Did I Really Say That?

"Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one." Colossians 4:6, NKJV

Words will make or break every relationship that we have. Our words will either draw people to us, or they will push people away. Words…written or spoken…carry great weight in our lives. Words—spoken with grace, seasoned with salt.

Have you ever given any thought to how your words come across to the people in your life? I certainly have. For me, when I blow it, it’s not so much “what” I say, it’s “how” I say. Has that ever happened to you?

In today’s verse, God is encouraging us to let our words, “always be with grace.” Isn’t it amazing it think that it’s possible for the grace of God to be extended to people through our words? Our words can actually build people up. Or on the flip side, our words can be spoken without grace, and therefore they can tear people down. Even if you need to speak words of correction to someone you can season those words with salt. That just means we can frame our words in such a way that even though they are corrective, they can be easily swallowed, or heard.

In Matthew 12:37 (NKJV) Jesus said, “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Can you see that we will be judged by the very words that we say? And really, we could say that our lives today can be judged by how we talk to, and about people. Our words will either justify us or they will condemn us. I don’t know about you, but I want my words to always be filled with enormous amounts of God’s grace, and seasoned with heavenly inspired salt. How about you? Every minute of every day we choose to either use positive or negative words.

In Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV) we are reminded again of the power contained in our words. It says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouths, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” So here we see it again, our words can either edify or build people up, or our words can be used to tear people down.

Here’s today’s challenge. Let’s take inventory of all the words that we say today and the tone that we use to deliver them. Let’s see if we can change the quality of our worlds as we change the quality of our words.

Real Friendships Always Cost Something!

"A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24, NKJV

Isn’t it great to have friends who really care about your life and invest themselves in your friendship? We were really blessed this week by our friends John and Sharon Hull from Atlanta. They invited us to come down this week and stay with them for the sole purpose of introducing us to some of their friends. It was a super cool thing for them to do for us. It’s one of those life experiences that you could never put a price tag on. It really meant a lot for us when they opened up their world, and invited us to get to know their friends.

But this act of kindness and generosity is a reminder of the cost associated with having friends. You’ve probably figured out by now that friendships aren’t easy, and on top of that, they always cost something. But, there is a great return on the investment—it’s called a full and satisfying life. Here are a few random thoughts about friendships:

(1) Friends usually see the good things in you that you don’t always see in yourself. Isn’t it totally awesome that your friends just like you…because…they like you? Even on those days that you don’t like yourself? I believe that God brings us friends as a way to remind us that He likes us too.

(2) Friends take an interest in your life and they make sure that the things that matter to you, matter to them.

(3) Friends will defend you when other people say nasty things about you. They always see the best in you because they believe in you. I love how today’s verse says that there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. You see a brother is your brother no matter if things are good or bad, up or down – you’re just stuck. Well that’s what a good friend will be. When others abandon you, they’ll be there.

(4) Friends would rather stay up late and talk all night than sleep because they cherish the time they get to have with you.

(5) Friends would rather buy something for you than buy something for themselves because they value you and your friendship.

(6) Friendships take lots of time to develop, and to have good friendships requires a commitment from both parties. Strong relationships can’t be microwaved; they need time in the crock-pot. So find ways to connect regularly with your friends by phone, email, over coffee, or through a dinner or lunch once a month. Do whatever it takes. It won’t be wasted time.

(7) Friends will help you laugh till you cry. They’ll give you their ear when you just need to talk through something that is important. They’ll even help you pick up the pieces when your life seems to be falling down around you. Why? Because they are your friend.

So, how are you doing? What friendships do you need to be cultivating in your life? Go ahead – make that phone call, send out that email and start making friends. Remember, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly.” Don’t wait another minute; it’s so worth the cost!

Jesus Love Me This I Know

"[That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!" Ephesians 3:19, AMP

Did you know that there isn’t a thing you have to do today to earn the love of God? God is absolutely head-over-heels in love with you. Do you ever find yourself doing this? Trying to earn the love of God, or trying to do something—anything—that will cause God to accept and approve of you? Well, none of your silly efforts can do a thing to cause Him to love you any more than He already does. I know that is a little hard to grasp, but it’s true.

In Romans 5:8 (NKJV) we’re told that, “…God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He showed the world, and He showed us, that even though we were separated from God because of our sin, He loved us enough to send His Son to die for us. That’s proof positive that He must love us without conditions. Because when we were in our worst condition He gave His all for us. But that kind of commitment and sacrifice is so contrary to the way this world works, it sometimes just seems like just empty words.

That must be why the Apostle Paul was led to pray that we would, “…come to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:19, AMP) His prayer is so personal and yet so practical. He prayed that we would come to know practically, through our own experience, the love that Jesus has for us. So, the million-dollar question is, why? Why is it so important that we experience God’s love for ourselves. Well that’s easy, because when we fully understand and experience God’s love on a personal level it will absolutely, completely and totally change how we live our lives.

1 John 4:19 in many translations says, “We love Him, because He first loved us.” Well actually, the more accurate translation is, “We love, because He first loved us.” In other words, when we come to know and experience God’s love on a personal level it affects every area of our lives. When we experience firsthand God’s love for us, then we can truly learn to love others. Even those folks who aren’t so easy to love. But it goes way beyond that – we love God, we love life, we love our friends, our work, our families – we become loving fools. All because He loves us. It’s contagious!

So, today I pray that God will find ways to make His love for you more real than ever before. I pray that God’s love will totally rock your world in such a way that you’ll never ever be the same.

Know Your Season

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1, NKJV

I absolutely love the fall. We've been super blessed to live most of our lives in Michigan, which has four very distinct seasons. I must admit that one of my favorite seasons is the one we’re in right now. The weather is cooling down, the days are getting a little shorter and fall sports are in full gear.

Each season has its benefits – the things that make it unique; and each season has its characteristics that aren't so great. But every season is equally important because as one season comes to a close, it ushers in a fresh new season.

Did you notice today's scripture? It says, "To everything there is a season...." That means that just like the climate, we are all going to go through different spiritual seasons throughout our lives. It's unavoidable – it's going to happen. So, we'd be wise to learn to recognize the particular season that we're in so that we can learn to weather, if you will, whatever season we're in by faith. So, let's break down those seasons:

(1) Spring Who doesn't love the spring? It’s the season of freshness and life. After a winter of cold and snow, the birth of new life is everywhere you look. It's April showers bringing out May's flowers. On the ground, in the trees – it's everywhere and it's undeniable. It's the time when the farmers are preparing the ground for seed. It's a time of preparation for the things to come. Often these are the feelings that we have when we first give our lives to Jesus, where we are overwhelmed by the excitement of learning about our Savior and growing in our knowledge of His Word. Everything around us seems to be teeming with spiritual life. But Spring is just a season.

(2) Summer Then comes summer, hallelujah! Schools out and it's time for motorcycle riding, BBQ's in the back yard, trips to the beach, summer vacations and weekends at the cottage. The weather is nicer, the days are longer and the folks around here just feel better. It's a great season to spend with family and friends. But, because of the heat, things can start to get dry, and if we're not careful we start to see things drying up or even wilting away. So what do we do? We turn on the sprinklers and pray for rain to help those crops grow. It's a time of patience for the farmers because harvest season is still months away. But they know that even though they may not see the fruit of their labors, the harvest is coming. Did you know that the same thing is true spiritually? We can get dry. Our worship feels dry, our prayer times feel dry, our feelings toward God are dry. The answer to this is a constant amount of spiritual watering every day with God's Word. Summers can be a dry time, a time where we need to learn to be patient, a time to trust that God is working behind the scenes even if we don't feel it. But Summer is just a season.

(3) Fall Then it happens…before we know it, fall is here. You start to feel it in the air. You can't always tell what it is, but something is different. It's harvest season for the farmers. It's what they have anticipated all year long and now it is finally here. Their sowing, weeding, watering and nurturing has paid off and now it's time to reap. Did you know that there is a spiritual harvest season for us too? Now it may not always come on an annual basis, but a harvest always comes to those who sow. Let these words in Galatians 6:7-9 (NKJV) minister to your heart:

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

But Fall is just a season.

(4) Winter For every spring, for every summer and for every fall there is a winter. I have to admit that of the four seasons this is my least favorite. It's cold, the days are shorter, the weather tends to be worse and it seems like every trip just takes longer. But then those special days come after a fresh snowfall when the sight of the snow on the trees is just breathtaking. Around Michigan we usually have a number of "snow days" when everything just shuts down, and we have to dig ourselves out of a mess of snow. Do you know that the same thing is true spiritually? Sometimes life throws a pile of snow at us and laughs in our face and says, "Take that!" So, what do we do? We remind ourselves that winter is just a season, and with God's help we start digging ourselves out and look to help dig others out as well.

So, learn to recognize the season you are in and never forget that each season has its purpose, and that in the end you'll be stronger because you learned to trust God through every season of life.

An Open Letter of Thankfulness and Appreciation

Then we, your people, the ones you love and care for, will thank you over and over and over. We’ll tell everyone we meet how wonderful you are, how praiseworthy you are!" Psalm 79:13, The Message Bible

My Dear Lord:

Today, my heart is full of thanksgiving and appreciation to You and You alone for these past 30 years that we’ve been together. Because of You, I was able to marry the absolute perfect person to share life with. This year we celebrated our 25th year of a marriage made in heaven and I am so thankful. I can honestly tell You Jesus, that I love her and You more today than I ever have. Thank You for guiding us through the lean years, and the years of plenty. The easy years—and the not so easy ones. Thank You for helping us stick together like glue.

I’m thankful that this weekend we will celebrate our 20th year of pastoral ministry together at Valley Family Church. From the early days at the Richland Lodge when we often felt like no one cared whether we were there or not, we always knew You did! Thanks for always having our backs. For always meeting our needs. For always encouraging us when we were down. For always being there for us when those we thought would be our friends for life—disappeared. For always kicking our butts when we needed it. And for helping us to always keep our eyes on You.

I’m thankful for the four incredible children that You blessed us with, and the one in heaven that we’re waiting to meet for the first time. Our hearts are so full and so happy as we see each one of our kids love You with such intensity and sincerity. It’s funny how lately we’ve received criticism for focusing some of our attention on this next generation, but You said that in these last days You would pour out Your Spirit upon our sons and daughters, and it’s so great to see You doing that. Thanks too for helping us to be parents who were able to direct our kids towards You in a way that was attractive to them. We couldn’t have done that apart from You Jesus, and we’re just so thankful for Your guidance every step of the way. They found the joy of knowing You on a very personal level, not just because mom and dad were in ministry.

I’m thankful for our ministry friends here and around the world. Friends who understand our lives because their lives are so much like ours. Friends who inspire us, who challenge us and love us for who we are, not what we do. Friends we can talk with, laugh with, cry with and change the world with.

I’m thankful for the folks who call Valley Family Church their home. I’m thankful for a staff that ALWAYS goes the extra mile. I’m thankful for our volunteers and interns who constantly give so much of their time and energy for eternal purposes. I’m thankful for those who have been faithful financial supporters for all of these years. But most of all I’m thankful for what’s ahead. I believe that our best days and years are before us. I’m thankful that we get to watch You expand our vision and influence to this generation and beyond. God, You’ve got massive things ahead, which gives us a reason to get up every day and put our hands to the plow and work on kingdom business for You our King. For that I am very thankful.

Finally Lord Jesus, thank You for becoming a man, for living a sinless life and for sacrificing Your life for ours. Because You gave Your life for us, we freely give our lives to You with hearts full of thanksgiving.

Yours forever-

Jeff

How Bad Do You Want It?

“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, where he has enough to finish it?” Luke 14:28

Can I be honest with you? I didn’t feel like writing today’s devotional. It’s been a long and busy day and I feel like going to get some dinner and then go home and watch the opening season game of the NFL. But I don’t have that option right now because before I go I need to get this done. Ever been in a similar situation? If and when you do, you’ve got to ask yourself the question, “how bad do I want to succeed, how bad do I want to fulfill God’s will and God’s purpose in my life?” You know Jesus wasn’t just talking here about a building here; He was talking about counting the cost of building a life of significance.

It seems like too many of us aren’t willing to admit that the reason that we didn’t make the team, get that promotion, and the reason that we aren’t moving forward in life is that we aren’t willing to put forth the effort and do the hard stuff. It means that there are times when everyone else has gone home that we’re willing to stay after hours and get our work done. Come on now, isn’t it time for us to start counting the cost! How hard are you willing to work at life? Here’s something to consider—No one is going to work harder for your success than you are. Not your boss, not your peers, and certainly not those who work for it. It reminds me of an old saying, “If it’s going to be, than it’s up to me.” Now I’m not discounting God in all of this, but really, do we think God’s going to work harder at our success than we are? Do you think He’s standing by up there in heaven waiting to come down here and help you out because you’re a little tired? He’s the Redeemer of the lost, not the Rescuer of the lazy. Come on now; let’s count the cost!

If we’re going to ever fulfill God’s will for our lives than we need to count the cost. Have you figured out yet that living for Jesus is going to cost you something? And if you’re going to be a success in life that it’s going to cost you even more? Jim Morin, a dear member of our church family once said, “Everything that I value in my life, has cost me something.” It reminds me of that verse in Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” In other words, whatever we put into life will cost us something, but there is a payback, a reaping based on the degree of our efforts.

My wife Beth, is by far, the hardest working person that I have ever known, and I’ve know a lot of people. There may be people out there that want to enjoy the benefits that Beth enjoys, but they don’t have a clue of how hard she has worked, over so many years. Literally, it’s quite common for her to work 16-18 hour days for weeks and months on end. Now that costs something, but the benefit is a very successful and fruitful life. She recently purchased a pretty expensive anniversary gift for yours truly, and she bought it with cash. You see, she’s reaping today because she was willing to count the cost and do the hard stuff, even when she didn’t feel like it.

So today, let’s tap into all that God has for us and work a little harder, stay a little latter, carry a little more of the load, and honor Jesus Christ by our work ethic, and our willingness to do the hard things.

For The Least Of These

"'I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'" Matthew 25:35-40, NKJV

Just days ago I returned home from Guatemala, where I had the privilege to be a part of a thirteen-member team from Valley Family Church that went down to work with Pray America. (http://www.prayamerica.org) Its founder is a wonderful man by the name of Ron Morin. He is one of those unassuming guys, doing a massive work in that part of the world. They are located in an area called Chichicastenango or what we affectionately call, “Chichi.”

While there we built four homes for widows and their families, worked in Pray America’s feeding programs, distributed ovens, water filters, and gave away shoes to a bunch of kids in a school. The poverty and lack is staggering, yet the people were so joyful. Particularly joyful were the widows who were given a new home and a basket full of food and toys for their kids.

We were all touched in a deep way at the feeding programs. It wasn't just seeing the hungry kids; it was seeing them eat a little food off their plates and then happily stuffing ninety percent of it into a plastic bag to take home to their families. It was truly amazing to see a three or four-year-old more concerned about their family’s needs than their own. Like I said, it was very moving, knowing that this was quite possibly their largest meal for a week.

It reminds me of what the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:12-13 (NKJV),

“I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Paul had learned to rely on his faith in Jesus Christ when he had little and when he had much. The joy of his faith wasn't dependent upon the things that he had or what he didn't have, his faith was in Who he had in his heart – Jesus Christ! In the midst of all of that lack, my heart is full because of my faith in the One who made this world, the One who loves us, cares for us, is there for us and the One who asks us to do what we can for those who don't have much.

As I left that place, I'll forever be more grateful and thankful for what I DO have than what I don’t have. Now don't get me wrong, I don't feel bad by what God has blessed my life with, but I feel challenged to do an even better job of sharing what I have with others.

Thanks for letting me share our experience with you.