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Jeremiah 29:11-13New International Version :For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.DEVOTION, January 2, 2021, Olive leaf. After seven days Noah again sent out the dove from the boat, and that evening it came back to him with a fresh olive leaf in its mouth. Gen.8.10-11″ Noah and his family had been on the ark for many months. I am sure tempers were wearing thin. When you are shut up with the same people for months (think “covid”), you long for a return to normalcy. Noah and his family were longing to see dry ground. Noah sends out a dove, and it returns with a fresh olive leaf. That means land is near! Their ordeal is about to come to an end. The dove brought hope. Don’t we love the olive leaves of life? The doctor says, “It appears your cancer may be in remission.” A friend says, “I can help you with those finances.” When we are struggling with life’s problems, we look for hope. We want someone to bring us an olive leaf. We can do that for each other. When others are suffering, we can speak a word of hope and encouragement to them. The strange thing is that when we are an olive leaf to others, others are there for us. Is someone you know struggling? Maybe God wants you to be their olive leaf. Father, help me to be aware of the needs of others. I want to be a person who brings hope to others. I pray in the name of Jesus, who brought eternal hope to the world. Amen.

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Marie’s Daily verse Isaiah 43:18 Do not remember the former things nor consider the things of old. Marie’s verse is appropriate as we face a new year. 2020 was a difficult year. We don’t want to assume that 2021 will be a repeat. Isaiah advises us to forget the past. Paul gives the same advice. “Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize the upward call of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). God was with us in 2020 and He will be with us in 2021. As we determine to walk by faith, trusting in our Savior, 2021 will be a good year. Please don’t allow the troubles of last year to linger in your mind in the new year. Father, I thank you for bringing me safely through another year. I intend to trust You in this new year. As I live by faith, no matter what happens in my life in 2021, You will be with me and I have nothing to fear. I thank you in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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THIS WEEK AT WARSAW CHRISTIAN CHURCH, 12/28/2020 THRU 1/3/2021

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We continue operating on a reduced basis. We had 21 in attendance at our Christmas Eve service, and 20 attended church yesterday. Thank God no one has come down with covid from attending church. Thanks again to Marie for all the disinfecting she does before church. We all look forward to the time when we can return to normal. Perhaps the vaccines will help us reach that goal.

Next Sunday I will begin a sermon series from the Book of Genesis, beginning with the creation theme. Are we living in an accidental world that came into being without a Creator, or did everything begin with God? The sermon title is “Big Bang or Big God?”

Looking ahead a week, the FCM will meet at 8 AM January 5th and the FCW will meet at 9:30 January 6th. Our first official board meeting for 2021 will be on Tuesday, January 12.

Marie and I are praying for a Happy New Year for our wonderful church family.
Pastor Bowman

Marie’s daily verse: Psalm 121:5 The Lord is your keeper, the Lord is your shade at your right hand.

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DEVOTION, 12/29/2020, MORE ON THINKING

I want to continue focusing on yesterday’s verse from Proverbs 23:7, “As he thinks within himself, so he is.” Jesus taught this principle in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew  Chapter 5 He expanded the law of God to include the thoughts of the mind.  Not only is murder wrong, but so also are angry thoughts. Angry thoughts produce angry behavior. Not only is adultery wrong, but so also are lustful thoughts. Lustful thoughts lead to immoral behavior. In Matthew Chapter 6 he spoke of those who gave alms and who prayed, but the thoughts behind the behaviors were designed to impress men. They were not sincere. God sees not only our actions but the thoughts behind our actions. Almsgiving and prayer are the right actions, but not if the thoughts behind the behavior are deceitful. “Good deeds” motivated by self-centered thoughts are not good deeds. If we only want others to know how spiritual we are, we cancel out the virtue of giving and praying. Be careful little mind what you think.

Father in heaven, forgive me when I clutter my mind with thoughts contrary to Your will. When I seek to act in harmony with Your will, may I never forget that my motive (my thoughts) determines whether what I do is acceptable in Your eyes. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Marie’s daily verse:Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

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DEVOTION, 12/28/2020, The mind

Most of us have heard the verse from Proverbs 23:7, “As he thinks within himself, so he is.” The context is kind of interesting. The setting has to do with a miser offering bread to eat. He tells you to eat and drink, but his heart is not with you. He speaks words of invitation, but he is insincere. His words say one thing, but his heart says something else. We are not always what our words convey. What we think in our hearts defines who we really are.

There is a children’s song most of us learned in Sunday School. “Be careful little eyes what you see . . . be careful little ears what you hear ….for the Father up above, He is looking down with love, so be careful little eyes what you see.” The adult version might add the line, “Be careful little mind what you think.”

Thoughts are like seeds, and like seeds, thoughts produce after their kind. We understand this principle in nature.  We know that corn seeds produce corn, and tomato seeds produce tomatoes.  We also need to know that sinful thoughts produce sinful behavior. Fearful thoughts produce a fearful person. Negative thoughts bring forth a negative person. People whose thoughts are predominately happy and full of faith tend to be happy people. So be careful little mind what you think.

Father above, help me to keep my mind focused on You. Help me to root out all thoughts that are fearful and negative. I pray that faith in Jesus will be uppermost in my mind. In His name, I pray, Amen.