Devotional Blog

Unity

10/30/2019

What would happen if all of us as Christians, regardless of denominational
or cultural boundaries, treated each other with the love of Christ? How
exciting to find that we share so much more than we realized? After all, the
greatest thing we can share is the love of Christ. It should not surprise us that others often see things differently, just as family members often have differences of opinion, yet remain united by being a family. The Apostle Paul wrote:

(scripture of the week)
“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of
Christ. Then. . .I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending
as one person for the faith of the gospel. . .(Phil.1.27)

(prayer of the week)
Lord, give us a spirit of unity that embraces our deep love for you in all we do, and a deep appreciation to honor the differences of others so that we might truly be the family of God, through Christ Our Lord, we pray, amen.

Have a great week! –Pastor TJ

(quote of the week)
“In essentials unity, in non-essentials diversity, in all things charity” –St. Augustine

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us

0 Comments

Autumn Blessings

10/24/2019

0 Comments

As a person that loves warmer temperatures, the bright sun, and all the grandeur of summer, I tend to hold on tenaciously to summer. But there’s a time when the brisk evening breeze, smell of wood burning in the fireplace, and colors of the autumn leaves, invariably win me over. I have a cup of hot cider or pumpkin spiced latte, sit back and think to myself, autumn is here, it’s time to enjoy the beauty of the season before the colors fade to winter. And then I do just that. I enjoy the fall festivals and the roadside crafts, and my favorite, a relaxing drive down a country road that winds through fields with famers harvesting crops and forests with trees bundled in fall colors.
It reminds me that each season of the year has its special beauty and its own unique blessings. It also reminds me that each season of life has its special blessings to be enjoyed. More often than not we tend to look to the past or press toward the future and forget to simply be present in the moment and enjoy God’s many blessings. I invite you to lean into the moment and enjoy the beauty of creation, the warmth of family, and the blessings of hearth and home. Make every day a special day and give thanks to God for His manifold blessings. God is good. All the time.

(verse of the week)
This is the day the Lord has made,
Let us rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24).

(prayer of the week)
Lord, help me to enjoy the beauty of creation and appreciate the seasons of the year as well as the seasons of life. Amen.

Blessings –Pastor TJ

(quote of the week)
“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one come to you without leaving happier”—Mother Teresa

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us

0 Comments

Depth

10/20/2019

0 Comments

Did you ever have one of those days! You know what I mean--one of THOSE
DAYS! Everything seems to be going wrong. You are facing challenge and adversity at work or school or home. Or maybe you say the wrong thing. Or you say the right thing at the wrong time. Nothing is going right. It happens to all of us. Fortunately, not all the time. It even happened to the Apostle Paul. He
was in prison. The government was looking to put him on trial and possibly
execute him for his faith. Now that’s really a bad day!

What was Paul's response?--To be joyful and to uplift others. Paul had an attitude of thankfulness and a spirit of joy. He also took time to write a letter of encouragement to those facing adversity. What a response! That's precisely the situation when Paul was writing the Philippians. And he writes them that he has THEM in HIS prayers. It is also a prayer for each of us and a great lesson on how to deal with challenge and adversity. Paul writes:

(scripture of the week)
"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in
knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is
best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the
fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and
praise of God!" (Phil.1.9-11)

(prayer of the week)
Lord, facing the greater challenges, help me to know your love and grace in a greater way. Help me to take the time to encourage someone today. With the Apostle Paul I pray “that our love may abound more and more in
knowledge and depth of insight, so that we may be able to discern what is
best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the
fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and
praise of God!" Amen.

Have a great week! –Pastor TJ

(quote of the week)
“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one come to you without leaving happier”—Mother Teresa

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us

0 Comments

Heart

10/10/2019

0 Comments

Don’t lose heart! Just because you do not yet see the answer to your prayers, does not mean God does not hear you. Wait! The Lord is working. Waiting time is not wasting time. Waiting time is time for God to mold us and strengthen us and deepen our relationship with Him. God is at work. Trust God! God will see you through. God is at work even though you might not be able to see it. Hear again these encouraging words of the psalmist:

I would have lost heart unless I believed
that I would see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord! (Psalm 27.13,14)

(prayer of the week)
Lord, help me to see your purposes in waiting. Help me to renew my strength and lean into your strength. Mold me and make me so that I may be a blessing to others, through your power and to your glory, Amen.

Open your heart to God’s awesome love—Pastor TJ

(quote of the week)
God uses adversity to chisel us more fully into the image of Jesus

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us

0 Comments

Race

10/3/2019

0 Comments

I always find watching the Olympics exciting and inspiring. Athletes have trained hard and in many cases have overcome all kinds of adversity and challenges, yet they press on with everything they have to do their best and, if at all possible, win. We all will face challenge and adversity at some point in our lives. There are times we will fall short. But the Apostle Paul urges us to forget what is behind and press on toward the goal that God has set before us. Like an athlete he urges us to stay the course and press on! Know that with God’s grace and strength we can be victorious. Trust God and lean into his strength. Faith is the adventure of a life time --- and God will see you through!

(scripture of the week)
Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it; but this one thing I do:
forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3.12-14)

(prayer of the week)
Gracious God, there are times when we run into challenge and adversity that seem too much for us. Help me to let go of the past and press on to the future you have for me. Help me to lean into your strength. And help me to be an encouragement to others. Amen

Blessings in Christ –Pastor TJ

(quote of the week)
“Love is the abridgment of all theology”--Francis de Sales

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us

0 Comments

Unity

Autumn Blessings

Depth

Heart

Race

Author

Archives

Categories