Living Productive

By Carin LeRoy –

Working in a mission organization, I have the privilege of seeing and talking with many people who are living and working in overseas locations. Part of my job is to do a closing interview with all of those who go on short term trips to discuss how their time went. I enjoy hearing their stories as their share about their experience. Recently while talking with a medical intern who spent six weeks in a village hospital in Papua New Guinea, I asked him “What are some of the lessons you’ve learned from your time there?”

“While living there, I saw how hard the people had to work each day just to survive. Their lives are difficult. I want to become more diligent. Rather than having a day to sit around and watch a movie or do something I like, I want my life to be productive,” he said.

In Psalms 90:12 (NET) it says, “So teach us to consider our mortality, so that we might live wisely.” It’s easy to let a day slip by us. Whether we sit around watching movies, playing video games, or spend hours with friends, we need to ask ourselves if the day could have been better spent. We can never recapture a day. Once spent, it is gone. But we can change the future and how we live each new day. A bit of prayerful planning can provide us with both the relaxation we need as well as fulfillment from our accomplishments.

God desires that we live productive lives. Don’t let time pass each day without a sense of fulfillment from a day well spent. Let’s stay focused on what God desires for us to accomplish each day and use our energy to work toward things that show diligence in our lives.

PRAYER: Lord, keep me focused on living a productive life. Give me wisdom to know the balance between relaxation and wasting time. Help me to accomplish Your purpose for each day.

“Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, the place where you will eventually go” (Ecclesiastes 9:10 NET).

Ranting and Raving

By Elaine James –

She was ranting and raving. “This can’t happen! My house will not be worth anything. If this goes through I will be staring at walls five feet from my house. This could cause my house to be flooded even more. I must go fight city hall, this just can’t happen!”

As her blood pressure went up, I prayed “Oh Lord, what can I say to help this woman?” She has battled a severe illness in the past and she doesn’t need this stress now. Really none of us do. Neighbors were complaining that she was saying things that were not true.

“I will be praying for you,” I promised.

She stopped. A look of shock came over her. “Well…..I, I, I” the words slurred out of her mouth. She knows Jesus. We have talked about Him before.

I was reminded of the words I read just this morning in Deuteronomy 28 “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you if you obey the Lord your God; you will be blessed in the city and be blessed in the country” (Deuteronomy 28:1-3 NIV).

“Come here and give me a hug,” I uttered as I opened my arms to her. As I embraced her, she sniffled. Tears began flowing down both our cheeks. I whispered “You are God’s child. He will not let you go. He loves you! Whatever the outcome, He always promises to be there for you. And getting all worked up can’t be good for your health.”

Maybe you too have been ranting and raving about something. Sometimes the pressures from life cause you to worry and be fearful of the future. It can be too much to handle. As a result, things come out of our mouth that should not.

Has this happened to you?

Thankfully, I had just visited with my Savior! Otherwise I probably would have been tempted to rant and rave along with her.

PRAYER: Father in heaven, I have been so worried about______. Help me to stop. I want to be able to give this to You. Forgive me for ranting and raving. Thank You for blessing me with the ability to give this to You today. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Get a Grip

By Elaine James –

I like this! “Send me some more like this and we can probably do an e-book,” the editor stated.

I was so excited, so I took the next months to edit and rewrite all 31 devotions. That moment of truth had come for the manuscript was just an “enter” away on my computer. I said a prayer “Lord may these writings bless others and may You get all the glory.”

On January 2nd of this past year, I received in my inbox an e-mail from my Editor. I breathed deeply and opened it. It stated “Elaine, our board passed on your Devotions proposal.” They went on to give a statement of what they were looking for and some suggestions to my future writings.

My son writes music for songs. He has experienced rejection too. It is not easy.

What do you do when you experience rejection? After you’ve put everything you have into a project, but still feel as if you are not moving forward.

Stop. Step back. Take a deep breath. And pray!

Sometimes, I beg God to show me what is going on. Am I off track? Am I doing the wrong thing?

But I know God has brought me to this point.

Have you been praying for your own journey? Then why would God steer you the wrong way?

There are the right people out there who will appreciate you and your work. Just wait! Wait until God shows you. Don’t believe any other words. Trust God, who placed you on this path.

Maybe it is time to just praise and worship God and stop making requests as to how He should respond. Just spend time with Him. Relax, God is not done yet!

Be wise. Continue, and praise the Lord in all circumstances.

“Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul” (Psalm 103:1-2b).

Back to School Believer

By Art Fulks –

Our congregation has been active in serving our schools collectively and last year, we were blessed to be a part of seeing many students receive Christ on campus. It was the most joyful year of school as a parent or pastor that I have ever experienced.

Statistics suggest over 90% of all who trust Christ do so before age eighteen. Our typical strategy has been promoting programs at church through which we hope to see life transformation. But four years ago, I stopped by the principal’s office and simply asked how I could help him personally and if I could pray for him.

Four years later, I still battle with the same attitude that suggests that I pay taxes for the school to serve my child. That may be true. But my approach should be different.

Let me share a few examples of my struggles.

We have four children. Two will be in college this fall, one in high school and one in middle school. But, with no student in the middle school, would I still be willing to serve and build relationships with students and faculty? With no child in the high school band, would I still provide snacks during summer camp? Although our son finished his senior season, would I still volunteer at a fundraiser for next year’s team? Would I help stack chairs on my child’s last day at the elementary school?

I am sure that God still has work to do in my life because my first response to each of these opportunities was not positive. It is certainly easier to convince myself to serve when it benefits my child or to give their teacher a positive perception of our child/family. But He is challenging me to look for opportunities that would reap no personal benefits. I need to consider serving to give people a better perception of my God. That is my calling as a follower of Christ, to reflect Him to the world so that they might know Him.

A new school year is about to start and I am excited to see what God will do. Will He allow me to engage in new partnerships and relationship for the Kingdom? Who’s life will He change?

I know that He will continue to change me. It’s back to school, Believer!

“Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28 NASB)

The Father’s Heart

By Peter Lundell –

Our dog recently ran away. My daughter and I love Angel, our little Yorkie, as if she were our baby. So we were grief-stricken when we could not find her.

I prayed and prayed she would be found and returned. Then the call came!

When we went to the house and the person brought Angel to us, I felt overwhelmed with joy.
But Angel was more interested in the owner’s dogs. When I held her, she seemed to think nothing of it, as if simply going home after a day’s adventure. She was oblivious to what she had done, how troubled we were, and how happy we were to get her back.

She couldn’t understand; she’s a dog.

Then it struck me. So many of us are like her. Even I have been like her.

Countless people, including you and me, have been separated from God—and thought nothing of it. We couldn’t understand. We’re human, not God. We’re as oblivious as Angel the dog.

And all the while God aches for his lost ones to come to him.

I could feel the Father’s heart as Jesus expressed in Luke 15 with the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son. The Father searches for the one lost, longing for return. And when the lost one is found, God, the angels, and those in heaven rejoice over every person who comes to faith.

When we get right with God, we might say a prayer and feel good. But like the dog, we have little idea of the immensity of what’s happened or how heaven rejoices over us.

If I could feel strongly about a four-legged animal, imagine how the Creator and Lover of our Souls feels about us. It overwhelms me.

May you also be overwhelmed at feeling God’s heart.

PRAYER: “My heavenly Father, I have caused You both grieving and rejoicing. May I feel Your heart, how You’ve grieved over me when I’ve gone astray and how You’ve rejoiced over me when I’ve come into Your arms.”

“While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate” (Luke 15:20–23 NIV).

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