Category: From Pastor

Today’s devotion is based on Week 1 of “Resolve”: Set Proper Priorities! (WATCH HERE)

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Just the other day our daughter commented when she saw a white Honda CRV very similar to hers, “Everyone’s buying my car.”  Are they really? Or do you just notice more?  

You may have experienced this phenomenon called the “Baader-Meinhof” phenomenon.  It is also called the “frequency illusion.”  It is defined as a “cognitive bias that occurs when something you’ve noticed or recently learned suddenly seems to appear everywhere.”*

When something is brought to our attention, our mind begins to focus on it more and begins to notice it more.  Research shows that the frequency doesn’t really increase, it just your mind picks out that thing that now is more part of your awareness.

Does this happen in our faith life?
Maybe it’s not a perfect example, but the reality is God is at work every day, all around us.  The Psalmist writes:

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.

3 They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. 

But maybe we wouldn’t notice this if the Lord is not on our mind.  However, when the words of God and the presence of God are regularly on our heart and mind, we begin to notice things we haven’t noticed before.

Is this possible with the wise men as they studied the heavens?  Since the beginning the heavens have declared the glory of God.  However, because the wise men had the word of God in their hearts and mind, they were aware of what God was doing in the heavens.  Were they the only ones who saw the star?  We aren’t sure.  But it is possible others saw a uniqueness in the heavens and simply noted it and moved on.  But not the wise men, they saw the star and knew it was a fulfillment of God’s promise: Numbers 24:17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.

The Baader-Meinhof phenomenon may not be the best explanation of what happens when the Word of God becomes more part of our life, but it certainly helps us understand that the more we are reading, learning, and memorizing God’s Word and his promises, the more we notice and are aware of God’s working around us.  

WIthout the Word of God, a near-miss accident is a coincidence.  With the Word of God it is the angels of God watching over and protecting God’s child.  Without the Word of God, every illness or “bad” thing is a set back.  With the Word of God, we notice God working good in all things, even the challenges.  Without the Word of God, we carry guilt and burdens that addictions try to numb.  With the Word of God, we see God’s forgiveness and power to remove guilt and carry our burdens.

But we won’t notice if God’s Word is not regularly part of our life.

Like the new car you bought and suddenly you noticed it all over town is the passage that you read today that suddenly you begin to see play out in your life and others more than you ever had.

It’s just what happens to wise people when they prioritize and spend time in God’s Word.

 

Apply: Pick your favorite promise of God from the Scripture.  Memorize it…then notice how it plays out in your life today.  For example, Jesus promised, “I am with you always to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).  Notice how Jesus is with you today in ways you haven’t noticed before.

*https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/baader-meinhof-phenomenon.htm

Today’s devotion is based on Week 1 of “Resolve”: Set Proper Priorities! (WATCH HERE)

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Happy Epiphany Day!

“The twelfth day of Christmas” has arrived!  Maybe your decorations are put away, the holiday guests have left, and your vacation travels are complete.  Christmas is in the rear view mirror and the New Year is ahead of you.

But let’s not move on too fast or too far.

January 6th has been observed in the Church for centuries celebrating the coming of the wise men to visit Jesus in Bethlehem.

Why is this significant?

“Epiphany” means “appearance” or “manifestation.”  It is the day we mark the manifestation of Jesus to the world by the visit of the Magi, non Jews to see Jesus.  The Magi were the first “world” visitors to see Jesus.  Jesus came not just as the Savior for the bloodline of Abraham, but for all people.  

The Magi were very possibly spiritual descendants of Daniel, and other faithful believers that were exiled in Babylon in the 500s BC.  Their faithfulness made an impact on the leaders of Babylon and no doubt others in the court of the king.  The impact lasted for generations and the prophecies that pointed to a “king of the Jews” were studied, remembered and in this case acted on. 

Here’s how Matthew’s Gospel records it (Matthew 2:1-2): 

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

The orchestration of creation, world events and personal faith is a miraculous working of God.  We see in all the Christmas accounts and now also in Matthew 2 the reality of God’s hand to bring his Son Jesus to the world.  He wasn’t going to be deterred by an egocentric, maniac of a King Herod or the barrier of culture, country or mileage to ensure those he chose in eternity heard the message of Jesus, a Savior is born.

God put the pieces together for the wise men and moved them to act on the faith they were given and the knowledge they had.  They didn’t know everything, but what they knew they acted on.

Perhaps this Epiphany you can reflect on two questions:

How has God orchestrated your life to connect you with him?  As we begin a new year, it is beneficial to look back and see how God has guided events in your life to connect you to him.  God’s heart is for all to “come and worship” Jesus.  His heart is to make it evident and obvious that he loves you and wants to be with you.

What question is God prompting you to ask to seek and find more about him and his love for you?  The wise men knew the King had been born, they didn’t know where and asked.  What are the curiosities of your faith that you would like to pursue in 2025?  Write down the questions and pursue answers through the Word, your pastor, a Christian friend or reliable online source.  God uses resources around us to bring clarity to the faith questions we have and ask!

 

Apply: Use the two questions above and spend time today reflecting on them.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for revealing that you are a Savior for all people, including me.  May the pursuit of the wise men to worship you inspire me to seek and worship you every day of 2025!  AMEN.

Modified and reprinted from January 7, 2024.

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Happy New Year!

A few days into the new year has the “newness” of the year worn off?  Perhaps you have gotten used to seeing “2025” and even mastered writing “25” instead of “24.”  The celebration of the new year quickly fades into the routine that make it just “another” year.  The brief relief of letting go of the year past and embracing the new year perhaps has quickly faded.

But there is something about new starts that we all love.  Fresh starts allow us to put something in the past and embrace the possibilities of the future.  A fresh start allows us to let go of failures and embark on a new vision ahead.

The start of a new year is a natural time for a new beginning.  Perhaps you have made some resolutions to do some things differently this year (How are you doing on yours?).  There is power in a fresh start.

New starts are not foreign to the Christian.  In fact, the power of a fresh start comes from our relationship with Jesus.  Our life as Christians is the reality of a fresh start.  The Apostle Paul put it this way: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Consider these “fresh starts” God gives us.

In our baptism…

Romans 6:3-4 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

In the Lord’s Supper we live in the new covenant of forgiveness instead of the Old Testament law:

Luke 22:19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

The promise of heaven is a promise of an eternity in the new heavens void of all the suffering of the current earth:

Revelation 21:1-5 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

The truth is that when we are with Jesus by faith, he makes everything new.  He gives us a new identity (Child of God); he gives us new purpose (to live for him); he gives us a new relationship with him (Our sins are forgiven); and much more.  There is nothing better than a fresh start that the Spirit of God gives us when we are connected to the Lord by faith in Jesus.  It’s this new, fresh start that we will unpack in the days ahead.  It’s this fresh start that we get to enjoy every day of 2025!

 

Apply: In what part of your life do you need a fresh start?  How does your connection to Jesus give that new, fresh start?

Prayer: Lord, thank you in your grace for giving me new life, forgiveness, and new connection to you.  Enable me to enjoy and live in this fresh start each day!  AMEN.

27 years ago today, my lovely wife Christy committed her life to mine and mine to hers.  I couldn’t have been more blessed.  I dedicate this devotion to her and the amazing blessing she has been in my life.

Our wedding message was Colossians 3:12-14

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

To be honest, I don’t remember a lot of the specifics in the message that day, but I have seen these verses play out in our marriage and especially in Christy’s expression of love to me for these many years.  Here are four reflections on what has kept our marriage together and growing all these years:

Share a common identity. 

We are both God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved.

One of the last things that couples consider in the person they consider marrying is spiritual intimacy.  God created us with a soul to have connection with him and this spiritual connection is intended to give husband and wife a common foundation on which to build a marriage.  I am so thankful that God has worked a tremendous faith and conviction of grace in my wife.  She knows she is a holy, dearly loved child of God because of Jesus and sees me the same way.  It’s our relationship with Jesus that allows all the other aspects of these verses to come into play.

Wear the right clothes.

I need to clean out my closet.  I have things I haven’t worn in years and things that are too big or too small.  Advice says to keep the things in your closet that you enjoy wearing and want to wear and get rid of the rest.

There are a lot of stinky clothes that I have worn in my actions and heart that have not always been compassionate, kind, humble, gentle or patient.  Short words, self-centered actions, and lack of compassion to listen are just a small sample of the stinky clothes in my sinful wardrobe.  Thankfully Christy is willing to tell me these clothes stink and to get rid of them (both physically and spiritually).  Our relationship is much better with the amazing, always in fashion look of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  She looks amazing in them and I look pretty good when I put them on too!

Forgive. Forgive. Forgive.

Real estate people say the key to a building’s value is location, location, location.  I would say the key to a lasting marriage is forgiveness, forgiveness, forgiveness.  I have far surpassed not just the “seven times” that Peter wanted to forgive his brother, but even 7×70 times (490).  I am amazed a my wife’s heart to forgive, forgive and forgive again.  I have been a slow…very slow…learner with some of the ways I have sinned against her.  I can push her forgiveness limits, but yet her love for Jesus leads her to forgive…and we are probably well over 7x7x7x7x7x7x7 (or so) times!

Put on Christ’s love.

I type the word “Christ” a lot in my profession as a pastor.  I don’t know how many times I have had to delete a “y” I accidentally tack on the end when I type “Christ” and it ends up “Christy.”  I am worried that somewhere I have inaccurately substituted my wife for Christ!  However, after 27 years of living with her, there is an amazing representation in Christy of Christ.  The love of Christ has filled her more and more and her life as Christy is an amazing representation of the love of Christ. Christ has wrapped her in his love, and she is more than willing to wrap that same love around me.

Thank you Christy for being an amazing wife, a true friend and confidant, an encourager and partner in life, and most importantly showing and living Christ’s love for me and our girls every day.  I pray I can be the same for you for many more years to come!

 

Apply: What application can you grow in to be a blessing in your marriage or other relationships?

Prayer: Lord, I simply thank you for the gift of my godly spouse and all she has brought to me through these years!  Bless and guide our relationship for many years to come.  AMEN

Twenty years ago in 2005, I preached a sermon series at the beginning of the year entitled, “ALIVE in 2005!”  The word ALIVE rhymed with “five” and it fit well.

Guess what, twenty years later, the same rhyme works, and it’s worth thinking about as we begin 2025!

ALIVE in 2025!

So what does ALIVE stand for? 

To start, if you are reading this, you are alive, but it stands for much more…a perspective with which we want to live each and every day and year of our lives.

Always Live In View (of) Eternity!

Always Live in View of Eternity

So, what does that mean or look like as you enter 2025?

1. Take time for what is most important – time with Jesus!

Luke 10:38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

How will you spend more time with Jesus and his word this year?

 

2. Store up treasures in heaven.

Matthew 6:19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

How will you invest your time more for spiritual growth, sharing your faith, or leaving a legacy of faith this year rather than just accumulating material wealth?

 

3. Live with an eternal peace and perspective.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Remember as you go through the joys and challenges of 2025, Jesus has settled the biggest issue of your relationship with God.  Through his life, death and resurrection, you are forgiven and loved by your heavenly Father.  This means each day you are loved and each day heaven is your eternal home.

Apply: With the Lord’s help, be ALIVE in 2025!  Live each day in view of eternity!  It’s what is lasting and most important!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for bringing us to the beginning of another year.  Journey with us into the New Year, even as you faithfully have been with us in the year past.  AMEN.