August 19th, 2010 by Jason Williams
I think many people make a fundamental mistake in the way they view their relationship with God. They view it in win/lose terms. They see it as a zero-sum game. They focus on what they have to give up and fail to realize how much more they get back. A relationship with God is the ultimate win/win relationship.
Let me go out on a theological limb; I don't think there is any such thing as sacrifice when you're a follower of Christ.
Sure, we are called to "deny ourselves" and "take up our cross." We're called to "lose our lives so that we can find them." And we certainly experience temporary loss. But I don't think anyone has ever sacrificed anything for God. Why? Because we always get back more than we give up. And if you get back more than you gave up, have you really sacrificed anything at all?
Categories: Weekly Devotionals |
June 4th, 2010 by Thom Ranier and Eric Geiger
Simple is in.
Complexity is out. Out of style at least.
Ironically people are hungry for simple because the world has become much more complex. The amount of information accessible to us is continually increasing. The ability to interact with the entire world is now possible. Technology is consistently advancing at a rapid pace.
The result is a complicated world with complex and busy lives. And, in the midst of complexity, people want to find simplicity. They long for it, seek it, pay for it, even dream of it. Simple is in. Simple works. People respond to simple.
The simple revolution has begun.
Categories: Weekly Devotionals |
May 19th, 2010
Population The population of Selah is close to 7,000 with over 20,000 more living in the surrounding areas still considered part of the Selah Community. In the last 10 years, Selah has experienced a population growth of 13%. Males make up 49% of the population which means females make up 51%. The median resident age is 34 years. Selah residents claim most often, German (20.9%), Irish (12.5%), and English (9.9%) decent. The average household size is 2.7 people. The percentage of family households is 74% and percentage of single households is 5.8%.
Categories: Weekly Devotionals |
April 29th, 2010 by Erwin Raphael McManus
Categories: Weekly Devotionals |
March 10th, 2010 by Max Lucado
What if, for one day, Jesus were to become you?
What if, for twenty-four hours, Jesus wakes up in your bed, walks in your shoes, lives in your house, assumes your schedule? Your boss becomes his boss, your mother becomes his mother, your pains become his pains? With one exception, nothing about your life changes. Your health doesn't change. Your circumstances don't change. Your schedule isn't altered. Your problems aren't solved. Only one change occurs.
What if, for one day and one night, Jesus lives your life with his heart? Your heart gets the day off, and your life is led by the heart of Christ. His priorities govern your actions. His passions drive your decisions. His love directs your behavior.
What would you be like? Would people notice a change? Your family - would they see something new?
Categories: Weekly Devotionals |
January 8th, 2010
Like me, maybe you’ve experienced some parched days in your relationship with God. Maybe you’ve known the sadness of falling in exhaustion and watching through weary eyes as your heart for something or someone begins to shrivel. Maybe you’ve had seasons when time with God was nonexistent and weekend worship was Black Sunday for sure – not because of where the pastor or the people were in their hearts but because of where you were in yours. Now hear this: times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord (see Acts 3:20).
You – yes, YOU – can have a fresh downpour of God’s grace and mercy on your life. Your hands can feel a surge of energy to labor for our King. The eyes that see these words can gaze in renewed wonder and awe on the God who loves you. The heart that beats within your chest this moment can pulse with renewed joy given by God in response to choices you make and actions you take. Honest! God is not reluctant; He is ready and willing.
Categories: Weekly Devotionals |
December 22nd, 2009
The Birth of Jesus
1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.
4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Categories: Weekly Devotionals |
November 6th, 2009 by Andy Stanley
If I were to ask you to describe how you picture your life in ten years, chances are you could paint a fairly clear picture. No doubt you could outline a financial profile. You could describe what you hope to achieve relationally. You have some idea of where you want to be professionally. In other words, you would be able to look beyond what is and paint a picture of what could be - and in some cases what should be - true of your life. That's vision.
A clear vision, along with the courage to follow through, dramatically increase your chances of coming to the end of your life, looking back with a deep abiding satisfaction, and thinking, I did it. I succeeded. I finished well. My life counted.
Without a clear vision, odds are you will come to the end of your life and wonder. Wonder what you could have done - what you should have done. And like so many, you may wonder if your life really mattered at all.
Categories: Weekly Devotionals |
September 11th, 2009
"There was once a man who owned a hundred sheep" He said. "And while he was tending his sheep, one of those wooly little critters wandered away. So the shepherd left the ninety-nine behind and went out and searched for the one that was lost. And he kept on searching until he finally found it. He tenderly picked up the sheep, put it around his shoulders, and carried it back to the flock. Then he called some of his shepherd friends and said, 'Let's have a party. I found my wandering sheep!""
Jesus paused for a moment. Everyone was still listening. "Then there was a woman who had ten coins," He continued. "She lost one of them. So she lit a lamp, swept the house, turned over all the furniture, and searched relentlessly until she found it. And when she did, this woman was so happy that she called her friends and asked them to celebrate with her."
Categories: Weekly Devotionals |
July 28th, 2009
Businessmen can provide sorely needed jobs. Wise educators can teach useful knowledge of the world. Self-help programs can offer effective methods of behavior modification. Advanced psychological techniques can aid self-understanding. And all of this is good. But can any of it truly transform the human heart?
I believe that only one power exists on this sorry planet that can do that. It's the power of the love of Jesus Christ, the love that conquers sin and wipes out shame and heals wounds and reconciles enemies and patches broken dreams and ultimately changes the world, one life at a time. And what grips my heart every day is the knowledge that the radical message of that transforming love has been given to the church.
Categories: Weekly Devotionals |
