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March 12, 2010
The Faithwalker's Journal — The Heart of a Servant—2 - Friday March 12, 2010
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. Mark 10:45Once our heart is willing to selflessly serve, the next step is to pay attention to the needs and opportunities around us. Part of being a selfless servant is to take time to notice opportunities to serve. How easily we become consumed with our own important work. Of course people should serve me, because I have to prepare the Bible study, or make the meal, or call all the people, or…. We have a nice list of reasons why others should be serving us. But this was not Jesus’ attitude. He came to serve, and was always looking for ways to meet the needs of others around Him. The example of the apostle Paul impressed me recently. How’s this for a stressful day? After enduring the harrowing experience of the storm at sea where all were sure they would die, and after surviving the shipwreck by clinging to pieces of debris from the ship, Paul was finally washed ashore with the other survivors on the isle of Malta. And what did Paul do at this point? Let me show you: “But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire…” (Acts 28:3). While most of us might have thought we deserved a bit of a break, Paul did the menial task of gathering the firewood! He, like Jesus, did not come to be served, but to serve. Step Two of effective servanthood is to see the needs and opportunities right under our noses. May God give us eyes to selflessly serve those around us.
Daniel P. Goering
Die Brücke (The Bridge)
One Year Reading Plan: Numbers 16:41-18:32; Mark 16:1-20; Psalms 55:1-23; Proverbs 11:7
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March 11, 2010
Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — 1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.The Faithwalker's Journal — The Heart of a Servant—1 - Thursday March 11, 2010
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. John 13:3-4A prerequisite to effective service is that we first have a proper view of ourselves. This is one lesson we can distill from Jesus as He washed the feet of His disciples. One translation says “Jesus, being conscious that…He had come forth from God and was going back to God” (Bible in Basic English—BBE). Jesus served His disciples out of a clear understanding of who He was, where He had come from, and where He was going. This understanding is also critical for us to serve people as we should. There can be many motivations for serving. Obviously it does not please God, nor does it result in future gain, when we serve just to be seen by men (Matthew 6:2, 5, 16). Other motivations are duty and obligation or from a conscious or unconscious attempt to earn God’s favor. To serve selflessly, we must first have an accurate grasp of who we are before God and in Christ and have an assurance of His calling on our lives. What truths about our identity in Christ can free us to truly serve selflessly? 1. We are qualified to serve because He has gifted us (1 Peter 4:10, 1 Corinthians 12). 2. As we understand our unworthiness, we can escape the trap of thinking too highly of ourselves and can think so as to have sound judgment (Romans 12:1-3). 3. We are His slaves, and our rights really belong to Him anyway (Luke 17:7-10, Philippians 2:3-8). This consciousness is Step One in selflessly serving.
Daniel P. Goering
Die Brücke (The Bridge)
One Year Reading Plan: Numbers 15:17-16:40; Mark 15:1-47; Psalms 54:1-7; Proverbs 11:5-6
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March 10, 2010
Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Jude 1:24-25
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.The Faithwalker's Journal — Walking Strong as a Faithwalker—2 - Wednesday March 10, 2010
“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” John 6:67-68 NIVWhat does it take to be a life-long faithwalker? Here are three more traits you need to develop in your life. A faithwalker is a disciple who grows in his or her commitment. I pray this prayer almost every day: “Lord, help me to love You with all my heart and soul and mind and strength today.” I’ve committed myself to the Great Commandment and loving my neighbor. I’ve made committments to my wife, my family, my local church, my leaders, this world and the Great Commission. What are you committed to? Practical measures of your commitment can be seen in your attendance, your service, and your giving. A faithwalker is also a disciple who daily practices spiritual disciplines. Did you have your quiet time this morning? We need to pray. We need to read, study, and memorize the Word. We need to pursue reconciliation and restitution with any brothers and sisters we have wronged. We must examine our heart daily. And we must proclaim the Word. Finally, a faithwalker is a disciple who loves God today more than yesterday. Meditate on Romans 8:39 “Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (NLT). Our whole Christian experience is based on this love. If you don’t know this love, ask God daily to help you understand this love. I ask God every day, “Help me love You more today than I did yesterday.” Develop these five traits in your life, and they will help you maintain your course as a lifelong faithwalker.
Rory Whitney
Faithwalkers West 2009
One Year Reading Plan: Numbers 14:1-15:16; Mark 14:53-72; Psalms 53:1-6; Proverbs 11:4
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March 09, 2010
Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Proverbs 20:9
Who can say, "I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin"?The Faithwalker's Journal — Walking Strong as a Faithwalker—1 - Tuesday March 09, 2010
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 NIVAnyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. James 4:4 NIVIt’s one thing to burn hot for God for three days or three weeks. It’s quite another thing to serve the Lord for the long haul. Today and tomorrow we’ll look at five traits you must have if you ever hope to last. First, a faithwalker is a disciple who displays courage. Courage has to define you as a Christian. Faithwalkers will be asked to do hard things, to speak up, to correct, to reprove—it takes courage. You will be asked to display courage with your lifestyle choices. Being a faithwalker will influence whom you marry, your education, your job, where you live, and how you raise and train your children. You will be asked to train your children in a godly way that this world doesn’t understand. We are strangers in this land, and we don’t fit in this world. We have got to be men and women of courage who know how to tap into the strength that only God can give. Second, a faithwalker is a disciple who lives by his or her convictions. I’m not just talking about theological and doctrinal convictions, but lifestyle convictions. What are the convictions that God is developing in you day by day? You are a Christian? Then live like it. You should look different, act different, talk different. If your aim is just to enjoy this world, James 4:4 says that you can’t be a friend of God. We want to be winsome and reach out, but it is Christ in you that the world is attracted to. This isn’t my home, and it shouldn’t be yours.
Rory Whitney
Faithwalkers West 2009
One Year Reading Plan: Numbers 11:24-13:33; Mark 14:22-52; Psalms 52:1-9; Proverbs 11:1-3
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Matt and Nancy Heerema — One of my top picks: The Jesus Storybook Bible
In my previous post I mentioned The Jesus Storybook Bible, by Sally Lloyd-Jones and illustrated by Jago. I think that some of my friends might be tired of hearing me talk about it because I get so excited about it!
Originally, I read about it last summer and the high praise was echoed several other places when we decided to check this out. Matt and I were so impressed with how Sally Lloyd-Jones gets to the heart of both of the Old Testament and New Testament Bible stories. Her tagline to the title is “Every story whispers his name” which says it perfectly: she brings out so beautifully how the Old Testament accounts point to Jesus. Her words are simple enough for our three-year-old to understand, but woven together in such a way that Matt and I have both found tears in our eyes at different times while reading this aloud. You can check out the deluxe version to hear an audio sample of the account of creation to get a feel for her writing style.
I’ve given this Bible as a birthday gift and also as a baby shower gift. You might say, “Well, isn’t a Bible a bit down the road for a baby?” If you have given birth, you probably are familiar with the exhaustion haze that comes from being up at all hours with a newborn. This is the perfect way to provide a new mom with something encouraging (but not too brainy!) to read at this time.
Adults will find Jago’s illustrations intriguingly artsy and kids will be drawn to the emotion in the characters’ faces. Our daughter will ask, “Why does he look so sad?”
Although this is definitely the first recommendation out of my mouth when someone asks about a children’s Bible (or a gift in general!), I’m just excited about getting (almost) any Bible in the hands of kids and their parents. In case you’re looking for something slightly different, we also own this board book Bible, this children’s Bible (which has simple discussion questions), and this children’s Bible that goes into a bit more detail. However, in clearly communicating the gospel, I feel like this one is tops.
March 08, 2010
Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Psalm 68:19
Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.The Faithwalker's Journal — A Spirit of Humility—3 - Monday March 08, 2010
If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness. 1 Timothy 6:3Did you notice something missing here in verse 3? After instructing Timothy to speak to the slaves (vs. 1 2), Paul writes about false teachers in the church. As I read this, I thought “Wait a minute, Paul. What about the slave masters? What words of instruction are for them?” But Paul gives no exhortation to the masters. Why not? No one can say for sure. But could it be that Paul was simply addressing the “main issues” that Timothy needed to know in building the church? If so, the first three verses of 1 Timothy would indicate that building a spirit of humility (through the example of slaves) and squelching false doctrine (which undermined godly living) were higher priority to Paul than instructing masters. Paul is directing Timothy to build a church of humility and faith. We read in Habakkuk 2:4, “Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith.” Based on this verse, someone once pointed out that faith and humility are really the same coin—just opposite sides. Humility comes through a life of respectful submission and service. Faith comes by rejecting the deceptions of false teaching and listening to the truth of God’s word. God earnestly desires a spirit of humility in the church. But it will not come easily. It results when church members model it in the workplace, and when leaders courageously remove false teaching that undermines godly living. Are you committed to building a spirit of humility in your church?
John Hopler
Great Commission Churches
One Year Reading Plan: Numbers 10:1-11:23; Mark 14:1-21; Psalms 51:1-19; Proverbs 10:31-32
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March 07, 2010
Matt and Nancy Heerema — Why I didn’t “get” the gospel until I was sickened by the ugliness of my sin
After I saw this YouTube video today, I was thinking about my own experience of how seeing my sin more clearly has made me see the gospel in a completely different light. Dr. Piper says it so well:
I would say that I’ve been a Christian since about age 6, when I “asked Jesus to come into my heart.” Since then, I would have said I had a pretty good understanding of Jesus’ work on the cross, dying to pay for our sin. And for the most part, I was a fairly good kid: keeping my nose out of trouble, and generally doing what was expected of me. However, when I would hear songs like “The Wonderful Cross” and “Jesus Paid It All” and I would think, “Good grief…I haven’t done anything all THAT bad…” and part of me would just feel really uncomfortable.
A situation about two and a half years ago changed that. A set of circumstances made me see clearly, I think probably for the first time, how ugly my sin is to God. Without really realizing it, I had come to really, really like how people responded to me when I did the right/good/noble/expected things and ended up valuing that over God’s opinion. And in turn, I figured that God would probably be fairly impressed by that, too. Over and over the Bible talks about how God isn’t impressed by the things that people are, but that God sees past it and looks at the heart. I realized how awful my seemingly good works looked to God: things that I did to look good to people that were often motivated by jealousy, pride, or selfishness. Suddenly, I realized I wasn’t looking so hot in God’s eyes. Here’s this girl trying to be all religious when inside her heart is just ugly. In the Bible, Jesus uses religious people quite frequently to show how their hearts were in the wrong place and how they really liked the respect that their position got them. And that was me!
All of a sudden, I realized that need for that blood. I was really dirty. I am still so amazed that God hasn’t just zapped me out of existence…considering all of the junk that has been (and is) in my heart and mind. But, he loved me enough to not only not zap me out of existence, but to pay for all of the ugly things that I have (and still will) done.
There’s a children’s Bible that I love (The Jesus Storybook Bible) that puts it so simply: “All Naaman needed was nothing. It was the one thing Naaman didn’t have.” I was trying to please God and please people by doing, by having it all together. But all we need is the understanding that we don’t and can’t have it all together…that all our attempts at being good and perfect will fail. That’s why we need Jesus’ blood from the cross, the perfect sacrifice to pay for our sins.
Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.The Faithwalker's Journal — A Spirit of Humility—2 - Sunday March 07, 2010
Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are brethren, but must serve them all the more, because those who partake of the benefit are believers and beloved. Teach and preach these principles. 1 Timothy 6:2In Ephesians chapters five and six, Paul addresses three types of relationships: husbands and wives, children and parents, and slaves and masters. Each is a relationship that has a follower and a leader. The follower is to show honor. The leader is to lead in love. It is noteworthy that in each of these relationships, Paul addresses the follower first. I believe that he does so because the follower is the one who sets the pace for modeling “all humility” in the church. In 1 Timothy Paul writes to his young disciple in Ephesus and urges him to teach slaves to honor their masters in their service. He makes a special point to caution slaves to be even more respectful towards masters who are believers in Jesus Christ. The temptation was for slaves to think of their masters primarily as “brothers” needing no extra respect. But Paul corrects this thinking by urging slaves to show even more humility towards those who are believers. A woman left a secular job to work for some Christians. There she encountered more problems than she expected. Her pastor asked her if she was working as hard as she did for the unbelievers. She wasn’t. The pastor told her to work harder and to show even more respect—and to see if God would clear up the problems. She took his counsel and found that the issues eventually disappeared. How are you doing in showing “all humility” towards the Christians in your church?
John Hopler Great
Commission Churches
One Year Reading Plan: Numbers 8:1-9:23; Mark 13:14-37; Psalms 50:1-23; Proverbs 10:29-30
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Matt and Nancy Heerema — How do I teach my kids an accurate view of God when I’m a sinner, too?
C.J. Mahaney wrote a great article in response to a parent’s letter asking this:
I am afraid they (my children) do have hard thoughts of God and that’s largely because of my own sinfulness (anger, impatience, anxiety), which I am eager to continue killing by the Spirit. But apart from that, the question I have is, how do we as parents insist that our children obey us in the Lord without cultivating hard thoughts of Him?
I love his response to this.
March 06, 2010
Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Psalm 130:5
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope....The Faithwalker's Journal — A Spirit of Humility—1 - Saturday March 06, 2010
All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against. 1 Timothy 6:1Recently I was impressed by a phrase that Paul uses twice in speaking to believers in the church at Ephesus. In Ephesians 4:2 he urges the church to walk in “all humility.” Then in Acts 20:19, Paul tells the elders at Ephesus that he acted in “all humility” when he served the church. Exactly what is “all humility?” Allow me to suggest this definition: “All humility” is an attitude of heart that leads to being others-oriented all the time and in every situation— towards God and towards every kind of person—authority figures, peers and followers. “All humility” might also be called “360 degree humility.” This is the kind of spirit Paul wanted to model to the church in Ephesus. He knew that if the Christians were walking in humility, God’s abundant grace would be upon the church. It is no wonder that in his writing to Timothy (who was leading in Ephesus) Paul gives a special instruction to slaves. The reason? Slaves were the ones who set the pace for building a spirit of humility in the church. It is estimated that when 1 Timothy was written, half the people in the Roman Empire were slaves. As new believers, they might have been tempted to think “We are saved, seated with Christ in heaven. We are the real masters, not these masters who are enslaving us on earth.” But a healthy understanding of our glorious position in Christ ought to inspire us to be humbler, not prouder. Paul called slaves who were believers in Christ to show more honor and more humility in the workplace—to honor Christ. Can any of us apply this teaching today?
John Hopler
Great Commission Churches
One Year Reading Plan: Numbers 6:1-7:89; Mark 12:38-13:13; Psalms 49:1-20; Proverbs 10:27-28
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March 05, 2010
Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Matthew 5:9
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."The Faithwalker's Journal — Is Everyone Encouraged? —3 - Friday March 05, 2010
For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified. 1 Corinthians 14:17How can we develop participatory meetings where everyone’s faith is strengthened? Just as Paul gave practical steps to the Corinthians, we too can learn and change. For example, what has God been teaching you? Do you usually have something from God to give to others? Come prepared! Do others understand what you share? Paul said, “For you are giving thanks,” but it was of no benefit to others because they didn’t understand! Also, if you say something at an inappropriate time, it does not help others. Pray, “Lord, could what I say be helpful to others at this moment?” Spontaneously sharing a verse that God gave you is often appropriate. Here are some good questions to ask yourself when you consider whether or not to speak longer. Have I already shared this with my spouse or friends? Did it help them? How do I know? Start small; learn to be effective with one person before you teach a large group. Here are some practical applications: Some of us need to learn to be better listeners. Others need to learn to speak up. Ask questions to promote discussion. Don’t answer every question yourself. Let others speak, even if their theology is not exactly correct. Break up into smaller groups if necessary. Encourage debate in a safe environment. Discuss ideas and avoid personal attacks. Respectfully interrupt talk when it’s unprofitable or lengthy. Speak to anyone after the meeting who was domineering, off-base theologically, or who spoke unkindly. Most importantly, give care to one another during the week. Your meeting is only one aspect of being a church.
Stephen S. Nelson
GCM Missionary
One Year Reading Plan: Numbers 4:1-5:31; Mark 12:18-37; Psalms 48:1-14; Proverbs 10:26
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Tony & Kirsten Hill — Finding Deals on Dining Out
If “being taken out to dinner” was a love language, that would definitely be mine. While I am sure that everyone enjoys a dinner out every now and then, it is something that really makes me feel extra loved and special when Tony takes me out. I enjoy all types of eating out though, whether on a date, with friends, with the whole family or whatever!
So being the bargain hunter that I am, I like to have an arsenal of money-saving strategies to use to make our dining out dollars stretch as far as possible. Here are some of my favorite ways to save $$$ on eating out:
1. The Entertainment Book: This is a city or region-specific book of coupons you can purchase online or in some brick-n-mortar stores (I purchased mine at Walgreens with a coupon soon after the 2010 edition came out). They are full of coupons for all kinds of restaurants — everything from McDonald’s to super fancy places and everything in between. You’ll also get coupons for various stores (I used a $5 off a $25 purchase at Once Upon a Child coupon recently) and various forms of entertainment. The Twin Cities books will get you discounts on indoor playgrounds, bowling, sporting events, rec centers, museums, movie theaters, plays and more.
I just noticed on the Entertainment Book website that all books are 50% off with free shipping — quite a deal since you still have until November 1st to use it! This would make a Twin Cities book $17.50 (prices for other cities may be lower or higher). You could easily make that back using one or two coupons…so it might be a good option to buy one for any vacation destinations you plan to visit in the next 8 months.
2. “Gift Certificates” from Restaurant.com: Restaurant.com essentially sells coupons that they call “gift certificates” for various restaurants around the country. I’ve noticed that the list of restaurants here in the Twin Cities has grown quite a bit over the past year or two! While at first glance it doesn’t seem like a super awesome deal — the price listed on the website is $10 for a $25 “gift certificate”, but then an additional $10 or so needs to be spent on top of that — For about the second half of each month certificates are 70% or 80% off. When you think of buying a coupon for $25 worth of food for $2 or $3, then even that plus an additional $10 (plus tax and tip of course) sounds like a pretty good deal for a nice dinner out.
Be sure to read all the fine print on each restaurant and certificate value you are considering purchasing. All require some minimum amount to be spent above the certificate value, but it may be more or less depending on the restaurant. A $50 certificate/coupon to an expensive restaurant may sound great, but if the minimum purchase to use it is $100, it may not work out so well. Some restaurants may also specify that certain value certificates may only be used at lunch and not dinner or vice versa. They also may have date exclusions beyond the typical holidays when they are not valid. For example, one downtown restaurant we purchased a certificate for did not allow them to be used on days where there was an event at the Target center.
3. Purchasing certificates from “one daily coupon” sites like Groupon or Living Social. I’m new to this scene, having just purchased my first two “Groupons” recently (and I haven’t used Living Social yet, I just receive their emails). With these two sites (and there may be others?) you can sign up for a daily email of deals in your city/area. They are not all dining out related — in fact it might be anything from a massage to a museum membership to a yoga class. But a lot of them are restaurants of some sort. Generally you are purchasing a gift certificate or coupon that will have fewer restrictions on it than those from restaurant.com will, and you will get whatever it is for about half price or maybe better. I got a steal of a deal on a membership to the MN Historical Society, and a $16 certificate to a coffee shop for $8. If you refer friends to Groupon (yes, that is my referral link above) you can get a $10 credit for each friend that joins and purchases a certificate within a few days of clicking on your referral link.
4. If you like dining out a chain restaurants (and even some local joints) don’t forget to check their websites for deals and also search “coupon code” sites for printable coupons. Many chains offer an incentive to sign up for their newsletter (just don’t forget to use your “junk” email address) such as a free dessert or appetizer or even a free entree. Or coupons may be available for the printing on the restaurant website. I also recently discovered that some of the same sites one can use to search for discount codes for online retailers (such as couponcabin.com and retailmenot.com) also have sections devoted to restaurant discounts.
5. Look for other “local deal” sites in your area that may offer special printable coupons or “purchase-a-gift-certificate-for-less” promotions. The Provisions Book seems to be a newer site in the Twin Cities offering coupons for some areas (with more coming soon). I found a coupon for a Sushi restaurant there last week when Tony and I wanted sushi on our date night. Gift certificate deals in the Twin Cities can be found at halfofftwincities.com. A limited number of gift certificates for various restaurants are sold each week. I haven’t purchased from here yet, so I can’t comment too much on it, other than to say it looks like another “read the fine print” type of site, as some of the certificates do have restrictions on when and how you can use them.
6. Finally, Don’t forget to pay attention to coupons in the newspaper and advertising mailers. These are mostly for chain and fast food places, but every now and then I spot coupons for local establishments as well. Even if I am not planning to eat at a particular pizza joint, fast food restaurant or chain restaurant in the next few weeks, I generally save some of these coupons anyway “just in case”…because that’s just the kind of person I am. While I don’t make it a habit to eat a lot of fast food, we do eat that kind of fare more often on the road, so I try and remember to bring some with me when we leave town.
I’m linking up today with “Frugal Fridays” at Lifeasamom.com. Visit this week’s Frugal Fridays post to learn more great ways to save money!
March 04, 2010
Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Galatians 1:10
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.The Faithwalker's Journal — Is Everyone Encouraged?—2 - Thursday March 04, 2010
The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.1 Corinthians 14:32 NIVWe noticed yesterday that when the Corinthians met together it wasn’t to love Jesus Christ and one another but to seek their own interests. Paul admonished them to make sure “that everyone… be instructed and encouraged.” He told them that it was worthless to use their spiritual gift if they failed to edify (build up) others. “It is not about you!” As God’s children, we know that we should be more interested in others and their needs than we are in our own. Paul wrote, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:3-5). Considering others to be more important than ourselves is the foundation for a godly life and a healthy church. Dying to ourselves—our plans, our desires, our reputations—and living for God and others is a summary of the Christian life. We can manifest this attitude during our church gatherings by looking for ways to serve others and point them to Jesus. This may mean speaking less and listening more for some of us. Like Paul said, “the spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet.” It may mean learning how to make it easier for others to speak up. It is God’s will that you help all of your brothers and sisters to be encouraged. Tomorrow we will discuss more practical ways to encourage everyone during our gatherings, as well as during the week. After all, we are the church 24-7. Let’s act like it!
Stephen S. Nelson
GCM Missionary
One Year Reading Plan: Numbers 2:1-3:51; Mark 11:27-12:17; Psalms 47:1-9; Proverbs 10:24-25
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March 03, 2010
Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Psalm 145:18-19
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.The Faithwalker's Journal — Is Everyone Encouraged?—1 - Wednesday March 03, 2010
For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 1 Corinthians 14:31 NIVRecently I attended some small group meetings where the same people prayed, taught, and led, week after week, often for a long time. By the way, what they said was usually encouraging. But how did this affect the silent majority? For some, it was a good time for a nap. Others felt intimidated because they could never pray that long, so why try? Why is the participation in our gatherings limited to the faithful few? There are many reasons—habit, insecurity, control, or simply immaturity. It takes more effort to involve others. Having open participatory meetings is less predictable, messy, and requires faith in God and faith in others. To have such meetings requires self-sacrifice, and a desire for all to grow spiritually. What did Paul say to the Corinthians, whose meetings resembled a three-ring circus? If I told you that the church in Corinth zealously used their spiritual gifts in their meetings, you would probably assume they were mature Christians. But, sadly, the opposite was true. They were actually immature, arrogant, and competitive. Their gatherings looked more like two politicians yelling and arguing with one another than the family of Jesus Christ. Why were some prophesying at the same time? Why didn’t they interpret the person who spoke in tongues? One brother came drunk, while another gorged himself with food as soon as he arrived! How would you describe your gatherings? Is everyone instructed and encouraged though open participation? What might need to change?
Stephen S. Nelson
GCM Missionary
One Year Reading Plan: Leviticus 27:14-34;Numbers 1:1-54; Mark 11:1-26; Psalms 46:1-11; Proverbs 10:23
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March 02, 2010
Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Matthew 12:50
"For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."The Faithwalker's Journal — It’s All About Changing Lives—2 - Tuesday March 02, 2010
Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud, “To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind.” Proverbs 8:1-4We all need to be teaching. Truth does not speak for itself; people must speak it. You need not have the gift of teaching, but you need to be teaching. Why? Because truth changes lives. We read in the book of Proverbs, “Wisdom calls out; Wisdom raises her voice….” That’s why sometimes I yell when I’m speaking to a crowd! But God has worked me over before putting me up here to teach. Have you ever seen a meat tenderizer? My mom used to have one—a wooden mallet with metal on one surface with little diamond shapes engraved into it. She used it to soften the gristle in meat. Well, God has used pain to soften me, to tenderize me. There is a price to pay if you are going to commit yourself to the work of changing lives through Christ. Pain is involved. You have to die to yourself. You have to die to your jealousies, to your dreams, to your plans. It’s the same if you decide to have physical children. Conceiving babies is the fun part. It’s the next twenty years that’s the work. There’s a price to pay for children. First Mom loses her figure. Then you both lose your sleep. Then there’s the work of training your child. You do it to lead, to bless…. You go through it to see lives changed—you pay the price, you do the work. Someday God’s going to put a crown on your head because you laid down your life for others. Listen to this talk at www.faithwalkersonline.net (West 2009).
Mark Darling
Faithwalkers 2009
One Year Reading Plan: Leviticus 25:47-27:13; Mark 10:32-52; Psalms 45:1-17; Proverbs 10:22
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Tony & Kirsten Hill — Menu Plan Monday: March 1-8, 2010
I guess it is “better late than never” this week. 
At least it is still Monday for a little bit longer. I am really getting in the groove of planning my menu based mostly on what I have already in the house, and putting any meals that need extra ingredients I don’t have on hand into the second half of the week, after I have had a chance to do some grocery shopping.
In general my pantry/freezer are looking more full than they have in a while. I am trying to get better about applying the “stocking up” principle of buying enough of an item when it is at a rock-bottom sale price to get me through until the next rock-bottom sale price. My general tendency has been to only buy one or two of something when it is on sale. But with a family of five eager eaters, “one or two” of almost anything does not last for very long (well, at least four of the five are eager. Calling Erik “eager” to eat would be a bit of an exaggeration these days as he sometimes seems to be eating less than Kai!).
So, instead of buying the 4 frozen containers of juice with one coupon this past week (enough juice to last two weeks, max), I bought 12 containers of juice and used three coupons. Maybe that will get us through the next 4-6 weeks until I can make another sale/coupon pairing. A few weeks ago I bought 9 bags of frozen veggies for a total of $3. There are still a few left, and it has been so great to not worry about running out of peas, corn or green beans. And you can bet that the next time I see ground beef “reduced for quick sale” at $1.49/lb I won’t just buy one 5 lb package like I did last time (and now I am dying for a sale on ground beef!) but I will buy two or three if the budget will allow.
I also need to take better advantage of the rock bottom produce sale prices on veggies when Aldi offers them. I got a 5lb bag of potatoes on sale pretty inexpensively this past week at Rainbow, so today I made a batch of Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes. The next time sweet potatoes are on sale I will buy multiple packages and freeze some mashed sweet potatoes. If onions and peppers go on sale, I will make Fajita kits to put in the freezer. Ditto for fruit when it gets to be the time of year where fruit that’s worth freezing (like berries) are on sale.
Here’s what I have planned for this week:
Monday: Tonight we had beef roast (on sale + coupon last week at Super Target), mashed potatoes, and asparagus
Tuesday: Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti (and maybe some non-spicy Spaghetti for the kids if I take pity on their lack of liking to eat spicy food!) and salad or frozen veggies
Wednesday: Pork chops (sale + coupon last week at SuperTarget — still waiting for an awesome sale to use the rest of my stash of pork coupons!) and a rice/veggie side dish from the freezer
Thursday: Creamy Beef and Noodles (similar to Beef Stroganoff, and based on the recipe from crockpot365.blogspot.com). I’ll be trying out using leftover beef from dinner tonight, plus some other leftover cooked beef roast from the freezer…plus a veggie or salad
Friday: Chicken Tortilla Soup and quesidillas
Saturday: Chinese beef and broccoli (recipe held over from last week — we at pizza with friends instead) and cream cheese wontons
Sunday: Either Fajitas or Enchiladas…depending on what deals come my way this week.
For lots more menu inspiration, visit Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com!
March 01, 2010
The Faithwalker's Journal — It’s All About Changing Lives - Monday March 01, 2010
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints—the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth. Colossians 1:3-6 NIVWhose life is being changed because of you? Who’s being changed because you got involved, because you prayed? Whose lives are you involved with right now? What greater purpose can you have than changing lives? I have no other passion than to change lives. The real test of whether you trust in God is: do you love His people? You can’t love the Head without loving the Body. Do you love God’s people? Paul passionately desired to change lives. He said, “To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me” (Colossians 1:29). Why did Paul do this?—”that we may present everyone perfect in Christ” (1:28b). To this same end I work to the point of exhaustion. What about you? Truth changes lives—truth that is shared. Paul said, “We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom” (Colossians 1:28a). Truth does not go forth by itself. It needs someone to speak it. Think about it: someone was praying for us before we got saved. Someone befriended us. Someone shared truth with us. A rock did not just pop up and say, “I want to tell you about God!” God uses people.
Mark Darling
Faithwalkers 2009
One Year Reading Plan: Leviticus 24:1-25:46; Mark 10:13-31; Psalms 44:9-26; Proverbs 10:20-21
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Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations....February 28, 2010
Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Matthew 5:43-45
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."The Faithwalker's Journal — One Way - Sunday February 28, 2010
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” John 14:6I met a beautiful Chinese girl on the Kansas State cam-pus. Her name is Wei. Over this last year I have enjoyed getting to know her and help her some with her English. Maybe it’s partly because of her cultural appreciation for the “aged,” but our friendship has seemed genuine. At first we met several times on campus “just to talk.” She shared her life with me, and I shared my life and faith with her. Wei wasn’t ready to respond to God’s call, but our friendship continued. We went out to eat. (I took her to a Chinese restaurant—maybe not the smartest choice.) We went shopping. She came to watch our sheep get sheared, walk in the woods, and even cook dinner at my home one evening. Rick and I attended an international dinner on campus that Wei helped to organize. I gave her a ride to the airport when she was flying to visit relatives over a break. Wei has attended many of our church events and also come to church a handful of times. I continue to share my faith, though she has not yet responded to God’s call. This past year we have been blessed with many mission teams coming on breaks to help and encourage our team. One group from Iowa State had a Chinese student also called Wei with them. This Wei has accepted Christ as her Savior. It was fun for me to get the two Weis together. We did joke about there being “two Weis” at our church picnic. But when it gets right down to it, there is only One Way. Please pray with me that Wei will find Him.
Neva Whitney
Vintage Faith Church
One Year Reading Plan: Leviticus 22:17-23:44; Mark 9:30-10:12; Psalms 44:1-8; Proverbs 10:19
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February 27, 2010
Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Joshua 1:8
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.The Faithwalker's Journal — Blackberries - Saturday February 27, 2010
…thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. Genesis 3:18 ESVI’m wandering through a clearing in the mountains of Romania and spot treasure—a mass of large, dark, ripe blackberries. I can’t believe it. I love blackberries! I move in and start snatching…explosions of sweetness in my mouth. Then, bloody arms. When picking blackber-ries, the least carelessness has a cost. I’m thinking this could be a parable. Blackberries are like marriage, or any close relationship in Christ’s dominion. There’s the joy of unleashed love; a close-up view of an opening flower; the beauty of reciprocity; a pouring out and being poured into. Two people face one another, hands full of berries, and fill each others’ mouths. But beware. Each of us in relationship is like a blackberry cane, laden with flowers in the spring, heavy with sweet berries in the summer, and covered with flesh-ripping thorns. Expect to enjoy. Expect to bleed. Why does God have you living close-up with a thorny bramble? It’s all about beautification. You’re being pre-pared for a future wedding—your own to the bridegroom Christ. In these days of preparation, things will be spoken and left unspoken, things done and left undone that will tear like sharp thorns. How to defend yourself? You don’t. Accept the treatment. Where’s the beautification? It’s patience, gentleness, mercy, forgiveness. See how your husband Jesus loves you, even with wounds, ever with devotion. Thank Him for blackberries, even with thorns.
John Vanderhorst
Cornerstone Community Church
One Year Reading Plan: Leviticus 20:22-22:16; Mark 9:1-29; Psalms 43:1-5; Proverbs 10:18
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