3 Gifts to Give Your Kids this Christmas by John Murchison

While Christmas may indeed be “the most wonderful time of the year,” it’s also in the running for the busiest time of the year.  We rush around to decorate our homes, attend Christmas parties, make memories with our families, make and send Christmas cards, and buy gifts – all on top of our normally packed schedules. For those of us who lead in the church, from staff member to dedicated volunteer, our service to our church family crowds our schedules even more.
With just a few days until Christmas, many of us are finding ourselves short on time to finish up our Christmas to-do lists, hoping to make this year’s celebration meaningful and memorable.  Whether or not your children get their “must-haves,” there are a few gifts that won’t show up on their lists that are perhaps the most important.

The Gift of Yourself

For kids, there’s nothing like presents piled high beneath a tree on Christmas morning. But even if you got them everything on their list and more, it’s far more important that you remember to give them the gift of yourself. It can be tempting to think that because we sought out, paid for, wrapped, and gave a bunch of great gifts that our parenting duties for Christmas are done. That is far from the truth.
As parents, we are called to represent the heart of God the Father to our children. He doesn’t simply give us gifts that we want because we want them. What He wants most is for us to enjoy Him, not the gifts He gives us.  That’s what we really want and need, anyway – to be known and loved by our Father God.
Our kids, too, want something more than a new Furby Boom.  They want to be known and loved by their parents, and to be secure in that love. And as you give them that gift of yourself, you are pointing them to their deeper desire to be known and loved by a heavenly Father.
So, after Christmas lunch, resist the urge to go take a nap, watch TV, or get some “me” time in. Take time to play with all the new toys that you just gave your kids. Watch the new Despicable Me 2 DVD with them, even though you saw it with them three times in the theaters. Get beaten at that new video game over and over again.  Build a tower with their new blocks, watch them knock it down, and help them build it again.
By giving the gift of yourself to your children, you’ll be blessing them and yourself as well.  And after all, the best gift that God ever gave us was the gift of Himself, as a baby boy on that first Christmas morning.

The Gift of Giving

In Acts 20:35, Paul quotes Jesus as having said “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Any parent who has experienced the joy of staying up late at night to prepare for Christmas morning knows this to be true. However, our children simply don’t believe it. Their Christmas lists are full of things that they want to receive, not things they want to give.
That means it’s up to us, their parents, to lead them to experience and understand this great truth. Find ways for your family to give to others together this Christmas. Talk to your local church about any needs in the community, or simply make cookies to give out door to door to your neighbors.
I know of one family who wanted to serve children in the Dominican Republic over the summer, but they were having a tough time raising all the needed financial support. So, they decided to use most of the year’s Christmas budget toward their mission trip, and let their kids know about their decision. While it wasn’t the children’s favorite Christmas morning ever, after the trip, they expressed how thankful they were that their parents had made that decision. Their eyes had been open to the true joys of generosity.
As you lead them in generosity, you’re giving them the gift of joy. After all, Jesus Himself promised that it is more blessed to give than to receive, so it’s a promise you can count on.

The Gift of Knowing God

Only the Holy Spirit can draw your children to know and trust in Christ. However, there is a lot that we parents can do to point our children to the joy of knowing God and to their need for a Savior. One of the best gifts you could give your kids this Christmas is a renewed dedication to leading your children to know and follow Jesus Christ.
Leading your kids to know Christ as Lord starts with you knowing and loving Him yourself. Your children are learning from your example each and every day, whether you think they are paying attention or not. That’s why Moses, when he is telling Israel how to lead their children to know the law, starts with this statement:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.” (Deuteronomy 6:5-6)
It is only after he says this that Moses talks about teaching your children diligently as we go about our lives.
For some of us, the greatest gift we can give our children this Christmas is a renewed commitment to pursue Christ. Perhaps our habits of regular Scripture reading and prayer have slipped in the holiday busyness. Pray that God would renew your passion to know Him, and then dedicate yourselves to growing in your faith. It will be good for your spirit, and good for your kids too. I pray that all of us parents would be able to say with Paul, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)
Another gift you can give your children is leading them to know God themselves, not simply by your example. If every child in your home doesn’t have their own, age-appropriate Bible, then I recommend adding that to the gifts under the tree this year. Also, pray with your spouse about how you can help your children develop the habit of reading the Bible and praying daily, either as a family or individually.
Even though these three gifts – the gift of yourself, the gift of giving, and the gift of knowing God – won’t make any child’s Christmas list this year, I guarantee our children will be blessed on receiving them. I pray that we all will find time in this busy Christmas season to make these gifts a priority.

Original Post found at Verge Network - 3 Gifts to Give Your Kids This Christmas

Silent Night Devotional

Silent Night
A Courageous Church Devotional

The last book of the Old Testament is Malachi. When we turn the page we get the New Testament but, in reality the time from the prophet Malachi and when God shows up in the form of baby Jesus is 400 years of absolute silence from God. What should we do when we feel silence in our lives, when you feel that God isn't hearing your prayers and you are asking is God even there?

Read Malachi 1:2a. 

• What does God say in this verse?
• Do you know that God always loves you?
• What things can you see in your life thy you can know that God always lives you?
• Can you look back on you life and see where God was preparing you for where you are now? 

In the silence God is not absent, He is always loving you and is working in the background of your life. 

Read Galatians 4:4

Do you think God knows the perfect time/just the right time to speak into your life? 

So what do you do in the times of silence? 

• Trust the Promises of God
• Be Brutally Honest with God
• Continue to Callout to God Though Prayer
• Continue to Seek God in The Reading of Scripture

Read Matthew 1:23

• What will they call the son?
• What does Immanuel mean?

CHECK THIS OUT!

Read Matthew 28:20
See how closely Matthew 1:23 and the words of Jesus in Matthew 28:20 relate!
Remember to Trust the Promises of God - Jesus says He is ALWAYS with you!

Silent Night
A Courageous Church Devotional
November 17, 2013
Podcast from Josh Britt can be found at www.CourageousChurch.tv

A Thankful Life - Examples

Sunday, November 24th 2013, I preached part 2 of the Courageous Church series "Thankful".  It was a family day for the church, meaning that there was no childcare... meaning all the kids joined us for these service... All of them.  Don't get me wrong, it was a special day and the low roar of kids whispering and their parents trying to get them to settle down is like a beautiful song for our growing church.  But it also meant that 15 minutes before I was ready to be done, I sensed that the kids had given me all the attention they could... the wiggles were about to win, the ants had reached the pants, the "mommy, mommy, mommy" has started, so I wrapped up.  What I left out was the 4 examples that Paul gives us to living a "Thankful Life."  What you will find here is a brief glimpse into those 4 examples.  I encourage you to go back and listen to the "Thankful" series podcast.  They can be found at www.CourageousChurch.com.

Thankful Life - Examples from Philippians 2

When Paul wrote, he was very deliberate in how he structured his letters and didn't do things just because.  The beginning of Philippians 2, Paul tells us that we are unified with Christ and because of that unity that we should have the same mindset as Christ, that we should think like Jesus (verse 1 & 5).  That mindset/thinking is to humbly treat others as better than yourself (verse 3).  Paul then goes on to give us 4 examples that kind of humility.

1.  Jesus Himself - Philippians 2:6-11

Jesus is God.  A simple, true, LOADED statement.  Jesus being God means He didn't have to.  He didn't have to become human, He didn't have to be born, He didn't have to grow up in a poor village (if it had of been be I would have at least chosen a time when the amenities we comfortable and the food was delicious), He didn't have to be tempted by Satan like no one else ever has for 40 days, He didn't have heal people, He didn't have to betrayed, He didn't have to be beat-up, He didn't have to stand trial, He didn't have to have nails driven through His hands, He didn't have to hang mostly naked on a cross...  He didn't have to!  But He did.  Why? 
- Because Jesus consider you better than Himself. 

2.  Paul (himself) - Philippians 2:17

Paul had spent time in Philipi, he taught the Philippians about Jesus and how to live out their faith with fear and trembling (verse 12).  Paul was so proud of the people of Philipi, he called them stars shining in a dark universe (verse 15).  But for teaching Christ, not only in Philipi, but in Caesarea, Antioch, Tarsus, Ephesus and in the other places his travels took him, Paul is imprisoned and will eventually die.  Why did he continue to teach Christ and Christ crucified everywhere he went even thought he new that he would be punished? 
- Because Paul considered others better than himself.

3.  Timothy - Philippians 2:20

Timothy was Paul's protégé.  Look how Timothy is described. he takes "a genuine interest in" others.  Paul specifically tells of the want to send Timothy because of him having the mind of Christ.

- Because Timothy considers others better than himself.

4.  Epaphroditus - Philippians 2:26

Epaphroditus was sent by the Philippians to Paul to take care of him while he is in prison.  While with Paul, Epaphroditus gets sick.  Epaphroditus is distressed... But why?  Not because he is sick, but because the people in Philipi heard he was sick.  Ephroditus was distressed because he didn't want them to worry about his illness.  He is thinking of the Philippians not himself.  It is the sign of someone who is humble...
- Because Epaphroditus considers others better than himself.

Christ is the major example here, its his attitude we should have, its Jesus mind we get when we follow Him.  But Paul takes the time to show us others, who in their everyday life have put others before themselves.  It is an attitude, its a way of thinking and if you are a believer then this should be your attitude.  To consider others better than yourself.

To find out more about Courageous Church go to www.CourageousChurch.tv.

A Thankful Life - Devotional

A Thankful Life
A Courageous Church Devotional

Last week's devotional was about Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.  In the second part of that devotional comes a devotional asking you to reflect on yourself.  If you claim Jesus as the Lord of your life... then are you living a life worthy of Christ's sacrifice? 

Are you living a Thankful Life in Light of the Thankful Sacrifice?
Are you living a Life worthy of the Cross of Christ?

This is a difficult question because it searches so deep within our own spirit.  It becomes even more difficult as we realize that we are not worthy of Christ's sacrifice on the cross.  And glaring us daily in the face is the fact that as hard as we try to obey God's word, we often fail, we often fall short.  But that's okay, that is the message of the Cross itself!

Read Romans 5:6-8

•  Jesus knew that we were not worth His painful death... But He counted us as worthy.
• Jesus knew that we were not righteous, that we are still in sin against Him... But He counted us as worthy.  

Read Philippians 2:1-5

Paul is asking us if we will do the same thing for other that Christ did for us.  Will we count people worthy of our sacrifice even though they aren't.  Yes, you may be asked to sacrifice your life for someone, but Jesus said that He came to give us life and life to the fullest (John 10:10).

What are some ways that you can count others as worthy?

• Worthy of your attention?
• Worthy of your time?
• Worthy of your money?
• Worthy of your ......?

When you count others a worthy of your sacrifices because of Christ's sacrifice---
You are living a Thankful Life in light of the Thankful Sacrifice.

A Thankful Life
A Courageous Church Devotional
November 24, 2013
Podcast from Haley Uhrig can be found at www.CourageousChurch.tv

Simiply the Gosple

I have just finished reading articles and looking at pictures of the earthquake that hit Haiti. The estimates of how many people have died are horrific. An estimated 500,000 could be the death toll as a result of the earthquake. My prayers are with them, however its too late for what a lot of them needed. I was writing about the Gospel before the quake and do not want this seen as a response to the catastrophe, but use the event to as a wake-up call to a message I wanted out here. And yes, my thoughts, prayers and tears are with the Haitians.

The Gospel

How many ways are there to get to Heaven and am I going? Its a good question especially among the plethora of answers that can be given. As simply or harsh as this sounds the fact is that there is only one way to Heaven; There is only one way to please God.

John 14:6 (NIV)
"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"

Jesus is the ONE and ONLY way to get to Heaven. It's so simply. It bothers me that people want there to be many, many ways to get to Heaven when the only way is so simple, loving, peaceful, and full of joy.

If Jesus is the only way to get to Heaven, we should be telling everyone, right? No, we like to guard Gospel, protect it, shield it, hide it, and in most cases just don't know it. This is serious! People are Dying! As Francis Chan said during a sermon, we like to think of Noah's ark and all the pretty animals and the big boat, but the reality is that millions of people died and went to Hell. In one shake of the earth in Haiti 500,000 people are dead. What are the chances they knew Christ? This should not just make us upset but be in pain for those who know Jesus. Paul said, "I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel."- Romans 9:1-4 (NIV). It is for the reason of saving people that Jesus Christ came to earth and His Gospel is the source and the power that we have been given to show people "The Way".

Romans 1:16 (NIV)
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

I want to make the Gospel as simple as possible. I have narrowed it down to 3 verses. 3 verses that are easy to remember and help us walk through the entire Gospel of Christ hitting upon the essentials of salvation. Let's walk through it as if we were explaining it to someone else.

Romans 3:23
"...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

• What is sin? Sin is what is wrong in the eyes of God. Many of which are bad in the minds of people. Lying, Murder, Adultery, and Theft are all recognized by the majority as wrong. They are also sins
• Who has sinned? The answer is, "All" we have all sinned. All is everyone!
• What is the glory of God? God is perfect and Holy, He has not sinned, will not ever sin and can not sin. He cannot even be around sin.
• Are we perfect like God? Obviously not, we fall short.

Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

• What is a wage? It is something that you earn. When you get a job you probably get money for working, that is your wage.
• What is the wage of sin? Death. We all die a physical death, our hearts will stop beating and lungs stop working and our brain will not function and we will be dead. This death is spiritual death. God is the giver of life, being separated from Him is death, it is the separation from God that is death and that the dead live is Hell.
• This means we have earned death. We deserve death. We deserve to be separated from God because of our sin.
• What does a gift cost? Nothing, you are given a gift and it cost you nothing
• What is the gift God is offering? Eternal life, being with Him forever. Is death is being away from Him, life is being with Him.
• Through who do we get this life? Jesus Christ.

John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

• Who does the word world include? All or everyone.
• What does it mean that He gave His one and only Son? He sent His only perfect Son, Jesus to us, and He was killed as a substitute for our sins. He died so we could have eternal life.

So how do we get saved through Jesus?

Romans 10:9
"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

• What does it mean to Confess? To say it with honesty. If you confess to something that you did wrong, you are telling the truth.
• What is a Lord? A Lord owned a large amount of land and allowed other to farm on it in return for protection. If the Lord said something it was the law, you did what the lord of the land said. Kind of like a king. Thus, Jesus is the Lord of lords, and King of kings.
• What is it that you are believing?
• What will happen if you confess and believe? YOU WILL BE SAVED.

That's it, that is what every believer should know and even more be sharing with everyone they meet. It is serious, people are dying! 4 verses, get with it.

Romans 3:23
Romans 6:23
John 3:16
Romans 10:9

A Thankful Sacrifice - Devotional

A Thankful Sacrifice
A Courageous Church Devotional

Have you ever been at a party or business gathering and someone with a bad attitude walk into the room?  Everyone in the room can feel it, the feel the energy sucked out of the room.  Or if you are a parent or have every been in the room with a child that is having a bad attitude, does it not make very difficult to have a good day?  What we know is that a bad attitude can change everything for the worse.

Right now, where would you say your attitude is?  Is it "everything is great and nothing and pull me down" or "nothing is good, nothing goes my way and nothing will happen great to me" or is is somewhere in between?

Read Philippians 2:5

What does the scripture say our attitude should be like?

What does it mean to have the same mind/attitude of Christ?

Read Philippians 2:6-8

Those are tough, beautiful words!  But according to Philippians what is the attitude of Christ?

Humility is an attitude that is rare in our day and age, can you think of anyone living a humble life?
Do you look to these people as an example of how you should be?

Jesus' example of humility seems extreme and considering that He didn't have do any of it, it becomes even more extreme.  But do you know why He did it?

So that you may know God!  That you may have life!

So why should your attitude be the same as Christ?

Read Philippians 2:11

We all need to have the attitude of Christ so that the message of Jesus is being shown to others so that they may know God and life.  Look closely at the end of verse 11... This brings glory to God!!  We bring glory to God by the way we live if and when we have the mind/attitude if Jesus!!



 
A Thankful Sacrifice
A Courageous Church Devotional
November 17, 2013
Podcast from Josh Britt can be found at www.CourageousChurch.tv

Scripture Reading - What's Your Plan?

 As our title of "Christian" says, we should be mimicking Christ. Meaning that would should become more and more like Christ. We can never forget that as believers should always becoming more like Him. We have been given a very nessasary tool, the only tool we have to become more like Him, all other tools are developed out or for this tool. The Bible is the very word of God. The Bible is the words of God and shows us what His actions are so that we can get to know Him.

When we are electing people to positions, hopefully we are not just electing people according to what group they are with though that is reality; instead we give them opportunities to speak so we find out more about them and what they represent so that we can make a choice to support them with our vote or not. When you meet someone knew, you have to get to know them? You sit with them and ask questions and talk with them so you know them. You also watch their actions to see if this is the kind of person that you want to be around. When you have been around someone for a long time, say a best friend, you start becoming like each other. One of my closest friends and I were around each other we so much that we even had the same laugh.

That's the idea of discipleship is to become like Christ by spending time with Him. Our major resource to know Him is His words. As believers we have to start thinking like Christ. When we start thinking like Christ we will become more like Him, we must allow Him to renew our minds (Romans 12:2).

To know how to think we need to know what to think. To think like Christ we must first know how Christ thought, we have to dive into the mind of God. To do so we must correct what I think is one of the most unused disciplines in the church and the root of most of the churches problems. We have to read scripture!

I want to present to you a plea from scripture to read scripture.

• Matthew 6:19-21 - We have to treasure the word of God in hour hearts

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

• Luke 6:45 - Your words are the overflowing from your heart.

"The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."

• Colossians 3:16 - You have to put the word in you and let it live.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."

• Romans 10:8 - The words of God must be on our hearts and ready to be spoken.

"But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming"

• Luke 8:15 - The Good Soil, the soil that is not thrown into the fire is the one that listens and does the word.

"But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."

• Deuteronomy 11:18 - We have to permanently fix the word of God to our Hearts and Minds

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads."

• Psalm 119:11 - (My favorite) We don't want to sin against God, so we have to put God's word into our Minds and Hearts.

"I have treasured Your words in my heart so that I may not sin against you.

There are many more than this, but what believers have to realize is that it is knowing and living the word of God that separates us from the rest of the world as far as how we appear to the outside world. What I don't understand is people not wanting to read the word of God and then complaining when they can't hear God speaking to them. We already have a lot of what God has to say and what He has for you to hear is already in your hands if you will take the time to read (hear) it.

I would urge your to be very intentional about reading Scripture and plan it out. It does sound great to read the whole Bible in a years time, but that is an undertaking. If that is what you feel like you need to do then go for it. I have done it myself and glad I did. However, don't feel pressured to. If what you plan is to read a verse a day and apply it to your life, then go for it. If its a chapter a day, everything under a bold heading a day, whatever it may be, the important thing is that your are allowing God's word to start permeating through your heart and mind so that you are becoming more like him. But do plan it. Write it out. Do it. God's word is alive and active, sharper than any double edge sword. - Hebrews 4:12 Why would you not want that in you.

One last thought. John 1:1 says, "the Word was God". John 14:6 says, "I (Jesus) is the Life". Matthew 4:4 say, "Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." So when we are reading scripture we are putting God inside of us, putting more life in us, and feasting!

Eat Up!