem.
This results in positive seismic shifts. Enough of these small steps will yield monumental changes. But remember, if we want true and lasting success, it’s imperative that we factor in God. Proverbs 16:3 instructs us to: “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”
Doing nothing also causes a shift.
Like the earthquake in Chile, you may not have felt the tremor. But it happened. You may not see how taking-no-action hurts your chance at a better, more fulfilling life. But it does. “The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.” (Proverbs 13:4)
Like it or not, what we do everyday creates seismic shifts. They eventually trigger major eruptions. For some, personal success will break through. Others will just shift further into a life of self-defeat.
With God as your guide, you’ve got a slight edge. Make it count.
By Sharon Frame
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
God Gives the Vision, We Make The Plans
When I was a teenager and had been a Christian for only about two years, I kept wondering why God didn’t seem to be guiding me in my life. Perhaps you are wondering the same thing about your own life.
I used to want God to show me His will at night in my room, so I would stay up all night with one eye open, just waiting. I used to pray, “Oh, Lord, let the angels show up.” Then I would look and there would be nothing but mosquitoes. Sometimes, I would hear a little noise outside and I would open the door, thinking that the angels had shown up. Yet when I looked outside, all I would see was a rat running across the yard. Some angel!
I persisted in wanting God to show Himself to me and to guide me. Whenever they sang a certain song in church, I used to sing it the loudest: “Lead me, guide me, along the way!” One day, as I was singing this song, I felt as if the Lord was saying to me, “Lead you along what way?” I realized then that if you don’t have a plan, God doesn’t have anything specific to direct you in.
Proverbs 16:1 says, “To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue.”
That’s a very powerful statement. God is saying, in effect, “I gave you the vision. Now you put the plan on paper, and I will work out the details.”
Proverbs 16:9 says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”
If you don’t have a plan, how can He direct you?
By Dr. Myles Munroe
I used to want God to show me His will at night in my room, so I would stay up all night with one eye open, just waiting. I used to pray, “Oh, Lord, let the angels show up.” Then I would look and there would be nothing but mosquitoes. Sometimes, I would hear a little noise outside and I would open the door, thinking that the angels had shown up. Yet when I looked outside, all I would see was a rat running across the yard. Some angel!
I persisted in wanting God to show Himself to me and to guide me. Whenever they sang a certain song in church, I used to sing it the loudest: “Lead me, guide me, along the way!” One day, as I was singing this song, I felt as if the Lord was saying to me, “Lead you along what way?” I realized then that if you don’t have a plan, God doesn’t have anything specific to direct you in.
Proverbs 16:1 says, “To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue.”
That’s a very powerful statement. God is saying, in effect, “I gave you the vision. Now you put the plan on paper, and I will work out the details.”
Proverbs 16:9 says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”
If you don’t have a plan, how can He direct you?
By Dr. Myles Munroe
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Where We Belong
The Book of Psalms begins with the word blessed, which is an apropos opening note in this scriptural symphony. One cannot walk away from the book without being blessed by the Lord in some form or fashion.
This first Psalm goes on to describe God's blessing as belonging to the man who doesn't mingle with the wicked but who frequently finds himself in "the Law of the Lord." Next, the Psalm paints one of the most powerful and poignant pictures in the entire Bible. It compares the man who reads the Scriptures with a tree that's planted on the banks of a free-flowing river:
He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. (Psalm 1:3 NKJV)
Just as a tree requires water in order to flourish and thrive, men and women need the Scriptures in order to enjoy fruitful and abundant lives. Trees were made to know water, and we were made to know God's Word. When either is deprived of their natural need, they fall way short of what they were intended to be and do. They whither and wilt, their branches become bare, they provide no shade for the weary, and have no fruit to offer others. But as they begin to drink their intended life-source, their roots become sturdy and secure. Their boughs and branches grow long and strong until...fruit!
The natural tree is truly a picture of the spiritual man. Our fruitfulness depends upon our being rooted in the Word.
Lord, help us in every possible way to be people who are permanently planted in your Scriptures, which is where we belong.
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?
By Pastor Bob Coy
This first Psalm goes on to describe God's blessing as belonging to the man who doesn't mingle with the wicked but who frequently finds himself in "the Law of the Lord." Next, the Psalm paints one of the most powerful and poignant pictures in the entire Bible. It compares the man who reads the Scriptures with a tree that's planted on the banks of a free-flowing river:
He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. (Psalm 1:3 NKJV)
Just as a tree requires water in order to flourish and thrive, men and women need the Scriptures in order to enjoy fruitful and abundant lives. Trees were made to know water, and we were made to know God's Word. When either is deprived of their natural need, they fall way short of what they were intended to be and do. They whither and wilt, their branches become bare, they provide no shade for the weary, and have no fruit to offer others. But as they begin to drink their intended life-source, their roots become sturdy and secure. Their boughs and branches grow long and strong until...fruit!
The natural tree is truly a picture of the spiritual man. Our fruitfulness depends upon our being rooted in the Word.
Lord, help us in every possible way to be people who are permanently planted in your Scriptures, which is where we belong.
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?
By Pastor Bob Coy
Monday, January 3, 2011
First Things First
I have often said of the Bible, "Sin will keep you from this book, and this book will keep you from sin." If you obey God's Word, it will keep you from sin. But sin will keep you from God's Word.
The devil will do everything in his power to keep you from reading and memorizing Scripture. As he did with Eve by first questioning God's Word, then distorting it, and finally adding to it, he will keep you from it as well.
In Ephesians 6, we are told as believers to take up the whole armor of God. But have you ever noticed there is only one weapon listed that is both defensive and offensive? God has given us the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. That is what Jesus used. And that is what we need to use. As the psalmist said, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11).
What shape is your sword in today? Is it polished from daily use and sharpened on the anvil of experience? Or is it rusty from lack of preparation or dulled by disobedience?
Take time for the Word of God. Make it a top priority to not only read the Bible, but to memorize it. It will prepare your heart for what you will face throughout the day.
Written by Greg Laurie
The devil will do everything in his power to keep you from reading and memorizing Scripture. As he did with Eve by first questioning God's Word, then distorting it, and finally adding to it, he will keep you from it as well.
In Ephesians 6, we are told as believers to take up the whole armor of God. But have you ever noticed there is only one weapon listed that is both defensive and offensive? God has given us the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. That is what Jesus used. And that is what we need to use. As the psalmist said, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11).
What shape is your sword in today? Is it polished from daily use and sharpened on the anvil of experience? Or is it rusty from lack of preparation or dulled by disobedience?
Take time for the Word of God. Make it a top priority to not only read the Bible, but to memorize it. It will prepare your heart for what you will face throughout the day.
Written by Greg Laurie
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