Distinguished Medal of Honor

DEVOTIONAL (Love of God Series 03292013)     SCRIPTURE: MARK 15: 37-46   37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. 38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. 39 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. 40 There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; 41  (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem. 42 ¶  And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43  Joseph of Arimathaea, an honorable counselor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. 44  And Pilate marveled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. 45  And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. 46  And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulcher which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulcher.   “Distinguish medal of honor for service above the call of duty.”   Today is called “Good Friday” What is good about the scene of the body of our Lord lying in a tomb with a battered body and injuries as evidence of death by crucifixion? Let us realize that body is the major proof of how much God loves us. Jesus gave his life up to brutality and shame and abuse and disrespect when he could have called 10,000 angels. My friend it is because He loved you so much that endured the cross. What other proof do you need of His Love ? He was your only chance to be forgiven and experience a wonderful relationship with God. Let each of us prepare to exclaim praises for His love this resurrection Sunday .  God’s Love To You. See you Sunday!!

Devotional “His Banner over Me”

Series on the Love of God (03222013) SCRIPTURE: EXODUS 17:8-15 The Amalekites Defeated 8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.” 10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. 14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. DEVOTIONAL:   “THE LORD IS MY BANNER” The Amalekites were a constant problem to the Israelites. They were fierce and would raid the towns and kill the inhabitants and burn the town. They were ruthless and merciless. Here in this passage we see that Moses had an encounter with them and only when his arms were up did the Israelite army prevail. Aaron and Hur held up his arms when he grew tired and they defeated the Amalekites. He made this victory a memorial event by building and altar and calling it, “The Lord is my Banner”. I propose to you that we all have some “Amalekites” in our life. Some habit that doesn’t honor God or some sin that captures you is present in your life. Satan is a powerful enemy and he is encamped against you. Victory can be yours because The Lord is your banner. Live under His authority and obey His commands. Satan is no match against our Lord. Don’t go outside of the banner and your home and life will be blessed. Our job as Christians is to hold up the arms of those who are tired and weak spiritually. Prayer support is so important for victory over bondage from sin. The banner of the Lord gives credit to God for deliverance. Praise God brothers and sisters for His banner today.

LOOKING AT THE FUTURE

DEVOTIONAL SERIES ON THE LOVE OF GOD SCRIPTURE:  ISAIAH 11: 1-9 1 ¶ A green Shoot will sprout from Jesse’s stump, from his roots a budding Branch. 2 The life-giving Spirit of GOD will hover over him, the Spirit that brings wisdom and understanding, The Spirit that gives direction and builds strength, the Spirit that instills knowledge and Fear-of-GOD. 3 Fear-of-GOD will be all his joy and delight. He won’t judge by appearances, won’t decide on the basis of hearsay. 4 He’ll judge the needy by what is right, render decisions on earth’s poor with justice. His words will bring everyone to awed attention. A mere breath from his lips will topple the wicked. 5 Each morning he’ll pull on sturdy work clothes and boots, and build righteousness and faithfulness in the land. 6 The wolf will romp with the lamb, the leopard sleep with the kid. Calf and lion will eat from the same trough, and a little child will tend them. 7 Cow and bear will graze the same pasture, their calves and cubs grow up together, and the lion eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child will crawl over rattlesnake dens, the toddler stick his hand down the hole of a serpent. 9 Neither animal nor human will hurt or kill on my holy mountain. The whole earth will be brimming with knowing God-Alive, a living knowledge of God ocean-deep, ocean-wide. LOOKING AT THE FUTURE Don’t miss out on what God has in store for you. This scripture truly illustrates the scripture in the New Testament that says, “Eye has not seen nor ear heard what God has prepared for you.” Notice this is what Jesus purchased for us. He is the “green shoot”. Look at the list and say THANK YOU JESUS. Here is a partial list (imagine that). 1.   He won’t judge by hearsay. He will judge the needy by what is right. 2.   He will build righteousness (right standing with God) and faithfulness. 3.   The nature of the savage beast will be tamed and wolf with the lamb, leopard `sleeping with the kid; calves and cubs will grow up together; the lion will have an appetite for straw. 4.   The nursing child will crawl over rattlesnake dens and stick his hand down the hole of a serpent. 5.   Neither animal nor human will hurt or kill on God’s holy mountain. 6.   The whole earth will know God-Alive. 7.   True Joy and Peace issued to us by Jesus. Amen and Hallelujah!

LOOK WHAT GOD IS DOING

LOVE OF GOD SERIES DEVOTIONAL 03042013

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SCRIPTURE: PHILIPPIANS 4: 4-9

• 4 Celebrate God all day, and every day. I mean, revel in him!
• 5 Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!
• 6 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.
• 7 Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
• 8  Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.
• 9 Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.  

“LOOK WHAT GOD IS DOING”

         Verse 4 challenges us to “celebrate” and to revel in him. This is verbal recognition of God’s deliverance. It should be lively and exalt the Glory of God. We are announcing to all we meet that the Master is about to arrive. Share with the cashier at the store that Jesus is coming any time now and you pray that he/she will be ready. This is good news for the believer but a warning for the unbeliever to repent, believe and be saved. You will not believe the joy of witnessing someone’s life changed with whom you shared the love of God. This is pure joy and will be recognized in heaven. Live your life knowing that God is daily working in your life. Wow that is a reason for joy instead of worry. Let your tendency to worry give way to prayer and incredible joy and peace. To accomplish this do the following:

1.   Fill your minds and meditate on ;

• a.   Things true! (Like knowing He will never abandon us.)
• b.   Authentic Love.
• c.   Love that demands love in return.
• d.   Unmerited Love from God.
• e.   Remember everything will work out with God in your heart.

Responsibilities Inherent From Following Christ

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DEVOTIONAL SERIES ON “THE LOVE OF GOD.” (03012013)

Pastor Glen Aycock

SCRIPTURE: PHILIPPIANS 2:1-11

·        1 ¶  If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care—
·        2 then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends.
·        3 Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.
·        4 Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
·        5 Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.
·        6  He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what.
·        7  Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!
·        8  Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion.
·        9  Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever,
·        10  so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ,
·        11  and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.

DEVOTIONAL:  “RESPONSIBILITIES INHERENT FROM FOLLOWING CHRIST”

Dear Child of God . Has following Christ made a difference in your life? Has Living in a community of Spirit filled followers of Christ given you new meaning and purpose? What actions does your heart dictate toward care of others?  This scripture gives ways to show your love for Christ

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1.      Agree with each other. As believers we should be of one Spirit which will validate God in us.
2.      Love each other as God loves us.
3.      Serve God first, others second, and yourself last. This is the pattern of the Life of Christ on earth.

4.      Don’t be impressed with yourself but rather with the opportunity to share the love of Christ toward sinners. There is no greater pursuit
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5.      Look forward to the greatest praise service ever when you will join with the prophets of old and the children of God who will call out in praise that “He is Master of all”. Wow I have my ticket reservation, how about you?

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TOUGH LOVE

Posted 3/1/2013

DEVOTIONAL SERIES ON THE LOVE OF GOD 02282013

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SCRIPTURE:  PHILIPPIANS 1:9-11;     

• 9 ¶ So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings
• 10 so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of:
• 11 bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.

DEVOTIONAL   “TOUGH LOVE”

Many are familiar with the term ‘tough love’ and this devotional attempts to give a new meaning to the usual application. Paul was writing to the Christians in Corinth. “Corinth was known as an especially "wild” city and had a reputation for licentiousness. Paul was faced with a city that was used to coin one of the Greek words for "fornicate”, which was korinthiazomai! This reputation was based, in part, on the ancient Greek historian Strabo's report that there were 1,000 sacred prostitutes in the temple of Aphrodite on the Acrocorinth, which was a 1,886-foot hill that rises above the City of Corinth to the south.” (Archeological live cam) Paul challenged them to:

• 1. “Let your love flourish.”
• dictionary.reference.com/browse/flourish
• to be in a vigorous state; thrive: a period in which art flourished. 2. to be in its or in one's prime; be at the height of fame, excellence, influence, etc. 
• 
  
• 2...Love much and love well and love appropriately. Notice Jesus deserves all our love! We sing the hymn entitled, “My Jesus I love thee”, and the hymn presents the question, “Do I love my Jesus as much as he loves me”? Take time and think on this today. Commit to Lord you will love him more today.
• .
• 3. Let your love be sincere, intelligent, circumspect, and exemplary of a life that pleases Jesus. Do others see God in my life?
• 4. We are to be bountiful in fruits of the Spirit. (Definition of bountiful= Bountiful means plentiful, abundant or in large quantities. (adjective). When your harvest produces twice as much as it did last year,) 
• 5. Enlisting others to be involved with the Glory and praises of God. Each believer’s heart should be in the praise choir ticking for Jesus.
• 6. Let our prayer be “lead me to some soul today”. God wants you to be a soul hunter for Jesus. This is a responsibility of all believers. So ask God to use your talents today to touch someone with the love of Jesus today. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen.

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