Saturday, June 27, 2009

Devotion for Saturday, June 27th, 2009 - "Why preach Christ?" Acts 8:5

Acts 8:5 "Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them."

There are two reasons we are to preach Christ, and both are equally important.

First, because as Christians, it is our business. The business of a farmer is to farm, not a lawyer. The business of a lawyer is to be a lawyer, not a doctor. If you were being sued you would probably hire an attorny to represent you before you would a doctor or a farmer. What you do if you had a plumbling problem? Call a lock smith right? No, you're going to call a plumber because that is his business. Again, it is the Christians business to preach Christ.

The second reason is just as important. We need to preach Christ because for centuries mankind has been searching for a remedy for sin, and every time have failed in doing so. They failed because they did not know Christ the ONLY one who was able to free them. Mohammed cannot save, Confucius cannot save, Buddha cannot save. Jesus Christ can though, and more so He will, because that is what he came for, "to seek and to save that which was lost." And "Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we MUST be saved." Acts 4:12

We must be about our Father's business and preach Christ so that people may be saved!

Friday, June 26, 2009

Devotion for Friday, June 26th, 2009 - "Rebellious Birds"

Matthew 6:26 "Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?"

It still amazes me at how wonderful our God is. He cares for the birds by guiding them to where the food is. They fly from place to place trusting His guidance. Here's a thought. I wonder if there are any rebellious birds? You know what I mean, those birds that think they know more than God, so they go to and fro just doing whatever they want. I think there might be some, cause I did hit a lone bird with my car the other day. I don't really think there are any rebellious birds, they just don't do a great job at dodging cars going 55 mph.

While I know that there are no rebellious birds, I do know that there are rebellious people out there. The Bible tells in Matthew here, that we are better than the birds, and yet we constantly choose to rebel against the direction God wants us to go. Our way seems better. Seems more fun and exciting. The Bible says in Proverbs "that there is a way which seemeth right unto a man but the end there of are the ways of death." If you are going to refuse God's guidance through this life all I have to say is - watch out for cars! Don't be a rebellious bird, you re better than that. At least, God thinks so.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Devotion for Thursday, June 25th, 2009 "Who is it for?"

Psalm 83:1 & 18 "vs. 1 Keep not thou silence O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. vs. 18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth."

I am not going to take a lot time this morning. I want you (and me) to think about one thought as we go on with our day with just one question: "Who is it for?"

In the 83rd Psalm, the Psalmist starts by making a request for God to "Keep not thou silence" and, "hold not thy peace, and be not still" The request in verse one is obvious want the he is wanting - for God to make Himself known, to hear from God, to get an answer. If you are anything like me, you know what it is like to ask and sometimes beg God to give us an answer. The only problem I've ever had in asking to hear from God is when I don't hear from Him. Have you ever wondered why we haven't heard from God, when we are down here crying out and begging Him to give answer? I know I have.

I think this Psalm can give us some insight as to why we don't always hear from God when we ask. It depends on our motive in wanting to hear. Do we want to hear because it will help us? or do we want to hear because it brings the honor back to the LORD? Who is it for? Me or God? Vs 18 clearly points out that the Psalmist wanted God to be known to all men.

Maybe, just maybe, you and I aren't hearing what we want to hear because our focus is on ourselves getting the answer and not on God being high and lifted up. May we all Check our focus today, and then may we hear from Heaven that He would get the glory.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Devotion for Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 "Has your Gift Multiplied?"

Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"

Do you remember when we were kids and we would get gifts for our birthday's or Christmas, then our parents would say, "now remember you have to share that." ? We would proceed to whine, kick, and scream our way into having to share what we really didnt want to share. Not only do I remember those times, I sometimes resent them. Just kidding of course.

However, as Chritians we have been given a gift from God that He want and expects us to share it with others. You see, the gift that we've been given, grows and multiplies itself with in us as we share it with other people. I like to refer to sharing our faith as "miracle grow for Christians" Witnessing, sharing our faith, soulwinning, no matter what you want to call it, IT helps us to grow in our Christian life faster than anything else does.

Don't whine, kick, or scream your way through the Christian life just like I did through my childhood. Just determine to share your faith with as many people as possible, and get ready to be amazed at how fast you will grow.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Devotion for Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009 "Never say Never"

John 13:8 "Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, 'If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.'"

We've all heard the saying before, "Never say Never" Well here in our scripture today, we see Peter telling Jesus that he would never allow Jesus to wash his feet. I think when Peter made this remark, he probably thought he was being spiritual. Well, at least right up to the point when Jesus said, "If I wash thee not, thou has no part with me."

There are a lot of us that are like Peter. We try and tell God what he should do in our lives. And I know that we have good, spiritual intentions, but in the end we are still trying to tell God what to do. I had been saved for almost 15 years before I learned to stop telling God what He should do with and in my life.

Today, don't like Peter, or me for that matter. Let God do with you what he deems best in your life. Notice what Peter's statement was in verse 9 "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head."

Let God have HIS way in your life.

Monday, June 22, 2009

"Forgetting those things which are beind" Devotion for Monday, June 22nd, 2009

Philippians 3:13-14 "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Someone once said, "Success is finding, following & finishing God's will for your life." I like that! We often get caught up in trying to become successful. We try everything. Sometimes we succeed and more times than not we fail. My greatest fear in life is not to fail, but that I will not finish the task that God has given me, and succeed at things that don't matter.

In Philippians 3:13, the Bible tells us to forget those things that are behind us. You know, many people are defeated today just because of their past. Wrong decisions can and will devastate you every time. They often come very quickly destroying everything in their path, leaving you with months of repairs and work to do. We need to take heed to this advice from scripture and not let our failures of yesterday affect the victories of today.

Now at the same time we allow our past failures to hinder us today, we also try to allow our past victories to carry us through today. I am finding it more important to forget my past victories more than my past failures. You see we cant rely on our past. Good or bad. What matters is what are we doing today. Just because I did something great yesterday, or something horrible doesn't mean that I have to either glory in it or relish in it.

Now I do think it is important that we learn from the past. If you did something great, try and do it again today, and if you did something wrong, try to not do it again today.

While you are forgetting those things which are behind, make sure you press on for the Prize that can only be found in Jesus today! Don't get stuck in the past, no matter how bad or good it was. The question must be answered - "What am I going to do for the Lord today?"

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Happy Fathers Day!

I John 2:13a, "I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning..."
I've never considered myself to be a very sentimental kind of person. However, the older I get (which right now is not very old - 31) the more I find myself reflecting back upon my life. I grew up in a Christian home. It was not a strong Christian home, none the less it was a Christian home. From that home, my parents raised two children, and although my sister and I have both had our fair share of sinful blunders and mis-steps with the Lord, today we are both faithful servants of the Lord. We are both striving to create a stronger Christian home than we had as we were growing up.

There are three men in my life that I feel I owe a since of thanks to on this fathers day. These are the men that have had the most life changing influence upon me, assisting me in becoming the man I am today.

1. My Father, Larry A. Smith. My dad taught me many things in this life. A good work ethic. Respect for my elders. Respect for my country, my flag, and what they both stand for. Even when he was making life changing mistakes, he was teaching me. He may not have know it, but he was teaching, he made the mistakes so that I would have to. This is the 11th Fathers Day now since my dad went home to be with the Lord. Thanks Dad, for all you taught me, even when you didn't think you were.

2. My Spiritual Father, Pastor Merv McNair. No one in my life has taught me more about living the practical, daily Christian life. Through his preaching and his personal interest in my life, Pastor McNair has influenced me for the cause of Christ. I went soulwinning for the first time at 14 years old, because he asked me to go. I preached my first message at age 15, because he asked if I wanted to. Pastor McNair is one of the few people that when he tells me that he prayed for me I know he did. I used to go to the church early for youth night, and listen to him pray for me, along with countless other teens in our teen department. I know I would not be where I am at today had God not brought Pastor McNair into my life.

3. My Father-In-Law, Sam Gerhardt, AKA Papa. I am so thankful to have married into such a wonderful Christian family. I feel bad that everyone does not have in-laws like I do. Over the last 9 1/2 years Papa has taught me & Rachel many parenting skills that we so desperately needed and still need. I am so thankful to have a father-in-law that strives to live the best Christian he can be. Thank you Papa for allowing me to marry your daughter, and raise your grandchildren.