Jesus doesn’t take days off

Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.

Scripture: Matthew 14:34-36 (The Message) On return, the (disciples) beached the boat at Gennesaret. When the people got wind that he was back, they sent out word through the neighborhood and rounded up all the sick, who asked for permission to touch the edge of his coat. And whoever touched him was healed.

Life goes on. One day Jesus is healing the sick and teaching 5,000 out in the countryside. When they were hungry, he fed everyone with two fish and five loaves of bread. Then he sent the disciples away on a boat ride so he could be alone and pray. When the disciples saw him body surfing in the middle of a storm, Peter jumped out of the boat to chase after him but sank after he took his eyes off Jesus. The next day, the people saw Jesus in their neighborhood. Back to work. He healed whoever touched him.

The Bible talks about rest periods for the weary, but Jesus rarely took a day off during his 3-year ministry. When Jesus needed restoration, he would go away by himself and pray half the night and be ready to go the next day. We may be tired and in need of rest, but that doesn’t mean Jesus is tired and in need of a day off. We may get through a really busy time serving the Lord and think we need time off, but God may have a plan for us the very next day. We must be ready.

I’ve heard it both ways about rest when we are busy serving the Lord. Some of the most invigorating times I’ve had in my adult life were after serving God in a big way. On the flip side, some of the most draining times were spent serving God. If we are uncertain as to whether to rest or serve again, we must ask God for wisdom and guidance. Our prayer life is the key in such times. If we’re tired from serving too much, we are doing it for ourselves. If we are in constant prayer, God has a way of giving us the strength we need in trying times.

God doesn’t look at our lives the way we do. We may look at life as working M-F with weekends off, but kingdom servants don’t have regular days off. But God does tell us to take a Sabbath day every week, which is meant for rest and worshipping him. We may be busy serving the sick on Sundays that takes half our days. Then it’s back to the grind in the office on Monday. Or we may plan a Saturday at the beach, but we find ourselves ministering to someone God put before us in the parking lot. There is no rhyme or reason when it comes to working for God. Be prepared to serve whenever he calls you, no matter what day it is.

How does this apply to my life?

Today’s prayer: Lord, help me to be ready to serve when you call me. Help me to get my daily rest so that I will have the energy I need whenever you call on me. Amen

Doug Mead

Parenting Solo

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Vol. 3, No. 99

This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/july.asp?version=51

Sinking caused by faint-hearts

Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.

Scripture: Matthew 14:31 (The Message) (From yesterday: Peter lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, “Master, save me!”) Jesus didn’t hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, “Faint-heart, what got into you?”

One of the descriptions the Bible uses for Jesus is “comforter.” He comforts us in our struggles because he cares for us. But at one point does Jesus reach his hand out to grab us from treachery? Anybody? Anybody? He reaches out before we sink. The passage says Peter “started to sink,” at which point, Jesus grabbed him. Jesus was right there beside Peter. He knew exactly what was going on. He was watching him, millisecond by millisecond. At just the right moment, he pulled up Peter before his head went below the surface.

Peter didn’t sink. His head didn’t go under water. He wasn’t bobbing up and down in drowning mode, gasping for air when his head rose above the water. We must trust that Jesus knows just when to save us. Somewhere in there in his perfect timing, Jesus wants us to grow in our faith: If we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can walk on water; when we focus on the storm, we start to sink. That’s why Jesus said to Peter, “Faint-heart, what got into you?” Jesus didn’t say “Peter, you sank because you lost faith;” He said, “What got into you?” He wanted Peter to think on his own.

Only Jesus knows when that perfect time is to save us. At that point, he won’t hesitate to save us. What he doesn’t want to happen is for us to try to save ourselves. That is the dilemma we all face in trying times. Instead of relying on God’s strength, we try to do it ourselves. It is human nature, but that is what Jesus is trying to warn us about. Do not lose focus during stormy times. If we lose that focus for even a little while, fear quickly sets in. That fear does not come from God, it comes from Satan.

God can do incredible things through us, but only if we do things his way. Jesus wants us to know it’s OK to acknowledge or fears. Peter doesn’t get out of the boat and walk on water, then tell Jesus, “Master, I’m scared. There’s a storm all around me. I’m afraid of sinking.” Had Peter made such a statement, Jesus would have replied. “I know it’s scary out here, Peter, but keep your eyes on me.” Instead of keeping his focus on Jesus, Peter looks either to his left or to his right. That is his sin. For us, keeping our focus means living out our faith for Christ daily. When things get tough, we can’t suddenly stop going to church, forget to pray or stop reading our Bibles. Seek counsel from a wise friend. Don’t be afraid to cry out “Master, save me!” because Jesus promises to rescue us from the storms of life.

How does this apply to my life?

Today’s prayer: Lord, help me to keep my eyes on you, every day. Help me not to turn to the left or to the right during the storm. Amen

Doug Mead

Parenting Solo

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Vol. 3, No. 97

This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/july.asp?version=51

Listen only to Jesus’ voice

Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.

Scripture: Matthew 14:30 (The Message) Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, “Master, save me!”

When my son was an infant, I took him to swimming lessons in the summertime. The instructor had us place or children on the deck of the pool, with us standing in the water a few feet away. Then he told us to tell our children to jump into our arms. “Come on, Son, you can do this. Jump into Daddy’s arms.” And what’s the first thing our children say? “Will you catch me?” “Yes, Son, I’ll catch you.” Then he would jump into my arms, and laugh and giggle. “Again,” he’d say.

That’s how our faith life is, too. Peter first asks Jesus if it is really him on the water. When Jesus assures him it is he, Peter “jumps out of the boat” with exuberance. At first, Peter’s faith is rewarded. He is the only one of the disciples to get out of the boat and walk on water. Only Peter had that special experience of knowing Jesus right then. It’s the same way with the swimming lesson above. Afterward, my son and I had a special bond, because he knew he could trust me and jump and I would catch him.

That’s what Jesus was doing with Peter. Peter was fine at first. His excitement got him out of the boat and surfing onto the water. But as soon as he looked around, he realized there was still a storm going on around him. These were white-cap waves churning around him, not just water lapping onto the side of the boat. Peter had reason to fear, at least in his own mind. Then, scripture says “he lost his nerve and started to sink.” That’s what happens with us and our faith. Note that it doesn’t say “he sank.” Jesus was still there for him, whether Peter realized it or not.

Peter’s faith got him out of the boat as no other. But when he took his eyes of Jesus, he began to sink. And just like us when we panic, we first cry out to God to save us. It’s instinct. “Hey, I’m sinking here, God. Are you watching.” Yes, God is watching, but he gave us instructions, and he wants us to follow them. Keep with the program and we’ll be fine. That’s what faith is about. Peter’s troubles began when he started looking at the storm around him. Thinking like that will always discourage us. Satan’s plan is to discourage us at every turn. We must learn to listen to God’s voice of encouragement in stormy times and not Satan’s.

How does this apply to my life?

Today’s prayer: Lord, help me to listen to your voice only. Help me to stick you’re your program. Amen

Doug Mead

Parenting Solo

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Vol. 3, No. 96

This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/july.asp?version=51

Preparing properly

Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-23 (The Message) As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples got in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people. With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night.

Jesus had just finished performing the miracle of feeding the 5,000. The next subtitle for this story is “Walking on the Water.” Like a businessman looking ahead to the next day’s agenda, Jesus knew what would happen that night. He had an object lesson planned for Peter, designed to build his faith. So what does Jesus do, knowing he must go from one great miracle to another? He first regains his strength by going off to a place of solitude and praying. Scripture says he was praying “late into the night,” so it wasn’t a short prayer.

That’s a lesson we should all learn. Tomorrow’s a big day, and we know it. We need proper rest, yes, so going to bed at a decent hour is wise. But it’s the prayer thing that is important. Instead of taking a day off, Jesus looks at the surroundings and sees another opportunity to teach Peter how to trust him more. His prayer time fortifies his plans. We should do the same. “Father, this is my plan. What am I missing? Tell me.” Then listen intently. Whatever you need, God will reveal to you.

Our plan may be sound because we prayed over it as we made it, but that quiet time with God is meant to be a listening time. “Lord, what is your plan for me.” That way, it becomes more of God’s plan and less of ours. Jesus knew a storm was brewing when he sent the disciples out. He knew he would rejoin them by walking on water. He knew Peter would hop out of the boat and cry for help when he sank. Yet he still wanted to ensure he was one with God by praying first. He prayed fervently, too.

Jesus didn’t waste any time moving on to the next ministry opportunity. He didn’t gloat over his success with the feeding of the 5,000. Had he eaten with his disciples that night, they surely would have reveled in the fact that, at the end of the meal, there were more loaves and fishes than when they started. Maybe they would have gloated a little bit. Jesus would have none of that. He saw another opportunity to teach his disciples, and he didn’t waste it. We should do the same with our children. Sometimes it happens so quickly that the only prayer time we have is “Lord, help me.” That’s enough. We’ve called on the Holy Spirit to intervene for us. It’s suddenly about God and not about us. Let the great teacher teach.

How does this apply to my life?

Today’s prayer: Lord, help me to give my daily plans over to you. Tell me what I am missing for today. Amen

Doug Mead

Parenting Solo

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Vol. 3, No. 93

This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/july.asp?version=51

God-infused knowledge

Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.

Scripture: Matthew 13:52 (The Message) (Jesus) said, “Then you see how every student well-trained in God’s kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his handle on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it.”

Jesus had just finished telling the parable of the thistles in the field and was trying to explain God’s kingdom to the people. The thistles represented servants of Satan, sent to destroy the kingdom Harvest. We find that God’s angels will pull up the thistles and destroy them – in the final act. When he asked them if they had a handle why he told stories, they said they understood. Jesus put a premium on being a well-trained student of the Bible because it would give one the knowledge to deal with any problem, which is wisdom. Wisdom is the key to everything you need.

As parents, we hope our children grow in knowledge as they continue their education. Today, a premium is put on getting a college education because it’s at least four more years of learning how to study in order to solve problems. When a student studies and understands the materials, it usually means a better grade. Knowing the material down the road is what is important, not getting a good grade and then forgetting what you studied. That’s the way it is with the Bible; it isn’t about reading it, forgetting it and not using it. We must retain knowledge in order to use it for the kingdom.

That’s why reading and studying the Bible is so important. I have come to value reading the Bible with a daily plan because I see its importance. I read it first thing in the morning (ideally before the newspaper or the Internet). Then I pray and write. That’s my quiet time; it amounts to about 30 minutes a day. I need that time to be first thing in the morning, so that I make God my priority from the beginning. I also am involved in two Bible studies, one a couples group that meets twice a month, and one a men’s group that meets every Wednesday night. In the group studies, we usually don’t get past more than a few verses at a time, because we’re also discussing it. It helps to know what others think about the passages. Sometimes, I read different translations to get a different take. This year, I am reading The Message for these devotions.

God wants us all to be well-trained in his Word because it gives us preparation for what comes our way each day. It gives us a basis for living. The Bible teaches us how to deal with the thistles the world throws at us. It’s a guide for kingdom living. The more we study it, the better we are able to tackle life’s problems. It’s sort of like osmosis; as we read God’s word, his knowledge just sort of seeps out of the pages and into our minds. That’s how God works. With that kind of lifestyle, whenever we need wisdom, it’s there because God grants wisdom to those who are prepared.

How does this apply to my life?

Today’s prayer: Lord, give me wisdom as I study your word. Give me the knowledge to deal with today’s problems. Help me to live for today. Amen

Doug Mead

Parenting Solo

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Vol. 3, No. 91

This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/july.asp?version=51

It’s simple: Follow Jesus

Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-3 (The Message) At about that same time, Jesus left the house and sat on the beach. In no time at all, a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat. Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories.

The simplicity of it all. Jesus is standing on a beach, hanging out with his disciples. Suddenly, swarms of people gather around him to listen to him teach. Whatever he had said previously had impacted them greatly because they wanted to hear more. To gather himself, he hopped into a nearby boat and pushed off from shore. From there, he taught the people by telling stories. A beach, a boat, stories. That was all Jesus needed.

Imagine if a Benny Hinn or a Jimmy Swaggert tried that today with no television audience and no hope of an offering to subsidize their mega-ministries. (Side note: Did Jesus ever ask for money when he preached? The answer is no.) Today, we want to be entertained. We want to laugh on Sunday mornings. We want multi-media presentations to give us pizzazz. We want to be dazzled. Yet Jesus’ messages were always simple stories. He told parables that made them think about its meaning. He told about the love of God. He told of truth and grace. He told about the kingdom to come. That’s it. No flash.

It wasn’t just the message they were attracted to, it was the messenger. He was so different than anything they had heard from the Jewish leaders. The people on the outside looking in were no longer outcasts; they were included in Jesus’ plans. Jesus’ message was all-inclusive; no one was left out. Anyone who believes in Jesus and the Father can spend eternity in heaven with them. Jesus’ message was and is so simple. It isn’t about the act of doing; it was about being.

Being a Christian, or a follower of Jesus, is simply trying to be like him. We can never be perfect enough to get into heaven. No matter how hard we try, we can never make it on our own merits. The people were tired of trying to live up to the standards of Moses’ Law, which had changed over the centuries to include too many of man’s law. Suddenly, untying your donkey on the Sabbath was considered a sin. The people were frustrated at the difficulty of knowing God. It was all so complex. Jesus’ message simplified their lives greatly. Know Jesus, know the father. Simple. Try it.

How does this apply to my life?

Today’s prayer: Lord, help me to understand the simplicity of your message. Help me to love the Son as well as the Father. Help me to be like the Son. Amen

Doug Mead

Parenting Solo

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Vol. 3, No. 87

This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/july.asp?version=51

Being obedient is the key

Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.

Scripture: Matt. 12:48-50 (The Message) Jesus didn’t respond directly (to his mother and brothers wanting to speak to him), but said, “Who do you think my mother and brothers are?” He then stretched out his hand toward his disciples. “Look closely. These are my mother and brothers. Obedience is thicker than blood. The person who obeys my heavenly Father’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Family was important in the Jewish culture. It was important to have sons to pass on their lineage. Sons and daughters tended to live nearby, even after marriage. Sons would marry but usually stay in the same town. Fathers would teach their sons the business, because it would one day be their own. Blood relatives were important to the culture.

But here, while Jesus is teaching, the Pharisees are looking for a miracle to prove he is who he says he is. Jesus declines. He knows they still wouldn’t believe. When someone mentions that his mother and brothers are outside, he tells the crowd that anyone who obeys his Father’s words is his brothers, sisters and mother. He was setting obedience above blood. He was telling the people how important obedience is.

When Jesus was asked about which commandments were the most important, he told the people to love God with all their hearts, souls and minds, and to love their neighbors as themselves. Simple. If we obey those two commandments, everything else in life falls into place. If we truly love God with all our heart, soul and mind, loving others comes naturally. It’s a byproduct of who God is. When they asked him to define “neighbors,” he told them that everyone was considered a neighbor in the kingdom. They were looking for loopholes.

It seems so simple, yet obeying those two commandments gets tricky. Every day, we are disobedient. What God cares about is where our hearts are. Do we feel remorse when we stumble? Do we immediately come to God and confess our sins? Or do we take the attitude that God forgives all our sins anyway, so what’s the big deal? The big deal is that we must try to be obedient. Of course we’re going to stumble; we’re human. The good news is that Jesus died for our sins, all of them. We need a savior, and Jesus is he. It’s in the scriptures, and we can trust God’s word. We just have to believe and be obedient.

How does this apply to my life?

Today’s prayer: Lord, help me to be obedient, even when it hurts. Help me to be obedient, even when it’s difficult. Amen

Doug Mead

Parenting Solo

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Vol. 3, No. 86

This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/july.asp?version=51

Gimme a miracle!

Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.

Scripture: Matthew 12:39 (The Message) Jesus said, “You’re looking for proof, but you’re looking for the wrong kind. All you want is something to titillate your curiosity, satisfy your lust for miracles.”

We live in a society that wants proof that God exists virtually every day. People like Benny Hinn because they want to believe that God is a god of miracles. We are willing to pay $20 and line up at a circus tent to see revival from a god-barker. “Come on people! Come on down! Get your healings! Right here!” But those same people won’t go down to their local church and be a part of long-term revival or find healing from relationships they’ve built over the years.

We want our fix, and we want it now. Yet, God seems to go off and hide when we demand miracles for proof of his existence. He knows even if he does provide said proof that many will walk away and demand another miracle. It’s human nature. In Matthew 12:38, the Pharisees are again asking Jesus for a miracle healing. He won’t do it. He’s done it too many times for them, and he figures enough is enough. At some point, people have to believe in God for the right reasons. Either their hearts are right or they aren’t. If they aren’t, God simply walks away and waits. And waits. He always has more patience than we do. He’ll wait us out.

Some people will do the carnival evangelist over and over. They’ll stand in line and get slain on stage, hoping for a miracle. They’ll get caught by the catcher and swear that Jesus healed them. They’ll walk away minus the limp, but it’s back the next morning. Sometimes, the pain is psychosomatic, sometimes it’s a thorn in their side that Jesus refuses to remove, for his own reasons. Either way, Jesus wants real faith. Anything short of that, and you deserve to lose your $20.

Real faith takes time, and it takes energy. It isn’t something you can catch in a moment and suddenly be energized for 20 years. That kind of faith runs out of gas before you get to the top of the hill, then it coasts backwards until you slam into a tree. Real faith believes in the good times and in the bad. We don’t blame God when things don’t turn out the way we had hoped and prayed. We accept that it’s God’s will, and that he knows a thing or two. Fake faith constantly demands proof. People like that go their whole lives without real faith.

How does this apply to my life?

Today’s prayer: Lord, give me real faith. Give me faith that lasts a lifetime. Give me faith that doesn’t demand proof. Amen

Doug Mead

Parenting Solo

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Vol. 3, No. 85

This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/july.asp?version=51

What kind of fruit are you bearing?

Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.

Scripture: Matthew 12:33 (The Message) (Jesus said:) “If you grow a healthy tree, you’ll pick healthy fruit. If you grow a diseased tree, you’ll pick worm-eaten fruit. The fruit tells you about the tree.”

When my wife and I were hiking in Park City, Utah, last week, we went through a grove of Aspens. At one point, someone had carved their initials in the bark. Consequently, the tree was dying. It wasn’t healthy looking. Its leaves weren’t bright green like the others. They didn’t realize that when you damage the bark of an Aspen, that it can be fatal. It may take years for the trees to die.

That’s how our lives are, too. We do something without thinking, and suddenly, our bark is turning colors. Take getting pregnant as a teenager. No matter what you do, your life will never be the same. We can choose to get an abortion, give the baby up for adoption or have the baby on our own. Perhaps our family will help us, perhaps they won’t. College may have been in our future, but it has to be put on hold to have the baby, perhaps forever. Our financial future will never be the same. Our insides change, too, in a way we can’t predict. We may not trust the opposite sex the way we once did.

What does your tree look like today? Is it healthy and bearing fruit, or are there worms coming out of your fruit? Unlike the two scenarios above, Jesus can heal any tree, either on the exterior or the interior. He specializes in mending broken hearts. It takes faith and time to see God’s finished work. Sometimes, he isn’t in a hurry, because he wants us to realize the error of our ways. When we were children, our parents spanked us immediately when we acted out; they didn’t wait a week before doling out the spanking. We learn our lesson when justice is handed out right away.

People can see what kind of fruit our lives are producing. People know immediately whether our fruit is sweet or sour. The choices we make on a daily basis may determine what your fruit tastes like. For us to go from rotten fruit to sweet fruit in just a few days is unrealistic. We may have to forsake this year’s crop and start working on next year’s crop. We need to give ourselves time, in order to feel the effects of God’s healing hand. Don’t rush it; God is in no hurry. He patiently waits and watches our actions before helping us. He’s looking at our hearts. Only when our hearts want real change does God step in with his healing touch. It is our choice what kind of fruit our tree bears. It’s a growth partnership with God.

How does this apply to my life?

Today’s prayer: Lord, help me to bear sweet fruit for your kingdom. Let my fruit be bold and filled with robust flavors, because you are the great farmer of the universe. Amen

Doug Mead

Parenting Solo

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Vol. 3, No. 84

This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/july.asp?version=51

Being flexible

Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.

Scripture: Matthew 12:6-8 (The Message) (Jesus said:) “There is more at stake here than religion. If you had any idea what this scripture means – ‘I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual’ – you wouldn’t be nitpicking like this. The Son of Man is no lackey to the Sabbaths; he’s in charge.”

Several years ago I was involved with a church that brought in a man to teach the pastors and leaders about keeping flexible schedules during office hours. The idea was that, as ministry leaders, we had to keep flexibility in our routines for people who needed us, whether for emotional or spiritual guidance. The idea was that if we kept our schedules too full, we wouldn’t have any time left for those poor lost souls who needed a little of our time.

I’ve always liked that kind of flexible routine. I like the idea of always having time for coffee with a friend, or perhaps a walk. Maybe that’s because I’m spontaneous and an Otter personality, always ready to flitter around and start new projects. I’m a people person at heart. Fixed schedules and routines aren’t my cup of tea. I think, too, that Jesus was a flexible kind of guy. When he met the woman at the well, he didn’t wait for his disciples to return, as was the custom with the Jews. He made time for her. He worked her into his busy schedule. He always seemed to have time for people, whether at a wedding feast, a dinner party at a tax collector’s or the healing of a child.

So how do we become flexible in our busy lifestyles? We have kids to raise, jobs to pursue, households to manage and lives to lead. How do we prioritize such flexibility? Are we to be flexible for just anyone? The answer, is yes, we must prioritize our schedules. We must know what’s important and what isn’t. Family and certain friends deserve our time whenever the need arises. Finances matter, too. Walking is free and coffee is cheap. (No lattes at my meetings.)

I was speaking with a pastor on our vacation about balancing ministry life with family life, and he shared a story with me. He told me he used to read his four boys bedtime stories, but occasionally he would get pastoral calls that needed his time. He would stop reading to care for one of his sheep. Later, he realized his mistake and set boundaries for phone calls during family time. He made appointments for the next day – over coffee. That way, his family got his time when they needed him, and his congregation got him when they needed him, during daytime hours. How can you add ministry flex time to your busy schedule?

How does this apply to my life?

Today’s prayer: Lord, help me to always keep flex time in my daily schedule. Help me to make time for people who might need my time. Amen

Doug Mead

Parenting Solo

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Vol. 3, No. 83

This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/july.asp?version=51

Ordinary or extraordinary?

Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.

Scripture: Matthew 11:25-26 (The Message) Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: “Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You’ve concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. Yes, Father, that’s the way you like to work.”

Jesus has sent off the 12 disciples to share the Gospel throughout the world. Jesus has begun his three-year ministry by teaching and preaching in villages around Galilee. After Jesus placed the charge to his disciples, John the Baptist, who was locked up in prison, sent word to Jesus, asking if he were the Messiah. Jesus essentially said that he was the one they were awaiting. Then Jesus went to work in cities that had given the least response to his message of grace.

Christ wasn’t giving the message to the Pharisees or the Sanhedrin, the “sophisticates” of the Jewish culture, to whom Jesus referred. He was giving the message to the “ordinary” people. “Ordinary” as in not just pastors. Ordinary as in single adults. The sophisticates of the time were always thumbing their noses at the “ordinary” people. Imagine how it felt to be just “ordinary.” Yet Jesus was taking his message to the “ordinary” people first, telling them how special they were, telling them how much God loved them. Before Jesus, they felt left out of God’s kingdom plan.

Suddenly, the ordinary were the extraordinary and the sophisticates were the ones left out. Anyone who put their faith in God and understood that His grace covered their sins could have peace on earth and spend eternity in heaven with the Father. Imagine how refreshing that must have felt, how freeing that must have been. It was like Sally Fields at the Academy Awards: “You love me! You really love me!” The kingdom door was suddenly open to everyone.

So what does that mean to “ordinary” folks? There is a charge to this prayer. Jesus tells us “ordinary” believers to take his message to other “ordinary” people. His message is easy to hear from someone who has gone down that same path. Yes, God works in mysterious ways through “ordinary” people just like us. Single adults can do extraordinary things in the kingdom, if we only believe. If we think we are left out because of our earlier marital sins or that we have nothing to offer, then we will be left out of the fun. The fun is sharing Christ’s peace with those whose lives are in constant turmoil, then watching their lives change right before your eyes. People are looking for change, and if we offer them the world, they will remain lost. Offer them Christ and watch God work his miracles. God likes to work like that.

How does this apply to my life?

Today’s prayer: Lord, thank you for your special message for “ordinary” people. Help me to accept my role in the kingdom of sharing your grace with the lost. Amen

Doug Mead

Parenting Solo

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Vol. 3, No. 81

This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/july.asp?version=51

Don’t compromise with family

Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.

Scripture: Matthew 10:34-37 (The Message) “Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy. I’ve come to cut – make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law – cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.”

In this life, we must make many choices. The toughest choice may be choosing God’s ways over family ways. Family has a strong pull on us. We may not have grown up in a healthy family environment, but family bonds last a lifetime – as well it should. But Jesus makes it clear that we must choose him first over family members. We can’t look back, trying to please family members while trying to lead a life of faith.

When Jesus called the disciples to follow him, brothers Simon and Andrew didn’t ask questions; they simply dropped their nets and followed. Brothers James and John did the same, leaving behind the family fishing business run by their father. Yet when Jesus told the rich man to sell all that he had and follow him, the rich man went away sad, because he had much wealth to give up. When another follower asked to first go bury his dead father, Jesus refused, saying “First things first. Your business is life, not death. Follow me. Pursue life.” (Matthew 8:21-22).

Following Jesus means no compromising, and the first place we might compromise is with family relationships. You cannot appease your children while breaking Kingdom laws. God must come first, and scripture is consistent and clear on this. When I got married a year ago, we were reminded to keep God first in our lives because God is the creator and sustainer of healthy relationships. Husbands and wives are to keep each other above their children, because that’s how you keep a relationship strong. Children pull on our heart strings. God’s word tells us how to make tough decisions.

When your children become teenagers, at some point you will be tempted to let them stop going to church – especially after much grumbling on their part. Don’t do it! When I was struggling with my son not coming to church with me a few years back, my pastor’s wife told me that over the years she had seen many parents force their children to go to church and an equal number succumb to letting their children sleep in on Sundays. She said she had yet to meet a parent who thought they made a mistake by making their children go to church, while she knew countless parents who regretted letting their children choose not to go to church. Choose kingdom things first, so your children will see that you won’t compromise your values.

How does this apply to my life?

Today’s prayer: Lord, help me to be strong in sharing my values with my sons. Help me not to compromise my beliefs with them. Help me to be a good example of Christian living. Amen

Doug Mead

Parenting Solo

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Vol. 3, No. 80

This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/june.asp?version=51