Apotheosis (1 Timothy 4:12)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “apotheosis.”  Growing up as the oldest of two children made me feel a little bit of pressure. I was felt like everybody was looking at me to be the best at everything that I did. Looking back on it now, I guess I really put the pressure on myself. Nevertheless, the pressure was there, and was real for me. It wasn’t until I started hanging out at church early during my high school years that I realize that I could turn this pressure into a positive. My youth pastor helped me to understand what it meant to be a leader in a different way, for God. When I finally embraced it, I encountered a new set of problems. When I accepted Christ as my personal Lord and Savior in the middle of those high school years, I was then charged with the spiritual mission, to lead for God. However, being young often frustrated me because I wanted to do my best, and this new spiritual journey was hard. I needed constant reminders.

“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”

~1 Tim 4:12

My question is: what kind of influence you have on others? Just like the way that I struggled as a young Christian, not knowing how to exert my influence, you might be in a similar position. Wherever you are in your relationship with God, whether you are a super–Christian, or just beginning the journey, you have influence over others. The decision to be made is whether or not you will continue to grow from that point. I really enjoy what Paul says right here to young Timothy, knowing that he has a great burden on his shoulders, though he knows that Timothy can rise to the occasion. Will you rise to the occasion? My prayer is that you take an intentional look at what it means to be the apotheosis, or example, to those around you.

Praying for you,

MO

Phalanx (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “phalanx.”  As a young boy, I grew up watching old Westerns and war movies with my father.  Whenever there was a big battle scene I was always intrigued at the way armies used to fight.  Because there were not long-range firearms or other means to beat your enemy from far away, armies were always forced to engage in close hand to hand combat.  I wondered what it might be like to experience something like that.  And in all of those movies, there is always a pretty common theme.  It was very important to stay together, and to always rally around one another to make sure that the army stayed in a cohesive unit during the fight.  In the Old Testament, we see King Solomon talk about this principle.

9 Two are better than one,

because they have a good return for their labor:

10 If either of them falls down,

one can help the other up.

But pity anyone who falls

and has no one to help them up.

11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.

But how can one keep warm alone?

12 Though one may be overpowered,

two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

~Ecc 4:9-12

My question is: who are the people in your life that help you fight the battles... you know, the ones who can help you to create a kind of phalanx of protection?  In this season of life you’re going to have new challenges, some of which you’ve never seen before.  Stuff is going to come at you from all sides.  It is important for you to associate with people that are like-minded.  Throughout the Bible we see that there is strength in numbers.  And in this passage, King Solomon imparts wisdom both to the people of his time, and to those of us today – timeless.  My prayer is that you grab a hold of one or two people close to you.  Let them know you are there for them, and that you need them on your side as well.

Praying for you,

MO

Anointing (Joshua 1:9)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “anointing.” I think one of my favorite parts of my early years as a Christian was the way that I was able to deal with big days, big decisions, and anything that caused my heart to way heavy for one reason or another. Although I did not understand much about the Bible, I did know that I could read certain verses and really resonate with the people that were going through trials and adversity. Joshua was one of my favorites, probably because he was very young and when he was called to step up to the plate and take over God’s mission and vision for the people of Israel, it seems to me that he had a few jitters along the way. And, I learned by reading his story that God would be with me, because he was with Joshua.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go" (Josh 1:9)

My question is: what are the parts of your life that are attracting extra special attention from you today? Where are the jitters, and to what do you attribute those feelings of anxiety? My prayer is that you remember today that God is with you and wants you to be full of courage, as he has given you his anointing in this relationship that you walk with him. So, in the spirit of today’s passage, I hope that God shows you along the way that he has made you for something special. Hold on to that, and thank God today for giving you the opportunities that he does.

Praying for you,

MO

Interstitial (Acts 17:26-27)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “interstitial.”  Have you ever wondered about how you ended up at this particular place in life? I know for me, I often ponder where I would be if I made different decisions over the course of time. When I first became a Christian I remember my pastor telling me that I would be the sum of the people that I hung out with, and the books that I read. I decided early on to take that to heart. I realized that some of the people I was hanging out with were not really the best influence on me. On the other hand, there were some very good relationships that I had. It was now up to me to decipher from that point on which ones were good and which ones were not very helpful. The best part about all this though, was that I started to gain an understanding about what it meant to trust God through the process.

“From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.” ~Acts 17:26-27

My question is: if God is the one who ordained and appointed the boundaries of time, what are you doing to fit within that kind of God-inspired life? May be a little bit deep, I know. But, if we want to be on the same page with God we must allow him to permeate every part of our being. Each day brings something new, and someone or something that will influence us. Sometimes it is the interstitial times in life, within thin threads, that we experience God. My prayer is that you are open to God speaking to you in new ways each day.

Praying for you,

MO

Dipsy-doodle (Romans 16:17)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “dipsy-doodle.”  I love watching football because of the strategy involved.  Two teams slugging it out with the hope that at the end of the game they will be victorious over the opponent.  Within that time many plays are pretty straightforward, and don’t seem that they will accomplish much. Only to see a running back or receiver dip and dodge their way to more yardage. The object of the game is to evade your opponent enough to break free every now and again, and get some major yardage, or even a touchdown. As I was thinking about how we play this game, it made me think about how we are in a spiritual battle each day.

“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.” ~Romans 16:17

My question is, are you on the lookout for ways the enemy would like to thwart your plans at a spiritually focused life? Although he may want to confuse us, it is our job to stay alert and do everything we can to turn the tables, and stay ahead of the game. My prayer is that you remain close to God, and allow him to run the spiritual dispsy-doodle on the enemy.  Nothing better than trusting in God, letting him call the plays in your life, and watching him bring you success. Trust in him today.

Praying for you,

MO

Sagacity (Proverbs 3:18-22)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “sagacity.”when is the last time you had to make a really big decision? I can remember several times in my life when there was probably a better way than another, and I wanted to make sure to choose that. So, I began asking other people to help me in those decisions. It actually took a lot of work for me to trust others with certain pieces of my life. I think that’s kind of what the Christian life is all about.

“My child, don't lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them…”

~Pr. 3:21

I talk a lot about how my pastors wife once told me that it was important for me each day to ask God to give me both wisdom and discernment. So I guess my question is this: from where do you get your common sense and discernment? Who are the people, readings, and other sources that give you information in making sound decisions? My prayer is that you add the tools that God gives you in your daily decisions, whether those decisions are big or small. If we seek to do things God’s way, I think that the overall outcome of life might have a pretty good chance of being better, as opposed to taking a different path.

Praying for you,

MO

Nonce (Psalm 27:14)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “nonce.”  When is the last time you have given God a worrisome piece of your life?  Sure, we pray. But much of the time it is lip service, rather than a true and unwavering trust that he will take our cares and the burdens that come with them.  The psalmist understood this principle.  When in doubt, fear, or lack of understanding, he knew that sometimes the best action to take was to wait on God.

"Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." ~Ps. 27:14

My question is: Where are you in your relationship with God concerning trust?  Sometimes we just want to reach the destination, and skip all of the tough stuff.  But we must remember that it is the difficult circumstances in life, those of which we are uncertain, that give God room to work and do what he needs to fulfill his purpose.  My prayer is that you trust God today with something that you may have kept from him.  There are a number of reasons that we do not put our faith in him, and instead try to do it all on our own.  So today, instead of taking that lonely road… for the nonce… trust him with something new. Jump out of your comfort zone and into a more accepting and understanding of God’s love.

Praying for you,

MO

Zenith (John 7:37-38)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “zenith.” I remember as a young Christian wondering what it would look like to be at the very top of my relationship with Jesus. And even more than that, I was hoping that maybe one day I would be able to understand the Christian faith enough to feel confident in sharing my beliefs with others. It seemed like a pretty tall mountain at the beginning. When I expressed that to my leaders, they were very eager to help me reach that goal. They constantly pointed me to verses that would help me get closer to that goal.

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” ~Jn. 7:37-38

My question is: how are you asking God to make you an effective witness for the Christian faith? Sometimes we feel like if we do not have all of the answers that we are not qualified to tell others about the gospel. However, as we see in today’s Scripture, all we really need to do is to approach Jesus and allow him to fill us with the words that need to be said to others. My prayer is that you take a moment and ask Jesus to fill you with rivers of living water. We may not reach the zenith of our Christian faith until the day we stand before Christ, but we can always do more to help move that process towards the day of completion.

Praying for you,

MO

Insouciant (Matthew 6:25-34)

Insouciant (Matthew 6:25-34)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “insouciant.” out of all the stuff I needed to hear as a new Christian, this was probably at the top of the list. I remember the first time I heard it. It was a sermon given on a Tuesday night youth group meeting by Kevin Cobb. Although I probably did not have the most stressful life, to me it felt like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders. And that is what mattered. Kevin reminded me  and the rest of the group that it did not matter how big or small our concerns might be, either in our own eyes or in the minds of others. What was important was that we needed to focus our energy on trusting in God.

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” ~Matt. 6:31-34

My question is: what are the top couple of concerns in your life at this moment? I know that sometimes it seems as though we are so bogged down that there is little to no way out of the mud. Whatever the case may be, it is important that we remember to always do a bit more to shift our focus from worry, to one that is fixed on JC. He will get us through the tough times in life, even when we do not believe that there is a way out at times.  Take a moment today to lift up a prayer to God, asking him to re-focus your efforts and give you a more insouciant view in your daily activities.

Praying for you,

MO

Pugnacious (Proverbs 29:22)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “pugnacious.”  I remember growing up trying to keep my nose clean.  i needed to be on my best behavior so I could have a social life, play sports, etc.  I think I did pretty good job. My brother, on the other hand, had quite the difficult trek through high school. Part of it, and actually most of it, was probably the fact that he never really did anything bad. But, even worse, he was the one who was there to laugh when one of his friends did something stupid.

Angry people stir up conflict; hotheads cause much offense.” ~Pr. 29:22

My question is: who are the people that you spend the most time with? Like many high school kids, the friends that my brother chose to hang around with had a ton of fun…  many times at the expense of others. They were a pretty pugnacious bunch, always looking for something and someone to hassle. This was a pretty tough few years for my parents.  I realized by watching some of the strife that my brother got into, that much of it could’ve been avoided. My prayer is that you check the company that you keep. If we are the sum of  those we hang around with, it would be wise to make sure that those people have good character traits, people we want to be like. And, also as important, is knowing that you influence others, and should do your best as a Christian to give those people a reason to be more like you.

Praying for you,

MO