Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda - or Did Ya?

 “And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.” Matthew 4:21-22

What are you holding on to in this world?  Your job, your family, your finances, your material possessions (house, car, toys, etc.), your dreams, your addictions, and so on.  Are you following the Savior or following your own self-interests?  It's really hard to do both.

Imagine you are at the job, sitting in your office, a man walks by, looks at you, and says, "Follow Me".  You don't know him, you don't know where he's going, what his plans are, who he claims to be.  You're making $100k a year, with insurance, benefits, 4 weeks vacation each year, a family of 5 relying on your income daily - bills, school, food, gas, etc.  Does all of this cross your mind, or do you stand up and follow?  What does it mean to follow Christ?

Jesus walked the earth for 33 years (+/-), as stated by several historians and bible scholars.  Very little was known about his first 30 years, other than he was born in Bethlehem, escaped to Egypt, and was then raised in Nazareth.  We are told of his visit to the Temple in Jerusalem at the age of 12, but we aren't made aware of any other visits around the countryside of Israel during his upbringing.  His Earthly father-figure was Joseph, a carpenter from Nazareth, so we can only assume that he likely worked in his father's business.  How often was he ever seen around the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Bethany, Bethsaida, Cana, the Jordan River, or any other Israeli village at that time? No one knows for sure.  It's likely that as he grew and matured, he would not have been well known in other areas of the country, but perhaps in and around his village.  So, it's very likely that James and John had never met this man previously in their life.  He was very much a stranger to them.  It is also likely that they were patiently waiting for "the One", "the Messiah" to come and save them from the oppression under the Roman rulers at that time.  

Here we are in the 21st century.  We could certainly look at the powers of this world, governments, businesses, social media, financial institutions, oil companies, etc., and say we are all held subject to their control as well.  I can personally say that there are days when I long for Jesus to come back, to break these chains, and bring an end to the evil in this world.  I sympathize with where John, James, Andrew, Peter, Phillip, Nathaniel, and the other disciples were at that time.  

So, back to the question, would I be willing to walk away from everything, yes - everything, I have in this world and follow him if he asked me to?  The benefits in the big picture far outweigh any benefits I could find in this life.  I mean no offense to my wife, my parents, my children, my grandchildren, my family, and my friends, but Jesus' promise of eternal life with God, the Son, and the Saints is so unimaginable that there is nothing in this life worth more.  In that realm, there is no death, no pain, no evil, no bills, no fear, no worry, no sin.  We are at peace with the Father and in His presence always.  We long and want for nothing but to bring glory to Him.  

It's hard to comprehend all of this with our limited human brain capability, but the promise is unbelievable and amazing.  When it all comes down to it, though, I look around me, sitting here at my keyboard, and struggle with the answer to the question above.  We have been conditioned to be successful, wealthy, and in control of this life.  By accepting his proposal, we immediately give that up.  We are then bound to a faith and trust in Him for everything from that point forward.  This is scary for most of us and keeps us from truly living out his plans in our lives.  Serving God means sacrificing ourselves and giving it all to Him.  Our ego, our pride, our self-centeredness keep us from fully committing, and my gut tells me that most of us would not stand up and walk away from it all.  If you are one who will, then I pray you are protected from the enemy and his minions, for they are targeting you dearly.  

Stepping into full discipleship is not for the weak at heart, but the results on the other side will be tremendous.  Carefully pray about what is holding you back, and then determine if it is worth missing out on His plan in your life or not.  Be blessed, my friends.

Do You Trust God?

“May your unfailing love come to me, Lord, your salvation, according to your promise; then I can answer anyone who taunts me, for I trust in your word.”  
                                                                                                     – Psalm 119:41-42

 

They will always challenge your faith.  There will be no end to the ridicule and taunting, because you have demonstrated something others refuse to accept.  Live your life in full representation of the love instilled in you by God the Father.  I was 15 the first time someone actually told me that there was no God and I was foolish for believing in something I couldn’t see or touch.  This person’s premise was that he could not believe in something that wasn’t visible.  His impression was that Christianity was nothing more than a crutch for those who were weak, and struggling with their own independence.  He did not need anyone or anything else to make him feel good, it was completely his own wisdom and strength that would get him through this life.  I responded simply that he was right, I am weak and I can’t do it alone.  I pointed out to him that there is no way for me to experience eternal life without Christ Jesus death on the cross, and resurrection.  He challenged the existence of eternity as fodder.  There is no proof that eternity exists, this life is all there is and then we die; was his postulation.  To which I replied, then why are you here bothering me, if I’m going to die and you’re going to die and that’s it, why do you care how I live my life?  For that matter, why are we even alive? 

There is no real purpose for this life, why not end it now?  You see (I continued) if our lives mean nothing, than there is no hope for justice or reason for love or compassion or helping others.  Life has no value.  Your life, my life, the hungry child in Africa, the senile person in the nursing home – none of it matters.  In your position we are nothing but a waste of matter, breathing air and watching the clock tick/tock until we die.  The God I believe in has instilled in me a promise that there is more than this life.  There is more than what we see with our eyes and through a belief, faith and trust in His Son, we can experience that one day.  I have something to wake for each day, the ability to share His love with another in hopes that they will one day experience it as well.  When you wake up each morning, it’s just another day of breathing air.  I’ll keep believing in God, you can choose what you want to do tomorrow when you wake up.  With that he called me foolish and walked away.

God’s promises are our strength.  We trust that He will follow through, just as He has every time in the past.  Is there proof that Christ walked the earth?  No; there is no tomb, no pictures, no videos or DVD.  There are no eye witnesses that CNN can interview who can testify to His life.  There are countless promises from God the Father though, and every one of them are more credible than the trials and reports that have been published trying to prove His non-existence.  I trust in God’s promises for salvation, for grace and for eternal life.  Do you?

© Sondove Enterprises, 2019
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com

If you would like to be added to the email distribution please click here: Daily Thoughts

An Immeasurable Love

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It
“How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.”  – Psalm 139:17-18

It can be smaller than 1/16^th mm.  Look at the period of the last sentence, and realize that it is approximately 1/10^th mm in diameter.  It is visible to nearly every eye.  You can hold over a million of these in the palm of your hand, and yet it feels as if nothing were there at all.  As we know, atoms make up every particle on earth.  Yet, there are billions of atoms in one of these.

What is this thing I’m talking about?

Sand – a simple grain of sand.  Man has tried to manufacture synthetic sand for the masonry and construction industry, but realized the only way to create it was to artificially create erosion of rock and granite.  The sand industry in the world is nearly $100 billion / year.  Used for construction, reef, sandblasting, paint, motar, water containment, play-yards, etc. but, must originate from a God originated and created element.  Deserts, ocean floors, beaches, riverbeds, dunes, backyards, city parks, and so on.  Sand is everywhere in one form or another and it could be said covers the entire earth, from the origination recorded in Genesis 1:9-10; “Then God said, ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear’; and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good”.

Have you built a sand castle, or ever held sand in your hand?

If so, you are touching an original element from God the Father.  It’s not a building, a sidewalk, a road, a water bottle, a steering wheel, a door handle, a cellphone, a glass, a computer keyboard, or any other man-made device (most of which include sand).  But, rather it was created by God.  In a 3” diameter circle of sand, held in your hand there are over a million grains of sand.  Now, look at any beach and as far as you can see, there are an uncountable volume of sand grain.  Then think of the Sahara Desert, or the Mohave Desert, or even the Big Bear Sand dunes and try to fathom the amount of sand particles.  I think you get the picture.  The volume of sand on this earth is certainly immeasurable and beyond comprehension, yet, God the Father created all of it in a moment.

David compared his own thought’s of God to this vast unmeasurable number.  “How precious are Your thoughts to me, oh God.  How great is the sum of them (thoughts)…more than the grains of sand…”  Thoughts of God are with you at every moment.  You cannot put a finite number in that place.  Whether conscious or not, your soul is reaching to God at all times.  Your brain is constantly thinking and relating to God’s thoughts – morality, right/wrong, good/evil, loving others, helping others, and seeking connection to something bigger.  He created you, just as He created every grain of sand and has a purpose for each of you.  You alone are capable of fulfilling this purpose, and it is greater than anything else you have set as your goal and objective.  He is not limited by the extent of what you see as an obstacle.  He alone can create sand particles in the trillions of trillions, beyond measure, and at the same time create a purpose for you to influence this world.

Understand your importance to God.  You are valuable, you are treasured, you are at the right place and capable of what He has planned for you.  Step into it, and trust that the Creator knew exactly what He was doing when He created you.  Just like man cannot create sand equal to the original, those individuals you have surrounded yourself with cannot give you a purpose worthy of Him.  No, only He can do that.  Now is the time to take on the purpose He has set for you, through faith, trust and desire to serve Him alone.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2019
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
If you would like to be added to the email distribution please click here: Daily Thoughts  

Back in the Mitten

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It
“Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. Luke 4:24

Going home is such an awesome feeling for most people, especially for those of us that live a considerable distance away.  People say that absence makes a heart grow fonder, and I for one can attest to the truth of that statement.  My family is from Michigan, but in 1992 I left to chase dreams and success elsewhere.  First in Florida, than Massachusetts, and for the last 22 years in Texas.  I’ve raised my children in Texas (3 were born here), which officially makes me a Texan by assimilation, rather than native. 

I will always bleed blue though.  My home will always be Michigan, and every time I return it’s sweet to reminisce on days gone by. My little home town has changed, but not changed dramatically since I was a child, riding my bicycle on these streets.  Flying into Detroit, my instincts take over and the habit of driving home kicks in.  I don’t even think about where to turn or where the police might sit (yep, they still sit in the same spots), but rather the car seems to know the way.

I love the opportunity to visit with my friends and family, many of you reading this blog, and I can’t help but think of our Lord and His return to Nazareth.  He grew up there, ran the streets, played with the other Jewish boys, studied the art of carpentry, maybe even flirted with cute girls down the street, and chased puppies around the village.  When He began his ministry though, Nazareth became a memory.  For the next three years, He wandered from city to city and village to village, preaching, performing miracles, and sharing the love of the Father.  We hear of Him visiting Capernaum, Bethany, Canon, Jerusalem, Jericho, Bethlehem, Mount of Olives, Sea of Galilee, and Golan Heights, but never again of Nazareth.

He was able to separate His emotions and childhood memories from His purpose in this life.  Was He sad, when He thought of His mother, His brothers, His father?  Did they remain in Nazareth?  We don’t know a great amount of details on any of that from scripture, but Christ was 100% Man and 100% God at the same time.  I have to imagine He had to have moments of human emotion.  His purpose though took priority, and He went about the Father’s business.  We ought be doing the same. 

Our connections with friends and family provide joy in our lives.  We rely on the love and cherish the memories, and look forward to the future together.  But, we have a purpose from God above, which may or may not have anything to do with them.  Don’t let this world get in the way of serving God to your fullest.  Always keep in mind that it is Him we live for and His eternity we are pursuing.  It’s so good to be back in the mitten (Michigan) and with my friends and family again.  Now I ask myself what the Lord will have me do while I’m here.
 
© Sondove Enterprises, 2019
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com

Hitchhiking is Allowed

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It
“Blessed are those whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.”  – Psalm 84:5

It’s unbelievable the amount of information that is available to each of us through the internet and media today.  The problem is that when we are gathering information we aren’t always sure where it will lead us.  The web is a wonderful tool for doing research and gathering data to improve one’s knowledge on a subject or to hear/interpret others opinions on a given matter.  It’s important though to realize that not everything you read or hear is true, nor does it all have your best intentions in mind when the data is posted.

Many of us today have a GPS in built into the smart phones that we carry, and SIRI will politely provide you directions to whatever place you might want to travel.  Certainly, there is the opportunity to print maps from the internet before you leave on a journey to somewhere unfamiliar.  We can look on any one of the wonderful “maps” web-sites and within minutes have directions to our destination including fastest route, least busy route and the route with the most hotels along the way.  Regardless of the choice we make, the destination is known before we ever get behind the wheel of the vehicle.

So it is with your life.  There is a destination, as sad as it is to consider, we will all draw our last breath one day.  That is the destination for the life you are living regardless if you have an eternal plan or not, whether you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior or not.  We are each going to reach the end of life on this planet, and between the point you are today and that ending state you have to fill in the map and the highways/byways of your journey to get there.

God has a plan and purpose for your life.  You have to choose to listen and follow.  Don’t buy into the fact that you are too old or beyond your ability to serve Him.  Abraham was 99 years old when God revealed His covenant and purpose for him.  David was but a boy, a mere teen aged shepherd when Samuel came and ordained him as the future King of Israel.  Moses lived in wealth and prosperity before his actions pushed him into a life as a herder in the mountains where God spoke His purpose to Moses.  John, the disciple of Jesus Christ, was 98 years old and living on an island of prisoners when he wrote the book of Revelations (at the inspiration of Christ Himself).  Paul was well into his middle age when he met Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus.  A small boy brought forth two fish and 5 loaves for the Messiah to perform a miracle and feed thousands.  What makes you so special that God no longer has use for you?  You see, it is not whether God wants to use you, in that you can be sure.  The real question is do you want to serve?  Are you finally at the point in your life when enough is enough and you are ready to walk God’s highway to Zion.  He has placed His Holy Spirit within you, waiting on your decision.  He’s already made up His mind.  Succumb to His request and allow His plan to be revealed to you.  He will be your strength and courage at each and every step along the way.


Prayer:,
God Almighty,
You have given us but one life to live in Your name.  One beginning and one end.  Help us to lay out that map in between to serve You completely.  Help us to see Your plan for our life, so that we might walk along the road with You rather than against You.  We live to serve You and humble ourselves in unworthiness to be chosen by You.  In Your name we pray – Amen

 
 
 
© Sondove Enterprises, 2019
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
If you would like to be added to the email distribution please click here: Daily Thoughts

A Solid Investment

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It


“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.”  – Matthew 4:4
 
What is more important than God?
 

We have created a comfortable life in which God often times is pushed to the backburner in many of our daily interactions.  Think about your daily habits, it might look something like this. 
Every morning you wake up and you start with habitual actions. 

• Go to the bathroomBrush your teethBet a cup of coffeePerhaps have your first cigarette of the dayLet the dog outPull out your smartphone to see who sent you messages or what they posted in Facebook or Twitter or Instagram since you last checked at midnight when you went to bedCheck your email to see if your boss sent you anything criticalCheck your daytimer / calendar to see the meetings ahead of youShower, shave, get dressed for the dayTake the same route to the same office for another day of work
• 
  This is typical of a very large percentage of the population, regardless of where you are at.  We don’t think about whether we should brush our teeth, or go to the bathroom, or let the dog out, we just do it.  These things have become second nature in life, almost like breathing or blinking.  We are creatures of habit and are comforted by repetition in life.
  
  Scientists have said that repetition of an act for 2 weeks straight will create the beginnings of a habit.  Continuing that act for an additional 2 weeks and the habit is engrained in the human psyche.  If you are looking to deepen your relationship with Christ, creating a habit of reading and studying His word will help you in this area.
  
  Think about your strongest relationship, your spouse, your parents, your children.  You know so much about them because you have engaged with them and learned from and about them over years.  Yet, many of you believe you can go to a church building once a week and have a deep relationship with the Creator of the world.  In all honesty, your relationship with Christ should be the strongest relationship you have.  Stronger than your spouse, parents or children relationships.
  
  This relationship has eternal implications, as well as joy, comfort, peace and fulfillment here on this earth.  Every other relationship you have is terminal and will end at some given point.  Investing in a relationship with God the Father should be your focus every single day, and soon enough, you won’t even have to remind yourself to do it, it will just happen.

 
 
 
© Sondove Enterprises, 2019
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
If you would like to be added to the email distribution please click here: Daily Thoughts 

Here I am to Worship

Read it, Learn It, Live It, Share It



“And so dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you give your bodies to God, give your whole life to God because of all He has done for you.  Let them be a living and holy sacrifice, the kind that He will find acceptable.  This is truly the way to worship Him.“ – Romans 12:1

So many people today are seeking purpose, the most common question on the minds of our youth is “Why am I here?”  The reality of man’s purpose on this spinning orb in the Milky Way galaxy has caused many to stop living life aimlessly and become invigorated to pursue life with a passion.  Have you ever taken the time to ponder the possibilities in life beyond the next corner?  Or, are you like most of us and just trying to make it through one more day?

Face it, busyness has enveloped our daily lives and as so often happens, our focus becomes centered around our worries, our concerns and our problems rather than on the One who should be receiving more of our time, not less.  Jesus did not look at Peter and John and say, “Hey, if you’re not too busy, do you want to follow me?”  What did he say in Matthew 4:19 or to Matthew in Matthew 9:9?  “Come, Follow Me.”  It wasn’t a question, it wasn’t a suggestion, it was a command.  They did.

Why are you any different?

Come on, this was Peter, John and Matthew.  They were the original disciples and Jesus was standing in their midst.  Of course they followed Him.  They gave everything they had to follow Him though.  Everything.  This is the 21^st century, times have changed, life’s not as simple, there are bills to pay, kids need to go to school and so on and so on, right?  Have we chosen that our own life dreams, goals and ambitions are more important than following His call?  I look at my life and realize just that. 

We are called to follow Him and this will not be reduced to a second priority.  The choice we have to make comes down to our desire to pursue our worldly success in life or to pursue His eternal plan.  We must get past the acceptance that it is okay to “dabble” in following Christ.  It’s all in or it’s not.  We look for our purpose in life as if it is going to make us feel complete.  Worshipping God the Father is our purpose in life.  Lifting praise and worship to Him draws us closer to realizing why we are here.  At some point today, we all need to stop and find a quiet moment to simply tell God how much we love Him and worship Him in whatever way you can.





© Sondove Enterprises, 2019
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
If you would like to be added to the email distribution please click here: Daily Thoughts

Whom Do You Call On?

“Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.   Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.   The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”   He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.”  – Matthew 8:23-25

 

If you’re reading this it is most likely that you have an understanding of who Jesus Christ is.  But, on the chance that you do not, indulge me a minute to share with you.  Jesus Christ was born to a virgin, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit within Mary.  He lived as the son of a Jewish carpenter, Joseph, in the city of Nazareth, in Galilee.  At the age of 30 (or so) this man Jesus of Nazareth went into the temple and declared that an ancient prophesy (Isaiah 57) was fulfilled in him.  This prophecy in Isaiah claimed “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”  In doing so, he declared to be of God.  Jesus spent the next 3 years of his life traveling across Israel, preaching, teaching, performing miracles including raising people from the dead, and challenging the Jewish authority of that time, as hypocrites.  Jesus lived a life that was free from sin, filled with righteousness and the spirit of the Lord. 

At the age of 33 Jesus was condemned to death by crucifixion, for his actions had offended the religious leaders of the day and posed a challenge to their control.  Jesus Christ died on a hill outside of Jerusalem, hanging on a cross.  His body was taken from the cross and buried in a tomb, and watched night and day by Roman guards.  On the third day, after his death and burial, Jesus rose from the grave, resurrected in the spirit to the amazement of His followers and the Jewish leaders.  Jesus then appeared to many in the days that followed, before He ascended to be seated at the right hand of God in the heavens, where He will one day judge the righteous and the unrighteous to determine their eternal resting place – Heaven with God the Father, or Hell, eternally separated from God the Father.  As prophesied in Revelations, Jesus will return one day to take His church home to be with God.  As a Christian, we look to the skies and wait for that day to come.

Now.  Many of you know these details.  You believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, because you have read the scriptures, and trust that what it tells you is the truth.  Some of you have seen Him (in a vision), felt His touch of healing, or heard His voice calling on you, but that is the minority.  Most of you reading this rely on your faith that He is who He says He is – Jesus Christ, the Son of the Most High God, your Savior and Lord.  Strong is the faith required to stand for something that is not evidenced in our physical world.  It is this faith that you all must hold onto, for the battle is just beginning and an unwavering faith will be required.

If you, like me, have a faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and our salvation; then why do we lack faith to call upon God for bigger things, more of His presence, and a deeper understanding?  We are barely scratching the surface of the bountiful love and abundance the Lord has in store for us.  Not to minimize your faith, but my friend, God is so much bigger and His blessings for you are so much greater than you are experiencing.  Do not limit His involvement in your life, but allow Him to fully engage in your life and fulfill His purpose through you.  Do not hold back, do not self-impose limitations on what God can do in your life, for He is omnipotent and every present with you. 

We read above in Matthew that Christ calmed the winds, then looked to the disciples – “You of little faith…”  I, for one, want a deeper faith in God’s almighty power.  I want a faith, where nothing can shake it, and I can stand in confidence before any trial or tribulation, knowing that my God is bigger.  I am weak, because I rely too much on myself, and those around me; and less on my Creator.  My resolution for 2019 is to deepen my faith in Him, beyond a salvation faith, but a faith for all things in my life.   



Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
You have promised in your word to pour out your blessing upon those who hear your voice.  I claim that my God, for I hear your voice in the quiet whisper of the morning wind, the crackling of the fire in the evening.  I hear your voice in the depths of my mind and soul and I know you are calling me to greater things.  I have faith Lord that you, who have called me, will see me through that calling.  In you alone will I trust for my daily walk.
– Amen



© Sondove Enterprises, 2019
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
If you would like to be added to the email distribution please click here: Daily Thoughts

37 Days – Take A Step: Say “Yes”

Pastor Randy’s devotional:

The Lord gave me this message: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Jeremiah 1:5-9

The gifts and callings of God are under full warranty. He will never remove your call from you. Romans 11:29

January 18^th Prayer:

Heavenly Father, You have known me before I was ever born. You know why You created me and what You’ve called me to do—and who You’ve called me to be. I surrender. I want to please You and obey You. Please fulfill Your purpose for my life in my lifetime. Don’t let me die without succeeding at the call on my life. I say “yes” to Your calling . . . Your assignments on my life . . . in Jesus’ name!

My thoughts:

I’m not capable of doing what the Lord wants me to do.  I’m too young, I don’t have enough time, I can’t speak in front of people, I don’t know enough, I can’t answer questions, . . .  Have you disqualified yourself from serving the Lord?  Yeah, me too.  The good thing is God never disqualifies you, and He is extremely patient with us as we try to convince ourselves that He can use us.  If we accept the fact that God actually knew us before we were born, we would realize that He knows us better than we know ourselves.  With this principle we must learn to accept that He will call us into what He knows we are capable of, not necessarily what we are comfortable with.

At conception God created you with a purpose to serve His kingdom.  He formed you in your mother’s womb, spent 40 weeks with you one on one.  You know His voice because it was the first one you heard.  When He calls upon you to do something, why would He not be there to help you do it?  Think about it, God has given you specific gifts and talents in order to serve Him.  You are designed to do it, you have the ability to do it, you are capable.  You may not recognize it or feel comfortable with it, because you have convinced yourself that you aren’t capable; but God says you are.

Be Blessed,

Rich

Join us on Facebook @ 10 Minute Reader Daily Thoughts or on Twitter @Sondove
If you would like to be added to the email distribution, please send an email here.

37 Days – Grace to Transition

Pastor Randy’s devotional:

The end of something is better than its beginning. It is better to be patient than arrogant. Don’t be quick to get angry, because anger is typical of fools. Don’t ask, “Why were things better in the old days than they are now?” It isn’t wisdom that leads you to ask this! - Ecclesiastes 7:8-10

January 13^th Prayer:

Transition is a part of life and part of God’s plan. Seasons of life start, and they end. We leave one season of life to enter another. David went from shepherd to king. Gideon went from cowardly farmer to a warrior of great valor. Joshua went from Moses’ assistant to the leader and commander of Israel. And it was scary for him to make this transition. Your role, responsibilities, and authority will grow and change. Change will always involve tension and stretching. Receive grace to change well this year. And give grace to others as they reach for new heights in God.

Heavenly Father, thank You that You never change. You are my anchor—the one constant in my life that I can always count on. And yet, you call us to change. You call us from childhood to adulthood. You call us from following to leading. You call us to be transformed into the image of Christ. You call us to change. Help me embrace the changes necessary this year. Help me give grace to others as they grow and change. Help me to see myself in the new authority and capacity that You’ve assigned in this new season . . . in Jesus’ name!

My thoughts:

Have you ever heard the phrase, “God won’t give you more than you can handle” ?  It’s an encouraging statement, meant to help someone deal with difficult circumstances that often time we would rather walk away from.  But, the more I learn about God, the more I’ve come to realize that I don’t think that’s necessarily true.  The reality is God knows your potential, and knows that you are living well short of it.  He will give you more than you “perceive” you can handle, but with His wisdom to realize that you can grow into it.

Above Pastor Randy gives several great examples of men who were called by God to do something much greater than their perceived ability.  Like them, you are called by God for a much larger purpose than you are currently living in.  If you feel unable to expand your purpose and contribution to His Kingdom, you are leaning on your own understanding and not the strength and power of the Lord.  For in our Father we have the premier ruler and authority of all things on earth and in all of time and space.  If indeed you seek a deeper purpose, a deeper desire to live for God, you are the only thing standing in the way.

You see, we are the biggest obstacle to serving God completely.  We set boundaries because of our limited knowledge, experiences and perception of the world around us.  Some say that we are only using 10% of our cognitive capacity, and that through constant learning and stretching of our life experiences we are capable of expanding this capacity.  So with this limited wisdom, we have decided that we are incapable of serving God in a larger manner.  Not the case.  The reality is that you and I have much more capability and capacity to serve God, but it will require a closer relationship with the Father in order to truly understand what it is He wants us to do.  Secondly, through this closer relationship with the Father we are expanding our wisdom and our perspective to a more Christ like perspective, which then enables us to discover the ability He knows is already there. 

You and I are His children.  Just like you know the potential of your children to do bigger things then they believe they can do, so does your Father know you have much more potential.  Join me in expanding our vision, our abilities and our faith in trusting the larger things God has in store for us.

Be Blessed,

Rich

Join us on Facebook @ 10 Minute Reader Daily Thoughts or on Twitter @Sondove
If you would like to be added to the email distribution, please send an email here.

37 Days – He Will Do It

Those of you familiar with my writings in the past, I start out each year with the 37 Days of Prayer.  This program comes from Pastor Randy Harvey, of The Crossing Church in the Woodlands, Texas.  Each year Pastor Randy starts us off with 37 Days (10% of the year) in fasting, quiet time and focused prayer.  For the next 34 Days I will be posting his devotional and my journal entries and I encourage all of you to follow suit.  Read through Pastor Randy’s devotional and then capture your thoughts in a journal, on a notepad or on your digital device.  This will help center your mind, thoughts and heart for the year ahead.  You can also follow along (or jump ahead if you’d like by going directly to https://www.thecrossing.cc/37-days ). I hope you will find this invigorating and challenging to help strengthen your walk with Jesus Christ in 2018.



This weeks devotion from Pastor Randy:

Our Inheritance Awaits

Joshua and Caleb, members of the scouting party, ripped their clothes and addressed the assembled people of Israel: “The land we walked through and scouted out is a very good land—very good indeed. If God is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land that flows, as they say, with milk and honey. And he’ll give it to us. Just don’t rebel against God! And don’t be afraid of those people. Why, we’ll have them for lunch! They have no protection and God is on our side. Don’t be afraid of them!” Numbers 14:12

We also stand at the shores of our inheritance from the Lord—2018, the coming year with all its potential and possibilities. God’s promises await us. His provision is right here in front of us. It’s ours for the taking. However, He left giants on the land of inheritance to assure that only a people of faith in Him would possess it. As surely as you and I move toward the promises of God this year, giants will rise to attempt to keep us from our inheritance. Fear will surely leap in our hearts momentarily and voices—convincing voices—will speak to discourage us from believing our God.

Be strong and very courageous! The God who promised is faithful! He will give us the land and release His inheritance to us.

Israel never fully took all the land originally provided by the Lord. We too have outstanding promises we have not received. Let’s go get our inheritance! A promise remains and it’s ours for the taking.

“Let’s go up and take the land—now.”
“We can do it!”

This week, we will stir our courage and faith in God’s promises as we pray His Word over ourselves and our inheritance in 2018!

January 3^rd Prayer

“Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.”  - Psalm 37:4-5

Father God, I delight myself in You today! I find my joy, hope, encouragement, and faith in You. Today, I release the desires of my heart and ask You to give me Your desires. You are gracious to give me Your desires so that my prayer and focus is in sync with You. And, thank You! The burden is not on me to accomplish all the things You have placed in my heart. Your Word says You will do it. I believe that You will do it . . . in Jesus’ name!

My thoughts:

We’ve all been there a time or two.  That place where the challenge ahead seems daunting and impossible to overcome.  Where there is no visible solution to our problem, and every step we take seems to push us farther away from our objective or create additional complexities that prevent us from tasting the sweetness of victory.  It’s funny, those of us who claim to believe in the all powerful Creator of the Universe, Lord of Lords and King of Kings, look to our own knowledge to try and solve life’s challenges.  We are willing to accept, by faith and hope, that He will save our souls, but not willing to accept that He actually will help us achieve success and accomplish the desires of our heart.

Perhaps it’s because many times the desires of our heart are not aligned with His desires for your life, and therefore we realize that we are on our own in those situations.  If we reach out to Him in thoughtful prayer and humility, seeking the desires He has for our life, He promises to give them to us and to help us accomplish them.  Do you truly believe that your plan for your life is greater than His?  You believe that in your limited wisdom from your life experiences, you can plot out a better path than the Omnipotent, Omniscient Creator of the Universe?

Seek His wisdom, His counsel and His desires and He will give you the purpose and plan that is best designed for you.  Then trust that He loves you, and will accomplish great things through you.

Be Blessed,

Rich

Join us on Facebook @ 10 Minute Reader Daily Thoughts or on Twitter @Sondove
If you would like to be added to the email distribution, please send an email here.

Small Changes

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
                                                                – Matthew 28:18-20

 

Don’t over think it.  Many of us are all looking for some great cause to change the world, and make a difference in the lives of millions.  The reality is that we have a great influence right where we are that we overlook every day.  Perhaps we should become great at the small things, before we become good at the large.

Reflect for a moment on the disciples in the New Testament.
  Fishermen – Peter, Andrew, John (son of Zebedee), James (son of Zebedee)
  Tax Collector – Matthew (also called Levi)
  Other Disciples - Thomas, Philip, Judas (of Iscariot), Bartholomew (also called Nathanael), 
        Thaddaeus (also called Jude), Simon and James (son of Alphaeus)

Each of these men were called from very humble, simple lives.  None are documented as being from high positions in society or notoriety at that time.  What each of them have though is a personal calling from the Lord Jesus Christ on their lives.  Each, gave up their life and followed Him.  Were they strangers prior to their meeting with Christ, or had they seen Him walking the hillside and villages near the Sea of Galilee prior to Him calling them?  We don’t really know the answer, but we gather from scripture that when called, they obeyed, without knowing exactly where they were going or what they would be doing.

For nearly three years they followed Jesus through the countryside, around the Sea of Galilee and along the river Jordan.  They ate with Him, walked with Him, conversed and prayed with Him.  They saw Him perform miracles and heal people.  There were times when they tried to protect Him and guide Him, because they thought they knew what was best for Him.  They developed a relationship is what they did, and they did this through interaction and engagement with Him. 

Fast forward 2000 years, and here we are.  Are we so different than those original disciples, called by Jesus to “Follow Me”.  We want to follow Christ, we want to be more engaged with Him and know Him.  We see the good that He brings, we understand His history and teachings to the best of our knowledge.  We are not scholars, but humble men and women in search of a Savior from the depravity and perverse nature of this world.  We have the opportunity to build a relationship with the Son of God, the Holy One, the King of Kings and the Messiah; but are we fully committed to that relationship?

We see the difference that these men made in the world by spreading the gospel and truth following His death and resurrection.  We want to be as impactful, but is that really what is being asked of us.  Matthew 28:19 tells us to go to all the nations and make disciples, teaching them the ways of Jesus.  I propose that this great commission is the calling on all of our lives, if indeed we have given our life to Jesus.  Having said this though, we first need to have a deep relationship with Him so we can fulfil this command. 

This relationship is formed only through daily interactions, engagement and dialogue with God the Father.  Just as with everything that you are passionate about though, you must prepare, you must learn, you must start small and expand your horizons.  You didn’t get to where you are in this life immediately, but rather through pains, struggles and years of learning and growth.  So it is with serving the Lord.  You can start serving in your own home: prayers at the dinner table, praying with your kids, reading the scriptures together with your spouse and children, loving others like Christ loves you and helping your neighbors.  These small steps allow you to see Christ’s work in and around your life, just like the disciples did.  Then, you are ready to expand your territories and influence others around you.

Just like ripples, when a pebble drops into a lake, the concentric circles get bigger and bigger over time.  Your faith is strengthening each and every day you spend with the Lord, so don’t be impatient in serving Him.  Keep in mind, God doesn’t where a watch, and doesn’t think in minutes and hours, but in eternity.  The key is to start doing something though. 

Be Blessed,

Rich

 

Join us on Facebook @ 10 Minute Reader Daily Thoughts or on Twitter @Sondove

Judas in the 21st Century

Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.  Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”   – Matthew 26:48-49

The traitor, the betrayer and the evil one sitting at the table next to Jesus at the Last Supper.  We observe thousands of years later and still look upon him with disdain and accusation for what he did to our Savior Jesus Christ.  What was behind his motivation and decision to betray the Son of God?  Within the scriptures it clearly states in several passages that Satan had entered into Judas (of Iscariot), and therefore provides the real motivation behind his actions.  Judas had displayed worldly views throughout the writings of the Disciples.  Greed, selfishness, stealing, covetness and murder; just to name a few.  All of these are sins of this world, which led to Judas being prey to Satan’s control.

Jesus called Judas as a disciple though.  Because He was all God and all man, He must have known from the time of this calling that Judas would serve a purpose later in His life.  I propose that Judas, like many Jewish people at that time, was waiting for a King to come and save them from the persecution and oppression under Roman control at that time.  When Jesus came upon him and asked him to follow, his mind must have immediately jumped to the conclusion.  “This is it, this is the time we have been waiting for.  Our freedom is at hand after all of these years.” 

He acted as their treasurer, and condemned Mary’s use of expensive perfume to wash Jesus feet, and said “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” (John 12:5)  His interests were in material things, not things of the kingdom of God.  Based on his worldly view, I propose that Judas was looking for his self interest in being part of an overthrow of the Roman authority, and was excited to go along.  At some point over the few years he walked with Jesus though, he came to realize that Jesus intentions were not an overthrow of this world’s authority and he took things into his own hands (or shall I say Satan took control).  He negotiated a price for the head of Jesus Christ, with an intention of bringing the whole thing to an end.  Satan used Judas to exercise his will in this world and to murder Jesus once and for all.  For thirty pieces of silver, and with a kiss, Judas betrayed the Son of God.  Satan’s work had been done, Judas was no longer needed.  Regret sets in when Judas realizes what he has done.  He gives back the thirty pieces of silver, and hangs himself. 

Judas was called by the Son of God to follow Him.  He had every opportunity possible to live a life serving God and helping others come to know Jesus Christ.  But, he wanted the immediate satisfaction, the power himself, the fame and fortune that this world can bring.  I then have to ask the hard question: How different are we?

We are given every opportunity to live a life for and to serve the almighty God, but we let our lives, our desires, our greed, selfishness and lusts get in the way.  These sins of Judas, are they greater than our sins?  Does not every sin take us farther from Christ, who is sinless and perfect, and bring us closer to a worldly view?  Is Satan no longer alive in this realm and capable of turning a man’s heart away from God and towards the world?  Was Judas just a weak man, unable to resist the temptations, and we are so much stronger today that temptations of this world are of no concern? 

Perhaps, we are much more like Judas than we are like Jesus.  That should concern each and every one of you reading this today.  For you see, every sin, every temptation, every desire that draws you away from Christ, draws you closer to Satan.  Judas had a purpose in God’s plan of salvation for mankind.  He was to betray the Son of God, to set in motion the crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior.  This was done once, so that our sins could be forgiven by His grace.  But, make no mistake about it, sin is still sin, and is still of the world and therefor of the devil.  Flee from it, resist temptation and turn toward the Lord, for we do not need another Judas.

Be Blessed,

Rich

Join us on Facebook @ 10 Minute Reader Daily Thoughts or on Twitter @Sondove

If Not Now, When?

Why don’t we trust God?  Why do we allow fear and worry to overtake our faith?  I propose to you that we don’t have a proper respect of God and just how much He loves us.

What is God asking you to do with your life?  You know that thing that is in your heart and continues to come to the forefront every time you think about doing more.  You and I both know that God wants more from you than you have given Him.  For that matter He wants all of you and surprisingly still loves and accepts you even though you give Him such a small part of who you are.  Each of us have our respective list of excuses.  Mine is longer than most and I review it frequently and challenge myself to look past the false limitations I have place in front of my total commitment to God.

Several years ago I was at a Promise Keeper’s conference with Pastor Kerry Shook and Randy Reeves here in Houston.  On the bus home from an absolutely inspiring conference Pastor Kerry looked at each of us and asked one question:  “If tomorrow you woke up and every limitation you can imagine had been lifted from your list of burdens: finances, job, education, time, fears of speaking, etc.; and you were given a blank checkbook to an unlimited bank account, what would you do for God?”
It truly makes one think about their priorities in life and where one places God on the list of things to focus on.  The list of excuses is endless and I’m sure you can add to this list:

1. If I could become financially independent, I would tithe to God and spend my life serving Him.
2. I’ve got this big project at work, I just can’t break away for enough hours to dedicate to serving God right now.  As soon as this is over I will.
3. As soon as the kids are grown and move away to college, then I’ll focus on serving God.
4. There just aren’t enough hours in the day; with work, the drive time to and from work, kid’s school, soccer, cheerleading, dentist office, dinner, bathtime, helping with homework, catching up on e-mails, more work into the night and getting sleep each day – I can’t take on another thing.  I just don’t have the time right now.
5. I’m afraid if I give up my job to serve the Lord, I will lose everything I have.

 

What is it that is keeping you from serving God completely?  Time management, finances, work, relationships, laziness or the lack of desire?  I challenge you this week to focus on how your using your time, and by next weekend, what you would be willing to give up to spend more time giving back to God.  Get a picture in your head of just how big God is.  If God had a physical hand, the Earth, moon, stars and Sun would look like a spec of dirt under His fingernail; yet He wants desperately to have an intimate one on one relationship with you.  If you don’t feel close to God or are wondering where He is; you should be looking in a mirror, because He never moved nor changed; you have.  Stretch your mind and get a big vision for how you can impact God’s kingdom, than ask yourself “Why not?”  Put aside those answers and fears and focus on trusting God to see it through.

 

Be Blessed,

Rich

 

Join us on Facebook @ 10 Minute Reader Deep Thoughts or on Twitter @Sondove