Daily Devotional: Thursday, Dec 3

Speaker: Greg Rohlinger

Theme: Whatever it Takes

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Salvation is Here by Hillsong United; Run by Hillsong United; You'll Come by Hillsong United; Unfailing Love by Chris Tomlin.

Read: Matthew 23:5; Philippians 2:1-8

Think: Pastor Ben has been speaking lately about the Dangerous Church... and what we want for our church!  A place where the grace shown to us by our Lord and Savior is readily shown and granted to each other.  A place where all are wanted and all are needed.  A place where Jesus is the hero and not ourselves. Where Jesus is lifted up, and we are all willing to serve one another and the world. One of the quotes from Ben on a recent weekend really hit me between the eyes:

"Be very cautious of people who are eager to lead but unwilling to serve"...see Matthew 23:5.

Jesus, Son of God, was himself a servant.  It bears repeating, Jesus Son of God, was himself a servant.  Think about that; this is certainly not the leadership model that is often taught or ascribed to in the regular world.  That alone should give us pause for thought.  I love how Jesus calls us to a radically different life; the contrast could not be clearer; be willing to put YOUR LIFE aside and put others before you (Philippians 2:1-8).  Jesus always sought to do the will of his Father who sent him.

Maybe you are like me and at times fall into the trap of doing the right things for the wrong reasons.  These might even look like servanthood, but when I turn the mirror on myself and examine carefully, I find that my motives were sometimes more about glorifying myself than serving others and glorifying my Savior. God wants my service for sure, but most of all he wants me to love him with my whole heart, put that first and the service he asks of us will follow.

Do:  Seek the Lord with all your heart.  As Ben has been challenging us each week, say yes to Him before you know the question. Follow Him before you know the assignment. Serve others as the Lord directs.

Pray:  Heavenly Father you have called us to a radically different life, a life where others are served before us, a life where you are lifted up and glorified. Help me this day to put my life and my plans aside and serve those you have placed in my path.  I love you with all my heart.  In Jesus' name I pray.  Amen.

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

Daily Devotional: Friday, Nov 27

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Dangerous Dreams

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Run by Hillsong United; The Time Has Come by Hillsong United; Cannons by Phil Wickham; Hosanna by Hillsong United.

Read: 1 Peter 1:6-7; 2 Corinthians 3: 17-18

Think: As we wrapped up our Dangerous Church series at Timberlake, we talked about transformation... Now I don't know about you but I love watching the whole transformation process take place. My favorite reality shows are The Biggest Loser and Extreme Home Makeover because I get to see the before and afters and a lot of the transformation as it progressed. Those shows are the best! There's just something so inspiring watching someone change their lives so dramatically or better yet, to have their lives changed for them! It makes it seem almost possible for all of us.

And it is possible for us - through the power of Jesus Christ.

One of my favorite authors is C. S. Lewis. In Mere Christianity he says this:

"God's work in our lives can be painful, but His ultimate goal is to transform us into something better.   Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is he up to? The explanation is that he is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards.

You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but he is building up a palace. He intends to come and live in it himself."

So don't be afraid of the pain or discomfort that comes from the transforming process... because the results are going to be good, I mean really good!

Do: What hard things in your life might God be using to transform you to be more like Him? Instead of fighting the difficulty or resenting it, grab a hold of it, and ask God to use it to transform you to be more like Him!

Pray: Father, please change me! Each day I want to become a better and better reflection of you, to be the person you created me to be! As you use the painful and difficult things in my life, help me to see your hand at work and to trust you in the middle of it. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen!

Timberlake Church | 4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, Washington 98053 • 425-869-4400 • mailto:info@tlcf.org

Daily Devotional: Thursday, Nov 26

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Dangerous Dreams

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Run by Hillsong United; The Time Has Come by Hillsong United; Cannons by Phil Wickham; Hosanna by Hillsong United.

Read:  Luke 12:42-48 (The Message); James 1:27; Proverbs 21:13

Think: What are your plans today?  For many, today will  involve a feast of turkey, potatoes, cranberries, gravy, a green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, more potatoes, more gravy, more turkey, and if that is not enough,  pie ala mode of course.  I am grateful that for me and my family, as well as many of my friends, it will probably look much like what was just described. 

The truth is that for many, such a lavish feast will not be possible today. That is certainly true in countries such as India and continents like Africa - which is why these areas are given a priority in the Timberlake Go Forward offering. Part of these funds will go directly to helping the poorest of the poor in India and will help send a missions team of Timberlake folks to Africa. But it is also just as true in our own backyards. Jesus provides ample warning to all of us about the expectations and responsibilities we have with what God has given us (Luke 12:42-48).  In essence the greater the gifts the greater the responsibility we have.  I love the translation in The Message version, appropriately for this day, it even admonishes us that if we don't shape up we will be back in the kitchen peeling potatoes!  But the warning is real; God is watching what we do with what he has blessed us with.

God provides us further encouragement in James 1:27. We hear God implore us to action, to not sit idly by while brothers and sisters less fortunate than ourselves are suffering.  He tells us to reach out to the homeless, those without love, and help.  I can only hope and pray that I would have such a faith as this.

God has granted each of us gifts that can be used for His Kingdom. May today's blessings be used to bless others as well.

Do:  Thank the Lord for the blessings in your life, your family perhaps, a friend, your passions and talents. Look for opportunities to bless others with God's truth and provision. Let your faith be a faith of action. 

Pray:  Heavenly Father I thank you for what you have provided to me, to my family.  Open my eyes and my heart to those in need.  Spur me to action!!  Let me be excited about using the gifts you have given me to advance your Kingdom. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Timberlake Church | 4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, Washington 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@tlcf.org

Daily Devotional: Wednesday, Nov 25

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Dangerous Dreams

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Run by Hillsong United; The Time Has Come by Hillsong United; Cannons by Phil Wickham; Hosanna by Hillsong United.

Read:  1 Timothy 2:1-5; John 3:6:27-29; John 6:35-37

Think:  "Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor - and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness." Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be..."
    ~ President George Washington - Thanksgiving Day 1789

I have so many wonderful memories of Thanksgiving spent with my family. Spending the day with Uncle Milton and my Dad watching football, sometimes on TV, sometimes taking in a local Thanksgiving Day game; my Aunt Amy whose kitchen had the only pink appliances known to mankind (pink stove, pink dishwasher, pink refrigerator; pink washer and dryer); Ruth, Amy's sister and her husband Hank, always let you know of their love for you, as well as  their sometimes wild and crazy life; and while my Dad was a man of few words, he rarely prayed in public, this one day he would lead us in a prayer of thanks. 

In George Washington's first Thanksgiving Day proclamation as partially shown above he clearly establishes where our thanks and prayers need to be directed...
"to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be ..."

The Apostle Paul provides encouragement to all of us in one of our devotional readings (Timothy 2:1-5) today, as he urges us to pray for each other, and for those in authority.  He tells us it is good, and it pleases our Lord and Savior. 

What a comfort, what a blessing to know that God our Savior wants all men to be saved, and that he would provide his only Son Jesus Christ to us as a free gift for our salvation and forgiveness of our sins.  That we can have a relationship with Him, that we can know the Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be is something to be truly thankful for this day. It is not something we can work for, though many have fruitlessly tried, it is simply to "believe in the One he has sent" (John 6:29). It is He, Jesus, whom we give thanks for in all things, including for me some very joyful memories of Thanksgiving Day's with my family. 

Do: If you do not know the one true God - you can. Simply admit your sin, and ask Jesus into to your heart, he is waiting with open arms.  God is faithful and will never leave those who come to him (John 6:35-37). If this is your prayer this day I encourage you to seek out other followers of Christ and let them know of your prayer. God encourages each of us through other Christian men and women who can help you in your walk with the Lord.

If you already know the Lord, give him your thanks today, acknowledge His sovereignty in your life.  Pray for those in authority and for those whom God has placed in your life.

Pray:  Heavenly Father I am thankful today that I can know you. I am thankful that you provided your Son to us, that we can come to Him right where we are, no matter who we are, or what we have done.  I am thankful that today I can pray to the Living Savior, Jesus Christ who hears my prayer, knows my name, and loves me just as I am. Help me to know You more each and every day. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Timberlake Church | 4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, Washington 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@tlcf.org

Daily Devotional: Tuesday, Nov 24

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Dangerous Dreams

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Run by Hillsong United; The Time Has Come by Hillsong United; Cannons by Phil Wickham; Hosanna by Hillsong United.

Read:  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; James 1:5-6: Proverbs 16:23

Think:  If you are over 50 you probably remember a number one song on the pop charts called Turn, Turn, Turn by the Byrds.  It was originally composed to music by Pete Seeger and the lyrics were almost entirely a rendition of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. In the 1960's it served as an anthem for peace and a rejection of the war in Southeast Asia (Vietnam).  Since it was believed to have been authored by King Solomon you might say it is the oldest number one song ever recorded!!

I love this passage of scripture as a reminder of the very natural order that God has placed in our lives. 

 ¹ "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven"

Sometimes I fail to acknowledge the season that God has me in. Am I being pruned as we do each winter with our trees, so that I may become stronger and more fruitful in the spring or summer?  Am I growing impatient because I want to see the results immediately, and yet God knows I have much seasoning to experience?  Read again what it says in verse 1: "a season for every activity under heaven."  We can get out of sync and discouraged with God when we expect flowers and bountiful crops in the winter of our lives, rather than delighting in His absolute love and care for us in His time, in the right season.

These verses also speak of discernment.  Not surprising that this came from Solomon, a King who asked God for wisdom, and was granted special favor by God. 

 "a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away..."

The verses above speak of the appropriateness of certain activities. We know that weeping and laughter are certainly emotions which unto themselves are perfectly part of God's design, however we can all think of occasions where they would not be wise or acceptable in the moment. Knowing when something is appropriate and when it is not is one of God's greatest gifts.  Without question some of my biggest blunders and embarrassments in life came when my actions unto themselves were perfectly acceptable, but my timing was not.  As I reflect back on these times I am certain that I did not humble myself and ask God for the wisdom I most certainly lacked (James 1:5-6).  I am thankful that God's grace has carried me through many a poor decision when I failed to seek His wisdom first.

As I sit around the Thanksgiving table this Thursday you can bet that one of my prayers is to ask God for wisdom....while a time to speak and a time to remain quiet may not have been one of Solomon's precepts in Ecclesiastes he (Solomon) gets pretty darn close in Proverbs 16:23:

A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction.

Do:  Take a look at the season of your life. Be honest about it, not wishful.  Ask yourself whether you are doing what is necessary in this season, it may be weeping and mourning, it may be joy and laughter, it may be searching, or it may be time to give something up.  Ask God for discernment and wisdom as you examine this season. 

Pray:  Lord God you have perfectly ordered this world. Help me to know and accept the seasons you have for me in my life.  Help me to find you, to know you, no matter the season. I seek you and love you with all my heart. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Timberlake Church | 4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, Washington 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@tlcf.org

Daily Devotional: Monday, Nov 23

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Dangerous Dreams

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Run by Hillsong United; The Time Has Come by Hillsong United; Cannons by Phil Wickham; Hosanna by Hillsong United.

Read: 1 Peter4:1-13;  Rev 2:4-5; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Psalm 30:4-5

Think:  My wife and I have been reading a really interesting devotional lately, and I highly recommend it for couples, it is called "Devotions for Couples" by Patrick Morley.  The good thing about it is you actually have to read it together, and then of all things, you actually have to talk to each other about it!!  Last night we read about "In Joy and In Sorrow".  This refers of course to our wedding vows that we pledge ourselves to each other in joy and in sorrow. We were challenged by the question's "Are you emotionally dry? Have you been sharing your sorrows with each other? Have you been sharing your joys with one another?" 

Truth be told we all reach those places where we feel emotionally dry, what is striking about our Lord and Savior is that He was never emotionally dry, He was emotionally full at all times (full of joy and sorrow).  We realized in our discussion that we readily share our sorrows with each other.  I am quick to tell my wife about my sorrows of the day....but how quickly do I tell her about my joys of the day?  To my chagrin, I discovered it is not very often. Perhaps my emotional dryness is me spending too much time focusing on the sorrows of life.

Likewise with our Lord, how quick am I to tell him of my sorrows and my troubles, my sorrows spill out with great regularity in my prayers, but the joy that He has given me are sometimes tucked away, forgotten, unacknowledged.  How heartbreaking it must be for our Lord to only hear of my sorrows.

In the devotional reading this week, Revelations (Rev 2:4-5) asks us to "remember the height from which you have fallen...repent and do the things you did at first".  Have I taken for granted the grace which was granted to me?  Can I remember to rejoice that my sin is forgiven, that I am a new creation in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17)?  Surely I should find joy each day with the knowledge of this.  We know Jesus' compassion for our problems, our weaknesses; let us also remember his desire to hear about our complete day, which is incomplete without sharing also with Him the joy that He has provided (Psalm 20:4-5) .

Scottish minister Oswald Chambers said this: "Many will confide to you their secret sorrows, but the last mark of intimacy is to confide secret joys."

Do:  Share with someone today not only the sorrows in your life, but the joys of your life.  Share your joys and sorrows with our Lord today; he wants to hear all of it!!  Take a moment to acknowledge Him, the Creator of the universe, for the secret joys He has placed in your life.  Ask Him to open your eyes to the joys of His creation.

Pray:  Lord Jesus you created the world and everything in it. In my selfishness I sometimes forget to focus on the wonder of your love for me.  Help me this day to not only see you as a helper and comforter for my sorrows but as the One who loves and provides for me each day.  Let me seek your face this day.  Help me rejoice in Your presence. Amen.

Timberlake Church | 4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, Washington 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@tlcf.org

Daily Devotional: Friday, Nov 20

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Dangerous Transformations

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Today is the Day by Lincoln Brewster; Not to Us by Chris Tomlin; Sing to the King by Passion Worship Band; Mighty to Save by Hillsong United.

Read:  Romans 12:1-8

Think: Rosa Parks, after her fateful decision to stand her ground on a segregated bus caught the attention of a nation. Something inside her allowed her the courage to do what she believed to be right and good. Later, she was quoted as saying, "I will no longer act on the outside in a way that contradicts the truth that I hold deeply inside. I will no longer act as if I were less than the whole person I know myself inwardly to be."

As Christians, we are new and transformed people. We are loved and holy people. We are saints and children of the Most High God. The trouble is not with who we are, or the inward life of how God has transformed us... that is immutable and constant. The trouble is with how we live on the outside. The trouble is with our outward actions being congruent with our inward reality. Do we live as whole and transformed people? Do we know that we are unconditionally loved and able to offer this to the world around us? Do we revel in the forgiveness we have received and live out this forgiveness and good will to others? Do we live as "dangerously transformed" people?

The Apostle Paul says to us, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:1-2)

The pattern of the world is to live by fear and ego - never giving in return what we invest into it. The kingdom way is to live by faith and love - a constant flow of energy, confidence and life.

Do: Determine today to live on the outside what you know to be true on the inside. Be the faith-filled, love-giving person you know God has made you to be.

Pray: God, you see how I struggle with doing the right and loving thing. Help me to know and understand your transformational power in developing me to be what you have always intended. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Timberlake Church | 4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, Washington 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@tlcf.org

Daily Devotional: Thursday, Nov 19

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Dangerous Transformations

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Today is the Day by Lincoln Brewster; Not to Us by Chris Tomlin; Sing to the King by Passion Worship Band; Mighty to Save by Hillsong United.

Read:  John 8:31-32; Proverbs 27:17; Matthew 13:31-32

Think: As a person in the field of counseling and coaching, I see some common characteristics that are found in people inclined toward growth.

• They see opportunity in every problem. We can easily focus our attention on the problems and difficulties in life, thereby giving up the power to do anything about them. But if we see each problem in a more positive light- as an opportunity for growth, resolution, learning or changing, then we can have the power to move forward.
• They accept themselves. Brennan Manning writes, "The more fully we accept ourselves, the more successfully we begin to grow." Once we are humbly aware and accepting of our human limitations, we are more capable of abiding in God's power.
• They ask for the truth, even if the truth is hard to hear. Nobody likes to hear something negative about themselves. But there is nothing worse than trying to improve something, without knowing for sure what's broken. Jesus says, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  (John 8:31-32) Asking for feedback, advice and coaching is a sign of maturity.
• They get around other healthy people. As we make ourselves available to other people, and they invest their lives in us, we grow together. We begin to trust, loosen up and start to let down our guard. When we do this in the context of relationships with other growers, we are fulfilling the proverb, "As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend." (Proverbs 27:17)
• They take risks. Jesus referenced faith as a little mustard seed- and really, faith is the first step in this process of growth. To have faith the size of a mustard seed is to believe that God is who He says He is, and that you are who He says you are. Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field,^ which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches."   (Matthew 13:31-32) It is impossible to please God without faith, and faith is the stuff that growth is made of.

Do: Determine that you will be inclined toward growth. Chose one thing today that you will do from the above list.

Pray: Help me, Jesus to do the things that are naturally hard for me to do. I will surrender these things to you, and allow you to make me grow through them.

Timberlake Church | 4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, Washington 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@tlcf.org

Daily Devotional: Wednesday, Nov 18

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Dangerous Transformations

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Today is the Day by Lincoln Brewster; Not to Us by Chris Tomlin; Sing to the King by Passion Worship Band; Mighty to Save by Hillsong United.

Read: Matthew 5:13-16

Think: Margaret Mead once said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."  As Jesus has changed our lives from the inside out, we now have an amazing opportunity to change the world around us. Beginning with the people in our home, and then reaching out to the folks at work, school and in other nations, God uses a humble few to preserve and to shed light in the world.

To sum up the Christian life it is to know God and to make Him known. Our relationship with Christ is not only about being submitted to Him, empowered by Him and changed by Him, but it is also to live a visibly changed life. Instead of complaining at work, our attitude has been transformed. Instead of yelling at our kids, our resolve to patience has been strengthened. Instead of reacting to hostility with more hostility, we bless those who curse us. These are marks of a transformed life. They are marks of a loving life. They shed light in the darkness and literally preserve a dying world.

As we pursue our call in Christ, doing what is right instead of what is easy, and submitting ourselves to sacrificial love, we change the world. We have such an amazing opportunity to play a part in God's kingdom revolution of a lost and hurting world.

Do: Recall the opportunity God has given you to be a blessing to the people around you. Remind yourself of the amazing gift of love God has given, and how the world around you is desperate for it.

Pray: God, help me to see people the way you see them. Help me to respond to the people around me in a loving and helpful way. Amen.

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

Daily Devotional: Tuesday, Nov 17

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Dangerous Transformations

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Today is the Day by Lincoln Brewster; Not to Us by Chris Tomlin; Sing to the King by Passion Worship Band; Mighty to Save by Hillsong United.

Read:  1 Corinthians 13:8-12, Ephesians 4:15

Think: A sure sign of life is growth. One summer, while living in Texas, I planted some sunflowers seeds. I watered them once and then literally forgot about them for weeks. One day while out in the yard, I found them. I was shocked at what I saw. The parched, cracked ground was pushed aside by these fledgling sprouts determined against all odds to grow. There, baking in the southern sun, were four green sunflower plants. You better believe I watered those things and pampered them with guilt laden gardener love until they were full grown. I was so proud that they survived me!

Some people are like that too... determined against all odds to grow - to live - to reach the light of day. Even when the circumstances aren't right, the conditions aren't favorable, and the resources seem too few, they push through. It's when all seems lost and hope seems gone that God really has access to our hearts. When we've come to the end of ourselves, we can be fully His.

And watch out, because those little determined seeds grew into six-foot flower giants, producing hundreds of more seeds just because they didn't give up.

Do: Determine to be a grower today. Acknowledge that you don't have to have everything just right to start growing into Christ's likeness. Determine not to give up when it gets hard. Promise yourself that whatever the circumstance, you will learn to grow through it.

Pray: Lord, I surrender my life to you today; putting away my expectations of how I want things to be, and accepting them as they are. I will choose to follow you with my next growth steps. With your help, I will push through. In Jesus' name, Amen!

Timberlake Church | 4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, Washington 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@tlcf.org