March 25, 2017

                                               

DAY THIRTY-TWO

March 25, 2017

You Make the Call

“All Scripture is God–breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.“      II Timothy 3:16-17

Baseball umpire Durwood Merrill tells of his rookie year of umpiring in the major leagues.  It was the first time he had called balls and strikes with the famous pitcher, Nolan Ryan.  The second pitch of the game was so fast, Merrill never saw it.  He froze, unable to make the call.  Finally he yelled somewhat tentatively, “Strike!”  The batter backed out of the box and said, “Ump, don’t feel so bad, I didn’t see it either!”

This story is a good illustration of what is happening in the world today.  Change is occurring so fast that none of us can see it clearly.  Yet we have to make vital calls and daily decisions about very important things, all the time wondering if we are making the right ones.

There has never been a time when we have needed a standard more in our lives than we do today.  We need a fixed point, a true north an unchanging standard on which we can base our decisions and not have to worry about changing them.  God has given us such a standard.  It is the Word of God, the Holy Bible.  It contains the rock-solid, never-changing, always relevant truth.

Unbelievers might say the Bible is irrelevant and outdated.  Believers know that “…the word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”  (Hebrews 4:12)  You make the call.

Prayer Focus:  Pray that our fellowship of believers will read and study the Bible daily.  Ask God to let its wisdom sink into our hearts and minds and then reflect in our character and actions.

March 24, 2017

                                                  

DAY THIRTY-ONE

March 24, 2017

God’s Great Relocation Project

“Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.’” Numbers 13:30

God is in the moving business.  He is always in the process of moving His people.  Although we are often content where we are, God loves us enough not to leave us there.  Sometimes we can get a little stubborn about changes that He has in mind for us.

A good illustration is found in the children of Israel as they were moving from Egypt to the Promised Land.  God sent miracle after miracle to get them out.  But then, they did not want to go on in and possess what He intended for them.  In fact, they said in Numbers 14:3, “…Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”  It seems God could take His people out of Egypt, but His people couldn’t leave Egypt behind.

The old song says,  “I have decided to follow Jesus – No turning back, no turning back.”  Paul says in Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”  God has begun a spiritual project for His people of Fredericksburg Wesleyan Church.  May we take heed of the lesson we learn from the children of Israel going to the Promised Land.  May we be wise enough to realize that God began this great project, and He will continue this work until completion.

Prayer Focus:  Pray that God will continue to lead the way and that our faith will remain strong as we continue with this vision He has given our church.  Thank the Lord for loving you enough not to leave you where you are.  Also thank Him for the privilege of being a part of this church body of believers during this exciting time in our history.

March 23, 2017

DAY THIRTY

March 23, 2017

An End Time Church

“The end of all things is near.  Therefore, be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray." 1 Peter 4:7

Have you heard the story about the man who woke up early in the morning, looked at the clock, and the time was 3:33?  He looked over at the calendar and noticed that it was also the third day of the third month.  As he arose from bed, he remembered that he lived on Third Street and that his house was the third house.  When he read the morning paper he became even more excited because at the horse races that day there was a horse named Trio in the third race.  So he rushed to the bank, withdrew all of his life’s savings, and then rushed to the racetrack.  He went to the third gate and sat on the third row.  He bet it all on Trio to win the third race.  Guess what happened?  Trio placed third.  Sometimes things do not work out the exact way we think that they will or want them to.

The recipients of Peter’s letter were in the same situation.  They had bet it all on Jesus and believed they had a winner.  But they were being severely persecuted for placing their faith in Him.  They must have wondered if being taunted and persecuted by unbelievers every day was worth it.  Since they knew the difference that Jesus had made in their lives, they answered yes, it was worth it.  This affirmative answer still begs another question, however:  “How can we endure until the end of the world?”

God will prepare His people before the Lord returns.  The church will return to its position of power much like she experienced in her infancy.  We are beginning to witness the power of the Holy Spirit on the church again.  The lapping of the tide is hitting the shores, but a tidal wave is coming!  God will deal with the church as a bride as He did when she was a babe.  Not everyone wants to be a part of an end-time church.  Many are content to be in a safe ministry that provides comfort for the comfortable and disturbs no one.  Many would love, in these last days, to sit at the feet of those preachers who will tickle their ears with “sweet Jesus” sermons that tell them all is well with their sin-filled lives.  End-time churches want to pray relentlessly, give tremendously, witness powerfully, and worship constantly.

Prayer Focus:  Pray that our church is an end-time church.  Ask the Lord to help us to do our utmost for Him as a church body and individually.

March 22, 2017

                                            

DAY TWENTY-NINE

March 22, 2017

Can Jesus Do A Mighty Work Here?

“He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.” Mark 6:5

Here we have a sad picture.  Jesus came to church but could do no mighty work because of their lack of faith.  It was not a good first year of ministry for Jesus as far as His reputation among the hometown people of Nazareth was concerned.  He experienced a tremendous amount of rejection.  Nazareth was where the Scriptures say, “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”  (Luke 2:52) 

It started out well enough when He took the pulpit on a Sabbath and read from the prophet Isaiah, the 61st chapter.  This event (recorded in Luke 4:16-30), tells how they  “were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips.” (verse 22)  But when He told them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (verse 21), they became enraged.  In fact, they ran Him completely out of town to a cliff where they wanted to kill Him by casting Him off the edge.  “But He walked right through the crowd and went on His way.” (verse 30)  Talk about rejection!  Most preachers would have dusted their feet off and pronounced judgment, never to return.  Jesus, however, is not like most preachers, thank God.  He still had a burning desire to do a mighty work among them.

Jesus still has a burning desire to do a mighty work through His church and people today.  Are you willing to live by faith and have a prayer relationship with Him?  He is ready, willing, and able to perform powerful works through us.  Our faith will either turn the switch on or off.  Jesus will either do a mighty work here, or He will go elsewhere to do His mighty work.

Prayer Focus:  Pray that He will do a mighty work through Fredericksburg Wesleyan  Church because we are of strong faith.  Ask God to show you if there is a roadblock of unbelief in your life.

March 21, 2017

                                           

DAY TWENTY-EIGHT

March 21, 2017

We Have Never Done It This Way Before!

“He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all.  This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’” Mark 2:12

Ancient sailors recorded many times that in the midst of a coming storm the top of their ship’s mast would be circled with a mysterious circle of light.  Many times their hair would begin to stand straight out from their heads as this light appeared.  They called it St. Elmo’s Fire.  Any experienced sailor knew it was then time to take cover because the air was so electrically charged that a lightning strike was imminent.

The air must have been so charged in Capernaum at the time this Scripture passage took place.  There was a crowd, and this crowd was curious about the ministry of Jesus.  Scribes surely were scowling as they watched this new Rabbi closely, hoping that they could catch Him in an error.  The room was charged with excitement.  Everyone knew that something dramatic was about to take place.  It was not St. Elmo’s Fire; it was the King of King’s fire.  For when He is present, something miraculous is going to happen.

Sure enough, excitement mounted as four men began to tear up the roof in order to let a friend down in the presence of Jesus so that he could be healed.  The Bible says they literally “took off the roof.”  When believers at Fred Wes gather, it ought to be a “roof-raising experience.”  And we too should be able to say, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”

According to this passage, three things are needed to have a “roof-raising” experience with Jesus:

We must have a Savior who can save.

We must have a preacher who can preach.

We must have a flock who has faith.

Prayer Focus:  Pray that Fredericksburg Wesleyan Church will be filled with people of faith like these four roof removers, for they did everything possible to bring their friend to Jesus.  Ask the Lord to make you like one of these four.

March 20, 2017

                                         

DAY TWENTY-SEVEN

March 20, 2017

Are You Dangerous?

“Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

When we are called by God our Savior out of sin’s bondage, we begin to journey with Him.  We follow Him as our Captain and Leader into the promised purpose of the future, our destiny.  Along the way, God will stretch us.  He will enlarge the horizons of our vision.

Jim Elliot, the great missionary who gave his life trying to reach the Auca Indians said,  “Am I Dangerous?”

If we are honest with ourselves, we may find that we are utterly ordinary and commonplace.  We profess to know a power the world cannot reckon with.  We are all sideliners, coaching and criticizing the real wrestlers, while content to sit by and leave the enemies of God unchallenged.  We are often spiritual pacifists, conscientious objectors in this battle to the death with principalities and powers in the heavenly places.  The world cannot hate us; we are too much like its own.  Oh, that God would make us dangerous! 

How do we get there?  According to Joshua there are several principles:

Choose to be strong.

Choose to be courageous.

Choose to be obedient.

Read Joshua 1 and write down everything God commands him to do.  Then reflect how these commands compare with what the Lord is calling you to do.

Prayer Focus:  Pray 2 Chronicles 15:7 for our church,  “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”  Ask the Lord to embolden us with strength, courage, and submission to Him to follow the path He has placed before us.  Pray these traits for yourself as well.

March 19, 2017

DAY TWENTY-SIX

March 19, 2017

From Defeat to Victory

“I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.” Joshua 1:3

Abraham Lincoln is widely recognized as one of the greatest presidents in the history of our country, Abe stood tall and strong in a very critical and decisive time in our history.  We certainly would regard him as a successful man.  But this man also experienced many failures throughout his life.

When Abraham Lincoln went off to the Black Hawk War he was a captain.  Through no fault of his own, he returned a private.  That brought an end to his military career.  His little country village shop “winked out” as he used to say.  So he failed as a businessman.

As a lawyer in Springfield, Illinois, he was too impractical, too unpolished, and too temperamental to be successful.

Turning to politics, he was defeated in his campaign for the legislature.

He was defeated in his first attempt to be nominated for Congress and in his application to be Commissioner of the General Land Office.

He was defeated in the Senatorial election of 1854 and in his aspirations for the Vice Presidency in 1856.

Finally, he was elected President of the United States and fulfilled his destiny and the destiny of a nation.  Although maybe not as dramatic, Lincoln’s experience is the experience of many of God’s people.  The enemy of our soul comes to us after repeated defeats and whispers in our ears, “You’re a failure!”  He tells us we will never win, are trapped forever where we are, and will never fulfill our God-given destiny.

The first chapter of Joshua tells the story of God’s people who escaped the cycle of defeat and moved into the new day of victory.

Prayer Focus:  Pray that Fredericksburg Wesleyan will possess all the land and build all the facilities on it that God intends for us.  Pray Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”  Ask the Lord to encourage you in your walk with Him.  In your prayer time, claim victory over evil for our church and for yourself.