Daily Devotional: Friday, Sept 11

Speaker: Paul Diaz

Theme: Myth: God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle

Weekend Music links on iTunes:  Happy Day by Tim Hughes; Not to Us by Chris Tomlin; Came to my Rescue by Hillsong United; You'll Come by Hillsong United; Shine Your Light On Us by Robbie Seay Band.
 

Read: Matthew 4:1-11; Matthew 6:20-21

• Don't take short cuts.

I'm reminded of a story about a boy who watched a cocoon waiting for the butterfly to emerge. When at last it began to break through it was struggling so much that the boy carefully broke the cocoon open to allow the butterfly to escape which it then did. Sadly the butterfly was unable to fly and soon died. It is the struggle that builds strength in its wings enough to allow it to fly and so live. By taking shortcuts we miss the growth and strengthening that God knows we will need. For Jesus taking the shorter path and showing people who He was would have made His life much easier but at a cost.

• Hang tough don't run.

If God has led you to a place, wait for Him to do his miracle don't give up. God has perfect timing but it is not the same as ours. I'm sure Noah would have appreciated a few drops of rain when he was building the ark or even for some sign of land when he was on it with the animals but he waited for God to do what He had planned.

• If you brought you there admit you are wrong and turn into God's direction.

Jonah though he may have run away at first turned into God's direction and followed God's travel plans for his life...though now smelling a bit fishy I'm sure! Jonah shows us that though we will have troubles in our lives following God going our own way is much worse as we cut ourselves off from God.

• Recognize where God is in the moment.

Sometime it is hard to see that God is anywhere near us until we look for signs of His presence.

• Keep an eternal perspective.

We are told that we should focus on building treasures in heaven and have hope in eternity and we can be thankful that God has the master plan.

Do: Look at the list of pointers above and think about which you need to focus on today? Do you need support in one area or do you need to make more of an effort in another, perhaps you need a little more of all of them or need to refocus from time to time.

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

Daily Devotional: Thursday, Sept 10

Speaker: Paul Diaz

Theme: Myth: God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle

Weekend Music links on iTunes:  Happy Day by Tim Hughes; Not to Us by Chris Tomlin; Came to my Rescue by Hillsong United; You'll Come by Hillsong United; Shine Your Light On Us by Robbie Seay Band.
 

Read: 1 Samuel 1:1-20; Romans 5:3-5

While it is not true that "God's favor means no trials or tribulations" it is true that there is always a benefit for us and through these trials we grow and find hope in God.

Do: Take a moment to think about the blessings that you DO have even in the midst of trials, perhaps the support of friends or good health or people to encourage you to rely on God.

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

Daily Devotional: Wednesday, Sept 9

Speaker: Paul Diaz

Theme: Myth: God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle

Weekend Music links on iTunes:  Happy Day by Tim Hughes; Not to Us by Chris Tomlin; Came to my Rescue by Hillsong United; You'll Come by Hillsong United; Shine Your Light On Us by Robbie Seay Band.
 

Read: Matthew 5:1-12 

Think: When I started dating my husband we went to visit a friend and decided to go out for lunch. My now husband mentioned about a place he had heard of and our friend liked it so we went there. I was looking forward to a nice relaxing lunch and good company, what I got was a lot of tables around a stage and a band that played while you ate. Now at that time I had told my husband I liked all kinds of music but jazz, sadly he had forgotten. We spent the next three hours in a room with a jazz band playing at me while I tried to eat my food. What I had hoped would be a blessing and had been intended as one turned out to be a few hours biting my tongue and practicing my tolerance. For my now husband it had been seen as a nice outing for us both but our views were very different at that time. Thankfully now I can look back on it and laugh though I won't be volunteering to do it again.

Often our view of blessings is very different from God's. He sees the rewards and end result while we are in the middle of it and trying to see a way out. While God sees situations in our lives as opportunities we see them as burdens and troubles.

Do: Think back on a situation in your past that at the time was overwhelming, difficult or confusing. Take a moment to find God's blessing in that time and see how it enabled you to grow closer to Him or perhaps to learn something any easier route, or short-cut as Pastor Paul put it, may not have shown you.

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

Daily Devotional: Tuesday, Sept 8

Speaker: Paul Diaz

Theme: Myth: God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle

Weekend Music links on iTunes:  Happy Day by Tim Hughes; Not to Us by Chris Tomlin; Came to my Rescue by Hillsong United; You'll Come by Hillsong United; Shine Your Light On Us by Robbie Seay Band.
 

Read: John 16:33; Acts 12:6-11

Think: This Sunday, our Student Ministries Pastor, Paul Diaz, wrapped up the series "Dumb Things Smart People Believe'.

The commonly held myth discussed this week was "God won't give you more than you can handle".

Pastor Paul shared with us four dumb things people believe about trials and troubles. The second of these is that ‘the Christian life is going to be perfect and problem free.'

Often we are led to believe that if we are following God then all will go well in our lives but it is easy to find people in scripture for whom this was not the case. As we read yesterday, the Apostle Paul often had troubles and we see in Christ's own life that despite following God and in fact being perfect, his life was far from trouble free. Many of the Apostles in the early church suffered greatly, Peter was imprisoned by Herod in our reading. I cannot imagine what the prisons of the time were like but I know it was not problem free for Peter. Having a mission of leading the new church must have been difficult enough but to then be imprisoned...well it's certainly less than perfect.

Jesus said "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." This verse holds a warning and a promise for us. Jesus lets us know that we WILL have trouble but He has overcome everything in this world; nothing is too hard for Him. No situation we have, though it may be overwhelming for us, is bigger than He can handle. The only way we can deal with a situation is to get closer to God and lean on Him, and remember He has already overcome it.

Do: Think about a situation that is beyond your control and remember that God knew you would have troubles but works in it for your good.

Pray: Lord, please be with us in the places that seem too big for us to find our way out of. Thank you that you have already overcome greater problems than ours and that no matter how weary we feel You will help us carry these burdens.

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

Daily Devotional: Monday, Sept 7

Speaker: Paul Diaz

Theme: God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle

Weekend Music links on iTunes:  Happy Day by Tim Hughes; Not to Us by Chris Tomlin; Came to my Rescue by Hillsong United; You'll Come by Hillsong United; Shine Your Light On Us by Robbie Seay Band.
 

Read: 1 Corinthians 1:8-11

Think: This Sunday our new youth Pastor, Paul Diaz, finished up the series "Dumb Things Smart People Believe". The commonly held myth discussed this week was "God won't give you more than you can handle".

This has become so common a saying that often we assume it is scripture. It is not scripture though, and the reality is that if God didn't give you more than you can handle then you wouldn't have to go to Him with your burdens.

Pastor Paul shared with us four dumb things people believe about trials and troubles. The first of these myths is that "God is more available when things are going well in your life".

God's nearness is not based on our feelings. He is constant and as near to us as we want Him to be through good and bad times. Sometimes when we are looking at our situation we get overwhelmed and it is hard to see God in it, but His word says, "Never will I leave you or forsake you."

For Apostle Paul in our passage today his perspective made all the difference. When he faced shipwreck, torture, imprisonment and other situations that were too much for him to handle, he didn't try to deal with them but rather relied on God. Apostle Paul knew that though situations may be and often are overwhelming for us, they are NEVER too big for God to handle and only by relying on Him can we get through. Instead Apostle Paul changed his perspective to thank God for his own weaknesses so that his faith may increase.

As Pastor Paul said, getting closer to God and leaning on Him gives Him room to turn our mess into miracles.

How ofter do we find ourselves in situations we try to deal with on our own and then wonder why God hasn't changed it or felt present?

Do: Today as you ask God into a situation, make sure you allow Him room to move according to what He knows is good. Let's not try to hang onto control but give it to God with an open hand.

Pray: Father, we thank you that you never leave nor forsake us and that even when we don't feel you in a situation you are here. Please help us draw closer to you as we struggle in situations in our lives and help us encourage each other to rely on you more.

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

Daily Devotional: Friday, Sept 4

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Myth: God Helps Those Who Help Themselves Truth: God Helps Us Because We Cannot Help Ourselves

Weekend Music links on iTunes: All Over the World by Matt Redman; Holy Is the Lord by Chris Tomlin; For Who You Are by Hillsong; Cover Me Down by Marcus Jones; You Saw Me Hillsong.
 

Read: John 15:12-17 

Think: It's been said that God has an upside-down view of the world, turning human wisdom on its head. God makes the last become first and the weak become strong.  He exalts the humble, and humbles the proud. This week, we've been looking at the myth that "God helps those who help themselves".  Maybe one problem with this saying is that it gets the whole issue upside-down. Could it be that we keep thinking about God helping us, when we should be thinking about us helping God?

Nearly a generation ago now, a writer named Henry Blackaby wrote a powerful book called Experiencing God. In it, Blackaby urges Christians to find out what God is doing, and join him in it. I think he's on to something. The biblical narrative shows God at work in the world, both in individual lives and on a grand scale. From creation, through Jesus' death and resurrection, and pointing to an ultimate victory over sin and death, God is active!

In the same way Jesus invited the twelve to work with him, he invites each of us to join him in remaking this world in which we live. We offer ourselves as his servants, but he calls us ‘friends'. A servant and friend of Jesus - now that's what I want to be.

Pray: Lord, I ask for your help all the time. Today, I want to turn that around. It seems crazy that I could help you in any way, yet you've taken me on as a servant and friend. I just want to let you know that I'm here to help.  Put me to work!

The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.

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

Daily Devotional: Thursday, Sept 3

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Myth: God Helps Those Who Help Themselves; Truth: God Helps Us When We Can't Help Ourselves

Weekend Music links on iTunes: All Over the World by Matt Redman; Holy Is the Lord by Chris Tomlin; For Who You Are by Hillsong; Cover Me Down by Marcus Jones; You Saw Me by Hillsong.
  

Read:  Matthew 18:10-14

Think:  It happened last winter, when I was alone in an unfamiliar city.  Someone broke into my truck and stole my GPS from the dashboard.  Among the many negative feelings I had, I must admit that one of the strongest was a sense of being lost - I didn't know how to get where I needed to be.  The feeling of helplessness was unnerving.  I thought of that experience when Pastor Ben talked about how we need God's help because we are lost on our own.

In order to communicate his passion for helping the lost, Jesus used a very simple - yet powerful - image.  He told of a shepherd seeking out a stray sheep.  Now, ninety-nine percent safe would seem pretty good to me.  But to the Great Shepherd, it's not good enough.  He loves us enough to pursue each one of us when we are lost, and to lead us back to safety under his care. 

Sometimes it's easy to admit we're lost.  At other times, we don't really notice, or don't want to admit it.  But the truth is that no matter where we are, or where we are going, we are lost without God's help.  The good news is that we don't have to stay lost.  Jesus - our loving Shepherd - is always seeking us out, ready to lead us to safety.

Do:  Ask someone - a child, perhaps - if they have ever been lost.  Try to remember the feeling of relief that comes when you're back where you belong.

Pray:  Lord, I know what it's like to be lost, and I don't like it.  Thank you for finding me.  I know I have a tendency to wander away.  Help me stay found. Amen.

The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.

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

Daily Devotional: Wednesday, Sept 2

Speaker:Ben Sigman

Theme: Myth: God Helps Those Who Help Themselves; Truth: God Helps Us When We Can't Help Ourselves

Weekend Music links on iTunes: All Over the Worldby Matt Redman; Holy Is the Lord by Chris Tomlin; For Who You Areby Hillsong; Cover Me Down by Marcus Jones; You Saw Meby Hillsong.
 

Read:  Genesis 1:26-27

Think:  Have you ever had to make a long drive alone?  Recently, I've had make a thousand-mile drive by myself a number of times.  No matter how gorgeous the scenery, no matter how great the music, it's just not the same without someone to share the journey.

This is an image of what Pastor Ben meant when he said we're not meant to navigate life alone.  Life is meant to be shared with others - family, friends, and even total strangers (or, as some say, ‘friends I haven't meant yet').  We need to encourage each other, laugh together, cry together, and help each other.  This is true for all people, but this is particularly true for Christians.  We need each other to live the life God intends for us, helping, serving, and encouraging one another.  We can't love each other if we aren't around each other.

God's words in Genesis 1:26 reveal something important about God.  Consider the first-person plural words God uses: ‘let us make man in our image' (emphasis added).  In some way we can't fully understand, God exists as community.  With our doctrine of the Trinity we acknowledge that there is an on-going relationship between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Humanity, made in God's image, was made to exist as a community, too.  We are incomplete without each other.

Do:  Commit to being part of a Life Group for the new series this fall.  It's a great way to experience Christian community.

Pray:  Lord, thank you for all the great people you've placed in my life.  Help me appreciate them more.  As part of this community of mankind that you've created, let me share your love with everyone around me. Amen.

The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.

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

Daily Devotional: Monday, August 31

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Myth: God Helps Those Who Help Themselves; Truth: God Helps Us When We Cannot Help Ourselves.

Weekend Music links on iTunes: All Over the World by Matt Redman; Holy Is the Lord by Chris Tomlin; For Who You Are by Hillsong; Cover Me Down by Marcus Jones; You Saw Me by Hillsong.
 
Read:  Genesis 11:1-9

Think:  I sometimes think that the builders of the Tower of Babel get a bad rap.  They had some OK ideas, wanting to reach to heaven, to make a name for themselves, and to remain unified.  These things aren't inherently evil.  But in the case of these people, these goals revealed a destructive pride, an attempt to determine their own agenda without God's involvement.  It ended badly.

I suppose that the main reason I cut the tower-builders some slack is that I can relate.  Despite a relationship with God formed at an early age and nurtured up through my college years, I began to drift away from God.  I focused on ‘good' things - career, marriage, and children.  I did God the favor of taking care of myself so that he could help the folks who really needed it.  It ended badly, because I couldn't handle everything by myself.  As Pastor Ben said in his sermon, I failed myself and those around me.  I needed God's help in a big way, and that realization has made all the difference.

The humility required to turn the agenda-setting over to God goes against our fallen human nature.  We want to do our own thing, expecting God to show up and help us out when we ask.  But we don't know what we're doing, and our efforts at leading are doomed to fail.  God loves us, and truly wants to help us.  But his help isn't assistance, it's a takeover.  As we increasingly surrender our lives to him, he helps us in ways we can scarcely imagine.

Do:  We all have times we turn to God for help.  When you encounter one of those times today, instead of asking God to pitch in, ask him to take over. 

Pray:  Lord, I need more than just help.  I need your guidance.  I need you to lead every step of the way for the rest of my life.  But that's too much for me to think about right now.  Please, just lead my next step. Amen!

The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.

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

Daily Devotional: Friday, August 28

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Let Go and Let God

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Majestic by Lincoln Brewster; Sing, Sing, Sing by Chris Tomlin; How Can I Keep From Singing by Chris Tomlin; Wonderful Maker by Chris Tomlin.

Read: 2 Peter 2:1-3

Think: My email inbox is full of forwarded emails about everything from political issues, celebrity gossip to the late breaking news of the day... Much of it seems real and can sound so true! But then I check the information source or visit a website like Snopes and quickly realize it was a hoax or an outright lie being passed around to defame or discredit. It's kind of embarrassing when I get caught believing (or forwarding) something only to discover it's not true.

The same thing can happen when it comes to issues of faith. Have you noticed there are a lot of false things being circulated out there about God and about following Him? As we cover a few of those myths over these weeks at church I just keep thinking how serious we need to be about our pursuit of God's truth and about discovering His heart.

God has given us what we need to know what is true:

• His Holy Spirit to help us discern: "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever -- the Spirit of truth....he lives with you and will be in you" John 14:16-17b.
• His Word to guide us: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." Psalms 1:1-3.
• Godly, educated people to provide wise counsel and leadership: "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up" Ephesians 4:10-12

The Christian truth is the truth of God, through Jesus Christ the Living Word. This truth is our weapon against lies and falsehood. Through the tools God gives we can discern and decipher truth from the lies that circulate around us and then set the record straight.

Do: Tap into each of the tools God gives and seek His truth. Be diligent in checking what you read, hear, or overhear.

Pray: God, I pray that Your truth would shine like a light in a dark room. Show me what is real, and protect me from being misled or derailed from what is right. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.  

The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.

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