Time With God
A devotional trip through the Bible with a caring community to support, love and care for each other... while spending Time With God. If you would like our daily email version of this podcast send me a note to info@pinegrovecommunitychurch.com
TWG - July 31, 2008
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TWG - July 31, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 14:1-32; Psalm 66; Acts 19:23-41
Today is July 31, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. We are doing something of eternal significance. We are redeeming the time. That is one of the basic premises of TWG. We believe that what we do every day is so important that we must do the important things each day. That is why we read the word every Day
I feel a jingle coming! What a busy day it was again! (you make up the tune). I worked most of the day preparing Vacation Bible School Stuff. I copied 265 mailers – they are ready to fold. I got most of the mailing list ready. I printed 11 13X19 posters for distribution and go the tear off’s ready to glue on. I even made my own “perforator!” So I can perforate paper. Is that cool or what? I printed out half of the attendance cards – they are ready to cut up. I printed out the Road Signs. They are ready for contact paper. I also published a new radio broadcast to the internet. Then I ran to NUBF to drop off Some David Harsh Concert Posters (Concert this Sunday 10 AM at Pine Grove – 6 PM at Melrose Church) I talked a while to Penney G. Turns out she grew up near me! Then I visited with Bill & Helen – they gave us some leaf lettuce. I put a picture of Joaie on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. Check it out. It was great to see her back at church Sunday!
This week’s theme verse is Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:19 says, “Having boldness to enter the Holy of holies by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way.” This is the first goal of Sunday come to meetin’ Church: Enter God’s presence. True worship always begins when you direct your heart toward God. I think the best way to understand this is to draw a picture. The Temple in the OT was huge. When you entered the outer gates you where in “the court of the Gentiles.” Thousands upon thousands of people could congregate there. After crossing the yard you would encounter a balustrade, a low fence with a sign on it warning that Gentiles were to come no further or face certain death. We are going in anyway! We will enter the Temple through the Beautiful Gate. Now we are in the Court Of Women. But we are going further. The next room is the Court Of Men. Now we are as close as the average Jew ever got to God’s presence. But we are going deeper! Beyond the court of men is the Holy Place where the altar of incense, the shew bread and the Menorah are. This is as far as the average Priest ever made it. This is close to God! But we are going all the way! Once a year, one priest got to enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the nation! That’s where the precious Ark of the Covenant lay. We are now directly in the presence of God! Because of the blood of Jesus, we common Gentiles can now come right into His presence! A place only 1 out of a million Jews ever got to go in a lifetime in the OT! So I suggest this. When you sit down in church, imagine entering the Holiest place in heaven! Visualize it! Realize it! That’s where we get to go! Focus your mind on Jesus and His glory. Close out the trivial conversations that surround you and concentrate on God alone! Hebrews 10:22 adds, “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” Now that you are in God’s presence, draw near to Him. This can be done in prayer and in song, but mostly it’s done in the sincerity of your heart. You must choose to center your thoughts on the Almighty God and place him on the throne of your life. A prayer for the beginning of every Church service could be, “Father. I am your child. I want to draw nearer to you with all my heart. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. Whatever you show me from your Word I will do. I am listening for your still small voice. Give me the faith to carry out all your instructions to me!” Now we can do church!
Father. I am your child. I want to draw nearer to you with all my heart. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. Whatever you show me from your Word I will do. I am listening for your still small voice. Give me the faith to carry out all your instructions to me!” Now we can do church!
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 9:54 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2008TWG - July 30, 2008
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TWG - July 30, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 13: 29-59; Psalm 65; Acts 19:1-22
Today is July 30, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. You are part of a devotional community where we put Christ first and our commitment is to spend time with each other and Time with God every day.
Sometimes it just doesn’t seem like I make much progress. Lot’s of good intentions, but… when you have to go to the engineer’s house (Ed’s) and it seems like he takes two hours to do nothing… no fun. Then it was to church where I worked on the new church directory with Jeannie. Susan stopped in to work in the office. I spent some time talking about VBS with Marcia. Esther and Isaiah came over for some hugs and candy. After work I played Tennis with Phil. It was a tie 1 set to 1. Then it was off to men’s meeting. We had a good time. I meant to make it to the men’s softball game, but time ran out on me. I put a picture of Bob and Jackie on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. Check it out. I ran into them at the Sanctus Real concert. Bob had been moved by the lord to donate a kidney to a needy Christian! Wow!
This week’s theme verse is Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
OK, just for sake of argument, let’s say we set aside one whole day of the week as the “Lord’s Day.” What in the world do we do all day long! Rest? (Not a bad idea when you are as old as I am). I want to suggest six activities that you should do every Lord’s day. You will find all six of these in Hebrews 10:19-25. #1 Enter God’s presence. #2 Endeavor to draw nearer to God. #3 Seek cleansing. #4 Resolve to be faithful. #5 Serve one other. #6 Encourage one another. These are essentials. The first two are mostly God focused. Three and four are more introspective and the last two are focused on others. That’s the sum of it. Our day should be focused on God, self and others. God should be first. True worship always begins with the Almighty. For you church really begins when you direct your heart toward God. That’s what Praise and Thanksgiving are all about. Praise is when you tell God just how great he is. Thanksgiving is when you give God credit for the many great things he has done for you. This can be done in prayer and in song, but mostly it’s done in the sincerity of your heart. You must choose to center your thoughts on the Almighty God and place him on the throne of your life just as he is on the throne of the universe. It means that you choose to leave the distractions of your neighbors and the petty conversations and whisperings out of your worship experience and concentrate on God alone. The second part of your worship experience should be to shine an intense spotlight on your own heart. Listening to the Holy Spirit while we pray and while the Word is taught is a skill we must earnestly develop. At times God will convict us of sin, and we should immediately confess it, resolve to forsake it and determine to live a life of faithfulness. Self evaluation and a willingness to let the Holy Spirit speak is crucial to the Lord’s Day. The third aspect of the Lord’s Day Worship is a focus on others. You have not really done church unless you have come full circle to the needs of the body of Christ. Sunday is a day of service. Every Christian should make it their goal to do works of mercy and encouragement on Sunday. Some will teach, others will sing, still others will “serve tables” in a ministry of helps. But the day of service does not end after the morning service. Every Christian ought to be engaged in works of love and mercy outside of the Worship Service. This is a great day for visiting the sick and shut in. It is also a day for intentional evangelism. Whatever works of service God has gifted you to do… make sure you practice your good works on this day to your family, your church and your community. All for the purpose of encouragement and evangelism. That will keep you so busy you won’t have time to wonder what in the world does a Christian do on Sunday!
Dear Father: Help me to hold your day as holy. Help me to worship you in spirit and in truth. I want to really have this important three part focus that puts you first, prepares my heart for needed changes and then serves others. Please help me to keep Christ the center of my Sunday.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and warning one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 10:34 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Tuesday, Jul 29, 2008TWG - July 29, 2008
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TWG - July 29, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 13:1-28; Psalm 64; Acts 18
Today is July 29, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. T This is your invitation to take one step forward every day in your relationship with Christ. We invite you to do something unbelievably radical. We invite you to deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Jesus
Another day off is past. Yesterday Susan and I spent most of the day moving our 10X14 shed. It was in the middle of our back yard, and we wanted it at the far end. I got fence posts for rollers and put down 2X4s to roll it on. It took us a while. We had to get blocks out from under and remove anchors. But… now it is next to the fence! Yahoo! Later in the day I worked out with Kyle & Marcia. We walked for 40 minutes. And then I went to watch a church softball massacre er game I mean. Don’t know what the score was, but we lost. I put a picture of Chris & Christiana & Greg at our Discovery Class BBQ on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. Check it out.
This week’s theme verse is Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
What causes Christians to miss church? Why would the writer of Hebrews have to tell them to get back in there? I thought Christians and Church went together like peanut butter and chocolate? #1 Back then one reason could have been fear of persecution. If they went to church, they were marked! We American Christians don’t have much fear of that yet. But there may have been other reasons. #2 Lack of interest. Some people don’t see their need for church. “I can worship God in nature better than I can in church! When I look at the trees, mountains and rivers, I feel closer to God than I ever have in church.” Since when has a tree ever taught your children scriptural values? Or when was the last time you discipled or encouraged a river? Is nature God’s plan for evangelizing the world? No matter how nice, you won’t find God’s church in nature. But let’s try some other substitutions for church. “I feel closer to God when I’m on drugs!” You’ve got to be kidding! No! I am not! I’ve honestly, actually heard someone say this to me! And their lips were moving! My brain could not believe what my ears were hearing! Nature? Drugs? Why not prostitution or paint ball? Hey! If you are just looking for your “happy place” why not just have a lobotomy and get it over with! Then you can be happy forever! If you check your brains out at the door, you most certainly won’t need church. It doesn’t matter what the excuse, the church IS the body of Christ, and you can get it nowhere else but the church. #3 Another reason for neglect: Dissatisfaction with the preacher or the people or the programs. The church I go to isn’t perfect. But abandoning it won’t help. Why not be part of the solution? Why not restore relationships with the people there and jump in with both feet to make it work as it should! #4 One last reason: Doubts about the necessity of it. “Who needs it? Where does it say in the Bible that going to church makes me a Christian?” It doesn’t. But it does say that “Christ loves the church.” If you love Christ, you will love what he loves. And we know that if you love something you want to spend as much time as possible there. There are over 100 mentions of the word “church” in the New Testament. The book of Acts which is our History has twenty. Here are a few salient verses: “The Lord ADDED to the church daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:47. “The number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.” Acts 6:2 “Then the churches… were multiplied.” Acts 9:31 In fact if you take the church out of the book of Acts you get nothing! No New Testament! No Apostle Paul! No Christianity! Christianity and the church are virtually synonymous. Try this: remove the church from the New Testament and see how much you have left? You might have a verse or two… like these, “Judas went out and hanged himself!” “Go thou and do likewise!” “And whatever you do, do it quickly!”
Dear Jesus, you are the Lord of the Church. I am part of the Body. I wish to be the kind of member of your church that you want me to be. I want to avoid excuses and begin to make an impact in my world and in my community. I want to see people changed for the glory of God!
Above all things put on love And let the peace of God rule in your hearts and be thankful.
Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 10:07 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Monday, Jul 28, 2008TWG - July 28, 2008
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TWG - July 28, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 12; Psalm 63; Acts 17:16-34
Today is July 28, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. Together we are strong. As we walk though the word together we help each other grow.
It was a wonderful weekend. Saturday we had a joyous celebration of Don Zimmermann’s life. Thanks to all who helped put that on. It is a great thing to remember the life of those who love the Lord. Sunday we had a great time of worship – John’s brother Phil who is in an Army band was with us and played the clarinet. It was just a wonderful time of worship. We talked about “building up your Spiritual Quotient.” An essential of the Christian life – grow! After the service we went to Dave and Barb’s for our Discovery Class Potluck. What great hosts, and what a lot of fun. But the day wasn’t over yet. Susan and I headed to the Sanctus Real Concert where I handed out 300 flyers about our upcoming David Harsh concert! I put a picture of the youth at the concert posing with GI Johnny on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. Check it out.
This week’s theme verse is Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together. The Old Testament Jews gathered together on the Sabbath - their day of rest and worship. Christians assemble together on Sunday, the Lord’s Day - our day. Do you have a “theology of worship?” Do you have a guiding principle for how you celebrate the Lord’s Day? You should. You should think your way through the “Lord’s Day” and you should be able to pin to your refrigerator some salient truths about how God wants you to worship. The first truth worth putting on your refrigerator magnet is this: God doesn’t want you to miss church (negative) or God wants you in church (positive). That much is obvious from this passage. While many in the early church preached, taught and evangelized on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and every day, Sunday is the “default” Day of Worship for the Christian. The Sabbath is observed by the Jew because it points back to the “Seventh Day” when God rested from his work of creating the universe. The first Christians were Jews and they kept meeting on the Sabbath with their fellow Jews in the synagogue, but they added a new day to their worship experience – The Lord’s Day! In Acts 20:7 we see that they had a regular habit of meeting on the first day of the week to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. That ought to become part of our “Lord’s Day Theology.” And don’t forget the preaching. In this passage Paul preached until the wee hours of the morning! In 1 Cor 16:2 Paul commanded them to take an offering on the Lord’s Day. The Lord’s Day is observed by Christians because it points back to the day of Resurrection when Jesus “rested” from his work of redeeming the universe. Ever since that earth shattering event, Christians have gathered on Sunday! The Lord’s Supper is meant to be taken “in remembrance of me!” That is what Sunday is all about… a day to stop and ponder the cross; A day to pause and focus on spiritual things; A day to celebrate the joy and wonder of the resurrected Christ. We ought to assemble together on the Lord’s Day because “we are the church!” And as the church we have a responsibility to set aside some time to magnify the resurrected Savior Jesus Christ. That’s what it’s all about.
Dear Lord Jesus: I will worship you. I will honor you by honoring your day. I will set aside Your Day to worship, serve and honor you. Please forgive me for taking the day for granted to be used commonly as a day of recreation or a day of work. It is Your day, and I choose to keep it in remembrance of You!
My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 10:54 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Saturday, Jul 26, 2008TWG- July 25, 2008
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TWG - July 25, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 11; Psalm 62; Acts 17:1-15
Today is July 25, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. TWG is a complete turn of events; it is a 180 degree turn around. God is changing us and turning us around as a community. This is not business as usual, this is transforming, this is spiritual, this is essential.
It was a very sunny and productive day yesterday. Got the bulletin done, worked on Sunday’s message about building up your “SQ.” Made several phone calls – forgot to work on the David Harsh Concert. Jayn was there most of the day helping Craig the cleaning guy clean over 100 chairs! A lot of work! Carl and Sonja were there. Sonja was making nearly 200 rolls for Saturday’s memorial service. Doris stopped in with some ham for Saturday. After work I played Tennis with Shaphen and Phil. Phil won 5 to 3 to 2. Then John and I visited John and Casey for a follow up call after they had received Christ. You can check out that conversation at honest-answers.myblogspot.com I put a picture of Jayn and Craig cleaning chairs in the new building on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. Check it out.
This week’s theme verse is 2 Peter 1:5-10 giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble
Be diligent to make your election sure! If there ever appeared to be a contradiction in terms, this sentence is it! Work hard to be sure you are one of the elect! I know several people who believe that since God is sovereign - in complete control, they don’t have to do anything at all because whatever happens is destined to happen anyway. They don’t witness because God’s going to save who he’s going to save. They don’t vote because God’s got the vote rigged anyway. I suppose they don’t brush their teeth or eat either because if God wants their teeth clean he’ll do it himself. And if God doesn’t want them to starve He’ll feed the intravenously! (That one may actually happen if you DON’T eat! The paramedics will come and they will hook you to life support and they will feed you intravenously!) One of the biggest crocks of nonsense that was ever dreamed up by the Angel of Light himself (His Deviousness, the Devil) is the concept that Since God is in ultimate control, I have to do nothing, nada, zilch! In the words of that great meat ball packer Oscar Meyer, “Baloney!” I have no doubt that God get’s tired of being blamed for our excuses and laziness. Such lazy boy theology borders on the blasphemous and may be hazardous to your health. A sizzling bolt of lightning from the almighty may well be aimed your way! Look, all you have to do is read at the Great Commission and the other 6,468 commands in the Bible (5388 in the Old and 1080 in the New for those of you who didn’t know!) and you realize that God doesn’t want us to make any excuses for sitting around doing nothing! He wants us to witness and he wants us to be diligent to make our election sure! To make your election sure is somewhat like a skier checking off all his body parts to be sure they are still intact after he’s had a yard sale coming off Pike’s Peak! Hands? “here!” Feet? “Accounted for!” Stomach? Stomach! (muffled answer) “I’mmmm hrrrrr inn yrrrrrr throat!” To make our election sure, we check off our “Christian body parts;” Faith? “here.” Virtue? “Accounted for!” Knowledge? “Suspect but present!” Self control? Self Control! “Yeah, yeah, I’m working on it!” If you are a Christian, live like it! Don’t blame God or anyone else for your failure to live right! Take responsibility, gather your courage and determine to live for Jesus!
Dear Father, I know that you are the blessed controller of all things. And because I know that I know that you want me to obey you and to become like you. I confess my excuses and reject them. I want to become just like you Lord! I want to make my election sure!
Brethren, I do not think I have made it yet; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 8:21 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Thursday, Jul 24, 2008TWG - July 24, 2008
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TWG - July 24, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 10; Psalm 61; Acts 16:16-40
Today is July 24, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. We are doing something of eternal significance. We are redeeming the time. That is one of the basic premises of TWG. We believe that what we do every day is so important that we must do the important things each day. That is why we read the word every Day
Yes I did make it to engineer Ed’s house yesterday. After a few hours I took our boundary line adjustment to the Surveyors’ office! Today I will call for a final inspection on our new building! Evie and Marcia were at Church when I got there working on VBS stuff. We tried to decide where to put our opening and closing ceremonies. Bill & Helen stopped in with Helen’s sister Peggy to show her the Amphitheater and new building. I did some more work on Don’s memorial service video. I also did some calling about our Discovery Class BBQ and I talked to several people about music practice. I put a picture of Allan & Alyssa on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. They are a couple I’m doing pre-marital counseling with. Check it out.
This week’s theme verse is 2 Peter 1:5-10 giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble
Let’s talk about the wayward Christian. In fact let’s say that “Wayward Wayne” exhibits the negative side of each of these eight godly characteristics in these verses. Instead of faith, Wayne doubts that God is really in control of all things. Instead of virtue, he has become immoral. He has stopped reading the word and shows little interest in Spiritual things. He flies off at the handle in anger and makes no attempt to control his emotions or passions. When difficulty comes he doubts that a Good God could allow them. He rarely prays and is distracted when he does come to church. He seemingly cares less about the needs of others and is always out for number one. I know a few “Wayward Waynes” and they are not happy people! They react bitterly to God and look miserable to me. I am amazed at the way God treats the wayward Christian. I know there are some who believe that if you don’t live right, God will “unchristianize” you. But that clearly contradicts this passage and a mountain of other texts. Rather than recharacterize Wayward Wayne as a wolf, the Bible pictures him as a straying sheep. Listen to what this says to the “lacking” Christian; he is “barren” and “unfruitful.” He is “shortsighted, even to blindness and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.” He isn’t “sure” about his “call and election.” He has “stumbled.” That can’t be good! Being a son who is being disciplined by the Father in the woodshed of life has got to be one of the most wretched places on the planet! Without the 8 virtues of 2 Peter 1 Wayward Wayne is “shortsighted.” This is a really interesting word in the Greek. It pictures a proud blind man who puts up the smokescreen that he can see! It has to do with spiritual blindness. The second word “blind” is one which means that Wayne is nearsighted and has cataracts! He can’t see anything far away and what he does see is very dim, murky and blurred. He is doubly blind. Since he can’t see any further than the nose on his own face, he can’t remember that he was cleansed from his old sins. It seems so long ago that he experienced the joy of cleansing and rebirth. It is such a faint memory and so otherworldly that it seems like it relates to someone else. This is a sad and sorry state! There is nothing more pitiful and pathetic than a Christian who has strayed into sin. Wayward Wayne is the must unhappy of men in the entire universe. The Holy Spirit who lives inside him has filled his entire body with the anti-toxins of conviction. His whole being is reacting to this powerful convicting ministry. Don’t let waywardness happen to you! Remember the heights from which you have fallen and do the 8 virtues from 2 Peter 1. Snap out of it buddy!
Dear Spirit of God. I know that you are convicting me of my sin. I want to turn from my waywardness and walk with you in sweet fellowship once again! Please open my eyes so that I may see wonderful things from your word. I want to have the freshness of my conversion experience wash over me like forgiveness on a beautiful spring day. I want to get right and stay right with you!
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain
Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 10:14 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Wednesday, Jul 23, 2008TWG - July 23, 2008
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TWG - July 23, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 9; Psalm 60; Acts 16:1-15
Today is July 23, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. You are part of a devotional community where we put Christ first and our commitment is to spend time with each other and Time with God every day.
Groan! I went to Ed the Engineer’s house yesterday morning. Absolutely nothing accomplished. I have to be back there this morning as well… Groan! I sure hope we get this boundary line adjustment finished soon. It’s really getting old! (like 3 years old). Then it was off to work. I worked on Don’s memorial service for quite a bit of the day. The Rescue Mission truck came and so did Carl & Sonja. We got rid of all the excess Garage Sale stuff. Cary dropped in for a long talk and prayer. We had a great time! Back at the house we had eleven kids for our 5 day club! Pray for them. After work I quickly dispatched Phil in two sets of tennis! Yahoo! Then it was off to men’s meeting with the guys. Had a great time! I put a picture of frowning David on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. I don’t think he wanted his pic taken. Check it out.
This week’s theme verse is 2 Peter 1:5-10 giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble
OK… how did you score yesterday? Do you have room for improvement? Me too, Lots of room! I have lots of work to do. It takes hard work to produce character, especially if you have years and years of bad habits to break. It’s not going to be easy. In order to develop character you have to develop good habits, or in the biblical way of saying it, you have to “bear good fruit.” But Dumping bad habits and developing good habits must take place at the same time. In order to put off the old man, we have to put on the new man. In order to stop eating poorly, I have to start eating right… etc. So how long does it take to ingrain a new habit? Some people say 30 days, some 100 days; but that’s the crazy thing about a habit… once you stop, it’s no longer a habit. So the answer is you have to keep doing it as long as you shall live. In the vernacular of 2 Peter 1:8 you need to make it “yours.” It needs to be in you and abound. For example, don’t just be satisfied with a little self-control, become a Vulcan! (Remember Spock? Star Trek for those of you who don’t know what a Vulcan is!) Determine to become a master at controlling your passions, not just an average “Trekee”… make it abound! The best way to make it abound is to make it worth your time. One reason we don’t develop good habits is because we can’t see much progress or we don’t experience the value of it. We must define what we want to become in terms of value: #1 “I don’t want to be barren” (negative). #2 I do want to “be fruitful” (positive). What benefit will dumping the old habit and getting the new habit have? I hate to say it, but one of the reasons we can’t dump bad habits is that they feel soooooo good when we do them (not so good later)! Instant gratification is a huge habit making machine! The high! The buzz! The adrenaline rush! Oh what a feeling! Recent research from MIT shows that the brain lights up like the Los Vegas strip when we get these rewards! But learning a good habit can be very slow. It takes many repetitions and must be reinforced with positive feedback. If you don’t get automatic immediate gratification for the good habit then you may need to find a way to reward yourself in it’s place. Throw a personal party! Take a cookie break! Slap yourself on the back! Call an accountability partner and scream, “wooo ha!” together – or something like that! Keep at it. Keep reminding yourself of who you want to become. Repeat it over and over! And you will be on the road to character. Oh, and one other thing… “Self-discipline is the ability to make yourself do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not.” Nice.
Dear Father. I want to be like you. I don’t want to be barren. I do want to be fruitful. I want to make these character qualities “mine” and I want them to abound. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit so that I can exhibit the fruits of the Spirit. Make me just like Jesus.
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 10:25 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Tuesday, Jul 22, 2008TWG - July 22, 2008
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TWG - July 22, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 8; Psalm 59; Acts 15:22-42
Today is July 22, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. This is your invitation to take one step forward every day in your relationship with Christ. We invite you to do something unbelievably radical. We invite you to deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Jesus
Yesterday was a stay at home day. In the morning I mowed the lawn. Out back I hit a big rock and I think I ruined my lawnmower! It is spewing white smoke. Then I did a bit of tilling in preparation to move my shed. And boy do I feel scratchy again today. I don’t know what is in my backyard, but it always feels like poison oak after I mow it down! After that it was time for our first 5 day club. We had seven kids from the neighborhood! Great start! We hope more will come today. Pray for them. I put a picture of Rowdy Ruyle, the winner of the Faster Pastor on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. Check it out.
This week’s theme verse is 2 Peter 1:5-10 giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble
Faith alone saves, but faith should never be alone. Faith is like Vanilla Ice Cream. I just happen to love plain Vanilla. But for most of you, Vanilla is not enough. You want chocolate chips, Carmel topping, strawberries, bananas, sprinkles and who knows what else! Vanilla tastes just fine by itself but if you add other ingredients, wow! It tastes great! Faith alone is good! But if you add a few sweet toppings like virtue, knowledge and brotherly kindness, wow! Faith is so much better! As Christians, we should exhibit godly behaviors… it’s all a part of the maturity process. You should be adding Christian Character to your life every day. Hey, how about rating your maturity? I’ll tell you what. I’ll give a single sentence of explanation of each of Peter’s eight character qualities and you rate yourself between 1 and 4 on how well you are doing at it. 1 = not doing well at all. 2 = developing. 3= proficient. And 4 = exceptional! That will give you some idea of how “mature” you are in Christ and what you need to do to grow:
1. Faith: Trust… complete confidence in God and his plan for you
2. Virtue: Purity… doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong (defeating temptation)
3. Knowledge: Learning… getting more and more grounded in the truths of the Word of God
4. Self-control: Mastery… to be able to control thoughts, desires and passions especially sexually
5. Perseverance: Endurance… never giving up on God even in the greatest trials and sufferings
6. Godliness: Reverence… demonstrating the proper worship and respect for God
7. Brotherly kindness: Neighborliness… recurrent acts of charity and kindness to your Christian family
8. Love: selflessness… unconditional acceptance mixed with self denial placing the interests of others first
So, take your time and review these 8 qualities. Be honest with yourself and find out where you lack, where you are growing, and where you are strong. Let me suggest a rating scale. 1-8 Poor – you have some serious flaws that must be mended. 9-16 Not so good – You still have a lot of work to do. 17-24 – Fair. But come on, we are looking for maturity. If all you want to be is average, maturity is not for you! 25-32. In the Zone! This is the goal you want to reach and this is where you want to stay. With all honesty… I didn’t quite make it into the zone by my own calculations. Did you? If not, I guess the two of us had better begin praying and make the changes that will lead to maturity.
Dear Holy Spirit! I need your transforming power to grow up in all these 8 magnificent qualities. I want your grace and forgiveness for failing you. Please help me to develop the disciplines needed for a godly life. Most of all I want to reach that one lofty goal: I want to have love!
But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 10:23 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Monday, Jul 21, 2008TWG - July 21, 2008
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TWG - July 21, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus7; Psalm 58; Acts 15:1-21
Today is July 21, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. Together we are strong. As we walk though the word together we help each other grow.
The week is over and no, I am not the “faster pastor.” I did go to the Douglas County Speedway on Saturday and “Mad Dog Dennis” raced his heart out against 16 other pastors. It was a blast. By the “luck of the draw” I got a mini van! What’s that about! I took second in my heat, but in the finals, it wasn’t even a contest. The van was gutless! I gave her all she could take and there was just no catching those faster pastors. I took 5th. I did however have some exciting moments, almost colliding with “Rowdy Ruyle” from Melrose Church, and a couple of power slides on corner 2! Mike told me that I was the “crowd favorite!” I put a picture of me in the car on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. Check it out.
This week’s theme verse is 2 Peter 1:5-10 giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble
I have all kinds of pithy sayings about work like, “I love hard work! I could sit and watch someone work hard all day long!” And “hard work never killed anyone” (I’m not sure that one is true), and “hard work can be defined as a lot of little jobs left undone.” I admire people who are hard workers, and I have a low estimation of those who aren’t. In fact, I have to admit a bias: I kind of look down my nose at those who are lazy! Maybe I’m a bit partial because the Bible encourages such a strong work ethic and because I like to work with people I can depend on to do their job! I bet you have some of those feelings too. But how is your work ethic when it comes to your faith? Do you “work at faith?” Remember Faith alone without Works is “saving faith.” But Faith is never alone. True Faith – works. 2 Peter 1:5 informs us that we should “work hard” to add to our faith… Diligence is an important component to the Christian life. Imagine that Faith is equivalent to getting hired to a new job… call it “God’s Company.” It does take faith on both sides; you have to have faith that the company is solvent and will pay you, the company has to have faith that you will make a good employee. Being an employee has its benefits; good pay, insurance and retirement (we hope). But now that you are an employee, the question is what kind of employee are you going to be in “God’s Company?” Can the other employees depend on you to do your job? Do you show up on time, prepared and ready to work? Are you easy to get along with or are you “the employee from hell” that the rest of us hate to work with? Do you make every attempt to improve your skill set and your leadership abilities so that you are more valuable to the company? God’s kingdom is “the company.” We are his servants, his employees. There is work to be done. God intends that we be diligent at it. The idea here is that we are quick to do our duty, we are in earnest and serious about doing God’s work, and we do it carefully and thoroughly. All this talk of work makes me wonder… if you were getting paid in cash to do God’s Work, would you live your Christian life any different than you do now? Money talks! Raise my wages and I’ll work harder! How do you get better wages than rewards in heaven? I don’t know. All I know is this: As a Pastor, I’m paid to be good. The rest of you are good for nothing!
Dear Lord Jesus. You are my Lord, my boss. I choose to obey you. Give me your orders and I will follow them. I have signed up to work hard with all my heart, attitude and all that I have. Forgive me for slacking off on company time. I love working and living for Jesus!
You are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people." Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty."
Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 10:47 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Saturday, Jul 19, 2008TWG - July 19, 2008
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TWG - July 19, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 6; Acts 14
Today is July 19, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. TWG is a covenant to seek the LORD God with all our heart and with all our soul. If you seek Him, He will be found by you.
I don’t know how the day could possibly go so quickly. I’m not even sure what I did! Maybe it will come back to me. I know that I worked on my message. I grabbed my laptop and headed to the creek. I set up a table in my “executive office” with the beautiful stream running through it and went to work on a message called “what’s your SQ?” (Spiritual Quotient) John stopped in and we spent some time talking about the ministry and spent some time in prayer. During breaks I played a little in the water. After work, it was back inside for music practice. Then It was home again, home again. I put a picture of Kate on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. Check it out.
This week’s theme verse is 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 “no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
Wood, hay and stubble don’t sound that bad on the face of it. Wood is useful for building material. Hay feeds horses, and stubble makes a good barn floor. I think you’re missing the point. The point is that no matter how nice it seems to you, when you add gas, it burns. Any work, no matter how good, once tested at the fires of what we call the “Bema Seat Judgment” is only as good as the product it produces. If it burns it’s bad! How bad? How bad are ashes? Shall we compare the ashes of wood to hay? How about stubble? Does it matter? Ashes are ashes! Let’s compare two Christians. The first we will call “Goodie Two Shoes.” Goodie is a very nice guy and doesn’t do a lot wrong… but he’s not living for Jesus. He doesn’t lie, cheat, steal, hate, do stupid stuff and has never been in jail. But when his works are tested he comes up ashes. That’s bad news for Goodie. The second Christian we’ll call “Anti-Social Andy.” Andy is not a great guy. He’s grumpy, crass, a practical joker… he tells lies when it suits his purposes, doesn’t mind “procuring” a few spare parts when no one else is looking (that’s stealing!), he’s been known to swear… he calls himself a Christian, but he’s had an affair! He is not living for Jesus. To everyone’s surprise Andy shows up in line at the “Bema Seat.” He made it after all! He is a Christian, even if he was a lousy example of what a Christian is. His works are tested and they come up ashes! Compare Goodie’s ashes to Andy’s – Oh look! They are both, hmm, ashes! Indistinguishable! They both were burnt up. Please pay attention to what verse 15 says “he himself will be saved!” I don’t think that’s a compliment! I think Paul said that out of disgust. Barely saved. Saved by a hair. Saved “as though through fire.” Smelling like smoke. Snatched from the fires of hell. Good thing Salvation is based on God’s grace and not my works or some of us would be taking the first elevator down on that day! This is another way that God pounds home the point, Salvation is “Eternal” life. We are saved eternally. But once saved, it’s a question of what we do with that wonderful gift. You can put yours under the coffee table and let it gather dust, or you can start living for Jesus. Remember this is not just ETERNAL life. It is also eternal LIFE! Live it for Jesus because your life’s work will be tested. I know I don’t deserve to be saved. And I know I don’t deserve a reward. There’s only one way to turn ashes into gold – by grace through faith. Walk in the spirit and let God empower your works and you’ll have the Midas Touch.
Dear Father: Thank you for the gift of Eternal life. I didn’t deserve it then, and I don’t deserve it now, but I thank you for your grace. And I certainly don’t deserve any bonuses like rewards… they too are by your grace. But I want to walk in the Spirit. I want to live my life by faith. Please help me to live in such a way that you are blessed by my life!
So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him
Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 9:54 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Friday, Jul 18, 2008TWG - July 18, 2008
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TWG - July 18, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 5; Psalm 57; Acts 13:13-52
Today is July 18, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. TWG is a complete turn of events; it is a 180 degree turn around. God is changing us and turning us around as a community. This is not business as usual, this is transforming, this is spiritual, this is essential.
Yesterday was not normal at all. Is any day normal for me? I don’t know. As soon as I got to church I was late for a Christian Ed meeting. That turned into a VBS workday. John stopped in and we talked for a long time and prayed together. I stepped outside and Jayn was watering. She told Marcia and me that Don has a mass on his lung – what a concern! We prayed with her! Back inside Carl, Sonja, Mary, Brad, Karen and John were hard at work on VBS stuff! What a great crew! Thanks! Kate and Christy stopped in to help. They also picked out music for the youth service coming in August. I finished up the VBS flyer and made and Awana flyer. Then it was out to Redeemers and Living Hope Books to put up posters. After that I played tennis with Phil. Whew! What a day! I put a picture of some of Susan’s handiwork on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. She has too much time on her hands! She made these stand up Velcro dolls of our grandkids! Wow!
This week’s theme verse is 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 “no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
Why should I be concerned about rewards! Isn’t heaven itself a big enough reward? How could something be better than just being there? Over the years I have heard this type of response / objection to rewards over and over. I think the questioning is often genuine, but sometimes it’s a way of saying “Me? live for Jesus with all my heart, soul and mind? Are you kidding! I already have a fire escape! What could possibly motivate me to live all out for my Savior?” Rewards are biblical. They are apparently motivational. “If anyone’s work endures he will receive a reward! If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss.” But let’s answer the objection. “If heaven is a wonderful place filled with no tears, no sorrow, no sadness, pure joy etc, how could I possibly even care about anything extra like rewards?” Let’s rewind the tape! If you are reading this, you are NOT in heaven yet! This is not meant to motivate the dead, but the living. Right now I do want better things. I would rather live in a mansion than a hovel! If I was to put my dream vacation on the refrigerator it would be in the Caribbean not in a prison in Siberia. Let’s be honest with ourselves. Better things motivate us NOW! And that is the point. This is not meant to spur us on later, but it is meant to spur us on now. GET THE BEST ETERNAL VACATION SPOT AVAILABLE! Call 1-800-SERVE-JESUS-TODAY! If you love Him, you WILL want to be closer to Him in the future as well as in the present. If you don’t love Him, go ahead, just laugh at the concept of rewards, because HE thought of it! One of the greatest rewards He will offer is the simple statement, “Well done you good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord!” I really don’t want him to look at me and say, “Dennis you made it by the skin of your teeth, and by the way, I’m not happy with you!” Fast forward past your life a bit to the “Judgment Seat of Christ.” Now this is a good reason to be concerned about rewards. At the Blessing Ceremony, some of us will be rewarded, others will barely make it. We will “suffer loss” and “smell like smoke!” Those words trouble me. I won’t be in heaven YET. Is it possible that I will feel the emotions of loss and shame at the judgment seat? It seems like a very real likelihood. And that will be magnified by the seeming reality that it is a public ceremony! OUCH! Negative motivation works sometimes! Fast forward once again to Heaven. Maybe we can express it this way. Perhaps we can understand the rewards like this: Presently, a person who has some form of mental retardation can be happy. I’ve seen them. Some of them have lots of love and smiles. And I’ve noticed that people with all kinds of mental capacities can be happy. Perhaps our joy in receiving rewards is along those lines. In heaven even though our joy will be full, perhaps we can understand it by saying that if you only make it by the skin of your teeth, your happiness may be like the down syndrome child compared to a happy person with all his facilities. Both will be happy. One will be all there. Which reward do you want?
Dear Lord Jesus. I must confess that I have not taken rewards seriously enough. You understand Heaven, I do not. You say rewards are important, I don’t have a great grasp on that, but I do know that if it makes you happy, that’s good enough for me. That is what I want to do with my life: serve you. I want to do all I can to be just like Jesus.
It is God who works in you both to will and to do his good pleasure
Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 10:22 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Thursday, Jul 17, 2008TWG - July 17, 2008
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TWG - July 17, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 4; Psalm 56; Acts 13
Today is July 17, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. We are doing something of eternal significance. We are redeeming the time. That is one of the basic premises of TWG. We believe that what we do every day is so important that we must do the important things each day. That is why we read the word every Day
I just don’t make progress quickly any more! But the plodder makes it eventually. Yesterday I began in earnest to promote the David Harsh concert www.davidharsh.com – you should check it out. Lots of phone calls and “ad think.” I did a conference call with Ed the Awana guy and Marcia… he says we are miles ahead of most clubs. I began to think of the “5 day club” we’ll be having next week. Doris stopped by with another pic of Don. I watered the amphitheater and added grass. Carl & Sonja drove by and said “hi.” After work, I worked out with Kyle & Marcia, then stopped by the hospital to see Cindi F. She is 28 weeks pregnant and has seriously high blood pressure. Pray for her. I put a picture of a gaggle of ducks on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. Susan and I saw them at the Rock Creek Fish hatchery.
This week’s theme verse is 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 “no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
Your life is an open book! Maybe not to me or to anyone else, but to God! He knows all, sees all. It’s all written down in heaven in the “Books of Works” Rev 20:12. There are two classes of books you might be interested in; #1 the Book of Life (this is the good one! You want your name there! Anyone with his name in the Book of Life has a ticket to paradise!) #2 The Books of Works. Everyone has one. Unbelievers will be judged by their Book of Works as to the severity of their punishment, and Believers works will be tested by their book as to the extent of their rewards. (sweat, sweat, exhale) Whew! As a believer, that is good news! But today’s point is this: “your life is an open book!” Get over it! Everything about you is already known. There are no secrets. Let me expand a little. Your life’s works are “clear” to God. This is an idea which means “widely known,” “plainly recognized.” Your life’s works will be “declared.” A word which means “to show” or “to make someone understand something.” Maybe you claim you don’t get it now, but God will see to it that you get it then. It will be plain and clear on that day. Your life’s works will be “revealed.” This is a word which means “to uncover something that was previously unknown.” We may be fooling everyone down here, we may even skate by all life long without getting caught, but there are no phonies on Judgment Day. All bets are off, all books are open, all lies are exposed, all secrets are public knowledge. In Luke 12 Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their hypocrisy – verse 1. Then he said these stunning words, “For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be shouted on the housetops.” Hey there! Wait a minute! I don’t like that! Don’t go spreading my dirty laundry around for everyone else to see! I don’t want my dirty little secrets to get out! I’m not sure whether I am quivering with anger or just plain fearful at the prospect of this revealing! I don’t like it! My advice to all of us: “clean it up boys!” From here on out, it’s time to live a transparent, honest, genuine, up front, holy, pure, righteous, clean thinking, whole hearted life. If you don’t want your dirty laundry to become public, take it to the Laundromat!
Dear Father: I confess my sins, for they are many. More than that I repent! For I do not want to repeat those same old sins. I want to overcome them and I want to become like you. Please Lord, make me serious about my life. I want my faith in you and your Holy Spirit to transform my heart, my attitudes and my actions. Change me in Jesus name! Amen.
I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn you
Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 10:09 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Wednesday, Jul 16, 2008TWG - July 16, 2008
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TWG - July 16, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 3; Psalm 55; Acts 12
Today is July 16, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. T You are part of a devotional community where we put Christ first and our commitment is to spend time with each other and Time with God every day.
Here, there, everywhere… that’s the sum of my day yesterday. I was late to the office. Marcia called to say that the time with God blog didn’t match the email. That’s because #1 I messed up the email yesterday (sorry) and #2 I always post the blog about 15 minutes after the email, so if you catch the email soon enough, the blog has not yet caught up. Next I began work on the upcoming David Harsh Concert. That didn’t last long as I had to run to Glide to meet Pastor Mike Miller at his new home building site! Wow! God is blessing him with a new home! That’s a nice perk! Then I spent a few hours with Doris about Don’s upcoming memorial service. She fed me a delicious cinnamon roll! Pray for her. It is a lonely adjustment. Soon it was back to the office where I gave the grand kids a whirl wind drive around the parking lot. After work I ran home for dinner and checked on Susan. She is doing a bit better. Then it was to our “12” men’s meeting. A great time. I put a picture of Dangerous Dave on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. Dave broke the band on his sandals and is holding a great treasure – a Christmas star – he hopes to inflict on some unsuspecting family this Christmas! So look out!
This week’s theme verse is 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 “no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
Just do the important stuff! That’s how to live life. Whatever you do, make sure you do the stuff that is essential. Most of us spend far too much time on trivia and before you know it we are having a mid life crisis because we doubt the value of the sand castles we have built. One of the guys came to me recently and said, “I don’t know what I need to be doing, but I think it’s time I did something that mattered; Something that makes an impact... Something important!” Hey that’s the spirit. A life well lived is one that is tightly focused on “gold, sliver and precious stones.” Make a note of it, there is a progression here. Gold is the highest preferred type of life Silver is next, and precious stones is the initial rung of the good stuff. Kind of sounds like some of these direct marketing companies… are you a “Solid Gold Christian” yet? Or are you a “Silver Christian?” Maybe you haven’t even got your “Precious Stones” pin! Hey get to work on the important stuff… It’ll come. To be honest, I don’t exactly know how to differentiate between the Gold, Silver and Precious Stones, but God does. He’s got a “Heart O’ Meter” in Heaven which evaluates your work for the Lord. And I think you know where you stand in your motivations if you really spend time examining your life. But I do know some of the things that will win you a jewel in your crown. I do know some of the things that God considers the “important stuff.” For a life well lived for Christ right up until the end, you get gold! (1 Cor 9:24-27) For those who are passionate about the return of the Lord and love his coming there is a Crown of Righteousness awaiting. (2 Tim 4:8) For those who overcome temptation there is a Crown of life waiting (James 1:12). The same is true for those who are faithful through persecution (Rev 2:10). For those who lead the flock well, there is a pure gold Crown of Unfading Glory coming (1 Peter 5:1-4). For those who lead others to Christ and disciple them there is a living Crown of Rejoicing set aside (1 Thess 2:19). So here’s a few suggestions about the important stuff. Determine to live every moment for Christ. Start praying “Lord Jesus come!” Rise above temptation, endure persecution, develop a heart for Christian leadership, begin winning people to Christ and help them to Grow. That’s the important stuff for the Christian. Any questions?
Dear Lord Jesus, I want to live for you. I want to do the important stuff. I want to live a life that is pure gold. Please help me to get my heart wrapped around what really matters so that I will be fulfilled, and yet more important that you will be pleased with my life because that is all that really matters!
Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 9:53 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2008TWG - July 15, 2008
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TWG - July 15, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 2; Psalm 54; Acts 11
Today is July 15, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. This is your invitation to take one step forward every day in your relationship with Christ. We invite you to do something unbelievably radical. We invite you to deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Jesus
Some days are like that… and yesterday was one of them. It did not go as planned. It started that way, but it took a U-Turn about mid way through. In the morning I finished the fence in the back yard that I had begun while on vacation. Then I ran to church to our Christian Education meeting. Just as we were about to begin Susan called… she was crying. She had hurt herself while lifting one of the legs on the bed and she was in serious pain. She tore a chest muscle. I ran home. She was in such pain she couldn’t get up without crying out. We debated on calling an ambulance. Finally, I was able to get her up. Once up, she could walk without any trouble. The doctor put her on pain meds and gave her a chest wrap. Now it will just be a matter of time before she heals. She is doing better already! Pray for her. I put a picture of Susan and dog Tilly in the pool on the Blog at timewithgod.mypodcast.com. I threw the dog in for fun. Check it out.
This week’s theme verse is 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 “no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
When I was a kid my mom would sometimes send me to the grocery store. Our little community grocery store was only a block away. I would go through the list of things she wanted… milk, canned corn, celery… usually only four or five things… and then one day I had a bright idea! She probably wouldn’t notice if I bought myself some candy! I mean back then a candy bar was only 5 or 10 cents! I walked up to the checker and laid my items on the counter. She looked at me sternly and said, “Does Dorothy know you are buying this candy!” (caught!) “Uh – Of Course!” (lied!). “Next time she’s in here, I’m going to talk to her!” (ouch!) Small communities are such a pain! What made it worse is that checker had a plaque hung behind her counter which read, “Only one life will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last!” I had to read that sign every time I went through her line! That sign has haunted me ever since! I’ve invested in a lot of wood, hay and stubble over the course of my life. I’ve made bad investments of time, effort, money and relationships. I can’t say that I have done everything in my “one” life for Christ. Most of it, I’ve done for little old me! Now I have to honestly say that stubble… crushed hay is the worst. And I’ve done some of that. Hay is a bit better… at least it’s useful for feeding the cows. I’ve done a lot of hay, and I don’t own a single cow! But (for joy!) I think most of my stuff falls into the category of “wood!” At least wood is good for something, like building an edifice in my memory. I have had several “wood” houses. They have been getting nicer and nicer. However, I got a reminder last Saturday that even a “nice” building is just an organized fire hazard: the High School in Glide burned down! And it had a noble purpose; the education of our children. Let me make the point as loud and clear as I can. Even if you do noble things in this life, unless it is done with the right motive for the right person – Jesus – because you are following God’s will… IT’S JUST WOOD, HAY AND STUBBLE! It’s just fodder for the fire on judgment day when all our works will be tested. It is not good enough to do noble things like raising a family, making a living, donating to charity, helping the neighbors etc… In fact you can even give up your life as a martyr and still have it mean nothing on judgment day (see 1 Corinthians 13)! The only thing that counts in the game of life is the stuff built on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ. Only what’s done for Christ will last!
Dear Holy Spirit… You know my heart. You live inside me. Please be my conscience and my guide. I have made so many bad decisions. I have built so many straw men and sand castles that are meaningless. I want this to change. Savior, like a shepherd lead me! I need your daily prompting and your infallible wisdom. I have come to do your will!
If you shoot me an email, I’ll send you a paper called “The Five Messages.” A five part way of expressing yourself more clearly and completely.
"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."
Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 10:32 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Monday, Jul 14, 2008TWG - July 14, 2008
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TWG - July 14, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 1; Psalm 53; Acts 10: 24-48
Today is July 14, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. Together we are strong. As we walk though the word together we help each other grow.
Well I am back from vacation! Susan and I took three days and went to Susan Creek Campground. It was nice to be able to hide from the heat. It was a bit cooler up there. While I was there I read a book called “The heart of a great pastor” by HB London. Apparently, I have a ways to go before I can say I have the “heart” of a great pastor. It takes lots of love and focus on the things that are important. I’m working on it. I also was able to share the gospel with John and Casey, a couple I know who “coincidently” was camping there too! They both trusted Christ! And I’ve started a new blog about my encounters with the culture. I hope to connect with people I witness to and encourage them to dialogue with me. You can find it at http://honest-answers.blogspot.com/ I put a picture of Thomas on the Blog at timewithgod.mypodcast.com at his going away BBQ. He’s headed to West Point. Check it out.
This week’s theme verse is 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 “no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
What is your life founded upon? I mean, what is your foundational belief, bottom line and guiding principle? What are you living for and what would you be willing to die for? That is foundational truth. Some people are living for the moment and in the moment. Their foundational principle is about having fun and enjoying life. Whatever makes me happy at the moment is what it’s all about. In theory, this idea sounds good… until it bumps up against someone else. It doesn’t work well in relationships. My happiness often conflicts with the happiness of others. Take marriage. Maybe it makes me happy to sit on the couch all week long, drink beer and watch WWE. But somebody’s got to pay for all that stuff, and somebody’s got to clean up my mess. If I don’t consider the needs of others, there’s going to be some “professional wrestling” in my own home and maybe I’ll be left in the ring all by my lonesome with no relationships. Other people believe that whoever dies with the most toys wins. They are living until they die. You can see it in their value system. They work hard for what they have, and they spend a pile of money on boats, houses, horses, toys and every other thing they can get their hands on. Is life the sum of what I own? I can have everything in the world and have an empty soul. Then there are those who are just living for survival. (That covers a lot of us these days!) They live from paycheck to paycheck, hoping that their will be some money at the end of the month. Most of the time it doesn’t happen. They work hard, but work doesn’t pay the bills. They save as best they can, but it’s never enough. They are in survival mode. Who wants to live like that? There must be more to life than just trying to live! There is. The guiding principle worth living your life for is Jesus Christ. He is the solid foundation. He is the only one that brings real happiness. He is the only one that makes sense of the stuff I own. He is the only one worth living and dying for… and He is the only one that can bring meaning to life AFTER I die. It’s time we quit playing with the toys of life and started laying a solid foundation: Jesus!
If you shoot me an email, I’ll send you a paper called “The Five Messages.” A five part way of expressing yourself more clearly and completely.
Dear Lord Jesus. I want to live my life for something significant. All too often I let the things of this world take my focus of the important. The urgent screams for my attention, when all along I want to do your will. Help me to settle the issue once for all. You are all that matters! Living for you is all that matters! The rest is just details. I choose, this day, to serve the Lord Christ.
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength. This is the greatest commandment
Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 10:43 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Thursday, Jul 10, 2008TWG - July 10, 2008
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TWG - July 10, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Exodus 40; Psalm 52; Acts 10:1-23
Today is July 10, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. We are doing something of eternal significance. We are redeeming the time. That is one of the basic premises of TWG. We believe that what we do every day is so important that we must do the important things each day. That is why we read the word every Day
I seem to have a thing for poison oak lately. At camp I got it on my legs and on vacation I got it all over my arms. I didn’t see it, but it got me. Yesterday was a scorcher! In the morning Susan and I finished the fence. It looks good. Then I ran a load of trash to the dump. After that I finished up all I needed to for Sunday’s Service while I am gone! The rest of the day I hid inside! It was just too hot to be wandering around like and egg in a frying pan! I put a picture of Zac staring up at me on the blog at timewithgod.mypodcast.com. Check it out.
This week’s theme verse is James 1:19-20 “1 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”
“Be angry and do not sin.” Ephesians 4:26. There is a place for anger. We need to recognize when we are angry so we can take appropriate action. Anger can be good and it can be bad. The positive use of anger is when it spurs us on to do the right thing. We can be so indifferent until we are confronted by injustice. Out of the pit of anger some people have created entire movements that change the world. Anger has motivated other people to succeed. But beware. Anger is a tricky emotion. It is more like a roman broadsword than a surgeon’s scalpel. It is much easier to slice someone apart than it is to use anger as a tool of healing. Most anger is inappropriate and sinful. It does not bring about a good result. It is a rare phenomenon when I have been able to use anger in a constructive way in a relationship. I can’t think of a time when I have been simmering in anger and have been spiritual. Anger destroys relationships with God and with man. It is extremely destructive. So why do we keep on responding in anger if it doesn’t bring about the results we want? Let’s begin with our nature. We have a sin problem. It’s a defense mechanism. It is natural for us to descend into rage to “protect ourselves.” We also have a pride problem. We don’t like people stepping on our toes, so we lash out at them to let them know where they stand in the pecking order. Then there’s frustration. One of the main causes of anger is that we aren’t getting what we want so we vent! It’s as simple as you stole my playschool blocks so I’m going to throw a tantrum … to the student who can’t understand homework so he throws his math book at the wall, shattering the mirror… or as complex as the husband who is impatient with his wife because she wants an explanation he can’t give, so he shoves her onto the bed and runs out of the room shouting profanities… and the scenarios are endless. Bottom line: The wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God. It’s time for a new plan. And it begins with the admission that my anger is destructive so I need to cast it out. Admission is the first step to healing. Get it out into the open and be honest with yourself. Then take the next step. Remind yourself as often as necessary that you have chosen a new path. The best time for the reminder is BEFORE you explode, but if you haven’t tamed your fury, at least remind yourself during or after the outburst. “Hey! It’s not OK!” Step three is develop a new plan. Think through your responses and role play a better response that does not include anger, revenge or frustration. The plan should have at least four stages: Stage one… how will I keep my cool? What tricks or memory devices will I trigger to calm myself down? Stage two… my tone of voice. To remain calm, you need to sound calm. Try a smile when you talk. You’d be surprised how that changes your tone of voice. Stage three… The content of your response. You need to learn how to communicate! Communication is an art form! Practice it. Role play it. Learn how to speak in a constructive way. Stage four… the withdrawal process. Even if you don’t get what you want, you need to learn how to withdraw from a volatile situation constructively. In other words, live to fight another day… or should I say, live to talk another day.
If you shoot me an email, I’ll send you a paper called “The Five Messages.” A five part way of expressing yourself more clearly and completely.
Dear Father, my spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak. Life seems to test me. It throws one problem after another at me. I feel like I am at war. Like I’m in a spiritual battle! Just like you said. Help me to put on the full armor of God and prepare myself for a battle against my flesh. Help me to love others and be constructive in what I say rather than destructive. I want to live the righteous kind of life you have for me.
All things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose
Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 10:38 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008