Saturday, May 17, 2014

Defining Moments

Karl Tingle


Life is filled with defining moments. Decisions we make that either propel us forward or send us rolling back.  My prayer for you today is that you pray about the moments. The following is a partial list of Israel’s early defining moments.

-Captivity; Defined a need for a savior.
-Calling of Moses; God sending a leader.
-Moses returns with God’s Power AND Direction; One man was faithful to God’s call.
-Plagues unleashed concluding with the Passover; God demonstrated His sovereignty.
-Red sea crossing; Walking through seeing the walls of water on both sides what faith.
-Wilderness crossing; learning to trust God.
-Ten Commandments; God’s plan for living.
-Water from the Rock and Manna to eat; God’s provision.
-Spies sent out; How can we accomplish this?
-New Land was exactly as God promised, what would they do?
-Congregation voted not to enter the land God promised; reason: it was too hard “The saddest day.”
-People return to the wilderness; the out come of faithless living.

Lessons We Can Learn
1. God has a plan
2. God’s plan is not easy
3. God’s plan takes faith
4. If we do not follow God’s plan someone else will.

The rest of the story. When the last person that refused to enter died, their children entered into the Promised Land. Today, we as a church are at the edge of the next step towards Gods Promised Land. God has led us, the question is “will we follow through?”

Friday, May 16, 2014

Faith Requires Action

Hadley Baker


Hebrews 11:6

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”


Have you heard the story of the circus performer who strung a wire over Niagara Falls? To the large crowd on hand he shouted, “Do you think I can ride a unicycle all the way to the other side?” In unison they exclaimed, “Yes!” As he safely crossed over everyone was in utter amazement at the bravery and the skill of the man. From the far side of the falls he again shouted to the crowd, “Do you think I can ride back across—in reverse?” Once again the crowd, now growing, shouted, “Yes!” Skillfully the performer pedaled backwards across the super thin wire. The crowd went wild! Everyone felt that they had just witnessed the bravest and most skilled performance of all time. While he had the complete and undivided attention of the crowd the man asked, "Who believes I can do that all over again, but this time with a man on my shoulders?" Everyone responded in affirmation. Then he said, "All right, who wants to volunteer?" A hush fell on the crowd, and everyone was totally silent. It’s easy to say we have faith when there is no risk factor, but true is faith is demonstrated when we demonstrate complete dependence on God. In your life right now, are you playing it safe or living by faith?

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Earnestly Seeking God

Karl Tingle


Do you and I honestly earnestly seek after God?
The Psalmist said: O God you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirst for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land, where there is no water…I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands. Psalm 63. It is plain to see for many, that we have become a nation of barrenness. I wonder if we will seek Him? Will we search for Him? Can you hear the psalmist hunger? “My body longs, my soul thirst.” Seek God and He will be found.
Father, today we lift up our nation. We pray that in the midst of turmoil we will seek you.




Wednesday, May 14, 2014

The Body of Christ

Spencer Moreau


Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

When I was young, my brother Chandler and I were really into soccer. In the living room of the house we lived in there was a long hallway type area behind some of the furniture. So naturally, as two young boys would do, we would play soccer in that narrow hallway and use the two doorways as goals. One day as we were playing, I went to kick the ball that had rolled under a wooden table next to the couch, and I guess my foot-eye coordination was off that day… I kicked the leg of the table instead of the ball and broke my toe. After getting it wrapped at the hospital, I had trouble walking and had a bad limp for weeks. All this to say, there are so many parts to the human body, and every part has a specific role. And even when a little toe is out of commission, it affects the whole body. In 1 Corinthians, the writer talks about how the body of Christ, the church, is the same way. All of us in the church have different roles and parts, not one more important than another. And when one of us is struggling, if we are unified, all of us should feel it. So as you read this devotional and pray about our capital campaign, also be praying about the role God has for you in the church if you haven’t already. The church can only function God’s way if the members of the body are using their gifts and talents in the church for the glory of God. Only then will we continue to reach people for Christ.

Father, thank You for Your church and the incredible people who are part of it. I pray that You would reveal to me how I can use my gifts and talents to further Your kingdom at Casa View Baptist Church. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

God's Dream For You

Karl Tingle


When you sit and dream about the future, what do you think of? Most of the time what we think of the is best. We contemplate the brightest scenario with our lives and our surroundings. It has been said that you can only go as far as your vision can take you. Today, I want you to think about God’s vision for your life. Have you ever thought; what would God dream about concerning you and me? The great thing about God’s Word is we do not have to guess. It is printed in black and white. In Acts 2 God says, “ ‘In the last days, God said, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit upon all my servants, men and women alike, and they will prophesy. (Act 2:17-18) Wow! God’s dream for you and your children and grandchildren is to dream dreams, see visions. He sees a future that is filled with His Spirit abiding in us. I pray that your week will be filled with God’s Spirit and power.




Monday, May 12, 2014

Never Once

Spencer Moreau

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
-Psalm 23:4 (ESV)

If you have grown up in the church, chances are that you have read or heard this passage. It is talking about that even in our darkest times, God is walking with us through it. That He is with us, will never leave us or forsake us. Also, if you give the job of writing a devotional to a worship pastor, chances are he is going to reference a song somewhere in it. There is an incredible song that we play on occasion titled “Never Once” by Matt Redman, a Britain-based songwriter and worship leader. It is an incredible song about God's faithfulness talking about this very concept that God has never left us alone in our difficulty. The lyrics in the Chorus goes "Never once did we ever walk alone, never once did You leave us on our own, You are faithful, God, You are faithful." So as we go through this capital campaign in the life of Casa View, be reminded that you can trust in God, because He is always faithful, and He will never leave you on your own!

Father, thank You for your faithfulness and for Your promise to never leave me when times get difficult. And in response of Your faithfulness, I will be faithful to You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

How Do We Make The Most Of Our Lives?

Karl Tingle


Once we get our values mapped out and prioritized it’s time to take the big steps.
Commit. Values give us permission to commit to something. Values give you the freedom to give yourself to something, to step out and run.

Meaning. Values give us meaning to our activity and thought.  When we live by a set of values we add meaning to everyday tasks. For example a mother that is fixing her children’s school lunch could say I am slapping a piece of lunch meat for the thousandth time between the same bread as always. A mother, who has high values on raising children, could say I am providing a nutritious meal for three future Christian leaders, so they can grow and learn. Values give meaning to priorities.
Excellence. Once values set our priorities, they give us permission to excel in specific areas. My son Jesse plays twelve different instruments. He finally reached a point that even though playing a large number of instruments was enjoyable, He realized that being excellent requires focusing and prioritizing. When we prioritize out of a set of values you give yourself permission to do what you need to do, not just to do what needs to be done. Around the church there are a lot of things that need to be done.  But my calling and values allow me to focus on what I need to do.

Intentional. Defining our priorities allows us to be intentional with our resources. We can use our money, time, and talents on those things that give the best results in fulfilling our stated values. There will not be a useless expenditure of time or waste. Just imagine what we could accomplish without wasted time. You know the time that just slips through the cracks of our day.

Today I am praying for you. I pray you will be able, with the help of God’s Spirit, to discern God’s values and priorities for your life. I pray you will start having the time of your life by being committed, intentional and excellent in all you do. I pray you will give your greatest effort doing that which is meaningful.

Friday, May 9, 2014

A True Reflection

Karl Tingle


Posted on April 14, 2009 by prayerchallenge
When you look at yourself in the mirror what will you see? You will see a reflection of your image if the conditions are correct. At times we see in the mirror a distortion due to inadequate conditions. At times the image is distorted due to dirt or fog on the surface of the glass. At the fair we can look at our reflection through bent or distorted surface. They can be funny; they make our reflection appear longer and thinner, or shorter and fatter, the ones I run from. In 2 Kings 22 the people have a distorted image of themselves, because of a distorted reflection of themselves. The Pharisees missed recognizing Jesus because of the same reason. OFTEN PERSONAL OR COPERATE REVIVAL NEVER HAPPENS FOR THE SAME REASON. What is the reason? We see ourselves and what we do through our own mirror which is distorted by the world, sin, and self will. Instead we should look through the lens of the Word of God. The people in 2 Kings are people who had left God’s word. It was not until the Word was found and read that Josiah realized the extent the nation had departed from God.

The Lesson. If you want revival and a down pouring of God’s presence it requires that we look at ourselves through the lens of God’s Word. Lord Help us to focus on your Word, that we may see clearly our need for you.



Thursday, May 8, 2014

Happy. Happy. Happy.

Amber Brewer

Praise our Heavenly Father who supplies the seeds, multiplies the seeds and oversees the harvest. Let us be thankful for the blessings He bestows upon us and may we give cheerfully to further the Kingdom of Heaven. Giving should be accompanied by joy. How can a farmer reap a harvest from a seed that never receives sunshine?

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully. 


"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 
2 Corinthians 9:7

Heavenly Father,
We thank You for the harvest You have supplied. May all we give be to honor You and Your Heavenly Kingdom.



Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Freely You Have Received, Freely Give

Beth Frichette


"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give."
Matthew 10:8 NIV

In this age of perceived entitlement and immediate gratification, this charge given by Jesus to his disciples sets on the stomach of many like week old potato salad. When God is not seen as the source of ALL blessings, we grab for what is ours and dare anyone to pry it from our cold calloused hands. As people who freely give of their time, energy, and resources understand, those that cling to the same will never know the full bounty that God had in store for them. If you want to see true miracles in your life, be a miracle to someone else.

Dear heavenly Father, I pray that every member of our church family experiences your full bounty in their lives as a result of the all the time, energy, and resources they freely invest into serving each other and our community. I pray that each of them can be a miracle in some one else’s life. In your heavenly name,
Amen

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

I Am Doing A New Thing

Spencer Moreau


I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned,  their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick. “But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
-Isaiah 43:16-19 (NLV)

I absolutely love this passage because of the excitement I get when I read it. God has blessed our church in a huge way. Our services are growing and we’re baptizing more and more people. That is something to celebrate, but with more people comes more difficulties in the details, like making room for everyone to park. So as a staff, we feel that God is calling us to a new thing, the next step for Casa View. So as we grow, I would like to challenge you all to keep being the incredible people that you are. Continue to love and accept everyone who walks through our doors, be welcoming and helpful to our members in need, get to know the new members of our church, keep inviting your unchurched friends, and keep on pursue the life Christ calls us to. Casa View is God’s church, and He has incredible plans for it.

Father, thank You for the incredible things You have done in the life of Casa View. This church belongs to You, and we want You to lead us as we take this next step. Give us opportunities to reach people for You and share the love of Christ with people we come in contact with. In Jesus Name. 

Monday, May 5, 2014

This Is A Test

Amber Brewer


This is a test.

Our tendency is to give when we have. Instead, we should give and know that God will take care of the rest. We say, “I will start tithing next month when I can plan for it.” or “I can’t tithe this month because I don’t even have enough money to pay my bills.” Who do we think provides the money that pays our bills? The Bible says, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” Malachi 3:10. See that? God TELLS us to test him on this. I dare you.

Heavenly Father,
We praise You for all that you provide. No matter how little or how big, You are the provider. We ask You to build our faith and bless our giving.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

No Strings Attached

Karl Tingle


No-strings-attached generosity was the hallmark of the first-century church. It should be a hallmark of the twenty-first-century church too. The apostle Paul told Timothy, "Command those who are rich in this present world . . . to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share." So let’s be Rich.

The questions we need to ask ourselves is What do I have? What do I have that God has given me to provide for my family? What has God given me that I need to use to serve God in the ministry He has called me into? What has God given me that He plans for me to use to further His Kingdom? Paul’s admonition to Timothy was to instruct people who have been given much to give much. The next step for each of us will be very different. Not all gifts will be equal in amount but they should be equal in sacrifice. Let’s do more and give more than ever before.

Today each of us pray and ask God what He has planned for us to give out of generosity for what He has given us.

Friday, May 2, 2014

Are You A Purple Cow?

Hadley Baker


Matthew 5:16
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Chris Lindberg is a long-time friend of mine. Many moons ago he and I led the student ministry at Northplace Church in Sachse, Texas. He pastored the high school students. I had the “privilege” of leading our middle school students. Lucky me! Among other things, Chris is very gifted at marketing and promotion. He just has a way of promoting and branding events that gets people excited. So effective was he at this that on one occasion more than 1,200 students showed up for a Wednesday night worship service! Incredible, huh? I once picked his brain on this, inquiring on the thought process behind his approach. His answer was somewhat bizarre. “Purple cow,” he said. “Purple cow?” I asked. “Yup. Be the purple cow.” Seeing that I wasn’t exactly following his logic, he expounded: “If you were driving down the road and saw a pasture full of cows, no single cow would really stand out. They are all black and white. But a purple cow—that cow would definitely stand out from the rest.” Then it all made sense. Be intentional about standing out. That’s what grabs people’s attention.

As a Christian, do you stand out in our culture? Does your life look any different than that of your friends, classmates, co-workers, or do you simply blend in? Jesus said our lives should be such a contrast to those who are lost, that it would be like light shining in the darkness. So let me ask you—are you a purple cow?

Thursday, May 1, 2014

God's Dream For You

Karl Tingle


When you sit and dream about the future, what do you think of? Most of the time what we think of the is best. We contemplate the brightest scenario with our lives and our surroundings. It has been said that you can only go as far as your vision can take you. Today, I want you to think about God’s vision for your life. Have you ever thought; what would God dream about concerning you and me? The great thing about God’s Word is we do not have to guess. It is printed in black and white. In Acts 2 God says, “ ‘In the last days, God said, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit upon all my servants, men and women alike, and they will prophesy. (Act 2:17-18) Wow! God’s dream for you and your children and grandchildren is to dream dreams, see visions. He sees a future that is filled with His Spirit abiding in us. I pray that your week will be filled with God’s Spirit and power.

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Sovereign

Beth Frichette


"Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.  Nothing is too hard for you.”  Jeremiah 32:17

As children, we looked up at our fathers and saw a giant, a super hero who can lift us up and toss us into the air as if we were down-filled pillows. We knew that no matter how scared we may have been, nothing stood a chance against the secure arms of Daddy. Their mortality is only slowly revealed to us as we became adults ourselves. Their love for us, however, endures and becomes the limitless source of power that we rely upon. Jeremiah reminds us to rely on God’s eternal sovereignty and limitless power to provide for all our needs in this verse. God is glorified every time we take a step of faith and watch for the miracle.

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that in the weeks to come, that You will be praised through our faith.  I pray that Your will is sought in the hearts of our people. We rest in Your sovereign power as You manifest Your will through us. In Your heavenly Name.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Live Like You Were Dying

Hadley Baker


Hebrews 12:1-2
 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

A few years back country artist Tim McGraw rocked the airwaves with his song “Live Like You Were Dying.” It’s the story of a man who learns he has terminal cancer and knows he will soon die. Upon learning this, he decides to live his life to the fullest; doing things he has never done before. Mountain climbing. Bull riding. Sky diving. He loves more deeply than he ever has. He forgives those who have hurt him.

Do you ever feel like the passion is lacking in your relationship with Christ? Like you are not living life to the fullest? In the grind of life, it’s easy to lose sight of what is most important. Our spiritual life can take a back seat to work, bills, school, homework, laundry, cell phones. If you feel yourself slipping into this kind of an existence, be intentional about creating margin in your life to refocus on what matters most. Give up that sitcom to spend some time in prayer. Shut down the lap-top and open up the Bible. Do whatever you must do to get refocused on what is truly important—a passionate pursuit of Jesus Christ.

Monday, April 28, 2014

Obedience

Karl Tingle


There is a country music song titled "I’m Here For The Party". At times the reason we have no power and there is no downpour is we are at church for the party. In Mathew 7 Jesus said, “Not all people that sound religious are really godly. They refer to me as Lord but they still won’t enter the kingdom.” Jesus is saying that some people have religion i.e. are here for the party,” not a relationship with Him. We know this because 
1) they are not obedient to His wishes. If you knew Me, Jesus said, you would do as I ask. 2) They are not producing fruit. I love the staff I work with because they are producing fruit. They are helping people come closer to the Lord. They are striving to win people to Jesus. They have a Christ like attitude. Jesus also speaks of the byproduct of obedience that a relationship with Him brings. “Anyone who obeys me is wise. They are like a person who builds their house on a solid rock.” Jesus promises stability to everyone who is obedient to Him. If you and I want the fire to fall on our lives we must be obedient. 

Jesus, I pray that we as a church will have a relationship with you and not just have a religious look.