The Best Part Is Community

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“The Best Part Is Community”

Hebrews 10:24

NIV- And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

NLT- Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

 

I know in the past couple of years, I have shared numerous times that I could not be where I am with my running again if it wasn’t for the community of people that encourage me.  In the past 2 years, I have come to enjoy running more than I ever thought I would again.  It would not mean as much to me these days if it were not for the people I am connected to as we spur one another on and encourage each other.  We have good days of running and bad days, but as we share our experiences with each other, it bonds us together.  I am so grateful for this. 

 

5 years ago in June, we started attending Canvas Church in Mankato.  We enjoy the worship, the preaching, but most of all, we truly enjoy the community of people we have come to know and love.  If we just attended each Sunday and did nothing more, we wouldn’t feel as we do today.  We would just be Sunday attenders.  But as we have become involved in various ways, we have established very strong friendships. 

 

Every day that I come home from work and on the weekends, I have a community that welcomes me with love.  I get to spend quality time with my wife and my daughters(when my oldest is home from college).  This community encourages me and loves me every single day.  I love them back each and every day the best that I can. 

 

So with my running, my church family and my family at home, the absolute best part is the community of people I am connected to.  That’s amazing because we are encouraged to meet together and encourage each other.  I am beyond grateful for the people I have come to know and love in our church.  It’s exciting every Sunday to see brothers and sisters in Christ that are genuine and authentic.  It’s amazing to see people being genuine in their connection to God in worship and just loving on others before and after church.

 

The best part of my running is the community I’m connected to for encouragement.  The best part of church is the community of people I’m connected to that encourage me in my walk with Christ.  The best part of my community at home with my wife and daughters is that they show me unconditional love.    

 

We all need to be connected.  I recently heard a pastor on Air1 Radio that said, “We’re not wired for isolation, we need community!” Amen!

Choose Joy

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“Choose Joy”

Philippians 4:10-13 NIV

I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

 

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been struggling with various things in my personal life.  A lot of it had to do with my current job and the atmosphere.  One day, my wife made a comment that really got my attention. She told me that through her challenges, she is choosing joy.  As I considered her comment, I got to thinking about how often I let my circumstances affect my mood.  If I’m having a good day, I’ll generally tend to be in good spirits.  Makes sense!  However, if I’m struggling with several things, that usually kills my good mood and it follows me home.  That’s not a good thing!

 

I am remembering that I must choose joy each day, regardless of the circumstances I find myself dealing with.  I cannot let what’s going on around me determine my mood.  It’s so easy to be in a good mood when things are going well and to be in a bad mood when they aren’t.  That’s a lot of how the world works and we are not immune to that as believers.

 

As the past few days have gone by, I am thinking about Paul’s comments in Philippians 4 where he talks about having learned the secret of being content.  He didn’t let circumstances determine his mood.  He chose joy every day, no matter what was going on.  I am realizing more and more every single day that my attitude can spiral out of control from the negative thoughts that try to enter my mind.  I have to be very intentional every day to choose joy. 

 

I am extremely grateful for the advice my wife gave me and what she showed me.  I know that we all would like to take Paul’s words to heart and sincerely live each day by choosing joy in the Lord no matter our circumstances.  That takes a lot of discipline and Paul definitely reached a point where he learned how to be that way.  It wasn’t perfect, but it was to the point where we can all learn from his attitude.  When Paul and Silas were in prison, instead of focusing on the circumstances, they praised God and ministered powerfully to others.

 

I hope and pray that each of us will be intentional each day to choose joy regardless of what life throws at us.  Some days it will be easy and other days it will be very challenging, but we can all choose to focus on joy through our day.

'Why?' Can Be A Deal Breaker

 YouTube Channel Video Devo

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“’Why?’ Can Be A Deal Breaker”

James 1:2-3 NIV

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

 

In the past month, our church started going through the book of James and we will continue through the summer.  I am excited as James is one of my favorite books of the Bible and has been for many years.  I have always appreciated how bold and blunt the book is. 

 

The very first sermon, I was hit with the idea that God isn’t asking us to be joyful about the bad things that happen in our lives.  He’s not asking us to be joyful when cancer hits us, joyful when we lose our jobs or joyful when someone dies.  God wants us to know that through the trials, He is working through us and in us and we can still experience joy in life knowing He is building endurance and perseverance in us. 

 

As I sat there and listened, I thought about how so many people in the world get upset at God in hard times and shake their fist at Him.  So many people hurt when they lose a loved one they prayed for would get through a disease.  When those people die, it can create anger in us and asking God “Why?  Why would You allow this to happen?  We prayed and prayed and prayed, so why did You not come through?” 

 

I’m sure many of us have had these questions floating in our heads and hearts.  I’ve read about and heard people say they are angry with God over this or that and how situations turned out.  It’s very hard to work through those situations and I can understand the hurt.  Why would a loving God let this happen?  It’s not easy to answer.

 

As I continued to listen to this sermon, one of the points was, instead of us asking “Why”, we should instead focus on the question, “God, what is it You are trying to do through me and show me?”  This question will definitely shift our attitude and thinking to something more positive and productive.  It won’t be an overnight deal, but slowly we can start to release our fist against God and connect more with Him and allow Him to work in us and through us to help us grow our faith and trust Him more.  Sometimes in life we just have to accept what has happened and move on.  But, it is NOT easy! 

 

The question “Why?” can definitely be a deal breaker whether we continue to be angry at God or we release our fist and accept what has happened and allow God to start working through healing us.  Again, it is absolutely not easy, but it’s very possible only with Him. 

 

“Why?” can definitely be a deal breaker whether we continue in the life of faith or turn away from Him.  Which will we choose?

Not Just Another Day

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“Not Just Another Day”

Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT- The faithful love of the Lord never ends!  His mercies never cease.  Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.

 

Isaiah 43:19 NIV- See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

 

It’s so easy for all of us to get into certain routines each day and not even think twice about what we are doing or who we are around.  A lot of us get up, go to work, do our job, then come home to our families to end the evening.  So often, we’ll go through our day and just do our routine things and not even consider what God may be wanting to do different things in our lives.  We get comfortable in our day to day lives and just go about our usual business.

 

For many people, every day is just another day.  Just another day at work to get through to earn a paycheck.  Just another day to put up with what we don’t want to do for a while so we can then go do what we want to do.  It’s almost like we do our thing each day, then get up the next day and repeat.  It’s a constant process and, often, we don’t give much thought to what we are doing.  We just expect each day to be the usual and go through it.

 

As I consider the lives that God has given to us, I know that He does not desire for us to just go through another day doing the same stuff over and over again with the same usual attitude.  As Christians, God calls us to live a life that is set apart and different.  We are to carry His light. 

 

I know it’s challenging each day to wake up and immediately try to think of all the amazing new things God is wanting to do in our lives as we hurry through our routines, but it would be good for us to take a few moments, after we get up, and just pause to ask God to open our eyes to see all that He is doing around us.

 

For your lunch break, maybe take a walk instead of sitting at your desk and scrolling on your phone.  Instead of always putting in our earbuds at your work desk, maybe strike up a conversation with a co-worker to get to know him or her. 

 

God gives us each a new day of life every day that we awake.  I am trying to learn more that each day is a gift from Him and I shouldn’t just fall into the routine rhythm that I am comfortable with so often.  He wants me and He wants us to take notice of our surroundings and be a light in the darkness.  See things in a new way and watch what He is doing as we engage with those around us and as we take the time to look around at His creation. 

 

Every day He gives is NOT just another day.  It IS another new day that He gives us to live for Him and share the love He has given to us.