Matt 4:19
19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” NKJV
- To follow means to walk away from everything else. Are you following? Have you walked away from what you had? You can’t serve two masters Matt 6:24. If there is something you won’t leave behind you aren’t following. The disciples left everything they had, everything they knew. Have we left everything else behind?
Daniel Vander Klok
Matt 18:6
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. NKJV
- Today this verse makes sense. I have recently heard several people’s stories and it honestly hurts to hear it. It hurts because I don’t have a time machine because no matter what I do, I can’t undo the past. I can tell them things to live a different future but I can’t make choices for people, it is up to them to make and walk out some hard choices. These stories all seem to have something in common. All the stories have a villain. At some point in the story you see a character (or characters) that shows up and then things start heading south. Someone beats them, someone lies to them, Someone takes advantage of them, someone sets a horrible example, someone hurts them in one form or another. You hear the story and I want to travel back in time to before the moments and stop people. I actually would like to inflict large amounts of bodily injury upon the villains. I hear the stories and so many of them sound alike. It is the same lies, the same people and you get so mad. I read this verse and it feels good to know they will pay. But then I think Some of the villains know they are the villain in the story, some are just so focused on themselves they don’t have a clue that their choices are destroying lives all around them. God I ask that you would open up their eyes and draw their hearts to you. Let them find a new life in you. May they see the impact they have had on others May they repent, leave it all behind, and find your forgiveness. Lord, help me and everyone who reads this to see not only what impact our choices have on ourselves but what affect they have on those around us. We want to live lives that draw people to you. Have your way in us.
This is a story about Elijah, who was a prophet of God and performed amazing miracles!
1 Kings 19:4-8
4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” 5 And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” 8 And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.
ESV
- Have you ever felt like there was so much going on in your life that you just could’t handle it? Elijah did even though he was a prophet and performed amazing miracles. In the above verses Elijah is being real with God and tells Him that he doesn’t want to go on anymore. He explains his feelings and how he wants to give up and die. God is so faithful though! He sends an angel to come take care of him. We are are open and honest with God He will come to our rescue and give us strength to do what needs to be done. *Thank you God that you hear our prayers and are faithful to answer. Help me to always be open and honest with you and to fully trust you with my life.
Amanda Vander Klok
Phil 1:15-18
15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. NKJV
- There is great power in choosing your perspective. Paul chose to rejoice when he had reason to be upset. Life is not about your circumstances, but about your choices. Acts 26:2; Are you choosing your perspective or just letting circumstances dictate your life?
1 Peter 1:13
13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. NIV
1. We need prepare are minds Rom 12:2
- only when we renew our minds with His word can we see what He sees, only when we see what He sees are we ready to act as He would act.
2. We need to choose to be self-controlled.
- Self-control is a choice. Eph 4:26; 1 Peter 5:8
- lack of self control is an open door for the devil.(Prov 25:28; 1 Cor 7:5) He is out to destroy us (1 Peter 5:8/John 10:10) so to be self-controlled we need to be prepared with God’s word inside so that it can come out, with our hope not in our strength but in God’s grace.
- Only with clear vision can there be restraint Prov 29:18
3. We need to fully set our Hope in God’s grace not our performance.
- Rom 11:6; Eph 2:8;
