An Offer You Can't Refuse

God,



What is our fruit today that makes us think that we will be like God? The temptation of the fruit has not gone away it has just switched names. God, I think that we are still tempted to get fruit to be like You or at least we think that we can be like You. In psychological terms, we call it the God-complex. However, I think it way more simple than thinking that we are like God, I think it ultimately comes down to people being full of pride.

Today our fruit comes in various forms that includes:

• Thinking that we have control of a particular situation
• Not trusting You with an area of our lives such as money, future, children or work
• Believing that we are smarter than we really are
• Looking at our life and feeling that we have no need for God
• Feeling that we are better than other people

Give us your strength so that we do not have to eat from the fruit. Help us to remain humble, to remain in Your will and where You want us to be at all times. Let us not take one step outside Your will.

Learning not to eat from the fruit,

Derek

Breath of Life

God,



"God breathed life into the man, and the man started breathing." (Genesis 1:7) To me, this illustrates the beauty of the care and love that You have for us. In this creation story, You give us life from Your lips to ours. In my mind, I can see the limp body of Adam become alive as Your breath of life leaves Your mouth and enters the lungs of Adam.

The intimacy between You and Adam is so clearly presented by this image. The care of You bending down and taking Adam's head in Your hands and breathing the very life that we currently have into existence just goes to show the relationship that was originally created.

Even though I know that the concept of being in a relationship with You is a fairly recent idea, I can not help but read this line over and over and just Praise Your Name for life.

Thank You for my life. I have written about it earlier but I should have been mentally retarded according to medical doctors but I am not. You breathed life into me and for that I am thankful. Even during difficult times, I need to praise You and be thankful for the life I have been given.

Thanks for breathing life into us,

Derek

Engage the Word

God,



Tomorrow begins a 40-day spiritual journey for myself and those that attend Grace Church of the Nazarene. I am excited to begin this journey with You.

Today, Pastor Mark spoke about consuming Your word. I hope that I do not just go through the motions when reading Your word. I hope that I will not only read but that I will consume Your word in such a way that life transformation occurs. I want to read Your word, pray through Your words and reflect upon Your words.

My hope is that I develop a Samuel ear for hearing Your voice. I want to hear You speak to me throughout each of these days. I want to begin my days asking, "God, who will you put in my path to whom I can minister?"

My hopes for this series:

• Read Your word each and every day
• Memorize scripture
• Hear Your voice loud and clear
• Grow closer to You
• Life Group grows closer to You and each other

Excited for tomorrow,

Derek

Sin

God,

We have all heard the word, sin. In our heads, I think that it brings up many images from murder to hate, from adultery to lust and from gossip to violence. I also think that many of us know that sin is doing what is wrong but how often do I forget that not doing what is right is also sin.

It is a sin when someone knows the right thing to do and doesn’t do it. (James 4:17)

• How many times have I known the right thing and walked away?
• How many times have I not given someone money that needed it?
• How many times have I not spoken a kind word just because I didn't like the person?
• How many times have I not shared Your love for someone just because I was scared?

What happens when the right thing to do becomes blurry? Are there varying levels of what is right? I know that murder is wrong but if someone breaks in my house and tries to harm my family, is murder then not wrong? Is there good and then greater good?

I want to do right by You and by others. God, grant me the wisdom to know what is right and the strength to follow that path wherever it might lead me.

Wanting to do right,

Derek

Courageous

God,



After having a great afternoon with the family at the zoo and enjoying a scrumptious dinner at Titos, Kat and I rented Courageous to watch after putting Bennett and Celia down for the night. I had heard many great things about this movie prior to tonight. The movie did not disappoint. In the past, I have often wondered why the acting was sub-par but I did not notice poor acting tonight.

After watching the movie, I feel that I am a pretty good papa. However, I know there is so much more that I can give my kids to ensure they know You. I know that there are areas that I need to improve. I can see how some dads watch this movie and feel discouraged. However, I watch this movie and I feel challenged to be the best papa to my children. With Your help and by Your grace, I want to be the Spiritual Leader in my house and I want to love my wife like Christ loves the Church, unconditionally and with a self-sacrificing love.

I want to answer the call to be Courageous. As a papa that could not have biological children, my heart aches thinking of all of the fatherless boys and girls in our country and around the world. I think of the single moms trying to be both moms and dads and I have such admiration and respect for each one. But not only do men need to become real fathers, but we need men to step up and father the fatherless.

Help me to be Courageous,

Derek

Resolution Update

God,



On January 6th, I blogged about my resolutions for 2012. My resolutions are:

1. Blog Everyday- I have successfully blogged each and every day. I hope that I can continue blogging. I think that some of my blogs have been real and honest while others have been just so-so.
2. Read Bible everyday- I have read some scripture every day but I really need to improve. It has to be more than just reading scripture, it has to be about consuming God's word- Can't wait to hear Pastor Mark's sermon this weekend about this very thought.
3. Work-out- Each week during the month of January, I was able to work out at least 3 times a week. My strength is increasing but I know that I can push myself more.
4. Not eat at fast-food restaurants- I have only eaten at a typical non-sub fast food restaurant once in the month of January and that was because Pastor Mark wanted to go to Captain D's for our staff lunch. Other than that, I have only eaten at Subway, Jersey Mikes and Quiznos.

God, help me to be a better person. I think my resolutions are cool but the most important thing is that I am continually transformed more into the likeness of Jesus Christ. Help me empty myself, die to myself so that I can have all of You.

Thankful and challenged,

Derek

How He Loves Us

God,



Tonight, the Youth Worship Team led us in worship. One of the songs that they played was How He Loves. The chorus of the song repeats the words How He Loves Us, How He Loves Us So. As I sang these words, I looked around the room and saw that some of the youth were worshipping, some kids just mouthed the words and many just stood in silence. My heart was breaking because I knew in that moment that many of these youth do not realize the depths of your love. Now, this is a wonderful opportunity to truly reach many for You but I also ache because I know what it feels like to be without Your love.

It caused me to wonder if any of us really understand the depth of Your love. You love us so much that You gave Your son so that our relationship to You could be restored. May each of us learn and grow to understand Your love to the fullest extent that we can.

Thankful for Your Love,

Derek