Tuesday, August 9

Psalm 63

1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.

3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.

4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.

If you read this 10 minute of God you just read four verses. Really good. But now go back and pray those verses back to your Father in Heaven!

WHY?

Why consider and apply the Zaccheaus Principle?

I mean God is in charge of drawing people to Himself. Does he really need us?

My favorite story from the Old Testament that inspires me to “want to want” to share the Good News is found in II Kings 7:3-11:

3 Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.”

5 At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there, 6 for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!” 7 So they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives.

8 The men who had leprosy reached the edge of the camp, entered one of the tents and ate and drank. Then they took silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent and took some things from it and hid them also.

9 Then they said to each other, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace.”

10 So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them, “We went into the Aramean camp and no one was there—not a sound of anyone—only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents left just as they were.” 11 The gatekeepers shouted the news, and it was reported within the palace.

I’ve heard this passage preached on both while in college, while at FBCG from Pastor Kevin Engel, and this summer Grant Diamond used it during Summer Impact with fifth and sixth grades. And yet I am amazed how few have discovered such an inspiring text in the Old Testament with regards to SHARING one’s great JOY, abundance, and good fortune. The four lepers get it! When one is fortunate to discover amazing fortune the reaction is to shout it out to others.

I’d suggest that if you won the LOTTO you wouldn’t rush home and hide out in your crawl space with concerns that someone will discover you. You’d tweet, profile update, text, email, phone friends, and probably be invited to share on the local news. You’d be telling OTHERS! Your joy would be oozing out onto others. Crack open a bit TODAY and ooze the joy out onto another. This IS the day that the Lord has made…REJOICE and tell someone else!

Bruce McEvoy
Pastor of Family and Serving

Monday, August 8

Luke 19

1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

This week might I ask you to pause and reflect on where you have influence and then on WHO you have influence.

Yesterday I introduced a strategy for evangelism and outreach called the Zaccheaus Principle – Jesus took three steps as he entered Jericho and encountered Zaccheaus. He SAW him, SPOKE to him, and ACTED (had dinner with him).As we dig together into this Zacchaeus Principle, be thinking of those places and people who you can speak TO and DO things for in order to join God in seeking and saving the Lost.

There is always a real challenge when preaching on a passage that seems to fit into the "Top 10 Most Famous Bible Stories." Honestly if one is critiquing, I didn’t follow the pattern to the summer series. I didn’t answer the question “What Would Jesus Say to the Spiritually Curious" - rather I shared a strategy from the life of a spiritual curious story on how to join God in seeking and saving the lost.

Who is within your area of influence that has already climbed up the sycamore tree and you only have to simply LOOK UP and recognize the person? That is, who do you know that is trying get a better look at how to change the course of their life?

So right NOW…WRITE DOWN at least one name of a Zacchaeus in your life and make a commitment to SPEAK to that person this week with an attempt to direct the conversation toward Jesus.

I’m not asking you to distribute a tract or confront the person with a megaphone and threats of going to … well you know. I’m simply asking you to acknowledge the individual who has already showed signs that he/she is interested in the peace, joy, and abundant life you possess.

But that is not all. Write down one more name. A name of someone who probably has NOT climbed up the sycamore tree of your life, but one you are hoping will. Write that name down and this week faithfully pray that you’ll recognize a change in that person and a willingness to begin the discussion of WHO Jesus IS.

FINALLY, I’m becoming more and more addicted to modeling Faith at Home. If you have been inspired to do any of the above consider leading your family in the same exercise around the meal table or before bed tonight.

Bruce McEvoy
Pastor of Family and Serving

Friday, August 5

Psalm 1:1-2, 6

(1) Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. (2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. (6) For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”

When I was a young boy, my mother said to me, “Never go anywhere that you cannot take your mother with you.” Reflecting on Psalm 1, I have transferred those words spoken by mother long ago to this modern day axiom: “Never go anywhere with your feet or mind that you would not want to take Jesus with you.”

We are greatly tempted to let our feet or mind wander into the counsel of the wicked. Too often we pray for a crop failure after we have sown seeds of wickedness into the soil of our lives. We must purposely delight daily in the Word of the Lord!

Psalm 37:23-24 reminds us: (23) “If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; (24) though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.”

When you stumble in this life, call upon the Lord for forgiveness and seek the Lord to wrap His everlasting arms around you and hold you up. Faithfully seek Him every day with all your heart!

Prayer

O God, when I become anxious about my life and the world around me, draw me back into your sacred presence. May your peace which truly transcends all understanding guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. AMEN

Pastor Roger Crites

Thursday, August 4

1 John 4:7-12

(7) “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (8) Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (9) This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (10) This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

(11) Dear friends since God so love us, we also ought to love one another. (12) No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

A friend of mine put up a banner over a booth at a county fair that read, “Love is God.” I know that he was trying to get attention to foster conversations with people as they walked by his booth. However, unless we embrace and are obedient to the love that comes from God, there is no love in us. We only know the love of God when we place our trust in Jesus Christ, as the atoning sacrifice for our sin. Since God so loved us, God desires that we love one another. Colossians 3:13 reminds us that we are to: ”Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

The love of God alone binds us together in unity as the body of Christ. We are then able to demonstrate to the world around us in true love. We are to daily live the words of the chorus: “They will know we are Christians by our love.” What one word would the people who observe your life use to describe you?

Prayer

Thank you O God that you have poured out your love into my heart through your only Son, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I desire that the world around me can see a clear testimony of your love in my life by my words and acts of love today. AMEN

Pastor Roger Crites

Wednesday, August 3

Galatians 5:13-14

(13) “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. (14) The entire law is summed up in a single command: Love your neighbor as yourself.”

When we have confessed our sin in true repentance, we are set free from the penalty of sin. We are ushered into the presence of God with freedom to worship Him alone and serve him with all of our heart and life. What do you do with the freedom and time God has given you? Are your days filled with what makes you happy, or do you seek to be obedient to the purpose and plans God has designed for you? Happiness is overrated! We are to delight in the joy as God offers to fill our lives daily with His blessings.

He has blessed you to be a blessing to the people that He places on your path of life.

Each morning, commit to the Lord your willingness to be obedient through acts of love and kindness to those in your neighborhood, family and at your work. Keep a journal or record of how God is using you each day to bless someone else. In the words of William Carey, “Only one life and soon will pass. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Prayer

O God, regardless of how I feel, I choose to trust and rejoice in you. You alone are the one who will reveal your plan and purpose for my life. I will trust, day by day, in your faithfulness to me. Bless me to be a blessing today. AMEN

Pastor Roger Crites

Tuesday, August 2

Proverbs 3:5-6

(5) “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understandings; (6) in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

How do you know that you are truly trusting in someone? You only trust in the person that you know and value. How can we trust in God unless we invest time each day to get to know Him? We get to know God like we do the people in our life that we love. We must invest time in learning and knowing the character of the God of the Bible. We cannot trust in a God of our own perception. If we do, then God is limited by our finite human understanding. He is weakened by our human frailty. When we trust in the all powerful God as defined by Scripture, we are given hope that we can rise above our human limits and be delivered into the presence of the all knowing Sovereign God.

How much time have you invested in the presence of God this week? Do you dedicate time for reading His Word and meeting Him in Prayer? Do you delight in the Hope that He alone gives you?

Trusting in God is a daily, life long adventure. Enjoy the journey!

Prayer

Thank you, O God, that you are trustworthy above all others! Forgive me when I take my eyes off of you and focus on the momentary troubles of my life. I ask for your courage and strength to keep my eyes fixed on you, Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith. AMEN

Pastor Roger Crites

Monday, August 1

Jeremiah 29:11-13

(11) “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (12) Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. (13) You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Do you realize that God has plans and a purpose for your life? The plans and purpose are not one size fits all! Have you ever bought an item of clothing that was supposed to be “one size fits all” but it did not fit your all? You are created in God’s image and He breathed life into you! When we place our trust in Jesus Christ alone, seek forgiveness for our sins and are adopted into His family, the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts so that we can fulfill God’s purpose and plans for each one of us. They are unique for you!

You cannot realize the plans God has for you until you seek the Lord with all your heart. No half measures! No occasional visits with God. He wants all of you. I know a person who tells me that she attends church to say “Hi” to God. He is not blessed because we decide to occasionally visit him or slip Him our prayer requests. You will only find God when you seek Him with all your heart!

Prayer

O God, help me see in you the hope and healing that you alone offer to all who trust completely in you. I desire to see you as the one true, everlasting God who has mercy on those who seek you with all of their heart. Thank you that you accept me as I come to you, just as I am. Yet, you love me so much that you have more for me than I can imagine. Create within me a true vision of your holiness and your hope as I walk with you by faith. AMEN

Pastor Roger Crites