Promise for Today - For Your Good

As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (TLB)

There’s nothing in your life that you can’t learn from if you’ll just respond with the right attitude.  Instead of saying, “God, why is this happening to me?’ learn to say, “God, what do you want me to learn from this?” Every situation in life will either make you bitter or better. It’s your choice because you CAN choose how you respond to it.

Every problem has a purpose, and the purpose is to help you grow up spiritually and become more like Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:5 says, “In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus” (ICB). If one of God’s purposes for your life is to grow up spiritually and to become like Jesus, then what is Jesus like?

The Bible calls Jesus’ character the fruit of the Spirit, which is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 GW). These are the qualities God wants to build in your life. He wants your life to overflow with love, joy, peace, and all of these attributes.

God often produces these qualities in your life by putting you in the exact opposite situation. 

He teaches you how to love by putting you around unlovely people. It’s easy to love people who are cool, people who are like you, people you get along with. But God will put you around seemingly unlovable people to show you what his unconditional love looks like.

He’ll teach you joy not by giving you everything you want but by showing you in adversity and grief that he is still enough.

He doesn’t teach you peace when you’re out fishing by the lake or wherever you choose to rest and relax. God teaches you real peace in the middle of chaos, when everything in your life is falling apart and you learn to trust him more.

God teaches us patience in traffic jams and waiting rooms and the thousand different ways we have to wait in life.

Becoming like Christ is a lifelong journey. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 3:18 in The Living Bible paraphrase, “As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him.” God’s Spirit will be working on you the rest of your life to help you grow up spiritually.

When he uses ways to help you grow up that seem uncomfortable or inconvenient, remember that they are producing in you God’s best fruit.

Talk It Over

Think about a recent situation or circumstance that was difficult or stressful. How might God have intended to use it for your spiritual growth?

Why does adversity often teach us better than prosperity?

What do you think God wants you to do when you’re faced with adversity and you can’t see how God is using it for good in your life?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          Holy Spirit, we come before You with humble hearts, asking You to cultivate Your fruit in us. Let Your love flow through us, touching everyone we meet. Fill us with joy that overflows, peace that surpasses understanding, and patience that endures through trials.
           Lord, we ask for kindness and goodness to define our interactions, faithfulness to guide our commitments, and gentleness to reflect Your tender care. Grant us self-control to walk in righteousness and to resist temptations that seek to lead us astray.
          May love permeate our actions and words, joy radiate even in trials, and peace reign even amidst storms. Foster in us patience towards others, kindness in our dealings, goodness in our actions, faithfulness in our commitments, gentleness in our responses, and self-control in our desires.
         As we abide in You, we will bear much fruit, glorifying Your name and being a blessing to others.
We trust You, Father, to change us into the image of Your dear Son, and it's in His Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Learning the Lessons

Hi! I'm back - on a (somewhat) limited basis. According to the doctor, complete healing is projected to take 3-6 months, but doctors practice medicine. Our Father is the Creator, the Great Physician, Jehovah Rapha, our Healer. And His Word is the final Word - 1 Peter 2:24 declares that Christ suffered the stripes on His back to pay for our healing, amen? So, if you'll bear with me, I will pick up with using other's encouraging words where I can copy and paste (with their permission) until my arms and hands are restored to full capacity for unlimited keyboard use. Thanks for the prayers and well wishes. We don't need to always understand, but we DO need to always trust Him. His plans and timing are perfect as is everything He does. And God is faithful.

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Today's comes from Pastor Christopher Glotzbach, of Muncie, IN, USA

This morning on our way home from the gym, Brittany and I pulled out behind a truck that was going 10 MPH below the speed limit.

It should be illegal to get as annoyed as I was before 6:00 AM. But if I'm being honest, I found myself in a very judgmental place. 
Thoughts like:

"This guy shouldn't be on the road."

I was a little embarrassed by how badly I wanted to lay on the horn—just to encourage him to speed up.  But again, it was 6:00 AM.

So I slowed down and tried to be okay with not getting home as quickly as I would have liked. Then we came to the first stop sign.

He came to a complete stop and then sat there for what felt like forever before moving forward. Here comes the judgment again:

"What is going on with this dude?"

At the next stop sign, we stopped under a streetlamp and for the first time I could see the bed of his truck. It was piled high with materials. Nothing was strapped down. It looked like enough lumber and supplies to build a shed.

And then I sensed the Holy Spirit whisper something that stopped me in my tracks:

"Christopher, sometimes people are carrying heavy burdens and it requires them to move at a different pace."

Man, that was convicting. How often do I pass judgment without knowing what someone else is carrying? 

The reality is that if he had driven any faster, he would have risked losing some of that load. It could have ruined the materials—or worse, hurt someone else on the road. Suddenly, my frustration turned into gratitude. Well... for a moment.

Then I caught myself thinking, "He still could have tied it down."

Apparently the sanctification process wasn't quite finished.

But because he didn't, God used a slow-moving truck to expose something in me: how quickly I can assume, judge and criticize when I don't have the full story.

And I wonder how often we do the same thing with people.

Someone seems distant.
Someone seems slow.
Someone seems distracted.
Someone seems frustrated.
And we immediately create a story about them without knowing the burdens they're carrying.

I love what Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

What a beautiful invitation. When we're overwhelmed, burdened, exhausted, or carrying more than we should, Jesus invites us to come to Him. Not only that, He invites us to yoke ourselves to Him—to walk alongside Him and learn from Him.

And notice what He says we'll learn: Gentleness. Humility.

Those don't come naturally to me. Maybe they don't come naturally to you either. But Jesus says, "Learn from me."

So today my prayer is simple:

Jesus, teach me to be gentle and humble in heart. Teach me to stay tethered to You—not just on the hard days, but on the ordinary ones. The days when life is moving too slowly. The days when I'm frustrated. The days when I think I know what's going on in someone else's life.

Thank You for using a slow truck before 6:00 AM to remind me that I still have a long way to go in becoming more like You.

And thank You that Your grace meets me on that journey.

Amen

Promise for Today - More Like Jesus

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

Matthew 11:28-29 (NIV)

Gentleness is important for so many reasons. It defuses conflict. It disarms critics. It’s persuasive. It’s attractive. It communicates love. Most importantly, gentleness makes you more like Jesus. 

Do you feel weary and burdened today? Do you want to find rest and be at peace instead? Rest and peace come from being like Jesus—from being gentle.

You can’t just walk out your door and force yourself to be gentle. Gentleness needs to be an “inside job.” It should be the fruit of God’s Spirit in you. Jesus is gentle, and when you walk alongside him, you’ll learn to be gentle too.

For decades, I’ve prayed the same prayer almost every day: “Lord, help me to treat people the way Jesus would.” Why? Because I am not by nature a gentle person. So I have to let God produce gentleness in my life.

Here are three simple ways for you to practice gentleness with God’s help this week:

1. When somebody serves you, be understanding, not demanding.
Then next time you’re in a long line at a government office or coffee shop, be considerate—be understanding—of the person who eventually helps you.

2. When somebody disagrees with you, be tender without surrender.
You’ll never get your point across by being cross. You don’t have to back down from God’s truth, but you can treat people with gentleness and respect.

3. When somebody disappoints you, be gentle, not judgmental.
The Message paraphrase says it like this: “Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

As you walk alongside Jesus and put these things into practice every day, you’ll find yourself becoming gentler and more like Jesus.

Talk It Over

A yoke is a harness that is put on an animal to pull a plow. Why does Jesus’ yoke bring rest, not burdens?

Have you ever used the excuse that you’re “just not a gentle person”? What other learned traits do we sometimes treat like they are inherent?

How have you seen a difference in your life, including becoming gentler, since you became a follower of Jesus and received the Holy Spirit? If you’re not a believer, consider taking that step today.

Gentleness is a benefit of your relationship with Jesus.
Gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit, an overflow of God’s Spirit in you. You can’t be gentle without the power of the Holy Spirit. And you don’t receive the power of the Holy Spirit until you surrender your life to Jesus. If you’re ready to take that step, pray this prayer:

Dear God, 

           I know I’m a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe Jesus Christ is your Son. I believe that he died for my sin and that you raised him to life. I want to trust him as my Savior and follow him as Lord from this day forward. I am not by nature a gentle person. Help me learn to walk with Jesus and let your Holy Spirit make me gentle like him. Guide my life and help me to do your will. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

- by Pastor Rick

Promise for Today - Gentle Persuasion

Gentle speech breaks down rigid defenses. 

Proverbs 25:15 (MSG)

Gentleness is persuasive.

If you have a successful career in sales, you may know that truth already! There was a time when the hard sell—the loudest advertisement or the strongest sales pitch—might have closed a deal. But today, gentleness works. Most people today buy something because someone they trust recommended it. A trusted friend or salesperson’s gentle recommendation is far more persuasive than a loud sales pitch.

And that’s not just true in sales; it’s true in just about every area of life.

The Bible says this over and over again. The Message paraphrase of Proverbs 25:15 says, “Gentle speech breaks down rigid defenses.” Are you trying to convince a family member or coworker to do something that they’re feeling defensive about? Gentle words, not pushy tactics, will get through their defenses.

In my own ministry, I want to persuade everyone who hears me to live for Jesus, but I have to do that in a gentle way. If I stood in front of people yelling at them, they’d eventually stop listening. But gentleness is persuasive.

A different translation of Proverbs 25:15 says it this way: “A gentle word can get through to the hard-headed” (NCV). What does this mean for you? If you’re a parent or teacher, screaming at a child never works. Anger and frustration only create fear, resentment, and defensiveness. What does work? Gently disciplining in love.

Here’s yet another translation of the same verse: “Patience and gentle talk can convince a ruler and overcome any problem” (Proverbs 25:15 CEV). Many of us don’t live in cultures with a “ruler,” but we all have some kind of boss, supervisor, or authority in our lives. This translation reminds us that, with gentleness, we can persuade even those in authority over us.

The Bible says in Proverbs 16:21, “A wise, mature person is known for his understanding. The more pleasant his words, the more persuasive he is” (GNT).

In that verse, there’s a connection between the words “pleasant” and “persuasive.” If you want to be persuasive, you must first be pleasant.

Being pleasant is a mark of maturity. Fools are rude and unpleasant. The wiser and more mature you are, the more pleasant and positive your speech becomes.

Remember this: You’re never persuasive when you’re abrasive. Gentleness is persuasive.

Talk It Over

When have you been abrasive rather than gentle with someone? What was the result?

How has someone’s gentleness persuaded you to do something?

Who do you know who is gentle? What would you like to imitate from their life?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          We come before You seeking a gentle heart, one that embodies compassion, kindness, and understanding. Help us to soften our words and actions, reflecting Your love in all we do. May we embrace humility and patience, fostering peace in our relationships. Guide us to be instruments of Your grace, spreading warmth and comfort to those around us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Promise for Today - Controlled Strength

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:1 (NIV)

Have you noticed that human beings tend to mimic other people’s emotions, especially if we’re sitting or standing right across from them? We do that because of mirror neurons in our brains that allow us to sympathize and to mirror what other people feel.

For instance, if somebody gets angry with you, you get angry back. If somebody is really miserable and you hang around that person long enough, you get miserable too.

In the same way, when someone raises their voice against you, you usually raise your voice back. Then they raise their voice higher. Then you raise your voice higher. Then pretty soon things have escalated, and your emotions are out of control. But the Bible offers a different way to respond: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1 NIV).

Let me give you a little tip that will save you a lot of heartache and conflict in your marriage, in your parenting, in your friendships, and at work: When another person raises their voice, lower yours. When you do that, you’re demonstrating strength under control.

Another word for strength under control is gentleness. Gentleness defuses conflict. It de-escalates anger. A gentle person does not overreact and is not driven by emotions. A gentle person demonstrates strength under control.

The Greek word in the Bible for “gentleness” is the word prautes. Some older English translations of the Bible translate prautes as “meek.” The word “meek” isn’t used much anymore because meek has become a synonym for weak. But gentleness—or prautes—is anything but weak.

In fact, the word prautes was used to refer to a wild stallion that had been tamed. Think about that image. If you go out in the hills and find a wild stallion, it’s unbridled and even dangerous, with a strength that could kill you pretty quickly. But if you tame that stallion, it’s still just as strong, but the strength is brought under control. The strength is bottled up for the master’s use.

When you learn true gentleness as a man or woman of God, you don’t become weak. You just bring your strength under God’s control and use it for his purposes.

Talk It Over

What is your normal reaction to raised voices, such as when your kids are misbehaving or you’re having a disagreement with your spouse or close friend?

Why do you think responding in gentleness rather than anger is so disarming? Why does it get people’s attention?

Look for ways to practice gentleness this week. How do people react when you respond to them with gentleness? You may even want to record your efforts and their effects and share them with your small group.
- by Pastor Rick
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Prayer:

Father,
         We come before You with gratitude for all that You are, for all that You have given us, for Your mercy and grace towards us, for Your presence and faithfulness. You created us to reflect Your image, and in doing so, to bring You glory. We confess to You that we fail to do this. Every day, we fall short. Please forgive us. Thank You for Your unfailing patience with us. Thank You for correcting our stubborn and rebellious hearts. You tell us to learn from You for You are gentle and humble in heart. (Matthew 11:29)You modeled gentleness and humility while You lived here on earth. You have dealt gently with us in our sin and rebellion. Help us to learn from You and follow Your example. So many people need a kind word, an act of compassion, a quiet voice of reason, a softly spoken encouragement, a tender touch. Help us, Jesus, to be the peacemakers. Help us to be mild-mannered. Help us to be careful with our responses and interactions with others. Help us to be those who bring calm to the storms raging in this world.
        In Galatians 5, You tell us that gentleness is a fruit produced by the Spirit at work in our hearts. Father, we ask that Your Spirit would develop and grow gentleness within us. We know that we cannot bear fruit if we are not connected to You, so we cling to You, Jesus. We look to You. By following closely, we seek to emulate You. Show us when harshness and bitterness enter into our thoughts and help us to turn from our wicked ways. Soften our hearts. Soften us so that we may reflect Your gentleness and, in doing so, bring You glory. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Living the New Life

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Colossians 3:1-17 NLT

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for sending Your Son to pay the death penalty for our sin. Teach us how to live more fully in Your way. Holy Spirit, remind us always to make the choices to walk in mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, love, and forgiveness as we live out our role as Christ's ambassadors. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen