Tag Archives: faith

Exodus 1-2 And God knew…

01 Thursday Nov 2012

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This month our readings are more lengthy than we’ve done before. Some days will require reading a couple of chapters in Exodus. Each day’s reading shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes. Let me encourage you to keep up with us as we travel with the Israelites from Egypt through the desert wanderings, eventually arriving at the Promise Land.

Because of the length of the passages, only a select passage will be used each day for the Journal.

Exodus 2:23-25

23 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel   groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.  24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with   Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.  25 God saw the people of Israel–and God knew. 

Have you ever walked through a dark or trying time in life? Who hasn’t! Maybe you’re in it right now. We’ve all been there. In fact, there are two types of people when it comes to trials in life: Those who are having trials and those who are getting ready to (or in my best Texas vernacular, “Those fix’n to.”)

Trials are not the indicator of how God is or isn’t blessing a person or family. Trying times happen. How we (Christians) face them is what sets us apart. God uses trials like a refiner uses fire. They burn away impurities leaving behind a more valuable, purer alloy.

Here’s some things we can rest in during trying times (Read Romans 8:18-28)

1. We will face trials yet they cannot be compared with the hope and glory that is in us through Christ Jesus.

2. The trials we face are used by God to develop our Character so that we will become more like Christ.

3. The trials we face are not eternal.

4. The trials we face are bearable because God sends His Holy Spirit to comfort us.

5. The trials we face are known by God.

Our response in trying times needs to be one of submission and humility. Our lives are truly in God’s hands and He Knows. We need to trust Him and respond with a heart that says, “God, I don’t understand, but I will trust you and rely on you. My life is yours and as long as you walk with me I can make it through this trial.”

The other thing to remember is that you don’t have to go it alone. There are brothers and sisters in Christ at Midway who will walk with you, pray for you, and love you. Our pastors are here if you need spiritual guidance and we have a counselor available, too.

May God richly bless you today,

Pastor Todd

 

1 Peter 1:6-10

02 Thursday Aug 2012

Posted by in 1 Peter

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Today’s Reading:

6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire —may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care

Over and over Paul talks about having “joy in suffering”.  I used to think Paul was a robot.  Seriously.

There is no real “glorious joy” in suffering anything…unless it is in the hope we have in God.  I was reminded this week of the story of Jim Elliot who was killed while sharing the Gospel in an unreached people tribe in South America back in the 50′s.  I think that family went thru more than just a few trials; they suffered greatly because of the Gospel and what makes the story so rich in Gospel truth is that later his wife went and ministered to those same people.  Many came to know Christ, and because she persevered now life exists where life was taken.  This is a well known quote by Jim Elliot:

“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot loose.”

Yeah, it’s hot.  And sure gas prices are high and that makes everything else expensive.  Sure I know we seem to hold onto peace by a thread, and hope seems something that isn’t tangible.  But my brothers and sisters I assure you hope is real! There is refuge and a hope for lonely and our God is near.

Prayer:  I thank you God for reminding me this morning that going thru trials is a part of life and that You walk with us thru every one.  It’s an honor to serve You and be used by You.  God you are good and Your mercies endure forever and ever! Amen.

Pastor Scott

Genesis 7

07 Thursday Jun 2012

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1 Then the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. 2 Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, 3 and seven pairs of the birds of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth. 4 For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” 5 And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him. 6 Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came upon the earth. 7 And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, 9 two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. 12 And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights. 13 On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark, 14 they and every beast, according to its kind, and all the livestock according to their kinds, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, according to its kind, and every bird, according to its kind, every winged creature. 15 They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. 16 And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in. 17 The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. 20 The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. 21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. 23 He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark. 24 And the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days.

This is a hard passage. My flesh wants to scream out, “NO!, How can this be?”

The answer echoes back that the Great God of the Universe is not constrained by the understanding of a mortal man. The situation with humanity’s self serving and egocentric philosophies and actions had gotten so far out of hand that God saw no righteousness. He found one family that served him and spared mankind through the actions of righteous Noah.

While I the idea of God destroying humanity is hard to swallow, it shows us a little of the nature of God:

1. God is holy. He demands and deserves to be honored as the holy God of the universe. Isaiah 6:3 And one called to another and said: ”Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”

2. God is jealous. He wants first place in our lives and anything less is idolatry. Deuteronomy 4:23- 24 Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the Lord your God has forbidden you. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

3. God is in control – Contrary to popular belief, God is the one who has full control over the creation. It’s all His and His alone. We are given opportunity to be managers in and of the creation, but it all belongs to God.  1 Chronicles 29:11-12 Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength. 

Prayer: God, thanks for your mercy and compassion. You could have completely eliminated the human race but you saw beyond the failures of people and looked to the righteousness of Noah in saving mankind. Thanks for second chances and the reminder of who you are. Help me to honor you and live a life that reflects your holiness.

Pastor Todd

Esther 2:1-12

16 Wednesday May 2012

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Today’s Reading:

Later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her. 2 Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. 3 Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. 4 Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.

5 Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, 6 who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin[a] king of Judah. 7 Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.

8 When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. 9 She pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem.

10 Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so. 11 Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.

12 Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics.

So here we are getting the “setup” on the whole story of Esther today.  I mean, this is it.  This is where she is discovered, she’s pampered and given the royal treatment, and you know from history what happens; Xerxes is smitten with her.

What stands out today as I read is that this woman who would be CHOSEN queen by an ungodly man, was an orphan called by another name other than Esther.  She’s raised by a cousin and told to hide her nationality for her own safety.  Yet, even here you can sense God’s plan and the unfolding story of the underdog, the unexpected queen and the unseen hand of God moving in this drama.  Surely our God is a God of both mystery and wonder!

How many times have we looked on our situation and considered it sub-par?  Have we allowed countenance to fall and our emotions to take over?  Have we even believed what our eyes tell us over what God promises? My friend, OVER AND OVER have I done it.  I’m sure you can attest to times in your life you’ve had similar moments. But as we see this story unfold in the next few days, I am asking God to do a big reveal; reveal truths here that will touch our hearts and move us to faith alone.  See, Esther wasn’t the aggressor here; she was just willing.  She was there when and where she needed to be and she was both willing and submitted to HIS will.  Talk about being all in!

Prayer: God thank You for the big reveal! In advance I thank you for opening our eyes and bringing this story alive in our hearts.  Thank you for reminding me that You don’t call just the equipped, you equip the called.  You’ve called us out of darkness and into Your glorious light and we know Your plans for us are great! They are plans to see us prospered and to show how BIG our God is! For YOU are good and Your mercy endures forever! Amen!

Pastor Scott

Romans 13:11-14

20 Tuesday Mar 2012

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Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (Romans 13:11-14 ESV)

Check it out, Paul is writing to Christians here. Don’t miss this. HE’S WRITING TO BELIEVERS… Let’s be honest, the flesh will drag us down and get us off track. It gets our focus off of the things to which we need to be attentive. This is the same ploy that Satan has used forever. He gets us thinking about what we want and BOOM, we’ve got our eyes off of Jesus. The next thing you know we’re spinning off into old habits and bad decisions. 

I’m reminded of of the old Elvis song (I guess they’re all old now!) Suspicious Minds:

“We’re caught in a trap
I can’t walk out
Because I love you too much baby…”

Let’s not get caught in the same old trap of the devil. Let’s keep our eyes on the Redeemer who has set us free and give us the power to walk in the light! Jesus gives the strength and ability to overcome the flesh by putting on the armor of light. He is the light and when we walk with and in Him we will have victory!

But everything exposed by the light becomes visible,
for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:13-14 NIV).

Prayer: God, help me to keep my eyes on Jesus and walk in the light. Show me when I’m getting sucked into the traps of the flesh that cause me to stray. Give me the strength to walk in the light and make no provision to gratify the desire of the flesh.

I pray that you will walk in the strength of our Lord today!

Pastor Todd

Romans 10:5-13

08 Thursday Mar 2012

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5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth).7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).”

8 In fact, it says,
“The message is very close at hand;
it is on your lips and in your heart.”
And that message is the very message about faith that we preach:9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him.

13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”(Romans 10:5-13 NLT)

I wonder if we really believe this? Do I really believe this?

Do I believe this so much that I believe the opposite is true, too? The opposite is that everyone who DOES NOT call on the name of the LORD will NOT be saved?

Yes, I believe both statements. But what am I going to do with that? Who do I know that I’m praying for and begging God to save. The ONLY hope for the world is Jesus. He gave me something I could never earn. He gave me something I didn’t deserve. I want to share that because I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to hear the gospel.

Be BOLD in you faith and trust God to work on the hearts of those with whom you share the gospel. Don’t be afraid and don’t be passive. Let’s live what we believe!

Pastor Scott shared this video (click link below) with me and I wanted to share it with you. It is so powerful and filled with truth. It’s from the illusionist/entertainer Penn Jillette (Penn and Teller), a very outspoken atheist.

Pastor Todd

 

Prayer: God, give me boldness to love those around me enough to share the truth of the gospel with them today!

Romans 10:1-4

07 Wednesday Mar 2012

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Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved.
I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal.
For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.
For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. Romans 10:1-4 (NLT)

I read this passage and can’t help but put my name and situation in the context of the verses. “Todd’s heart and prayer to God is for the people of Aubrey/Pilot Point to be saved.” This could also apply to your street or neighborhood. Have you ever thought about your housing area or town in that way? It’s convicting and compelling. It makes me want to get out and walk the streets and pray over each home asking God to save them.

Then, it’s really convicting because I realize that those I’m praying for probably have some sort of religious knowledge or spirituality. Like the Jews trying to keep the law, so many people are going through life trying to do the right thing or jump thorough the right hoops. They’re clinging to the hope that they can do what it takes never realizing that “all who believe in him [Jesus Christ] are made right with God”. That conviction leads to action. It’s the move from a realization that somebody SHOULD do something to a conviction that I MUST do something.

So, maybe today’s blog is a call to action. Get out and walk the streets of your neighborhood. Pray for those who live around you. Pray that God will open their eyes and hearts to the gospel. But be forewarned, when you begin praying that way YOU may be the one that God uses to share the truth of his glorious gospel. Wouldn’t that be a great privilege!

Pastor Todd

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