Sunday, November 29, 2009

Week 8 Renewal of Our Life

Week 8 November 29th
Spiritual- Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you will prosper.
Physical- 1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live in righteousness, by his wounds you have been healed.
• Diet- This week focus on cleansing and loosing the weight gained from the thanksgiving holiday.
• Body-Continue work out program=P90x
Family— 3 John 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in truth.
• Parenting- Continue family devotional time with kids. Continue their memory verses daily. Spend one on one time with Solomon this Saturday at the Home Depot Workshop on Saturday Morning.
• Marriage- Have a date night Monday
Financial- Proverbs 24:3,4 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established, through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures
Ministry- Proverbs 27:23 Be sure to know the condition of you flocks, give careful attention to your herds.

Week 7 Renewal of our Life

Spiritual- Romans 4:17 Call those things that are not as though they were
Physical- Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
• Diet- Watch your portion size, focus on eating 2 healthy meals a day and healthy snacks
• Body-Continue work out program—amp up your cardio this week
Family— Malachi 4:6 He will convince parents to look after their children and children to look up to their parents.
• Parenting- Continue family devotional time with kids. Continue their memory verses daily.
• Marriage- Spend time during drive to pray, intercede, vision cast and prepare for future
Financial- Psalm 34:10 Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the LORD will lack no good thing
Ministry- Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Go Above and Beyond

Today I wanted to share with you something I learned from a recent disagreement with my wife. After a great date night, we came home and the house was pretty much a mess. I had stayed home to work from home while my youngest son was playing. Stacey was running errands all day. After I finished working, I worked out and worked with the kids on their homework. The thing I did not do was pick up the many toys my youngest son got out throughout the day. In turn causing a disagreement about me being home all day and not even picking up, pretty much ruining our date night. Even if I think to myself, yes I was working, yes I did do several loads of laundry, but I did not pick up the little things, even though I might have stepped over them many times.

God shared with me to make sure I am going above and beyond in all I do. When I am at church if I see a piece of trash or something out of place, I pick it up and put it where it goes. Why can’t I do that at my own house as well. God wants us to be excellent and that take me going above and beyond.

We need to be faithful of the small things if we want to get more. So God wants us to be excellent and go above and beyond.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

40 Week Renewal of Our Life Week 6

Week 6 November 15th
Spiritual- Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose
Physical- Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
• Diet- Continue 21 Day Daniel Fast, do a 3 day liquid fast this week
• Body-Continue work out program and waking up at 6am 4 days a week and going to bed by 10:30pm
Family— Make sure we have discipline in our daily lives as well as discipline in our children’s behavior and attitudes.
Proverbs 13:24 A refusal to correct is a refusal to love; love your children by disciplining them.
• Parenting- Continue family devotional time with kids. Continue their memory verses daily. Plan out family devotional time next 2 weeks
• Marriage- pray together every night before we go to bed.
Financial- Plan out finances for next 2 weeks, have finance meeting and budget for any upcoming vacations. Making sure we continue our unity in this area.
Psalm 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
Ministry- Brad to evaluate small groups and prepare for upcoming semesters, develop a leadership track, meet with small group and other meetings. Develop small group leader training.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Family Time

Five Works God Shared With Me About Family Time
1) Plan: Plan out devotional time with your kids, plan outings with your kids, plan date days or nights with your kids individually, plan family nights, etc.
Proverbs 14:22b says “those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness”
2) Prepare: Prepare your kids to do my work, show them how to serve, show them that you serve, prepare them for the enemies’ attacks and how to overcome them, prepare them for the life they will live when they are gone. Proverbs 22:6 says, “train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it.”
2 Timothy 2:21b says, “Prepared to do any good work”
3) Perseverance: Raising kids is not a onetime thing, it takes perseverance and patience.
Hebrews 12:1 “let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
4) Prayer: Teach your children how to pray and use God’s word in their prayer.
1 Corinthians 7:5, “You may devote yourselves to prayer.”
5) Power: Teach the kids that they have the power over the enemy and they can overcome his temptations.
2 Timothy 1:7 says, “God did not give us the spirit of fear, but of power.”
Questions to ask the kids:
What are some things we can plan as a family that will foster love and faithfulness?
What are some ways we can prepare ourselves to do Gods works?
How can we use increase our prayer time?

Sunday, November 8, 2009

40 Week Renewal of Our Life Week 5

I will praise You daily

Spiritual—Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Physical- 1 Corinthians 6:19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself.
• Diet- Continue 21 Day Daniel Fast, reduce coffee intake
• Body-Continue work out program and waking up at 6am 4 days a week and going to bed by 10:30pm

Family— Ephesians 4:31 “Do not be bitter or angry or mad. Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others. Never do anything evil. Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.” (we are repeating this one)
• Parenting- Continue family devotional time with kids. Continue their memory verses daily.
• Marriage- Ephesians 5:33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Financial- Luke 6:38 Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Ministry- Romans 8:37 In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

God Wants Us To Forgive

Matthew 6:14
“Yes if you forgive others for the things they do wrong, then your Father in heaven will also forgive you for the things you do wrong”

14-15"In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can't get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God's part. (The Message)

The Bible tells us this: When other people do things that are wrong, we should forgive them. God’s word also tells us that when we’re willing to forgive others, God is quick to forgive us for the mistakes that we make.

Have you ever made a mistake?

Has somebody done something that makes you angry or hurt your feelings? What was it and have you forgiven them?

Harboring unforgiveness can hold us back from receiving communication and blessings from God. God has a purpose for us He has a hope and a future and wants to make sure we are operating out of love.

Some things you can do, is ask God in prayer if there is anyone you have not forgiven and ask Him to reveal it to you. Then it says in Psalm 51:10 says, to “create in me a pure heart, and renew a right spirit within you.” You want to have a clean heart when you come before him. Don’t allow anything to keep you from fulfilling your ultimate purpose in your life.

“Learning how to forgive and forget is one of the secrets of a happy Christian life.” Warren Wiersbe

Let’s pray this prayer together:

“Dear Lord, you have forgiven me. Now, it’s my turn to forgive others. Help me fill my heart with kind thoughts, and help me fill each day with good deeds. Thank you, Lord for Your love, and Your forgiveness, and Your Son Jesus.”

Friday, November 6, 2009

Be Careful For What You Ask For

I have to admit that sometimes I can get completely overwhelmed on things. When I have several tasks at hand I tend to rush through them and not do my best job in order to get them done. I have been working on this and God has really been directing me on this. For instance, I get a little overwhelmed when coming back from the grocery store after bringing in all the bags and then having to sort through them and put them up. I am kind of frustrated and want to get it done fast so I can feel a sense of peace and accomplishment. Is anyone else like that?

I felt God sharing with me a few scriptures for any of those people who might deal with this. I have pleaded with God, give me more, I want to serve you and do more for Your Kingdom. He clearly told me “slow down and focus on what you have to do. I can’t give you more until you can be faithful in the small things.”

I was reminded of the Parable of the Talents where Jesus said;

Matthew 25:21, 23
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.”

The ones who were faithful with a few things were given more. Also in Luke 12:48;

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

So be careful because if you want God to give you more, you have to prove to Him that you can handle what you have, just like the servants in charge of the talents. They had to prove to their master they were faithful in the small things. If you are not He will take away what you have and give it to the one who is faithful in the small things, like He did in Matthew 25:26.

Monday, November 2, 2009

40 Week Renewal of Our Life Week 4

Week 4 November 1st
Spiritual— Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.”
Physical— Proverbs 6:10-11 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest- and poverty will come on you like a bandit.
• Diet- Start a 21 Day Daniel Fast
• Body-Continue work out program and waking up at 6am 4 days a week and going to bed by 10:30pm

Family— Ephesians 4:31 “Do not be bitter or angry or mad. Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others. Never do anything evil. Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.”
• Parenting- Continue family devotional time with kids. Continue their memory verses daily.
• Marriage- Date Night outing Friday
Financial- Matthew 6:19-20 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
Ministry- Psalm 119:133 Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.

Keep Our Attitudes In Check

For the last 4 weeks during our 40 Week Renewal Of Our Life, I have been writing weekly devotionals to go over with my kids and wanted to share this past weeks with you.

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” NIV

NCV says, “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.”

Message says, “Your Heart is where life starts”

If life starts in the heart then don’t you think it is important to make sure we are keeping our heart in check?—our heart can be our attitudes. It is important for us to keep our attitudes of our hearts in completely aligned with God. We can let way too many things get in our way of this like; offense, hurt feelings, bad attitudes and dislike towards someone and the devil can really gain some footholds here. Footholds are pathways to our hearts. As we learn to focus on the promises of God instead of the problems of life, the attitudes of our hearts begin to line up with all God wants and has for us.

Galatians 5:22-23 talks about the fruits of the spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.”NIV

“But what happens when we life God’s way? He brings gifts in our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life and serenity.” The Message

These fruits reveal what our heart-attitudes should be. Every day we should ask God to help us to produce the fruits of the Spirit in all the relationships and responsibilities of our lives.

Who do we have relationships with where we can demonstrate these fruits?

How are some ways this week we can use these fruits? Possibly on our brother or sister?

Ephesians 4:31 “Do not be bitter or angry or mad. Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others. Never do anything evil. Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.”

How are some ways we can make sure we do not get mad?

What are some of the reasons we get mad or angry?