By the Hand

"Father’s, don’t exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master.” Ephesians 6:4, The Message

One of the greatest and most rewarding responsibilities that any of us can have is that of a parent. Beth and I love what we do as pastors, we love our church, we love our calling, but way above all of that, we love being parents. What an awesome opportunity God has given us to lead our kids in the way of the Master.

I first learned today’s text in the King James version, which tells parents and particularly Dad’s what our role as parents should be-- “but bring them (our kids) up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

Let’s take a look at those words, nurture and admonition.

#1 Nurture - To nurture is simply to teach, to train and to coach our kids by our actions. Our actions speak way louder than our words. We can’t expect to raise balanced kids if our words and our actions are out of balance. We need to be the real thing in front of our kids. If we want our kids to be loving, than we need to be loving. If we want our kids to be forgiving, then we need to be forgiving. If we want our kids to be generous, than we need to be generous. The list goes on and on, but I think you get the picture.

#2 Admonition - It’s one of those words that has a couple of different meanings, but the one I like is: to give friendly, earnest advice or encouragement. I think we all get that our kids need to be taught and coached, but we need to remember that the words we speak to them and over them, have a huge affect on how they see themselves. Our words can either motivate or demotivate. They can encourage or discourage. They can build our kids up or they can tear them down. And words are like bullets in a gun, once you pull the trigger it’s too late to stop them.

So let’s take a quick inventory of our life as parents.... Are your actions lining up with your words? Are your kids seeing you being the kind of person that you are asking them to be? What are you saying to your kids and about your kids? Sometimes it’s easier to pick out the things that your kids are doing wrong, rather than intentionally looking for what they are doing right. Let them know how proud you are of them and how much they mean to you. Your words of admonition can help guide them for years to come.

Right actions mixed with right words produce great kids. So take those kids by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master. You won’t regret it.

Say It: “Father, I thank You for my kids and appreciate Your guidance as I bring them up in the nurture and admonition of You. Help me to be a great example of someone who has submitted their life to You. I pray that my words and my actions both say the same thing. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Right actions mixed with right words produce great kids. @jrjones

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, NKJV

Ask yourself the questions, “How bad do I want to succeed? How bad do I want to fulfill God’s will and God’s purpose in my life?” In Luke 14:28, Jesus wasn’t just talking about a physical building, He was talking about counting the cost of building a life of significance.

It seems like many of us aren’t willing to admit that the reason 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. Doing the hard stuff means that there are times when everyone else has gone home that we stay after hours and get our work done. 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 you. It reminds me of an old saying, “If it’s going to be, then it’s up to me.” Now I am 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 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 ever going to fulfill God’s will for our lives then 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 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 (NKJV), “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 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’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 later, carry a little more of the load, and honor Jesus Christ by our work ethic and our willingness to do the hard things.

Say It: “Father, I want to make a difference with my life. I’m committed to counting the cost and doing the hard things. I ask You to give me wisdom, insight and strategy to not only work hard, but to work smart. May my life glorify You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen!”

If we’re ever going to fulfill God’s will for our lives then we need to count the cost. @jrjones

No Strings Attached

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’" Matthew 3:16-17, NKJV

I love the timing of the words that God spoke over His Son Jesus as He was being baptized. Jesus had yet to perform a single miracle. He hadn’t turned water into wine. He hadn’t walked on water. He hadn’t healed a single person, nor spent one second in public ministry. He was just God’s son and that alone pleased His Father.

Did you know that God sees you the exact same way? You are a wonderfully designed creation of the Great Almighty and He is well pleased with you. You can’t do anything to earn God’s love, nor do anything to lose it. He just flat out loves you. Let that sink in for a minute, it will warm your soul. We so often connect some kind of behavior or human effort to receiving God’s affection, but actually it’s not tied to anything we do. He just loves us with no strings attached.

So today, just relax and know that you are loved by God. It’s that knowledge that helps us return that affection back toward Him.

“We love Him, because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19, NKJV)

Wow, isn’t that awesome? God is reminding us that we don’t have to manufacture a love for Him, we can simply reflect the love He has for us back to Him. So enjoy your day and walk in the security that God loves you with no strings attached. Let His words, “this is my beloved son (or daughter) in whom I am well pleased” ring in your ears, and satisfy your heart.

“Father, thank you for loving me for who I am. I appreciate the security that I feel in my heart knowing that I don’t need to do anything to earn Your love. And because of it I choose to direct my affection back towards You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen!”

20 Seconds of Insane Courage

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:9, NKJV

There is a great line in the movie, We Bought A Zoo, where Matt Damon's character says,

“You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.”

Isn’t that God’s challenge in today’s text? I can see at least four things in this verse that will help you to have 20 seconds of insane courage:

#1  Courage is a command not a suggestion

Have you ever noticed that when God speaks it’s usually not a suggestion? That’s right, God knows the score, He knows what’s good for you, He is on your side and when He speaks our job is to listen and obey. So, when God says that you are to have courage - that settles it and don’t settle for anything less. Courage is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty or intimidation. So whatever you are facing today, do it with courage.

#2  Strength alone is not enough

Did you know that God always gives us the strength to accomplish every one of our God-given dreams and visions? Of course He does, that’s not even up for debate. The God who created the universe and created you understands what it takes to accomplish a task. He’s never going to give you a dream that you don’t have the strength and the ability to achieve. He wouldn’t waste your time. But sometimes our own lack of courage will stop us before we even get started. Courage is nothing more than putting our faith into action. Don’t ever forget that when God told us in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me,” he meant what He said. So get started today, not just in your strength but His.

#3  Don’t let fear stop you

Right after God tells us to be strong and of good courage He tells us not to be afraid nor dismayed. I think we all know that fear does its very best to stop us before we can even get started. And if we get in the habit of letting fear have its way, then it leads to dismay and discouragement. The word “dismay” literally means to lie down. If fear builds a big enough stronghold in our lives it can ultimately cause us to lie down and give up before we get a chance to run after our dreams. Don’t ever let fear do that to you.

#4  God will see you through

I love how God finishes this verse. He reminds us that He will be with us wherever we go. He will be with you every single step of the way. He’s not just there at your first step, He’ll be there at the beginning and He’ll be there at the end. Remember, Jesus is the Author and the Finisher of our faith. He will be with you wherever you go. From the starting line to the finish line He’ll cheer you on with every step.

So, what would things look like a year from now if you exercised 20 seconds of divinely inspired courage? Are you just one decision away from the biggest move of your life? What’s stopping you? What’s the worst that can happen? It’s time for you to throw caution to the wind and see what you and God can accomplish. It’s your move, God has already made His. So be strong and of good courage, and I promise you, something great will come of it.

“Father, I choose today to believe Your word. I believe that You have commanded me to be strong and to have good courage. So I’m ready to reach for something big today. I’m not wasting the strength You have already given me, but I’m putting it into action because I have all the courage I need to see Your will and Your purpose come to pass in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!”

Tweet it: Be strong and of good courage, and I promise you, something great will come of it. @jrjones

The Road of Integrity

“People with integrity have firm footing, but those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall.” Proverbs 10:9, NLT  

We all know that the fastest and most efficient way to get between two points is a straight line. The original Hebrew word translated for “integrity” is defined as “straightness”. People who walk with integrity typically walk a straight line. Their lives are defined as ordered and in control. But folks who live on the edge, always try to cut corners, and tend to be a little less than truthful are defined by following crooked paths. The result is always the same, they slip and fall.

I want to share with you five things that will help you to walk down the road of integrity.

#1  Develop Your Character

We live in a world that is extremely superficial. If you’ve got the looks: you’re in. People are enamored by appearance and are more interested on the outside than what’s on the inside. But here’s the deal-- you can alter your appearance a ton of different ways, but you can never hide what’s on the inside. Because whatever is on the inside, will come out when you’re squeezed. When you squeeze an orange, you never get apple juice.

So we all need to develop our character. Character is something that we can develop and work on everyday. It’s not glamorous or sexy, but it does define who we are. Ask God to help you develop a character that honors Him and allows you to walk in integrity.

#2  Be Honest

I remember the advice my mother gave me over 50 years ago, “Honesty is the best policy.” Well it’s just as true today as it was back in the 60’s. Here’s how it works:

A.  Be Honest with Yourself-- it always starts with us doing a little self analysis.

B.  Be Honest with God-- He knows everything about us already, so just be honest

with Him.

C.  Be Honest with Others-- learn to shoot straight with the people in your life.


#3  Do The Right Thing

Every day we’re faced with a ton of decisions. We come to a fork in the road where we need to draw on our integrity to make a decision on what direction to take. The choices we make determine our present as well as our future. Often times we’re forced to choose between doing the right thing which could mean more work or a delay in moving forward. Sometimes doing what’s right isn’t the easiest thing, but it’s always the right thing, for us and those that will follow our footsteps.

“The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.” Proverbs 20:7, NKJV

#4  Pay Attention To the Small Stuff

The Bible reminds us that it’s always the little foxes that spoil the vine. That’s a great reminder that we need to pay attention to the little things of life. Every day when an aircraft carrier gets ready to launch its aircraft the entire flight deck crew walks the deck, shoulder to shoulder, making sure that there is nothing that could get sucked up into the jet engine. Our Navy men and women know the importance of paying attention to the small stuff.

I remember finding a stack of quarters at the spray car wash one day. I could have used those quarters to wash my car, but they weren’t my quarters. They’d been left there by someone, and of course it wasn’t a big deal, but the bottom line is they weren’t mine. I left them there for the next guy.

#5  Keep Your Word

This is an easy one. Just say what you mean and mean what you say. Don’t say one thing and mean another. It’s the old adage, “Walk the walk, don’t just talk the talk.”  

Don’t promise to meet someone for coffee if you really don’t plan to ever do it. Listen to what the Bible says about this.

“...let your yes be yes and your no, no, lest you fall into judgment.” James 5:12, NKJV

Make a point to only say things that you believe and that you will back up with your actions. Every time you keep your word you are building your integrity.

“Father, help me to walk in my integrity. I seek to bring You honor and You glory by my words and by my actions. I desire to walk the straight and narrow with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Bring Your Best Today

Colossians 3:23 (NIV) “And whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men.”

God put a desire in all of us to have fruitful lives. So, it doesn’t matter if you work the line at a factory, you’re a teacher at a school, or the CEO of a Fortune 500 Company we all should start our days with a goal to bring our very best. I would like to suggest five things that will help you put that goal into practice.

#1  When you get to work, be ready to work.

If you’re playing in the NFL and you’ve got a 1:00pm kick-off you’re not pulling your Escalade into the parking lot at 12:59pm. You’re probably there by 9:00am preparing to give your all on the field of play. Why is it that so many employees come to work minutes before their “kick-off’s” and wonder why they are not being celebrated for their efforts?

Here’s the deal. If you’re supposed to be on your post at 8:00am then be there, ready to go, well before 8:00am. Then, please don’t spend the first hour at work “winding up”, getting your coffee and eating your bagel and then spend the last hour of the day “winding down”. When you’re at work-- work!

Excellent employees don’t wait to get there till they ‘get there’, they come ready to work!

#2 Stay Focused

We live in a world where there seems to be a million distractions. So we need to learn not to chase the shiny things of life. Do you ever find yourself distracted from your main task by a Facebook notice, a Tweet, a text message from a friend, or even an email that is just not that urgent?

One way you can stay focused is having a daily checklist of the things that you want to accomplish. I would recommend setting aside a few minutes of thinking and planning time, at the beginning of each day, to prioritize your day. Then stay focused on it throughout the day and my guess is that you’ll be shocked as to how much you were able to get done.

So hunker down and stay focused on the task at hand.

#3 Be Solution Oriented

It’s easy to be the one at work that points out the problems, but how about becoming the person who comes up with solutions. Problem pointer-outers are plentiful, but solution comer-uppers are few and far between. Just because we’ve done certain things forever doesn’t mean that we need to keep doing them the same way. The incredible advancement of technology has opened up so many opportunities to improve efficiencies both at home and at work, it’s truly amazing.

So, if you want to increase your worth at work, be the one who works on making your company a more efficient operation.

#4  Don’t Hang With The Wrong Crowd

Every company has a group of negatrons. You know who they are. They are the ones who complain about everything. If they got a bonus, instead of being happy they’d find something to criticize about it. You don’t ever want to be associated with that crowd. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV) that “...bad company corrupts good people.”  Your image at work can be tarnished simply because you’re hanging out with Negative Norm or Critical Cathy too much.

So choose your associations wisely.

#5  Go The Extra Mile

With every task we are assigned, we can do just enough or we can choose to do more than enough. It’s what’s called going the extra mile. Don’t be ever be satisfied with just getting by, be the one that rises up above the others because you’re known for doing a little extra. I learned this lesson during my very first job, 36 years ago. My job was to park and fuel private airplanes. But there was typically a lot of waiting around in between tasks. So I took it upon myself to always sweep and clean the hangers. It wasn’t on my job description but I just saw that it needed to be done. Nobody else noticed except the owner. Owners of businesses have a tendency to notice things like that. Well guess who got the promotion to manage the whole department. You guessed it, the one who went the extra mile.

So, today bring your best to what you’re doing. Let the glory of God shine brightly through your work, no matter what it is.


“Father, I thank you for my job. Today I’m choosing to bring my very best because I want to please You with my work. I want to glorify You and bring You glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

God's Got Your Back!

As one who has now been walking with the Lord for 30 years I think I’m finally at a point in life when I can actually say AMEN, with some authority, to today’s text. It really is true. I have seen it over and over again, in my own life and in the lives of countless others. Jesus is committed to those who are committed to Him. He will never forsake those who have forsaken all to follow Him. In fact He says that in Hebrews 13:5, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you,’” NKJV I love how this verse reads in the Amplified Bible because it amplifies these rich and powerful truths about God’s commitment to us, “…For He, God Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down, or relax My hold on you, assuredly not!” Wow, are those incredible promises? God Himself is reminding us that whatever it is that we’re going through, we are never alone. He is ALWAYS with us, He NEVER leaves us and on top of that He ALWAYS has an ample supply of whatever we need in life. Are you facing some challenges today? Do you wonder how you’re going to get through? Well the good news is that you don’t have to go through it alone. God has promised that He will never forsake you, no matter how tough the problem is or how big the mountain seems, He’s going to stick with you through it all.  Then on top of that He’s got the resources that you’ll need to get through it. He promises us that in Philippians 4:19, “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus,” NKJV So, what do you need God’s help with today? Do you need a door to open? Favor? Opportunities? Do you need some extra finances for a project? Well it’s time to believe God and to walk in His promise today, because God’s got you covered!