Devoted

 

 

 

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

The Art of Lamenting

by Warren Stroup

Have you ever struggled with telling God about how you are processing hurt, suffering or failure? Do you realize that over 1/3 of the Psalms are people verbalizing their lament to the Lord?

This is a healthy practice for apprentices of Jesus. We know that in Luke chapter 22, Jesus himself went away and lamented over what he was about to endure. 

In 2 Samuel chapter 1, David instructs the people to learn this lamentation regarding King Saul and his son Jonathan.

17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son,18 and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar. He said 19 “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places!  How the mighty have fallen! 20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult. 21 “You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor fields of offerings! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

24 “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. 25 “How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! “Jonathan lies slain on your high places. 

Lamenting is facing the sorrows of life and not ignoring them or thinking you can't express them to the Lord. Don't lose heart in the midst of suffering, take your concerns to the Lord and let him walk with you through it.

 

 

 

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

God pursues us

by Lynn Koehn

 

John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

 Running away from God is an innate characteristic of mankind. Sadly, it is something we inherited during the fall in the garden. Scripture describes our running like this: We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way. (Isaiah 53:6) There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.(Proverbs 14:12). All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. (Psalm 14:3)

But wait, God…!

Fortunately, God is not willing that anyone should perish, (2 Peter 3:9). His plan for mankind has and will always be to chase after, rescue and lavish his sacrificial love on each one of us every moment of every day until the day we die!

Matthew 11:28 KJV, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. The King of Glory sets his affection on us and has lovingly and tenderly welcomed us into His glorious peace and rest.

“You are the object of God’s affection. He has relentlessly pursued and will continue to pursue you.” -Kia Stephens, founder of Entrusted Women, speaker and author

 

 

 

Monday November 25th

Keep On Keepin On

By Jonah Lang

 Colossians 2:6-7 NIV

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

  

What to do next? More of the same, keep on keepin on.

 

 

 

Friday, Nov. 22

Conformed to Carry Out.

By Gary Bittner

 

Hi River Center Family, here is this weekend’s devotional,

 

In front of the RCA building on 5^th Avenue in New York City there is a gigantic statue of Atlas. Atlas is a beautifully proportioned man who, with muscles bulging is trying to hold up the world.  There he is: the most powerful man in the universe, and he can barely stand up under his burden.

 

On the other side of 5^th Avenue is St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Behind the altar is a statue of Jesus as a little boy, maybe 8 or nine years old: who with no seeming effort, is holding up the world with one hand.

 

My point? We can either shoulder this burden of this life ourselves; or we can say “I give it up Lord Jesus, here is my life, my pride, my dignity, my reputation, my selfishness, my fear. I give it all up to you. Make me who you want me to be as I seek You unreservedly and passionately.”

 

This is discipleship…Being conformed to His image and carrying out His mission.

 

In times of change, in times of battle, two things are worth keeping an eye on: 1)The importance of having a ‘coalition of the willing.’ 2) Note the percentage of people who have been born again are often resistant to allowing others help them grow (discipleship).  

 

Unfortunately, the second is common in the church. The same people who were helped, who were set free and healed by the Spirit of God as He works through people, now don’t want people involved in the process of building and rebuilding their lives, in the discipleship process. And sometimes, the people the Lord has used have too often said, ‘Oh, that’s OK, we don’t want to be pushy’ and backed off. Hence, needed training, mentoring, and discipling have not taken place in many lives because both parties have dropped the ball. We must never abdicate Jesus’ mandate of calling and making disciples.

 

Jesus did not call Christians, He called disciples, and the early church understood this…

 

Acts 11:25-26 25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So, for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

 

Under the ministry of apostles, pastors (Barnabas, ‘son of consolation), teachers and prophets, people were taught and trained (discipled) and were then worthy to be called Christians.

 

Some Christians are of the mindset ‘Jesus will teach me all I need to know. The reality is ‘a man can develop everything he needs in isolation, except character.’We need other people around us to help develop us as disciples.

 

If you feel that things at the River Center are changing, that ‘the ante’ is being raised, you’re right. But pastor Warren is not raising the ante, the elders are not raising the ante, God is raising the ante.

 

But, He is only asking us to get back to normal life as disciples. Also, as we think about the cost of discipleship, let’s remember the words of Martin Luther back in the 16^th century: ‘A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, suffers nothing is worth nothing.’

 

During the reign of Oliver Cromwell, there was a shortage of currency in the British Empire. Representatives carefully searched the nation in hopes of finding silver to meet the emergency. After one month, the committee returned with its report. "We have searched the Empire in vain seeking to find silver. To our dismay, we found none anywhere except in the cathedrals where the statues of the saints are made of choice silver." To this, Oliver Cromwell eloquently answered, "Let's melt down the saints and put them into circulation."

 

Matthew 13:33 = The Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven (makes a difference from ‘inside the lump).

John 17:15-18 = ‘I called you out to send you in….’

II Cor. 5 = ‘As His ambassadors…’ to do it like He did it!

Matt. 11:8-19 = ‘Friend of sinners’

 

Yes Lord, put us into circulation!

This is discipleship.

 

God bless,

Gary B.

 

 

 

Thursday, Nov. 21st

Consider Noah

By Galen Troyer

 

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. Hebrews 11:7

 

Noah was really one of a kind. How else could it have been that he was the only man whose family was spared when God decided to wipe out mankind from the face of the earth?

See Genesis 6: 1-7.

 

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:8

 

How was it that Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord? Where did his faith in the Lord come from?

 

From creation: Adam to Noah includes 10 generations. Most lived to be over 900 years old. It’s interesting to note that Noah’s great grandfather was Enoch.

 

After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. Gen. 5: 22-24

 

Can you explain that? I can’t, but it speaks volumes.

 

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. Hebrews 11:5

 

Enoch died before Noah was born; but Methuselah, his grandfather lived to be 969 years old. He was still living when God gave Noah instructions to build the ark. Lamech, Noah’s father, was still alive also. If these men had still been alive when the rain started, I’m sure they would have been on the boat. I believe they were there to encourage Noah as he was building the ark, because there no doubt were many who ridiculed him. If I got the math right, his great-grandfather lived until about a year and his father until about five years before the floodwaters came.

 

No doubt, Noah’s faith in God was much stronger because of the influence of these three men.

 

My hope today is that this encourages parents, grandparents and great-grandparents to ask/allow God to keep using you to speak life/faith into your families lives, in words and in actions.

 

And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him. Gen. 7:5

 

 

 

Wednesday, November 20th

Following Jesus to the Garden

By Warren Stroup

 

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.”  And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.  Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”  And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:36-39

Some of us may not want to follow Jesus into the Garden, but that's the place where God meets us. It's here that we come face to face with the will of the Father. 

Are you willing to go where he calls you to go, say what he wants you to say, do what he wants you to do? I quoted from the books of James and Hebrews on Sunday to encourage us to find Joy in the journey. Even if the journey takes us through the valley of death. 

Peter Scazzero wrote in his work titled Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, "We want to follow Jesus into the abundant life of resurrection, but we are less than enthusiastic about following him into the garden of Gethsemane." 

No matter where you are at, let the sovereign God meet you and guide you forward. Don't avoid the garden, it was Jesus' path to the resurrection.

 

 

 

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

A Light in the Darkness

by Lynn Koehn

 

 

Spiritual darkness is like physical darkness in that you cannot see where you’re going or where you’re going to end up. Walking in the light of God’s word will prevent us from taking the wrong path and ending up in a place we shouldn’t be, or taking a wrong step and slipping over the edge of a treacherous and perhaps even a deadly cliff.

 

Through diligent study and thorough searching of God’s word, we obtain wisdom necessary to avoid trendy or fabricated untruths.

 

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

–2 Timothy 3:16-17 [NLT]

 

God’s Word enables us to see into the spiritual realm and accurately distinguish the difference between God’s voice and human voices.

 

A time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

-2 Timothy 4;3-4 [ESV]

 

God’s word allows us to see the erroneous pathways and fatal pitfalls of this world for what they truly are. With God’s Word we can, with confidence and assurance run the race and successfully complete the course God has laid out.

 

Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path.

–Psalm 119:105

 

 “As you read the Word of God today, read it with expectancy and anticipation for the changes it will make in you.”  -David Jeremiah

 

 

 

Monday, November 18th

It’s All Connected

By Jonah Lang

 

Genesis 50:20 niv

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

 

In follow up to what God spoke yesterday…

 

If we Die with Christ, don't we then rise with him also? If that is true, then it’s all connected. Just as Pastor Warren spoke in his message… We are either slaves to sin (our old self) or If we have died to sin and therefore died to self, we have been raised to life with Christ and therefore are slaves to righteousness. It’s all connected. 

 

 

 

Friday, Nov. 15^th

Fear Not

By Gary Bittner

 

Hi River Center,

Here is this weekend’s devotional.

 

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

 

It’s really pretty simple: God IS GREAT. His greatness, power, and supremacy overall has already been demonstrated. AND HE HAS PROMISED TO BE WITH YOU, PROTECT, AND PRESERVE YOU.

 

Yes…

There will be trials, you have an Advocate.

There will be testing, you have a Teacher.

There will be troubles, you have a Comforter.

There will be lack, you have a Provider.

There will be enemies, you have a Defender.

There will be attacks, you have a Shield.

 

A few more verses from Isaiah, be blessed, and FEAR NOT!

 

Isaiah 8:12 Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. 

 

Isaiah 35:4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”

 

Isaiah 41:13 For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

 

Isaiah 43:1 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”

 

Isaiah 44:8 Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.”

 

Isaiah 54:4 Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.

 

God bless,

Gary B.

 

 

 

Thursday, Nov.14th

Embrace Him

By Galen Troyer

 

Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.

Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep.

O Lord, you preserve both man and beast.

How priceless is your unfailing love!

Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.

For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Psalm 36:5-9 (NIV)

 

How would you describe the Lord’s love, faithfulness, righteousness and justice? Can you do better than David did here? He compares them to the heavens, the skies, the mighty mountains and the great deep oceans.

And today, more than 3000 years later, these words are still true!

The Lord’s love is still priceless and unfailing. We still find refuge in the shadow of His wings; there is feasting on abundance in His house and water still flows from His river of delights.

 

These are things worth remembering and giving thanks for in our times of solitude and silence, and any other time too.

 

He is more than worthy of our praise. He is the fountain of life. No one and nothing else compares to Him.

 

Amen.

 

 

 

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Eyes of Your Heart Enlightened

by Lynn Koehn

 

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:18-19a [NIV]

 

Paul’s prayers are often specific and designed to encourage and inspire us, without trepidation and fear to carry out the plan and purpose God has called us to. In this prayer, Paul is reminding us of three specific things God did and is doing to help us better understand “the power of God at work in us!” (Eph. 3:20)

 

(Eph.1:18a) “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know…”

 

a)    the hope to which He has called you… The chaos, evil and moral-decay of this world loses its terrifying grip on us the more the eyes of our hearts are enlightened to the assurance of eternal life, because of Jesus’ death, his burial and his resurrection.

 

b)    the riches of His glorious inheritance in his holy people… We are able to live our lives with more meaning and purpose the more the eyes of our hearts are enlightened by the fact that we belong to Jesus. He has chosen us. We are His inheritance. Nothing can separate us from the love of God! (Romans 8:31-39)

 

c)     His incomparably great power for us who believe… Paul is praying that the eyes of our hearts are enlightened to the amazing truth that it is God’s power at work in and through us that emboldens and enables us to take on and complete the tasks God sets before us.

 

He said to Peter, “Blessed are you, Simon Son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.” [Mt. 16:17]

 

“Unless Truth is revealed to you by my Father in heaven it is of no practical benefit to you or to anyone else.” –H. Emily Cady, Spiritual Understanding from Lessons in Truth

 

 

 

 

Monday November 11^th

Love not the world

By Jonah Lang

 

1 John 2:15-16 Tree of Life Version

-The Fleeting World Opposes Eternal God

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For everything in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the boasting of life—is not from the Father but from the world. 

We are to be salt and light, in the world but not of the world… 

God, I pray that our love for you would be strong and that our hearts would be filled by you so that we may reflect your love in the places you have put us.

 

 

 

Friday, Nov. 9^th

The Happy Song

By Gary Bittner

 

Hi River Center Family, here is this week’s weekend devotional. God bless you.

 

The Happy Song

 

In the mid-90’s the group Delirious? was very popular, I still love their music. In these days I feel we can use a little happiness, so here you go. Here are the lyrics of The Happy Song and below is the link to an awesome YouTube soundtrack. Turn it way up and dance dance dance! Have a happy, blessed weekend.

 

Oh, I could sing unending songs

Of how you saved my soul

Well I could dance a thousand miles

Because of your great love.

 

My heart is bursting Lord

To tell of all you've done

Of how you changed my life

And wiped away the past

I want to shout it out

From every roof top sing

For now, I know that God

Is for me not against me

 

Everybody's singing now 'cause we're so happy

Everybody's dancing now 'cause we're so happy

If only we could see your face

And see you smiling over us

And unseen angels celebrate

For joy is in this place!

 

https://youtu.be/P9oBMZ3b4PY

 

 

 

Thursday, Nov. 7th

Precious Promises

By Galen Troyer 

 

If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine, but the Father’s who sent me.

These things I have spoken unto you while I am with you. But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance, all that I have said to you. 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:23-27 (ESV)

 

Jesus spoke these words to his disciples after he had told them that he was going away. Then he gave them this promise: his Father would send them a helper, the Holy Spirit to remind them of all the things that he had taught them while he was with them. They didn’t know it then, but the Holy Spirit would change their lives. The same is true for us today, he is our strength; reminding us of all that Jesus taught and did, and giving us the power to live a life that reflects and honors Jesus.

Peace is another promise that Jesus offers. He left it for us, and it’s a peace like no other, it’s His Peace. It’s not like the world gives, which is temporary. No one and no thing can take away the Peace that He gives. Why would anyone refuse His offer?

 

 

 

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

He never leaves us

by Warren Stroup

I've been reading through the books of I and II Kings. You might remember the story of Elijah after battling the prophets of Baal is found running for his life? 

So, Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them." Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. I Kings 19:2,3a

How many times have you gone through a mountain top experience: where God met you and you were overwhelmed by his presence and favor, only to find yourself rocked by some unforeseen trial or tribulation? 

Don't lose hope; God is still there. We can find assurance that he walks with us through it all, even when we might be feeling a bit like Elijah.

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.' I Kings 19:5

Don't despair, this too will pass. Find your rest in God who will comfort you. Tomorrow is a new day, a day full of hope and joy.

And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, "Arise and eat. I Kings 9:5

God will give you strength for the journey you're on. The pathway may lead from mountain tops to valleys, but every step of the way He is with you.

 

 

 

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Happiness/Contentment

by Lynn Koehn

 

 

Happy are the people whose God is the Lord. Psalm 144:15

 

People often search for happiness in the wrong places: the wrong ways and from the wrong people. According to the Psalmist, the answer is much simpler - God.

 

One of the true signs of happiness is contentment. Both learning to be grateful and satisfied during the good times and learning to put your hope and trust in God during adversity. Happiness (contentment) does not come naturally. It is a process of learning.

 

Listen to how Apostle Paul describes the learning process: Philippians 4:11-13 [GW]I’m not saying this because I’m in any need. I’ve learned to be content in whatever situation I’m in. I know how to live in poverty or prosperity. No matter what the situation, I’ve learned the secret of how to live when I’m full or when I’m hungry, when I have too much or when I have too little. I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me.

 

Studies have found that people tend to over earn—they become so focused on accumulating things that they lose track of actually enjoying what they are doing. [Hsee CK, Zhang J, Cai CF, Zhang S. Overearning. Psychol Sci. 2013;24(6):852-9]

 

So, rather than falling into the trap of mindlessly accumulating to the detriment of our own happiness, let’s stay focused on being content and enjoy the things God has allowed us to obtain. 

 

Blessed are the people who know how to praise you. They walk in the light of your presence, O LORD. Psalm 89:15 [GOD’S WORD Translation]

 

How happy are the people who worship you with songs, who live in the light of your kindness! Psalm 89:15 [Good News Translation]

 

A. W. Tozer said, “The people of God ought to be the happiest people in all the wide world! People should be coming to us constantly and asking the source of our joy and delight.”

 

 

Friday, November 1st

God’s Victory Parade

By Gary Bittner

 

Hi River Center Family, here is this week’s weekend devotional. God bless you.

Scripture: In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, He brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. 2 Corinthians 2:14-15, MSG

These words paint a beautiful picture of the impact that our lives can have when we allow God to lead us. We are not mere wanderers, but participants in a perpetual victory parade orchestrated by God Himself.

As we walk in obedience and faith; we carry the fragrance of Christ’s love, grace, and truth with us. Everywhere we go, people have the opportunity to ‘breathe in this life fragrance’ and encounter the love of God and the power of the Gospel.

God is always leading us from place to place, from circumstance to circumstance in His victory parade. Even in the midst of challenges and uncertainties, we can trust that He is working all things together for our good and for His glory.

 

May our lives testify of the love of God and may the fragrance of

His love permeate everything we do and in every relationship we find ourselves in.

 

As we walk with Him through life and life’s challenges, let us remember that God guides us along in His perpetual victory parade.

 

God bless,

Gary B.

 

 

 

 

Thursday, October 31st

God Has Promised

By Galen Troyer

 

God has not promised, skies always blue,

Flower strewn pathways, all our lives through;

God has not promised sun without rain,

Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

 

But God has promised strength for the day,

Rest for the labor, light for the way.

Grace for the trials, help from above,

Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

 

God has not promised we shall not know

Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;

He has not told us we shall not bear

Many a burden, many a care.

 

God has not promised smooth roads and wide,

Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;

Never a mountain, rocky and steep,

Never a river, turbid and deep.

 

But God has promised strength for the day,

Rest for the labor, light for the way.

Grace for the trials, help from above,

Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

 

This hymn was written by Annie Johnson Flint (1866-1932). She was a prolific poet and writer who reflected on God’s promises and presence in her life. She was orphaned as a child and developed rheumatoid arthritis in her early twenties. The arthritis was so severe that she could no longer walk by her thirtieth birthday. 

This song kept coming to me as I thought about difficulties people I love are facing this week. The elderly man whose daughter is facing serious medical issues just as she is ready to retire; the mother of two young children who lost their husband and daddy; a new born in the hospital with breathing issues; the young family whose father is in surgery today. All are counting on God’s promises. 

No matter what you are facing today, his promises are true. He can always be counted on.

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary, his understanding is unsearchable.

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might, he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:28-31 (ESV)

 

 

 

Wednesday, October 30th

Being with Jesus

By Warren Stroup

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42

We have the tale of two sisters: Jesus takes this opportunity to emphasize the importance of being with him. We can be so overwhelmed with the things of this world that we don't take time just to sit at the feet of Jesus. 

What troubles you this morning? Is it the kids, your finances, the argument you had with your spouse last night, the amount of things you need to get done today? Slow down and take time to be with Jesus.

Jesus wants you to know him and know that he will be with you through whatever you're facing today. 

 

 

 

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Love and Being Loved

by Lynn Koehn 

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! Psalm 133:1 

There are few things as precious in this world as believers living together in unity. One of the compelling features of a great church is believers doing life together in unity! Genuinely loving and being loved by one another in real time is a direct outcome of practicing the way of Jesus in community.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34-35 NIV 

Billy Graham wrote; “The greatest need in the world today is not more science, not more social engineering, not more teaching, not more knowledge, not more power, not even more preaching—the greatest need we have today is for love.”

John 15:12 & 13;

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Romans 12:9 & 10;

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Philippians 2:3 & 4;

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

 

 

 

Monday, October 28th

The Father's Heart

By Jonah Lang

 

John 5:30 NIV

By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.

 

Jesus is the prime example, showing us how trustworthy the Father is. In Him, we have a good Father. Jesus knew this, being fully man and fully God; He could do whatever he wanted, but he only did the will of the Father. He trusted God even unto death on a cross.  

 

The Father is worthy of our trust and confidence. We will assuredly have to make sacrifices in our life, in fact we will have to sacrifice everything… But we can have confidence that God’s plans for us are good.

More to come...

 

 

 

Friday, October 25, 2024

Raise Up a Remnant

By Gary Bittner

God Welcomes Us At His Table

 

Let’s look at the story of a man named Mephibosheth. Scripture: 2 Samuel Chapter 9. Mephibosheth's story begins in a place of sorrow, brokenness, and a feeling of unworthiness. He was born into a family marred by tragedy and political turmoil. A crippling accident during his childhood left him physically disabled, adding to his feelings of isolation and vulnerability. We can all relate to moments when life's circumstances seem overwhelming, leaving us feeling helpless and broken.

 

Some of you may have felt, ‘I am not worthy, I am not called, how could God use me with all my hurts, issues, spiritual handicaps?’

 

Let me tell you something: God specializes in taking people this world has cast aside and taking people that this world has said are no good and taking people of whom this world who said they can't do it and taking people this world has said, they are not rich enough, they are not good enough, they are not educated enough, they are not gifted enough.

 

God specializes in taking people like that and using them in a great way so He will get the glory.

 

1 Cor. 1:26-31(Message) Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don't see many of "the brightest and the best" among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn't it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these "nobodies" to expose the hollow pretensions of the "somebodies"? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate, and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That's why we have the saying, "If you're going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God."

 

This is why you are ‘quoting the enemy’ when you say to yourself: ‘God cannot use me, I am a cast aside, God does not want me at His table, He cannot want me to approach Him, to come into His presence.

 

I don't know what your handicaps are, but God does, and He wants you at His table! And if you enlarge your faith and stretch your imagination you can see yourself becoming more than you ever dreamed and used in ways you never imagined, not because of WHO you are but because of WHOSE you are.Enlarge your faith by believing who God says you are, not who the devil or other people say you are.

 

2 Samuel 9:1’David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake (for the covenant’s sake)?” 2 Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They called him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” “Your servant,” he replied. 3 The king asked, “Is there no one still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?” Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in both feet.” 4 “Where is he?” the king asked. Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar (without pasture, barren, fruitless).” 5 So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel. 6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, “Mephibosheth (2 words that mean ‘shameful’ and ‘broken or breaking’)!” “Your servant,” he replied. 7 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.” 8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” 9 Then the king summoned Ziba (David didn’t acknowledge ‘dead dog’ comment), Saul’s servant, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.) 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do.” So, Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica and all the members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table, and he was crippled in both feet.’

 

In the physical, Mephibosheth couldn’t walk well. He was handicapped, had literally been ‘let down’(dropped as an infant and both legs/ankles/feet broken) by one who was to care for him. And yet he was welcomed and honored at the King’s table, not because he was strong and capable, but because of the covenant between David and Jonathan.

 

And because of the New Covenant, we also have a place at the King’s Table, and it is a place of full qualification as sons and daughters of God, with no threat or fear of sudden disqualification or removal and full freedom and access to come into the king’s presence and make our requests known.

 

Mephibosheth’s story reminds us of the depth of God's love and the incredible grace He extends to us. It teaches us that no matter our past, our brokenness, or our limitations, God's grace is more than sufficient to restore us, heal us, empower us, and welcome us to His table.

 

God bless,

Gary B.

 

 

 

Thursday, October 24

All His Promises are True

By Galen Troyer

 

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

 

O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies?

Selah

 

But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.

 

Be angry and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah

 

Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.

 

There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?”

Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD.”

 

You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.

 

In peace I will both lay down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4.

 

In quietness and solitude, when my heart and mind are tuned in to Him, these truths encourage and refresh me.

 

Read these promises again and enjoy the peace and pleasure they bring.

Nothing compares to the Joy that comes from knowing Him and being with Him.

 

Yes, all His Promises are True!

 

 

 

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

So much God, so much Man

by Lynn Koehn

 

 

Try as we may, our finite mind struggles to fully wrap itself around the fact that Jesus was 100% God while at the same time 100% man. But it’s true! I and the Father are one. [John 10:30] Jesus is not controlled or limited by our circumstances and restrictions because…He is God: He is Omniscient–all knowing, Omnipotent-all powerful, Omnipresent-in all places and even exists beyond the confines of time. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. [Colossians 2:9]

 

God understands and empathizes with our frailties, our disappointments and our sorrows because…He came to earth and dwelt among us. [John 1:14] Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name, Immanuel (which means, God with us). Matthew 1:23

 

Here are some excerpts from the song, So much God, so much Man by Greater Vision. I invite you to take a minute, click the link below and listen to the whole song. You’ll be glad you did.

 

He was so much man that He slept in a boat,
Yet he was so much God that the winds ceased when He spoke.

He was so much man that He wept when Lazarus died,
Yet He was so much God Lazarus came forth when He cried.

He was so much man that He thirsted at the well,
Yet He was so much God that He saved her soul from Hell.

He was so much man that He died upon a tree,
He was so much God that He rose in victory.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGTXDf2Begw

 

 

 

Monday October 21st

The Father's Heart

By Jonah Lang

 

1 John 3:1. See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God, and so we are. 

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" 

 

God’s heart is to restore relationships. God made a way through Jesus, to have our relationship with him fully restored.  And so, we are as well.

-Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. 

 

More to come!

 

 

 

Friday, October 18, 2024

God’s Goodness Know No Bounds

By Gary Bittner

 

God's goodness knows no bounds,
In our every moment, in us He delights,

His love for us forever abounds,
He's there to guide us with His light.

Through trials and tribulations,
His mercy and grace are always near,
He guides us to His planned destinations,

He strengthens us and wipes away our every tear.

In times of joy and times of trial as well,
His blessings continually pour down from above,
Of His goodness, I will not cease to tell,

As He showers us with His endless love.

So church, let us praise Him every blessed day,
His goodness always fueling our light,

For all the blessings and favor He sends our way,
May we let His goodness shine through us bright.

God bless,

Gary B.

 

 

 

Thursday, October 17

Spirit Fruit

By Galen Troyer

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Gal. 5:16-18 & 22-25

Those who live by the Spirit display good fruit. Fruit is different than gifts. We don’t all have the same gift(s). However, if we are living by the Spirit, we all have the same fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Without the Holy Spirit it is impossible to display this fruit, and it’s a process as we grow in our relationship with the Holy Spirit and become more like Jesus. As we grow in Him, the fruit from our life also grows. And, all of these will manifest in our lives, we don’t get to pick or choose:)

 

The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace… Rom. 8:6

 

I’m so thankful that Grace re-writes our story!

 

 

 

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Looking at Jesus Looking at Me

by Lynn Koehn

A brief recap of something the Holy Spirit illuminated to me as Josiah Stroup preached on Sunday. His topic was “Solitude.” According to Dictionary.com, solitude can be the absence of human activity. Josiah fittingly illustrated this by sharing how he realized while sitting at ‘Chapters’ his favorite college coffee shop: Bible open, notepad and pen and several religious books and magazines close by was more ‘doing’ (human activity) rather than ‘being with Jesus.’

John Mark Comer, in his book, Practicing the Way writes; “it’s there, in the quiet, that the inner roar of our world of noise—the distraction, the chaos, and all the lies—fades away, and what shimmers in its place is the peace and presence of God.”

Being with Jesus is the process of transforming us into followers of Jesus who know His voice; who immediately distinguish His voice above all the other voices vying for our attention.

John Mark Comer says, “I look at Him, He looks at me, and we are happy.”

Being with Jesus, there are those precious moments where we are amazingly comfortable sitting quietly, looking at Jesus, Jesus looking me and happiness pours into me like a flood, filling my mind, my heart and soul from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet!

Please join me. Let’s take time today, turn everything off, sit quietly and look at Jesus looking at you…smile and allow the Holy Spirit to pour into you peace, joy and happiness!

 

 

 

Monday October 14th

The Fathers Heart

By Jonah Lang

 

John 5: 19-21 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.

 

Have you ever caught yourself wondering what God is like in person? Just read about Jesus… Looking at how Jesus loves and how He interacts with all kinds of people shows us how much the father loves His creation. The Father’s Heart is on full display through the life of Jesus!  More to come. 

 

 

 

Friday, Oct. 11th

He Has Promised Peace

By Gary Bittner

 

Hi River Center Family, here is this week’s weekend devotional. God bless!

 

Scripture: "Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses." - 1 Kings 8:56 (NIV)

 

We all can acknowledge that our world is filled with broken promises and unfulfilled commitments. Disappointments and letdowns can leave us skeptical, guarded, cynical and hesitant to believe that anyone can truly keep their word. However, as believers, we have the privilege of serving a God who is faithful and true to every promise He has made.

 

The verse from 1 Kings 8:56 reminds us of the unwavering faithfulness of God in fulfilling His promises. King Solomon, in his prayer of dedication for the temple, acknowledges the faithfulness of God in giving rest to the people of Israel, just as He had promised through His servant Moses. Solomon's words echo throughout the generations, assuring us that not one word of God's promises has ever failed.

 

God's promises are not empty words. Each one is rooted in His character of love, faithfulness, and sovereignty. From Genesis to Revelation; we see a consistent pattern of God fulfilling His promises. Whether it was the promise of a Savior to redeem humanity: or the promise of His abiding presence, God has proven Himself to be trustworthy time and time again.

 

As we meditate on this verse, it is crucial to remember that just as He fulfilled His promises in the past, He will do the same for us. We can find hope in knowing that the same God who kept His word then is the same God who keeps His word now.

 

However, we need to also remember God's timing and methods may not always align with our expectations. His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts(Isaiah 55:9). His promises may not be fulfilled in the way we anticipate or on our preferred timeline, but we can be confident that His plans are perfect and for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28).

 

In times of waiting or uncertainty, let us cling to the faithfulness of God's promises. Let us remember the times He has come through for us in the past and the countless testimonies of His faithfulness throughout history. As we trust in Him, we can rest assured that not one word of His promises will fail.

 

Take comfort in the faithfulness of God's promises. Trust in His perfect timing and rest in the assurance that He will fulfill every word He has spoken. His faithfulness is a testimony to His love and care for His people. May you find peace and confidence in Him today and always.

 

God bless,

Gary B.

 

 

 

 

Thursday, October 10th

Useful Servants

By Galen Troyer

 

For 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. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Heb. 4:12-13 (NIV)

 

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:7-8

 

As followers of Jesus, we are called to share love and compassion with others-like he did. What exactly does that look like? We rejoice with those who rejoice and we weep with those who weep. We celebrate in worship and service together with other followers of Jesus. This is all well and good.

 

But what about the others? Jesus gave us many examples of how to love, no matter the spiritual condition of the one(s) he was talking with. He never condoned sin, but spoke truth to them, always with much love and compassion.

 

My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wonder from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. James 5:19-20

 

James is one of my favorite books of the Bible. There is so much practical advice packed in five chapters. We can be confident in sharing, even with skeptics, that God will reveal himself when given the opportunity. James says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” Other scriptures also confirm this.

 

 

 

Prayer: Help me/us Jesus to have as much compassion for others as you do. Give us your words to speak to those who need to hear your voice. We are blessed that you can use us to represent you. We want to be faithful.

Amen

 

For you, Lord, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. Ps. 116:8

 

 

 

Wednesday, October 9th, 2024

Come to me

by Warren Stroup

 

This morning I was reading Matthew 11 and it reads starting in vs. 28, Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

I love those three words, "Come to me." That's not a huge ask. How many of us carry a load that we shouldn't be carrying? Maybe you've labored long enough and it's time for you to come to Jesus. 

He stands with outstretched arms saying, Here, take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. vs. 29

Church, we have been called, COME! Don't ignore the voice of Jesus, who wants to be with you. He wants to give you a yoke that links you with him. This is an act of practicing the way of Jesus. What better way to learn than to be yoked with him. 

He's calling, won't you come to him?

 

 

 

Monday October 7^th

Where is your hope, I know where mine is

By Jonah Lang

Isaiah 40:31

but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

My middle daughter Stella decided to run the Portland marathon. 26.2 miles!!! Which means as a family; we have to drive all over Portland and cheer and scream and yell super silly things and basically be moderately annoying to other cheer squads. Cause we are way better…lots of cow bell...

While cheering on all the runners… I was looking for names and cheering them on by name. Not a small task; there was more than 9000 runners. It's amazing how hearing someone cheer for you by name, someone you don't even know effects your state of mind… My wife and I both know this. Other people did it for us when we ran a marathon.

Half way through, I saw someone put Isaiah 40:31 in place of their name. My wife was next to me and I asked do you know that scripture? And of course she did. She quoted it like a champ. Which got me thinking… Nothing in this world even comes close to the promises of God. All we have to do is put our hope in the lord. There are so many of God's promises and every one comes with instructions on how to get it. Get into the Bible.

 

 

 

Friday, Oct. 4th

Psalm 73

By Gary Bittner

 

Good Morning River Center family Here is this weekend’s devotional. We will look at Psalm 73. God bless.

 

An introduction:

Psalm 73:1 Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Psalm 73 is an amazing account of the struggle between faith and doubt, prosperity, and suffering. The psalmist begins with a declaration of God’s goodness to Israel; yet he quickly transitions into a deep personal conflict. He observes the apparent prosperity of the wicked, and at the same time Asaph is troubled by the injustice of their lives compared to the struggles of the righteous.

The writer’s (Asaph) honesty in this psalm should seem familiar to us. We too sometimes find ourselves questioning God’s justice when we see those who do wrong thriving, while those who are trying to live a righteous life face trials. It is a human experience to wrestle with these feelings, and Asaph does not shy away from expressing his doubts. “Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence” (Psalm 73:13).

Here's the key verse:
But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. (Psalm 73:16-17)

Asaph’s turning point comes when he enters the sanctuary, the presence of God. It is only in the presence of God does his perspective shift. Instead of focusing on the fleeting prosperity of the wicked, he begins to understand their fate and his future and care in the hands of the Father.

This ‘aha’ moment of clarity reminds us of the importance of drawing near to God, especially during times of doubt. When we immerse ourselves in prayer, worship, and the Word, we gain a clearer understanding of ‘what is really going on.’

The psalm concludes with a powerful affirmation of faith. Asaph acknowledges that despite his struggles, God is his ultimate strength and portion. “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you” (Psalm 73:25). This is a reminder that earthly circumstances do not define our relationship with God.

Prayer: Father, thank You for this Psalm, this reminder. Help us to bring our doubts and struggles before You, knowing that You welcome our questions. May we seek You in our times of confusion and despair, and may we find hope and comfort in Your goodness. Remind us that nothing compares to our relationship with You. We love you Lord. Amen.

God bless,

Gary B.

 

 

 

Thursday, October 3rd

The Family of God/His Body

By Galen Troyer

 

I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God, I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood…. so begins a beautiful chorus written by Bill and Gloria Gaither in 1994.

 

My wife and I recently returned from Europe, where we joined twenty two others on a two-week antabaptist church history tour. We attended church services on the two Sundays we were there and sadly, observed that very few people attend church. In both services, our group made up at least one-half of the attendance. Sadder still, there were no young families, and no children.

 

I am so thankful that we are part of the body at The River Center, and what a joy is was to worship together last Sunday, and pray together last night. When we come together, we are strengthened and encouraged, as we worship, hear the Word, and pray together.

 

God’s plan for us is a beautiful thing. He never meant for us to go it on our own. He showed His love for us by sending Jesus. Our only hope is in Him.

 

Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Eph. 5:15-21.

 

 

 

Friday, Sept. 27th

40 Days of Prayer Day 40 – “Prayer Alphabet

By Gary Bittner

 

Good Morning River Center family. Today is Day 40 of our 40-day prayer initiative, and we are looking at Chapter/Day 40 in our book Draw The Circle entitled ‘Prayer Alphabet.’

 

Luke 11:1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

It may seem a bit strange to conclude a 40 Day Prayer Challenge with the verse ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’ I mean, haven’t we been doing that over these last 40 days? And yet, Pastor Batterson concludes his 40-day guide with ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’ Why?

Notice what the disciples didn’t ask. They didn’t say, “Lord, teach us to preach.” They didn’t say, “Teach us to lead,” or even, “Lord, teach us to disciple.” All of those endeavors are noble. But they had one request: “Lord, teach us to pray.” If we change the way we pray, everything changes. It changes the way we work, the way we parent, and the way we lead. It changes the way we prioritize and strategize. It changes the way we think, the way we feel, and the way we speak. Prayer changes everything from the inside out.

One of the sentences in Draw The Circle that really hit me is found on Day 29. “Call it whatever you want, but when we learn how and forget why, we start just going through the motions spiritually.”

We may say “Lord, I know how to pray. Lord, I have learned how to pray. Lord, there is nothing more for me to explore in prayer. My prayers are habit, they are dry and void of any vitality, they certainly don’t reflect a life-giving dynamic between you and me.”

If that sums up your prayer life, maybe you need to pray the alphabet.

Pastor Mark shares the story of a grandfather who walked by his granddaughter’s bedroom one night and overheard her praying the alphabet, literally. “Dear God, a, b, c, d, e, f, g.” She prayed all the way to “z” and said, “Amen.” The grandfather said, “Sweetie, why were you praying that way?” The granddaughter replied, “I didn’t know what to say so I figured I’d let God put the letters together however He saw fit.”

Do you sometimes have no idea what to say when praying? It’s ok, prayer isn’t about outlining our agenda to God; it’s about getting into God’s presence and getting God’s agenda for us, and then pray that.

And maybe, just maybe, you will run out of words in your native tongue, you feel you have no more words, then begin to pray in a new tongue. Let the Holy Spirit pray through you. If He is praying through you, how can it not be a ‘perfect prayer’ uncluttered by my thoughts and worries and doubts.

“It doesn’t matter what you do; prayer is the key to your business, your practice, your career. The anointing of God isn’t limited to pastors who preach. The favor of God is for everyone. If you’re an entrepreneur, you need innovative ideas. If you’re a physician, you need the discernment to diagnose. If you’re in politics, you need the wisdom to govern. If you’re in entertainment, you need the charisma to perform. All of these things are manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

Whether we write lyrics or craft legislation, sell homes or teach classes, design spaces or open franchises, prayer is a critical part of the creative process. Don’t just brainstorm; praystorm. Turn your classroom, boardroom, locker room, operating room, courtroom, and conference room into a prayer room!”

“Prayer is the difference between appointments and divine appointments. Prayer is the difference between good ideas and God-ideas. Prayer is the difference between the favor of God and the luck of the draw. Prayer is the difference between closed doors and open doors. Prayer is the difference between possible and impossible. Prayer is the difference between the best we can do and the best God can do.”

Remember Elijah….

James 5:13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

Amen.

God bless, Gary B.

 

 

 

Thursday, September 26, 2024

Holy Ground- Day 38 in Draw the Circle

by Warren Stroup

 

Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. Exodus 3:5

Have you ever experienced a moment when you knew that God brought you there, a specific place where the Holy Spirit led you?

In today's reading, we look back on the life of Moses and see how God broke into his routine. "...you never know when or where or how God will invade the routine of your life." Mark Batterson

We may see ourselves as insignificant or unworthy of God's visitation. However, I would encourage you this morning to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading. Be ready to go where he tells you to go. We are his ambassadors, that means we are his representatives to this world. When he says "Go", we go!

God wants you to experience Him. He wants you to know that he knows you. Be ready, God's going to show up and when he does may he be glorified by your response.

 

 

 

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Agreeing together in Prayer

by Lynn Koehn

 

Again, I say to you, that if two believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as My followers], I am there among them. Matthew 18:19-20 AMP

 

Draw the Circle, Day 37, Author/Pastor Mark Batterson writes, “Something powerful happens when we agree in prayer. Our faith isn’t just added together; it multiplies.” [pg. 207] When praying together in an environment of love for one-another, unity in the Spirit and the presence of the Holy Spirit, Jesus  says, “whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 18:18. Out of this straight-forward declaration from Jesus, King of the Universe, Lord over All, comes our authority in prayer! The authority of Jesus transfers to us when we pray together in His Name.

 

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. [John 14:13-14]

 

Until now you have not asked [the Father] for anything in My name; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy may be full and complete. [John 16:24]

 

Read how Batterson summarizes praying together in Jesus Name: “praying in the will of God and for the glory of God, then agreeing with someone in prayer is like getting our prayer contract notarized.” [pg. 207]

 

Establishing a prayer circle and agreeing together in the Name of Jesus is declaring that you are praying the will of God and praying in the authority of Jesus!

 

 

 

Friday, Sept. 20th

40 Days of Prayer Day 33 – Prayer Covering

By Gary Bittner

 

Good Morning River Center family!

 

Today is Day 33 of our 40 day prayer initiative, and we are looking at Chapter/Day 33 in our book ‘Draw The Circle’ entitled ‘Prayer Covering.’ The key scripture for today is Exodus 17:12 where we read the account of Aaron and Hur holding up Moses’ hands and arms during an intense battle with the Amalekites.

 

We read that as long as Moses’ arms were held up, Israel prevailed, but when his arms became weary and lowered, the Amalekites prevailed. Because of Aaron and Hur’s support, Joshua and the army of Israel won the battle! And, while Moses got the headlines, Aaron and Hur seem to be just ‘footnotes’ in the story.

 

Here is the last paragraph of Chapter 33: “Prayer is the pen that writes history. Don’t worry about making headlines, focus on the footnotes. And if you focus on the footnotes, God will write the headlines.” I love that last paragraph! The issue in Exodus 17 was not whether the ‘great man Moses’ would have his hands help up by a couple of ‘footnote guys,’ the issue was whether Israel, the people, won or lost!

 

Please read the account of Father Nash in today’s chapter. Many of us have heard of the great evangelist Charles Finney, but how many of us have heard of Father Nash? I venture not many. I have read much about Finney and Father Nash over the years and am always inspired and amazed by Father Nash’s heart of prayer. Nash was called to intercede for Finney for decades, before, during, and after the amazing meetings and revivals Finney presided over. And his prayers were so effective that Charles Finney himself said, ‘without Nash there is no Finney.’ I encourage you to look at little deeper in Evangelist Charles Finney and his mighty ministry. And as you do, remember that Father Nash was there the whole time, not seen, but powerfully used! Walter Wink said “History belongs to the intercessors.” I want to make history, let’s do it, thru prayer, together.

 

 

Thursday, September 19th

Draw the Circle Day 32 Get a Testimony

by Warren Stroup

 

They triumphed over him

by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony"

Revelation 12:11

 

What a powerful expression of the words we have to say about God. When we express what he has done, the enemy has to hear it again. The more people we tell, the more the enemy gets to hear all the good things God has done.

 

Our testimony is a reminder to others and to spiritual darkness that our God is triumphant and we are witnesses to his victory.

 

Today pray for a testimony or if you already have one, share it with someone. Think about what it does to lift a person's spirits, to change their thoughts of doubt and to instill a new hope.

 

Our words are power, use them to give God the Glory. The next time you hear someone ask, "Does anyone have a testimony?" Be ready to respond!

 

 

 

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Abide in Me

by Lynn Koehn 

 

Abide in Me, Day 30, Draw the Circle by Mark Batterson. “The word abide is a present imperative verb, which indicates a continual action. It’s not something we start and stop; it’s something we do for the rest of our lives. The goal is to get closer and closer to God.” (pg.167)

 

Batterson lists five insightful descriptions of what it means to abide that are worth repeating. (pgs.167-168)

• To stay overnight. If we linger in His presence, God’s presence will linger on us.
• To hold fast. Abiding in the Word of God is the way we take enemy territory and hold our ground. It’s our best offense and best defense.
• To stand still. When we find ourselves between a rock and a hard place, we must stand on the Word of God and trust His promises. No one likes being in those situations, but God often does His most dramatic miracles at those very times.
• To be moved. When the Word of God gets in our spirit, which is the spiritual womb, new passions are conceived within us. And inaction is not an option. Like David, who ran to the front lines, we’ll be looking for giants to conquer.
• To tarry.

 

Before Batterson moves on from describing abiding he makes this, in my opinion, spot-on summarization, which I love and again, is worth repeating: (pg.169) “We’re so busy trying to do something for God, that we don’t realize that the key to our success in any endeavor is letting God do something for us. We cannot do something for God if we aren’t with God. We have to press into His presence.”

 

Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me. John 15:4 [MSG]

 

 

 

Monday September 16th

Draw the circle day 28 - A New Prayer…

By Jonah Lang

 

 

In today’s reading I defiantly felt challenged to do something new in my prayer life… 

 

My wife and I tell each other I love you all the time, sometimes immediately after saying it, we say it again… Its ok because we really want the other to know that we love them.

 

God loves to hear us express our love for him, we can say it many different ways i.e “I love you, man” or Man, I love you!” Either way God love us right back.

 

The problem comes when we are on autopilot. There is so many things in life to be thankful for. And to love God for.

 

God give us a fresh perspective on how amazing you are…

 

I love you Jesus!!!   I love you Becky!!!

 

 

 

Friday, Sept. 13th

Game with Minutes

By Gary Bittner

 

Hello River Center family. Today is Day 26 of our 40 day prayer initiative, and we are looking at Chapter/Day 26 in our book ‘Draw The Circle’ entitled ‘Game With Minutes.’

 

The key scripture is 1 Thess. 5:17 (NASB) Pray without ceasing. This verse encourages us to redeem every area of our life, every minute of our life and turning that minute into a prayer.

 

Now obviously ‘pray without ceasing’ doesn’t mean take your eyes off the road when driving or spend your day at work on your knees in prayer, or ignoring your family to pray; but it does mean that we can ‘be in prayer all the time, in every situation, every minute.’

 

Brother Lawrence, a seventeenth century monk said it like this “The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament.” This is ‘prayer without ceasing.’

 

Just as we don’t have a ‘church life’ and a ‘family life’ and a ‘play life’ but have ONE life, so it is with prayer. We should not limit our prayers to a regimented ‘prayer time’ but we can and should be communicating with our Heavenly Father all through the day as we pray for the tasks at hand, as we pray for our family, our church, our co-workers, the gas station attendant, the Winco checker, and on and on.

 

As we pray ‘at all times and in all circumstances’, we will find ourselves walking with the very real sense that we are indeed Romans 14:17 ‘Kingdom covert agents’ as we bring righteousness, peace and joy into situations and circumstances through our prayers and our acts of intercession.

 

I’m convinced one of primary reasons people feel ‘far from God’ is that they are not regularly talking to Him and listening as He talks to them. Remember, prayer is not a monologue, it is a dialogue: And the more we dialogue with God, the more we begin to really hear His voice, begin to walk more in the Spirit, begin to live a life of purpose and compassion.

 

As Pastor Mark said in his book Draw the Circle, “Prayer is not something we do with our eyes closed; prayer is something we do with our eyes wide open.”

 

At all times, in all situations and circumstances. Amen? Amen!

 

 

 

Thursday, Sept 12th 

Draw the Circle, a Prophetic Voice

by Warren Stroup

 

Have you ever thought about the power our words have when spoken over someone? Think about the last time you told a friend or family member how proud you were of them or how much you appreciated the choices they have made. 

 

In today's reading, Mark talks about having a prophetic voice. Letting the words we speak be fueled by faith in the promises God has for people. There are too many times that we have spoken words that are not helpful, even hurtful. 

 

Pause for a moment and ask yourself, what type of words do you speak over people? You may need to go back to someone and ask them to forgive you. You may need to become a better listener as the Holy Spirit leads you.

 

In the book of James, it says but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. We might not be able to tame it, but we know someone else that can... the Holy Spirit.

 

Let's make a decision today to begin speaking life; let prophetic words of encouragement flow from our lips. Think about who you can speak life to today, then go and do it. 

 

 

 

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Wait on the Lord

by Lynn Koehn

Today’s chapter, Not Now (Day 23) is a fitting reminder that ‘waiting on the Lord’ is not always the easiest, but is always the best. I love the story of how Draw the Circle author, Mark Batterson and his wife Lora prayed and waited to purchase their Capital Hill home. I love their attitude when their offer was rejected. Batterson writes, “I had a holy hunch that God’s no a year earlier was really a not yetand was about to turn into a divine yes.”

 

I believe I can safely say we are all about the same when it comes to waiting…we hate it! Listen to what Batterson says about being busy (pg 132). “Let me come right out and say it: we’re way too busy.” He goes on to explain, “waiting is the fast track to whatever it is that God wants to do in our lives. And…we’ll discover that on God’s timeline.”

 

This paragraph captured my attention and is something we all should take note of, be on guard and not allow our impatience or busyness rob us of the joy of waiting on the Lord.

 

(Psalm 27:14, KJV)

Wait on the LORD: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: Wait, I say, on the LORD.

 

Psalm 130:5-6 [ESV]

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more that watchmen for the morning.

 

 

 

Monday September 9th

What an amazing God we serve

By Jonah Lang

 

From today’s Draw the circle, Day 22 A Prayer fleece… 

 

So many thing’s from this day remind me of other things, 

Pray for rain, be prepared for mud…

And the things of this earth will grow strangely dim...

 

but the thing that stood out the most was, in actually reading the passage in judges about the prayer fleece and what happened next. God allowed Himself to be tested, not once but twice, and then God walked Gideon through a testing process of His own. Thinning Gideon’s army down to bare bones, God set it up so only He could be glorified. 

 

God, you have shown yourself faithful time and time again. Give us a brave spirit so when we ask, we will believe.

 

 

 

Friday, September 6th

40 Days of Prayer-Day 19 Memorial Offerings

By Gary Bittner

 

Hello River Center family! Today is Day 19 of our 40-day prayer initiative, and we are looking at Chapter/Day 19 in our book ‘Draw The Circle’ entitled ‘Memorial Offerings.’

 

“Whatever Kingdom fruit we have been able to help bear, to the Glory of God, is directly tied to my Granny Opal’s prayers!”

 

The key scripture for today is Acts 10:4, an angel speaks to Cornelius ‘Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.’ Author Pastor Mark Batterson begins this chapter by reminding us that Our Prayers Never Die! If you think about it, Cornelius prayers resulted in you and I being given access to heaven.

 

Last week Friday our devotional was ‘Sow a Seed. We looked at the examples of the giant sequoia tree, the small apple tree, and you and me. Just as the sequoia and the apple trees will produce fruit well ‘beyond themselves’ so will our prayers product fruit ‘well beyond ourselves.’ One prayer can bear exponential fruit for generations to come!

 

Right now, I want you think of someone you know has prayed for you. It might your dad, mom, grandparent, sibling, friend, pastor. Just know that you are an answer to their prayers and whatever fruit you may bear on Jesus’ and the Kingdom’s behalf is directly tied to those prayers.

 

A personal testimony: Vonnie and I have been in ministry/leadership for over 40 years. And while I am not named on anyone’s ‘mighty men’ list, I do believe over those years, God has used us to touch probably thousands of people’s lives with His goodness, grace, mercy, love and life. And you know what? When I was born, my Granny Opal told my mom and dad, ‘Oh, he’ll preach.’ And she prayed for me until she went to Jesus. Whatever Kingdom fruit we have been able to help bear, to the Glory of God, is directly tied to my Granny Opal’s prayers.

 

Two of Vonnie’s best friends went to be with Jesus in 2019. Janet O. and Kathy S. These ladies were prayer warriors, always interceding, especially for their families. Those prayers are still being answered and continue to be answered because our prayers Never Die!

 

When we pray, our prayers exit our four dimensions of space-time because we are ‘sending them’ to the Creator of the universes who exists outside the four dimensions He created. Our prayers go on and on, and those prayers that are prayed according to the will of God will be answered.

 

Like a seed, our prayers go ‘underground’ where they begin to develop, to germinate, to break through barriers, and then after some time, it may be short or it may be long, the seed WILL bear the fruit because Our Prayers Never Die. In our time, on our watch, let’s ‘plant prayers’ that will continue to be answered long after we are with Jesus.

 

God bless!

Gary B.

 

 

 

Thursday, Sept. 5

Day 18- Keep Circling

By Galen Troyer

 

What keeps you circling? And, what might keep you from keeping on circling? How does your hope, your faith, your love, your dreams, your fears, your____ influence your decisions and actions each day?

 

Today’s reading (chapter 18) includes many examples of answers to prayers which were the result of obedience and “keeping on circling” until the answer came.

 

There are times in our lives when obstacles seem too big for us. And they are too big for us, but nothing is ever too big for God. He’s always close by and ready to take them on for us, if we give them to Him. Our job is only to pray-keep circling, and be obedient to what He shows us to do. Then, we’re in a position to be overwhelmed by Him; and that’s the best place to be!

 

As you read todays chapter, you’ll be reminded that God is always on time, never early, never late. It’s always too soon to give up. Our only options: Pray or don’t pray. God rarely does things how and when we expect Him to and it leads us to question His strange and mysterious ways. Sometimes it can feel like forever. God may push us to our absolute limits-the limits of our faith, of our patience, of our gifts. That is how God stretches our faith and builds our character. Keep circling. If you pray through, there will be a breakthrough.

 

 

 

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Surprise Us, Lord

by Lynn Koehn

 

 

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.John 14:13 [KJV]

 

“God has determined that there are some things He will only do in response to prayer.” That is a pretty bold statement. Right? But…listen to these next two: “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” And, “You do not have because you do not ask God.” The first statement is a quote from Mark Batterson in his book, Draw the Circle (pg 96.) The second is a quote from our Heavenly Father to His Beloved Son, Jesus, Psalm 2:8. The last is a quote from James, the brother of Jesus, James 4:2.

It’s pretty hard-hitting but we probably all agree with Batterson when he says, “The greatest tragedy in life are the prayers that go unanswered because they go unasked.”

Prayer, Batterson goes on to say, is relinquishing our control, not taking the credit for the outcome and motivated by a ‘genuine desire’ to see God do something that supersedes our plans and may be ‘unprecedented.’ Remember, His thoughts and His ways are higher than ours! The outcome(s) always far surpass our thoughts and our ways.

 

I love Batterson’s attitude and I am praying that this becomes the true motive of our hearts as well; “I have come to expect the unexpected because God is predictably unpredictable. God always has a holy surprise up his sovereign sleeve. Lord, surprise us!”

 

 

 

Monday, September 2nd

It’s All Connected 

By Jonah Lang

 

After reading today's devotional in “draw the circle” and seeing how God contends for me, It’s almost like everything in scripture is connected. If I choose to step over the line and put myself under God's leadership and authority, and be an apprentice to him, I am on God’s Team. If God is for me? Who can be against me. If I walk through the valley of the shadow of death with God on my side I have nothing to fear. 

 

Mark Batterson mentioned the prayer by Dr. Jacob Duche at the Continental Congress. Out of Psalm 35. The Psalmist declared that God is our contender. And because God contends for us, we have nothing to fear.

 

 

 

Saturday, August 31st

40 Days of Prayer Day 12 – Sow a Seed

By Gary Bittner

 

Good Morning River Center family. Today is Day 12 of our 40 day prayer initiative, and we are looking at Chapter/Day 12 in our book ‘Draw The Circle’ entitled ‘Sow a Seed.’

 

The key scripture for today is Matthew 17:20a ‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed…’ Author Pastor Mark Batterson begins this chapter by using the example of the giant sequoia trees that he saw in Yosemite National Park and how amazing it is that one mature tree will produce approximately 400,000 seeds a year. One tree can bear exponential fruit!

 

I often say ‘Anyone can count the number of seeds in an apple, but no one can count the number of apples in a seed.’ One tree can bear exponential fruit.

 

The giant sequoia tree, the small apple tree, you and me. WHAT? Yes, Just as the sequoia and the apple trees will produce fruit well ‘beyond themselves,’ so will our prayers produce fruit ‘well beyond ourselves’ One prayer can bear exponential fruit.

 

The law of sowing and reaping is one of God’ immutable/unchangeable laws. In fact, in Genesis 8:22 the promise is given ‘seedtime and harvest will never end.’ The truth is, the only way to not reap is to not sow.

 

Some people ‘wish’ they had more fruit of the spirit: or they ‘wish’ they had more friends, or they ‘wish’ they had more money, or they ‘wish’ they had more joy, or they ‘wish’ that their loved one would be healed, or they ‘wish’ their church had more people getting saved, or they ‘wish’ their church could become debt free. Sound familiar? Friends, wishes are not prayers. A ‘wish’ just goes out of our mouth and into the air, but it never engages with the Creator of the universe who has promised over and over again that if we will cry unto Him, He will answer!

 

Our problem often is, we want to see the ‘fruit’ of our ‘prayer seed’ NOW! But, that’s just foolish. What farmer plants a seed and looks for immediate fruit? No, like a seed: our prayers go ‘underground’ where they begin to develop, to germinate, to break through barriers, and then after some time, it may be short or it may be long, the seed WILL bear the fruit.

 

One final thought, our prayers never die. How many of us are still reaping fruit in our lives from the prayers our parents or grandparents prayed generations ago? I know I am. So now, in our time, on our watch, let’s sow seeds of faith. Let’s plant prayers that will continue to be answered long after we are with Jesus. In this chapter or our book we read that, Honi, The Circle Maker learned a great lesson about seeds that inspired his prayer life. He then made a determination to pray prayers that would affect NOT ONLY HIS ‘HERE AND NOW’ BUT GENERATIONS TO COME.

 

May we pray the same way.

 

GOT A NEED? PLANT A SEED.

 

God bless,

Gary B.

 

 

 

Friday, August 30, 2024

Capture those God-ideas

by Lynn Koehn

 

 

We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5

 

“This verse is not just about capturing sinful thoughts and getting them out of our minds; it’s also about capturing creative thoughts and keeping them in our minds. It means stewarding every word, thought, impression, and revelation inspired by the Spirit of God.” I love how Mark Batterson brings the plumb line back to center by emphasizing the positive connotation of this scripture and not just the negative, which is where our minds typically go. [Day 9, One God-Idea, pg 60, Draw the Circle]

 

Right before this quote Mark makes another relevant statement; “If we see only the negative implications and not the positive possibilities, it becomes a half-truth.” Remember, God’s thoughts can be different than ours and His ways are often higher than our ways, Isaiah 55:8. Journaling can be a helpful way of capturing our thoughts.

 

Putting your God-ideas into action is the second half of Paul’s exhortation, “make it obedient to Christ.” Batterson uses the following quote from Nolan Bushnell, creator of the Atari video game system, to help make this point a bit more real. “Everyone who’s ever taken a shower has had an idea. It’s the person who gets out of the shower, dries off, and does something about it who makes a difference.”

 

Think about it; that good idea just may be a God idea! Like George Washington Carver, acting on one God idea has the potential to save the economy of an entire region and save millions of lives!

 

 

Thursday, August 28

Day 11- First Class Noticer

By Galen Troyer

 

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Col. 4:2

 

Today we are reminded that being watchful is a requirement if we want to notice things as they are happening.

 

Here are a few statements from Mark that remind us how powerful prayer is:

 

When we pray, we see things before others see them. We become God’s watchmen.

 

Prayer is the difference between seeing with our physical eyes and seeing with our spiritual eyes. Prayer gives us a God’s-eye view.

 

Prayer creates divine opportunities that are around you all the time. And once you see them, you have to seize them.

 

Some things cannot be perceived with the five senses; they can only be conceived by the Holy Spirit. Some things cannot be deduced by deductive reasoning; they can only be imagined by the Holy Spirit. Some things cannot be learned by logic; they can only be revealed by the Holy Spirit.

 

The Holy Spirit compensates for our sensory limits by enabling us to conceive of things we cannot perceive with our five senses. Think of it as a sixth sense. He helps us see the invisible and hear the inaudible. But this sixth sense has to be cultivated.

 

When we open our spiritual eyes, we start seeing God everywhere we look. We see the image of God in others. We see His fingerprints on His creation. We see God-ordained opportunities around us all the time.

 

 

Our prayer, Father, is that we would notice and respond to every opportunity in a way that honors and pleases you. Our lives are yours and because your Holy Spirit is living in us, nothing is impossible.

 

 

 

Wednesday, August 28th

Persistence = Crazy

by Warren Stroup

 

Luke 18 tells a story of a widow that keeps going to the judge, asking for justice. The judge finally gets to the point when he decides to give justice, not on the basis of fearing God or man, but only because of the persistence of this widow.

 

Coming before the Lord time and time again may seem fruitless, but Jesus says here that God will give justice to them speedily. Now I know that what we may think is speedily, may not be in God's time frame.

 

Nevertheless, the point here is to keep asking, to be a little crazy.

Mark says, "The viability of our prayers has more to do with intensity than vocabulary. It has more to do with what we do than what we say."

 

God's not responding to a magic word, he's responding to a persistent heart. 

 

 

 

Monday, August 26th

If we’re gonna dream, Let’s dream BIG

By Jonah Lang

 

I always say if I’m gonna dream I’m gonna dream big…

 

Today when reading Draw the Circle I was challenged not to dream my own big dreams, but to dream God Dreams. Which according to the Draw the Circle, we only get when we are in God’s presence.

 

I believe this church spends time deep in God’s presence… so I believe God has given us God dreams. Now we need Faith to act. Father build within us a layered faith; layers upon layers of truth. Reveal to us what saving us actually cost and show us how much more you have. How much deeper your Kingdom is.

AMEN

 

 

 

Friday, August 23rd

40 Day Prayer Challenge Day 5 - Write It Down

By Gary Bittner

 

Good Morning River Center family. Today is Day 5 of our 40-day prayer initiative, and we are looking at Chapter/Day 5 in our book ‘Draw The Circle’ entitled ‘Write It Down.’

 

The key scripture for today is Habakkuk 2:2a ‘Write down the revelation.’ Author Pastor Mark Batterson is fond of saying ‘the shortest pencil is longer than the longest memory.’ Haven’t we all found this to be true in areas of our lives other than prayer? Come on, you can relate…You get to the store and forgot your list, now what? You get to the campsite and realize you left the tent at home? I’m sure you have your own experience.

 

Now, I know people keep track of ‘life things’ in different ways. Some have an actual book/journal they write in, some use voice recordings, some use Notes on their phone, some use yellow sticky notes. The key lesson is, ‘write it down.’

 

The rest of the verse above includes ‘make it plain.’ I believe this is one of the most valuable reasons to ‘write it down.’ By recording our prayer requests, our answered prayers, our ‘God thoughts,’ our blessings and miracles by ‘writing it down,’ we can then meditate on it: we can celebrate, we can share with others, and we are transformed from ‘faith to ‘faith’ as our faith grows with each answered prayer.

 

Another benefit of ‘writing it down’ is that is causes us to pray specific prayers rather than vague prayers. A pastor in South Korea wrote ‘God does not answer vague prayers.’ Sometimes our prayer may be right, our desire may be right, but God may choose to answer in a way that is different than we expected. If our prayer was ‘vague,’ we may be left to wonder ‘is this it?’ But, if we are praying specifically and precise prayers, we will know when the answer comes, because we leave the ‘precise’ result to Him. And, ‘precise’ answers to ‘precise’ prayer result in God getting all the glory!

 

 

 

Vonnie did her first 40 Day Prayer Challenge the year before we did our first challenge as a church. To go back and read her journal entries, her prayers that have been answered as well as those we are still circling is a HUGE blessing and so faith building.

 

This is an exciting journey we are on as church and we have some very specific prayers we are praying as a church during these 40 days and beyond. Let’s ‘write it down’ so He gets all the glory!

 

God Bless,

Gary B.

 

 

Thursday, August 22

Pray Always

By Galen Troyer

 

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. Luke 18:1 (ESV)

 

In this parable, Jesus uses the example of a persistent widow who kept coming to a judge asking for justice against her adversary. He didn’t fear God or respect man and refused her request again and again, until he grew tired of her asking and eventually granted her request. Jesus went on to say: “Hear what the unrighteousness judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth? Luke 18: 6-8

 

Today, on Day 4 of our 40 Day Prayer Challenge we are encouraged to “Pray through” rather than “Pray away” when we are in difficult, painful, or challenging situations. If we’re just focused on getting out of whatever situation we find ourselves in, we don’t give God a chance to change us; to develop things in us that will help us as we continue in our walk with him.

 

Mark Batterdon says, “The primary purpose of prayer is not to change circumstances; the primary purpose of prayer is to change us! But either way the objective remains the same: to Glorify God in any and every situation.” (Page 36)

 

God never grows weary of hearing from us, his children. Everything he does, everything he allows, is to help us grow in faith, in maturity; and as we submit to his will, we become more like Jesus.

 

You are loved and when your desire is to glorify God, he will use you as an answer to someone else’s prayer. And not just once. Be ready.

 

Pray always!

 

 

 

Wednesday, August 21^st

Consecrate Yourself

By Bob Elliott

 

Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you. Joshua 3:5

 

This scripture is the theme for the day as we are on our 40-day prayer journey. Mark Batterson describes it like this, "All of us want to do amazing things for God, but that isn’t our job; it is God’s job. Our job is simply to consecrate ourselves by yielding our will to His will.”

 

This is simple yet so profound. Setting ourselves apart and yielding ourselves to the Holy Spirit will always be the main thing in life. John Deere company has great mission statement. It reads “Make the main thing… the main thing.

 

Doing great things for God is really cool but we must remember that it is not the main thing, they are the result of making the main thing… the main thing.

 

“If we will consecrate ourselves to God, amazing things will happen. It’s absolutely inevitable, Consecration always ends in amazing!”

Mark Batterson.

 

Wednesday, August 21st 2024

Amazing Things

by Warren Stroup

 

We are into our third day as we Draw the Circle around what God is doing both individually and corporately as a church. This morning in chapter three we are reminded that we have been consecrated to the Lord. 

 

Joshua 3:5 reads, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you."Doesn't that fill you with excitement?

 

Consecration is dying to ourselves and giving the authority to the LORD.

"It's not until we die to self that we truly come alive." Mark Batterson

I talked on Sunday about how these 40 Days may be a road to Emmaus experience for some of us. 

I am so looking forward to seeing what God is going to do with all of us during this time of prayer. 

 

 

 

Tuesday, August 20, 2024

I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life

by Lynn Koehn

 

 

"I am the way, the truth, and the life!" Jesus answered. "Without me, no one can go to the Father. -John 14:6 [CEV]

 

Jesus declares the irrefutable truth that the only way to the Father in heaven is through Him. The route to the Father is set and is unchangeable. There are no short-cuts, alternate routes or alternative options.

 

Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. -John 14:6 [AMP]

 

Jesus is addressing three of the basic desires of mankind: some direction (the way), something that is real (the truth), and something that will last forever (life). All that and more are found in Jesus! A more complete way to understand Jesus’ words is to realize that He is saying, He alone is able to provide the guidance every human is searching for and needs.

 

My prayer today is to invite some wandering soul to Jesus. For He is the the answer, the solution to what they are searching for—the Way, the Truth and the Life. Perhaps they too will believe and receive the eternal life Jesus offers.

 

“Truth is timeless. Truth does not differ from one age to another, from one people to another from geographical location to another…the great all-prevailing Truth stands for time and eternity.” —Billy Graham

 

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32 [KJV]

 

 

 

Monday August 19th

Start with this Mentality

By Jonah Lang

 

Philippians 1:27

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel.

 

We should strive for this to be our stance when we find ourselves in situations we may not see clearly through to the other side…

 

The medical profession says “first do no harm.”

 

Christians should say “let my actions be worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

 

Father Give us a determination to shine and reflect only you. 

 

 

Saturday, August 17th

Don’t Fret, Trust God

By Gary Bittner

 
Scripture: Psalm 37:1-8

In our walk with God we often have times of uncertainty, where the path ahead and future seems unclear, and the challenges in front of us seem overwhelming. During these times it is easy to become discouraged, anxious, or tempted to take matters into our own hands. However, Psalm 37:1-8 gives us a powerful reminder of how we can get through these seasons with trust and confidence in God's love and care for us.

Verse 1 begins by urging us not to fret or be envious of the wicked. It is a call to resist the temptation of comparing our lives to others, especially when it seems like they are prospering while we are facing difficulties. Instead, we are encouraged to focus our attention on God and His promises.

Verse 3 reminds us to trust in the Lord and do good. In times of uncertainty, it is essential to maintain our trust in God's faithfulness and goodness, even when circumstances seem challenging. Trusting in the Lord means surrendering our plans, desires, and worries to Him, knowing that He is in control and has our best interests at heart.

Verse 4 encourages us to take delight in the Lord, finding our joy and satisfaction in Him alone. When we delight in the Lord, our perspective shifts from worldly concerns to an eternal perspective. We find contentment in His presence, knowing that He is enough for us, regardless of our circumstances.

Verse 5 instructs us to commit our way to the Lord and trust in Him. It is a call to surrender our plans, dreams, and uncertainties to God, acknowledging that He knows what is best for us. As we commit our ways to Him, we trust that He will guide us and lead us on the right path.

Verse 7 reminds us to be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. In a world that encourages instant gratification and quick solutions, waiting patiently can be challenging. However, as we wait on the Lord, we develop a deeper dependence on Him and grow in our faith. It is in the waiting that we learn to trust His timing and His plans.

Verse 8 concludes with the instructions to refrain from anger and turn from wrath. In times of uncertainty, it is easy to become frustrated or angry, especially when we don't understand why things are happening the way they are. However, God calls us to respond with patience, grace, and love, trusting that He is working all things together for our good.

As we meditate on Psalm 37:1-8, let us be reminded of the importance of trusting in God in times of uncertainty. Let’s do our best to resist the temptation to compare ourselves to others and instead focus on His promises. Let us commit our ways to Him, finding our joy and contentment in His presence. And in the waiting, may we develop a deeper dependence on Him, refraining from anger and trusting that He is working all things together for our good.

 

 

Wednesday, August 14th

Wineskin in the Smoke

By Bob Elliott

 

Recently I have been reading methodically through the book of Psalms. It’s been a great journey to see how God deals with his chosen people, especially how David cries out for help in dealing with his adversaries.

 

As I was reading psalm 119 (the longest one) I chose to take multiple days so I wouldn’t try to rush through. When I got to verse 83, I found some interesting and confusing text. It reads; For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten your statutes.

 

This interested me, so I decided to stop and do some research to its meaning. Certainly, we do consider either “smoke or wineskins” as part of our everyday lexicon.

 

Here is the back story. When wineskins are made, they are intentionally placed in a smoke-filled environment. This serves 2 purposes. It dries out the leather and the smokiness adds to the flavor of the wine when it’s placed in the skin. The amount of smoke and how long the skin is exposed is important. Too much too long and the skin cracks and is ruined.

 

Here David understands that he is in a smoke-filled environment. If any of you have been at a campfire and are downwind, you can quickly relate to how unpleasant that can be. David knows he likewise is in an unpleasant situation. He hopes that the pressure is not too intense that he ends up a cracked useless wineskin. He also realizes that his adversity can actually bring added “flavor” to the wine that is his life. As a result, he hangs in there to keep God’s statutes.

 

This lesson can also be helpful to us. When we face adversity, we can realize that we are being exposed to “smoke” for a reason. Things may be hard right now but the flavor and fragrance of our lives is on display for the world to see.

 

Lord God help us to place our trust in you despite difficult circumstances.

 

  

Tuesday, August 13, 2024

I AM the Bread of Life

by Lynn Koehn

 

 

And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. -John 6:35

 

What a tremendous offer. What a gracious promise. Jesus IS inclusive. His offer is to ALL who will come…NO ONE is excluded! His promise satisfies ALL our emptiness and our longings for something different, something more (“He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”)

 

There are many things in life which according to the outer wrapper, what’s inside is sure to bring nourishment to your body. However, it is temporary and soon leaves us hungry and thirsty for more. It’s like eating one of your favorite candy bars. Your belly may be filled but your body is not nourished. There are many things that promise happiness and fulfilment but leave us hungering for meat and potatoes, that which nourishes. There is only one source of true peace and joy and that comes from feeding on the Bread of Life.

 

Jesus, as the Bread of Life, offers far more than temporary satisfaction. He offers the kind of Bread that all who accept and receive will never die. As the Bread of Life, Jesus is promising that all who partake will receive life everlasting, Eternal Life.

 

Isaiah prophesied, Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? -Isaiah 55: 1-2

 

Augustine said, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you, O Lord.”

 

 

 

Friday, August 9^th

We All Have a Place

By Gary Bittner

 

Watch Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5JfZiHUXMI

 

Thursday, August 8

Poor Indeed

By Galen Troyer

 

For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? Luke 9:25 (ESV)

 

Recently, I learned of something that one of my uncles included in his Last Will and Testament. I have been given permission to share it; it is his final statement to his family.

 

“I have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one thing more I wish I could give them, and that is faith in Jesus Christ. If they had that and I had not given them one dollar they would be rich; and if I had not given them that and had given them all the world, they would be poor indeed.”

 

Many share my uncle’s wish. At prayer meeting last night we prayed intensely for prodigals. We will keep praying; watching for them and run to greet them when they return.

 

Thus says the Lord, “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in those things I delight, declares the Lord.” Jer. 9:23-24

 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.

His praise endures forever! Ps. 111:10

 

Tuesday, August 6, 2024

I AM the Vine

by Lynn Koehn

 

 

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. —John 15:1-4

 

Our Heavenly Father fully intends for us (branches) to be fruit-bearers. He removes the nonfruit-bearing branches, while the fruit-bearing branches he prunes (trims and strategically places) in order to give us everything we need to produce the most and best fruit we can possibly produce.

 

Two things Jesus highlights in this passage that are critical for us to be high-yield fruit-bearers; (1) abide in Christ: [John 15:4, MSG] Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me. And, (2) continue in the Word. Ephesians 5 tells us that God (our Gardner) tends to His garden through the washing of water of the Word. Studying, praying, meditating and applying the Word to every situation and circumstance in our lives.

 

“Fruit is evidence of the root.” —John Blanchard

 

 

Monday August 5th

It Takes Time Sometimes

By Jonah Lang

 

Psalm 119:130 NIV

The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

 

There are two images that come to my mind here… one, a very complex folded piece of origami, the other, a pop-up picture children’s book.

 

God speaks to us both ways, sometimes with complex ideas meant to cause us to study, reflect and meditate; and other times simple images of his love. Either way His word gives light and understanding.

 

 

Friday August 2nd

Is My Prayer Really Necessary?

By Gary Bittner

 

Hi River Center Family,

God is doing something among us. He is changing us, challenging us, He is changing the ‘operating atmosphere’ of faith from one of limitation to one of expectation. An ‘atmosphere’ of all things are possible! Se we can see salvation and healing in every area of our lives and in the lives of those we love and those that surround us. So, we can meet the issues of our day head on and see His kingdom extended.

 

There is SO much out of our control, just look around. So, we must pray. He is changing the atmosphere of prayer among us from one of ‘occasional formation’ (activity) to one of saturation (lifestyle). We need to see prayer as a ‘function’ of a healthy body and not just as an activity.

 

Edward Payson, (Praying Payson) “Prayer is the first thing, the second thing, the third thing necessary for ministry. Pray then my dear brother, pray, pray, pray.”

 

S.D. Gordon “You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.”

 

So, the question is, is prayer, my prayer, your prayer, really necessary? The answer to that question starts with Adam, in the book of Genesis. Adam represents all of us. What God intended for Adam, he intends for all of us.

 

Genesis 1:26-28 = Adam was to be God’s manager, steward, governor, caretaker, go-between, mediator, representative.

Psalm 8:3-8 = Glory/weight, heavy. Ruler/manager, steward.

Psalm 115:16 = Given/assigned.

Genesis 2:15 = Adam was to be God’s representative on the earth.

 

Represent = ‘re-present’………….’to present again.’

Understand something = God did not give away ownership of the earth, but He did assign the responsibility for governing it to humankind!

 

As Adam carried the ‘weight’, the ‘heavy responsibility’, so now we carry that weight as God’s re-presentatives.

 

So why is prayer necessary? Because God has chosen to work on the earth THROUGH humans, not independent of them.

“He will do His work in the earth through us, sometimes in spite of us, but He will not do it without us.”

 

Though sovereign, God has in a sense ‘limited’ Himself concerning the affairs of the earth, choosing to work through you and me.

Paul E. Billheimer “God makes His prophecies and promises. When it comes time for their fulfillment, He does not fulfill them arbitrarily apart from His program of prayer. He looks for a man upon whose heart He can lay a burden of intercession. As always, God makes the decision in heaven. A man is then called upon to enforce that decision on earth.”

 

We are not responsible to everyone, everywhere. But, we are responsible to pray where we are, for where we are, for our ‘spheres of influence.’

 

Isaiah 54:2-3 = It is MY tent, these are MY stakes, these are MY cords...I will take responsibility to pray and strengthen mine and ours, I will pray you do also.

 

Jack Hayford “Prayer is essentially a partnership of the redeemed child of God working hand in hand with God toward the realization of His redemptive purposes on the earth.”...and in MY life!

 

God bless,

Gary B.

 

 

Thursday, August 1st

You Are Significant

By Galen Troyer

 

On a recent Sunday morning, Pastor Warren mentioned that each of us are one of 8.1 billion people living on the earth today. While that might make some feel insignificant, the truth is that every individual is significant to God. He sent Jesus as proof of that.

 

If it was possible to put 8.1 billion people in a line, how long would it be?

Visualize this: the earth is 24,901 miles around at the equator. The line of people would go around the equator over 900 times. Or, if people were lined up in rows of 900 each, the line would be 24,901 miles.

 

When I think of the truth that God knows you and I, he knows where we are in the mass of humanity, and cares about everything that’s going on in our lives moment by moment; it’s overwhelming, and motivating too.

He created us to do good works that honor him. I’m thankful for every day that he gives us.

 

What marvelous love the Father has extended to us. Just look at it-we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are. But that’s also why the world doesn’t recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he’s up to. But friends, that’s exactly who we are: children of God. And that’s only the beginning. Who knows how we’ll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we’ll see him-and in seeing him, become like him. All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus’ life as a model for our own. I John 3:1-3 (MSG)

 

 

 

Monday July 29th

Written On My Heart

By Jonah Lang

 

Psalm 119:93 NIV

I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.

 

When we truly see what God has done for us. how could we ever forget?

 

Father, thank you for being who you are.

 

 

Friday, July 26^th

It’s Better to Live Through the Windshield

By Gary Bittner

Hi River Center,

Here is this weekend’s devotional.

Several years ago Vonnie and I took a long trip: Salem to Albuquerque, Las Vegas, New York, New Jersy, Pennsylvania, Las Vegas, and back  home to Salem. It was glorious!

Proverbs 4:25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. 26 Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. 27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

While driving, it was important to look through the windshield. Think of all we would have missed if we had been looking thru the rear-view mirror and not thru the windshield.

Cars have changed a lot over the years. Those of you old enough remember the backseats with no seatbelts, the rope that hung across the back of the bench seat. Some of you had a 4-track and then an 8-track and then a single CD player to now Bluetooth to Sirus satellite radio, GPS system, Bluetooth headset, iDock, dual individual A/C and heating controls, power seats, power windows, DVD players, and rear-view video… and more.

THE ONE thing that hasn’t changed that much? The windshield. Still one of the most important parts of a car.

Now, it is necessary to take a glance at the rear-view mirror once in a while; it is actually helpful to do so. But if you spend too much time looking back, you will miss the joys of the present and you certainly jeopardize your future. And, God has a future for each one of us!

 

Jeremiah 29:11-14….MSG: 10-11This is God's Word on the subject: "As soon as Babylon's seventy years are up and not a day before, I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for…

This life is not a dress rehearsal. He has a future for us NOW. He wants to lead, guide, bless, empower, envision, help, strengthen NOW.

DON’T BE A ‘WHAT-IFFER!’

Don’t let fear hold you back. It is impossible to be in fear and faith at the same time…One or the other.

Fear will bury blessings… Fear steals strength… Fear sabotages success…

Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

There was a KEY to the Apostle Paul’s effectiveness in ministry. He said in Phil. 3:13-14 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Listen, your failures are not the sum of who you are and your successes are not the end of what God as for you.

Some people think ‘forgetting what is behind’ only applies to the hurts, the let downs, the disappointments, the failure… These are all things we can learn from that can propel us forward. ‘Failure is the soil in which success is planted.’

Success also needs to be ‘forgotten.’ How often have we ‘settled’ once we’ve had success in something only to ‘stop’ moving forward? The good is very often the worst enemy of the best.

Much of the time, we just need to ‘get on with it’ and make ‘life happen’ rather than just ‘let life happen.

ENLARGE YOUR FAITH- Don't limit God by small visions.  Don't limit God by small thinking.  Don't limit God by putting boundaries on your life and your potential of what you can be.  This world has not seen what you can be when you reach your full potential in what God has gifted you to do and called you to do.  It is exciting to see the potential today, as people would enlarge their faith.

I don't know what our handicaps are but if you stretch your imagination you can see your-self becoming more than you ever dreamed?  Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.  Golda Meier, Israel's first and only woman Prime Minister, was a divorced grandmother from Milwaukee, WS.  Bill Gates was a college drop out.  I want to tell you today, God can take you with your gifts, with your abilities, and stretch your imagination and use you in ways you never envisioned and use you to be more successful than you ever dreamed.  Enlarge your faith.

You are more than a conqueror. And that is what He says to you today. You are not weak, you are not at the devil's mercy, you are not defeated. You are a conqueror.  You are more than a conqueror.  You are a mega-conqueror.  You are a super conqueror through Him that loved you.

Don’t quit! What a blessing to know that God gives us new opportunities, fresh days, new strength, another chance.

God has that for you.  I pray today you will claim it.  I pray you will stake your claim on it.  I pray today that you will embrace your future.  It is a wonderful future.  I pray today you will enlarge your faith because God has great things.  You are going to have to enlarge your faith to receive them.  And I pray today that you will engage the foe in the power of the Holy Spirit and see what only God can do in your life.

Onward, Upward, Forward.

God bless,

Gary B.

 

 

Thursday, July 25th

In All things All in All

By Galen Troyer

And he (God) put all things under his (Jesus) feet and made him as head over all things to church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:22 (ESV)

Only Jesus can fill us by the power of the Holy Spirit; thereby giving us everything we need to live lives that please him. God made him head over all things, he didn’t hold anything back. That is why the church is the most powerful thing in the world!

He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:2-5

In the present tense; the darkness has not- and will never overcome the Light of the world.

All Glory to Jesus!

 

 

 

Wednesday, July 24^th

Love One Another

By Bob Elliott

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34-35 esv

I am reminded of a popular song way back in the 1970’s, the lyrics go like this, what the world needs now is love, sweet love, it’s the only that there’s just too little of.  If the song was poignant back then, it certainly is in play for today.

With all of the division facing our nation, Christ’s words of instruction to us to love one another presents an opportunity for us to be salt and light and bring healing to our nation. There is such great value in our church being a public display of people loving and caring for one another in community. Many people have forsaken church attendance, thinking that it is not necessary to be involved in a community of believers. However, that thinking is shortsighted and bypasses God’s plan for his church to be the main vehicle for establishing and extending the Kingdom.

Jesus often used examples of fishing to convey parables or instructions that his followers are to embrace. The concept of a fishing net where the netting is meshed together in order to catch fish is a good example of what the church is supposed to be. We are linked together in brotherly or sisterly love, in order to be an example to the world. This is discipleship in action. It is a sacrificial love that believes and hopes for the very best for everyone.

Belonging to a church is much more than coming together in order for us to have some social needs met. There is a larger calling for us to be conduit for God’s power to flow through us. This is also an opportunity to be attractional to our family, friends and neighbors to come, taste and see that the Lord is good. What if we found a way to be creative in inviting these people to church? It’s not like trying to force a sale of something, rather it is bringing an exciting opportunity for people to see God’s love on display.

 

 

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

I AM the Resurrection

by Lynn Koehn

 Jesus said to [Martha], “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” John 11:25-26

 Up until this time many of the Jews could not accept that Jesus was and is who He says He is. Statements like I am the resurrection and whoever believes in Me will never die made their heads spin and caused some of them to question further who Jesus claimed Himself to be, and who gave Him the authority to make such claims.

However, their unbelief did not deter Jesus from bringing glory to God by raising His friend Lazarus from the dead [John 11:40]. After raising Lazarus from the dead, His authority to say of Himself, “He who believes in Me shall never die” was firmly established. Raising Lazarus from the dead and Jesus’ own resurrection, established (no room for doubt or unbelief) the fact that Jesus has full authority over death and the grave: that there will be a resurrection and all believers/followers of Jesus who have died will rise from the dead….Resurrection Day!

 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.—1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

 “The best news of the Christian gospel is that the supremely glorious Creator of the universe has acted in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection to remove every obstacle between us and himself so that we may find everlasting joy in seeing and savoring his infinite beauty.” –John Piper

 

 

Monday July 22nd

OH HEY, ONE MORE THING…

By Jonah Lang

At my Fire station whenever someone is trying to go home, someone else will sometimes say “oh hey one more thing” in order to try to get them to stay at work a little bit longer. And every once in a while, they fall for it; they come back into the kitchen and say what…? And whoever said it will try to make up something on the fly, like how much coffee grounds did you use in the coffee this morning? It’s pretty silly. 

The last several weeks I’ve been doing a bible study of Hebrews. You should read Hebrews over the next few days and I’m pretty sure that when you get to chapter 13, you’ll see what I mean...

 

Hebrews is packed full of so much wisdom and explanation. The "by faith” chapter is so encouraging. And as I read chapter 13 today, it totally reminded me of a “oh hey, one more thing” but instead of the author trying to be silly… he actually had several more things to say…

 

 

 

 

Friday, July 19^th

Attitude Determines Altitude Part 2

By Gary Bittner

Watch Video:

 

Thursday, July 18th

Remember This

By Galen Troyer

 

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will wait for him.” Lamentations 3:21-24 (NIV)

 

No matter what, I will always say this.

Nothing compares to His great love and compassion.

 

 

Wednesday, July 17thNo Condemnation

By Bob Elliott

 

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.  For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. Romans 8: 1-5 (esv)

This is one of my favorite passages of scripture. It is so full of encouragement and hope for the believer in Christ. However, there is a significant challenge of faith wrought through this text. It’s almost like the freedom from sin’s condemnation is almost too good to be true.

Often times we want to continue to dwell on condemning thoughts. Here in this place is where the challenge is. Do we continue to walk in self-reproach? Or alternatively, do we quickly repent from our sin and change our mindset to recognize that we are walking free from condemnation? I hope we choose the latter. But how is it possible to overcome besetting sins that we may repeat over and over?

This scripture is very clear on how we deal with those deeply rooted repetitive sins that cloud our thoughts and frustrate our hope to walk in freedom from condemnation. Surprisingly it is not by our mustering up more willpower. It is not in our own self-strength that we get untangled. Rather it is a refining process where we become more and more sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Rather than relying on our own strength and repeatedly failing, we need to quickly realize that when we are in the heat of the battle, that we not give into condemnation, but reset our minds on the things of the Spirit. The reality here is that Jesus is bigger than any problems we encounter! He paid the supreme and ultimate price for our freedom!  When we walk in heavy condemnation, we are basically saying that no, Jesus is not big enough to handle it. This is a lie from the enemy that we cannot entertain.

This is a huge part of what it means to be a spirit-filled Christian. In charismatic circles, there is often an equation that being spirit filled is being baptized by the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. But being filled with the Spirit is much broader than that one aspect. I love how verse 5 addresses this, “those who live according to the Spirit, set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” This is where the deep longings of our soul find meaning and purpose.  This is where spiritual vision is birthed.

 

Tuesday, July 16, 2024

I AM the Light of the World

by Lynn Koehn

 

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12

 

We are living in a time where it seems like a heavy blanket of spiritual darkness is covering so much of the world around us. It may, at times feel discouraging. However, Jesus, our source of light, illuminates a clear path for you and me to travel.

 

Be encouraged today. Jesus assures us; Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the Light of Life. [John 8:12] As we follow the light that emanates from Jesus Christ, we will always see clearly the path before us because we have the …Light of Life.  

 

Don't be fearful about the journey ahead; don't worry about where you are going or how you are going to get there. “If you believe in the first person of the Trinity, God the Father, also believe in the second person of the Trinity, the one who came as the Light of the World, not only to die for people, but to light the way. This one, Jesus Christ, is himself the Light and will guide your footsteps along the way.”—Edith Schaeffer

 

I thank you Father, that Your Light (Jesus) penetrates the darkness around us and illuminates the pathway before us. I thank you Jesus for guiding us through the darkness. And I thank you that we are able to influence and even convince others to follow the path you have illuminated for them as well.

 

Friday, July 12^th

Attitude Determines Altitude

By Gary Bittner

 

Click this link:

 

Thursday, July 11

Declare It

By Galen Troyer

 

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal. 2:20 (NIV)

 

I woke up thinking of this verse one day last week. I had just listened to Pastor Warren’s sermon as I walked the evening before. “What It Is” was the title of his message, and I was encouraged and challenged as he spoke on the Gospel of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, and no matter the circumstances we find ourselves in, that is our position as members of his body.

 

It’s a place no one arrives at on their own. It’s only because of God’s mercy and grace in sending his Son, Jesus to die for the sins of the world that we are made righteous and can experience true peace and joy.

 

Last week as citizens of the United States of America, we celebrated our Declaration of Independence.

 

In his message on Sunday, Josiah reminded us that as participants in the Kingdom of Heaven, we are “Counter-Cultural.” If that’s really who we are; we do well to “Declare our Dependence” as the Apostle Paul did in Galatians 2:20.

 

“I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God…because He loved me and gave Himself for me.”

 

Praise His Name!

 

 

^{Wednesday, July 10th}

^{God’s Wondrous Works}

^{By Bob Elliott}

³ Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
    and his greatness is unsearchable.

⁴ One generation shall commend your works to another,
    and shall declare your mighty acts.
⁵ On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
    and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
⁶ They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
    and I will declare your greatness.

Ps 145:3-6

 

It is a good thing for us to have a mindset of belief that God is supremely great. The psalmist says that He is so marvelous that his majesty is unsearchable. We certainly see his grandeur in the complexity of creation. In fact, the more we understand scientifically, the more undiscovered questions arise for us to consider. The magnitude of the size of the universe is immense compared to what the psalmist thought when looking at the night sky.  Yet, with our current knowledge, the outer edge of the universe is still elusive and beyond our sight. Even while you are reading this post, the universe has gotten bigger in size.  There is a tremendous validation of belief in God when we consider His awesome ability to design.

Verse 4 talks about the importance of relating God’s majesty from one generation to the next. I believe that this is part of the mandate on our watch to help our youth see this beauty. While our culture wants to try to convince our young people that science has eliminated any need for God. There is no coherence as to how the universe came into existence from that worldview. We do not need to be intimidated by the demands projected from a godless perspective.  Furthermore, when we fully embrace the greatness of God, it provides us with the ability to show the skeptics where their approach is lacking. I am reminded of the story of the emperor’s new clothes. He believed the deception of being arrayed in beautiful attire, when in reality his was wearing… nothing!

 

Tuesday, July 9, 2024

I AM the Good Shepherd

by Lynn Koehn

 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:11

 We often see an artist’s perception of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. He is generally dressed in a long outer garment, walking stick in hand and an innocent little lamb draped across his shoulders. True to scripture, Jesus does go after the helpless, hopeless little lambs and bring them back into the sheep fold, [Matthew 18:12; Luke 19:10]. Jesus our Good Shepherd, our Warrior Shepherd also leaves the flock and comes to our rescue when one of His sheep wanders off, gets into trouble and can’t find its way back! Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them--what do you do? You leave the other ninety-nine sheep in the pasture and go looking for the one that got lost until you find it. [Luke 15:4]

 “Jesus, the good shepherd, will not travel at such a rate as to overdrive the lambs. He has tender consideration for the poor and needy. Kings usually look to the interests of the great and the rich, but in the kingdom of our Great Shepherd He cares most for the poor… The weaklings and the sickly of the flock are the special objects of the Savior’s care… You think, dear heart, that you are forgotten, because of your nothingness and weakness and poverty. This is the very reason you are remembered.”

 —C.H. Spurgeon.  Treasury of the Old Testament, III:575-576

 

Monday July 8^th

Embrace Discipline

By Jonah Lang

 Hebrews 12 7-11⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! ¹⁰ They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

In reading this passage of scripture I'm thinking how is the Father disciplining me, what has he been training me to door not to do. What is He training to get better at. In what way am I being challenged for the Gospel.

Father, discipline me, mold me shape me challenge me… I can ask for these things knowing full well that you also give mercy and grace along side of discipline. You are gentle with me even when I sin. Father discipline me, I know that if you do, it is another way that tells me of the love you have for me…

Thank you Father.

 

Saturday, July 6th

Title: Psalm 62:1-2

By Gary Bittner

 

Hi River Center,

God bless! Here is this weekend’s devotional.

 

Psalm 62:1-2 (NIV) says, "Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress; I will never be shaken."

 

In a world filled with chaos and uncertainty, finding true rest can often feel like an impossible task. But in Psalm 62, we are reminded of the source of our peace and the refuge we can find in God.

 

The psalmist David begins by declaring, "Truly my soul finds rest in God." This statement carries a deep sense of conviction and assurance. It is a proclamation of faith that acknowledges that true rest for our weary souls can only be found in God. During life's storms and challenges, God is the anchor that holds us steady, providing a place of calm amidst the chaos.

 

The psalmist continues, "my salvation comes from him." Here we see the psalmist's recognition that true salvation is found in God alone. It is not in our own strength or abilities that we find deliverance, but in the saving power of our Heavenly Father.

 

The psalmist continues, "Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken." These words paint a picture of God's unwavering and unchanging faithfulness and protection. Just as a rock provides a firm foundation, God is our solid ground, unchanging and immovable. In times of trouble, He is our fortress. With God as our stronghold, we can have confidence that we will never be shaken.

 

In today's rapidly changing and unpredictable world, it is easy to become overwhelmed and lose sight of God's peace. However, Psalm 62 serves as a powerful reminder that true rest and security can only be found in God, He is the Source! In Him we can experience a peace that surpasses all understanding.

 

So, as we face the challenges of life, let us remember that He is our rock, our salvation, and our fortress. In Him, we will find the peace and strength to handle any storm that comes our way. Instead of chaos, let us choose to anchor our souls in God's unwavering love and find rest in His embrace.

 

God bless,

Gary B.

^{Wednesday July 3rd}

^Reboot

^{By Bob Elliott}

 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Ps 139:7-15

How comforting it is to know that God’s presence is always with us through the power of the Holy Spirit. No matter what faces us in the coming days, we can rest assured that the peace of God, which transcends our understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Loneliness can be a real issue. The days seem to stream from one to the next with a nagging persistence of loneliness. I have just started to feel it deep inside. It is during times like these that I have to surrender my emotions to the Lord. He is our rock, our firm foundation.

Ps. 42:5 says, ^“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him.” We see in David that he is in pain and is distraught in his situation. He readily acknowledges this before the Lord. However, he does not stay in the state of languishing. He moves from a place of despair to a place of faith and confident trust in God.

 

I think that it is OK for us to be transparent like David and air out our grief and sorrow to God and cry out for help. However, we should not lose faith in the process. Rather our thinking should “reboot” to a place of abiding hope. When we focus on Christ, rather than on our problems, everything changes. Our situation may remain the same, but the deep sense of knowing that Jesus holds all authority brings comfort to the soul.
    

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Instruments of God’s Redeeming Work

by Lynn Koehn

 

 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24

 

As Christians (Christ’s Ambassadors) we should strive to do our day-to-day activities—work, play, shopping, school, etc. with the goal of pleasing God and representing (re-presenting, as Pastor Gary puts it) Christ to a broken world.

 

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. II Corinthians 5:20

 

God has strategically placed us in the city where we live. He sovereignly sent us to the community, the neighborhood, the office, the school or our place of employment to be His ambassador. Where we are, right now, we are citizens of a heavenly kingdom and we are representatives of a heavenly King!

 

“In the products we make, in the way we work, in the impact of our labors on society and on the relationships affected by our work, we are instruments of God’s redeeming work      in a broken world.” —Bryan Chapell

 

Friday June 28^th

A REMINDER

By Gary Bittner

 

Hi River Center,

Here is this weekend’s devotional. God bless.

 

In addition to all the other blessing the Holy Spirit provides us, He is also our: Guide, regenerator, assurer, convictor, empowerer, anointer, baptizer into Christ/church, indweller, teacher, sealer, binder, looser, helper, intercessor, gift giver, leader, witnessor, restrainer, freer, foreteller, speaker, evangelism director, rebuker, strengthener, encourager, inspirer, overseer maker, joy bringer…

 

He also is our ‘reminder’ of the good things God has said to us, done for and is doing in us:

 

John 14:25-27 = Holy Spirit is our ‘reminder’

II Peter 1:12 = Sometimes we need to be reminded of the truth we already know

 

Today I want to remind us of some things:

 

Jesus came to give us life to the full, while the devil is a liar and wants to rob us of this life and bring condemnation (adverse sentence, to be under a judgment of ‘guilty.’)

 

• John 10:1-10 = Jesus…life to the full. Thief….to steal, kill and destroy.
• John 8:42-44 = devil is the father of all lies.
• John 8:1-11 = Jesus does not condemn.
• Romans 8:1-4 = The law is holy (7:7, 12) but I cannot fulfill it. Through Jesus, the requirements of the law have been satisfied (sin = death) and because of His sacrifice the righteous requirements of the law have been met IN us…not BY us!

 

The devil is a liar. He tells us that when we fail God or one another that we have to keep suffering for it. What a lie! When we fail, Jesus does not keep us at arm’s length. Instead, He comes to us. Did Jesus reject Peter after Peter cursed Him and swore that He did not know Him? No. After the resurrection, Jesus stood on the shore and called to the disciples out in the boat ‘come and have some breakfast’ (John 21:12). He called them all. He didn’t say, ‘Peter, sorry, you disowned me, you can’t join us.’ Jesus, the Good Shepherd was lovingly re-gathering His flock.

 

When we are perplexed, disillusioned, worn out, tired, feeling ‘less than,’ we must run back to the things we know to be true. Don’t stay in the wilderness of confusion and condemnation. Remind yourself of the things you know:

 

• ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’
• ‘He is the same yesterday, today and forever.’
• ‘Why am I allowing life to toss me around, I have a rock I can run to and stand on!’
• ‘Lots of things have happened to me that I don’t understand, but this I do know: God is my fortress.’

 

Listen, we are not just following some abstract religious philosophy or ‘trying to be good.’ We are in a covenant relationship with a God who acts on our behalf and who is a faithful friend we can run to.

 

You are not a failure, you are not ‘less than’, you are not alone. This is who you are in Christ:

 

ACCEPTED CHILD OF GOD.

 

John 15:9-17 = I am Jesus’ friend.

Romans 5:1-9 = I am made right with God, justified, clean, and spared from the punishment of sin.

I Cor. 6:17 = I am one with the Lord in spirit.

I Cor. 6:19-20 = I am bought with a price, and I belong to God.

I Cor. 12:12, 14-27 = I am part of God’s family.

Ephesians 1:1 = I am a saint.

Ephesians 1:3-8 = I am chosen, adopted, redeemed.

Ephesians 2:18 = I am one who has access to God by His spirit.

Col. 1:13-14 = I am redeemed and forgiven.

Col. 2:3-10 (NLT) = I am complete in Christ.

 

 

 

SIGNIFICANT CHILD OF GOD.

 

Matthew 5:13-14 = I am the salt and light of this earth.

John 15:1-5 = I am a branch of the True Vine and a channel of His life.

John 15:16 = I am chosen and appointed to bear fruit on His behalf.

I Cor. 3:9 = I am God’s co-worker.

I Cor. 3:16 = I am God’s temple and His glory lives in me.

1. Cor. 5:17-21 = I am God’s ambassador and minister of reconciliation.

Ephesians 2:4-7  (NLT) = I am alive with Christ and seated with Him in heavenly places.

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) = I am His masterpiece, and He is pleased with me.

Ephesians 3:12 (NLT) = I am one who can approach God with confidence and freedom.

Phil. 4:13 = I am one who can do all things for Christ strengthens me.

 

SECURE CHILD OF GOD.

 

Romans 8:1 = I am free from condemnation.

Romans 8:26-28 = I am one who can pray in the spirit and see all things work for my good.

II Cor. 1:21-22 = I am established, anointed, and sealed by God.

Phil. 1:3-6 = I am one piece of work…in process, but His work will be finished in me.

Phil. 3:30-21 = I am forever a citizen of heaven.

Col. 3:1-3 (NLT) = I am hidden with Christ in God.

II Tim. 1:7 = I am a person of power, a sound mind, self-discipline and not timid or weak.

Hebrews 4:14-16 = I am a ‘throne approacher’ and I am one who can find grace and mercy in my time of need.

I John 5:18 = I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me.

Romans 8:31-39 = I am more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ, and I am secure, forever, no matter what has happened, what is happening, or what will happen.

 

And THAT is your weekend reminder.

God bless,

Gary B.                

 

Wednesday, June 26th

All Authority

By Bob Elliott

 

Ps. 115:1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

In these testing times for our nation, it is healthy and good for us to get the focus of our attentions centered on God, rather than ourselves and all of our problems.  This may sound like a difficult thing to do. However, there is a good reason for having this perspective. As Christians, we have a distinct ability to place our trust in the God of the universe! It’s not about us, it is about Him. The promises given to us in this passage of scripture are that He loves us steadfastly and He is faithful to the max.

When I think about the steadfast love that He has for us, I am reminded of the scripture found in Luke Chapter 11 verses 11-13 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent;  or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!

God knows us, He knows our situation. His promise of steadfast love is for our best interests, not to harm us. He has given us the presence of the Holy Spirit as a comforter, a guide, and a teacher to help us live above all of our earthly challenges.

Yes, God loves us with an unfailing love, and he is also faithful to all generations. As Christians, we have been adopted into His family with inheritance rights of redemption, peace and security. We are kingdom people. Moreover, this kingdom will come to fruition, no matter how bleak our circumstances may appear to be. I find great consolation in this understanding.

 Matt. 28:18 states And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. In the past, this scripture has challenged my level of faith. How can Jesus be in control and not intervene in history when really bad stuff happens? The answer to this probing question is found in the power of the resurrection of Jesus. The bible says that by his passion, Jesus conquered and destroyed all of his enemies, including death itself. That is most certainly good enough proof for me.

Not to us, but to your name, be the glory!

 

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Jesus is…THE Only Way

by Lynn Koehn

 

Jesus said to him, ‘I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ John 14:6

 

I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. John 10:9

 

Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. John 10:1

 

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12

 

There is no one we will see or interact with today who will come to God except through Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Jesus is undeniably clear that eternity for you and I and everyone else is dependent on who we believe Jesus is. Meditate and contemplate the truth of these scriptures and allow them to motivate you to share them with someone today. Where they spend eternity depends on them hearing, believing and accepting who Jesus is…the only Way!

 

“Christ is not one of many ways to approach God, nor is He the best of several ways; He is the only way.” –A. W. Tozer

 

Thursday, June 20

What about Job?

By Galen Troyer

Facts about Job:

He was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.

He had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants.

He was the greatest man among all the people of the east. (Job 1: 1-3)

One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

“Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

The Lord said to Satan, “Very well then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”

Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. Job 1: 6-12 (NIV)

God knows all things, I think he knew that Job would stand the test that came as a result of the great loses he experienced-all of his children, livestock and servants. God knew Job. He knew the deep reverence (fear) that Job had for him and was familiar with all of his ways.

Even after God allowed Satan to afflict Job physically, Job remained true to God.

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.

His wife said to him, “Are you still holding in to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?”

In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. Job 2:7-10

When we face difficult times, may we, like Job, remain stedfast in our trust and confidence in God. He cares for us and will never fail us.

Wednesday June 19^th 2024

It’s Possible!

By Warren Stroup

I was reminded in my devotions this week that nothing is impossible with God.

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:34-38) 

I was reading this story about Mary and the encounter she had with the angel Gabriel. Mary went from a place asking, “How will this be…” to a place where she said, “…let it be to me according to your word.” I love the progression of thought. A place where the seemingly impossible becomes possible.

Whatever you’re facing that seems impossible take it before the Lord. Mary had the angel, Gabriel; we have the Holy Spirit. Take a moment and allow the Holy Spirit to transform your mind, he wants to show you what is possible.

Tuesday, June 18, 2024
“Get up and Praise the Lord!”
by Lynn Koehn

Brandon Lake sings a powerfully anointed and scripturally sound song,
which we sing at the River Center entitled, “Gratitude!” Please click the
link below and take a moment to listen, sing along (especially the Bridge)
and renew your determination to praise God…even when you don’t feel
like it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQdfs5S6jyA

“Come on My Soul…” Psalm 42:5[AMP], Why are you in despair, O my
soul? And why have you become restless and disturbed within me? Hope
in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall again praise Him For the
help of His presence.

“On don’t you get shy on me…” Joshua 1:9[AMP], Have I not commanded
you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed
(intimidated), for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

“Lift up your song…” Psalm 57:7[GNT], I have complete confidence, O
God; I will sing and praise you!

“Cause you’ve got a lion inside of those lungs…” Proverbs 28:1[ISV],
The wicked flee, though no one pursues, but the righteous are bold like a
lion.

“Get up and praise the Lord…” Psalm 150:6[NLT], Let everything that
breathes sing praises to the LORD! Praise the LORD!
[Bridge]

“So come on my soul, oh, don't you get shy on me
                   Lift up your song, 'cause you've got a lion inside of those lungs                                    Get up and praise the Lord!"

Monday, June 17th, 2024

Oh My Soul

By Jonah Lang

Psalm 103, Of David.

Friday, June 14th

Go, Set, Ready

By Gary Bittner

Here is this weekend’s devotional. A reminder from our 40-day prayer challenge in the Fall 2023. God bless.

Scripture: By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed, and went, even though he did not know where he was going. Hebrews 11:8

The last sentence in today’s reading is If you are looking for excuses, you will always find one.

Rather than making excuses as to why we cannot, should not, or other, today let's live our lives like a journey, a life filled with faith, trust, and the fulfillment of God's promises. Hebrews 11:8 says, "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

Abraham, known as the father of faith, teaches us a powerful lesson through his unwavering trust in God. He faced a pivotal moment when God called him to leave everything behind and venture into the unknown. Imagine the weight of that decision—the uncertainty, the questions, and the fear that might have lingered in his heart. Yet, Abraham chose to embrace God's call with a resolute faith.

Faith is not about having all the answers; it is about having absolute confidence in God's character and His promises. Abraham's response was marked by obedience, even though he did not have a clear roadmap or a detailed itinerary. He stepped out in faith, entrusting God with the destination and the journey itself.

In our lives, we often encounter moments where God calls us to step into the unknown. It may not be a physical journey like Abraham, but it could be a new career, a relationship, a change in location, or a leap of faith in pursuing a God-given dream. In these moments, doubts and fears may arise, attempting to hold us back from embracing God's call.

Let us be inspired by Abraham's example. He obeyed, not because he had all the answers, but because he believed in the One who called him. His faith propelled him forward, enabling him to overcome uncertainty and embrace the promises God had in store for him.

When we choose to step out in faith, we encounter the very heart of God and His faithfulness. During the unknown times, God unfolds His plans and reveals His purposes to those who trust Him. It is in our obedience and surrender that we witness His provision, guidance, and the fulfillment of His promises.

Wherever you find yourself today, whether facing uncertainty or grappling with a decision, remember that God is with you. Embrace Hebrews 11:8 as an invitation to step out in faith, knowing that God's hand is guiding you. Trust in His faithfulness and allow His promises to light your path.

Thursday, June 13th

Grace

By Galen Troyer

There are no “Grace Graduates.”

I read that statement recently and it reminded me that I need God’s grace every day. All of us need his grace for as long as we live.

Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear (reverence) him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Ps. 103: 1-5 & 8-12 (NIV)

God’s grace “crowns us with love and compassion.” It’s not just for us, it’s for us to spread around! 

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Be still and know that I am God

By Lynn Koehn

Jesus stood up and commanded the wind, "Be quiet!" and he said to the waves, "Be still!" The wind died down, and there was a great calm. –Mark 4:39 [GNT] 

When the sea is raging, the waves are crashing and your boat has started to take on water, it is critical to remember; Jesus created the wind, He created the sea and He has all power and authority over it.

Jesus can heal your broken heart. He can break the chains that keep your friend or loved one bound up in addiction and sin. He can bring your wayward son or daughter back home. He can restore that broken relationship between you and a family member. Jesus is omnipotent. He is sovereign. And He is Lord over all. Jesus can turn this thing around and calm the raging storm within you with just these three words; “Peace, be still.”

You will keep in perfect peace

all who trust in you,

all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Trust in the Lord always,

for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

-Isaiah 26:3-4 [NLT]

The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? –Psalms 27:1

Be still, and know that I am God. –Psalm 46:10 [NIV]

PRAYER: “I thank you Father. You are truly my loving, caring Heavenly Father. Thank you for being my rock, my safe-place and strength! Thank you for taking my fears and my worries and replacing them with faith and confidence. Thank you for calming my mind and my heart in the middle of this storm.”

Friday, June 7^th

The Kingdom Citizens

By Gary Bittner

"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." - Philippians 3:20

As followers of Christ, we have a unique status - we are citizens of the Kingdom of God. This is not just a metaphor, but a reality. Just as someone can be a citizen of an earthly nation, we have been granted citizenship into God's eternal Kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ.

What does it mean to be a Kingdom citizen? It means our primary allegiance is to our King - the Lord Jesus Christ. The values, principles, and priorities of His Kingdom should shape how we live our daily lives. We are ambassadors and representatives of this heavenly Kingdom wherever we go on earth.

Characteristics of a Kingdom Citizen:

A New Identity-

When we put our faith in Christ, we received a new identity as children of God (John 1:12). Our citizenship transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13). This incredible privilege means we can approach God as our perfect, loving Father.

A New Purpose-

As Kingdom citizens, we have a high calling - to glorify God and advance His Kingdom on earth (Matthew 6:33). Our lives take on an eternal significance as we become agents of God's redemptive work in the world around us through our words, actions, and influence.

A New Family-

One of the blessings of being a Kingdom citizen is that we are united with our brothers and sisters in Christ across the globe (Ephesians 2:19). We are part of a multi-ethnic, multi-generational spiritual family that transcends earthly divisions.

A New Loyalty-

While we live on earth, our ultimate allegiance is to the King of kings (Revelation 17:14). This means our values, ethics, and decisions should be shaped by biblical truth rather than the shifting ideologies of this world. We march to the beat of a different drum.

Living as a citizen of the Kingdom of God is such a privilege. It means embracing our new identity in Christ, living with eternal purpose, being part of God's family, and maintaining unwavering loyalty to our King. As we do this, we represent the values of His Kingdom and point others to the life only He can provide. 

Thursday, June 6th

True Wisdom

By Galen Troyer

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. Ps. 111:10 (NIV)

Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Esteem her and she will exalt you; embrace her and she will honor you. Prov. 4: 7-8

Does not wisdom call out? …

Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Prov. 8: 1a & 10-11

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. Eph. 1: 16-21

There is so much packed in these verses. It’s an awesome prayer that Paul kept praying. It’s one for us to pray for each other, and ourselves. The Spirit of wisdom and revelation is what we need every day in order for God to complete the things he desires to do in and through us.

God’s love for us is great, and his great power is available to us.

Wednesday, June 5th

John the Baptist and the Lamb of God

By Bob Elliott

The next day he (John) saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!  This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’  I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.  I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’  And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” John 1:29-34 (esv)

We may be familiar with the phrase “behold the lamb of God” quoted by John the Baptist. We understand that the ramifications of Jesus sacrifice on the cross will be the fulfillment of the Baptist’s statement. Nevertheless, what if we look at this scripture in real time, as it is unfolding, before the passion of Christ?

How awesome the setting must have been! John said that he did not know him, meaning that he was not aware that Jesus (probably his cousin) was to be the messiah until this very moment. John knew that he was related to Jesus, however, he only really knew him as the redeemer of humanity as he saw the Holy Spirit descend and stay upon Jesus. John now realizes how epic this moment in time truly is. His whole purpose of baptizing people is to prepare Israel for this revelation, to reveal the purposes of God.

John’s response is so beautiful.  He humbly declares that he must become less, because Jesus is more. Here is where we should find ourselves as well. It is not about how big we may become, it is about our walking in humility, and making the name of Jesus great. The scripture declares that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to those who walk in humility (James 4:6).

This message is truly foreign to our culture at large, and gives us the opportunity to be different.  This is how we can be salt and light to others around us.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you” 1^st Peter 5:6

Tuesday, June 4, 2024

There ARE Guarantees in Life

by Lynn Koehn

II Corinthians 1:20 [NIV]

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.

II Corinthians 1:20 [GWT]

Certainly, Christ made God's many promises come true. For that reason, because of our message, people also honor God by saying, "Amen!"

Some things in life are relatively certain, other things are not. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians assures us that God’s promises are guaranteed and can always be trusted. God is faithful, and the evidence is His Son Jesus Christ. 

Isaiah 55:10-11 [ESV]

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
    and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
    and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

God’s Word will always come to pass…just as He said!

Because of all that Jesus has done, I can look to him and say, “Yes, Lord, I will trust you.” –Randy Alcorn

Monday June 3rd

Look to Jesus and run 

By Jonah Lang

 Hebrews 12:1-2

 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Saturday, June 1st

Yes, YOU

By Gary Bittner

We must understand that we are not here, now, by accident, or some cosmic force, but by the hand of and in the plan of God, Creator of the universe.

Ephesians 1:3-12 = He chose YOU

I Peter 2:4-10 = He called YOU

Ephesians 3:10-11 = For NOW, in light of His eternal purpose

Acts 17:24-27 = Here, wherever YOU are

It’s a set up!

Ephesians 2:8-10 = God has things already in place for you. Divine Appointments- But we must seek Him to see them fulfilled.

Yet, with all this evidence that God wants to use them, some still say “Not Me.” God says, “Yes, You.”

Some say “I’m not qualified.” Who did Jesus pick?

If the disciples had to fill out applications, their HR recommendations might’ve read like this:

James & John: Tend to be self-seeking, self-promoting. Not sure if they would have the company’s best interest in mind. Also, mother seems to be too involved in their decision-making process.

Peter: Good potential. Needs lots of work on communication skills. Also, might be a tendency to run out if things get tough.

Thomas: Lacks faith and vision. Not much of an entrepreneur spirit, always wants to see before he believes.

James the Zealot: Not recommended. Too adversarial with the city council.

Others: Short tempers. Wanted to go postal on some followers of Jesus and call fire down from heaven on them.

There is one however who looks very promising. Good business sense, gets along well the religious and government officials, seems to have good money management skills. We recommend Judas Iscariot for your employment.

Some say “But I’ve failed in the past.” Who hasn’t? Anyone here failed in the past? Anyone died from it? Peter failed, and yet God used him mightily.

Proverbs 24:16 “The righteous falls 7 times, but he rises again. The wicked fall and stay down!”

“Failure is the soil from which success springs.” Don’t quit, not here, not now. You are precious to God, as you are. You are precious to our church! Glean and go, learn and live!

Some say “I’m afraid of what others might say.” Who Cares.

Critics are not whom you should be concerned about. God is your most important audience and He is saying “I love you, you can do it. Yeah, that’s my boy, that’s my daughter” Forget about the critics.

Some say “What if I step out the storm comes? What if I begin to do what I believe God has called me to do and the storm comes?” THE STORM IS GOING TO COME ANYWAY, YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE FULFILLING THE PURPOSES OF GOD.

You have to believe that you are called, chosen, loved, destined to win, set up for success.

But, even a sailboat, carried along by a force that does not originate with itself, still has to have the rudder manned. You have to stay on course. He will provide energy and direction, you must make adjustments as needed.You have to believe your steps are ordained: are ordered, are in the care of God if you are going to jump off the cliff of self-preservations and ‘same ol same ol.’

Listen an African gazelle can jump 10 feet high and cover 30 feet in a single leap. But they can be confined in any zoo that has a 3 foot high fence because they won’t jump unless they can see where their feet will land. He loves you, wants best for you, wants you to know the joy of fulfilled purpose.

Jump!

Thursday, May 30th

Living by Faith

By Galen Troyer

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal. 2:20 (ESV)

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Gal. 5:16

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Gal. 5:22-25

It’s because of God’s grace, rich and free - that you and I have the privilege to live by faith in Jesus, who loves us and gave himself for us.

I never want to go back to the life where “I” still lived. Now it’s Christ in me, and faith in him. 

Someday our faith will be made sight.

What a day that will be!

Wednesday, May 29th

Behold the Lamb

By Bob Elliott

And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” ⁸ Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So, they went both of them together. Gen 22:7,8

The next day he (John) saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ John 1:28-30

^1 1 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”

¹³ And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

¹⁴ And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. Rev. 5:11-14

When, we look at all of these scriptures, we see many beautiful connections about, Jesus being the Lamb of God. Often when we think of Jesus in this context, we focus on the beauty of the passionate life, death and resurrection of Christ. To this I say yes and amen, but did you know that Jesus being spoken of as the Lamb of God appears 4 times as much as in the gospels? In Revelation, Jesus is given the executive privilege as the Lamb of God to open up the seals of judgement at the end of the age.

I looked at this and thought to myself, wow this is an additional attribute of the Lamb of God that I had not considered very much before.

When you combine this with the understanding that Jesus holds all authority, it makes sense that this involves the complete package of Him being the righteous judge at the end of the age. Therefore, even when things seem overwhelming with all of the evil around us. Jesus will make everything right in the end. How reassuring and comforting this is.

Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Friday, May 24^th

Life is God’s Gift from Start to Finish

By Gary Bittner 

We will only find WHAT we’re looking for WHEN we are living HOW God designed us to live.

Irenaeus, a 2nd century bishop said “The glory of God is man fully alive.”

What does that phrase (the glory of God is man fully alive) mean to you?

“The glory of God is man fully alive.” Unfortunately, a lot of us have forgotten, or maybe some have never known, what it is to feel that way. We've lost our hearts, we’ve lost our ‘zest for life,’ we’ve lost our song. As human beings, we bear the image of God and are to reflect His glory.

Too many of us sigh, because we know there has to be more to this life in God than what we’re experiencing. There must be more to life than staying busy: going to work, earning a buck, making ends meet, and living for the weekend…or surviving each day until we can fall into a chair and escape into someone else's TV reality. There must be more to marriage than just coexisting and keeping things civil…more to parenting than trying to make children behave. And there has to be more to this God thing than the boredom we experience day after day, going through our motions of religion and being moral.

Albert Schweitzer said “The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives.”

‘The glory of God is man fully alive.’ Each of us is a unique creation of God, meant to give him glory by being fully and uniquely the personal work of art of God meant us to be.

Ephesians 2:7-10 (The Message)

“Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.”

We will only find WHAT we’re looking for WHEN we are living HOW God designed us to live.

Jim Elliott said “He is no fool who give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

We only find our lives when we give them away.

Matthew 16:24-26

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul. 

When it’s all said and done: my opinions, my pet doctrines, my personal preferences, my ‘style’ of worship won’t matter at all. All that matters is did I fulfill the will of God for my life?

WHEN IT’S ALL BEEN SAID AND DONE…..

Thursday, May 23

Constantly Abiding

By Galen Troyer

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:1-5 (ESV)

In verses 4-9 of this chapter, Jesus uses the word “abide” at least 8 times. The Greek roots of this word mean to “dwell”, “remain”, “be present”, and “to be held”.

Jesus makes it clear that this is the only way that we will bear fruit.

I was reminded of a hymn we sang in the little church where I grew up. Anne Marie Sebring wrote this song (Constantly Abiding) in 1908. She was 19 or 20 years old when she wrote it. You’ll be blessed by finding it on YouTube and listening to it. Here are the words:

There’s a peace in my heart that the world never gave,

A peace it cannot take away;

Though the trials of life may surround like a cloud,

I’ve a peace that has come here to stay!

Refrain:

Constantly abiding, Jesus is mine;

Constantly abiding, rapture Devine;

He never leaves me lonely, whispers oh so kind: “I will never leave thee”, Jesus is mine.

v.2 All the world seemed to sing of a Savior and King,

When peace sweetly came to my heart;

Troubles all fled away and my night turned to day,

Blessed Jesus, how glorious Thou art!

v.3 This treasure I have in a temple of clay,

While here on His footstool I roam;

But He’s coming to take me some glorious day,

Over there to my heavenly home!

Take the time to read further in John 15 as Jesus has more to say about abiding/remaining in him.

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that you joy may be full. John 15:11 (ESV)

Abiding in Jesus=Joy Full

Wednesday, May 22nd

Worthy

By Bob Elliott

 ⁸ And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
    who was and is and is to come!”

⁹ And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

¹¹ “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they existed and were created.” Rev. 4:8-11 esv

This beautiful and amazing bit of scripture is well worth exploring together today. We may often think that the book of Revelation is difficult to understand with all of the imagery of future events. However, this passage is clear to show how important it is for us to have a posture of love, respect and worship for our king Jesus. 

This picture of the twenty-four elders casting their crowns down to worship Jesus is an event that we are actually going to witness in the future. God’s promise of eternity in heaven is really real. Imagine with me what it will be like to be in his presence, being full of amazement and wonder.

Jesus said in John 14: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”

Our Future is secure and what a privilege it will be for us to say;

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they existed and were created.”

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Doing What is Right in the Eyes of the Lord

by Lynn Koehn

Now before [Josiah] there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him. II Kings 23:25

Speaking of King Josiah, II Kings 22:2 says, He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.

Living in what is an anything/everything-goes society, “doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord” seems to have lost its emphasis. God, who is rich in mercy, continues to warn us against disobedience to His Word. Ephesians 5:6-7, Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore, do not be partners with them. And through His unending, unfathomable love, He continues to lead us into all truth.

Beware of reasoning about God’s Word—obey it! –Oswald Chambers

Friday, May 17^th

Finding Peace in a Troubled World

By Gary Bittner

Scripture John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

In this verse, Jesus gives us both a promise and a warning; both are true. The promise is that in Him, we can find true peace. The warning is that in this fallen world, we will face troubles and hardships.

The peace that Jesus offers is an abiding peace that comes from being ‘in Christ.’ No matter what storms of life we face - illness, loss, persecution, anxiety, you name it - we can experience a supernatural peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

However, Jesus doesn't sugar coat reality. He tells us plainly that we will have troubles in this world. We live in a broken world marred by sin, evil, and suffering. Hardships are inevitable this side of eternity. But we don't have to be overcome by them.

Jesus has overcome the world through His death and resurrection. He has defeated sin and death once and for all. Though we may face many battles in this life, the ultimate victory is secure in Christ. We are overcomers through Him. (1 John 5:4-5)

So even when the winds and waves of trouble crash against us, let us cling to the peace of Christ. He is our anchor, our refuge, our ever-present help in times of need (Psalm 46:1).

Take heart and be encouraged - our Savior has overcome this troubled world!

Thursday, May 15

Every Day

By Galen Troyer

I will exalt (glorify) you, my God the King;

I will praise your name for ever and ever.

Every day I will praise you and extol (lift up) your name for ever and ever.

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. Ps. 145:1-3(NIV)

How often is David saying he praises God? Would “often” or “regularly” instead of “every day” mean the same thing? No, definitely not.

Every day indicates a plan, a commitment. Every day plans become habits. The opposite is also true, as someone has said, that “failing to plan is planning to fail”.

For David, this was a declaration of something he was already doing. He was experiencing the joys of a life committed to obeying and doing God’s will every day. 

One of the songs we sing together includes these lines: “let us become more aware of your presence;

let us experience the Glory of Your Goodness, Lord.”

Every day that we praise him is a great day. In his presence we experience the glory of his goodness and we are changed.

My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever. Ps. 145:21 (NIV)

Wednesday May 15^th

In the End… We Win

By Bob Elliott

With all of the turmoil and troubles we have been experiencing, it is important to know that the future for the devil is bleak and for us as believers in Christ, we win in the end. The scripture for today is taken from the book of Revelation. It is a powerful vision that brings encouragement to our souls.

There is a day of reckoning coming for those who destroy. I think of Putin in this context. The evil that is being unleashed on the nation of Ukraine will face ultimate accountability. Verse 18 states that God will destroy the destroyers of the earth. When injustice seems to rule the day, ultimate justice will be coming without fail.

On the other hand, we will receive rewards as servants of Christ, both small and great. This is a very inclusive list including all who love God and fear him in reverence. I am so grateful and thankful to be a part of this great kingdom.

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” ¹⁶ And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, ¹⁷ saying,

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
    who is and who was,
for you have taken your great power
    and begun to reign.
¹⁸ The nations raged,
    but your wrath came,
    and the time for the dead to be judged,
and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints,
    and those who fear your name,
    both small and great,
and for destroying the destroyers of the earth. Rev. 11:15-18

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Intertwined with God

by Lynn Koehn

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31 

The idea of ‘wait’ in the Hebrew is to be ‘intertwined’ with God. The strength of a rope comes from multiple strands tightly twisted together [intertwined] giving it strength, durability and endurance.

Bob Grimm, lead pastor of Life Church explains. “We understand that waiting in Isaiah 40:31 does not mean sitting and looking for God. It is actively binding, intertwining oneself with Him. The more you are intertwined with God, the stronger you get. As the promise of the verse says, they will run and not grow tired. They will walk and not become weary.”

In Lamentations 3:25a, Jeremiah wrote, “The LORD is good unto them that wait for him.”

Intertwined with God, your rope shall be unbreakable! God SHALL renew your strength. You SHALL get an eagle’s view. You SHALL run and not become weary. You SHALL walk and not faint.

Monday May 13th

Knowing the Shepherd

By Jonah Lang

John 10:1-6

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

Father give us ears to hear your voice and hearts to follow you.

Friday, May 10^th

Smelly Much?

By Gary Bittner

Scripture: In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, He brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. 2 Corinthians 2:14-15, MSG

These words paint a beautiful picture of the impact that our lives can have when we allow God to lead us. We are not mere wanderers, but participants in a perpetual victory parade orchestrated by God Himself. 

As we walk in obedience and faith, we carry the fragrance of Christ’s love, grace, and truth with us. Everywhere we go, people have the opportunity to ‘breathe in this life fragrance’ and encounter the love of God and the power of the Gospel.

God is always leading us from place to place, from circumstance to circumstance in His victory parade. Even in the midst of challenges and uncertainties, we can trust that He is working all things together for our good and for His glory.

May our lives testify of the love of God and may the fragrance of

His love permeate everything we do and in every relationship we find ourselves in.

As we walk with Him through life and life’s challenges, let’s remember that God guides us along in His perpetual victory parade.

 

Thursday, May 9th

Doing God’s Will

By Galen Troyer

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and in your name, perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evil doers.’ Matt. 7: 21-23 (NIV)

After Jesus spoke these words he went on to tell the story of the wise and foolish builders. One built on the rock and the other built on the sand. We know the outcome. The one who built on the sand, was also the one who didn’t bother to find out what the will of his Father in heaven was.

We were out of town last weekend and on our way home, went to Joy Church in Bend. The message was about Moses life. His purpose wasn’t to do something for God. It was to let God do something through him.

Pastor Ben Miller said, “God isn’t expecting you to do something great for him. He wants to do something great through you. Ask God, ‘what do you want to do through me?’ 

When I am willing to do that, he will show me what his will is for me.

That’s Living:)

^{Wednesday, May 8th}

^{God’s Wondrous Works}

^{By Bob Elliott}

³ Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
    and his greatness is unsearchable.

⁴ One generation shall commend your works to another,
    and shall declare your mighty acts.
⁵ On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
    and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
⁶ They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
    and I will declare your greatness.

Ps 145:3-6

It is a good thing for us to have a mindset of belief that God is supremely great. The psalmist says that He is so marvelous that his majesty is unsearchable. We certainly see his grandeur in the complexity of creation. In fact, the more we understand scientifically, the more undiscovered questions arise for us to consider. The magnitude of the size of the universe is immense compared to what the psalmist thought when looking at the night sky.  Yet, with our current knowledge, the outer edge of the universe is still elusive and beyond our sight. Even while you are reading this post, the universe has gotten bigger in size.  There is a tremendous validation of belief in God when we consider His awesome ability to design.

Verse 4 talks about the importance of relating God’s majesty from one generation to the next. I believe that this is part of the mandate on our watch to help our youth see this beauty. While our culture wants to try to convince our young people that science has eliminated any need for God. There is no coherence as to how the universe came into existence from that worldview. We do not need to be intimidated by the demands projected from a godless perspective.  Furthermore, when we fully embrace the greatness of God, it provides us with the ability to show the skeptics where their approach is lacking. I am reminded of the story of the emperor’s new clothes. He believed the deception of being arrayed in beautiful attire, when in reality his was wearing… nothing.

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Oh, How God Cares for Me

by Lynn Koehn

Several intriguing observations and declarations from David the Psalmist.

Psalm 8: [AMP]

¹ O Lord, our Lord, how majestic and glorious and excellent is Your name in all the earth! You have displayed Your splendor above the heavens.

³ When I see and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have established, ⁴ what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him. 

When David scanned the night sky, he felt insignificant and wondered why such a magnificent Creator would consider, [be mindful and care about] him, an individual, weak, a mortal man. (verses 3-4)

However, in his finite understanding, he acknowledges God’s plans and purposes for man are beyond comprehension, which leads him to an ultimate resolute declaration:

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic and glorious and excellent is Your name in all the earth! Psalms 8:9

I pray the Holy Spirit will continue to deepen and broaden our understanding of how much our majestic and glorious God: our Lord and Savior, the Creator of the universe, who has all power and authority, loves and cares for you and me!

Monday May 6th

Don’t Worry 

By Jonah Lang

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

More wise words to live by...

Friday, May 3^rd

It All Belongs to God

By Gary Bittner

Psalm 24:1 says, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it."

God is the ultimate owner of everything in the world. As the Creator, He has the right to claim ownership over it all.

Recognizing that everything belongs to God challenges us to shift our perspective on our possessions and resources. We are called to be good stewards of the blessings and opportunities that God has given us. These blessings and opportunities are to be used for His purposes and for the benefit of others.

Acknowledging God's ownership over all things invites us to surrender our lives, all aspects, to Him. When we recognize that everything ultimately belongs to Him, it humbles us and reminds us of our dependence on Him for guidance, provision, and purpose.

Recognizing God as the ultimate owner of everything is hugely significant. Here are a few reasons why this recognition is so significant:

1. Humility and Reverence: Acknowledging God's ownership reminds us of our place in the grand scheme of things. It humbles us and helps us recognize that we are not the center of the universe.

2. Trust and Dependence: Understanding that everything belongs to God encourages us to trust in His provision and guidance. When we recognize that He is the ultimate owner, we can rely on Him to meet our needs and direct our paths. This recognition helps us let go of the need to control everything and instead place our trust in God's wisdom and faithfulness.

3. Stewardship: If everything belongs to God, then we are merely stewards or caretakers of His resources. This understanding challenges us to use our possessions, talents, and time wisely and responsibly. We are called to manage these resources for His purposes, seeking to bring about positive impact and further His kingdom.

4. Contentment and Gratitude: Recognizing God's ownership helps us cultivate an attitude of contentment and gratitude. It shifts our focus from constantly striving for more to appreciating what we have been given. We can find joy and satisfaction in knowing that everything we have is a gift from God, and we can express gratitude for His abundant provision.

5. Eternal Perspective: The recognition of God's ownership shifts our focus from temporary, worldly possessions to eternal values. We are reminded that our true treasure lies in our relationship with Him and in the kingdom that is not of this world. It helps us prioritize our values and invest in things that have eternal significance.

Recognizing God as the ultimate owner of everything brings humility, trust, stewardship, contentment, compassion, and an eternal perspective into our lives. It shapes our attitudes, actions, and priorities, guiding us to live in alignment with God's purposes and His Kingdom and to honor Him in all areas of our lives.

 

Thursday, May 2nd

Knowing Him

By Galen Troyer

What is the best way of getting to know someone? How about if you read everything you can about them, and ask other people’s opinion of them? Will you know them then?

I like to think back to when I first met my wife. Before I met her, I heard about her; and what I heard motivated me to meet her. In fact, the very next day, I called her and she agreed to go on a date with me. That was in 1971 and we’ve come to know each other well, because of the time we’ve spent together and the experiences we’ve shared as a couple.

The marriage relationship between a man and a woman is a great example of the relationship that God desires to have with each of us, his body. The scriptures speak often of this and it’s why he sent Jesus to earth. In knowing him, we have everything we need. 

Knowing him is more than just believing in him. Our knowledge of him increases only when our relationship with him is growing.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world, caused by human desires.

II Peter 1:2-4 (NIV)

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal. 2:20 (NIV) 

Knowing Him, it’s important for now and for eternity. 

Wednesday, May 1st

Let Not Your Hearts be Troubled

By Bob Elliott

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. ² In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to where I am going.” John 14:1-4

These word of Jesus to his disciples are so encouraging. The opening statement is a directive for us to not let our hearts be troubled. Notice how this is an action statement. It implies that we can allow our heart to be troubled if we let it. We need to be proactive and protective so as to not be troubled. The power of the Holy Spirit can help us here. Jesus promises us to receive his peace, not as the world gives, but as he instills in our hearts. There is a tenacity that Jesus is imparting to his disciples that we should grab ahold of as well.

Next, we are to walk in faith and belief in the Father and in Jesus Christ. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Let the promises of scripture and the presence of God fill you up today. In our step 2 discipleship class, there is an excellent opportunity to get serious about studying the New Testament and growing in maturity. Faith is belief, but faith is action too. Maturity and growth in Christ is not automatic, we are to be intentional in this area.

Next comes a very great promise. Jesus has gone before us to prepare a place for us, a heavenly dwelling full of promise that we will be him and the rest of all the saints in heaven.

This is a message of hope that our destiny in Christ is secure and that we live with the confident assurance of such a bright future. Let’s be encouraged today, let not your heart become troubled.

Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Talking with God

by Lynn Koehn 

Prayer isn’t informing or telling God something he doesn’t know or isn’t already aware of. Therefore, do not be like [the unbelievers]. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. Matthew 6:8.

Prayer is first: admitting to myself that my job, my health, my relationship with my spouse, my finances, my mid-terms & finals, my children…my whole life, is all dependent on God. And it all revolves around his involvement. For in him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28a.

Prayer is acknowledging that God is completely aware of [everything] about us. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Matthew 10:29-30

Prayer is engaging in conversation with our Heavenly Father…as Jesus taught, “Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9.

God longs for us to have those intimate, honest and transparent conversations with him.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20 [NASB]

Right now…God is waiting for us to come and talk! 

Monday April 29th

All New Things

By Jonah Lang

Revelation 21:5 niv

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.”

This is one of those scriptures that should be written on our heart. It is "trustworthy and true”. When God the father, Son, or Holy Spirit touches something, or gets invited into something, new and great things happen. We will not stay the same when we have a kingdom mindset. Everything changes and is made new.

Friday, April 26th

Title: Psalm 62:1-2

By Gary Bittner

Psalm 62:1-2 (NIV) says, "Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress; I will never be shaken." 

In a world filled with chaos and uncertainty, finding true rest can often feel like an impossible task. But in Psalm 62, we are reminded of the source of our peace and the refuge we can find in God.

The psalmist David begins by declaring, "Truly my soul finds rest in God." This statement carries a deep sense of conviction and assurance. It is a proclamation of faith that acknowledges that true rest for our weary souls can only be found in God. During life's storms and challenges, God is the anchor that holds us steady, providing a place of calm amidst the chaos.

The psalmist continues, "my salvation comes from him." Here we see the psalmist's recognition that true salvation is found in God alone. It is not in our own strength or abilities that we find deliverance, but in the saving power of our Heavenly Father.

The psalmist continues, "Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken." These words paint a picture of God's unwavering and unchanging faithfulness and protection. Just as a rock provides a firm foundation, God is our solid ground, unchanging and immovable. In times of trouble, He is our fortress. With God as our stronghold, we can have confidence that we will never be shaken.

In today's rapidly changing and unpredictable world, it is easy to become overwhelmed and lose sight of God's peace. However, Psalm 62 serves as a powerful reminder that true rest and security can only be found in God, He is the Source! In Him we can experience a peace that surpasses all understanding.

So, as we face the challenges of life, let us remember that He is our rock, our salvation, and our fortress. In Him, we will find the peace and strength to handle any storm that comes our way. Instead of chaos, let us choose to anchor our souls in God's unwavering love and find rest in His embrace.

Thursday, April 25

Who are you Listening to?

By Galen Troyer

Each day we make choices, specifically, or by default in deciding who we listen to.

This thought isn’t original with me; that the most influential person in each of our lives is ourself. What we think of ourselves determines what we say to ourselves. My conversations, what I watch, read and think about affects how I see myself and in turn, how I go about my day.

I have an enemy who doesn’t want me to forget all the times I have failed in living up to expectations I had of myself. He looks for opportunities to remind me of sins, hurts and disappointments, in hopes that I will wallow in those things and feel discouraged and depressed.

Thanks be to Jesus. He has freed me from that kind of life!

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world, caused by evil desires.

For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things you will never stumble and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. II Peter 2:3-11 (NIV) 

May we always remember whose we are and continue to grow in the Grace and Knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Wednesday, April 24^th

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

By Bob Elliott

The heavens declare the glory of God,
    and the sky above^a]">[a] proclaims his handiwork.
² Day to day pours out speech,
    and night to night reveals knowledge.
³ There is no speech, nor are there words,
    whose voice is not heard.
⁴ Their voice^b]">[b] goes out through all the earth,
    and their words to the end of the world. Ps. 19:1-4

 

This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. The heavens declare the majesty of God’s creative ability. This is one major thing that separates how a Christian views the world, as opposed to secular thinking.  Our worldview on this matter is radically different than the surrounding culture around us.

 

The complexity and fine tuning of our universe dramatically points us towards a majestic awe-inspiring creator. The probability that we just got extremely lucky and that chance alone can account for the massively intricate labyrinthine nature of the universe is beyond impossible.

 

I tell my friends that when I go to bed and my head hits the pillow, I am totally confident that what we see in the night sky points to a divine creator without question.

 

This makes a great starting point for sharing the gospel with people. Natural theology alone can’t take a person all the way to Jesus, but it does set the stage for further exploration in discovering who this God who created the universe is.

 

The Heavens declare the Glory of God, night after night they pour forth speech!

 

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

God’s Power at Work in Us

by Lynn Koehn

Here is a powerful excerpt from Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer for the Believers in Ephesus (and you and I) “the faithful in Christ Jesus.”

 

Ephesians 1:18-23 [NKJV]

¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, ¹⁹ and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength ²⁰ he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹ far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. ²² And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, ²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

 

The same power God used in raising Jesus from the grave is the same power that is alive and well in us today.

 

1 John 4:4 [NIV]

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

 

Romans 8:37 [CEV]

In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us.

 

Ephesians 1:21 [ISV]

He is far above every ruler, authority, power, dominion, and every name that can be named, not only in the present age, but also in the one to come.

 

Not ‘like’ God’s power, it ‘IS’ God’s power at work…in us…today!

Friday, April 19^th

Cancer Cannot

By Gary Bittner

 

Hi River Center,

This past Wednesday we spent time praying for those in our church body who are undergoing cancer treatments and others that we know who are undergoing the same struggle. We prayed in faith, asking God for His healing and His will to be done.

 

During prayer I was reminded of a declaration spoken by a pastor who was officiating a celebration of life service for a precious friend of ours who had gone to Jesus after a brave battle with cancer, it is so good. Please keep these words in mind as you pray for those you love who need encouragement and share with folks that you think this declaration might help….

 

 

CANCER CANNOT…

Cancer is so limited

It cannot cripple love

It cannot shatter hope

It cannot corrode faith

It cannot eat away peace

It cannot destroy confidence

It cannot kill friendships

It cannot shut out memories

It cannot silence courage

It cannot invade the soul

It cannot reduce eternal life

It cannot quench the spirit

It cannot lessen the power of the resurrection

 

Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection and the life, he that believeth in Me though he were dead, yet shall he live.”  John 11:25

 

God bless,

Gary B.

 

Carol and I enjoyed camping four days this week with several “mostly retired” friends from church. It’s been a blessing spending time together and sharing stories.

Yesterday we were blessed to be included in a memorial service around the campfire, for Janis Eggert’s brother, Herbert. Most of us met Herbert last fall when he camped with us for a few days. His health was poor and he knew he was nearing the end of his life. We were inspired by his attitude and joyful spirit. We heard stories about his life, enjoyed some of his favorite foods and became friends. His joy was because of his faith in Jesus and his physical condition couldn’t diminish that.

Several verses from scripture came to mind as I thought about him.

All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast. Proverbs 15:13 & 15(NIV)

True Joy does not depend on circumstances in one’s life. David knew that and that’s why he could say “a cheerful heart has a continual feast.”

A happy heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. Prov. 17:22 (AMP)

In Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Ps 16:11

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking (what one likes), but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17 (AMP)

I have told you these things so that My Joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing. John 15:11 (AMP).

Be encouraged by reading what Jesus told them in John 13, 14 and 15.

Thank you Janis and Don for sharing Herbert with us. He touched our lives.