No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:44

God can woo you both intellectually and emotionally.  That’s what happened to Alex McFarland.

Most of his life, Alex attended a church that is now 250 years old.  He learned about God, the Bible, Jesus and Christianity. But, it wasn’t personal until college.

Then, Alex was invited to a weekly Bible study. He only attended because a girl he liked would be there. And really thought he knew enough facts about God.

But then he learned that Christ wanted a personal relationship with him. Through prayer, Alex invited Jesus to take control of his life.  And then he couldn’t get enough of God and His word!  So much so that today he’s an apologist, a defender of the faith.

Oh dear friend, God wants a personal relationship with you, too!
If you don’t know Him, would you like to?  Visit this link for an explanation: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws

By Vonette Bright
used by permission

 A Good Link: 

“10 Most Common Objections to Christianity“, by Alex McFarland

FURTHER READING

How to Know God Personally

Bible Studies + more

Tiny Lessons to Help you in your faith journey

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“Jesus replied, ‘The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God; serve only Him“ Luke 4:8

I had spent much of the week cleaning. It was very hot. We were having a group of people over for a barbecue. Because of the heat, it seemed better to serve the food in the garage rather than on the hot sundeck. So I washed the walls, washed the floor and painted it.

It did look a lot better – clean and pleasant and cool. But it took a lot more time than I expected. Just to take everything out of the garage, sort it all and put it back was a mammoth job.

On Saturday, as I was sweeping the sundeck and sidewalks, I began to wonder if all the work was worth the few hours they would be here. These thoughts came to me:

“Whatever you do, do it as unto me” and “Whatever you have done unto the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto me.”

So I decided to focus on the fact that Christ was my guest that night. For some reason, I was suddenly motivated to set the tables more carefully and make sure the table centerpieces looked prettier. When the guests arrived, I greeted them with much more enthusiasm.

Perspective! Christ was at the barbecue that night – in the lives of each one of the people who came.

Lord Jesus, You came to serve and not to be served. And we are to have the exact same attitude. Sometimes I forget. I get tired of serving and I become self-centered. Forgive me, Lord. Burn into my heart and mind the realization that I am serving You no matter what the job is or who the people are. Amen.

By Katherine Kehler
Used by Permission

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RELATED READING

A Christian Perspective on Life and Living

A Better Perspective

From God’s Perspective

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“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37

Sold as a yearling for a paltry $11,000, ridden by a rookie jockey hardly anyone knew and stuck in an outside post no horse had ever won from – not exactly a blueprint for success at Churchill Downs. I’ll Have Another just didn’t seem to have the goods to win the Kentucky Derby. The winning odds were 15-1.

But with the finish line in sight, the chestnut colt overtook the more favored horse in the final furlong to make a name for himself and his unknown twenty-five year old rider. He stormed out of post No. 19, a position no horse had ever won the race from and never looked back until he crossed the finish line. He went on to win the Preakness and if he wins the Belmont, will become the first Triple Crown winner in thirty-four years.

He was largely a mystery to the record crowd, who didn’t know the horse and jockey had the right stuff until the 20-horse field turned for home. That’s when he, who moved up between horses around the final turn, positioned not far from the rail and set down to run and run he did. Both the horse and his rider gave it their all, their best, their all, their total, their everything.

Jesus quoted the greatest commandment as loving the Lord “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). The whole of who you are is the best you can give Him. To give Him only a part of yourself is to fall short of loving Him as He deserves. Use not only your spiritual gifts but also your personality, heart passions and experience and strength along with your walk with God, presenting yourself as a living sacrifice to Him.

Throughout the Old Testament we read of the Israelites giving God the first fruits and the best of the flock. We serve the same God. He is still worthy of the first and best of our time, efforts, and resources. To give Him leftover or misdirected time and energy is to fall short of giving Him the place in your life He deserves. Focus on what you do best, giving that your primary effort.

To give Him a half-hearted or sloppy effort is to fall short of glorifying Him as He deserves. Serve where you will be most effective, doing it in the name and power of the Lord Jesus.

Question: Are you willing to give God your best, your first, your total, your all?

by John Grant
used by permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

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RELATED READING

Don’t Miss God’s Blessings

First Commandment

Falling in Love with Jesus

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“And immediately they left their nets and followed him.” — Mark 1:18

Follow Jesus Immediately

To follow Jesus immediately means responding to his call with faith, obedience, and a clear sense of spiritual urgency.

I have often thought of the Gospel of Mark as the “book of immediately.” The word is one of Mark’s preferred terms when describing the actions of Jesus and the people around him. In the first chapter alone, Mark repeatedly emphasizes how quickly events unfold as Jesus begins his earthly ministry.

The message is clear: Jesus was on a mission, and there was no time to waste.

There truly was not.

Jesus had approximately three years to complete the work his Father had given him. During that brief period, he would proclaim the arrival of God’s Kingdom, bring freedom to those held captive by sin, choose and disciple a small group of followers, and prepare them to become his witnesses.

Ultimately, Jesus would pay the price for humanity’s sin and break its power through his death and resurrection.

Three short years changed the course of eternity.

Why We Must Follow Jesus Immediately

I am now sixty, and I hope to retire this year. My desire is not simply to leave my job. I increasingly long to make the remaining years of my life count and to invest them as strategically as possible.

That is why I understand the word “immediately.”

Every follower of Christ should understand it.

We may not know how many years, months, or days remain before us. Regardless of our age, our time on this earth is limited. Following Jesus is therefore not something we should continually postpone until life becomes quieter or more convenient.

To follow Jesus immediately is to recognize that today matters. There are people to love, prayers to pray, truths to share, needs to meet, and acts of obedience that should not be delayed.

Follow Jesus Immediately into the Harvest

In Matthew 9:37-38, Jesus told his disciples:

“The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.”

Farmers understand that when a harvest is ripe, timing is essential. A ready harvest cannot be ignored indefinitely. If workers delay too long, the opportunity may be lost.

Jesus used this image to describe people who are ready to hear, receive, and respond to the good news of God’s Kingdom.

The harvest remains plentiful, and the need for faithful workers remains urgent. God calls his people not merely to observe the harvest, but to enter it.

Following Jesus Without Delay

Spiritual urgency does not mean living in panic or constant activity. It means remaining attentive to God and being willing to obey when he directs us.

The disciples in Mark 1 did not ask Jesus to return later. They left their nets and followed him.

Their response challenges us to examine the things we may be holding too tightly. Our “nets” may include comfort, routine, fear, career plans, possessions, personal ambitions, or the desire for approval.

What might Jesus be asking you to release?

Where might he be asking you to serve?

Who might need to hear about his love through your words or actions?

When Christ calls, the faithful response is not endless delay. It is trust expressed through obedience.

A Prayer to Follow Jesus Immediately

Lord, ignite my heart and open my eyes to see the harvest of precious souls who need to be brought in. Help me follow Jesus immediately and obey you without unnecessary delay. Use me and all your people for the work of your Kingdom. Wake us while there is still time. May we rejoice with full hearts when you return or call us home. Amen.

Thought: Identify one action you believe God has been asking you to take. Ask him for the faith and courage to begin today rather than waiting for a more convenient time.

By Rand Kreycik
Used by Permission

Learn more about knowing Jesus through The Four Spiritual Laws.

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“But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.’” — Hebrews 1:8

Jesus the Forever King

Jesus is the forever King, yet surrendering control to him can be difficult in a culture that celebrates personal independence and self-determination.

William Ernest Henley’s famous poem Invictus closes with the lines, “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” Though written in 1875, the couplet could serve as a rallying cry for the contemporary Western world. Freedom is often interpreted as doing whatever we please, while personal self-definition is treated as an almost sacred right.

The desire to establish ourselves as our own authority reflects humanity’s sinful nature. Adam and Eve demonstrated this desire when they were tempted to “be like God” in Genesis 3:1-6.

Yielding Control to Jesus the Forever King

I feel this pull toward independence in my own life. I do not like being told what to do, how to spend my money, or how to use my time. I want to be free to make my own decisions.

However, today’s verse proclaims that Jesus is the forever King. His throne is permanent, his authority is universal, and his kingdom is governed with righteousness. The world belongs to him whether people recognize his authority or not.

Those who do not follow Jesus may understandably disregard his commands. Christians, however, are called to submit to Christ and obey him. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

Living Under the Authority of the Eternal King

The ministry I serve with, Cru, invites college students to make a countercultural commitment to “go, do, say, and give” whatever God asks of them.

This commitment means yielding our careers, finances, relationships, time, plans, and possessions to the kingly authority of Christ. Such surrender can feel frightening because it requires us to release the illusion that we are fully in control.

Submitting to Jesus is not merely a one-time decision. It is a daily and willing choice to trust that his wisdom is greater than ours and that his commands are ultimately for our good.

The autonomy of self promises freedom, peace, purpose, and protection, but it cannot reliably provide them. When we acknowledge that Jesus is the forever King and live under his loving authority, we discover the peace and purpose that self-rule can never produce.

A Prayer to Jesus the Forever King

Father, thank you that you have set your Son on a permanent and universal throne. I confess my constant inclination to take control of my own life and the actions through which I attempt to usurp your lordship over me. By the power of your Spirit, help me yield every part of my life to Jesus. Teach me to trust his authority and experience the peace, purpose, and joy of living in your good Kingdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.

By Jason Weimer
Used by Permission

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“And [Jesus] did not permit him but said to him, ‘Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.’ And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marvelled.”  Mark 5:19-20

The place held a lot of bad memories for him. Leaving town to start a new life somewhere else would be so much easier than staying. Everyone in the area knew about him, had seen him naked. The people had shackled him with chains and watched how, in a crazed frenzy, he’d wrenched himself free and broken his bonds in pieces. He had made his home among the tombs because only the dead could tolerate him. How many people had he hurt when the voices controlled him? No wonder people feared and avoided him.

So, after Jesus had healed him, the man previously possessed by a legion of evil spirits (Mark 5:1-20), begged Jesus to let him go with him. But Jesus said no.

You see, the miracle terrified the local people. They begged Jesus to leave. So, Jesus told the restored man to stay. Jesus instructed him to go and tell his story — how God had healed him — to everyone who knew him. He wanted the man to explain his transformed life and tell how God had mercy on him.

The man obeyed Jesus. He freely shared his shameful past, God’s great mercy, and Jesus’ incredible healing power. Everyone who heard his story marvelled.

God wants to use your story too, no matter how much pain it involves. Tell how the Almighty God freed you from your bad behavior, the anger that controlled you, or your feelings of inadequacy.

Go — by God’s power — and live differently among the people who know you.

Thank you, Lord God, for having mercy on me and saving me. May your Holy Spirit make me bold in telling everyone what you have done for me. Amen.

By Suzanne Benner
Used by Permission

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FURTHER READING

Living Like Jesus

Love Like Jesus

Jesus Recycles

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Generosity is the currency of life. Generous people generate things… they produce and create. Choose today to give. Hold your hands open and offer yourself to God first. Let His wisdom, strength and power flow through you. Offer to be His conduit.

Then give yourself to others. Give your time, give your attention, give your resources and give your care.

God’s word speaks the truth when it says,

“The world of the generous gets larger and larger – the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller” (Proverbs 11:24).

Be generous today and just see if your own world doesn’t expand in some way.

Think about stingy-ness. The mark of the stingy person is the attitude of fear that convinces him there never will be enough. Ask yourself if you are stingy in any area. Making a change will enhance your life.

Choose wisely. If you are a manager and have people working under you, be deliberate in having a generous attitude as you respond.

Surprise yourself today as you reach out to make a generous choice in some unexpected way.

Are you a generous person? Are you stingy in any way?

Lord, fill my heart to overflowing with gratitude for Your love and faithfulness. Help me to pass Your love on in some way today. Amen.

– Think of one area of your life where you find it hard to be generous. What is one thing you can to do today to be more giving?

by Gail Rodgers
used by permission

FURTHER READING

A Cheerful Giver

Heavenly Investments

Joyful Generosity

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Obeying God’s will in our lives should not be a burden but a thrilling adventure that we walk through with Him each day.

^“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.  Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me.  I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:6-8

Some Christians view obeying God only as a way to avoid the negative consequences of disobedience. But if this is our thinking, then obedience becomes a heavy burden rather than an exciting adventure motivated by love for Jesus Christ and a desire to please Him.

The reason some of us see following the Lord as a burden is because we tend to think of His will in terms of big and potentially costly decisions. But doing God’s will isn’t just about large issues; it’s also daily obedience in small matters of life. Philippines 4:6 tells us not to be anxious about anything but to pray about everything. In bringing even fairly mundane concerns to the Lord, we’re being trained to trust and obey Him in more critical matters.

The Christian life is a walk of faith—one step of obedience after another. Though we may think the situations we face are unrelated, the Lord moves us through a variety of circumstances toward His ultimate purpose. If, for the sake of safety, we back off from obeying, we’ll miss the opportunity to experience His awesome power working in and through us. Small choices may seem insignificant, but they lead to a thrilling lifelong journey with God.

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission

Further Reading

• Going Deeper with God

• The Re-Knitting Hand of God – What God taught me about ‘little sins’

•  Salvation Explained

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Dr. Christopher Spencer is a dentist who fills more than cavities, he helps to fill the “God-shaped vacuum” in the lives of his patients.

It all began on a short-term medical mission in 1987. Dr. Spencer began to pray for his patients in a remote area. Then he realized, I should pray for my patients at home.

So now he does. And it’s revolutionized his practice and the people he sees.  Dr. Spencer has had the opportunity to lead people into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Imagine going in to have your teeth cleaned, but finding the One who washes away your sins for all eternity. https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws

Dear friend, God has planted you in a unique place where only you can have an impact.  Start today by praying for those around you.  It’ll revolutionize your world

By Vonette Bright
used by permission

FURTHER READING

How to invite God into your life and live for him

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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Thoughts on today’s verse

God wants to hear our prayers, but to keep them from becoming too self-focused, God wants us always to remember to give thanks. It is so easy for us to turn prayer into a request line. We are the ones who are left bereft when thanksgiving and praise are robbed from our prayers.

Prayer:

Gracious God, I have so many reasons to praise you. In the face of trial and hardship I have your promises to reawaken my hope. In the moment of victory I have you to thank for my abilities. In the boredom of the routine, I have great joys in your surprises. Thank you, God, for being so great and yet so loving. In Jesus name. Amen.

by Phil Ware
used by permission

FURTHER READING

Do You Spend Time Under the Broom Tree?

Prayer: The Great Exchange

The Wellspring of Peace

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I don’t know about you, but I love going to Charity performances, etc., and feel really good about giving my money to a worthy cause.  It makes me feel warm inside and generally, I have a great time with my friends as well.  This week, I had cause to read the passage from Matthew about giving, and it made me stop and question my way of giving.

I asked myself if I would have given that money if I didn’t get anything out of it? Would I have been willing to give a homeless person I met in the street a bed and shelter without the fear that they would take my possessions or dirty my clean house?  I don’t think so.  It is far easier to give to an organization, using the excuse that they are able to deal with the situation much better than I can.

Another question that needs my answer is whether I would give my money to the church if I wasn’t in the planned giving program?  I know I give my time and my talents freely, but would I give my money anonymously during the week and not just on a Sunday when it is time for the offering?

I found these tough questions to answer but think we need to ask them every now and again, keeping in mind these verses and the way we give of our time and our money.

Matthew 6:1-4: “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Prayer: God of Wisdom and Compassion, thank you that you sent your Son to teach us your ways so that we can make your Kingdom here on Earth a better place and also bring us closer to you.  Help us to see all our giving as an act from you and not from ourselves.  Amen

By Terry Stead
used by permission

FURTHER READING

Tithing – The Generosity Habit

Try Tithing

Joyful Generosity

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“He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart.” Psalm 15:2

Singer Bethany Dillon believes that college students value honesty when you’re telling them about Jesus. She said, “If Christ is shared in an honest, no frills, very passionate way, I think [the message] is heard.”

When Deanna heard that, she was puzzled.  All her life she had never let out what she really felt inside. So, her faith on campus seemed all too surreal to her classmates. Most of them thought she came from a loving home. But that wasn’t true.

Dear friend, honesty speaks far louder than the content of your words.  When Deanna decided to admit her emotional scars, the work God had done in her life seemed genuine. Christ’s love, comfort and joy were evident now as Deanna spoke honestly.

Maybe it’s time you shared how Christ has totally changed your life, honestly!   I think the difficulty in sharing with college-aged people is that it’s such a transitional season of life, SO much learning is going on– figuring out who you really are– taking hold of independence for the first time… I just think there are a lot of walls that go up because of it. However, I also feel like people in college really value HONESTY… whatever’s  REAL, you know? And if Christ is shared in a brutally honest, no frills, very passionate way, I think it’s heard.  I think one of the most precious things about His presence in my life is the permission to be HONEST… whether that’s weeping on my floor for hours without saying a word, or dancing around like a fool and not thinking twice about it. For that to be a safe place full of understanding, that’s been such a healing thing.

by Vonette Bright
used by permission

FURTHER READING

Ideas to share Christ’s love

Extending Grace to Others

Love is Patient and Kind – a story of a man on a bus

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