BELIEVE: week eleven: Worship

“Come, let us song for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.” Psalm 95:1-2

I love to hear my father share memories of his days as a US Air Force staff sergeant in Morocco during the Korean War. His duty started at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and sixty years later, I made a point of taking my dad back to that base for a visit.

An active lieutenant colonel graciously offered to provide us with access to the base and to give us a personal tour. We saw restored fighter planes, from WWI to the present. When we came to the Korean War plane, the lieutenant colonel stopped us, looked my father straight in the eyes, and said these heartfelt words: “Al, as an officer and representative for the United States Air Force, I want to thank you for your dedication and service to our great nation.” He finished with a strong salute.

Overwhelmed by this display of honor and respect, my dad saluted back, his eyes filled with tears.

Do you think our heavenly Father becomes overwhelmed, his eyes filled with tears of joy, when we salute him with our heartfelt worship?

"I worship God for who He is and what He has done for me."

[Excerpt from Believe: 31-day Devotional by Randy & Roxanne Frazee]

BELIEVE: week ten: Eternity

View fullsize

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:1-2)

After twenty-two years of living in Texas, we were moving. Leaving behind our life troubled our hearts. We purchased a beautiful little bungalow in Chicago with one problem: there was no room large enough for all of us to hang out. Determined to prepare the house for our family, Randy headed up to renovate the basement to create our much-desired family room.

As he left, I wanted to go with him, but it was more strategic for me to stay behind and finish handling all the details to ensure a smooth transition. My husband would be back to take us home, to the place he was preparing for our family.

When Jesus told his disciples he was leaving, they desperately wanted to go too. But strategically he needed to leave them behind to share the gospel with others to build his kingdom. So he taught them how their hearts could be comforted while he was gone: by believing his promise to return.

Is your heart troubled by your circumstances? Comfort yourself with Jesus’ promise to return and to take all of us who believe in him home, to the place he has prepared for us.

“I believe there is a heaven and hell and that Jesus will return to judge all people and to establish his eternal kingdom.”

[Excerpt from “Believe: 31-Day Devotional” by Randy & Rozanne Frazee]

BELIEVE: week nine: Stewardship

View fullsize

Believe Devo’s Week 9: Stewardship

“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” 1 Peter 4:9

Every house hunter or renovator on HGTV at some point during the show exclaims something like, “Now I can see myself entertaining here!” Or “This backyard would be great for having friends over for barbecuing,” or “This kitchen will be awesome for hosting!” Apparently everyone wants to entertain, but they’re just one major move or remodel away from actually pulling it off.

In the Scripture, hospitality appears in the form of a command, not a suggestion. “Do not forget to show hospitality” (Hebrews 13:2). “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality” (Romans 12:13). Whether we live in an apartment or house, a mansion or cottage, whether it needs to be remodeled or is brand new, our home is a gift from God, and he expects us to share it willingly and cheerfully with others.

Jesus doesn’t want you to wait until your house is perfect before you open it up and share it with others.

“I believe everything I am and everything I own belongs to God.”

[Excerpt from Believe: 31-Day Devotional by Randy & Rozanne Frazee, pgs. 21-22.]

BELIEVE: week eight: Compassion

View fullsize

“Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 82:3-4

Freddy was a classmate of mine in junior high school. He had a condition referred to (at the time) as “water on the brain.” The excess fluid around his skull created an oversized and awkward head for Freddy. Junior high school is an awful place to be different. Immature people create the worst possible names for our apparent weaknesses. Freddy was called Watermelon Head.

One day between classes in a hallway filled with people, a group of boys started picking on Freddy. They called him names and shoved him around. This was the same year I became a Christian. Something was stirring in me, something that was not there before—or perhaps I should say someone.

I felt compelled to go and stand between Freddy and the bullies. But in the end, I did nothing. Forty years later I still think about this incident. As a new, immature Christian, I failed Freddy, and he took the abuse with no advocate. I am so sorry, Freddy. With God’s forgiveness granted, I wake up each day praying for the courage to “defend,” to “uphold the cause,” and “rescue” the Freddys God puts in my life.

“I believe God calls all Christians to show compassion to people in need.”

[Excerpt from Believe: 31-Day Devotional by Randy & Rozanne Frazee, pgs. 19-20.]

BELIEVE: week seven: Humanity

View fullsize

“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.” John 3:16

Most Americans claim they are Christian. They aren’t Muslim, Jewish, or Hindu; they were raised in the church or attend church; and they try to live by the golden rule.

Nicodemus was no different. He was one of the spiritual leaders—in our world, he’d be teaching the adult Sunday school class and serving on the elder board. Nicodemus had memorized all the laws and tried to live out each one. Secretly approaching Jesus, he was sure Jesus would assure him he had done everything needed to gain a relationship with God. After all, he had been working for this his whole life. And that is when Jesus said the words from the most famous verse in the Bible. They were spoken not to a person outside the church, but to one of its leaders.

Many people attempt to live good lives, working hard to make sure they secure an eternal relationship with they Creator. Like Nicodemus, however, they have missed the one thing they need to gain access to a true relationship with God.

God wants nothing more than to be in relationship with you, but unless you accept the free gift of his Son, you cannot enter into that relationship.

“I believe all people are loved by God and need Jesus Christ as their Savior.”

[Excerpt from Believe: 31-Day Devotional by Randy & Rozanne Frazee, pgs. 17-18.]