Member Writings

September 15, 2019 by hldude

Lord, Please Show Me

“Lord, Please Show Me”

By Zach Wood

Psalm 25:4-5 NLT

Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow.
Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.

Each morning I get up during the week, I have my alone time with God, asking Him to direct my day and give me wisdom. However, so often the actual way I live my day tends to look different. I often try to flow with my own understanding by doing things my way. I try to figure things out by myself and I don’t ask for help as often as I should.

Think about all the times in our lives when we ask others for guidance and wisdom. We ask teachers, moms, dads, siblings, grandparents, mentors and others for advice. This is how we learn. Others teach us and then we continue to learn by doing things through our own experience of successes and mistakes.

If we are really sincere about learning something, we will do our best and try hard to soak in as much wisdom as possible from whoever is teaching us. We will devote time and attention to making sure we get things right. We do mess up, but then we learn from those mistakes and figure out how to continue to do things better with less mistakes.

The important phrase here is “Please show me”. We say this to people after we have tried on our own and then realize that we need someone to help us. How often do you use this phrase and allow someone else to show you how to do something? No matter what age we are, we need people to help us learn and grow in certain areas. We need to be humbled and realize we need help with some things and can’t do them on our own.

Is this our prayer in our lives with God? Do we come to Him each day and ask, “Lord, please show me”? Do we humbly come to Him and ask Him to guide us and give us His wisdom for the day? There are so many situations and experiences we don’t know how to handle. God is waiting for us to say, “Lord, please show me”. He longs for us to ask Him and to see His wisdom.

Only God knows the path we need to take each day. He will guide us in the truth and point to where we need to go. Are we willing to let go of our own understanding and ways and let Him lead? I know that I need to let Him lead a lot more in my life. How about you?

Weekly Encounter Devotional Blog Site www.zwdevotions.com

August 25, 2019 by hldude

Filled With His Richness

“Filled With His Richness”

By Zach Wood

Colossians 3:16 NLT

Let the message about Christ, in all of its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

When was the last time you ate food that was really rich in taste? Maybe it was something one of your family members made that no one else could make? Whether it’s a snack, main entrée, dessert, or a beverage, we all have had experiences where we tasted something that was unlike anything we’ve ever had. The richness of the flavor just exploded in our mouth and made our taste buds dance!

These experiences often make us long for the next time when we know we will be satisfied by whatever the person makes. You know that your tummy will be filled with something great! You have confidence it will taste amazing.

As we all have experience with rich foods or beverages that make a lasting impression on us and fill our tummies with satisfaction, there is a richness no food or beverage could ever replace or compare with. As great and wonderful our experiences are with things we consume, nothing can compare to the richness of how God fills our lives. The richness of God’s Word far outweighs anything that the world can offer.

We spend so much of our time being awed and amazed by what the world offers, but then we so often become less awed and amazed by what God offers. We sadly often choose the richness of the world over the richness of what God offers. This does not mean that we cannot enjoy what we have in this world, but we shouldn’t enjoy it more than what God gives to us.

He fills us with the richness of His love so that we will not only enjoy and benefit from it, but also share that with others so they can also be filled. It’s the “water ripple” effect. This richness and love should continue to be shared over and over again so that others will come to know His love.

Jesus Christ came filled with the richness of God and taught us how to choose the richness of God over the richness of what the world offers. Are we chasing more after the richness of the world or of Him?

We should all ultimately be filled with His richness! Nothing compares to the richness God offers!

Weekly Devotional Blog Site www.zwdevotions.com

Colossians 3:16 (LEB)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another with all wisdom, with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God,16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another with all wisdom, with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God,

August 12, 2019 by hldude

Focus On Today

“Focus On Today”

By Zach Wood

Matthew 6:34 NLT

So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

The past few weeks have been filled so many different happenings and it has been so crazy to see the days and weeks just zip by! I have had my mind on many things with preparations for sermons and different activities we have been doing each weekend. Sometimes, it seems like life won’t slow down. I am trying to let God be in control and not be consumed with all that is going on, but it is a challenge.

It is easy for us to become bogged down and consumed with so many things in our daily lives. It seems we cannot just focus on what is at hand today because we are busy planning vacations, different activities and all kind of other things that go into summertime. Sometimes it seems we just don’t have enough time to do all that we want to do.

I have been blessed this summer with an interim preaching opportunity and that has been a growing experience for me, but it has also shown me that I need to better prioritize my time since I have a full time job and a family. It is easy for me to become consumed with too much and neglect certain other areas that need attention.

Are you totally consumed this summer? Are you worried about not only today’s happenings, but tomorrow’s and the next day and so forth? With summer, there’s so much happening and it’s easy to get busy with everything and worry about the days, weeks and months ahead.

We are told to only focus on what is at hand today. We only have today and not tomorrow. What if we just focused on what we have going on today and spend our time enjoying what is going on and taking time to be with God and just take a day at a time? That is hard to do because we not only have become programmed to constantly think of today’s happenings, but also focused on the days and weeks to come. Planning isn’t wrong, but we become so consumed that our days become filled with worrying about all the upcoming things that we don’t take time to enjoy the here and now of today.

Today and each day on, remember to focus on the day at hand and not worry about all that is coming ahead. Give that to God and enjoy today! God wants us to enjoy the blessings of today. Tomorrow will definitely bring its own worries.

Weekly Devotional Blog Site www.zwdevotions.com

Matthew 6:34 (LEB)

Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, because tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.“sufficient for the day its trouble”34Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, because tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.“sufficient for the day its trouble”

July 21, 2019 by for_his_glory

Fruit of Love

Galatians Chapter 5

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

God gave us many commandments, but the greatest one is love, Matthew 22:36-40. Now just how does one love with all their heart, especially in a world that seems to be filled with so much hate towards one another. How many times have you hated your persecutors, but yet call yourself a Christian.

If we are led by the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit. If we truly know God then we would know his love for us even in our own imperfections of the flesh as we allow his righteousness to perfect our spiritual inner man so we can be prepared to stand before the judgment seat of Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:10.

A sign of true faith is manifested in obedience to God’s perfect will of love that as Christ loved us and gave his life for us we should also have this same love in us for our neighbors that says Father forgive them for they know not what they do. Even through the persecutions Jesus was subjected to he never lost focus that he was in the Father’s will and what his purpose was here on earth.

Temperance is another fruit of love that we should know the mind of Christ that we will not conform to the ways of this world even though we have to live in it, but to restrain from the ways of this world as we crucify this flesh daily. If any one loves this world then the love of the Father is not in them, 1 John 2:15
**-17.**

I know it is so easy to get into the flesh, especially when someone is lashing out at you and the flesh is quick to retaliate as even I get into the flesh at times when I take my focus off God’s will and I do believe God knows we will get into the flesh at times as we are not perfect, but do strive for that perfection that is in Christ. This is where God’s grace and mercy comes in as even though we mess up at times he is quick to forgive us as we need to be quick to forgive those who come against us and never hold a grudge.

Meekness shows patience and the trying of our faith that we may be perfect and entire wanting nothing, James 1:2-4. Gentleness, goodness and faith will always bring us into submission of the perfect will of God’s love, which is the greatest gift of all. Let us display this gift of love in our own lives so others will see the love of Christ shine through us.

1 John 2:15 (LEB)

Do Not Love the WorldDo not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him,15Do Not Love the WorldDo not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him,

Matthew 22:36-40 (LEB)

“Teacher, which commandment is greatest in the law?”36“Teacher, which commandment is greatest in the law?”37And he said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’from Deut 6:537And he said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’from Deut 6:538This is the greatest and first commandment.38This is the greatest and first commandment.39And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’from Lev 19:1839And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’from Lev 19:1840On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”40On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”

2 Corinthians 5:10 (LEB)

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, in order that each one may receive back the things through the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad.10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, in order that each one may receive back the things through the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Galatians 5:22 (LEB)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

James 1:2-4 (LEB)

Trials, Testing, and FaithConsider it all joy, my brothers, whenever you encounter various trials,2Trials, Testing, and FaithConsider it all joy, my brothers, whenever you encounter various trials,3because youHere “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“know”) which is understood as causal know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.3because youHere “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“know”) which is understood as causal know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.4And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.4And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.

July 18, 2019 by hldude

Wake-Up Call

“Wake-Up Call”

By Zach Wood

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

We’ve all had experiences that have either scared us or gotten our attention to the point where we make a change. We’ve had friends and family scare us to be funny and we have done the same to others as well. We’ve had moments where certain things scare us in one way or another. Alarm clocks can scare us awake sometimes, right? We don’t like them. I don’t like mine! Why is that little box making that annoying sound?? I want to sleep!!

We all get scared by different things. We also have experiences where our attention quickly focuses back onto someone or something. As humans, we easily become distracted and taken off-course from where we should be focused. It happens every day. I often tell people I have a bad memory. Some things I remember and other things I have to be reminded constantly of because I forget. I hate that! I need to be reminded as well as many of you. We all need reminded of things and need our attention redirected often.

We all need so-called “wake-up calls”. We don’t like them at first, but we find that they are just what we need to refocus on whatever task we need to focus on. God has to do this often in our lives. He works hard to give us “wake-up call” moments so that we will get back into gear and on to the path where He wants us. His Word is full of wisdom, advice and commands to help get us back on the path where we need to be.

His Word should inspire us and teach us what is Truth and make us realize what we are doing wrong in our lives so that we can come back to following Him. His Word points out the bad in our lives so that we will repent and turn back to Him. His Word is alive and active and penetrates deeply into our very souls. His Word is powerful and it needs to often “set us straight” again.

I know we often don’t like the “wake-up calls” we get, but we know we need them and we come to appreciate the ways God uses to bring our attention back to focusing on Him. His Word is to be a lamp unto our feet and a light for our path.

We all need to heed His “wake-up calls”!

Weekly Devotional Blog Site www.zwdevotions.com

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (LEB)

All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness,16All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness,17in order that the person of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.17in order that the person of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

July 10, 2019 by hldude

The Continued Challenge To Love

“The Continued Challenge To Love”

By Zach Wood

2 John 1:6 NLT

Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.

If you were to ask me if I love my family, I would quickly give you an answer of “Of course! Why wouldn’t I?” I strive hard every day to be the husband and father that I know I need to be for my family. It is quite the challenge each day, but I am trying hard and asking God to give me the strength and wisdom I need to be not only a good husband and father, but a Godly one most of all.

While I strive hard to be loving in my home, I also need to remember that I am commanded to love those outside my home as well. I am called to love other people in my family, my co-workers and others I come in contact with on a daily basis. I may not be close to every single person I meet, but God has given me the charge to do my best to love everyone I meet.

Loving can be downright hard to do at times. I find that there are really easy people to love and then there are really difficult people to love. Then, I remember a quote I read recently from TobyMac that says, “Love difficult people. You are one of them.” Ouch! Just a huge dose of reality there! When I think it’s challenging to love others, others find it challenging to love me as well. Tough pill to swallow!

We all have a continued challenge to love others. Every day of my life, I am trying to learn more of what it means to not only love God, but how He wants me to love people around me. In doing that, I am loving God when I love others. It is often hard to love others! We all struggle with it. When we consider it tough to love difficult people, just remember how challenging it was when Christ poured out love to others even when people spit in His face and when they crucified Him. He prayed for them! Wow!

What is our problem with loving other people? God has commanded us to set aside petty differences and do our best to appreciate one another. Even dealing with differences that are hard to live with, we still need to make an effort to show love in any ways we can. We should not only love because He tells us to, but we should desire to love because He loved us and His unconditional love drove Him to the Cross to demonstrate that love. Now that is a dose of deep love!

We have a continued challenge to love each day. What will we do with that challenge?

Weekly Devotional Blog Site www.zwdevotions.com

2 John 1:6 (LEB)

And this is love: that we walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.6And this is love: that we walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.