Whatever is Admirable

"This is what the LORD says ­– Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God." 

Isaiah 44:6 

When you think about God, what thought pops in your mind first and most? What is He best known for by the words you speak to yourself and the words you speak to others? Thoughtfully answer this before reading the next sentence.

A.W. Tozer said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied that some people thought He was John the Baptist, others thought that He was Elijah, and still others thought He may be Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

Then Jesus separated public opinion from personal conviction. He got personal and asked, “What about you? Who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:13-16).

What you think about God is critically important. We must recognize that His Name, His works, His attributes, and His glory cannot be separated. And when we rightly think about our admirable God, we will be changed and His reputation will be on display in our lives. The ripple effect is that as His fame and reputation grows and spreads worldwide, other people’s lives will be changed, too.

Think on the admirable (Philippians 4:8) names of God.

I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? (Jeremiah 32:28) Think on His name in your hardship.

I am your shield, your very great reward (Genesis 15:1). Think on His name in your battle against the enemy.

I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you (Isaiah 41:13). Think on His name in this moment’s worries and fears.

I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more (Isaiah 43:25). Think on His name in your guilt.

Be still, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10a). Think on His name now.

Think on it: What do your words and life demonstrate to the world about what you think about God?

God revealed each of His names in a specific situation where one of His people had a special need. The name that was revealed related to the aspect of His character that would provide the solution to the problem that person was facing.

Dick Purnell

grace and peace,
Lenae

Another devotional from the GEMS training manager

Let's keep thinking about our upcoming theme together!

WHATEVER IS LOVELY

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

In the Peter Pan movie there’s a segment where the children are in their bedroom with Peter Pan, wishing they could fly. “How do you do it?” John asks Peter.

Peter answers, “You just think lovely, wonderful thoughts and they lift you up in the air.”

Lovely thoughts won’t make you or your flip-flops airborne, but they are exactly what God requires in Philippians 4:8. We are to think on whatever is lovely or acceptable to God.

That was David’s request when he prayed, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14). Within Psalm 104 a similar plea is made: May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the LORD (v. 34).

For sacrifices to be acceptable to God, specific requirements needed to be met. The priests needed to be clean, the sacrifice needed to be without defect, and the person offering the sacrifice needed to be sincere in repentance and worship.

David is approaching God, offering His mind as a sacrifice to Him. He’s asking that his words – the ones he speaks from his lips and the self-talk he speaks in his mind – meet God’s requirements.

What kind of words do you speak aloud and to yourself?

In her book, Silver Boxes: The Gift of Encouragement, Florence Littauer writes about a delightful children’s sermon that unfolds based on Ephesians 4:29, Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 

As she spoke to the children about how our words should minister grace and be presents to one another, a “precious little girl stood up, stepped into the aisle, and said loudly to the whole congregation, ‘What she means is that our words should be like little silver boxes with bows on top.’”

What a beautiful picture of what our words should be to each other AND a lovely illustration of what our words should be when we talk to ourselves! As God tests our self-talk, may He find that they’re lovely gifts fit for a King.

Think on it: Would you describe the words you say to yourself and about yourself as lovely? If not, make Psalm 19:14 your prayer today.

Wise, truthful words are never harsh or unkind. They are gracious. Even the hard truths we speak to ourselves should not be condemning.

Jennifer Rothschild

grace and peace,

Lenae         

Whatever is Right devotional

WHATEVER IS RIGHT

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:8

God instructs us in Philippians 4:8 to think on whatever is right or in some translations, to think on whatever is just (ESV and KJV). We live in a world that does just that. In a Barna Group survey it was reported that, “close to nine out of every ten Americans (86%) describe themselves as ‘caring deeply about social injustice.’” Social awareness is on the minds of Christians and non-Christians alike.

It’s important to recognize the difference between awareness and action, between thinking about injustice and taking needed steps to right the wrong. God requires both! We must think on whatever is right and just and do what is right and just (Philippians 4:8, Micah 6:8).

“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other” (Zechariah 7:9-10).

God repeatedly told His people to have concern for the weaker members of society, but they gave no thought to His commands. They refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the LORD Almighty was very angry (Zechariah 7:11-12).

Injustice angered God’s Son as well. Jesus said to the spiritual leaders of that day that although they think they’re doing the right thing by giving a tenth of their spices, they’ve neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness and love of God (Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42).

“Woe to you!” Jesus said to the teachers of the law and Pharisees. “Woe to you!” He says to you and me when we fail to act justly as the LORD requires.

Sometimes we draw a line in our minds for how far we’re willing to go or how much we’re willing to do as activists for Jesus Christ. God has drawn a line as well. Justice is His measuring line; righteousness is His plumb line (Isaiah 28:17a).  Jesus will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever (Isaiah 9:7). May His Kingdom and His will that we act justly be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Think on it: What’s the last time you thought to yourself, “This just isn’t right!” Ask God how you can move that thought into action as you seek to administer true justice.

Lord, to those who hunger, give bread. And to those who have bread, give the hunger for justice.

Latin American Prayer

grace and peace,

Lenae         

Whatever is Noble Devotional

Let’s think together about the upcoming GEMS theme, Think Right: Win the Fight!

WHATEVER IS NOBLE

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Colossians 3:2

Within Scripture the firstborn son carried noble rank within the family. His birthright included a double portion of the estate, leadership of the family, and other special privileges and responsibilities. Beyond the tangible, material inheritance, the heart of his birthright was spiritual blessings.

In Genesis 25, we meet Isaac and Rebekah’s sons, Esau and Jacob. Although they were twins, Esau was born first and the lawful heir to the birthright. Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!”

Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”

“Look, I am about to die,” Esau said, “What good is a birthright to me?”

But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob (Genesis 25:29-33).

Philippians 3:19 is descriptive of Esau’s impulsive choice. His destiny was destruction, his god was his stomach, and his glory was in his shame. His mind was set on earthly things.

Esau hungered for the immediate satisfaction of stew, instead of God who satisfies the desires of every living thing (Psalm 145:16). He traded in an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade for the temporal, fleeting pleasures of this world. He gratified the desires of the flesh and showed complete disregard for God’s covenant blessings. God’s Word warns us not to make the same mistake! See that no one . . . is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son (Hebrews 12:16). 

Those whose names are written in heaven, are the church of the firstborn (Hebrews 12:23). Through Christ, the firstborn of the Father and over all creation, we have been gifted an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Our true citizenship is in heaven! Are those noble thoughts at the forefront of our thinking? Or are we shortsighted, impulsive, selfish, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God? (2 Timothy 3:4)

Esau was famished and the only thing on his mind was the short-lived gratification of soup rather than the eternal glory that far outweighs our light and momentary troubles (2 Corinthians 4:17). His choice came with severe consequences. God turned Esau’s mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals (Malachi 1:3).

Think on it: What choices are you making in your famished situation? Do not be shortsighted. We need a heavenly perspective! Choose to think on whatever is noble by setting your mind on things above, not on earthly things.

Everything is about God and his glory, not us and our needs. If we always keep God at the center of our lives and minds, we will never be overcome by self-absorption.

Anthony Selvaggio

grace and peace,

Lenae         

A typo

It has been brought to my attention that the registration forms for Fall Workshop have the wrong deadline date on them!! OOPS!!! The forms say August 30, but the deadline is August 15, as I shared in some emails. PLEASE mail your registration forms in asap so that we can have time to order materials for this upcoming Fall Workshop. I apologize for this error and hope you won't hold it against me!! :)

Reminder to Register!

Greetings Area 3 GEMS Counselors!

Even though we are enjoying great summer weather, it is time to start thinking about our GEMS Area 3 Fall Workshop! This year it will be held at Bellevue CRC on September 8. The deadline for registration is FAST APPROACHING! These registrations need to be in the mail by August 15!!

In case you don't get the snail mail or you want to mark your calendar now, here's the pertinent info:

Who: Area 3 GEMS Counselors
What: Fall Training Workshop
Where: Bellevue, CRC, Bellevue, WA
When: September 8, 2012, 8:30 am - 3:45 pm
Why: To learn and be encouraged, inspired, and refreshed!
Cost: $30/person
How: Fill out a registration form and mail it with payment to Julie Ball, 313 Christopher Lane, Everson, WA 98247. Forms are available to print at the top of the right hand column of this blog!

In case you want to know a little more about these training workshops, GEMS has put together a fun little 3-minute video for you. Click here (http://vimeo.com/40026712) to watch it and learn more about what happens at Fall Workshop!

If you haven't yet signed up to receive email updates on this blog, please go ahead and do so by entering your email address in the window on the right. This way you'll stay up to date on GEMS information and receive theme-related devotionals from Lenae Bulthuis, our GEMS Training Manager.

If you are a Club Coordinator and you know that you have new counselors who just signed up to help you out this year, we definitely DO NOT have their emails and addresses yet. Please be sure to give them each all the information about our Fall Workshop and feel free to print and make as many copies of the registration form as you need.

Finally, registration forms are due August 15. This is the date we need to have registrations by so that we can order materials. If you anticipate having more counselors attend, but you just don't know who they are by that time, please shoot me an email and we'll work it out. We want to have as many come as possible, but will just need a ballpark number in order to have enough supplies for everyone who attends.

We are looking forward to seeing many of you at our workshop in September! It's always great to reconnect and hear how things are going for you!

Blessings,
Julie Ball, Area Coordinator
Tami Cleveringa, Leadership Trainer