October 1 - All Things Considered

 Read today’s texts first: Zechariah 10-12; Psalm 126; Luke 14

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Our churches are filled with undiscipled disciples
who think they can just add Jesus to their life. 

Jan and I, along with a group of families from Northside Church, planted a church a few years ago called NorthRidge.  I had the privilege of being the lead pastor which meant I got to speak every Sunday morning.  A surprisingly large number came to the church through the carnivals we put on for the community every year.  They were largely unchurched and I had hoped to see many coming forward to receive Jesus each week after every sermon.  When I asked my brother (pastor of our mother church) why that wasn’t happening, he said that you don’t want them to respond just to an emotional appeal.  You want them to count the cost first because you are asking them to give up their whole life!

The Luke reading starts with an open invitation to everyone to come to the table (the kingdom).  But as the multitudes began following Jesus, He quickly thinned out the crowd with comments like putting Him ahead of your family and your own life, picking up your cross, considering the costs, giving up all of your possessions, and allowing Him to lay a whole new foundation on which to build a completely new life. 

If we want disciples to remain they had better be fully aware of what they are getting into.  Jesus gave His life for us, but He expects a similar response from us – He wants us to give our lives to Him.  We have been bought and paid for with His blood.  Our churches are filled with undiscipled disciples who think they can just add Jesus to their life, but without a completely renovated foundation they will never survive the storms of life.

“Lord, while the costs of following You are considerable, the rewards are literally out of this world.  Show me what I still need to give back to You and what I need to say to others who are still considering the costs.”

October Devotion - Gratitude Is The Best Attitude

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. “Well,” she said, “I think I'll braid my hair today!” So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. “Hmmm,” she said, “I think I'll part my hair down the middle today!” So she did and had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. “Okay,” she said, “today I get to wear my hair in a ponytail!” So she did and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn’t a single hair on her head. “Yea!” she exclaimed, “I don't have to fix my hair today!”

While that story may not be true, the moral is. Those who choose an attitude of gratitude each day tend to be happier, healthier, and more fulfilled. Thankfulness reduces stress, lifts depression, and apparently improves our heart rate and blood pressure. It also does wonders for our social life – people are attracted to those who look at others with appreciation instead of expectation.

Charles Swindoll once wrote: “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. It is more important than education, than money, than failures, than successes, than circumstances, than whatever anyone might say or do. It is more important than appearances, giftedness or skill.

“The remarkable thing is that we have the choice to create the attitude we have for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the way people act. We cannot change the inevitable. The one thing we can change is the only thing we have control over, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what actually happens to us and 90% how we react to it.”

Paul, the apostle, said it even better, thanks to the inspiration of God Himself: Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (1 Thess. 5:16-18).  Let’s take these words to heart, not just on Thanksgiving weekend, but throughout the month of October - good hair day or not!