What Do You Discuss?

By Jarrod Spencer –

What have you been discussing with people this week? Maybe topics like your job, your kids, your schedule, the weather, what you like or don’t like about other people, etc.  There are all kinds of things that can come up in any given conversation.

A quote caught my attention recently about what we spend our time discussing, and it caused me to think about the truth in this statement. The quote comes from an unknown author – “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”

Our minds may never be great by simply discussing ideas, but by investing our time discussing events or people, we just might be limiting the potential of what is out there to discuss.

Where do your discussions usually take you? Not much of anywhere?  Are you discussing ideas, events or people? Another thing to consider is this – when you are discussing ideas – are you one who tends to complain, without ever offering a solution? This habit can get you into trouble, too.

Can you bend the topic of your own discussions toward ideas that encourage and build one antoher up? What ideas can you discuss that will make a positive impact on people?

PRAYER: Father, help me to discuss things that are helpful and encouraging, rather than hurtful or discouraging.

BIBLE VERSE: “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much” (Proverbs 20:19 NIV).

God’s Batteries

By Jarrod Spencer –

Each parent knows that many of children’s toys need batteries. They are required so the toy can operate, which translates into loud noises, lighting up, or constant movement. A friend of ours gave my son a ‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ toy that only used one battery to run. That battery  lasted well over a year. To be honest, my wife and I were very thankful the day that battery was finally used up.

If you’re like me, it can be annoying to hear those toys keep going and going. You look forward to the day that the batteries are drained of their power.

But what happens when God’s batteries run out?

Last month, my family was coming home from attending my niece’s dance recital. It was dark, and there was a storm off in the distance on the right side of the road.

My three-year old son was intrigued by all the lightning that flashed in the dark sky. As his head turned toward the lightning, to our right, he noticed something peculiar off to the left – no lightning.

He watched the left for a few moments with this new found knowledge of no lightning and then said, “There isn’t any lightning on this side. I think the lightning ran out of batteries.”

His mother and I laughed for a while over his simple observance and interpretation.

I love to hear his innocence in these kinds of statements and trust that God must get a great deal of enjoyment out of them also. As adults, but still children of God, I wonder how often we make Him laugh over what we say at various times.

PRAYER: Father, I love being a father and I thank You for the opportunity to have these kinds of moments in my children’s lives. Thank You for my family. Thank You for creating this memory for our family.

“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18: 4 NIV).

Is Freedom Free?

By Jarrod Spencer –

Most of us have seen a phrase that closely resembles this…Freedom Isn’t Free. Around that phrase you will typically find a picture of someone who has spared their life so we could be free – most often a patriotic picture of a soldier.

You could take that phrase and apply it to Jesus by thinking of Him as giving his life for our freedom. But, in order for something to be free, a price had to be paid at some point. When you think about freebies you receive at a fair, the sponsor had to pay for it in order to give it away. So, is freedom really free?

I am going to go in a different direction and say that freedom is free. Specifically, freedom in Christ. It is free to you to take advantage of. It is free to you to decide whether or not you are a going to commit. Like a piece of money that you see on the ground, you decide whether or not you are going to pick it up or leave it there.

When we lived in Illinois, our church had a once-a-week preschool. When I moved there we charged $10.00 per child for the whole year. Ridiculously cheap!  Sometimes, things are so cheap that we cannot find the value in it.

When it came to our preschool, it was probably so cheap that some people that were not familiar with it may not have noticed the value. If it would have cost $10.00 per month, at least, maybe it would have felt like there was more value in it. So, not everyone took advantage of this opportunity.

But, what about that money on the ground referred to above? If you decide not to pick it up, someone else will do it. Someone else is going to take advantage of gaining a bit of wealth. When it comes to a freedom that is found in Christ, if you don’t take advantage of it, it is your loss.

Unlike our American freedom, which once we are born, we possess it. However, Christian freedom is a choice; to take advantage of that freedom, someone has to act, to accept it.

Is freedom free?  In this case, YES!  The real question is, have you or will you take advantage of acquiring freedom in Christ?

PRAYER: Victorious Father, I am thankful for the freedom that we have in America, along with the freedom that I have in Christ. May I use these freedoms to Your glory as I go about my life sharing You with others.

BIBLE VERSE: Galatians 5:1 Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you. (MSG)

 

Syncing Up

By Jarrod Spencer –

As personal digital assistants (PDA) and MP3 players are introduced into the technology world, the term synchronization, shortened to “sync,” has also been introduced. One will “sync” or “sync up” such an object with a computer. This action assures that both pieces of technology have the same information in them. Neither of them is competing, nor are they withholding any information from the other. It is a convenient tool to have for backing up, retrieving, and transferring information from one piece of technology to the other.

Now, phones are using the “sync” feature. This allows you to plug it in to your computer and save all your contacts. With the popularity of the “smartphone,” you have all your contacts, addresses, birthdates, anniversaries, appointments, pictures, videos, and any documents you wish to store, all in one small, portable object.

Christians also have the privilege of being able to “sync up.” With technology, there is a smaller unit (PDA/MP3/phone) that can hold a fraction of what the larger unit (computer) can hold. As we parallel this to us and our Creator, we are the smaller being and He is the ultimate being, and we can hold a fraction of what our Creator can hold.

When you connect to Him, through prayer, thought, or meditation, you are essentially “syncing up.” You might be trying to understand what His will is for you or asking for Him to care for a particular person or situation. “Syncing up” allows Him to better understand what you are experiencing. There isn’t a competition going on. When finished you are on the same page as Him.

With technology, each time something changes, we have to “sync up” our devices. As a Christian, our lives change daily, so we must “sync up” with our Creator regularly.

Take time to connect with Him so that the two of you can be in sync. Just as it is a benefit in technology to “sync up” between each unit, it will be even more beneficial to you to “sync up” with your Creator.

May we be constantly plugging in and syncing up!

PRAYER: Faithful Father, thank You for the opportunity to “sync up” with you anytime I need to. May I be willing to take what You communicate to me and use it for Your glory!

“This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever” (John 6:58 ESV).

Duh!

By Jarrod Spencer –

Some words and phrases are spoken in a way that makes the receiver feel insignificant or dumb. This is rude, and is especially true when a younger person is saying it to an adult, when they should instead show respect.

Over the past month, our three-year-old has learned to use the word “duh.” He thinks he is funny when he says it, and dose not realize it might be rude. However, as most parents know, when a “too-big-for-his-britches” child says something at just the right time, it can come across as funny. As hard as you try not to laugh, you are so surprised at your child’s response you cannot stifle it.

Recently, my in-laws visited and we planned to go out to lunch. At my wife’s instruction, my son asked his Papaw where we were going to eat. Papaw replied, “I don’t know, where are we going to eat?”

My son replied with one eyebrow raised up and a little deeper voice than normal, “El Dos de D’Oros. Duh!” And with a pause, as if realizing he had crossed the line, he added. “It’s up to you.” Though this would be considered a bit rude, we could not help but laugh, even though he spoke down to his Papaw, a person whom he should respect.

I wonder how often we treat our Father in heaven this way. He questions us and we respond with a direct or indirect “duh,” as if to say, “You should know this God. You’re God after all!” We fail to show the proper respect we should exhibit to the all-knowing God.

How often have you responded with “duh” to God? If you’re like me, you probably don’t even realize how often you say it. May our radars be tuned to becoming more respectful to Him.

PRAYER: Father, I am weak and mortal. I make more mistakes than I would like. I respect You and apologize when I am disrespectful to You, as if I know more than You do. Thank You for being such an awesome God!

Isaiah 55:6 – 9 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

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