Daily Devotional: Thursday, Dec 24

Speaker: Dave Nelson

Theme: The Process of Forgiveness

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Majestic by Lincoln Brewster; Hark the Herald Angels Sing arranged by Sonicflood; How Can I Keep From Singing by Chris Tomlin; What Child is Thisarranged by Cheri Keaggy.

Read: Deuteronomy 7:18, 8:2, 15:15; I Chronicles 16:12; Psalm 77:10 and 78:35

Think: I'm looking through the Christmas cards I've received so far this year. The family photos and recap of the year are always fun to read whether they are from friends near or far. And of course each letter tells of the promotions, vacations, milestones, and accomplishments--and I celebrate right along with them all!!! It got me thinking though - what if we were to write a Christmas letter with all that great stuff, but it was only about our faith and our walk with Jesus?

That's the type of letter I long to read from my friends and my family. I guess that's why I love the video testimonies we often have at church...it's a little bit like reading a Christmas letter of faith when we get to hear firsthand what God has been up to in someone's life. It always does my heart good and I'm re energized in my own walk with Christ.

Of course it's too late to include it in this year's Christmas letter but there's plenty of opportunity all year long to remember and share your spiritual highlights with someone you care about. In fact, if we do, we'd be following a great tradition - throughout the Old Testament we see how God's people constantly remembered what God had done. Scripture gives us great ideas to get us started. Here are a few:

• Remember how the LORD your God led you... Deuteronomy 8:2
• ...remember the LORD... rescued Judges 8:34
• Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles    I Chronicles 16:12
• ... remember the deeds of the LORD... Psalm 77:10
• They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. Psalm 78:35
• But do not be afraid ... remember well what the LORD your God did... Deut. 7:18

Do: Encourage a fellow follower of Christ, tell them what God has been up to in your life.

Pray: God I don't ever want to forget how you have worked in my life. Help me to share all that you have done and continue to do with those I care about. Use me to encourage and build up your people.  Thank you for your faithfulness to me! In Jesus' name Amen.  

4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, WA 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@timberlakeonline.org

Daily Devotional: Wednesday, Dec 23

Speaker: Dave Nelson

Theme: The Process of Forgiveness

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Majestic by Lincoln Brewster; Hark the Herald Angels Sing arranged by Sonicflood; How Can I Keep From Singing by Chris Tomlin; What Child is Thisarranged by Cheri Keaggy.

Read: Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 53: 3-6; Psalm 147:3; Matthew 1:23

Think: I know for most people Christmas time is filled with excitement, friends and family, anticipation... It's joyful and thrilling! And since we celebrate the coming of our Savior, it's as it should be. What a wonderful gift God has given! But we know at the same time, for others this time of year and its good cheer is difficult and only adds to the struggle and heartbreak we feel... We're hurting and we feel even worse knowing we should be in the Christmas spirit.

During this Christmas season we often read Isaiah's prophecies of the coming Messiah who the bible says will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). But it seems we should remember the words of Isaiah 53 as well: "He was . . . a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. . . . Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows . . . . and by His wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53: 3-5). And we receive a beautiful promise from the psalms that we can trust and hold on to: "(The Lord) heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalm 147:3).

If you're among those who are hurting this Christmas, don't forget that Jesus came to save us, to help us, and to heal us. And best of all, His very name says it all: Immanuel, God with us! Right there in the middle of your pain, in the center of your heartache, Jesus is with you!

Do: If you are among the struggling, don't seclude yourself, but surround yourself with people who care and who can help you grab a hold of God's promises for you. For the rest of us, be aware of those who are struggling and reach out! Even the smallest gesture can help them know they are cared for by you...and by the Lord.

Pray: Jesus, you are the source of true joy. In spite of my circumstances, in spite of what I'm going through I am grateful for your amazing grace and for your presence in my life. Help me to know in the depths of my heart that you are with me.  Amen.  

4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, WA 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@timberlakeonline.org

Daily Devotional: Tuesday, Dec 22

Speaker: Dave Nelson

Theme: The Process of Forgiveness

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Majestic by Lincoln Brewster; Hark the Herald Angels Sing arranged by Sonicflood; How Can I Keep From Singing by Chris Tomlin; What Child is This arranged by Cheri Keaggy.

Read: Matthew 2:1-12; John 1:14

Think: We spent the day today just simply enjoying the fun of Christmas - the glitter of bright decorations that line the streets near BelleSquare, the homes glowing with beautiful lights, happy kids, people excitedly finishing up their shopping and preparing for the big celebration! It was definitely a joy-filled scene and experience.

In the mall, I heard the strains of carols and shoppers singing along, "Oh come let us adore Him..." and "Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn King..."  As I observed the melee I sat wondering how many understand the real meaning of the words they sung or the reason for sending cards, throwing parties and giving gifts. Though they celebrate have they ever asked themselves who Jesus is or why He came? Do they know their need to believe in Him and receive Him as their Savior?

It seems this is the perfect time to engage friends and neighbors in the discussion about the real meaning of Christmas - a Savior coming to rescue and save his people. There can't be a better time to look for natural openings with those you care about to share your faith in Jesus. Tell them about your faith journey and how you came to Christ. Show them how to personally know the God who loves them so much, enough to leave the comfort of heaven and enter the world as a newborn babe! Take a risk and invite them to come join you for a Christmas Eve worship service.

Do: Don't miss the opportunities to talk about the true meaning of Christmas with people who haven't connected with Jesus in a real way. Don't worry about having the right words, let God speak through you. Simply share the real reason for your celebration this Christmas!

Pray: God there are so many people who have yet to put their faith in you. Use me to draw them to you and to tell of your amazing love and grace. Give me the right words to speak and the opportunity to share. In Jesus' name, Amen.

4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, WA 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@timberlakeonline.org

Daily Devotional: Monday, Dec 21

Speaker: Dave Nelson

Theme: The Process of Forgiveness

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Majestic by Lincoln Brewster; Hark the Herald Angels Sing arranged by Sonicflood; How Can I Keep From Singing by Chris Tomlin; What Child is This arranged by Cheri Keaggy.

Read: Ephesians 2: 7-9; Hebrews 4:16

Think: It seems like the longer we walk with Jesus the more complicated we try to make it. When I started a relationship with Christ it was so clear and so simple - I confessed my need for God, acknowledged my sin, asked Jesus to forgive me and invited Him into my heart. He took me up on my offer and gave me forgiveness and eternal life. It was amazing! Joyous! Life changing! I told anyone who would listen!

But slowly over time somehow my simple faith got more complicated... There were more conditions added, more "to-do's" and "should be's" and the Divine relationship was reduced to something that resembled a naughty and nice list. And as Pastor Dave Nelson showed us this weekend, I didn't have to look far to see what pushed me off track...I'd forgotten about grace!

The hallmark of Christianity is God's grace--- His unmerited favor freely given to all who come to Him. No matter how long we follow Him or how "mature" we get in our faith, we can't add to it, we need not stipulate, we need not qualify the statement: We are saved by grace through faith. Period.

Not until I grab a hold of that truth (once again) am I able to freely extend that same grace to others.

Do: Search your heart - is there any "grace and" that you are living under? Delete whatever comes after that "and" returning to the truth of the Good News of Christ: It is by grace I am saved and grace alone!

Pray: God show me where I have added to your gift of mercy and grace. Let me turn (again) to the truth of your word. Thank you that my salvation and my relationship with you don't depend on how "good" I am, but it solely depends on how good You are!  Thank you Jesus for coming to this world so that I can be forgiven and loved by God. Use me today to be a conduit of the grace you have extended to me. Amen.

4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, WA 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@timberlakeonline.org

Daily Devotional: Thursday, Dec 17

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Receiving Forgiveness

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Salvation is Here by Hillsong United; Joy to the World arranged by Chris Tomlin; Let Us Adore by Hillsong; Oh Come All Ye Faithful arranged by Chris Tomlin.

Read: 1 John 1:9 and Romans 12:19

Think: After Sunday's sermon, I was thinking about forgiveness and really trying to figure out the difference between forgiveness and Christian forgiveness. The definition of forgiveness in the dictionary is "to grant pardon for or remission of an offense."

In defining Christian forgiveness, we are typically asking God to forgive us for our sins. In 1 John 1:9 it states... "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." We can sin against God directly and/or sin against God when dealing with others. In those situations we need to ask God for forgiveness as well as asking for forgiveness our fellow man.

I don't know about you, but the first thing I think about when someone says or does something against me or my family- is not typically forgiveness. That is my sin nature at work but the Lord says, "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord." (Romans 12:19.)

A very humbling example of Christian forgiveness is when I see family members of slain children telling others that they have forgiven the killer for what they have done. WOW! I have seen this on several occasions and I can't believe the strength of their faith to do such a thing. So if these families are forgiving the murders of their own children, how come it takes me days to get over someone cutting me off in traffic or someone hurting my pride?

Do: We all know that we sin, and that others will sin against us. Prepare for the day to receive others forgiveness and be truly compassionate towards them. Choose not to take revenge and allow God's will to be done.

Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, provide me the strength to consistently ask for your forgiveness of my sins, and to ask for forgiveness of others when my sin hurts them. Lord help me show compassion and understanding when I need to extend forgiveness towards those who sin against me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, WA 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@timberlakeonline.org

Daily Devotional: Wednesday, Dec 16

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Receiving Forgiveness

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Salvation is Here by Hillsong United; Joy to the World arranged by Chris Tomlin; Let Us Adore by Hillsong; Oh Come All Ye Faithful arranged by Chris Tomlin.

Read: Acts 26: 10-11, 14-18; Timothy 4:5-8

Think: I love about what the Bible tells us about the Apostle Paul. From everything we read we can see he was full of ZEAL. Paul was always giving 110% of his effort towards whatever he did. When younger, he was known as Saul and was known as the persecutor of Christians. His decisions resulted in misery and death for many Christ followers. Because of his history, one might think it impossible for him to be forgiven by God.

The turning point in his life was when he encounters Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. I quote a conversation between Paul a.k.a. Saul at the time, "‘Who are you, lord?' I asked. "And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. You are to tell the world what you have seen and what I will show you in the future. And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God's people, who are set apart by faith in me.'"

Years later the same man who had been the instigator of the murder of many Christians, went on to be arguably the most passionate of the 12 disciples with an amazing testimony of transformation. Understanding what Paul went through, it's comforting to know Jesus can provide me with that same grace and forgiveness for my sins so that I too can fight the good fight for Jesus' sake.

Do: Fully knowing where you've been and where you are today in your life, Jesus always understands the role you will eventually play in the growth of his kingdom. Don't let your past, and don't let Satan trick you into thinking you're beyond God's forgiveness. Paul had a pretty bad history, but it didn't stop him from being used by God to become one of the greatest disciples of Christ.

Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, I pray we can see ourselves through your eyes knowing that once we've turned to you we are forgiven, no matter how bad the sins, no matter how wrong I've been in the past... You wiped the slate clean the moment I said yes to you. Moving forward in your forgiveness I am committing (again) today to live the life you want me to live. Amen.

4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, WA 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@timberlakeonline.org

Daily Devotional: Tuesday, Dec 15

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Receiving Forgiveness

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Salvation is Here by Hillsong United; Joy to the World arranged by Chris Tomlin; Let Us Adore by Hillsong; Oh Come All Ye Faithful arranged by Chris Tomlin.

Read: Colossians 2:13-15

Think: What better topic to drill down on than receiving forgiveness during the time of year where we celebrate Christ's birth. Because Jesus became man in order to give up his life, I received his free gift of eternal life and now receive God's forgiveness of my sins - all of them whether committed in the past or future.

It is very comforting to know that Jesus paid that price for us, but honestly, sometimes it's hard to believe that God has that much patience with me to forgive me, time and time again. BUT HE DOES!!  Satan wants you to believe that God doesn't have the ability to forgive you. He wants you to believe that you are unworthy of becoming a Christian, he doesn't want you to trust that you are saved and forgiven through the shed blood of Christ. But God can and has done all of these things because of his great love for us.

I am humbled by his love for me and for you. It provides me great comfort and reassurance knowing I am Christian and going to heaven because of that gift I receive in Christ. Do you have that same comfort going into Christmas this year?

Do: If you believe that you are a sinner by nature, willing to turn your sin over to Christ, that Christ died on the cross for your sins and he rose again the third day, but haven't taken the time to ask Jesus Christ into your heart - here is a FREE CHRISTMAS GIFT to you! Just say Yes to Jesus today... that's all it takes. Better than any Black Friday sale ever and absolutely FREE!!!

Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, don't let us move forward today without knowing exactly where we stand with you. I pray that all who read this will be empowered to make the decision to accept you as their Lord and Savior today if they haven't done so yet. For those who are your followers, we celebrate and rejoice in the amazing gift you give, your one and only Son!  Amen.

4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, WA 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@timberlakeonline.org

Daily Devotional: Monday, Dec 14

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Receiving Forgiveness

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Salvation is Here by Hillsong United; Joy to the World arranged by Chris Tomlin; Let Us Adore by Hillsong; Oh Come All Ye Faithful arranged by Chris Tomlin.

Read: Isaiah 30:15a; Isaiah 43:18; Hebrews 10:21-23

Think: Have you ever had the manager that after every project said, "Here are the five things you did wrong in your presentation" without commenting on the 20 other things that went well? When things like that happen, I beat myself up about the parts I missed, I worry about how to make sure it doesn't happen again but I sure wish they'd notice all that went right too.

When I take the role of "manager" of my children, the whole scenario hits too close to home. As I parent them, I find myself pointing out areas where they haven't met my expectations. I tell them "You didn't do X, you missed Y and you could have done Z better!" And then I realize I'm doing just what my boss did to me... I was never that perfect child who never made a mistake, always got straight A's and was the NCAA player of the year. So why do I get on my kids for anything short of perfection?  And it becomes very clear --- I need forgiveness from them, and from the Lord for doing the very thing that has been done to me.

My parents made mistakes in raising me and unfortunately, I am making some of those same mistakes with my kids. I need to accept the way my parents raised me, forgive them for those mistakes (Isaiah 43:18) and now seek that same forgiveness from my own kids. Though I can't change how I was raised or the way I have raised my kids to this point,  I CAN change what I do tomorrow.

Do: Think about someone in your life, whether it is a family member, boss, employee, neighbor or anyone who you have wronged. Accept that you cannot change the past but decide to move forward by seeking both their forgiveness and God's forgiveness. Don't go into Christmas with this weight standing in the way of you from doing what the Lord wants to accomplish through you.

Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you now to forgive me and to help me not focus on what is past. I know that I cannot change what has already occurred but with your help I can change my future. Grant me a tender heart to forgive, and the humility to admit my wrongdoing so I may move forward and make a positive impact in the world for your glory. Amen.

4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, WA 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@timberlakeonline.org

Daily Devotional: Thursday, Dec 10

Speaker:Ben Sigman

Theme: Healing Family Rifts

Weekend Music links on iTunes: The Time Has Comeby Hillsong United ; Angels We Have Heard on High arranged by Chris Tomlin; Cannonsby Phil Wickham; From the Inside Outby Hillsong United.

Read: Luke 6:37, Psalm 51:6, Hebrews 12:15

Think: Forgiveness is not an option with God, it's a requirement. Just look at Luke 6:37 to see what I mean:  "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."

As children my brothers and sisters would often fight and our parents told us to "say we're sorry" and mean it. Then they made the one we said we're sorry to say, "I forgive you" in return and mean it. Neither of us meant it. Sometimes as adults we "forgive" the way we did back then.

Pastor Ben reminded us this weekend that forgiveness is not pretending it never happened. Denial is not the same as forgiving. We know people that feel unforgiven, they are unforgiving. We know people that are judgmental, they are feeling guilty. Our family knows a man whose emotional abuse drove his daughter out of his house. She was later killed far from home and he became an angry, judgmental man. Unforgiven, he was unforgiving.

When we try as humans to keep the beach balls of unforgiveness under the water of our lives, we can't. Alexander Pope said, "to err is human to forgive divine". There is a lot of truth in that statement, it is not human nature to forgive. We need the grace of God in order to forgive! Hebrews 12:15 gives us an apt instruction: "Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many."

Do:Carefully analyze people you have "forgiven" - especially the ones you hate to run into at the mall. Take care of any unforgiveness you have hidden in your heart.

Pray: Father, I need your grace to forgive this person. I will no longer pretend, I accept your grace poured out on me and in that grace, forgive. Amen.

4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, WA 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@timberlakeonline.org