Category - General

Life is a struggle for each one of us. Those with great gifts and those with few gifts face the same challenge-How do I make what I am doing meaningful and valuable?

I want to feel valuable and at the same time know that the things I am saying and doing have meaning and worth in the marketplace. People live life so quickly. So many things that happen make little sense. I even surprise myself at how cold and uncaring I can be. How can I change this impending sense of uselessness?

I must submit myself to Jesus each day. The submission process becomes a journey of discovery. I cannot think divine thoughts but I can let the Lord express His divine ideas and thoughts in me. The Spirit of God lives in me and will guide me each moment. My submission permits Christ to express Himself in me. Daily devotion begins with me.

Step one is a call for me to recognize the Almighty. The Lord loves me and lives in me. I adore the Lord and seek to know Him more. A moment or an hour is important for me to think about the majesty and power and grace and mercy of a loving Father who gave life to me. Salvation is free but it wasn’t cheap. His grace is complete and I belong to Him. Adoration is an important step one each day in focusing my life in Christ.

Step two is automatic. When I stand before the Lord I will always be convicted of my sin. Sin is self-centeredness. Sin involves doing my life my way. Sin is pervasive and insidious and is the cause of all of the evil in the world. Satan never has to work too hard because I am so willing to sin. Step two is my recognition of sin in me and my asking Jesus to forgive me. I repent of my sin. That means that I agree with the Lord that I have sinned and I purpose not to sin again. Turning away from sin is important because this is the act of surrender that carries me to the next step in my daily devotion to the Lord. Confession of my sin is step two in my daily devotionals.

Step three enables me to regain the lost momentum of the previous day. Thanksgiving helps me to see the activity of the Lord in my life. Everything I have and am comes from the Lord. I am grateful for it. The very air I breathe is a gift. Life itself is a gift. As an ambassador for the Lord Jesus I must be mindful of the mission I am on and the resources the Lord has given me. I can do all things through Christ. He is my strong tower and rock. The Lord calls me to serve not reign. I am His to rule. Thanksgiving is a time for me to count my blessings and rejoice in my time with the Lord. He is here with me.

Step four is the only step most people every use in their daily devotion with the Lord. Intercession is important and will always be a major part of our devotional time with the Lord. Intercession involves my concern for others and me. My needs are important and in truth steps one through three are about meeting my needs. I need the Lord. Step four is when I really lay out before the Lord my concern for others and the activity of life that I am involved in. This is a time for strengthening my friends and acquaintances. I am asking my Lord to help those around me, those in leadership of government and people that I know. The list of intercessory needs is great and is a real call for focus on my part. People need the Lord.
4/24/05

I. SALVATION
a. Faith given by God
b. Belief from a pure heart
c. Eternal gift
II. SURRENDER
a. Once and for all
b. Every day
c. Hour of our weakness
III. SERVICE
a. Where you are
b. What you have
c. Power comes from Jesus
IV. STRENGTH
a. Jesus only
b. Brings us into a relationship
c. Provides us with righteousness
d. Equips us to choose
e. Guides us in life

Mark 16:5-6
So they entered the tomb, and there on the right sat a young man clothed in a white robe. The women were startled, but the angel said, “Do not be so surprised. You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He has been raised from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body.

The world is in a mess. Everywhere we look is another problem. Wars, famine, genocide, catastrophes, and hate fill the pages of our newspapers and airwaves everyday. It is tragic and it is a problem.

Jesus is alive. Christ equips you and me to be a light to the world and a word of hope. Our Savior is not an absentee landlord, He lives in us. Jesus is alive and He is alive in you and me.

I am called to develop a close relationship with the Living Lord. The result of that daily abiding in Jesus is that I will be equipped to face the entire unknown that I will encounter that day. The Lord is with me and He will lead, guide, encourage, equip and enable me to accomplish what He has planned for my life. Jesus is alive.
Bless you today.
Clay

I. WORLD CONDEMNS JESUS
a. World wants to be God
b. Always seeking to control
c. Separates people
d. Leaves helpless behind
II. JESUS HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD
a. He is God
b. He has control-real control
c. Unites people
d. No one left behind
III. YOU CAN CHOOSE JESUS
a. Whosoever includes you
b. Do it now
c. Once and done
IV. OBEDIENCE IS RESULT
a. New heart
b. Time with the Lord
c. New hands and feet

I. SAID BY JOHN-Messiah is coming
a. Repent
b. Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit
c. HE is coming soon
II. SHOWN BY JESUS
a. Obedience-better than sacrifice
b. Love the Lord
c. Believe-forgiveness
III. CALLED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
a. Follow Jesus Christ
i. Daily
ii. Consistently
iii. Completely
b. Serve people
c. GROW UP-CHRIST IN YOU

My daughter was married on July 3, 2004 in Leavell Chapel on the campus of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. This was a moving and beautiful experience for us. Her new husband, Jeremy, is an outstanding young soldier and strong Christian. Their wedding pictures are at http://www.virtualtravels.com

I. FAVOR OF GOD
a. Grace
b. Peace
c. Live it
II. GRATITUDE OF CHRISTIANS
a. Pray
b. Rejoice
c. Grow
III. CONFIDENCE OF BELIEVER
a. Kinship
b. Fellowship
IV. GODLY LIFE
a. Wisdom
b. Holiness
c. Gratitude

COLOSSIANS 4:2-18

I. PRAY—4:2-4
a. Devoted
b. Change
c. Attitude of gratitude
d. For others
e. Gospel be preached
II. LIVE WISELY—4:5-6
a. Do what you can
b. Watch your mouth
c. Be generous
III. ENCOURAGE OTHERS-4:7-9
a. God cares for you
b. Speak a word of joy
c. Find the good in others
IV. WORK TOGETHER – 4:10-16
a. Community is important
b. Gospel is a message for life
c. People need people
V. FINISH WELL– 4:17-18
a. Don’t stop
b. Do the next right thing

1. You have a RELATIONSHIP (VS.1-4)
a. Raised up with Christ-in family
b. Access to the Father
c. New Creatures
d. Kept by God’s power
2. You can live with REALITY (vs. 5-7)
a. Christ is KING
b. Let JESUS live in your life
c. New Life in CHRIST
d. No longer a slave
3. You have a RESPONSIBILITY (vs.8-11)
a. DEAL with your sin-RENEW MIND
b. Deal w/your sin-change your habits
c. Deal w/your sin-change friends
d. FOCUS on Jesus
4. You will have REUNION (vs.12-25)
a. New VIEW of self
b. Love for OTHERS
c. SERVE THE LORD
5. You can expect RELIEF
a. Wisdom to walk
b. Strength to survive
c. Resources to life
d. Forgiveness to serve

Ps 112:1 Praise the LORD! How blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who greatly delights in His commandments.

I want God in my life. I recognize the brevity and tenuousness of life. I have experienced first hand the results of making a poor decision. I want God in my life.

Only I can cultivate the awareness of God in me. It takes intentional thinking. It requires that I get serious about what I am saying to the Lord and that I will take time to listen to Him.

Everything I do must have room for the Lord. What I cannot share with the Lord Jesus potentially has the earmarks of self and sin. When I am obsessed with Jesus nothing else can grab my attention. An obsession with the Lord will be an effective, aggressive activity that combats loneliness, worry, tribulation and addictions.

When I am focused on Jesus I am equipped with a strong defense against the assaults of evil.