Monday- "Don't Waste Your Life"

A few months back, my wife (Julie) and I were waiting for a paticular movie to come out on DVD that we had been wanting to see for quite a while. I will spare you the name of the movie but we really wanted to see it. We missed it in the theatre so we were very excited when we heard that it would soon be coming out. The days leading up to the DVD release were crazy. We talked about it all the time and we even changed our whole family schedule so that we could watch it on "The DAY" that it came out. For that few weeks, it basically took over our lives. To make a long story short, the day finally came. I had the movie in my hand as I was heading home for the big event. As we sat down on the couch to start the show, I felt so happy. We had snacks, drinks, and most importantly, the movie. I was stoked!!! I felt my heart beating faster and faster as the opening titles started and then... reality. Not ten minutes into the movie we realized that this was going to be the.......dumbest movie that we had ever seen. In fact, after about 15 minutes into the movie, we turned it off.
As I sat there staring at a blank tv screen and with the faint smell of popcorn in the air, I realized something. I had just wasted a portion of my life that I would never get back. Why did I do that? What could I have used that time for instead? I had...wasted part my life.
So what about you? Have you spent time on things that turned out to be a waste?
The Bible warns us about wasting our life on things that don't matter. Today, read the following section of Proverbs. Listen to the advice given. What does it mean to you?

Proverbs 6
Warnings Against Folly
1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor,
if you have struck hands in pledge for another,
2 if you have been trapped by what you said,
ensnared by the words of your mouth,

3 then do this, my son, to free yourself,
since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands:
Go and humble yourself;
press your plea with your neighbor!

4 Allow no sleep to your eyes,
no slumber to your eyelids.

5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!

7 It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,

8 yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?

10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest-

11 and poverty will come on you like a bandit
and scarcity like an armed man. [a]

12 A scoundrel and villain,
who goes about with a corrupt mouth,

13 who winks with his eye,
signals with his feet
and motions with his fingers,

14 who plots evil with deceit in his heart—
he always stirs up dissension.

15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;
he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.

Have a good day, talk to you tomorrow!

THURSDAY--"MARKED- Calling and Response"

Luke 19:1-9 (New International Version)
Luke 19
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector 1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "
8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
9Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.
Familiar story? I must say that every time I read this story, I break into song. "Zacchaeus was a wee little man....". I know that you probably feel the urge to finish it so feel free.....ok, let's move on. This episode in scripture is much more than a kids story. It is a lesson that can be used by all of us. It is the lesson of calling and response. Jesus called Zacchaeus and Zacchaeus said..."maybe later Lord, I'm enjoying this tree". Did he? Of course not. Jesus called Zacchaeus and Zacchaeus CAME DOWN! Not only did he come down but he responded even further by inviting Jesus to his house. Not only did he come down, invite Jesus to his , but Zacchaeus transformed his whole life. No longer did he live the way he was. Zacchaeus was different after being "marked" by Jesus. How about you? Are your different after being "marked" by Jesus?

WEDNESDAY--"Marked-Ten Lepers"

Today, we look at another example in scripture of someone being "Marked" by Jesus.

Luke 17:11-19 (New International Version)
Ten Healed of Leprosy 11Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[a]met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"
14When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.
15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
This passage gives shows us some different responses to being "marked" by Jesus. If this section, we see ten men that had leprosy. It is a terrible disease. Basically, think about all of your skin erupting into scabs and sores over. Every inch...covered. What I want you to think about today is their response to their encounter with Jesus. Jesus healed all ten men. All of them would forever be free from the terrible condition of leprosy. No longer would they have to deal with the embarrassment, sores, and shame associated with their condition. They were free from the single biggest tragedy in their life. FREE! But what was the response? Nine went on their way without giving Jesus His due thanks. Only one came back. What does that mean to us? We have the opportunity to be healed from a far worse disease than leprosy. Jesus has given us a the opportunity to live life eternally with Him in Heaven? He has "marked" us. What is your response? Do you give God praise and thanks on a regular basis? Do you understand the great thing that He has done for you? Sometimes we don't. We tend to act like "the other nine lepers." Healed by Jesus without another though.
Talk to God about it.

TUESDAY: MARKED- "Marked by Jesus"

Matthew 9
Jesus Heals a Paralytic
1Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."
3At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!"
4Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? 6But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home." 7And the man got up and went home. 8When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.
Today we start to look at how Jesus left His mark on the people He came into contact with. You have just read the account of Jesus healing a man paralyzed from birth. Read this account again from the top.
Here are a few questions for you to think about.
Who did Jesus leave His "Mark"on? (think about more than just the paralyzed man)
What effect did it have on those involved?
Has Jesus left a similar mark on you? How?

Pray today that God will help you see the mark that He has left on you.

MONDAY- "MARKED"

HAPPY MONDAY!!! Today, we continue our March theme of "Marked". At THE GATHERING earlier this month, we looked at the movies, books, songs, and people that have left a "mark" on us. It was really neat to hear how so many things have really left an impresson on all of us.

So many things really leave a mark on us. But what we are going to be diving into for the rest of the month is how Jesus leaves His mark on us and what we do with that.

Question number one for the week: Has Jesus left His mark on you? How? If not, why?

I want you to spend some time today really answering that question. How we answer that question is key for the rest of the week.

READ THIS VERSE:

Galatians 6:17 (New International Version)
17Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

What does this mean to you?

Think about that today. Talk to you tomorrow!!!

FRIDAY: SERVING-The Least of These- Field Trip Day

Today (and tomorrow, and Sunday, and the next day....you get the picture) is serve day. At the beginning of the week, I asked you, "How is your serve?". I hope that you are beginning to find that answer. Today....you start. Start with your family.
Find a way to serve your family. Do the dishes without being asked, do the laundry, pick up sticks in the yard, or do the one chore that no one likes to do. Don't do it for money, yourself, or for a pat on the back from your parents. Don't even let anyone know that you are doing it. Simply do it because of the example of Jesus' service to us. After that, keep looking, doing, and serving. Maybe it's helping a friend in need, offering a helping hand to someone at the grocery store, or doing an act of service at church. When you see a need, forget about yourself and.....
DO IT.
It's Your Serve!

THURSDAY: "SERVING-The Least of These"-Random Acts?

Hopefully so far this week, you have began to understand this whole idea of serving others. So where do you start?

First of all, you need to remember your motivation.
1 Peter 4:10 (New International Version)
10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

Mark 10:44-46 (New International Version)
44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

1 Peter 4:11 (New International Version)
11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Now that you are motivated, it's time for the next step.

You need to: Look for opportunities. These are around us all the time. The biggest part of doing this is that you have to look with "different eyes". Let me explain. Instead of: looking out for opportunities to get out of doing something, hiding in your room and watching your favorite show, running directly from the school bus into your house, and looking down at the ground when you walk.....LOOK AROUND. Look for things that need done. Look for those who need help. Basically, look for opportunities to SERVE. If you look beyond your ordinary, everyday, "same old" life for opportunities to serve, YOU WILL FIND THEM.

Today.....LOOK AROUND.