God’s Living Word

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands. (Deuteronomy 7:9, NIV)

Today’s Readings: Deuteronomy 5-7

Really Busy: Deuteronomy 5:1-21; 6:1-9

Today is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of our Lenten journey. What’s in your heart as you begin? What are the things you’d like to focus on for the next 40 days? How would you like to enhance your faith journey and grow closer to Jesus? What will it take to get there and how will you measure your progress?

For many Christians, Lent is marked with prayer, fasting, giving up a favorite food, television show, etc., or taking on something to sharpen our focus these next 40 days. We’re saved by faith and faith alone, yet dying to self through specific sacrifices is a powerful way to focus on Jesus and contemplate His sacrifice for us.

Lent stands in stark contrast to Advent and the Christmas season – we often ask other Christians: “What are you giving up for Lent?” At Christmas, it’s the opposite: “What are you getting this Christmas?

Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness fasting and praying after His baptism (Mark 1:12). It was a way to remove all distractions from His life, spending time with His Father in preparation for His ministry.

The season of Lent gives us the opportunity to remove distractions from our lives and focus on Jesus. He gave everything He had for you and for me. Without Him, we’d be forever stuck in the wilderness. With Him and in Him, we’re bound for the Promised Land.

It is my prayer that this lenten season offers you many opportunities to spend some time with Jesus. May His Holy Spirit speak to your heart and change the course of your life.

God’s richest blessings on your journey today and Be There!

Dr. Wahab will share with parents the secrets college-going students need to know prior to high school, which will result in not only college eligibility, but getting admitted.  During FOCUS night you will learn how to strategically plan the middle school and high school years with the explicit goals for college preparation and college success.

Please plan to join us at Grace Thursday, February 23rd at 6:00 pm in the sanctuary.

If you have any questions, please contact Kara Warner, School Counselor at kwarner@gracelcms.net

God’s Living Word

See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. 6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” (Deuteronomy 4:5-6, NIV)

Today’s Readings: Deuteronomy 1-4

Really Busy: Deuteronomy 4

It’s necessary, as Christians, to stay informed about local, national, and world events. However, it’s tough sometimes to read/watch the news without becoming cynical or feeling defeated by the depravity in the world.

It’s a good reminder for us to see, think and live beyond the physical world and find strength, guidance and comfort in the spiritual world. The solutions to life’s problems and the perspective to remain hopeful, despite what’s happening around us, are found there. The book of Deuteronomy is an example of how much God has tried to show us how to think, live and act in ways that bring Him glory and honor.

In the New Testament, Paul encourages us in Ephesians to “put on the full armor of God so you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” (Ephesians 6:10-13).

I encourage you to continue reading Ephesians 6 because Paul goes on to mention the specific pieces of armor we are to put on. We are reminded that every piece of God’s armor has a purpose in battle. Think about, who would ever knowingly go into battle unarmed and unprotected? Without realizing it, too many Christians do and falter as a result.

Certainly Paul’s advice stretches far beyond the news in the world around us – - it touches every aspect of our lives: relationships, financial issues, medical problems, life and death. Remember that Paul wrote these words of encouragement from prison and yet remained positive and undefeated.

My prayer for each of us, and the global church, is that we will do the same.

God’s richest blessings on your journey today and Be There!

God’s Living Word

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18, NKJV)

Today’s Readings: Numbers 21-25

Really Busy:Numbers 26:52-56; 27:18-23

Saturday/Sunday: Numbers 31-33

Chapter 25 highlights the top challenge Israel faced. It wasn’t Jericho’s hostile army. It was the constant temptation to compromise with the pagan Canaanite religion and culture. Physical pleasures and momentary gratification became more important to them than their obedience to the One true God.

God’s response was judgment and death for those men who had joined in sexual immorality and idol worship. He told Moses of His plans for their deaths. Before they could be carried out, Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, saw an Israelite man engaged in sexual immorality and killed him and the woman involved. Compromise always leads to undesirable results.

In this story we learn the strategy Satan is taking to lead us away from God’s mercy and grace. He plans to deceive us by telling us that God’s word is not that important. He knows that if we ignore God on the small things he can eventually get us to compromise what we know to be true. Someone once said this about about Satan’s plan. He wants to destroy our lives by deceiving us to believe his lies. The truth is that Deception breeds compromise! Compromise leads to disobedience! Disobedience leads to spiritual defeat. How many of us are struggling spiritually because we have compromised our life style and gone against what God has told us is true?

Today’s readings give us the opportunity to take stock and reflect on our own lives. Where have we loosened our spiritual commitment and obedience to God to justify actions we know are wrong? What influence does today’s culture have in our lives – in the television we watch, the movies we see, the music we listen to, the way we talk, the way we treat others, the people we allow into our lives?

What influence do we have on today’s culture? In our zeal for the Lord and the honor due His holy name, may each of us impact today’s culture and all those in it with words and actions that glorify God each day we live and until we see Him face to face in heaven.

God’s richest blessings on your journey today and Be There!

But for now, we’re learning to trust God. (Pastor Rick Warren)

God’s Living Word

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV)

Today’s Readings: Numbers 26-30

Really Busy:Numbers 26:52-56; 27:18-23

One of the great challenges I face on a regular basis is to help people understand how much God loves them and that He has a plan for their life. So many of us get roughed up by life, beaten down by all the stuff that happens and struggle at times to have a positive attitude about ourselves and our faith journey.

Today we are reminded how much God really loves us. In Him we will find the truth that will transform our lives and give us the strength to approach today knowing that we are special and that God is on our side. There is nothing that will happen that He will not have turn out for our good and His glory.

I appreciate these words by Max Lucado.

“With one sacrifice he made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Hebrews 10:14).

“Underline the word perfect. Note that the word is not better. Not improving. Not on the upswing. God doesn’t improve; he perfects. He doesn’t enhance; he completes…”

“Now I realize that there’s a sense in which we’re imperfect. We still err. We still stumble. We still do exactly what we don’t want to do. And that part of us is, according to the verse, is ‘being made holy’.”

But when it comes to our position before God, we’re perfect. When he sees each of us, he sees one who has been made perfect through the One who is perfect–Jesus Christ” (Max Lucado)

There is a saying that I have shared several times in these “Thought for the Days” and at the risk of it becoming to repetitive I want to share it again. It is a thought that has helped me many times and I hope and pray it will give you some encouragement. Always remember that, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life and Jesus has a plan for your journey today”. You are special!

God’s richest blessings on your journey today and Be There!

6:00am “Sonrise” Easter Celebration

8:00am Easter Celebration

9:30am Easter Celebration

10:45am Easter Celebration

Celebration worship service at 6:00pm

Presented by Jews for Jesus at 7:00pm (http://www.jewsforjesus.org)