2 Timothy 2:6
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands...
Dana's Thoughts
Paul is encouraging Timothy here by telling him to use the gifts God has given him. When we use the natural gifts and talents that God has given us they get stronger. Don't be afraid to use your abilities to point back to the reality that Jesus has made you who you are.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Week 3: Refocus on the Future
Philippians 3:13
13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead...
Dana's Thoughts:
It is so easy for us to dwell on the past. As Christians it's easy for us to focus on all of the bad we've done and give into the temptation to just give up. Paul is showing us by his example here, that if we focus on the future and the hope that comes from Christ, we can rest in knowing The Holy Spirit will guide us.
13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead...
Dana's Thoughts:
It is so easy for us to dwell on the past. As Christians it's easy for us to focus on all of the bad we've done and give into the temptation to just give up. Paul is showing us by his example here, that if we focus on the future and the hope that comes from Christ, we can rest in knowing The Holy Spirit will guide us.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Week 2: Raise Your Expectations
Matthew 19:26
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Dana's Thoughts:
Jesus says this to his disciples because of an encounter they all just had. A rich young ruler comes to Jesus and asks Him what it takes to get to heaven. Jesus responds by telling the young man to keep the commandments. At the time the Pharisees were teaching many different commandments to follow which is why the young man responds with "which ones?" After Jesus tells him which ones the young ruler says "I have followed them, why do I still lack?"
In this case Jesus asks the young ruler to give up all of his money and possessions and follow Him. Sadly, the man could not. which leads us to this verse. Our salvation is not dependent on what we can do but what Christ can do and has done. Maybe you feel like something is lacking in your walk with God, try asking Him what he wants you to do and trust that he will show you. Then hold on to this verse because sometimes what He wants is impossible for us to do without him.
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Dana's Thoughts:
Jesus says this to his disciples because of an encounter they all just had. A rich young ruler comes to Jesus and asks Him what it takes to get to heaven. Jesus responds by telling the young man to keep the commandments. At the time the Pharisees were teaching many different commandments to follow which is why the young man responds with "which ones?" After Jesus tells him which ones the young ruler says "I have followed them, why do I still lack?"
In this case Jesus asks the young ruler to give up all of his money and possessions and follow Him. Sadly, the man could not. which leads us to this verse. Our salvation is not dependent on what we can do but what Christ can do and has done. Maybe you feel like something is lacking in your walk with God, try asking Him what he wants you to do and trust that he will show you. Then hold on to this verse because sometimes what He wants is impossible for us to do without him.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Week 1: Recharging Your Batteries
Isaiah 40:31
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Dana's Thoughts:
Take some time each day to meditate on this scripture as you commit it to memory. Having hope that God is with you, can change your perspective on what you face in your day to day life. As you walk through your day, try to remember to "hope in the Lord" and cling to the promise that he will help you "run and not grow weary" and "walk and not be faint."
Monday, September 29, 2014
Day 40 - September 29, 2014
Today's Reading: 1 John 3:11:-24 (NIV)
11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
Dan's Thoughts:
Last day of this blog being supplied to you. You know what to do. Live it out.
I miss you all.
Your Friend,
Dan
11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
Dan's Thoughts:
Last day of this blog being supplied to you. You know what to do. Live it out.
I miss you all.
Your Friend,
Dan
Questions For Reflection:
1. Which verse stuck out to me the most? Why?
2. What is God telling me through this passage?
3. What transformation in my heart needs to take place because of what this passage means?
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Day 39 - September 28, 2014
Today's Reading: 1 John 3:1-10 (NIV)
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. 7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.
Dan's Thoughts:
You have two days left. Its time to break you off of my thoughts, and help you develop your own. Read this passage and ask yourself key questions that help you apply these verses to your life. You're in the captains chair now.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. 7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.
Dan's Thoughts:
You have two days left. Its time to break you off of my thoughts, and help you develop your own. Read this passage and ask yourself key questions that help you apply these verses to your life. You're in the captains chair now.
Questions For Reflection:
1. Which verse stuck out to me the most? Why?
2. What is God telling me through this passage?
3. What transformation in my heart needs to take place because of what this passage means?
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Day 38 - September 27, 2014
Today's Reading: 1 John 2:15-29 (NIV)
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[d] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life. 26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.
Dan's Thoughts:
What in the world do you love? Often, that leads to compromise in your walk with God. It's nearly impossible to love God and love the world. Let the Holy Spirit direct you to places of worldly love that remain in your heart, and cover them with a godly perspective. This was a long passage. Pay extra attention to all of it though. It's good stuff.
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[d] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life. 26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.
Dan's Thoughts:
What in the world do you love? Often, that leads to compromise in your walk with God. It's nearly impossible to love God and love the world. Let the Holy Spirit direct you to places of worldly love that remain in your heart, and cover them with a godly perspective. This was a long passage. Pay extra attention to all of it though. It's good stuff.
Questions For Reflection:
1. Which verse stuck out to me the most? Why?
2. What is God telling me through this passage?
3. What transformation in my heart needs to take place because of what this passage means?
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