• Verse 1 certainly speaks to me as a pastor: the way you live should reflect the way I’ve taught! In fact, if the Word isn’t changing the way we live, regardless of our status in life, something is wrong!  (Note: older men – v. 2; older women – v.3; younger women – vv. 4-5; young men – vv. 6-7; slaves (think employees) – vv.9-10)  The way we live can make our Gospel attractive to others! (or not)
• That idea permeates the whole chapter – and is summarized in vv. 12-13.
• Love the description of what Jesus came to do for us in Titus 2:14!

What stood out in your reading today?  Please share it below so we can all be encouraged-

That’s one of the reasons why our latest disappointment at CLC didn’t last long.  As you probably know, we’ve been planning to launch a new campus in the western suburbs since last year, with an original target date of January 2010.  Then we pushed it to February, as we couldn’t find a suitable location to launch.  Finally last month we found a sports center that seemed doable, so we set the new launch date for Easter weekend.

However, we were recently contacted by the village office where that sports center is located, informing us that even though we were only be renting, we would still have to receive permission from the village to open a church in their community, and that our facility would have to meet all their requirements for churches.  The next day our Campus Pastor met with those officials and learned that the sports center would not qualify, and our launch would have to be postponed again.

Before you sigh or get too frustrated, let me tell you what a ‘God-thing’ this was: we had already been working on the marketing tools for the new launch, and 90,000 post cards were scheduled to be printed that day.  (And all of them would have had the wrong address, meaning we would have wasted thousands of dollars, with no alternative but to reprint them later!)

Instead, the village recommended to us a local high school, whose facility will not only meet their requirements, but will enable us to reach more than twice as many people as the sports center!  In fact, the additional four months or so before launch (we’re now targeting a ‘back-to-school’ date in August) will enable us to grow the launch team so that even more CLCers will be able to serve the hundreds of new people we anticipate at those opening services.  So instead of a setback, we see this as the hand of God at work, as a set-up for even greater success in the western suburbs!  Truly He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or even think!

While we’re talking about recent developments, let me also inform you that Pastor Kim, who came to CLC over two years ago to begin a Korean outreach in the south suburbs, has recently been chosen to pastor an existing Korean church in San Francisco.  While we hate to see them go, the fact is that they had struggled to establish a work here to no avail in the past two years, and now they will have a congregation to serve and an opportunity to reach more in the Bay area.  He leaves today and the family will join him at the end of this month, so we’re pray God’s best on them as they begin a new chapter together.

Any setbacks in your life that might just be God’s ’set-up’ for greater things?

The first Bronze reading is 1Timothy 6.  Here are a few random thoughts I had while reading:

• If these first 2 verses applied to slaves, what must it say to us as employees?
• Vv. 6-8 probably aren’t popular in our culture, but they contain truths that make for a happy life!
• Sadly, I’ve seen vv. 9-10 lived out in people that I’ve known and loved.
• Before you ‘write off’ v. 17 as not applying to you, keep in mind that you are wealthier than more than 90% of earth’s population!
• Here’s the real purpose of money: v. 18!
• I want to experience the ‘real life’ of v. 19!

The second Bronze reading is 2Timothy 3.  Here’s my thoughts:

• Be honest as you read it slowly: do vv. 1-5 sound like our current culture?  Sure sounds to me like we’re living in the last days!
• As leaders (or even as believers), we should never separate “how we live” from “what we teach” (v. 10).  In fact, that’s why we can trust! (v. 14)
• Finally, vv. 16-17 are classic verses to tell us the importance of the Scriptures in our lives!

How was your reading today?  Please share your insights below to help us continue to ‘work the Word into our lives’-

• Is there a more pertinent passage in the New Testament for our day than 1Thess 4:3-8?  Notice: sexual sin violates God’s will for us (v.3); it dishonors us (v. 4); it’s beneath us as believers, since it’s indicative of a pagan lifestyle (v. 5); it cheats our fellow brothers & sisters (v. 6); it contradicts our calling (v. 7); and finally, none of this is mere human opinion, but rather God’s Word to us, AND He has given us His Holy Spirit to enable us to live up to this calling! (v. 8)  This passage is NOT to condemn us; it’s to help us live the good life God wants, and His grace enables, for us!
• 1 Thess. 4:13-14 opens a very important topic: what about those who have died?  Thank God for the comfort that permeates the rest of the chapter!
• Verses 15-17 give us hope and encouragement – whether we are alive until Jesus returns, or if we pass away before that time.  Great promise!
• Verse 18 is exactly what I intend to do with this teaching – how ’bout you?

Did you receive insights as you read today?  Please share them below so we can all benefit-

Q1: One of my favorite CLCers writes: “My question comes from Israel’s response to Pilate when they chose Jesus to be crucified in Matthew 27:25 - Did Israel curse themselves?  Is this also generational curses?  Is this a basis for Anti-Semitism (but that was also going on in the O.T.)?”

Great questions!  Let’s take them in order: (a) yes, in my humble opinion, Israel did curse themselves by verbally declaring that Jesus’ blood would be upon them.  The horrible persecutions that have come, including the devastation in 70 A.D. and certainly Hitler’s holocaust seem to have been some of the result.  (b) It was a generational curse in the sense that it continued for generations – but usually when we speak of generational curses today, we’re referring to individual or family curses, rather than a national curse. (c) It certainly has been used for expressions of anti-Semitism in past history – as even Christian churches & leaders of previous generations have spoken of the Jews as being “Christ-killers”, etc. (d) yes, anti-Semitism had already begun even in the OT, so this would not have been the sole cause.

Obviously, NONE of this excuses anti-Semitism today!  God has not rejected the Jewish people forever (Romans 11:1).  Instead, at CLC, we are investing in Jewish evangelism, with faith for an end-time harvest greater than ever! (Romans 11:11-15)

Q2: Another faithful CLCer writes, “Was John the Baptist really Elijah??  The way the Lord puts it in Matthew it sounds like it?!!  Elijah never died and the resurrection of Jesus had not taken place yet.  Elijah was born and John was born so it would seem to be 2 separate individuals.  Any insight??

More great questions.  I must admit that this is only my opinion, since Scripture could be interpreted either way – but I personally do not believe that John the Baptist was literally Elijah.  I base my opinion, in part, on Matthew 11:14; 17:10-13 – particularly where Jesus said “if you are willing to receive it” – since if it was literally true, it wouldn’t matter if they were willing to receive it or not!  My opinion is that John the Baptist was born, separate & apart from Elijah of the OT, but that he did come in the same spirit & power of Elijah, to fulfill prophecy.

Hope these helped.  Now, what would YOU like to Ask the Pastor?

• The first 3 verses address a very big problem/need for most Christians – the battle is won or lost in our thoughts!
• If we consistently practice verse 5, the Christian life is easy!
• Col. 3:13 takes care of all our relationship problems!
• Verse 15 gives us the overriding principle for making decisions, when the Word is not clear – peace is the umpire!
• The final verses of the chapter address our biggest needs, whether we are a wife (v. 18), a husband (v. 19), a child (v. 20), a parent (v. 21), or an employee (vv. 22-24)

Whew – good stuff!  How ’bout any insights you received from your reading today?  Please share them below to encourage others-

• Verse 1 is good advice from someone who should know, considering all that he went through.  I’d say it’s still a ’safeguard’ for our faith today!
• Paul’s ‘pedigree’ in vv. 4-6 is impressive; but more impressive still is his statement in verse 7!
• Verse 9 says it so clearly (again) – it’s not our righteousness that counts, but HIS!
• Love verse 12!
• May we all be so determined as vv. 13-14, not only today, but always!

What insights did you receive from your reading today?  Please share with us below as we ‘work the Word in our lives’-

• is there a more tender or wonderful passage in the Bible than Eph. 1:4-8?  Go back and read it s-l-o-w-l-y!
• as wonderful as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is, verse 14 reminds us that it’s just the down payment that guarantees the rest of our inheritance!
• love the prayer of verse 18, and as Dr. Hayford reminded us this past Sunday, it’s one thing to see, but another thing to perceive! ‘Lord, enlighten our eyes!’
• Ephesians 1:19-20 gives us the incredible news that the power of the Holy Spirit that works in us is the very same power that brought Jesus out of the grave! Selah.
• If God has put all things under Jesus’ feet, and the Church is His body, doesn’t that mean all things are under us, too? (see Eph. 1:22-23)

What a great chapter!  What insights did you receive as you read today?  Share them below and let’s encourage each other as we ‘work the Word into our lives’-

But we’re excited to see him, and Chris & I will make the drive over to South Bend this morning to welcome him to the family.  In the meantime, here’s a few pics of the little guy:

Guess you can now call me ‘Poppy’!

• verses 1-3 make it plain….and make sense, too!
• Galatians 6:6 comes to my mind each time I receive from someone’s ministry (like Jack Hayford yesterday!) I want to be a blessing by sharing with those who have impacted my life with God’s Word!!!
• Verse 8 is an important reminder:  I have a sinful nature AND a spiritual nature – whichever one prevails depends on which one I feed!
• Verse 9 speaks to the most common discouragements we all face struggle with from time to tome – don’t get too tired!  As the old-timer’s used to say, ‘keep on keeping on”!

How ’bout your devotional reading – anything you’d like to share with us, as we continue working the Word into our lives?