by Sara Boyer
This Week’s Verse: Romans 12:5, “…so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (NIV)
Devotion:
Recently my father-in-law, Jim Boyer, passed away. He was an incredible man. He was gifted, loving and one of the most compassionate people I have ever met. He loved Jesus and served Him. When he was in the hospital, we called out to our church family and friends for prayer. They answered, as they always do. People came to the hospital to see us, feed us, pray with us and encourage us. After he passed away, we were showered with love. We were lifted up and our burden was lighter because our church family shared it with us.
The outpouring of love we received overwhelmed some family members. They had never experienced people truly being the hands and feet of Jesus. It was an awesome witness for who Jesus really is and what it means to follow Him.
It was brought to my attention that there are people we sit next to on Sunday morning that have never experienced that kind of love. There are people who are part of our family that we don’t know. Either we have been so wrapped up in our own little world that we haven’t seen them, or they have isolated themselves from the body. There are people that are hurting and we have no idea that they are in pain. There are people who are wandering in the wilderness and want desperately to ask someone for directions. There are some people who simply need a hug.
If you are someone who is going through Sunday morning with blinders on, take them off. See the beautiful family that surrounds you and reach out a loving hand. If you are one who is hurting, don’t sit quietly! Ask someone to pray for you and with you. These connections are vital! Share your triumphs and your tragedies with your family! Take off the mask and let us see you for who you really are and know that you’re are loved. There are none of us without blemishes and scars from our past. Let us pray together, let us lavish His love on each other and let us praise and worship our Abba Father together.
Abba Father, Thank you so much for our church family. You have gifted each of us to be a vital part of the body. We know that your plan is perfect and we are so blessed when we live in community with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us embrace each other with the love and compassion that you have taught us. Amen.
Application:
Get involved. If you don’t belong to a small group or a ministry team, choose one and get started. It is so important to make connections with your church family.
If you have a burden, ask a pastor, elder, deacon, or Sunday school teacher to pray with you.
Send a card or email of encouragement to a brother or sister. Reach out to someone that you have known and also a new member or guest to the church.
Power Verses:
1 Corinthians 12:26, “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all of the parts are glad.”
Philippians 1:3, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.”
Ephesians 4:3-6, “Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit and bind yourselves together with peace. We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. There is only one Lore, one Faith, one Baptism, and only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all.”
Showing posts with label Sara. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sara. Show all posts
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
A New Attitude
by Sara Boyer
This Week's Verse: Philippians 2:5, “Your Attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” (NIV)
Each of us from time to time has struggles with our children. The Boyer family is no exception. When my daughter Beth was little, it would be the occasional temper tantrum. During the Jr. High years, it was the frequent eye-roll. In High School, it would be a snide remark or disrespectful back-talk. It didn’t happen a lot, but when it did, my response was always, “You need to get a new attitude, Young Lady!”
This comment resulted in one of two reactions. (1) She would humbly close her mouth and listen, or (2) She would turn and stomp off to her room and maybe accentuate her response with a door slam. Anyone who is a parent, guardian, aunt, teacher or mentor can identify with these scenarios. There are times when God’s greatest blessings can be challenging.
As I think back on those times, I wonder if we are that different from the children we know and love. If each of us were given the opportunity to hear God’s audible voice, how many times would He have said, “You need to get a new attitude, Young Lady!” I know I would have heard it thousands of times. I would have heard it when my words tore people down, rather than building them up. I would have heard it when I was selfish or glutinous. I would have heard it when I tried to hide from my responsibility or “tweak” the truth. I would have heard it when I gossiped. The list could go on and on.
Philippians 2:5 reminds us of the attitude we are to strive for—the attitude of Christ Jesus. There are times when having an attitude like Christ is easy. But he doesn’t call us to have His Attitude just when things are easy. He calls us to have His Attitude all of the time. It isn’t easy to love the unlovable, but Jesus would. It isn’t easy to stand up for the truth when the crowd is pulling you the other way, but Jesus would. It isn’t easy to stop the gossip when you’re in a group, but Jesus would.
I think God would say that we can be challenging, but we are so blessed to have Jesus as our Lord and Savior. He loves us just the way we are—even when we need to get a new attitude. He also loves us too much to leave us the way we are.
When the Holy Spirit whispers, “You need to get a new attitude, Young Lady!” What will your response be? Will you (1) Quietly humble yourself before Him and repent, or (2) Turn and stomp off continuing to do things your way?
Father God, help us to strive to have Your Attitude. Let us see the world around us through Your eyes and show Your love and compassion to everyone around us. May we have your attitude not only in word and deed, but also in our hearts. We love you Lord – Amen.
Application:
1) Pray for the Holy Spirit to prompt you when your attitude needs to be adjusted. 2) Try to find a Christian accountability partner whom you love and trust to help you. 3) The best way to know the Attitude of Christ Jesus is to study His Word. Take time to be in His Word every day.
Power Verses:
1 Peter 4:1, “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who suffered in his body is done with sin.” (NIV)
Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control….” (NIV)
Matthew 22:37-39, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (NIV)
This Week's Verse: Philippians 2:5, “Your Attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” (NIV)
Each of us from time to time has struggles with our children. The Boyer family is no exception. When my daughter Beth was little, it would be the occasional temper tantrum. During the Jr. High years, it was the frequent eye-roll. In High School, it would be a snide remark or disrespectful back-talk. It didn’t happen a lot, but when it did, my response was always, “You need to get a new attitude, Young Lady!”
This comment resulted in one of two reactions. (1) She would humbly close her mouth and listen, or (2) She would turn and stomp off to her room and maybe accentuate her response with a door slam. Anyone who is a parent, guardian, aunt, teacher or mentor can identify with these scenarios. There are times when God’s greatest blessings can be challenging.
As I think back on those times, I wonder if we are that different from the children we know and love. If each of us were given the opportunity to hear God’s audible voice, how many times would He have said, “You need to get a new attitude, Young Lady!” I know I would have heard it thousands of times. I would have heard it when my words tore people down, rather than building them up. I would have heard it when I was selfish or glutinous. I would have heard it when I tried to hide from my responsibility or “tweak” the truth. I would have heard it when I gossiped. The list could go on and on.
Philippians 2:5 reminds us of the attitude we are to strive for—the attitude of Christ Jesus. There are times when having an attitude like Christ is easy. But he doesn’t call us to have His Attitude just when things are easy. He calls us to have His Attitude all of the time. It isn’t easy to love the unlovable, but Jesus would. It isn’t easy to stand up for the truth when the crowd is pulling you the other way, but Jesus would. It isn’t easy to stop the gossip when you’re in a group, but Jesus would.
I think God would say that we can be challenging, but we are so blessed to have Jesus as our Lord and Savior. He loves us just the way we are—even when we need to get a new attitude. He also loves us too much to leave us the way we are.
When the Holy Spirit whispers, “You need to get a new attitude, Young Lady!” What will your response be? Will you (1) Quietly humble yourself before Him and repent, or (2) Turn and stomp off continuing to do things your way?
Father God, help us to strive to have Your Attitude. Let us see the world around us through Your eyes and show Your love and compassion to everyone around us. May we have your attitude not only in word and deed, but also in our hearts. We love you Lord – Amen.
Application:
1) Pray for the Holy Spirit to prompt you when your attitude needs to be adjusted. 2) Try to find a Christian accountability partner whom you love and trust to help you. 3) The best way to know the Attitude of Christ Jesus is to study His Word. Take time to be in His Word every day.
Power Verses:
1 Peter 4:1, “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who suffered in his body is done with sin.” (NIV)
Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control….” (NIV)
Matthew 22:37-39, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (NIV)
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