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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Monday (Tuesday) Morning 6/26/2012


How well do you pay attention? If something is important do you pay full attention? Or are you maybe more interested in what you are doing later? Do you only pay attention until you get bored? Maybe it does not apply to you? Maybe the speaker is not talking about you?

My friends, now is the time to WAKE UP! I think what Jesus was talking about in Matthew Chapter 24 is upon us. Jesus is speaking to each and every one of us. There are wars and rumors about new wars. There was a report on CNN this morning that Mormonism is on the rise. What about Islam? These can be called false teachings. Jesus is exactly right. We need to wake up and PAY ATTENTION! We are being deceived by Satan and the world into thinking everything is just fine. Now is the time to wake up and TRUST GOD!

Are you paying attention only to yourself? Do you look for opportunities to serve others? Do you notice the needs of the community where you live? Do you see the work that is to be done?

American Pastor, Bible teacher, speaker and writer Warren Wiersbe writes, "Our values determine our evaluations. If we value comfort more than character, then trials will upset us. If we value the material and physical more than the spiritual, we will not be able to count it all joy! If we live only for the present and forget about the future, the trials will make us bitter, not better."

We should be involved looking for where we are to serve. Not everyone is called to be a prophet, teacher or Pastor. But we are ALL called to worship, to give ourselves, and to pray.

God does not require THE best. God requires YOUR best. God is saving perfection for us until we get to heaven. While we are here you should do YOUR best. This means giving nothing less than OUR best for His glory. So wake up and stop struggling to make everything “perfect.” We already have “perfect” waiting in heaven for us. While here on earth go for quality. Grow the gifts God has given and use them. Pay attention to what God has already given and done for us.

Wake up and notice how God has called us to:
-          Be witnesses to HIS saving Grace
-          To win souls for Jesus
-          To bring the light of Jesus into a dark world by showing HIM in our life
-          To be a light to brothers and sisters

The world will provide us with everything that is pleasing to our flesh, but it gives us nothing for our soul. If we do not pay attention, the way of Satan, the way of the world can overtake us. Our biggest barrier right now is the words, “I can’t.” Satan is the “father of all lies” and will tell every person they are not able to do something. God has showered this world with grace and mercy more than we can imagine. Focus today, not on the “I can’t,”, but on God’s grace.

Let me ask you something. Are you ready to wake up? Are you ready to face the day? Or do you just prefer to keep hitting the “snooze” button? Wake up and get in the game before it’s too late! There is much to be done. Don’t wait for someone else to do it.

God calls each and every one today of us to be at work for Him. Let’s wake up!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Monday (Wednesday) Morning 6/20/2012


Many people hear the word "commit" and feel that they do not have the ability to make a difference in others' lives. God has gifted each of us in special ways with a purpose in mind. His plan for us involves using these talents to serve Him for the good of others.

Satan would like us to believe otherwise. Our Enemy wants us to notice what others are doing and then to feel inferior. For instance, there have been some who have said, “I cannot commit myself because I am Deaf and nobody showed me how.”

Have you ever really wanted something in your life? Was there ever something you wanted in life more than anything else?
Maybe it was:
• a new job,
• a promotion,
• a spot on the starting team,
• a guy or girl you really wanted to date,
• a car you always wanted,
• lose weight.

What did you do when you committed yourself to get what you wanted?
• Give it your best effort?
• Focus all your energies on it?
• Think about it day and night?
• Devise a plan or strategy to get it?
• Talk about it to anyone who would listen?
• Stick with it until you got it?

What would happen if we gave that same kind of effort in committing ourselves to God? What would happen to us as individuals, as families, as a church if we made this kind of all-out effort to commit ourselves to God until we really found Him?

What kinds of change such a commitment would make in our lives?
• In our prayer life?
• In our priorities?
• In our use of time?
• In our spending habits?
• In our social life?
• In our church attendance?
• In our burden for the lost?
• In our missions commitment?

I can’t help but believe it would literally turn our lives, our homes our church, our community upside down.

We must know where God wants us and where we are. Committing to God often begins with knowing where we are in God’s eyes. Until we recognize just how dry and weary of soul we really are, we will never take steps to do something to correct the situation.

We must see how much God is committed to us. The Psalmist said many times, “O God, you are my God." In Psalm 139 He says, "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me."

We must see God will always be committed to us. God says over and over, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” “Keep your eyes on me.” “Watch and see.”

God wants our commitment to Seek Him in ALL things. The Psalmist says also, "Early will I seek You." This is not a reference to time or morning. The idea here is not necessarily the hour of the day, although the early morning hours are a great time to seek the Lord. This verse means that we need to make seeking the Lord our first priority in life.

So in which group are you today? If you commit it is full commitment. There is no “halfway” form of commitment. Committing yourself to God means to commit fully to His plan for your life. There is no satisfaction or peace in wasting the gifts God gives us to use for His glory.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Monday Morning 6/11/2012


How many of us have faced a situation, not known what to do, and asked some friends what to do? Some will give good advice; some will give advice we don’t need. How many of us ask God for advice and then be patient enough to wait for Him to answer? James says in his letter that if anyone needs wisdom all we need to do is ask. God will then take the opportunity to show us how there is no limit to His Grace, Love, and wisdom.

I don’t know if there have ever been five more powerful words that have ever been spoken. These five words are at the end of Joshua 1:9. “I will be with you.”

Joshua’s mind had to be swimming. He was probably on the edge of letting the situation overwhelm him. God had just told him that because Moses was now dead, and Moses was a great servant, it would now be Joshua to take up leadership of the nation of Israel and lead them into the Promised Land.

God didn’t make it easy either. God drew lines to the north, south, east, and west. God said this is where you belong. Oh, and by the way, I’m giving you your enemies also. “Excuse me, God? Did you say you are “GIVING me the Hittites?” So yeah. Joshua was scrambling for some wisdom.

Not only would Joshua have to take care of this rebellious nation that had frequently overwhelmed Moses, his mentor; but Joshua would have to do so with some of their greatest challenges lying ahead of them. The Promised Land was not yet theirs. There were battles to be fought, a war to be waged, reconstruction of entire cities, the distribution of lands, the governing of this people – all these burdens and responsibilities that Moses had taken care of up to now – they were to fall to him. They were his now alone, while still dealing with the loss of his friend.

But then all Joshua needed to do was to remember that “the Lord said…” It was God who had brought him this assurance.

It was the God who spoke heaven and earth into existence out of thin air.
It was the God whose word had brought his ancient ancestor, Abraham, to Canaan.
It was the God who had also given Abraham children, though he and Sarah were in their later years.
It was the God whose word had now launched Joshua and this people out of slavery in Egypt.
It was the God who had removed every obstacle in their path with powerful signs and wonders.
It was the God who had spoken: “Be strong and courageous.” Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged.
It was the God who said He will be with you wherever you go."

They were words of promise in the face of overwhelming challenges that lifted Joshua’s spirit’s and helped equip him for his tasks.

It’s here where many of us are today, isn’t it. We can focus our thoughts on how God has been a good shepherd of us; providing for us; protecting us. But the one thing that brings us joy in the midst of our struggles, the one thing that gives us strength as we realize that we are not alone in our struggles, is the fact that Jesus, God’s Son, the Good Shepherd is there with us as we walk through this experience called “life.”

He is our comfort and strength when we understand how He laid down his life, when He took on the giants of our sin and death and rose victorious so that even now as we sit in the presence of a great enemy we know that our cup of joy overflows. It is by faith that in Jesus Christ that we dwell in the House of the Lord and we will forever.
Wherever we go, whatever situation we are facing, God is there ahead of us. He has claimed the situation in His name and will use us and the situation to show He alone is powerful and glorious. We are to be strong and courageous because God said, “I am with you.”

Monday, June 4, 2012

Monday Morning 6/4/2012 - For the Rissers

God knows it's Monday. God knows the weekend was either too short or too long. God knows if we hurt, we laughed, or both. God knows the decisions we made and the decisions we didn't make. God knows.


It’s the shortest verse in the Bible. The Apostle John records an event that is so full of emotion and drama and he is able to reduce it to two words: “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35)

 Of course, we all know the rest of the story. Lazarus dies, he’s buried, and four days later, Jesus raises him from the dead. But the day Jesus wept is a day we should take note of a couple things.

First, Jesus could have been there BEFORE Lazarus died. The story clearly shows that Jesus knew Lazarus would die. Jesus KNEW before Lazarus even got sick that Lazarus was going to die.

Jesus did great miracles and healings, and most of those were not planned ahead of time. However the way Jesus responded when He heard that Lazarus was sick tells us Jesus knew what He was doing. Notice before the disciples knew Lazarus had died Jesus told them: “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

And then, Jesus waits two more days after leaning Lazarus had died before going to the family. Both Mary and Martha seemed to think if Jesus had come earlier, Lazarus would not have died.  And they were right! They knew that Jesus had already healed people and even had raised at least two people from the dead.  So they sent for Jesus immediately. But He did not come.  Lazarus died.

And then when Jesus does arrive and sees Mary and Martha upset and crying. Jesus joins in. Jesus wept.
Now, if Jesus knew ahead of time Lazarus was going to die, why weep? And if He knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, even before he arrives at the grave, why shed tears?

Why would He weep? Well, He wept because He saw Mary and the others weeping. It broke His heart.
This shows us something. It shows there may be times when it feels like Jesus does not show up when we think we need Him the most. We don’t like that idea. We are not comfortable with it. But He is with us, weeping for us, grieving for us. We’re hurting. We’re suffering. We’re losing. And when that happens there’s a part of us that wants to say: “Jesus… if you’d only been here this wouldn’t have happened!”

There are times that God allows us to be uncomfortable in our lives. God allows things we don’t like to happen. He has His reasons but most times it’s because He has something He wants to change in our life. He wants to “fix” something. He wants to heal something. And it’s because ahead of time He knows something better can happen.

And that was what Jesus did for Lazarus. Jesus brought suffering into Lazarus’ life to give his life a greater purpose. People knew Lazarus was a close family friend. But, from the day Jesus raised him from the dead, Lazarus went from being a friend to becoming a partner in His ministry! It was when Jesus came to Lazarus’ grave that He declared His most powerful statement of His ministry: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26

And we’re told that – because Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead: “Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen.” (John 11:45)

So when Jesus didn’t show up before Lazarus died, there was a reason. Jesus wanted to bring about the faith of those for whom He was going to die.

But still, Jesus wept. Why? Its Because God takes no pleasure in our suffering. He knows our pain and sorrows. And even when He allows us to suffer for our own good He knows it hurts us and He’s saddened because of what we go through.

That’s why Jesus wept.

Romans 8:26 says, that when we don’t know what to say or how to say something, the Holy Spirit’s job in our lives is to communicate the depths of our emotions to God the Father. There will be times in our lives when we may not know how to express our pain and suffering. And even if we could put those feelings into words – it wouldn’t begin to touch how deeply we hurt.

But that doesn’t matter! When Jesus is Savior and Lord of our life, God KNOWS precisely how you and I feel at every moment in our lives.

He cares for you.
He understands you.
He loves you so much He wants you to know that He feels your deepest sorrows.

My Father in Law, Mahlon Risser, is a man of God. He has been an example and model for me as a man, father, husband, and Christian. In this time of waiting and sorrow as Mahlon continues to minister to His family from a hospital bed, we can know that God knows, God cares, and God loves us so much.