THOUGHTS FROM THE 21 DAYS, DAY 22

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. 1 JOHN 2:15-17

MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT:The world’s desires (lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life) are fleeting and pass away.

MY THOUGHTS: One of the keys to overcoming temptation is to remember that those desires pass away. Temptation or the desire for the things of the world come to an end. The desire for anything of the world passes with time. Meanwhile, the desire for the things of Heaven grows the longer we give it space in our lives.

Heavenly desires are stronger than earthly desires and the key to overcoming is to let our desire for Heaven and the things of Heaven supplant our desire for the things of Earth. Overcoming also requires us to shift focus from the things of the Earth to the things of Heaven. We make stronger those things that we focus on; so today focus on the things of Heaven and watch your passion for them grow.

THOUGHTS FROM THE 21 DAYS, DAY 21

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.

I am writing to you who are God’s children

because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.

13I am writing to you who are mature in the faith

because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.

I am writing to you who are young in the faith

because you have won your battle with the evil one.

14I have written to you who are God’s children

because you know the Father.

I have written to you who are mature in the faith

because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.

I have written to you who are young in the faith

because you are strong.

God’s word lives in your hearts,

and you have won your battle with the evil one. 1 JOHN 2:12-14

MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT:Be strong in your faith; you know the one who is from the beginning.

MY THOUGHTS: Most of God’s children are stronger than they know. Most of us who are people of faith settle for thinking something like “I am just a sinner saved from grace.” We think of ourselves in terms off worms, bugs and grass of the field. Here today gone tomorrow leaving barely a mark on the Earth to let anyone else know we were ever here. Meanwhile God has intended for us to leave a legacy! We have the Word of God dwelling in us and we need to begin to use it….apply it…believe it….act on it. I am convicted more and more that the time is short and we need to move forward into the world with all the love and mercy of Christ radiating from our hearts. That is how we win our battle with the evil one. Be strong in love and mercy and the Word of God!

THOUGHTS FROM THE 21 DAYS, DAY 20

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.

I am writing to you who are God’s children

because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.

13I am writing to you who are mature in the faith

because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.

I am writing to you who are young in the faith

because you have won your battle with the evil one.

14I have written to you who are God’s children

because you know the Father.

I have written to you who are mature in the faith

because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.

I have written to you who are young in the faith

because you are strong.

God’s word lives in your hearts,

and you have won your battle with the evil one. 1 JOHN 2:12-14

MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT:. You have overcome the evil one through the power of God’s Word abiding in you.

MY THOUGHTS: There is incredible power in the Word of God when it meets our will and bends that will to HIS. That is the nature of the Bible. The more we are practicing it the more we are changed by it to become the Overcomers of the evil one. That right there is the key. It is not how much we read it or listen to it. It is how much we practice it that gives us the victory. Practicing begins by reading and listening and knowing, but it only becomes practice when we do what the word says… So today….what part of the Word of God does God have you practicing?

THOUGHTS FROM THE 21 DAYS, DAY 19

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.

I am writing to you who are God’s children

because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.

13I am writing to you who are mature in the faith

because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.

I am writing to you who are young in the faith

because you have won your battle with the evil one.

14I have written to you who are God’s children

because you know the Father.

I have written to you who are mature in the faith

because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.

I have written to you who are young in the faith

because you are strong.

God’s word lives in your hearts,

and you have won your battle with the evil one. 1 JOHN 2:12-14

MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT:Your sins are forgiven for His name’s sake, a foundational truth for all believers.

MY THOUGHTS: I have been in this meditational space lately where I am captured by the thought of how much God loves us and why that love is so solid. Jesus avidly desires the salvation of every man and woman on the planet, because that is who HE is. HE is the Savior of the world. That is HIS name and HE will not deny HIS identity. We are forgiven because HE is a the FORGIVER OF SINS. HE is true to HIS name in a way we have never been true to our own names. The trick in our Christianity is to become like CHRIST and to become as true to the name HE has given us as HE is to HIS own name.

THOUGHTS FROM THE 21 DAYS, DAY 18

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.

Beloved, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but an old one, which you have had from the beginning. This commandment is the message you have heard. 8Then again, I am also writing to you a new commandment, which is true in Him and also in you. For the darkness is fading and the true light is already shining.

9If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness. 10Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him. 11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT:The true light is already shining, empowering you to live a life of love.

MY THOUGHTS: I think it’s so important to remind ourselves daily that Jesus’ light is already shining in the world…in us. We do not have to wait for Heaven to walk in His true light. In fact, we should not wait for Heaven to begin walking in His true light. We need to begin walking in that light now. We need to become the change God is working in us.