Daily Devotional

This space is provided in honor Joe Brooks and Coon Hunters For Christ. The PKC membership is happy to pray for you in a time of need.

Moderators: R D Carnegie, Kristi Denney, Jerry Moll, Shane Patton, Chris Freiberger

Ronnie W. Stark
Platinum Member
Posts: 3464
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2003 4:41 am
PKC Name: Ronnie W. Stark
City, State: Water Valley, MS
PKC Member Since: 30 May 1990
Annual Membership Expires: 15 Nov 2023
Lifetime Handler Earnings: $3,480
Location: Water Valley, MS
Contact:

Re: Daily Devotional

Postby Ronnie W. Stark » Thu Apr 26, 2018 2:37 pm

“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God — truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:21-24 NLT).

You need more power than just willpower in your life. You need God’s power in your life.

The “fruit of the Spirit” are the qualities that God puts in your life when the Holy Spirit lives through you: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

How does God produce that fruit in your life? Not by your willpower. You don’t go out and say, “I’m going to be a more patient person!” That doesn’t work.

You try to say, “I’m going to be more patient. I’m going to be more loving.” It’s like tying some oranges on a eucalyptus tree and calling it an orange tree. It doesn’t work that way. Fruit can only come from the inside — the Holy Spirit living through you.

How does the Holy Spirit work in your life? The answer is gradually: “And the Lord — who is the Spirit — makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image” (2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT, emphasis added).

When God wants to make a mushroom, he takes six hours. When God wants to make an oak tree, he takes 60 years. The question is: Do you want your life to be a mushroom or an oak tree?

You didn’t collect your hurts, habits, and hang-ups overnight. It took you a long time to get as messed up as you are! Someone approached me once and said, “Pastor Rick, I need you to solve my marriage problem.” I said, “How long have you been married?” Fifteen years. “How long have you had this problem?” Ten years.

And you want a five-second answer? It isn’t going to happen! You’ve got to peel that onion one layer at a time.

The Holy Spirit works within us to make us gradually more and more like him. Your character is the sum total of your habits. Your responsibility is to develop new habits that help you to change.

Talk About It

What new fruit — representing recent spiritual growth — are you seeing in your life?
What new habits do you want to develop so that the Holy Spirit can continually work in your life to make you more like Christ?
Ask your small group or accountability partner to pray for you as the Holy Spirit develops these new habits in your life.
This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

(662) 417-1588 Cell
(662) 473-8413 Cell

Ronnie W. Stark
Platinum Member
Posts: 3464
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2003 4:41 am
PKC Name: Ronnie W. Stark
City, State: Water Valley, MS
PKC Member Since: 30 May 1990
Annual Membership Expires: 15 Nov 2023
Lifetime Handler Earnings: $3,480
Location: Water Valley, MS
Contact:

Re: Daily Devotional

Postby Ronnie W. Stark » Thu Apr 26, 2018 2:38 pm

“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God — truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:21-24 NLT).

Change in your life requires new thinking. The battle to change the unhealthy habits in your life is always a mental battle. It starts in the mind, and it’s won or lost there.

Ephesians 4:23 says, “Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes” (NLT). You’re not going to change until your thoughts and attitude change. This is why a daily quiet time is important. The time you spend intentionally studying God’s Word and in prayer is the spiritual renewal in your mind. If you’re not doing that, you’re not going to have the power to change.

Do you know the theological term for “change of mind”? It’s the word “repentance.” To repent literally means to change your mind.

The word “repent” is actually a Greek word — metanoia. Metanoia means to change your mind — to turn from death to life, sin to forgiveness, guilt to peace of mind, Hell to Heaven, your way to God’s way. The most positive change in your life will be when you repent of your sin and turn from regret to peace of mind and forgiveness.

You have to learn to think in new ways about your unhealthy habits. For instance, those habits are often strengths being misused. That’s a new way of thinking. You probably never thought of that, but that’s repentance! That’s a change of mind. Your unhealthy habits are often God-given strengths being misused.

You have to change the way you think. Philippians 2:5 says, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (NLT).

God wants you to learn to think like Jesus. How do you do that? Again, it’s a choice. You’ve got to make a choice and say, “God, how would Jesus think about this?” The more you fill your mind with the Word of God, the easier that’s going to be.

Talk About It

How are the things that fill your mind either hurting or helping your efforts at changing unhealthy habits?
As you examine the unhealthy habits in your life, which ones might represent misuse of your God-given strengths?
What changes will you make today in your schedule, relationships, or attitude that will cultivate the spiritual renewal of your mind?
This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

(662) 417-1588 Cell
(662) 473-8413 Cell

Ronnie W. Stark
Platinum Member
Posts: 3464
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2003 4:41 am
PKC Name: Ronnie W. Stark
City, State: Water Valley, MS
PKC Member Since: 30 May 1990
Annual Membership Expires: 15 Nov 2023
Lifetime Handler Earnings: $3,480
Location: Water Valley, MS
Contact:

Re: Daily Devotional

Postby Ronnie W. Stark » Thu Apr 26, 2018 2:40 pm

Bible Study Verses
John 9:24-27
So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, "Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner." He answered, "Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?" (ESV)

Thoughts
Are there mountain lions in Virginia? This is a pretty common question I hear from people. The official state answer is "No".

But, I know people who have seen them. The people I know who have seen them are men who are extremely seasoned outdoorsmen. I also know guys who are extremely knowledgeable of the outdoors who have collected footprints of a large cat.

So do I believe there are mountain lions in Virginia? Yes. Why because I trust the men who have seen them.
(Terry L)

Action Point
The man being questioned in the above scripture was born blind and Jesus healed him and gave him sight. This man was a living witness to the power of Christ. So imagine the weight his testimony had with people who knew him.

I always wonder when I read this verse how many people he ended up leading to God through his witness. I have never seen a mountain lion in Virginia, but I believe in them because of the witness of good men.

How many people can you touch in your daily life? "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect," I Peter 3:15 (NIV).

Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
If you are having difficulties in your outdoor hobbies or personal life seek out the wisdom of people who have knowledge and that you trust will guide you straight.
This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

(662) 417-1588 Cell
(662) 473-8413 Cell

Ronnie W. Stark
Platinum Member
Posts: 3464
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2003 4:41 am
PKC Name: Ronnie W. Stark
City, State: Water Valley, MS
PKC Member Since: 30 May 1990
Annual Membership Expires: 15 Nov 2023
Lifetime Handler Earnings: $3,480
Location: Water Valley, MS
Contact:

Re: Daily Devotional

Postby Ronnie W. Stark » Thu Apr 26, 2018 2:41 pm

“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God — truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:21-24 NLT).

It’s not enough to want to change. It’s not enough to desire to change. It’s not even enough to say, “I have a dream of changing.” Dreams are worthless unless you wake up and act on them. You’re not going to change until you choose to change.

How are you going to be different in six months? Are you going to be emotionally stronger? Are you going to be mentally sharper? Are you going to be physically healthier? Are you going to be spiritually deeper?

It isn’t going to happen automatically. You aren’t just going to get healthier by accident in any category of your life. A lot of times we think we’re waiting on God to change us. You’re not waiting on God. God is waiting on you.

There is no growth in your life without change. And there is no change without loss. You’ve got to let go of some old stuff. And there is no loss without pain.

Maybe you are stuck right now because you haven’t learned how to let go. That’s a choice. Ephesians 4:22 says, “Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception” (NLT).

You might see your hurts, habits, and hang-ups as biological or sociological. Some of them are from your circumstances or your chromosomes. But it doesn’t really matter where they come from. You need to deal with them. Genetics may explain your inclinations, but it doesn’t excuse your sin.

Here’s the good news: Once you become a believer, you have a new power in you that is greater than those old tendencies. That power is the Holy Spirit.

Philippians 2:12-13 says, “Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (NIV).

Does that mean you are supposed to be afraid of God? Of course not! Be afraid that you’ll miss God’s best and waste your life. Be afraid that you will go your entire life and never know God’s purpose.

The secret to changing your life is not willpower. It’s God giving you the will and the power through the Holy Spirit to do what needs to be done.

Talk About It

What do you think it means to “work out” your salvation?
How have you experienced the Holy Spirit’s power in your life?
How is God helping you deal with hurts, habits, and hang-ups that may have biological or sociological roots?
This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

(662) 417-1588 Cell
(662) 473-8413 Cell

Ronnie W. Stark
Platinum Member
Posts: 3464
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2003 4:41 am
PKC Name: Ronnie W. Stark
City, State: Water Valley, MS
PKC Member Since: 30 May 1990
Annual Membership Expires: 15 Nov 2023
Lifetime Handler Earnings: $3,480
Location: Water Valley, MS
Contact:

Re: Daily Devotional

Postby Ronnie W. Stark » Thu Apr 26, 2018 2:43 pm

“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God — truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:21-24 NLT).

You will never change the things in your life that you know are unhealthy unless you learn the truth. Change requires learning the truth.

Jesus said, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 NLT). You’re not going to be free until you know the truth. The secret to personal change is not a pill, program, or process. It’s not therapy, a book, or a seminar. It’s not positive thinking or psychology. The proof of personal change is found in the truth. You have to know and face the truth about yourself, God, and your relationships before you can change.

Behind every self-defeating behavior in your life is a lie you’re believing. If you’re deeply in debt right now, it’s because you believed some lies. You thought, “I can just keep charging things forever and get away with it.” Oh really? “I have to have this house.” Oh really? Do you really have to have it? Is it true? Can you prove it?

We lie to ourselves all the time. But you have to know and face the truth if you’re going to change.

Jesus said the truth will set you free. But first it makes you miserable! It makes you miserable as long as you deny it. The moment that you are honest with the truth about yourself and everything else in life, then it starts to set you free.

Who is the truth? Jesus said, “I am the truth.” Not “I have it.” Not “I point the way.” Not “I teach it.” He said, “I’m it. I am the truth.”

You can trust his Word. His Word is the Bible.

The Bible helps us grow and change in a number of ways: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV).

The Bible is like a map. It shows us where to walk and how to stay on the path. It shows us when we get off the path and how to get back on the path. When you rely on God’s Word to show you where and how you should walk, it will give you the instruction and knowledge you need to change your life.

Talk About It

What in your life are you pretending isn’t a problem but you know needs to change?
How well are you equipping yourself through study of the Bible?
How and where have you seen God’s truth set you free?
This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

(662) 417-1588 Cell
(662) 473-8413 Cell

Ronnie W. Stark
Platinum Member
Posts: 3464
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2003 4:41 am
PKC Name: Ronnie W. Stark
City, State: Water Valley, MS
PKC Member Since: 30 May 1990
Annual Membership Expires: 15 Nov 2023
Lifetime Handler Earnings: $3,480
Location: Water Valley, MS
Contact:

Re: Daily Devotional

Postby Ronnie W. Stark » Thu Apr 26, 2018 2:44 pm

Bible Study Verse
Ecclesiastes 4:9
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. (NIV)

Thoughts
Blocking is an important tool for successful hunting of many kinds. In deer hunting we call it setting up a drive. Wild pheasants and many other types of game like to run if possible. They will run through cover at the sound of approaching danger.

When they think it is safe, they will escape into the air or run to safer places. While success may be had hunting solo, it is much more productive hunting with others. Hunting partners get good return for their partnership.
(Jack M)

Action Point
Don't go it alone! God made us for team work. He made us to partner with Him in a personal love relationship, but sin separated us from Him. Satan entices us to sin and attempt to make it on our own. God provided forgiveness for our sin in his Son, Jesus. Jesus died, was buried, and rose again to secure the way to God (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4). We must receive Christ to establish the relationship with God that He intended.

God made us to enjoy and partner with other people too. Partners help each other and make each other more effective. It allows a multiplication of energy for success and the good of both. This is true in spiritual things as well as in hunting and recreational activities.
This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

(662) 417-1588 Cell
(662) 473-8413 Cell

Ronnie W. Stark
Platinum Member
Posts: 3464
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2003 4:41 am
PKC Name: Ronnie W. Stark
City, State: Water Valley, MS
PKC Member Since: 30 May 1990
Annual Membership Expires: 15 Nov 2023
Lifetime Handler Earnings: $3,480
Location: Water Valley, MS
Contact:

Re: Daily Devotional

Postby Ronnie W. Stark » Thu Apr 26, 2018 2:46 pm

“If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth” (1 John 1:8 NLT).

We all have parts of our lives that simply don’t work. Nobody measures up to a standard of perfection. To pretend like we’ve got it all together when everybody knows we don’t is silly. In fact, the Bible calls it self-deception.

You will never be sinless on this planet, but it is possible to sin less. So why is it so hard to change stuff in us that we really don’t like?

1. Because we’ve done it our way for so long.

Some of our sinful defense mechanisms were developed in childhood, perhaps in resistance to pain or as a way to cope with stress. Even though these mechanisms are ultimately self-defeating, they’re at least familiar to us. They give us a sense of comfort and control. Because we’ve employed them for a long time, we get locked up in our thinking and assume there is no other way to navigate our circumstances.

2. Because we identify with our defense mechanisms.

We often confuse our identity with our defense mechanisms or bad habits. When we see them as a natural part of who we are, we treat them as unchangeable, and that just sets us up for perpetual failure. For instance, someone who frequently flies off the handle in anger might excuse that behavior by saying, “That’s just the way I am.”

3. Because our defense mechanisms have a payoff.

Whatever is rewarded gets repeated. Your defense mechanisms may mask your pain, cover up a fear, give you an excuse to fail, or compensate for guilt — that might be your payoff. They often work in the short term. But in the long run, these patterns will destroy your relationships.

4. Because Satan discourages us.

Once you start trying to change something in your life, Satan will begin saying, “Who do you think you are? You’re never going to change. You haven’t been able to change in the past. Why do you think you’re going to be able to change now? It’s hopeless. It’s not going to work.” Those thoughts and fears are being planted in your mind by the Devil himself.

These things keep us from changing the hurts, habits, and hang-ups that we know are unhealthy.

So, what does it take to alter those deep patterns in our lives that we really don’t like?

The Bible says to throw these patterns away and let the Holy Spirit renew our way of doing things: “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God” (Ephesians 4:21-24 NLT).

Talk About It

Have you ever tried to change a bad habit in the past but felt discouraged? Why do you think you felt that way? How did you respond?
What defense mechanism do you perpetuate by thinking it is part of your makeup? Try changing your thinking: Instead of saying, “I’m a workaholic,” say, “I work too much.” Instead of saying, “I’m lazy,” say, “I have a tendency to put things off and procrastinate.”
Consider what this verse says to you about changing the way you live: “Sin can’t tell you how to live. After all, you’re not living under that old tyranny any longer. You’re living in the freedom of God” (Romans 6:14 The Message).
This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

(662) 417-1588 Cell
(662) 473-8413 Cell

Ronnie W. Stark
Platinum Member
Posts: 3464
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2003 4:41 am
PKC Name: Ronnie W. Stark
City, State: Water Valley, MS
PKC Member Since: 30 May 1990
Annual Membership Expires: 15 Nov 2023
Lifetime Handler Earnings: $3,480
Location: Water Valley, MS
Contact:

Re: Daily Devotional

Postby Ronnie W. Stark » Thu Apr 26, 2018 2:48 pm

“Then [Nehemiah] said, ‘O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, listen to my prayer! . . . I confess that we have sinned against you . . . . Please remember what you told your servant Moses: “If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.” . . . Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me’” (Nehemiah 1:5-6, 8-9, 11 NLT).

Here are four secrets to answered prayer from the life of Nehemiah:

1. Base your request on God’s character. Pray like you know God will answer you: “I’m expecting you to answer this prayer because of who you are. You are a faithful God. You are a great God. You are a loving God. You are a wonderful God. You can handle this problem, God!”

2. Confess the sins you’re aware of. After Nehemiah based his prayer on who God is, he confessed his sins. He said, “We have sinned.” It wasn’t Nehemiah’s fault that Israel went into captivity. He wasn’t even born when it happened, and he was most likely born in captivity. Yet he included himself in the national sins. He said, “I’ve been a part of the problem.”

3. Claim the promises of God. Nehemiah prayed to the Lord, saying, “I want you to remember what you told your servant Moses.” Can you imagine telling God to “remember”? Nehemiah reminded God of a promise made to the nation of Israel. In effect, he prayed, “God, you warned through Moses that if we were unfaithful, we would lose the land of Israel. But you also promised that if we would repent, you’d give it back to us.”

Does God have to be reminded? No. Does he forget what he’s promised? No. Then why do we do this? Because it helps us remember what God has promised.

4. Be specific in what you ask for. If you want specific answers to prayer, then make specific requests. If your prayers consist of general requests, how will you know if they’re answered?

Nehemiah was not hesitant to pray for success. He was very bold in his praying. Have you ever prayed, “Lord, make me successful?” If you haven’t, why? What is the alternative? A failure?

Is it okay to ask God to make you successful? It all depends on your definition of success! I believe a good definition of success is “fulfilling God’s purpose for my life in faith, love, and the power of the Holy Spirit and expecting the results from God.” That is a worthy life objective that you should be able to pray for with confidence.

Consider this: If you can’t ask God to make you a success at what you’re doing, you should be doing something else. God doesn’t want you to waste your life.

Talk It Over

Why does God want you to expect him to answer your prayers and want you to pray in anticipation?
What are the promises in God’s Word that you can claim?
Think of some of the requests you made of God this week. How could you have made those prayers more specific?
This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

(662) 417-1588 Cell
(662) 473-8413 Cell

Ronnie W. Stark
Platinum Member
Posts: 3464
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2003 4:41 am
PKC Name: Ronnie W. Stark
City, State: Water Valley, MS
PKC Member Since: 30 May 1990
Annual Membership Expires: 15 Nov 2023
Lifetime Handler Earnings: $3,480
Location: Water Valley, MS
Contact:

Re: Daily Devotional

Postby Ronnie W. Stark » Fri Apr 27, 2018 9:13 am

“The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9 NLT).

The Bible tells us three things about the importance of faith.

1. God is looking for faithful people.

God is physically, visibly, actively taking the initiative to look for faithful people that he can bless. Second Chronicles 16:9 says, “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (NLT).

This has been one of my life verses, and I’ve learned that if you make yourself usable, God will wear you out. If you get “blessable,” he will bless your socks off! (That’s why I don’t wear socks.) God is looking for faithful people that he can use.

2. Faithful people are hard to find.

The Bible says in Proverbs 20:6, “Everyone talks about how faithful he is, but just try to find someone who really is!” (GNT). A lot of people talk the talk, but they don’t really trust God. They trust their credit card instead. They say they believe in God, but they don’t really trust him when it comes to their finances, health, or job.

Psalm 53:2-3 says this: “God looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!” (NLT).

3. Faithfulness is the key to blessing and victory.

First John 5:4-5 says, “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God” (NLT).

The Bible says in Proverbs 28:20, “A faithful man will have many blessings” (HCSB). I want your life to have many blessings. But to have those blessings, you have to learn faithfulness. God tests your faithfulness in different ways. Will you let him grow you in this area so that you can be a person of faith?

Talk About It

What are some ways that God has tested or is testing your faithfulness?
What people do you look up to because you consider them faithful — people who are full of faith for the Lord? What attributes do they have in common?
This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

(662) 417-1588 Cell
(662) 473-8413 Cell

Ronnie W. Stark
Platinum Member
Posts: 3464
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2003 4:41 am
PKC Name: Ronnie W. Stark
City, State: Water Valley, MS
PKC Member Since: 30 May 1990
Annual Membership Expires: 15 Nov 2023
Lifetime Handler Earnings: $3,480
Location: Water Valley, MS
Contact:

Re: Daily Devotional

Postby Ronnie W. Stark » Sat Apr 28, 2018 9:20 am

“Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones; whoever is dishonest in small matters will be dishonest in large ones” (Luke 16:10 GNT).

God uses little things to test your integrity. We think it’s the big things in life that create a leader — but no. The big crises in life reveal leadership, but leadership is not built in the big things of life. It’s built in the small things. That’s where integrity shows up — in the stuff that nobody sees, in the stuff behind the scenes, and in the small, unseen, unspectacular choices of life where you do the right thing even though nobody’s ever going to see it.

Faithfulness requires integrity, and God tests your integrity in the little things.

In Luke 16:10 Jesus says, “Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones; whoever is dishonest in small matters will be dishonest in large ones” (GNT). He’s saying your public blessing is determined by your private integrity.

Every time a politician has a scandal, you can count on his defenders to come out and say this: “It really shouldn’t matter what a guy’s private life is like.” Have you ever heard that one? “His private life doesn’t have a thing to do with him as a leader.”

It has everything to do with him as a leader! Because if a man lies to his wife, he’ll lie to his constituents. Believe me! If he’ll lie to the person he told, “Till death do us part,” he will cheat on you, voter! Count on it!

My public blessing as a leader comes because of private integrity that nobody ever sees. Your public blessing as a person comes from your private integrity that nobody will ever see. God uses little things to test our integrity.

Talk About It

What small thing has God entrusted you to complete or manage with integrity?
Do you ever treat the “small things” and “large things” differently? How does God want you to treat them?
This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

(662) 417-1588 Cell
(662) 473-8413 Cell

Ronnie W. Stark
Platinum Member
Posts: 3464
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2003 4:41 am
PKC Name: Ronnie W. Stark
City, State: Water Valley, MS
PKC Member Since: 30 May 1990
Annual Membership Expires: 15 Nov 2023
Lifetime Handler Earnings: $3,480
Location: Water Valley, MS
Contact:

Re: Daily Devotional

Postby Ronnie W. Stark » Sun Apr 29, 2018 1:45 pm

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10 NLT).

God uses our talents to test our unselfishness. You have to decide in life for whom or what you’re going to live. You’re either going to live a self-centered, miserly life or you’re going to live for something greater than yourself — the Kingdom of God.

Faithful people don’t live for themselves. They realize that the talents God gave them are not for their own benefit; they’re to make the world a better place.

When God made you, he gave you all kinds of gifts, talents, and abilities. We call it your SHAPE: your Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences. These five things make you you. And God made you you. There’s nobody like you in the whole world, and he wants you to be you for his glory.

God shaped you to serve him, and there’s only one way to do that: by serving other people.

Faithful people realize that their talents are not for their benefit. You may have a talent for art and say that you do it “just because you love to do it.” That’s nice, but that’s not a good enough motive. God didn’t give you artistic ability just so you can love to do it. He gave it to you so you can use your art in some way to help other people.

Some people have an ability to fix things. Some people are good at math. Some people are good at closing deals. Some people are good at music. Some people are good at organizing. And some people are good at trimming and gardening.

God made us all different so that everything in the world gets done. If we all liked to do the same thing, there would be a whole lot left undone.

You are the steward of your talents, and God is watching to see if you use what he gave you effectively on Earth. If you use those talents effectively on Earth, he’s going to give you more responsibility in Heaven.

Have you ever thought about why didn’t God just create us and take us to Heaven? Why does he put us here on a broken planet for 70 or 80 years? He put you here because life is a test and a trust and a temporary assignment. He’s watching to see if you are faithful to use what he gave you here on Earth to bless other people.

The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:10, “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (NLT). God gave you talents, and he wants you to be faithful with them.

Talk About It

How are you using your talents to serve others?
Test your motives in everything you do. For example, are you serving somewhere to help others and glorify God or to receive some notice or glory for yourself?
This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

(662) 417-1588 Cell
(662) 473-8413 Cell

Ronnie W. Stark
Platinum Member
Posts: 3464
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2003 4:41 am
PKC Name: Ronnie W. Stark
City, State: Water Valley, MS
PKC Member Since: 30 May 1990
Annual Membership Expires: 15 Nov 2023
Lifetime Handler Earnings: $3,480
Location: Water Valley, MS
Contact:

Re: Daily Devotional

Postby Ronnie W. Stark » Mon Apr 30, 2018 10:07 am

“So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16:11-13 NIV).

Faithful people are generous when they don’t have anything to give. Anybody can be generous when they have a surplus. I can be generous with my time when I’ve got a lot of extra time. I can be generous with my money when I’ve got a lot of extra money. I can be generous with my energy when I’ve got extra energy to spend. It’s when I don’t have enough time for me, enough energy for me, enough money for me, enough talent for me that God says, “This is a test. I’m watching you to see if you are faithful. Will you be faithful, and will you trust me?”

Here are five principles in which God will test you and then bless you:

1. God gives to generous people.

Why does God want me to be generous? Because he wants me to be like him.

2. Obeying God’s vision will bring God’s provision.

If you do what God tells you to do, God will bring along the resources you need at the right time. What he’s given you the vision for, he will give you the provision for.

3. When I do all that God tells me to do, he does what I can’t do.

God often asks you to do the impossible to stretch your faith. When you give what little you have, God multiples it and makes up for it.

4. When I have a need, I sow a seed.

Whatever you need in your life, sow that as a seed, and it will come back to you.

5. There’s always a delay between sowing and reaping.

There is a season between planting and harvesting. What’s going on during that delay? It’s a test of your faith.

Will you be faithful to give when you have little? Will you keep on doing the right thing? Will you do what God wants you to do, no matter the cost, and then see what God does?

Talk About It

How can you be faithful to give when you have little?
What are the benefits of doing what God wants you to do, no matter the cost?
In what ways are you generous with your time, money, and talents?
How do you respond to giving something in which you have a shortage?
This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

(662) 417-1588 Cell
(662) 473-8413 Cell

Ronnie W. Stark
Platinum Member
Posts: 3464
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2003 4:41 am
PKC Name: Ronnie W. Stark
City, State: Water Valley, MS
PKC Member Since: 30 May 1990
Annual Membership Expires: 15 Nov 2023
Lifetime Handler Earnings: $3,480
Location: Water Valley, MS
Contact:

Re: Daily Devotional

Postby Ronnie W. Stark » Wed May 02, 2018 9:06 pm

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord . . . When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds his hand” (Psalm 37:23-24 NASB).

You may think you’re at a dead end in your life. “We’re never going to get out of debt!” “I’m never going to have a baby.” “My dream is never going to come true.” “How is it ever going to work out?”

Right now it may look dark and you may feel defeated and things may seem like a mystery to you. But one day you’re going to see in the light of eternity how it all fits together in God’s plan. Until then, there are three errors you need to avoid as you seek God’s will — and as you avoid these errors, you will develop deeper trust in God, even when you don’t understand.

1. Don’t be fatalistic. The idea of fatalism — the idea that everything is out of our control and we are powerless to do anything about it — leads to self-pity. It causes us to blame God for everything bad in our lives rather than accepting responsibility when we cause problems. And fatalism leads to passivity. It makes us think, “I’m waiting on God to bring me a spouse” or “I’m waiting on God to get me a job.” God’s saying, “I gave you a brain! I gave you two feet! Get out and do something about it!”

2. Don’t be frustrated. If you try to figure out everything in your life, you’re going to be very frustrated. Sometimes you’re going to do what you think is God’s will, and it’s going to fail. “I thought God was leading me to start this business, but it failed.”

What do you do when there are no answers? You keep trusting God, knowing that he’s working on your character through all of your circumstances and that he has good plans for you.

3. Don’t be fearful. What is behind the fear of God’s will? The root problem is that you doubt God’s love. The Bible says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18 NASB). We always get into trouble when we doubt God’s love, because when we don’t trust him, we don’t obey him.

Psalm 37:23-24 says, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord . . . When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds his hand” (NASB).

God’s will is an expression of his love. When you don’t understand what God is doing, have patience. God knows what’s best for you. You can’t see the end result, but he can. God’s path might be a path of pain, but all those delays and difficulties and problems are building character in your life.

Talk It Over

How would you respond to the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”
What have you been waiting on God to do in or bring into your life? What do you think he wants you to do about it?
What do you think this statement means: “God’s will is an expression of his love”?
This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

(662) 417-1588 Cell
(662) 473-8413 Cell

Ronnie W. Stark
Platinum Member
Posts: 3464
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2003 4:41 am
PKC Name: Ronnie W. Stark
City, State: Water Valley, MS
PKC Member Since: 30 May 1990
Annual Membership Expires: 15 Nov 2023
Lifetime Handler Earnings: $3,480
Location: Water Valley, MS
Contact:

Re: Daily Devotional

Postby Ronnie W. Stark » Wed May 02, 2018 9:13 pm

“God . . . invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, even Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9 TLB).

God isn’t playing games with you. He wants you to understand his will, his purpose, and his plan for your life.

You may say, “I want God to guide me, but I still get confused. I don’t know what to do.” Often the problem is we’re looking for the wrong thing. You need to know what you’re looking for before you can find it.

So, what is God’s will?

God’s will is not a feeling.

Maybe you are looking for a feeling or a supernatural sign. You want God to pull your heartstrings so you’ll know exactly what to do.

The problem is that feelings are unreliable; they will often guide you the wrong way. Feelings can come from fatigue, hormones, or an event you’ve just experienced. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful” (NIV). Even your heart plays tricks on you. Even the Devil can create a feeling. If I had listened to my feelings, I never would have married my wife, Kay. The day before the wedding, my feelings said, “Run!” But that wasn’t God’s will. That was fear!

Don’t wait for a feeling when you’re trying to figure out God’s plan for your life.

God’s will is not a formula.

In our culture, we want everything to be easy. We want things to follow a simple formula that will instantly change our lives. We want a step-by-step guide.

But there’s a problem with this approach: There’s no room for mistakes. If God’s will is a recipe, what happens if you leave out one ingredient? Leaving baking soda out of a recipe is the difference between a birthday cake and a pancake. What if you have “52 Steps to Knowing God’s Will,” and you skip step 37?

God’s will is not a closed system. It is dynamic! It is not always an issue of choosing A or B. In fact, many times you can choose from A to Z, and any of them will be okay. It’s your choice. Why would God give you a brain and not expect you to use it? He lets you make choices, and he gives you second chances.

If God’s will is not a feeling or a formula, what is it?

God’s will is a relationship.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1:9, “God . . . invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, even Christ our Lord” (TLB).

We find very little in the Bible about the technique of knowing God’s will. But we see thousands of verses that talk about developing a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. Why? Because God’s will is a relationship.

The better you get to know God, the less confusion you’ll have about what his will is. Get to know God, and everything else becomes secondary.

Talk It Over

If you experience a feeling that you believe is telling you something about God’s will, what is a right, appropriate response?
Why do you think God allows us to make choices and even mistakes when we are searching for his will?
How well do you know God — and how can you get to know God better?
This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

(662) 417-1588 Cell
(662) 473-8413 Cell

Ronnie W. Stark
Platinum Member
Posts: 3464
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2003 4:41 am
PKC Name: Ronnie W. Stark
City, State: Water Valley, MS
PKC Member Since: 30 May 1990
Annual Membership Expires: 15 Nov 2023
Lifetime Handler Earnings: $3,480
Location: Water Valley, MS
Contact:

Re: Daily Devotional

Postby Ronnie W. Stark » Tue May 15, 2018 10:15 pm

“Don’t be bewildered or surprised when you go through the fiery trials ahead, for this is no strange, unusual thing that is going to happen to you” (1 Peter 4:12 TLB).

Jesus warned us that we’d have problems in life. No one is immune from pain or insulated from suffering, and no one gets to skate through life problem-free.

But the apostle Peter assures us that problems are normal, saying, “Don’t be bewildered or surprised when you go through the fiery trials ahead, for this is no strange, unusual thing that is going to happen to you” (1 Peter 4:12 TLB). God uses these problems to draw you closer to himself. The Bible says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18 NLT).

Your most profound and intimate experiences of worship likely will be in your darkest days: when your heart is broken, when you feel abandoned, when you’re out of options, when the pain is great — and when you turn to God alone. It is during suffering that we learn to pray our most authentic, heart-felt, honest-to-God prayers. When in pain, we don’t have the energy for superficial prayers.

Joni Eareckson Tada notes, “When life is rosy, we may slide by with knowing about Jesus, with imitating him and quoting him and speaking of him. But only in suffering will we know Jesus.” We learn things about God in suffering that we can’t learn any other way.

God could have kept Joseph out of jail, kept Daniel out of the lion’s den, kept Jeremiah from being tossed into a slimy pit, kept Paul from being shipwrecked three times, and kept the three Hebrew young men from being thrown into the blazing furnace, but he didn’t. He let those problems happen, and each of those people was drawn closer to God as a result.

Problems force us to look to God and depend on him instead of ourselves. Paul testified to this benefit: “We felt we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us” (2 Corinthians 1:9 TLB). You’ll never know that God is all you need until God is all you’ve got.

Talk It Over

How have problems forced you to look to God and depend on him instead of yourself?
What is the most powerful truth you’ve learned through suffering?
What story of suffering in the Bible most inspires and encourages you, and why?
This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

(662) 417-1588 Cell
(662) 473-8413 Cell


Return to “Coon Hunters For Christ”