It began when I bought him his first pair of cowboy boots. He looked at them lovingly and wore them with great pride. Even to bed. After he fell asleep, I would quietly go into his room and remove them gently not wanting to awaken him.

Michael and I “progressed” from the boots to jeans and a plaid shirt. Then a vest. Finally, a cowboy hat. Standing in front of the mirror in his room one day, he declared with pride: “I’m Cowboy Mike.” At that moment in his young life, he decided who he was and what he wanted to be: he discovered his destiny by the clothes he wore and the dreams he had as he watched cowboy movies. It ended when his friends laughed at him.

Each of us, at one time or another, had a dream about who we wanted to become and what we planned to do with the life that God gave us. We wanted to bring the future into the present with carefully detailed plans and goals. We chose classes and programs of study to help us prepare for occupations that fit into our dreams. We looked forward to accomplishments that would bring us joy and happiness, satisfaction and success. For some life unfolds as planned. For others there were starts and stalls and stops. We worked hard at life.

To make the most of life, however, we must not eliminate God from our plans. He knows what is best for us because He gave us life. Writing from a cave one day David finally said, “I cry out to God Most High Who has a plan for me.” It’s never too late to seek His plan.

Prayer: Lord, may we look to You to discover the plan You have for each of us and make You the center of our life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 57:2 I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me.

 On the wall behind the desk of a horse breeder is a picture of a new born colt. It appears to be only a few days old and seems as though it is having a difficult time struggling to stand up. It looks weak and wobbly even though the mother is nearby watching carefully. But underneath the picture are three words engraved on a bronze plate, “Born To Run.”

Bred into the genes of the colt are qualities of strength and success, endurance and energy. And even though the colt is unsure and unsteady as it struggles to stand tall, the potential for greatness is inside.

So it is with the Christian. When we are born again, God implants within us His strength and stamina, His power and the potential for a life of victory over sin. He gives us a purpose in life, goals to achieve and a message to proclaim.

With all of its potential the colt is not ready to run. It must endure hours of training and miles of running and learn obedience to its master.

So it is with the Christian. God has given us all that we need to achieve greatness in serving Him. But the greatness will not come unless we discipline ourselves to “study and meditate on the Book of the Law continually – day and night – so that we may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then,” Joshua says, “will we succeed!”

Prayer: Lord, we are so blessed to be called Your children and to be called to serve You. Help us to be strong, courageous and unafraid to run the race before us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Joshua 1:6-9 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. (Read more…)

A young mother went to Mr. Duffy for him to do a portrait of her so that her children would know what she looked like as a young lady. Mr. Duffy was known for his “idealized” paintings - painting his clients as they could be if they were “ideal”.

When she returned after several months of waiting, she was shocked by what she saw. Angrily she said, “That doesn’t look like me.” “I know,” he replied graciously, “but try your best to look as lovely as it does.”

Mr. Duffy saw in the mother what she could become. And so, when he painted her portrait, he brought out the best in her, the “ideal.” He wanted to help her achieve her best.

One day after Andrew met and accepted Jesus as the Messiah, he brought Simon to meet Jesus. As Jesus looked intently at him He saw an “ideal” disciple and said, “You are Simon, the son of John - but you will be called Cephas (which means Peter).”

Jesus saw not only who Simon was but who he would become. That is the reason He gave him a new name. Peter was not always a “solid rock” throughout the Gospels but that is what he became “rock-solid” as he grew in Christ. Christ always sees more in us than we see in ourselves. He sees us as we can be - rock-solid - in our walk with and witness for Him. Come. Follow me!

Prayer: Lord, may we walk with You, in faith, believing that You have great plans for our lives. May we trust You completely and become “ideal” disciples. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: John 1:42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).

Looking at a gallon of water in a plastic container hardly suggests that it has any power. But if it seeps into the crack of a rock or a cement road and turns into ice, the rock and the road will split into pieces. If the water is turned into steam it can drive the pistons of a large engine and turn into a massive amount of power. Water has the potential to do many great things.

So do we.

When we become Christians, God empowers us to change our lives into something completely different and special. Paul in our Scripture for today teaches us that there are four things that Christ can do for us:

1. He gives us wisdom. By walking with Him and listening to Him, we hear the truth because He is the expert in living.
2. He is righteousness. Righteousness in Paul’s writings always means a right relationship with God. We can never achieve a right relationship with God through ourselves or what we do – only through Christ.
3. He is holy. It is only through the presence of Christ in our lives that we can be or become all that God intends or expects us to be or become.
4. He is deliverance. Only Christ can deliver us from our past sin and present helplessness to sin and Only He can deliver us from our slavery to sin and set us free from self-destruction.

Prayer: Lord, help us to understand the goodness of Your grace and the power of Your presence in our lives. With You, all things are possible – most importantly salvation. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

George was well known and highly esteemed by the members of his church. By the world’s definition of success he would be considered one who “had it made.” He had a comfortable life, his children settled into good careers and was always available to serve the Lord whenever someone called upon him. He was well known for his faithfulness and fruitfulness.

Once he was asked, “What’s the source of your energy? How can you do so much for so many and never seem to tire?”

After thinking for a moment he replied, “It’s this - with Christ within me I refuse to accept any human limitations.”

Paul once said, “I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be.” What a goal for each of us to adopt: being what Jesus saved us for and wants us to be!

When we fully realize and accept all that He has called us be and do, our lives will have no “human limitations.” Often when an opportunity to serve Him comes our way our first obstacle is to question our abilities or availability. But He never calls us to do anything that is beyond our potential. What He asks us to do he will empower us to accomplish. Trust Him.

Prayer: Lord, may we have an unlimited view of what You would have us to be and do. Free us of self-imposed limitations that cause fear and failure. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Philippians 3:12-14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

When Michelangelo was a young boy and determined to become an artisan, he went to visit a sculptor. Knowing of his interest in bringing objects to life, the artist gave him a young man half chiseled out of marble. For years he kept the object by his side and looked forward to the day when he would be able to free figures from stone.

Jesus possessed the ability to see what men and women could become. In John’s Gospel the story of Andrew bringing Simon to Jesus reflects this ability. “When Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus, looking intently at Simon, Jesus said ‘You are Simon, the son of John – but you will be called Cephas, which means Peter.’”

In this intriguing story, Jesus looked at Simon and saw his potential – who he could and who he would become. That is precisely why He gave him a new name which meant Peter – which in Greek meant “Rock.”

Throughout the Gospels, Peter is not portrayed as being one who is “rock-solid” – an immovable object that would make a foundation safe and secure. But over time, as he grew in His faith and did the work of his Lord, he did become a solid rock for the faith that was established in the early church. By giving him such a significant name, Jesus introduced him to the person he would become by the grace of God.

What Peter became through the grace of God is what each of us can become. Peter tried and failed but he did not give up. He denied Jesus and turned his back on Him but he did not leave Him. Though he faltered and failed, he was one who never failed to follow Jesus and eventually become who God wanted him to be.

Prayer: Lord, we admit that we often fail in being and doing what You have planned for us. But give us a heart-desire to never leave You nor forsake You as we struggle to please You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: John 1:40-42 Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone). (Read more...)

A man was found dead next to a dumpster. As they looked in his pockets for his identification, they discovered several checks. They were worth more than a thousand dollars. But they did him no good. He never cashed them to receive their value.

As we read God’s Word, we find promise after promise - all having value to the believer. But as the checks, they must be “turned into cash” to have any value. We must go to God and claim His promises to meet our needs.

James said that God “does not resent your asking. But when you ask Him, be sure you really expect Him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea…”

There are times when it is easier to believe in God than it is to believe in the fact that He deeply cares for each of us and our every need. Surely, if He is bound by His Word, we can go to Him “in faith believing.” We must always remember that nothing is so small that it escapes His concern or that any problem is so large that He cannot solve it.

We limit God by the limitations we place on Him. The problems we have with our faith are our problems - not God’s. “Whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you,” said Jesus.

Prayer: Give us a faith, Father, that is larger than our problems and a trust that matches Your power. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture: James 1:1-8