March 30, 2017

                                               

DAY THIRTY-SEVEN

March 30, 2017

Conversion = Changed Life

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.”  I Timothy 1:12

After Watergate, there was an abundance of books that were published by the various personalities involved.  One of the most famous was Chuck Colson who wrote the very famous “Born Again.”  This book detailed his conversion to Christ.  All of these years later, we think of Chuck Colson as a great man who has had such an impact on the world through his prison ministries.  We forget that before his conversion he was known as “the hatchet man.”  It was a common saying in Washington that Colson would walk over his own mother for Nixon!  Another player in the Watergate scandal was the very boisterous G. Gordon Liddy.  One of the great quotes from his book tells of a time when a certain court date came around.  Everyone had been discussing Colson’s conversion to Christianity.  As Colson walked into the courtroom, Liddy was overheard to say, “Oh, no, if Colson would walk over his own mother for Nixon, just think what he will do for Jesus!”

Time has proven Colson’s conversion genuine.  He certainly is one more example of how God can change a life.  In 1 Timothy, the Apostle Paul is encouraging Timothy in the faith to cherish, protect, and preach the Gospel.  The reason is that the Gospel’s message changes lives.  Indeed at Fred Wes, the Gospel is preached so that our goal of loving people to life in Christ can be accomplished.

Prayer Focus:  Pray that our church will always be a place that impacts the world for Jesus.  Pray that each one of us will join together to help expand God’s kingdom and achieve Christlikeness.

March 29, 2017

                                                   

DAY THIRTY-SIX

March 29, 2017

Don’t Drop Out Of the Battle

“In the Lord I take refuge.  How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain.’”   Psalm 11:1

In the 1984 Olympic Games hosted by Los Angeles, there was a memorable event in the women’s 3000 meter race.  Two premier long distance runners were entered: Zola Budd, a South African running for Great Britain, and Mary Decker from the U.S.A.  During the race, the two bumped.  Budd landed awkwardly and was cut deeply by Decker’s spikes, but was able to continue.  She finished a disappointing seventh.  Mary Decker suffered a pulled left hip stabilizer muscle.  Her injury put her out of the race.

In a spiritual sense, there are many Mary Deckers today.  Wounded, they have quit running the race.  Among the many images of life found in Scripture, there is the image of the runner and the image of battle.  As believers in Jesus Christ we begin with a birth, but we discover quickly that this journey we are on is more like a battle.  It is very difficult to persevere in a battle.  In 1 Kings, chapter 22, the Bible records the time when King Ahab of Israel joined with Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, to battle against Syria.  In the midst of the chaos, Ahab is struck by an arrow.  He groans to the driver of his chariot, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting.  I’ve been wounded.” (verse 34)

There are many like Ahab who have been wounded in the battle for souls and have forsaken their place.  The Scriptures are full of these warnings and admonitions.  Galatians 5:7 says, “You were running a good race.  Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?”  A disturbing part of our culture today is an aversion to any kind of commitment.  Our society is short on longevity and long on short-term, quick, instant “what have you done for me lately” attitudes.  God teaches us differently through His Word to persevere.

Prayer Focus:  Pray that our church will persevere with what the Lord has entrusted to us.  Ask the Lord whom you can encourage to persevere today.  Proverbs 11:25 says, “…he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”  Claim this promise as you act upon it.

March 28, 2017

                                                  

DAY THIRTY-FIVE

March 28, 2017

A Contribution or A Sacrifice?

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2

Did you hear the story of the chicken and the pig who were walking together down the road?  They came upon a beggar who was nearly starved to death.  He had not eaten in days.  The chicken and the pig decided to help him.  The chicken said,  “I have an idea.  Let’s fix him some breakfast - some ham and eggs!”  The pig thought about that a moment and then said,  “I don’t like that idea very much because it only requires you to make a contribution, but for me it is a complete sacrifice!”

As the Apostle Paul writes our Scripture passage, he is making a turning point in his letter to the believers in Rome.  He is finally giving an application to the truths that he has been telling about in previous chapters.  He is stating how we should respond to the knowledge that God has procured our salvation and saved us from the wages of sin through Jesus Christ.  He’s telling us to lay it all on the altar for God; surrender completely. Don’t simply make a contribution like the chicken, but sacrifice all like the pig.

Prayer Focus:  Pray that Fred Wes is a body of believers willing to totally surrender to God.

March 27, 2017

                                               

DAY THIRTY-FOUR

March 27, 2017

The Absurdity of Going Back

“Are you so foolish?  After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?”  Galatians 3:3

On Thursday, August 1, 1985, a room full of America’s top intelligence officials were gathered outside the office of the director of the CIA for a farewell reception of a retiring colleague.  However, the topic was not about the retiree.  Whispers were flying around the room that the highest ranking KGB agent, Vitally Sergeyevich Yurchenko, had defected.  He was most important because he was in charge of all KGB operations in the United States and Canada.  Now, he would be able to provide extremely important information about Soviet spies in America.

After presenting himself to the American Embassy in Rome, he was quickly flown to the United States in a military plane.  Once in the U.S., he was taken to a “safe house” in northern Virginia where he was interrogated for hours and provided very sensitive information.

The most startling and amazing part of this story took place three months later on November 2nd.  Yurchenko had been spurned by a girlfriend in Canada and was growing increasingly impatient with his situation.  During the evening he persuaded the CIA agent assigned to him to take him to Georgetown for dinner and a movie.  During dinner Yurchenko asked the agent, “What would you do if I got up and walked off?  Would you shoot me?”  The CIA agent replied, “We don’t shoot defectors.”  Yurchenko countered, “I will be back in 15 to 20 minutes, if I am not, it is not your fault.”  With that he walked out of the restaurant and presented himself to the Russian Embassy where he un-defected.

The world watched in amazement a few days later as this man boarded a Russian Aeroflot jet, stopping briefly on the boarding steps to wave good-bye to freedom.  He then returned to the confines of communism.  Why would anybody who had enjoyed freedom return to communism?  Yet that which amazes us in the political arena is met with welcome acceptance in the spiritual arena.  Why would anyone who has tasted the freedom stemming from the grace of God return to the confines of legalism regulating that relationship?  What kind of relationship do you have with the God of grace?

Prayer Focus:  Pray that we will continue to live our Christian lives in the Spirit and not by our own human effort.  Ask the God of grace to help you deepen your relationship with Him by filling you daily with His Holy Spirit.

March 26, 2017

DAY THIRTY-THREE

March 26, 2017

Watch Out For the Dream-Stealers

“….so I sent messengers to them with this reply:  ‘I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down.  Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?’” Nehemiah 6:3

Dr. Haller Nutt of Natchez, Mississippi, had a dream.  He wanted to build one of the greatest plantation houses in the South.  Being a doctor and cotton farmer gave him the wealth needed to accomplish this dream home.  He made his sketches and searched the nation for the best architect to make his dream a reality.  He found Samuel Sloan in Philadelphia to design it.  It was going to be an octagon-shaped mansion with eight rooms on each of the six floors.  All of that was going to be grouped around a middle piece, a six story rotunda that would be capped with a 16-sided Byzantine onion-shaped dome.  It was going to be beautiful with nothing else like it in all the South.  Dr. Nutt went all over the world to purchase the very best furnishings for this masterpiece.

As soon as construction had begun, tragedy struck.  The Civil War erupted.  All the workers left to fight.  Dr. Haller Nutt lost everything during the course of the war.

During that time, he moved his family into the basement of this grand mansion so that they might be safe and have shelter.  Dr. Nutt died in 1865 before the war was over.  The family continued to live in the basement.  In fact, they lived there for over a century, 111 years!  Finally, some relatives donated it to the local historical society.  To this day, it stands as a monument to an unfinished dream.

In chapter 6 of Nehemiah, enemies tried to stop him from completing the dream that God had laid on his heart – that of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls.  But Nehemiah stayed focused.  He completed his God-given dream in record time to the praise of His glory.  He is a role model for us today.

Prayer Focus:  Pray that God will enable us to complete the dream that He has given us in such a way as to bring Him glory and expand His kingdom.  Pray that He will thwart any enemies who try to steal our dream and prevent it from happening.  Ask the Lord how you can take ownership of this vision using the time, talents, and treasures that He has given you.

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.