December 30

  Malachi 1

 

  What does 99.9% Quality mean?

  One hour of unsafe drinking water per month.

  Two unsafe landings at O'Hare each day

  15,000 lost pieces of mail per hour

  20,000 incorrect drug prescriptions each year

  500 incorrect surgical operations performed each week

  19,000 newborn babies dropped at birth by doctors each year

  22,000 checks deducted from wrong accounts each hour

  Your heart fails to beat 32,000 times each year

 

Years ago, the former secretary of HEW John Gardner said, "I am concerned with the fate of excellence in our society. If a society holds conflicting views about excellence or cannot rouse itself to the pursuit of excellence, the consequences will be felt in everything that society undertakes."

 

There is no area where the pursuit of excellence if more important than the spiritual. Malachi takes this issue head on with his accusation that the people of God where giving him second best. Try giving that blind sheep to the IRS as payment for your taxes. God says check the attitude. You come to church tired, not prepared for worship, with a consumer mindset, ready to take but not give. God says, "I see that you are just going through the motions." 

 

But God wants the best from us, not because he needs more sheep. Our attitude towards our best is the direct link to our soul satisfaction.  If you want a second hand experience with God, give him your leftovers.

 

As we prepare for a new year, give your best to Jesus; your best worship, your best attitude, your best service, your best love.

 

Malachi 1:11 tells us why this is a good choice, "My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations," says the Lord almighty.    

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, December 29

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”‭‭ (Proverbs‬ ‭31:8,9)

These words suggest that, as Christ-followers, we may take a positive stand on behalf of those whose voice might not be heard or those who, out of fear, may not speak up for themselves.  While we may certainly survey the world and find many peoples who fall into these categories, we also encounter folks in our daily lives who could use our support and advocacy.

Perhaps your career affords you the opportunity to take up the cause of the oppressed and struggling.  Great!  Please exercise those duties with care and love, following the Biblical principle of loving mercy and doing justice (Micah 6:8).

For many of us, however, we may not find direct avenues for standing up for the oppressed or voiceless.  We may have to be creative in our concern.  If you are in this situation, perhaps you could think through those individuals whom you know to have resistance from their supervisors; who face poverty of spirit; or who have genuine "felt" needs.  How could you love and support them?  What doors are open for demonstrating that love and support?

This love and support will involve some creativity and taking some risks to stand in the gap.  Following this Biblical mandate will allow us to "let our light shine" before others, so that they may also "glorify our Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16,17)

Happy New Year!  May we all seek Him passionately in 2017.

Lord God, thank You for standing with the oppressed, the fatherless, the widow, and all those who suffer and are in need.  Give us courage to intercede for the in prayer and in our actions.  Give us strength to offer our lives in service to You and to others.  We need You desperately to bring justice and mercy in this world.  We seek You today and each day, knowing that You alone are our hope and our strength.  In Jesus's Name, amen.

December 27

Zechariah 12

As we read through the prophesies of Zechariah we see many details of Christ's life that were written 500 years before they even came to pass.  One of the detailed Messianic references clearly fulfilled in Christ is found in verse 10.  "And I  will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication.  They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son."  The "spirit of grace and supplication" I believe he is referring to is the Holy Spirit which was poured out as described in Acts through Pentecost.  The same Spirit which Isaiah referred to in 44:3 as did Ezekiel in 39:39.  We also know from Isaiah 53 that the Messiah would be pierced, and see that fulfillment in John 19:34. In Revelation 1:7 we read that "every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him". I think God is trying to show us that eventually there will be an awakening.  Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus, Yeshua, is the Messiah.  All Scripture is God breathed (2 Timothy 3:16) and What was prophesied has come and will come again. In His Sovereignty, God has given us free will to make the choice whether we receive this truth now, or wait till the final chapter unfolds and see if things really play out the way it's written.  If you're reading this blog, you've already made your choice, and with that comes the responsibility of living our lives and sharing this truth as it is written.  Only God, by the power of His Spirit of grace and supplication, can open the eyes of the blind, we have to remember that, but it's up to us to plant seeds.  I pray for myself and everyone reading this blog that the people God puts in front of us today see Jesus and the truth behind Scripture in all of us not just by our knowledge of Scripture, but because we host the presence of the prophesied Messiah. 

Randi

Dec 23

Bible Reading for 2017

As we set our sights on a new year I want to challenge you to start your year out reading through the Bible. The motto for the new year is G3  Gather, Grow and Go.  Bible reading is absolutely essential for our growth as Christ followers.

Ignorance is on the march in our culture. It is advancing very quickly because truth is disappearing. As Americans we are having an enormous struggle agreeing on even the most basic values in life.

Yesterday I read a Barna report that said 67% of young people never read the Bible. Only 3% read it daily. And we wonder why so many lives are crashing and burning in our world. The truth is most young people know more about Taylor Swift than they know about God.

So would you prayerfully consider asking a young person to join you on the Bible Reading journey next year?  All you need to do is invite them. The worst they can say is, "no, thank you."  

We have One Year Bibles at church or you can just go to the internet to find the reading for the day (oneyearbibleonline.com). The One Year Bible site will even read the passages to you. We also have a daily blog entry for the reading of the day where you can receive daily encouragement from your church family (www.facebook.com/groups/brg.gracestamford/). 

I would like to thank our team of writers for the past year, Jon Lanuza, Carol Policastro, Randi Rivera, Louise Jaworski, Steve Edwards, Kenny Sullivan and Keesha Sullivan.

Here is a quote from Greg Hawkins and Cally Parkinson from their book "Move."  Their book is centered on the question, "What is the best way to lead people in spiritual growth?"  Here is their conclusion.

 

Nothing has a greater impact on spiritual growth than reflection on Scriptures.  If churches could do only one thing to help people at all levels of spiritual maturity grow in their relationship with Christ, their choice is clear.  They would inspire, encourage, and equip their people to read the Bible.

 

With the new year being just a few days away, would you prayerfully consider taking the Bible reading journey with us?  

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, December 22

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016

“Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.”

(‭‭Revelation‬ ‭13:11-17‬)

This text highlights the dangers of following the world's wonders.  These two beasts set themselves against God's purposes, but they deceived the inhabitants of the earth who had not given their lives into Christ's hands.  As a result, this deception leads to their dehumanization and ultimately their destruction.

The passage begs the question, "How may we avoid this type of deception?  Or, positively, how may we stand with God through times of temptation?"  These thoughts directed me to the accounts of Daniel and his three friends.  Despite their standing in the spotlight around Babylonian leadership, they disobeyed man's directives in order to honor God's.  Like Moses, these men illustrated the better choice of associating with Christ instead of choosing the pleasures of sin, taking instead the disgrace of Christ as superior to the treasures of Egypt.  Paul mentioned that he considered everything a "loss" for the sake of knowing Christ.

Why would Moses, Daniel and his friends, and Paul take such an attitude?  How could they stick with their decisions in light of the challenging circumstances that would come as a result?  Simply put, they saw the beauty of the reward (God Himself and knowing Him) and received strength from their protectors and guides (God Himself, through the Person of the Holy Spirit).  We will do well to follow their example and focus our thoughts and hearts in a similar direction.

How has God touched Your heart recently?  How could you commit yourself to hearing His voice more frequently this holiday season and in the coming year?  Would you like to know God more deeply?  Please consider continuing the journey of reading through the Scriptures in 2017 (or even getting started over the next 10 days).

Many blessings to you for a very Merry Christmas!

Lord God, thank You for providing godly examples of overcoming the world's threats.  Give us strength to choose standing with You over anything else.  We need a deeper revelation of Your Presence and love in our lives.  Prepare us for the wonder of Christmas and protect our time to honor and worship You.  We give You our lives and hearts today.  In Jesus's Name, amen.

December 21

Psalm 140

As I read through this Psalm I couldn't help but think how God will sometimes put us in a place where we learn to pray knowing that our only hope is in Him and there is no "Plan B".  Listen to David's plea "rescue me, protect me, keep me safe, God my Lord, the strength of my deliverance, you shield my head in the day of battle".  We don't know how or who God will put in our path to get us through our struggle, or perhaps He Himself will perform the miracle, but we do have countless Biblical accounts of God's hand rescuing, protecting and shielding His people.  We also have many accounts in our church and in our own lives of God moving miraculously in our lives.  Psalm 121:2 tells us that our help comes from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth.  So today, when we take our quiet time to pray, let's lift our eyes to the hills and pray because there is no "Plan B".

Randi

Thursday, December 15

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2016

 

MICAH 1:1–4:13

REVELATION 6:1–17

PSALM 134:1–3

PROVERBS 30:1–4

“Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?’” (Revelation 6:15–17)

The account from Revelation makes clear that only faith and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ provides the pathway to God’s eternal rest and joy in heaven. The judgments that befall the earth come equally to the rich and powerful and everyone else, as these verse below indicate.

Given its obsession with youth and self-indulgence, the world doesn’t provide much incentive to focus on the eternal. In fact, it seems that the world and its distractions even divert us from considering the relatively long-term of the next year or more.

In contrast, God definitely has communicated eternity into our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:10,11). How will we respond to this communication? Will we seek to know Him, the Eternal One? Or will we ignore the calling?

Early on in my walk with Christ, I had the great blessing of hearing several messages about living in light of eternity. One speaker used a room-wide clothesline, explaining that this line represented eternity. He then placed a strip of electrical tape on the clothesline, to mark the span of our lifetime. This illustration stuck with me and pointed out our opportunity to live for that much greater line.

Practically speaking, how may we offer our hearts and lives to eternal ends? Reading God’s Word gives us an excellent foundation for understanding God’s call to live in light of eternity. As Paul wrote in Philippians 1:21, “to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” In another place, Colossians 3:1–4, he described Christ as “our life.” The Word therefore highlights how the life of Christ, lived in us, prepares us for His purposes.

Character-building, which comes through submitting ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s guidance and direction, lies at the center of preparing for eternity too. We desire transformation, not just information. We need God’s reshaping of our hearts and redirection of our plans because our natural selves desire what is contrary to God’s heart. Our lives in Christ fit us for God’s eternal service.

I personally have benefited tremendously from studying the stories of great men and women of God, who followed Jesus’s example of living sacrificially. Missionaries like Jim Elliott and C. T. Studd are two of my favorites; they willingly submitted their lives to God’s plans and impacted millions through their testimony. The Apostle Paul provides a great Biblical example.

As we celebrate the Incarnation at Christmas, please remember the eternity behind that Incarnation. Let us seek Him wholeheartedly and find the joy of knowing and loving Him.

Lord God, thank You for sending the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You for showing us the all-importance of eternity. We give our hearts to Your eternal purposes and desire to live our lives to impact eternity. Give us opportunities to be a blessing to others at this Christmastime. Allow us to pour out Your love into their lives. We love You, honor You, and serve You today. In Jesus’s Name, amen.

December 13

Revelation 7

The book of Revelation is a difficult book to get through, I think. After all, reading about the end of life as we know it here on earth is not easy.  As I read through this chapter, I closed by eyes and visualized the scene.There are four angels holding back the winds of the earth so that another angel can put a seal on our foreheads so we will be recognized as children of God. That alone is hard to comprehend. Now I know Pastor Scott can give a much better explanation that I ever could about the significance of the number, so for now, just to grasp the impact of the scene, let's not get stuck there.  There will be a great multitude that no one could count, people from every nation, speaking different languages, praising and worshiping the Lord!!! (v9)   This is how we will spend the rest of our lives. I know everyone reading this blog is going through something, waiting on an answer, or even questioning the answer.  Our faith in knowing God's word is true is what will get us to the finish line.  As we spend the next two weeks reflecting on the birth of The Messiah, I think it's important to remember how the story ends: 

They are before the throne of God

    and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne
    will shelter them with his presence.
16 'Never again will they hunger;
    never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,
    nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne
    will be their shepherd;
'he will lead them to springs of living water. 

    'And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes  (15-17)

I feel so blessed to be part of a Church community that prayers together, and encourages each other. As we close our Bible reading for the year, I encourage everyone to join the Church reading next year, and invite a friend.  Someone you know needs to hear the Gospel.

Randi

December 9

Book of Joel

Do you have a hard time making decisions?  One of the longest decisions ever made was by a guy named Octavio Guillen of Mexico City. According to The Guinness Book of Records he became engaged to Adriana Martinez in 1902. He kept putting the wedding off for 67 years! When they were finally married in 1969 they were both 82 years old.  Now that is a guy who struggled with decision making.  

 

We are all decision makers. It is estimated that we make 70 decisions every day. Over a year this adds up to over 25,000 decisions. And over the course of a lifetime it adds up to millions. The decisions we make determine the lives we live and the people we become. So they're huge, and they just keep coming.

 

In our reading today in Joel the nation of Israel had been overrun by locusts. These locusts were a severe mercy sent from God to open their eyes to the decision they needed to make to return to him. The image is really striking in chapter three, "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision. For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision."  

 

God was forcing the nation to decide who they were going to follow. That is the ultimate decision in all of life. Who are you going to commit your life to? Are we committed to our agendas or God's agenda?

 

This decision of who is going to be "god" in our lives is the most important decision of the 70 we will make today. This Advent season we must all choose between "commotion" or "devotion." Advent calls us to nobler decisions than getting the presents wrapped and the tree decorated. The most important decision is to have wholehearted, unreserved, all-in, fully-committed, wholly-surrendered devotion to God. I know this is really countercultural, but it is the most important decision of the day.

 

So use this day of Advent to choose to draw closer to the Lord.

 

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, December 8

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 201

"Unless the Lord builds the house,

   the builders labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

   the guards stand watch in vain."  (Psalm 127:1)

"To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!  Amen." (Jude 24,25)

These two passages, juxtaposed in today's readings, spoke to me about the preeminence of God's intervention on our behalf.  From the private to the public, if we do not engage with God, we "labor," contend, and struggle in vain.

I wrestle constantly with self-sufficiency, wanting to figure out and tick off problems on my own.  God created me as a someone who loves to research solutions and implement them.  Yet, leveraging these God-placed passions can cause me to go awry, considering only "horizontal" solutions, edging into pride, or succumbing to worry or fear.  

I believe that the antidote to this challenge lies in giving each day and each task into the Lord's hands, dedicating them to Him and seeking His best for them.  George Mueller, who directed a series of orphanages and schools in 19th-century England, illustrated these committedness to God by trusting God for His resources.  He never requested funding for the projects, convinced that God would bring the funds and opportunities to bless others.  Two quotes from Mueller below indicate his trust in God's awesome provisions:

"The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.”

“Be assured, if you walk with Him and look to Him, and expect help from Him, He will never fail you.”

Along with Jude's instruction, we rest in God's strength for today and for eternity.  Today, God allows our faith to grow so that we may be better-prepared to bring honor and glory to Him forever.  What a great privilege to invest our lives today and always in His service.

Lord God, thank You for rescuing us from ourselves.  Thank You for pointing out our pride and self-sufficiency.  Thank You for reminding us of our smallness and Your awesome power.  Help us to trust You more deeply and to follow You today.  Bring us closer to You in this Advent season.  Give us opportunities to introduce others to Your Presence.  We love You and worship You today.  In Jesus's Name, amen.

December 7

Hosea 6

I'm really enjoying reading the book of Hosea.  I found out that the name comes from a Hebrew word meaning "salvation" and the book was written during the reign of Uzziah and Jeroboam II, when salvation was certainly needed.  So as I'm reading through this tragic love story, I'm noticing a parallel between the love Hosea has for his unfaithful wife and the love God has for His people.  The story shows God's constant and persistent love. Hosea had every reason to let his wife go, but instead he chose to pursue her and redeem her.  God could easily have wiped us out a long time ago, but because He so loved the world, He sent His one and only Son to redeem us. There's always a price for redemption. Whether it be15 shekels and one and a half omers of barley or the blood of an innocent lamb, a price must be paid.  In verses 1-3 in today's reading we see a "Prayer of Teshuvah" -  a prayer to turn back to God . I pray that as we go into a time of preparing our hearts to receive our King's birth, we remember with praise the price that was paid for our redemption.  I pray if we we've strayed in our hearts that we turn back to Adonai, Who will heal us, bind us up and bring us to a place where we will live in His presence.  Just as Hosea made a covenant with his wife, God has made a covenant with us, and He is faithful.


Randi

December 5: Obedience without Understanding, Usefulness despite Sinfulness

Hosea 1:1-3:5

1 John 5:1-21

Psalm 124:1-8

Proverbs 9:5-8

Today's OT reading - wow.  God asked Hosea to marry a "promiscuous woman" - an "adulterer".  And He didn't just order Hosea to marry her, to give himself in marriage to someone whom both he and God knew was conducting herself in a manner singularly unsuited to the commitment of marriage, He ordered him to have children with her.  He didn't just command Hosea to bear the burden of an adulterous wife, he commanded him to have children who would suffer that burden as well. 

Two things come to mind.  The first: the instinctive response - "God, are You kidding me?  You can't be serious."  Followed by the inevitable "what kind of a God would inflict this on me?"  Often this becomes justification to disobey God and seek sinful gratification apart from Him.  And yet we know from subsequent reading that God had His purposes, and we are left to choose whether or not to believe that because those purposes were His, they must be good - even if we don't understand them.  Not an easy thing to choose - moreso if one was in Hosea's situation.

The second thing that comes to mind is this: God's purposes and plans had use - even for the grievous sinner.  When I sin and the reality of my sinfulness hits me, it is difficult to believe God could forgive me, even harder to think He could love me.  But He goes beyond that - despite my sinfulness, He has use for me!  This is not to say He condones my sins, no - but He still has room for me to be engaged in the coming of His kingdom, despite my sins. I may be unworthy, but He makes me worthy.

Father today I ask you two things.  Grant me the humility to remember that Your ways are above my ways, and Your thoughts are above my thoughts, and remind me that my obedience is premised neither on my understanding nor my agreement.  And then when I do sin and hide myself in shame, remind me that Your love is so great You not only forgive, You never cease to love - and You still have use for me in Your kingdom.

December 2

The first sign of Christmas is in our passage today.  

1 John 3:5  But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.

The whole gospel is found in this verse. Jesus was sent from heaven on a mission. His mission was not to condemn the world but to save it. Jesus came to take away our sin. He was able to do this because there was no sin in him. His death on the cross and his resurrection provide the only way for sin to be removed from our lives. God the Father sent his only son on this mission because it was the only way he could preserve his justice and yet rescue mankind.

Verse 8 says… " He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work." 

Another reason for Christmas was to destroy something. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. And he accomplished that by triumphing over him at cross. So the encouragement to me today is my Savior has destroyed my enemy and given me the privilege to live a new life, a life free from the bondage to sin.

May the Lord open all of our eyes to see his beauty and his victory.

 

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, December 1, 2016

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016

 

DANIEL 8:1–27

1 JOHN 2:1–17

PSALM 120:1–7

PROVERBS 28:25,26

“But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:5,6)

In a Life Transformation Group, made up of five guys who meet monthly to share life and pray together, we are currently reading 7 Men by Eric Metaxas. The book features biographies of seven famous men and looks into what make them “great.” My colleague read the rear cover of the book and the rhetorical question found there: “What makes great men great?”

We talked about that subject a bit, and I offered that, based on this text, great men demonstrate self-sacrifice and humility. In the story of William Wilberforce, Metaxas indicates that the great English politician and abolitionist determine to live beyond himself, seeking a “Great Cause” to follow. Metaxas also points out that the seven great men in his book had trusted in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, placing their lives into His sovereign hands for guidance and direction.

Today’s passage from 1 John 2 argues that we must obey God’s Word and “walk as Jesus did.” In this manner, “God’s love is truly made complete in” us. We might be tempted to settle for a cheap alternative: a modicum of God’s presence on Sundays and tough weekdays, but little interaction with Him on other days. Yet, the Scriptures consistently highlight that God has intended that we become complete in Christ.

Our obedience to God’s commands (1) brings us into deeper fellowship and intimacy; (2) provides us freedom from the ravages of sin; and (3) prepares us for a deeper revelation of His love, character, and truth in our lives. God desires to pour His Spirit into clean, prepared vessels. By confessing our sin, He cleanses us and purifies us from all unrighteousness. We then commit to follow Him, trusting Him for His presence. We find our greatest joy and wholeness in becoming more like Christ.

This passage caused to reexamine some of my sinful attitudes this morning. In short, I find that, as the week wears on, fatigue causes me to become less vigilant and less focused on knowing God. The distractions of this world become more pronounced. I desperately need God’s presence and the strengthening of the Holy Spirit to retain the focus that will bring this deeper fellowship and intimacy, freedom, and a deeper revelation.

How can we help one another to walk as Jesus did? How have the Scriptures spoken to you recently about honoring God with your obedience? How may you turn your heart more completely over to Him? (I am asking myself these questions too so that I may see real growth and support you, my friends in Christ.)

‭‬‬‬

Lord God, thank You for sending the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You for the consistent teaching of Your Word and that You bring deeper intimacy, freedom, and revelation as we follow You. Overcome our weakness by the strength of Your Spirit. Cleanse our hearts of every manner of wickedness. Help us to hunger and thirst for You more than the sorry substitutes in the world. We love You and desperately need You. In Jesus’s Name, amen.