Devotional: A Love That Never Fails

Have you ever heard the old phrase: ‘Nothing lasts forever‘.
It’s usually said to bring comfort to those who have lost a loved ones, a relationship, a treasured item like a cell phone or car…but I know at least one instance in which this phrase is flat out wrong.

God’s love is not temporal and does not have an expiration date on it.
He wants to lavish us with His provisions and love and the only thing that stands in the way of that at times is…us, and our old sinful nature. Sin has a way of convincing us that the temporal, fleeting things are most important, and yet they pass away, they expire and are no more. Yet, there God stands from everlasting to everlasting with something far beyond sometime finite – because He is infinite as is His love for you and for me.

Psalm 136:1,2 says: “Praise the Lord! He is good. God’s love never fails…”
So why do we put our trust in the things that are fading and passing away instead in putting them in the Eternal, Infinite love of God? It seems like such a wasted investment, doesn’t it? I don’t know about you, but I do not want to come to the end of my life and realize that I have squandered by time, talent and treasures on things that didn’t last. Instead, I want to deeply invest in the Eternal and never ending love of God. How about you?

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to know you more fully. Help me to see your beauty in the world around me and to know that you love and desire my love in return. Thank you for the many blessings that you have given to me today. Help me to not take these blessings for granted. Help me to love others as you have loved me. Be with me today. In your name I pray all of these things. -Amen.

March 10, 2017 0

Day 60 – Be Done With Sin!

“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, army yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin…” 1 Peter 4:1

The joys of life can often be overshadowed by the hidden sins we think we are hiding from God. We think that if we act a certain way, or talk with just the right words, that we will fool everybody. That may be true of people, but it isn’t true of God. He sees it all, the good and the bad. He knows us, and in that knowing He sees. I used to be afraid of that “seeing”. I used to think that this meant God was always spying on me and being intrusive…but that’s not how God works at all.

Like a loving parent, His desire is for us to be rid of all kinds of sickness, and sickness of sin is the worst of it. He despises sin to the point that nothing with sin can ever stand in His presence. This Fatherly love, that is perfect and completely devoid of malice, desires the best for us. He sees the potential in us even when we do not see that potential ourselves. We might consider ourselves worthless or lacking gifts or talents, where God sees us in a whole different light – His perfect light which is true, pure and full of love for us. He sent His one and only Son into this world so that sin and death would finally be vanquished forever – so that through Christ, we might experience true life!

Whatever temptations you are facing today – God’s providence can sustain you!
Whatever sins you have been wallowing in for far too long, Christ can forgive and redeem you.
Whatever struggle you might see as impossible to overcome – The Holy Spirit will empower you and strengthen you to overcome and see victory!

Allow this to take place in your life.
Say yes to true living and turn from the trap of sin that leads to loneliness, sorrow and pain. Hope awaits us all – let’s embrace God’s Light in our lives today more fully than we ever thought possible, with the power of the Holy Spirit within us!

Prayer: Lord deliver me from ____________________(name it) today.
You know these struggles and these temptations. Help me to fully embrace your will for my life. Lead me in this day, deliver me from the snares of the evil one. Thank you for seeing the potential in me and for guiding me on this path of holiness. -Amen.

March 3, 2017 0

Dear Salvation Army – 5 Truths About Sacrificial Living…

We are an army that is non-sacramental – I believe this, but we must actually embrace and preach/teach the necessity for real, authentic sacrificial living its soldiership. Without this crucial component of sacrificial living, we will have not only rejected ritual observations of the Church by way of communion and other such practices, we will have neglected the true essence of Christ himself (who was without sin, yet suffered and died for us). If we are to be Holy as He is Holy, we must become like Him in every way – which includes sacrificial living. The season of Lent is upon us, and although we do not practice much of the traditional Church practices within Lent, we would be remiss if we did not explore this extremely important topic of Sacrificial Living.

But First let us clarify what Sacrificial Living is not:
It is NOT:
-A great display and sanctimonious actions for others to see you and know your piousness and holiness.
-A ploy for promotion or power play for position or status.
-A means to compete with other soldiers and prove who is “holiest”
-A means to fool the world – but you can’t fool God.

If any of the above mentioned motives for Sacrificial living exist within us, we must eliminate them from our hearts and reconsecrate ourselves before God!

5 Truths About Sacrificial Living:
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” Galatians 2:20 (NKJV)

Sacrificial Living Requires Consistency
“But Samuel replied: ‘Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams” 1 Samuel 15:22

We cannot simply declare that everything we do in the corps will be the place of my sacrificial living – NO! It is all or nothing. God doesn’t want our sacrifices in one area while other areas of our lives are still not surrendered. That’s like saying to your spouse, “I will be faithful to you in this city, but I can’t promise anything when I leave this city.” How can we love the Lord with all of our hearts when we compartmentalize our relationship to Him? If we are to be soldiers of the faith who are daily living sacrificial lives, we have to subject ALL of our lives under the sovereign, perfect rule of Christ. Consistency is not easy, and there will be constant struggles to bring these areas of our lives under control. But rest assured we have One who is with us – The Holy Spirit!
Sacrificial Living Takes Work
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” –Romans 12:1.

If we are to be consistent in our declaration of sacrificial living – we have to mean what we declare – and this takes work! We have to roll up our sleeves, so to speak, and intentionally, moment by moment surrender our wants and desires to God. We have to declare Thy Will be done, instead of my will. The work done on our knees in prayer before the Almighty will set the momentum going forward. If we neglect this spiritual discipline of prayer, we will jeopardize our entire sacrificial existence. This is a merging of our identities with that of Christ’s. When we do this, we are essentially saying “I want to be Imago Dei” I am not just imitating Him, I want to be Him in every way. There will be moments of stumbling. We will experience great stress in temptation, because surely the Father of Lies will begin to see how dangerous His people will become to his devious plans on earth. We will experience adversity, days of defeat, weakness – but these are only symptoms of us dying to our old-self.
Sacrificial Living Is An Outpouring of Holiness

“And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.” -Acts 2:44-45

When we declare our desire to be ~~like~~ Christ in every way, our crosses will be carried, and our path will be set. It sounds paradoxical, but while we experience great sacrifice and discomfort, we will at the same time experience great peace too. Sacrificial living is not the end result, no this is the outpouring of our longing for holiness in all that we are as Children of God. This is more than just words uttered. This is something on a molecular level – changing us from the inside out. I believe something metaphysical happens when we make it our goal to be Christ in our hearts, minds and soul. You know that when you have been married for a long time – you and your partner take on the mannerisms of each other…sometimes you even begin to resemble one another. Holiness lived-out with the greatest of intentions and devotion will produce men and women of God who deeply resemble Christ in every way. -This is what Sacrificial Living looks like and is the evidence of a commitment to Holiness on the deepest of levels. Dare I say, but we as an Army have yet to even scratch the surface of real, tangible Holiness amongst its ranks. We talk a good game, but I fear we are no where near it yet.
Sacrificial Living Has No Room For Ego

“And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.” -Acts 4:32

There’s an old phrase that perhaps you know, it goes like this: “Absolute power corrupts absolutely”…even in the Army there is a hunger for power, whether it be in our corps and local officer positions or the Corps Officer, Divisional Officer, Territorial Officer…and so on. Power is a dangerous vice. Authority is necessary in any Church, Movement or Mission, but the hunger for power and man’s authority can corrupt all of the above. In fact, this is what Satan hopes will happen to any adversary of his: that they become bogged down by their own egos and blinded by their own ambitions and thirst for imagined power. You might say, “but we are The Salvation Army – we have no power.” – every organization, movement or Church has many places of authority and assumed places of power. What we do with those roles, how we conduct ourselves if we become stewards of such positions determines not only the course of our Army, but the depth of our sacrificial living. There is no room for ego in sacrificial living! “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise” -Psalm 51:17.
Sacrificial Living Must Be Evidenced In Our Soldiers & Officers!
“More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ…” -Philippians 3:8

If we are truly a Holiness movement – then we must act like it! We must eliminate every element of back-biting, gossip, slander, ego, power-plays, Church politics that elevates one over another, personal vendettas and all other kinds of selfishness! Somewhere along the way we left the call for holiness in a pulpit sermon and lost our way. We will not move or correct any kind of mission drift that is egocentric if we are not really actively engaged in sacrificial living. Let’s stop talking a big game, and putting on a big show as we tout our Holiness Movement member’s cards (I’m being facetious)…let’s drop the pretenses. If we want to see an Army on the move and if we long to save souls, then we first have to start with our own. I am not questioning our salvation, I am questioning our depth of Holiness and Sacrificial Living. Let’s practice what we preach…and perhaps for some of us, we need to fall in love with God all over again in reconsecration. I love this army, but without soldiers, officers and adherents who are living sacrificially, and committed to the great commission of saving souls and making disciples, we could face extinction a generation from now.

Something more for our Army world to Ponder today.

*Disclaimer: the thoughts and opinions expressed here are the writer’s thoughts and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts and opinions of The Salvation Army. Reader discretion is advised.*

March 2, 2017 0

Day 59 -Finding Contentment

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13

Much of our struggles in life come from stuff and being discontent in life.
We long for that new cell phone that just came out and so we sacrifice to get it and when we do it’s nice for a time, but then it losing its shine. We envy people who have “made it” professionally and so we covet what they have while we lose sight of the blessings we already possess. We grumble and complain about situations and completely miss the little blessings God provides to us every day…or we take them for granted.

This happened to me yesterday and it brought a humbling sense of God’s presence to me. I was having a bad morning. It seemed nothing I could do was good enough and so my wife and I went to get coffee at a local coffee shop. While waiting in the drive-thru for what seemed like ages, I began to complain about that. (Have you ever noticed that negativity breeds more negativity?) I was criticizing the car in front of us for their choice of sports teams…and just being very discontent with the way life was going that morning. But then it happened. It was our turn to grab our coffees at the drive-thru window and pay. I had my wallet out and I was ready. When I finally got up to the window, still in a huff because of my day, the drive-thru employee informed me that the car in front of me had already paid for our drinks. Wow…that was kind of like a slap in the face to me, as if God was trying to get my attention and remind me that my contentment doesn’t come from circumstances around me. In that moment it had nothing to do with coffee or getting something free (although that was cool), it had everything to do with my attitude and response to the things around me.

Have you been there?
Have you allowed negativity to rule your thoughts and actions?
I know from experience I am not fun to be around when this has happened to me…and I’m sure it’s the same with you. No one wants to hang out with angry, sullen, sour people all the time. If we are to be men and women of faith, who are fit to be called and Sons and Daughters of the Most High, we have to change this stinkin’ thinkin’ kind of attitude!

Where does our contentment come from? It comes from the One who gives us strength to make it through whatever circumstance and situation – good or bad. Through it all, He remains faithful and steadfast. He is above any problem we might be facing or will face. He stands outside of the troubles of life and He gives to us what we need in order to see the bigger picture – WE ARE KINGDOM PEOPLE – Not of this present world but the next! We can live out His Kingdom now and live in holy contentment because of who He is.

Prayer: Lord, help me to keep my attitude in check today. Help me to see the bigger picture than the temporal problems that I am facing right now. Give me your strength so that I might reside within Your holiness. Lead me Lord and thank you for reminding me that You are there and You will provide! -Amen.

March 1, 2017 0

Day 58 – What’s Your Inspiration?

Read this passage: Psalm 37:3-7

Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
⁴Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
⁶He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.

⁷Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

All other paths will not provide you the resources or inspiration to continue in hope and peace. When we commit our way to God’s, he, as verse 6 says, “will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn…”

Have you been searching for a sense of purpose or fulfillment in your life?
How has that been going?
As that old country song once said, we are looking for love in all the wrong places…the same can be said of our search for purpose and meaning in life. We can fill it with degrees, awards, professions, relationships…but at the end of all those things we might still find ourselves feeling unfulfilled and aimlessly searching for a deeper meaning to it all.

If we commit our ways to the Lord, he will realign us and set us on the most meaningful journey we could have ever hoped for. I am not saying it will get any easier, but the outcomes of such a journey brings a refinement of character, a honed purpose and spiritual discipline that aids us when difficult days come…and they will. It is in those difficult days that we find strength and hope in the Lord. Perhaps you are facing some of those days right now. If you are, place all of your trust in the Lord and he will direct your path. This is where inspiration even in the face of adversity comes from.

Prayer: Lord I ask you today to give me a sense of your purpose in my life. I have become discouraged and out of sync with you. Set me on your path once again. Be the lifter of my head and help me to see the beauty even in the thorns of life. You have placed me on this path, help me to walk faithfully with you no matter what comes my way. In your name I pray these things. -Amen.

February 28, 2017 0

Day 57 – Discouraged

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Psalm 34:17-19

I must admit that recently I have felt discouraged and drained.
This doesn’t happen often, but every now and then I feel my spirit become distracted, discontent and a little burdened. It happens to all of us. Perhaps it is at these moments that we require God’s presence the most and that of the fellowship of other believers to surround us. We need to be reminded in those moments that, like Elijah, we aren’t alone…there are others who can understand what we are going through.

Have you been here before?
Are you in need of encouragement today?
Let me reassure you that God’s presence is with us and that we can go to this well of Life for renewal and refreshment. Going to God and seeking out these moments is not an indication of weakness, but rather a sign of great strength.

Do not be discouraged today.
The Lord is willing to remove those heavy burdens, and He longs to journey beside you today. Be encouraged – You are not alone.

Prayer: Lord hear my cry today. Please see these heavy burdens in my life right now and I ask that you help me carry then. Lord I need your light in my life today. Shine into my darkness and remove that which is not honoring to you. In your name I pray these things. -Amen.

February 28, 2017 2

Messy Church: Lent & Light

Theme: I am the Light of the world
KEY VERSE: John 8:12 – “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Other verses for the stations:
Genesis 1:3 “Let there be light”
Isaiah 9:2 “The people walking around in darkness have seen a great light”
Acts 9:1-6
Psalm 119:105
1 Samuel 17:45-47
1 John 1:5-7
Matthew 5:16

Welcome (Chapel): Introduction of Lent & Light… 5 Minutes.
Introduction and Welcome to Church today!
Today we are going to explore the Light of God through a “Messy Church” experience.
Some of you might not be all that comfortable with the notion of not being in this chapel for the entire service today, but let me reassure you that this will be an entire family teaching time today. Grandparents and parents, aunts and uncles, you will all be working side by side with your children and grandchildren and adopted children of this corps to learn more about Christ and His light. This week also begins what the Church call the Lenten season. This season is all about reflecting and preparing Christians around the world for what Jesus did at the cross and at the tomb in resurrection. So, with that thought in mind today, we are going to explore the very important topic of light in our messy church service today . For those of you who are extremely worried about getting messy, don’t worry – you won’t have to, but I would ask that you all participate in some way as we go from station to station today.
Table #1 Light Bulb Cards: (5 Mins)
Need: Pencils/Crayons/Scissors
Make Lightbulb shaped cardstock papers by drawing a light bulb, coloring it and then cutting it out.

Read: “The people walking around in darkness have seen a great light”…Isaiah 9:2

Discuss: Talk about different kinds of light and light sources…make a list of them.
-Which kind of light is your favorite? Why?
-Have you ever had a time when you had to walk in the dark? Talk about that experience.
Say: Lightbulbs and electricity help us in our homes to see at night. Before lightbulbs they used candles and oil-filled lanterns.

Ask: Have you ever experienced a time when the power went out and everything went dark?
What do you do when something like that happens? What kinds of tools do you use?
How did you feel when the power was restored and you have light again?

Close by saying:
God’s great light can shine into the darkest of places in our world. He can light up the darkest night. Tonight, when you go to bed, thank God for his great light that shines in our hearts because he loves us!

Table #2 Stained Glass Windows (5 Mins)
Card Stock Rectangles
Pre-cut moons, stars, crosses, fish, candles
multi -Colored tissue paper
Create stained glass by gluing two shapes then placing tissue paper behind the shapes.
Blend colors using multi-colored strips of tissue paper.
(show a picture of a stained glass window)

Talk about the way Light transforms stained glass.
What colors are visible in the stained glass?
Look at this picture of the stained glass, can you see different shapes and symbols in it?
What do you see?
Stained glass like this are used to tell stories. It is much more than just decorations in a church.
These windows convey to use bible stories that we know and help to remind us of God’s light shining down upon us.

Read: Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers.^[a] So he went to the high priest. ²He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.

³As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. ⁴He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”

⁵“Who are you, lord?” Saul asked.

And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! ⁶Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Acts 9: 1-6

Ask: How did Jesus get Saul’s attention?
(God’s light shone from heaven).
Saul was blinded for a short time because of this light from heaven, but after this experience, he changed his name to Paul and began to preach and teach about Jesus to everyone he met. God’s light shines upon all of us just like this stained glass. He wants us to live for him and to reflect that light in all that we say and do.

Ask as you close: How can we shine for Him this week?

Table #3 A Lamp Unto My Feet (5mins)
Card stock pages with slices in them
a Scripture passage on a strip of paper
A Paper handle strip

Read: “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105

Talk about: God’s word will direct our lives if we are willing to listen to Him.
He wants to help us make wise decisions in life.
Ask: Have you ever walked around the darkness and tripped over things? How did that experience make you feel? Were you afraid? Did you hurt yourself?
What happens when you turn the light on in a dark room? You can see right?
What once was dark is now light.
Ask: Why do you think parents have rules for kids when they are growing up?
What happens when those kids break the rules?
What happens when adults break the law?
There are consequences to breaking the law or the rules right?
But those laws or rules are there to protect us right?
In the same way, God’s word is there to protect us and to keep us safe.
He wants us to follow it so that we don’t wander around in the darkness.

Hold Up Your lamps: And read the scripture passage on the handle together:
“Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light unto my path.”

Table #4 Make Paper Hats (5 mins)

Need: Card Stock & Glitter, Makers, Crayons, Tape.
We are going to make party hats.
We all know the Story of David and Goliath, but did you know David had the light of God inside him? He was brave and he had faith that God would help him defeat this giant! The Giant had huge weapons and a was very fearsome and frightening to all of the Israelite soldiers including the king. But David had faith in God and he said to Goliath:

Read: …“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. ⁴⁷All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” 1 Samuel 17:45-47

Ask: How did David win the battle?
Did he do it with his own strength?
How important is it to trust in God?

Do you know people who seem to have God’s light inside of them?
Do they seem to be bright and cheery people who have peace even when they face their own giant problems? How can we become like David and have courage and the light of God in us?
Put on your party hats…each one looks amazing and colorful…and bright! You can shine for God in your life too if you have faith and know that He is with you in every situation especially those that involve giant problems and worries.

Table #5 Star Cookies (5 mins)
Need: Yellow Frosting, Sprinkles,
Families will frost their cookies and sprinkle them.

Talk about how stars give off light in the night sky.
How far away are stars? Hint: millions of miles.
Our nearest star is 4.24 light years away.

Read: Genesis 1:2-4 God gave us light in the darkness:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ²Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

³And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ⁴God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.”

God spoke creation into being, and he gave us light so that we can see.
Light also gives us life.
Ask: Can plants grow without sun light?
Talk About:
The Sun in our galaxy is a giant star. It is a great big ball of fire made up of gas.
If you even go near it we would not live for very long, but God placed this star and our planet at just right location in order for all of us to live. If the sun had been placed any further away, our planet would freeze. If the sun was too close Earth would be way too hot to live on. God knew exactly how to create light and darkness ( and the rest of creation for that matter) in order that we might live and love Him.

Table #6 Walking In Light or Darkness? (5 mins)
Need: Little water bottles , plastic cups, baby oil, washable markers (for color) sparkles.
Pour the water into the plastic cup.
Grab a washable marker and dab it into the water until the water changes color. (only 1 per cup)
Pour water back into the bottle about half way, then fill the rest with a little bit of baby oil.
Close the lid and then shake it up.

Read: “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
1 John 1:5-7

Talk: Before Christ came to the earth, the people in ancient times have to make lots of sacrifices so that they could remove the darkness of sin from their lives. When Jesus came, he died on the cross for our sins and become the ultimate sacrifice so that sacrifices were no longer needed – Christ’s was enough for everyone in the whole wide world! Think about that: God’s one and only son, bringing his perfect light into a dark world. Look at the dark section of your bottles – When we choose to follow Jesus, we stop living in the darkness of sin and we begin to walk in the light of His love. When we do this we can shine so that others might see Jesus too.

Table #7 This Little Light of Mine (5 mins)
Need: 2 Flashlights. One with batteries and one without. Put wads of paper and coins and whatever else in the second flashlight.
Begin by Singing: “This Little Light of Mine”

Read: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” –Matthew 5:16

Take turns reading the verse together. I like to read the verse normally, then read it super-fast and super-slow. Sometimes we read our verses “underwater” meaning I rub my fingers up and down over my lips while I speak to make the underwater sound. After you read the verse together, have kids sit quietly and answer a few questions.

Say, “What do you think it means, ‘Let your light shine before men…” Encourage kids to answer, let them know there’s wrong answer. After they have shared what they think, bring out the flashlight that doesn’t work. Don’t tell them it doesn’t work. Flip the switch on and try to shine a light. Say, “Wow! This isn’t working.” Shake the flashlight. “I think I hear batteries in there. Should we check it?”

Open the battery and show kids the junk that’s in the flashlight. Say, “Wow! These aren’t batteries. No wonder it’s not working. You know, we are kind of like these flashlights. When we have junk in us, we don’t shine our light. Now let’s see what happens we do have a flashlight that shines correctly.” Flip on the working flashlight and turn off the lights to show how bright it is.

(Object Lesson Source: http://ministry-to-children.com/shine-a-light-object-lesson-for-sunday-school-matthew-516/)

Total Table Time: 40 minutes

The Wrap Up Back In The Chapel – 15 minutes

Sing: Marvelous Light
Here I am to Worship

Devotional:
Today we explore what topic in Messy Church?
That’s right the topic of light. More importantly Jesus said:
John 8:12 – “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
In all of our stations today we have explored all kinds of ways that we can share that light with outs and how we can shine as well…right? Jesus told this to many people, and he wants us to follow him as well. He wasn’t just any light…like a light bulb that can be replaced when it burns out – NO! He is THE light of the world. In fact it says in Revelation 22:5 about heaven that “there will be no night there–no need for lamps or sun–for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.” Imagine that! God’s light will never go out, never become dim, or ever, ever be extinguished.
Jesus came to this earth and told everyone he was the light of the world and that they should follow Him…I have good news today for you! He still is the light of the world and when we choose to follow Him, we have this light inside of us and it shines too.

Now, perhaps this is the first time you are hearing about Jesus in this way.
And maybe you would like to receive this light for the very first time.
Jesus came to this earth to die for our sins and when we accept this sacrifice, we become His people. We become Christ-followers, and he said that one day we would all be with him in eternity or heaven. But do you know what we have to do? We have to accept this gift of eternal life. The light Christ offers will last for eternity, and with that light comes love, peace and hope. Would you like to accept this light today in your lives? If so, I would like to pray this prayer with you and if you would like to accept Jesus for the first time, or maybe just reaccept Him, would you pray this prayer with me?

“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I have walked in the darkness for far too long. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will. I pray that you help me to be Your light in this world.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

*This lesson plan was adapted from the book: “Messy Church: fresh ideas for building a Christ-centered community.“*

February 27, 2017 0

Day 56, What’s Your Name?

“Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”)
John 1:42

There are many people in the bible who were given new names.
-Abram and Sarai became Abraham and Sarah.
-Simon became Peter (the rock).
-Saul became Paul the Apostle.

Numerous people given different names in order to do God’s will on earth.
I wonder what if we require a new name in order to do God’s amazing will in our lives today. Did those ‘new’ names give them more confidence? Did they provide a title or commission by God? How does that translate in our context and existence today? What is your name and what does it mean? I don’t mean the definition of you name in some genealogy or baby name book, I mean how do you see yourself in the mainframe of God’s kingdom? Who are you? What are you here for? What is your purpose?

Each person mentioned above from the bible were given new names and they had a purpose. Do you know what your purpose is? It’s okay if you are still searching. It is okay if you aren’t sure yet. (does that help you to hear this?) Sometimes I think we are so concerned with no finding our purpose that we become frustrated and want to give up even seeking it out. Finding purpose in God is both simple and very complicated. He wants to fellowship with us on a daily basis, but when we grow with the Holy Spirit’s help, we also are given more of a burden for others as well.

So how about it…who are you? What’s your name? What is your purpose?
Here is a reassurance: You are a child of the Most High. You have are fit to be called Son and Daughter. He wants YOU to be the very image of Christ to the world around you. This seems like a tall order, but let me encourage you that we have the strength and the power of the Holy Spirit within you!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for giving me your identity and calling me your child! I pray that today I might understand what that means. Guide me on this path today. I pray that you might strengthen me when I am weak and encourage me when I am downcast. Be with me on today dear Lord. -Amen.

February 27, 2017 0

Day 55 -Encouragement Required…

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11

I was reminded by a Pastor friend of mine recently that I could be a source of encouragement to others. His response caught me off guard because I had been complaining and feeling discouraged myself. At that moment when I had felt defeated, he spoke words to me that was not only what I needed to hear, but it also took me out of the funk that I was feeling within my little pity-party. This Pastor friend told me to look around and find people who needed encouragement, and to be that encouragement I was looking for in others towards them. It got me thinking, how much different the world would be if we all were looking out for each other and going out of our way to encourage.

We might not know what THAT person is facing or going through, but just by being an encourager can make all of the difference! A few kind words might be all that is needed. Perhaps praying with them or for them will be your way of encouraging them. Whatever it might be, do it…step out there and go out of your way to reassure someone that God loves them and you do too. A little bit of love goes a long way.

Homework assignment today: Look up. Look out, and go to someone you may or may not know and encourage them in some way, shape or form.

Prayer: Lord grant me your eyes to see the needs of those around me today and this weekend. Help me to share your love with those I come in contact with. Thank you for encouraging me, now help me to encourage others. In your name I pray these things.
-Amen.

February 24, 2017 0

Day 54 -What You Do Isn’t Who You Are…

“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” 1 Corinthians 3:16

So many people worry about what they do.
Will I earn enough money.
Can I afford to go to school to become a doctor or lawyer.
Our world has made certain professions a matter of prestige and of which to pursue and become. But our jobs do not truly define us. Sure, they can be an outpouring of our passion, but they are not the root identifier of who we truly are. Many times I will go to special events and I will meet people and usually one of the first things they ask is – “So, what do you do?” This one single question becomes the classifier of not just profession but an indicator of what kind of person you are. It’s judgmental and assuming.

What do you say when people ask you this question?
Perhaps you could shock them by saying something like “I’m an ambassador of the eternal King” …just imagine the looks you might get then. The truth is, it doesn’t really matter what the world around you thinks about you, and these kind of canned questions with the rehearsed and canned answers are all superficial and none of it truly speaks to WHOSE we are.

You are and I are sons and daughters of the Most High.
We are called to BE holy…then DO holiness in our practical living.
The Apostle Paul tells us in the above passage to recognize that we are all God’s temple. I have this funny idea of these little steeple and temple running around, and bumping into each other at coffee shops…but the true reality is this: we are God’s kingdom here on earth…and above all, we should live kingdom living before we even attempt the “doing”. Today, may we all find God’s kingdom within us and through us. May we recognize what we do is not as important as WHOSE we are.

Prayer: Lord, grant me understanding of my purpose here on earth. Help me to live for you and to stop worrying about my employment status in society. Guide me in my day and lead me to live for you in all of my ways. I love you Lord. -Amen.