A Simple Guide to Pleasing God

By James H. Pence –

If you had to tell someone (in as few words as possible) how they could live a life pleasing to God, what would you say? I’m not talking about how to become a Christian; rather, I have in mind a brief summary of the Christian life.

You can find many possible answers in Scripture, but one of the best short summaries of God’s expectations for our lives can be found in the book of Micah, chapter 6. In that chapter Micah asks a simple question, “What does the Lord require of you?”

His answer is equally concise. “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8b NIV).

This verse breaks down the Christian life into three simple areas. Micah tells us first of all that we are to act justly. In other words, all of our dealings with others should be just. We’re to be mindful to do the right thing, no matter what situation we face.

Second, he encourages us to love mercy—be a people characterized by a love of mercy and kindness. Daily we can demonstrate compassion and be ready to show grace to those around us.

Finally he instructs us to walk humbly with our God. There’s no place for arrogance, pride, or selfishness. Also, our walk must not be solitary. We do not live alone in this Christian life. Our life is always conducted “coram deo” before the face of our God. A constant awareness of God’s presence in our lives will keep us mindful of how to conduct ourselves.

Sometimes we make the Christian life much more complicated than it needs to be. We get so caught up in the busyness and challenges of life that we forget that God expects us to act justly toward others, to always show mercy, and to walk humbly with Him. As you walk with Him through 2011, let it be your goal to live a simple Christian life.

PRAYER: Lord, please don’t let me become overwhelmed by the complexities of life. Grant that I might walk every day in the simple Christian life—acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with You.

“And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8b).

Today’s devotion is by James H. Pence. James is an author, speaker, singer, and gospel chalk artist, but prefers to be known as a storyteller. To learn more about James and how he draws the stories of your heart, visit his Web site at: www.jamespence.com.

Unfired Arrows

By Art Fulks –

This year we experienced our oldest flying from the nest. After graduating he left for a one-year missionary tour. He graduated on Thursday, then left to meet his new team on Friday. His three siblings turned his bedroom into a TV room almost before he was out of the driveway. But with the deluge of activities, I’m not sure that my wife and I really felt the impact until sometime later.

Friends of ours watched both their twins graduate high school this year as well. This fall, they left for college in separate directions, one to the north and the other south. Although we still have three kids at home, their sudden “empty nest” status helped me realize that our time will not be that far away.

We have certainly been blessed with four great kids. The Bible is true when it says, “Children are a gift of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3a, NASB). But with our first leaving, I was reminded that our job and calling is not to raise children, but rather to raise adults who know God personally and passionately pursue His purpose for their lives.

Psalm 127 continues by saying, “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them” (v. 4-5a, NASB). But the purpose of an arrow is not to hold it. Some need to be shot a far distance, while others close by. But the purpose of an arrow is never to stay in the quiver—unfired.

In thinking about unfired arrows, I realized that they have a few potential outcomes:
1) they rust and become useless; 2) the person holding them too tightly is injured by his own arrow; or 3) the person holding them becomes useless or gets shot by the enemy because of their unwillingness to engage in the battle. In contrast, a well-prepared and strategically shot arrow is a blessing as the invisible (but so very real) hand of the Almighty guides what our imperfect efforts have launched. And this wonderful child we have been allowed to mold and carry in our quiver becomes a beautiful and effective tool in the hands of our God.

PRAYER: Dear Father, Who molds my life, would You help me to effectively and lovingly shape the life of my children as long as they are entrusted to my stewardship? Give me the faith and courage to launch them into Your worthy service for the glory of the One whom You sent to die for us, Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Today’s devotional is by Art Fulks, a church planter / pastor at Connection Fellowship in Greenville, South Carolina. Married for 22 years and father of four, Art is a graduate of The Ohio State Univeristy and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a passionate Bible teacher, speaker, musician, worship leader, and life coach. Read more at http://www.connectionfellowship.org or http://artfulks.blogspot.com

The Lost Coin

By Nina Medrano-

I remember when my Aunt Sally ran away from home. My grandmother called my mother and asked us to please pray for Sally for she was only 13 years old and could not be found.

On the third day the Holy Spirit said to me, “Thank me for bringing Sally home.”  Immediately, I gave him thanks and greatly rejoiced with the Spirit. An hour later, we got a phone call from my grandmother letting us know that Sally had returned home unharmed. Today, my Aunt Sally is a grown woman with children and grandchildren of her own.

The Holy Spirit brought back this memory the morning. He (the Holy Spirit) awakened me at 4:00 A.M., prompting me to drive around our city and pray according to Luke 15 (NIV): The Parable of the Lost Coin.

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

As I drove around our city, I began to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to sweep across our city, look for the lost coins, the lost sons, daughters, father, mothers, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews, grandchildren, great grandchildren who have lost their way home.

I asked the Lord to light the demonic dark and hidden places in this city; turn on the search lights in the drug-users homes, in the houses of prostitution, under the bridges, in the night clubs, in the pornographic theaters. Drive back the demonic strongholds! Break off the chains of addiction, shame, poverty, and financial ill-gains!

By this time I was weeping uncontrollably as I asked the Spirit to search and find every loved one that is lost in this city and restore them to Abba Father’s House and to their families—restore them to Kingdom usefulness, restore them to divine purpose, restore them to their God-given destinies. Restore. Restore. Restore!

As a declaration of faith, I give God thanks and praise for hearing and honoring this prayer for my city and for yours.

Nina Medrano, a lover of God’s Word, lives in Lubbock, Texas, and writes for her church blog: http://www.cotrwomensministry.blogspot.com/

Ankles and Feet

By Robin J. Steinweg –

Work boots, maybe with a steel-reinforced toe; that’s the fellow two doors down. Black suit  hem, polished black shoes; the man across the street and down one. Tennis shoes, jeans; that’s the young mother next door. Nice slacks, sturdy shoes; next door on the other side.

This is my neighborhood in the winter. My neighbors are a variety of footwear, trouser-bottoms, and an occasional glimpse of sock. How can I obey God’s command to love them as myself if I never see them? And what keeps these folks isolated? Garage Door Closers—I think they’ve conspired together. In the mornings, a car with tinted glass backs out of its nightly cell and turns left or right. The Garage Door closes as the car disappears around the corner. It admits no one till evening. If I bent down quickly as it closes the gap between itself and the pavement, I might witness evidence of a real human presence. I might see enough of my neighbors’ shoes to guess whether it’s male or female, white collar or blue, adult or small child.

What can quell this wintertime technological conspiracy? The only thing I can think of is a significant fall of snow. Then the air comes alive with the surrendering groan of Garage Doors opening to release boots: tall, rubber, zippered, buckled, black, blue, pink, heeled or flat. Snow suits and heavy wool socks fill them, jeans or slacks tucked in. Shovels push the snow ahead of them, or snow blowers roar to pave a path. The Garage Doors are forced to stay up.

An elderly neighbor, someone with health issues, or an unfortunate whose snow blower is on the fritz could proclaim: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good news.”

“Here, let us clear that for you.”

This is my view of the neighborhood in the winter. My neighbors are more than a variety of footwear after all, and I guess the Garage Door Closers haven’t taken us hostage!

AUTHOR QUOTE: The best way to overcome closed garage doors is to invest in a pair of beautiful feet.

“…Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39b NET).

Today’s devotional is by Robin J. Steinweg. Robin’s life might be described using the game Twister: the colored dots are all occupied, limbs intertwine (hopefully not to the point of tangling), and you never know which dot the arrow will point to next, but it sure is fun getting there!

A Fitness Formula for Prayer

By Laurette Willis –

“Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:24, NKJV).

We’re over a month into 2011. Two of our most popular resolutions are losing weight and developing our relationship with God.

Why not do both at the same time? Combining faith and fitness is powerful! Pray while on the treadmill, elliptical, or while taking a brisk walk. Prayer is talking to God. It also involves listening to Him. Like any good conversation, there is the give and take of two-way communication.

For some reason most of us tend to think prayer is a one-way street. We talk (or whine) to God about our problems, then spend the rest of the day worrying and trying to figure out solutions ourselves. Then we gripe when it seems God isn’t answering our prayers. Could He even get a word in edgewise?

Here’s a formula that helps us remember the steps to effective prayer. “CARAT” is an acronym (“carat” is the unit of weight for precious stones—and prayer is precious!). You can follow this simple formula while working out—the acronym will help keep you on track.

CARAT (Confess, Adore, Request, Attend, Thanks)

Confess: Wipe the slate clean. Ask the Lord to forgive you for any sins that come to mind. 1 John 1:9 says when we confess our sins to Him; he forgives us and washes us clean.

Adore—Praise Him with your whole heart and voice. What if you don’t feel like it? That’s why it’s called a “sacrifice” of praise! Your flesh would rather go back to bed, but you’re not going to be led by your flesh anymore, right?

To give you an idea, read aloud a few of David’s Psalms of praise: Psalm 34, 95, 96, 98, 100, 103, 121, 148, or 150. Then use your own words as well to tell your Heavenly Father how much you love Him.

Request—Ask God to meet your needs and the needs of others. Speak God’s Word and promises over leaders of our nation, church, workplace. Pray for friends, family and yourself.

Attend: The King James Version of Proverbs 4:20 says, “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.” When we attend to God we pay attention to His words in scripture and wait upon Him to receive further revelation and guidance. Listen for His “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12). The Holy Spirit or your own spirit may quicken a scripture to your remembrance for you to meditate upon.

Thanksgiving: “How do I know that God will answer my prayers?” If you are praying according to God’s will (His Word in the Bible) He hears and will answer your prayer. “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:15, NKJV). You have it! So thank Him!

Rejoice! And since you’re combining faith and fitness, dance in advance—even before you see the outward manifestation of your prayer. Keep your focus on the unseen spiritual truths instead of the physical circumstances. Answers to prayer are birthed in the realm of the spirit before they manifest in the physical. That’s why faith is called “the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Thank your heavenly Father for answered prayer. You can even get excited about it (and burn more calories)!

Christian Fitness Expert Laurette Willis is the Director of PraiseMoves Fitness Ministry (http://PraiseMoves.com and on Facebook http://bit.ly/aAlS4u ). Get your free kit at http://ChristianFitnessKit.com.

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