Ministry

In Christ: I Stand Firm
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In Christ: I Stand Firm

It is always good to be reminded of who we are in Christ, especially when we find ourselves living in a world filled with chaos and confusion.  Over the next 25 days I will be sharing the devotions from my book, “In Christ Alone”.  Each devotion is designed to help us look to Christ for our identity in the midst of a myriad of sources trying to define who we are.

Here is day eight with an important reminder that in Christ you, and those around you, can stand firm regardless of the storms of life.

I Stand Firm

“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.“
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NIV)

How often do you feel like you are living the “one step forward, two steps backward” way of life?  Have you ever tried walking in conditions that were difficult or impossible to maintain solid footing?  How much confidence do you gain when you have the proper footwear in icy or slippery conditions?  What influence do product guarantees have on your trust of an item?  What types of things might make a guarantee more believable or valuable to you?

At times life can seem to follow a treacherous and slippery path.  With just a casual look around, most of us can see far too many people who have slipped and fallen along their chosen path.  As you pray, ask God to always make you aware that He is the one who can make you stand firm in Christ.  Pray that God’s Spirit would help you to always stand firm in your faith.  Pray that you would trust the guarantee that you have been given through the deposit of God’s Spirit within you.  Pray that your ability to stand firm in Christ, even in the midst of the instability of life, would draw others to Him.

In prayer,

Tom  

In Christ: I Have Been Bought With a Price
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In Christ: I Have Been Bought With a Price

It is always good to be reminded of who we are in Christ, especially when we find ourselves living in a world filled with chaos and confusion.  Over the next 26 days I will be sharing the devotions from my book, “In Christ Alone”.  Each devotion is designed to help us look to Christ for our identity in the midst of a myriad of sources trying to define who we are.

Here is day seven with an important reminder that in Christ you, and those around you, can have the mind of Christ to fill you with His wisdom.

I Have Been Bought With a Price

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.“
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)

What is the most that you have ever paid for something?  How does the price paid for something affect the way you treat it?  How do you feel when someone else mistreats an item that you have purchased at a great cost?  What rights do you feel you have as a purchaser?  How do you want your items treated that others borrow from you?

Most individuals and families that I know have at least one item of personal property that seems to be sacred to them.  Do what you want to anything else and while there may be disappointment and sorrow, it is nothing compared to the heartache when that one item is damaged or destroyed.  That is the level of extreme value we have to God as we were bought with the incredible price of the blood of His Son, Jesus!  As you pray, ask God to help you to always remember the price He paid for you.  Pray that you would live in a way that honors the price Jesus has paid for you.  Pray that you would share with others the value that God places on their life by His willingness to pay such a great price.

In prayer,

Tom  

In Christ: I Have His Mind
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In Christ: I Have His Mind

It is always good to be reminded of who we are in Christ, especially when we find ourselves living in a world filled with chaos and confusion.  Over the next 27 days I will be sharing the devotions from my book, “In Christ Alone”.  Each devotion is designed to help us look to Christ for our identity in the midst of a myriad of sources trying to define who we are.

Here is day six with an important reminder that in Christ you, and those around you, can have the mind of Christ to fill you with His wisdom.

I Have The Mind of Christ

“‘For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?’  But we have the mind of Christ.“
1 Corinthians 2:16 (NIV)

Have you ever wished that you could crawl into the mind of someone so you could have a better understanding of how they think and who they are?  Are you of the same mind with someone else to the extent that you can accurately finish sentences and thoughts of each other?  Do you ever act like you know more than God?  Does your life say that even if your words never would?  What qualities should be most obvious in your life because you have the mind of Christ?

When we are in Christ, we should become so much like Christ that it is obvious that we have the mind of Christ!  Our thoughts and words should be the same as we would expect from Christ.  As you pray, ask God to fill you with a humility that allows you to be emptied of self and filled with the mind of Christ.  Pray that your very thoughts, which determine your actions, would reflect the mind of Christ.  Pray that your decisions would be based on what comes from the mind of Christ rather than from yourself.  Pray that the people around you would see the mind of Christ in you.

In prayer,

Tom  

In Christ: I Have God’s Spirit
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In Christ: I Have God’s Spirit

It is always good to be reminded of who we are in Christ, especially when we find ourselves living in a world filled with chaos and confusion.  Over the next 28 days I will be sharing the devotions from my book, “In Christ Alone”.  Each devotion is designed to help us look to Christ for our identity in the midst of a myriad of sources trying to define who we are.

Here is day five with an important reminder that in Christ you, and those around you, can have the Spirit of God to guide each aspect of life.

I Have Wisdom From God

“We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.“
1 Corinthians 2:12 (NIV)

Do you struggle to understand the things of God and His Word?  Do you ever wish there was someone always available to help you understand the gifting of God in your life?  Do you have times when you feel lost in the ways of the world?  How can you change when the ways of the world seem more natural to you than the ways of God?  How often do you hear God’s still small voice nudging you into the way you ought to go?  More importantly, how often do you listen to that voice?

Most of us are bombarded daily with competing voices clamoring for us to do their will.  We often struggle with clearly distinguishing God’s voice from the voice of the enemy, and even from our own voice.  As you pray today, ask God to make you more aware of His Spirit that lives within you.  Pray that your life would be lived differently from those of the world because you have the Spirit of Christ in you.  Pray for the eyes to see and ears to hear the things the Spirit says to you each day.  Pray that the people around you would see the Spirit of God living in you.

In prayer,

Tom  

In Christ: I Have Wisdom From God
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In Christ: I Have Wisdom From God

It is always good to be reminded of who we are in Christ, especially when we find ourselves living in a world filled with chaos and confusion.  Over the next 29 days I will be sharing the devotions from my book, “In Christ Alone”.  Each devotion is designed to help us look to Christ for our identity in the midst of a myriad of sources trying to define who we are.

Here is day four with an important reminder that in Christ you, and those around you, can have wisdom from God.

I Have Wisdom From God

“It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God — that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.’“
1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (NIV)

Have you ever done something only to realize afterwards that it was not a wise thing to do?  Have you ever wrestled with how to have the wisdom to not do those things that are unwise?  How would knowledge of both the source and result of wisdom help you make better decisions?  What does having wisdom from God say about who you are?  What does wisdom have to do with righteousness, holiness, and redemption?

God says that if we lack wisdom we should ask Him who gives freely.  In Christ we have wisdom from God — Jesus Himself!  As you pray, ask God to fill you with the presence of His wisdom in all areas of your life.  Pray that you would use the wisdom that comes from God as He offers to give it freely to all who ask.  Pray that you would understand more fully that the most true and important wisdom is found in the righteousness, holiness, and redemption that you have in Christ.  Pray that the people around you would come to know Christ as the source of the only wisdom that is necessary for life.

In prayer,

Tom  

In Christ: I Have No Condemnation
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In Christ: I Have No Condemnation

It is always good to be reminded of who we are in Christ, especially when we find ourselves living in a world filled with chaos and confusion.  Over the next 30 days I will be sharing the devotions from my book, “In Christ Alone”.  Each devotion is designed to help us look to Christ for our identity in the midst of a myriad of sources trying to define who we are.

Here is day three with an important reminder that in Christ you, and those around you, have no condemnation.

I Have No Condemnation

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.“
Romans 8:1-2 (NIV)

What do you do when you feel the finger of condemnation pointed at you?  How does condemnation make you feel when you can think of nothing you have done wrong?  How about when you know you have been wrong?  How quick are you to condemn others for actions that you find repulsive?  How about for actions that you struggle with in your own life?

God says, and experience agrees, that every one of us have sinned.  When we are caught in our sin it often produces shame because of the condemnation we know we deserve.  In Christ, the penalty of sin has been paid so we are free from the condemnation that we deserve.  As you pray, ask God to free you from all traces of condemnation that the enemy tries to put on you.  Pray that you would live as one free from condemnation because of Jesus.  Pray that the freedom from condemnation that you have in Christ would free you from having a condemning spirit toward others.  Pray for humility in living as one not condemned.

In prayer,

Tom  

In Christ: I Am Dead To Sin
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In Christ: I Am Dead To Sin

It is always good to be reminded of who we are in Christ, especially when we find ourselves living in a world filled with chaos and confusion.  Over the next 31 days I will be sharing the devotions from my book, “In Christ Alone”.  Each devotion is designed to help us look to Christ for our identity in the midst of a myriad of sources trying to define who we are.

Here is day two with an important reminder that in Christ you, and those around you, have died to sin.

I Am Dead To Sin

“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?“
Romans 6:1-3 (NIV)

What temptation is your greatest struggle?  Is there any element of sin in your life that you have accepted as normal — something you can’t win against?  Why do you think it still has some form of control over you?  How would seeing yourself dead to that particular sin help you in your struggle to overcome it?  What power does sin have over someone who is dead?

God says that all who have been immersed into Christ have been immersed into His death!  Through Christ we have become dead to sin so that it no longer has power, or authority, over us.  As you consider your identity in Christ, pray that you would overcome temptation through a recognition that you are dead to sin.  Pray that you would be free from the grip of sin and its desire to lay hold of your life.  Pray that you would continue to grow in a life that is dead to sin.  Pray that the people around you would recognize you as one not controlled by sin.  Pray that others would know a life that is dead to sin.

In prayer,

Tom  

In Christ: I Have Peace
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In Christ: I Have Peace

It is always good to be reminded of who we are in Christ, especially when we find ourselves living in a world filled with chaos and confusion.  Over the next 32 days I will be sharing the devotions from my book, “In Christ Alone”.  Each devotion is designed to help us look to Christ for our identity in the midst of a myriad of sources trying to define who we are.

Here is day one with an important reminder that you, and those around you, can have peace in Christ.

I Have Peace

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.“
Romans 5:1 (NIV)

How would you rate your level of peace today?  What factors determine if you feel a sense of peace or not?  Some have described peace as the absence of conflict, but does living without conflict always lead to a life of true peace? Could the peace you long for, the peace beyond understanding, be something more — a peace that could exist even in the midst of conflict?

God says that in Christ we have peace because we have been made right with God through our faith in Jesus!  Our prayer life should draw us into greater peace as our faith in God grows.  As you grow in Christ, pray that you would live as one justified by faith so that the people around you can see the peace you have in Christ.  Pray that your inner peace would be visible to all people, even in times of conflict.  Pray that your identity of peace would lead you to be a peacemaker as you share about your faith in Jesus.  Pray that the people around you would see the peace of God reflected in everything you do.

In prayer,

Tom