Day of Praise

Fri, 10/14/16, "Day of Praise"

"He restores my soul." - Psalm 23:3

Sometimes the luster needs to be restored to the silverware. Sometimes a friendship hits a bump in the road and needs to be restored. Sometimes a picture is misplaced and needs to be restored to its proper place.

Sometimes our souls need to be restored.

Maybe your soul has lost its luster like silverware; it doesn't shine anymore; it's become tainted.

Maybe your soul is broken; a relationship with God or spouse or child or parent or friend or coworker has hit a snag; you're hurting and struggling with the strain.

Maybe your soul has fallen; your self-esteem has taken a hit; you've lost your place at a job or with some people who mean a lot to you.

Who knows?

God knows.

Remember.

The LORD is your shepherd. He knows what you need and when you need it.

He knows when your soul needs to be restored. He knows if it's lost its luster. He knows if it's broken. He knows if it's fallen out of place.

He promises.

He'll restore your soul.

Trust him so you can live today in peace.

And not only peace, he'll also restore your joy!

After all, "He restores my soul!" (Psalm 23:3)

Praise God!



Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

This email was sent to ctdegreen.pcblog@blogger.com why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences Day of Praise Daily Encouragement · 1601 Southcrest Trail · Hoover, AL 35244 · USA

Day of Praise

Fri, 10/14/16, "Day of Praise"

"He restores my soul." - Psalm 23:3

Sometimes the luster needs to be restored to the silverware. Sometimes a friendship hits a bump in the road and needs to be restored. Sometimes a picture is misplaced and needs to be restored to its proper place.

Sometimes our souls need to be restored.

Maybe your soul has lost its luster like silverware; it doesn't shine anymore; it's become tainted.

Maybe your soul is broken; a relationship with God or spouse or child or parent or friend or coworker has hit a snag; you're hurting and struggling with the strain.

Maybe your soul has fallen; your self-esteem has taken a hit; you've lost your place at a job or with some people who mean a lot to you.

Who knows?

God knows.

Remember.

The LORD is your shepherd. He knows what you need and when you need it.

He knows when your soul needs to be restored. He knows if it's lost its luster. He knows if it's broken. He knows if it's fallen out of place.

He promises.

He'll restore your soul.

Trust him so you can live today in peace.

And not only peace, he'll also restore your joy!

After all, "He restores my soul!" (Psalm 23:3)

Praise God!



Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Thur, 10/13/16, "Day of Praise"

"But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him." - 2 Samuel 14:14

It doesn't matter who said it. They are wise words indeed, "God...devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him." - 2 Samuel 14:14

As it was, the wise woman from Tekoa said those words. But she was instructed by wise Joab to say those words. And we would be wise to have such words on the tips of our tongues too.

For such wisdom is a major blessing of the Living God.

Because of sin, we were estranged from God, banished from God's kingdom and presence.

But God devised a way so that we banished people do not remain banished from God.

Jesus is The Way (John 14:6).

As Absalom was estranged because of his sin, an enemy of King David, but worse, we were estranged because of sin, an enemy of the King, our God.

But the good news is that God devised a way for us enemies of God through the cross and resurrection of Jesus; we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son (Romans 5:10).

And then he sent us, in the strength of the risen Christ, to do the same (2 Corinthians 5:18).

Is someone "banished" from your life? Kept at arms length because they hurt you? Humble yourself, and ask God for wisdom to be reconciled. It will probably take time and patience, but, through Jesus, God has devised The Way.

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

This email was sent to ctdegreen.pcblog@blogger.com why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences Day of Praise Daily Encouragement · 1601 Southcrest Trail · Hoover, AL 35244 · USA

Day of Praise

Thur, 10/13/16, "Day of Praise"

"But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him." - 2 Samuel 14:14

It doesn't matter who said it. They are wise words indeed, "God...devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him." - 2 Samuel 14:14

As it was, the wise woman from Tekoa said those words. But she was instructed by wise Joab to say those words. And we would be wise to have such words on the tips of our tongues too.

For such wisdom is a major blessing of the Living God.

Because of sin, we were estranged from God, banished from God's kingdom and presence.

But God devised a way so that we banished people do not remain banished from God.

Jesus is The Way (John 14:6).

As Absalom was estranged because of his sin, an enemy of King David, but worse, we were estranged because of sin, an enemy of the King, our God.

But the good news is that God devised a way for us enemies of God through the cross and resurrection of Jesus; we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son (Romans 5:10).

And then he sent us, in the strength of the risen Christ, to do the same (2 Corinthians 5:18).

Is someone "banished" from your life? Kept at arms length because they hurt you? Humble yourself, and ask God for wisdom to be reconciled. It will probably take time and patience, but, through Jesus, God has devised The Way.

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Wed, 10/12/16, "Day of Praise"

"His attendants asked him, 'Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!'" - 2 Samuel 12:21

How do you meet the day? And how do you meet the things within it?

In today's verse, King David is asked a question that helps us to think about the ways we meet the things that come our way. In sum, it's a puzzle to his servants why David fasts while his child is alive and eats when his child dies.

David's response is a model for us in how to faithfully meet our day. In sum, David is both humble in his asking while things are still unfolding but also hopeful in God when things have come to conclusion.

The application for us is simply this. Ask God humbly for the way we'd like things to go with the day in general and also with specific things within it. God wants to know your hopes.

Then when specific things are done through the day, like a test or a meeting or a talk, give it to God with hope and trust, and believe that it's in God's hands.

Humble asking and hopeful acceptance.

It's the formula for a wonderful day, regardless the size of the matters.

May your day be so wonderful with Jesus.

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

This email was sent to ctdegreen.pcblog@blogger.com why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences Day of Praise Daily Encouragement · 1601 Southcrest Trail · Hoover, AL 35244 · USA

Day of Praise

Wed, 10/12/16, "Day of Praise"

"His attendants asked him, 'Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!'" - 2 Samuel 12:21

How do you meet the day? And how do you meet the things within it?

In today's verse, King David is asked a question that helps us to think about the ways we meet the things that come our way. In sum, it's a puzzle to his servants why David fasts while his child is alive and eats when his child dies.

David's response is a model for us in how to faithfully meet our day. In sum, David is both humble in his asking while things are still unfolding but also hopeful in God when things have come to conclusion.

The application for us is simply this. Ask God humbly for the way we'd like things to go with the day in general and also with specific things within it. God wants to know your hopes.

Then when specific things are done through the day, like a test or a meeting or a talk, give it to God with hope and trust, and believe that it's in God's hands.

Humble asking and hopeful acceptance.

It's the formula for a wonderful day, regardless the size of the matters.

May your day be so wonderful with Jesus.

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

2d part Day of Praise

Hoping the picture came through, hopefully you're looking at a picture of a church like Jesus was talking about in today's Bible  verse. It's literally a church built on a humongous rock that is also literally inside the church. It's the church in the mountains where Amanda and I worshipped this past Sunday. It's called Sallie Howard Memorial Chapel. 

The literal rock, though, is just a symbol. 

When Jesus said to Peter that he would build his church on a rock, I do not understand Jesus to say that he was building his church on Peter (a name which means "rock"), nor was Jesus building his church on a material rock. 

The rock on which Jesus has built his church is the confession of faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God. That's what Peter had just said to Jesus, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God," (Matthew 16:16) when Jesus replied and said, "Upon this rock, I will build my church."

That kind of confessing was what happened at Sallie Howard Memorial Chapel. 

First, the place was packed! It sat 78 people in the pews and choir. There were 90 of us Sunday, so 12 of us sat in folding chairs in the aisle. Confessing Jesus as the Christ looks like people going to church. Like the preacher said, going to church is a witness, and not going to church is another kind of witness. Somebody's always watchin' the way we live, so everything we do is confessin' to 'em what we believe. 

Second, everybody sang. It took Amanda and me a verse or two to catch on because we never heard of songs like "The Royal Telephone," but everybody else from the mountain towns sang out so that we couldn't help but get swept up on the phone lines to heaven with 'em.  Confessing Jesus as the Christ looks like people singin' in church. Like the preacher said, singin' out in church is a witness, and not singin' out in church is another kind of witness. 

Third, and finally, everybody listened to the message. There wasn't a bunch of "Amen"ING goin' on, just listenin', which was pretty awesome since the preacher talked about, what in my experience isn't a very popular topic. He said that God loves us, which everybody loves to hear, but then he said if we believe God loves us then we care about how we know God so we can live in God's image and show people that we know God so that when we start talkin' about God's love to 'em then they might actually believe that we know God instead of just knowin' the world like everybody else. (Yes, the preacher meant the sentence to be that long.) See all the confessin' goin' on in that sermon. Preacher was talkin' about confessin' God's love, confessin' we're sinners, confessin' God's lovin' forgiveness, confessin' that God actually has a way to live instead of just doin' what's right in our own eyes (like it says people did in the Bible book called "Judges"), and confessin' all this stuff about God to other people in BOTH our deeds AND our words. 

All this confessin' of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, made us feel like we'd died and gone to heaven.

Come to think of it. The church was up in the mountain clouds. But I'm sure it was all real because if you can see the picture at the top, you can see plain as day that that church was built on a rock. 

May every church and every person's life on earth be the same. 

"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." - Matthew 16:18 (King James Version)

Praise God!

This email was sent to ctdegreen.pcblog@blogger.com why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences Day of Praise Daily Encouragement · 1601 Southcrest Trail · Hoover, AL 35244 · USA

2d part Day of Praise

Hoping the picture came through, hopefully you're looking at a picture of a church like Jesus was talking about in today's Bible  verse. It's literally a church built on a humongous rock that is also literally inside the church. It's the church in the mountains where Amanda and I worshipped this past Sunday. It's called Sallie Howard Memorial Chapel. 

The literal rock, though, is just a symbol. 

When Jesus said to Peter that he would build his church on a rock, I do not understand Jesus to say that he was building his church on Peter (a name which means "rock"), nor was Jesus building his church on a material rock. 

The rock on which Jesus has built his church is the confession of faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God. That's what Peter had just said to Jesus, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God," (Matthew 16:16) when Jesus replied and said, "Upon this rock, I will build my church."

That kind of confessing was what happened at Sallie Howard Memorial Chapel. 

First, the place was packed! It sat 78 people in the pews and choir. There were 90 of us Sunday, so 12 of us sat in folding chairs in the aisle. Confessing Jesus as the Christ looks like people going to church. Like the preacher said, going to church is a witness, and not going to church is another kind of witness. Somebody's always watchin' the way we live, so everything we do is confessin' to 'em what we believe. 

Second, everybody sang. It took Amanda and me a verse or two to catch on because we never heard of songs like "The Royal Telephone," but everybody else from the mountain towns sang out so that we couldn't help but get swept up on the phone lines to heaven with 'em.  Confessing Jesus as the Christ looks like people singin' in church. Like the preacher said, singin' out in church is a witness, and not singin' out in church is another kind of witness. 

Third, and finally, everybody listened to the message. There wasn't a bunch of "Amen"ING goin' on, just listenin', which was pretty awesome since the preacher talked about, what in my experience isn't a very popular topic. He said that God loves us, which everybody loves to hear, but then he said if we believe God loves us then we care about how we know God so we can live in God's image and show people that we know God so that when we start talkin' about God's love to 'em then they might actually believe that we know God instead of just knowin' the world like everybody else. (Yes, the preacher meant the sentence to be that long.) See all the confessin' goin' on in that sermon. Preacher was talkin' about confessin' God's love, confessin' we're sinners, confessin' God's lovin' forgiveness, confessin' that God actually has a way to live instead of just doin' what's right in our own eyes (like it says people did in the Bible book called "Judges"), and confessin' all this stuff about God to other people in BOTH our deeds AND our words. 

All this confessin' of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, made us feel like we'd died and gone to heaven.

Come to think of it. The church was up in the mountain clouds. But I'm sure it was all real because if you can see the picture at the top, you can see plain as day that that church was built on a rock. 

May every church and every person's life on earth be the same. 

"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." - Matthew 16:18 (King James Version)

Praise God!

Day of Praise

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Day of Praise

Tues, 10/11/16, "Day of Praise"

"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." - Matthew 16:18 (King James Version)

Day of Praise

Mon, 10/10/16, "Day of Praise"

"The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want." - Psalm 23:1

So Amanda and I are away on a short anniversary trip in the Mentone, AL and Cloudland, GA area. We're staying in a cabin on a big piece of property and getting to do things with the owners. Ya know, do things. Like explore their 2,800 year old Indian site dig and hike to the ancient Indian prayer pits and go into their chicken coop and visit with the two pot-belly pigs. Ya know, do things. Anniversary kind of things. (I know; we're weird.)

But the most fun of all has been herding the fainting goats. Ya know, you really have to be nice when you're herding those goats, or else they get scared. And faint. Really!

However, ya can't let 'em fool ya. Because if you don't watch out, those seeming meek goats will pick on each other. Like they pick on Bent from time to time. Bent's the old goat (literally) who has something like multiple sclerosis. And when Bent gets to twitchin' then the other goats pick on 'im, and he gets scared. And faints.

That's why Bent needs a shepherd. To look after him. Because he's got weaknesses. That make him vulnerable. To bully Billy goats. Like you and me. Ya know, weaknesses. That make us vulnerable. Aaaaah, you know what I'm talkin' about. I know what mine are that make me feel picked on by bully Billy goats. And you know what yours are.

But just like Bent has Steve and Harriet, well, we have Jesus. The LORD. The Good Shepherd. Like he says in John 10:1-10. He especially keeps us from getting bullied out of Heaven by the biggest bully Billy goat. Ya know the bully goat that Jesus says is always trying to steal from us, kill us, and destroy us. Well, he can try, but he might as well just go sit in the corner like my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Howell, made the big ol' bully in my class do decades ago. Because Jesus ain't gonna stand for his sheep gettin' bullied and causin' 'em to faint.

This is his farm. And we are his sheep. So, well, it's all good. All the time.

"The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want." - Psalm 23:1

Praise God!

This email was sent to ctdegreen.pcblog@blogger.com why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences Day of Praise Daily Encouragement · 1601 Southcrest Trail · Hoover, AL 35244 · USA

Day of Praise

Mon, 10/10/16, "Day of Praise"

"The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want." - Psalm 23:1

So Amanda and I are away on a short anniversary trip in the Mentone, AL and Cloudland, GA area. We're staying in a cabin on a big piece of property and getting to do things with the owners. Ya know, do things. Like explore their 2,800 year old Indian site dig and hike to the ancient Indian prayer pits and go into their chicken coop and visit with the two pot-belly pigs. Ya know, do things. Anniversary kind of things. (I know; we're weird.)

But the most fun of all has been herding the fainting goats. Ya know, you really have to be nice when you're herding those goats, or else they get scared. And faint. Really!

However, ya can't let 'em fool ya. Because if you don't watch out, those seeming meek goats will pick on each other. Like they pick on Bent from time to time. Bent's the old goat (literally) who has something like multiple sclerosis. And when Bent gets to twitchin' then the other goats pick on 'im, and he gets scared. And faints.

That's why Bent needs a shepherd. To look after him. Because he's got weaknesses. That make him vulnerable. To bully Billy goats. Like you and me. Ya know, weaknesses. That make us vulnerable. Aaaaah, you know what I'm talkin' about. I know what mine are that make me feel picked on by bully Billy goats. And you know what yours are.

But just like Bent has Steve and Harriet, well, we have Jesus. The LORD. The Good Shepherd. Like he says in John 10:1-10. He especially keeps us from getting bullied out of Heaven by the biggest bully Billy goat. Ya know the bully goat that Jesus says is always trying to steal from us, kill us, and destroy us. Well, he can try, but he might as well just go sit in the corner like my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Howell, made the big ol' bully in my class do decades ago. Because Jesus ain't gonna stand for his sheep gettin' bullied and causin' 'em to faint.

This is his farm. And we are his sheep. So, well, it's all good. All the time.

"The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want." - Psalm 23:1

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Sat, 10/08/16, "Day of Praise"

"Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted." - 2 Samuel 21:15

Have you ever been exhausted? Just tired to the bone exhausted?

Knowing most of you really well, I know that's a silly question. The question then becomes, "Will it ever end? Will those periods, and for some of you, will the life of exhaustion ever end?"

In today's verse, God's word says that the source of the exhaustion was a battle...another battle.

As I write this, I pause.

I see so many of you. Most of you. Actually, it's taking a while because there's a lot of you, but I see all of you that I know. With each of you, I can remember a time or times that you were exhausted...from battling...again.

The battles that I remember for each of you are different, though some are similar. I remember feeling the burden with you. In many cases, I didn't know what to say.

Ultimately, in every case, we have only one thing to say to one another that really encourages us to persevere...to keep going...to put one foot in front of the other while we have breath...to believe that there is joy awaiting if we will fight the good fight of faith.

One thing encourages us in the face of exhaustion born from another of life's battles.

The name of Jesus.

For in him is Easter. In him is victory over all that exhausts us. Over sin, death, the devil, and the grave.

As the old Easter hymn calls us to sing and believe from the depth of our being::

"The strife is o'er, the battle done. Now is the victor's triumph won; Now be the song of praise begun. Alleluia!

The powers of death have done their worst, But Christ their legions has dispersed. Let shouts of holy joy outburst. Alleluia!

The three sad days have quickly sped, He rises glorious from the dead. All glory to our risen head!
Alleluia!

He broke the age bound chains of hell; The bars from heaven's high portals fell. Let hymns of praise his triumph tell. Alleluia!

Lord, by the stripes which wounded you From death's sting free your servants too That we may live and sing to you. Alleluia!"

Praise God!

(Notes: Author: Giovanni P. da Palestrina, Tune: Victory, 1st Published: 1695)

Praise God!

Pastor Chris 
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

This email was sent to ctdegreen.pcblog@blogger.com why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences Day of Praise Daily Encouragement · 1601 Southcrest Trail · Hoover, AL 35244 · USA

Day of Praise

Sat, 10/08/16, "Day of Praise"

"Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted." - 2 Samuel 21:15

Have you ever been exhausted? Just tired to the bone exhausted?

Knowing most of you really well, I know that's a silly question. The question then becomes, "Will it ever end? Will those periods, and for some of you, will the life of exhaustion ever end?"

In today's verse, God's word says that the source of the exhaustion was a battle...another battle.

As I write this, I pause.

I see so many of you. Most of you. Actually, it's taking a while because there's a lot of you, but I see all of you that I know. With each of you, I can remember a time or times that you were exhausted...from battling...again.

The battles that I remember for each of you are different, though some are similar. I remember feeling the burden with you. In many cases, I didn't know what to say.

Ultimately, in every case, we have only one thing to say to one another that really encourages us to persevere...to keep going...to put one foot in front of the other while we have breath...to believe that there is joy awaiting if we will fight the good fight of faith.

One thing encourages us in the face of exhaustion born from another of life's battles.

The name of Jesus.

For in him is Easter. In him is victory over all that exhausts us. Over sin, death, the devil, and the grave.

As the old Easter hymn calls us to sing and believe from the depth of our being::

"The strife is o'er, the battle done. Now is the victor's triumph won; Now be the song of praise begun. Alleluia!

The powers of death have done their worst, But Christ their legions has dispersed. Let shouts of holy joy outburst. Alleluia!

The three sad days have quickly sped, He rises glorious from the dead. All glory to our risen head!
Alleluia!

He broke the age bound chains of hell; The bars from heaven's high portals fell. Let hymns of praise his triumph tell. Alleluia!

Lord, by the stripes which wounded you From death's sting free your servants too That we may live and sing to you. Alleluia!"

Praise God!

(Notes: Author: Giovanni P. da Palestrina, Tune: Victory, 1st Published: 1695)

Praise God!

Pastor Chris 
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Fri, 10/07/16, "Day of Praise"

"Then all the people left, each for their own home, and David returned home to bless his family." - 1 Chronicles 16:43

Big blessings are full of little things.

In today's verse, David returned home to bless his family. How can we do the same? That is, how can we return home to bless our families? And how do you do it if nobody's there?

The keys are in the touch and in the hands.

In Mark 10:16, we read, "And [Jesus] took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them." In Luke 24:50, we read, "When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them."

The keys are in the touch and in the hands.

Jesus, the Son of God, came into this world and touched us with his hands in appropriate ways. In so doing, he blessed us. He also lifted up his hands and asked blessings on us. He also stretched out his hands and received the nails of judgment for our sin so that we might believe and be blessed.

Christianity is not just a religion. It's a lifestyle. God raised Jesus Christ to touch us daily with blessing by the power of the Holy Spirit.

God gave all of us hands so that we would use them to bless, genuinely being for everyone, acknowledging their existence with a spirit of kindness, and maybe even touching them on the hand or shoulder if it can be done appropriately. Decades ago, some people helped me realize how important it is to others, when we enter a room, especially in our home, that we walk around and touch as many as possible with a word or handshake or hug.

May God bless the work of your hands today. May God bless those that you touch in Jesus' name.

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

This email was sent to ctdegreen.pcblog@blogger.com why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences Day of Praise Daily Encouragement · 1601 Southcrest Trail · Hoover, AL 35244 · USA

Day of Praise

Fri, 10/07/16, "Day of Praise"

"Then all the people left, each for their own home, and David returned home to bless his family." - 1 Chronicles 16:43

Big blessings are full of little things.

In today's verse, David returned home to bless his family. How can we do the same? That is, how can we return home to bless our families? And how do you do it if nobody's there?

The keys are in the touch and in the hands.

In Mark 10:16, we read, "And [Jesus] took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them." In Luke 24:50, we read, "When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them."

The keys are in the touch and in the hands.

Jesus, the Son of God, came into this world and touched us with his hands in appropriate ways. In so doing, he blessed us. He also lifted up his hands and asked blessings on us. He also stretched out his hands and received the nails of judgment for our sin so that we might believe and be blessed.

Christianity is not just a religion. It's a lifestyle. God raised Jesus Christ to touch us daily with blessing by the power of the Holy Spirit.

God gave all of us hands so that we would use them to bless, genuinely being for everyone, acknowledging their existence with a spirit of kindness, and maybe even touching them on the hand or shoulder if it can be done appropriately. Decades ago, some people helped me realize how important it is to others, when we enter a room, especially in our home, that we walk around and touch as many as possible with a word or handshake or hug.

May God bless the work of your hands today. May God bless those that you touch in Jesus' name.

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Thur, 10/06/16, "Day of Praise"

"Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed." -
Psalm 57:1

I hope you enjoy Bible study. It's important.

Take today's Bible verse and one key phrase within it: "I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings."

Not everybody does..."take refuge in the shadow of God's wings" that is.

Study it.

Study the words "shadow" and "shade" in the Bible. It's like studying "darkness."

God's word in the Bible says that there are two responses when "shadows" or "shade" or "darkness" come someone's way.

The unbeliever says, "See, you can't see God, therefore, there is no God."

The believer says, "God has me covered; that's why there's a shadow." As in Psalm 17:8, "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings." The believer, in essence, receives "shadows" and "darkness" as a privileged place, a place where they're the "apple of God's eye," which means "the desire of God's eye" and the love of God's heart.

That's radical faith.

We all taste "darkness" and "shadows" and "shade" in this world. Dear God, please give us some of that radical faith to go with it so that we, like David and ultimately like Jesus on the cross, might find "refuge in the shadow of your wings." Amen.

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

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Day of Praise

Thur, 10/06/16, "Day of Praise"

"Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed." -
Psalm 57:1

I hope you enjoy Bible study. It's important.

Take today's Bible verse and one key phrase within it: "I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings."

Not everybody does..."take refuge in the shadow of God's wings" that is.

Study it.

Study the words "shadow" and "shade" in the Bible. It's like studying "darkness."

God's word in the Bible says that there are two responses when "shadows" or "shade" or "darkness" come someone's way.

The unbeliever says, "See, you can't see God, therefore, there is no God."

The believer says, "God has me covered; that's why there's a shadow." As in Psalm 17:8, "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings." The believer, in essence, receives "shadows" and "darkness" as a privileged place, a place where they're the "apple of God's eye," which means "the desire of God's eye" and the love of God's heart.

That's radical faith.

We all taste "darkness" and "shadows" and "shade" in this world. Dear God, please give us some of that radical faith to go with it so that we, like David and ultimately like Jesus on the cross, might find "refuge in the shadow of your wings." Amen.

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Wed, 10/05/16, "Day of Praise"

"So Saul asked God, 'Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel's hand?' But God did not answer him that day." - 1 Samuel 14:37

Have you ever asked God a question, and God did not answer?

You're not alone.

Job didn't get an answer from God. In Job 30:20, he says, "I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me."

The Psalmist didn't get an answer from God. In Psalm 22:2, he says, "My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest."

But, even when God seems silent, there is a promise for us to hold. 

Through Zechariah the prophet, in Zechariah 10:6, God has promised us this, "I will strengthen...and save...I will restore...because I have compassion...I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them."

God's promise to answer is given to those who trust the LORD. Jesus puts it this way in John 8:47, "Whoever belongs to God hears what God says."

And those who belong to God are those who believe what Jesus said earlier in John 8:33-34. He says that anyone who sins is a slave to sin. In other words, we must be redeemed, bought back, from the power of sin. Jesus also says there that it's only through faith in his redeeming work that we're set free from sin so we can know the truth of God.

So then, recognizing your need, believing in Jesus, and believing in his redeeming work for you on the cross, you are given a promise to hold while you wait for God to answer your prayer. In 2 Kings 20:5, "This is what the LORD...says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you."

So, where does that leave us? Try this on for size. The original question we asked today was this, "Have you ever asked God a question, and God did not answer?"

And what God's word teaches us is this: For those who trust in the LORD, though we may still be waiting for a specific answer, there's a definite promise for us to hold, "I am the LORD and I will answer. I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you."

Let us be found believing!

Praise God!

Pastor Chris 
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

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Day of Praise

Wed, 10/05/16, "Day of Praise"

"So Saul asked God, 'Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel's hand?' But God did not answer him that day." - 1 Samuel 14:37

Have you ever asked God a question, and God did not answer?

You're not alone.

Job didn't get an answer from God. In Job 30:20, he says, "I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me."

The Psalmist didn't get an answer from God. In Psalm 22:2, he says, "My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest."

But, even when God seems silent, there is a promise for us to hold. 

Through Zechariah the prophet, in Zechariah 10:6, God has promised us this, "I will strengthen...and save...I will restore...because I have compassion...I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them."

God's promise to answer is given to those who trust the LORD. Jesus puts it this way in John 8:47, "Whoever belongs to God hears what God says."

And those who belong to God are those who believe what Jesus said earlier in John 8:33-34. He says that anyone who sins is a slave to sin. In other words, we must be redeemed, bought back, from the power of sin. Jesus also says there that it's only through faith in his redeeming work that we're set free from sin so we can know the truth of God.

So then, recognizing your need, believing in Jesus, and believing in his redeeming work for you on the cross, you are given a promise to hold while you wait for God to answer your prayer. In 2 Kings 20:5, "This is what the LORD...says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you."

So, where does that leave us? Try this on for size. The original question we asked today was this, "Have you ever asked God a question, and God did not answer?"

And what God's word teaches us is this: For those who trust in the LORD, though we may still be waiting for a specific answer, there's a definite promise for us to hold, "I am the LORD and I will answer. I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you."

Let us be found believing!

Praise God!

Pastor Chris 
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Tues, 10/04/16, "Day of Praise"

Amanda and I have an anniversary approaching, so I'm strolling down memory lane with a devotion from my archives. 

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." - John 1:5 (NIV)

Have you ever felt small and insignificant? 

After days of bad storms, Amanda and I finally got to take our night tour into Dismals Canyon. The whole park is so isolated that it's literally so dark at night that you can't see your hand in front of your face. So add the effect of the canyon depths to the camp darkness, and we couldn't even begin to describe how dark it is.

But shining through the darkness are these little, tiny, invisible-to-the-naked-eye-even-in-the-light creatures called DISMALITES. Our sweeter-than-sweet-tea but tall-as-the-canyon's-Champion-Tree guide, Kevin, and the Dismals Canyon website describe Dismalites this way: "Past twilight the canyon lights up with tiny bioluminescent creatures we call Dismalites. These 'glowworms' require a select habitat to survive and are unique to only a few places on Earth. They are 'close cousins' of the rare glowworms found in Australia and New Zealand." 

If I understood correctly, Dismalites are basically the larvae of a rare species of gnat. Again, in sum, they are tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny.

But as tiny as they all may be, as small and insignificant as they all may seem, the light of just one itsy bitsy Dismalite cannot be overcome by the darkness. 

Looking at a Dismalite is like looking at a little star, far, far away in a vast, dark, and never-ending universe except the Dismalite is shining through a darkness that's as close as your nose and as close as your hand that you can't see but use to keep from running into the rock in the deep dark canyon.

And no matter how deep the canyon. No matter how isolated the park. No matter how late at night. The darkness cannot overcome the light of a little, tiny, invisible-to-the-naked-eye-even-in-the-light Dismalite.

And that's the way it is with each and every one of our lives.

Ya see friends, when we believe in Jesus Christ, it doesn't matter how small and insignificant we may feel. It doesn't even matter how small and insignificant we actually are. When we believe in Jesus Christ, we have the light of the world dwelling in us and shining through us. And when darkness comes to the lives of our family and friends and neighbors and coworkers, the world has nothing to say because the world is cloaked in darkness. But we who believe have a calm and a peace and a word that brings light to the deepest darkness, calm to the roughest storm, and peace to the neediest soul.

Yes, we are all small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But because of Jesus Christ, we, like a Dismalite, have the power to shine our best when things get toughest for those we're given to love.

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." - John 1:5 (NIV)

Praise God!

Pastor Chris 
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

This email was sent to ctdegreen.pcblog@blogger.com why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences Day of Praise Daily Encouragement · 1601 Southcrest Trail · Hoover, AL 35244 · USA

Day of Praise

Tues, 10/04/16, "Day of Praise"

Amanda and I have an anniversary approaching, so I'm strolling down memory lane with a devotion from my archives. 

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." - John 1:5 (NIV)

Have you ever felt small and insignificant? 

After days of bad storms, Amanda and I finally got to take our night tour into Dismals Canyon. The whole park is so isolated that it's literally so dark at night that you can't see your hand in front of your face. So add the effect of the canyon depths to the camp darkness, and we couldn't even begin to describe how dark it is.

But shining through the darkness are these little, tiny, invisible-to-the-naked-eye-even-in-the-light creatures called DISMALITES. Our sweeter-than-sweet-tea but tall-as-the-canyon's-Champion-Tree guide, Kevin, and the Dismals Canyon website describe Dismalites this way: "Past twilight the canyon lights up with tiny bioluminescent creatures we call Dismalites. These 'glowworms' require a select habitat to survive and are unique to only a few places on Earth. They are 'close cousins' of the rare glowworms found in Australia and New Zealand." 

If I understood correctly, Dismalites are basically the larvae of a rare species of gnat. Again, in sum, they are tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny.

But as tiny as they all may be, as small and insignificant as they all may seem, the light of just one itsy bitsy Dismalite cannot be overcome by the darkness. 

Looking at a Dismalite is like looking at a little star, far, far away in a vast, dark, and never-ending universe except the Dismalite is shining through a darkness that's as close as your nose and as close as your hand that you can't see but use to keep from running into the rock in the deep dark canyon.

And no matter how deep the canyon. No matter how isolated the park. No matter how late at night. The darkness cannot overcome the light of a little, tiny, invisible-to-the-naked-eye-even-in-the-light Dismalite.

And that's the way it is with each and every one of our lives.

Ya see friends, when we believe in Jesus Christ, it doesn't matter how small and insignificant we may feel. It doesn't even matter how small and insignificant we actually are. When we believe in Jesus Christ, we have the light of the world dwelling in us and shining through us. And when darkness comes to the lives of our family and friends and neighbors and coworkers, the world has nothing to say because the world is cloaked in darkness. But we who believe have a calm and a peace and a word that brings light to the deepest darkness, calm to the roughest storm, and peace to the neediest soul.

Yes, we are all small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But because of Jesus Christ, we, like a Dismalite, have the power to shine our best when things get toughest for those we're given to love.

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." - John 1:5 (NIV)

Praise God!

Pastor Chris 
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Mon, 10/03/16, "Day of Praise"

"And a poor widow came, and put in two copper coins, which make a penny." - Mark 12:42

Ya know, sometimes ya just get the blahs. For whatever reason, ya just don't have that bounce in your step. And I have a hunch about that; ya know, why ya get the blahs and all. 

I think the reason people get the blahs and lose that bounce in their step is because of the little things. Aaaaaall those little things that have to get done each and every day. Ya gotta, get it on up. Make the bed. Get yourself together, which includes a bundle of little things. Get a bite to eat. Rush out the door. Deal with traffic. And all that's just to get to the start of the million little things at work that you've got going on. And that's a short list if you have kids or aging parents to serve and get going too!

The little things. The myriad of endless little things. 

They have the power to knock the wind out of your sails, take the bounce out of your step, and fill your spirit with the blahs. 

But they also have the power to change the world. 

Yep, it was a little thing, so little that nobody in the world noticed, except for Jesus. Nobody noticed except the Son of the Living God. But so impressed was Jesus by that itsy bitsy little thing that he used it to teach us a majorly big lesson. 

About trusting God. About true faith. About finding peace and security in God instead of possessions. About sharing with the poor. About seeing yourself as rich because of God's love instead of less than rich because you still don't have enough stuff. 

Jesus taught a big ol giant lesson about all that and more from a little thing. A thing so little that it was worth a penny to the world, a penny that today we don't even stoop down to pick up because it's so worthless. 

But to Jesus, well, to Jesus that little worthless penny was worth a big ol praise from God. A pat on the back from THE MASTER of the GREAT BIG GIANT UNIVERSE!!!

So...

The next time you're feeling a little blahsy and the bounce is missin from your step, stop! Just stop and take account of the source. It's probably those little things. A million little things that ya gotta do to get through your day.

And then...

You can take a moment and look again. And see those million little things differently. Like an old widow long ago. Who seized a little thing as an opportunity. 

To please the Lord. 

And change the world. 

It's all in how you choose to see it. 

"And a poor widow came, and put in two copper coins, which make a penny." - Mark 12:42

Praise God!

Pastor Chris 
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

This email was sent to ctdegreen.pcblog@blogger.com why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences Day of Praise Daily Encouragement · 1601 Southcrest Trail · Hoover, AL 35244 · USA

Day of Praise

Mon, 10/03/16, "Day of Praise"

"And a poor widow came, and put in two copper coins, which make a penny." - Mark 12:42

Ya know, sometimes ya just get the blahs. For whatever reason, ya just don't have that bounce in your step. And I have a hunch about that; ya know, why ya get the blahs and all. 

I think the reason people get the blahs and lose that bounce in their step is because of the little things. Aaaaaall those little things that have to get done each and every day. Ya gotta, get it on up. Make the bed. Get yourself together, which includes a bundle of little things. Get a bite to eat. Rush out the door. Deal with traffic. And all that's just to get to the start of the million little things at work that you've got going on. And that's a short list if you have kids or aging parents to serve and get going too!

The little things. The myriad of endless little things. 

They have the power to knock the wind out of your sails, take the bounce out of your step, and fill your spirit with the blahs. 

But they also have the power to change the world. 

Yep, it was a little thing, so little that nobody in the world noticed, except for Jesus. Nobody noticed except the Son of the Living God. But so impressed was Jesus by that itsy bitsy little thing that he used it to teach us a majorly big lesson. 

About trusting God. About true faith. About finding peace and security in God instead of possessions. About sharing with the poor. About seeing yourself as rich because of God's love instead of less than rich because you still don't have enough stuff. 

Jesus taught a big ol giant lesson about all that and more from a little thing. A thing so little that it was worth a penny to the world, a penny that today we don't even stoop down to pick up because it's so worthless. 

But to Jesus, well, to Jesus that little worthless penny was worth a big ol praise from God. A pat on the back from THE MASTER of the GREAT BIG GIANT UNIVERSE!!!

So...

The next time you're feeling a little blahsy and the bounce is missin from your step, stop! Just stop and take account of the source. It's probably those little things. A million little things that ya gotta do to get through your day.

And then...

You can take a moment and look again. And see those million little things differently. Like an old widow long ago. Who seized a little thing as an opportunity. 

To please the Lord. 

And change the world. 

It's all in how you choose to see it. 

"And a poor widow came, and put in two copper coins, which make a penny." - Mark 12:42

Praise God!

Pastor Chris 
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Sa, 10/01/16, "Day of Praise"

"[David prayed to God,] 'When I am in distress, I call to you,
because you answer me.'" - Psalm 86:7

There aren't many things in life that you can count on 100%.

Truth be told, there's only one.

You can only count on the LORD God 100% of the time.

Martin Luther said that a god is anything in which you put your trust. It's best to put your trust in the LORD God, since you can only count on the LORD God 100% of the time.

Wouldn't you agree that it's foolishness to trust something or somebody you can't rely on 100%? Maybe even madness? But we do it all the time! Aaaaaah, Lord have mercy!

David knew that the Lord does.

Have mercy that is.

That's why David called to the Lord whenever he was in distress. David knew from experience, time and time again, that when he called out, "Lord," that the Lord was present and listening.

Do you?

Not just do you believe, but do you call on the Lord, saying, "Lord," as if he's present and listening?

Try it. You'll be blessed. Because he is.

Happy Saturday! The Lord is present and listening for you!

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

This email was sent to ctdegreen.pcblog@blogger.com why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences Day of Praise Daily Encouragement · 1601 Southcrest Trail · Hoover, AL 35244 · USA

Day of Praise

Sa, 10/01/16, "Day of Praise"

"[David prayed to God,] 'When I am in distress, I call to you,
because you answer me.'" - Psalm 86:7

There aren't many things in life that you can count on 100%.

Truth be told, there's only one.

You can only count on the LORD God 100% of the time.

Martin Luther said that a god is anything in which you put your trust. It's best to put your trust in the LORD God, since you can only count on the LORD God 100% of the time.

Wouldn't you agree that it's foolishness to trust something or somebody you can't rely on 100%? Maybe even madness? But we do it all the time! Aaaaaah, Lord have mercy!

David knew that the Lord does.

Have mercy that is.

That's why David called to the Lord whenever he was in distress. David knew from experience, time and time again, that when he called out, "Lord," that the Lord was present and listening.

Do you?

Not just do you believe, but do you call on the Lord, saying, "Lord," as if he's present and listening?

Try it. You'll be blessed. Because he is.

Happy Saturday! The Lord is present and listening for you!

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson