Think: 10 years ago my dad died. He had been living in the house I lived as a teenager. It was in a very small town across the state. A couple months after his December death, my siblings and I were trying to determine the logistics of clearing out the family home. There were no resources in that small town and the estate sale companies and services available were not only very expensive, but nothing existed within 50 miles. The project seemed monumental; a hopeless endeavor.

I began to pray for help from the Lord. Before I prayed, I had hoped we could accomplish the task. After I asked God for help, my faith increased. I believed He would make it happen. I asked Him to help us be efficient and not waste our time, which was so valuable to all of our families. I made a huge to-do list and a short call list. My first phone call was to a family friend, Billie, who unbeknownst to me, owned the town Thrift Store. She was also preparing for a huge rummage sale that the church was holding to send the high school kids to camp....the same camp they sent me when I was a teen! I praised God for this opportunity to bless their youth and continued to pray for help.
One call to an aunt resulted in her gathering several relatives to assist.
Billie called me after sharing our quest with the church and found many people willing to help. We set a Saturday in June for the big day. 26 people arrived at the house. The house was abuzz with cousins and aunts packing boxes, 85 year old men hauling loads to the rummage sale and friends taking trailer loads to the dump. Ladies at the church prepared a wonderful lunch for our entire crew to enjoy. The entire house was emptied in one exhausting day!

Do: Things are not always as they appear. In Christ, there is no such thing as hopeless! When things look hopeless through my eyes, it's time to listen to what the psalmist says "I lift my eyes up to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth!"

Pray: Lord, I can do nothing extraordinary without You. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. I wait in expectation, believing You are my Helper and the one Who works miracles. Thank you for coming through for me time and again!

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

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

Think: Have you ever said or done something that you really regretted? Of course, we all have. But, has the new creation, the sanctified child of God that you are - ever really blown it? 

Once I was super ticked at my husband. I was strategizing my defense so thoughtfully that I extended my shower time processing my retaliation...and that's where the Lord convicted me. I literally laughed out loud when I felt God ask me "WHAT are you doing?"

I was caught in the act, clearly attempting to get revenge or biblically speaking, repay evil with evil. What my husband did might not have been "evil" but I was affronted. It took some time, but I did humble myself before the Lord. In His loving way, he revealed my ugliness. I asked forgiveness from God and I asked Him to help me love my husband in a way that he wouldn't even know he'd offended me. God answered my prayer and I felt like God had His hand on me; a little transforming had taken place.

Months later, I told my husband about that day and he was incredulous. He could hardly believe I had been so calculating.

Pray: Jesus, I'm so glad You're my Savior and you care enough about me not to leave me in this condition. I know I frequently fall short of Your ways, but my heart longs to be like You. Help me to bring You glory by my thoughts and actions and to remember to take every thought captive and make it obedient to You. Thank you for renewing me and transforming my heart and mind.

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

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

Daily Devotional: Thursday, May 27

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Money and Generosity

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Holding Onto Youby Mike Flathers; All Over the Worldby Matt Redman; Glory to God Forever by Fee; How He Loves Us by David Crowder.

Read: Isaiah 5:8-9; Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Acts 20:35

Think: The American Dream was born in the 1950s. After WWII, America wanted to just settle down and stay at home. Most families could afford a home (average size 1,000 sq. ft.), had a single income, had one family car and lived the "Dad comes home and sits smoking his pipe reading the paper" lifestyle. Achieving this "dream" became the measure of a man.

Things have changed since then... Now the average house size is 2,300 sq. ft., it requires two incomes, two or more cars and Dads and Moms spend more time away from the house in order to afford the payments.

Pastor Ben taught us this weekend that one of the hurdles to grace-motivated living and giving is financial responsibility. We need to count the cost of the American Dream and consider scaling it down to give us the margin and the freedom to live more and give more.

Do: Read Isaiah 5:8-9 and consider the warning of the results of our creating excess. From Deuteronomy 28:1-14 and Acts 20:35 we see the blessing of obeying God's commands. The choice is ours.

Pray: Lord, I want to obey you, I want to hear your voice. Please help me to understand your dream for me and give me the courage to pursue it. Amen.

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

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

Daily Devotional: Tuesday, May 25

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Generosity

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Holding Onto Youby Mike Flathers; All Over the Worldby Matt Redman; Glory to God Forever by Fee; How He Loves Us by David Crowder.

Read: Philippians 4:6-7; Matthew 6:31-34; Isaiah 40:28-29; Psalm 50:10

Think: What is a poverty mentality? In Pastor Ben's message on The Truth About Faith and Money one of the hurdles to grace-motivated giving was overcoming a "poverty mentality".

I've heard this term but wanted to know more about what it meant. The definitions I discovered indicate it as being focused on what we don't have instead of what we do have. It can be an attitude held by people all along the financial spectrum - those with little means as well as in people who 'have it all'. "I just need more" seems to be the underlying mentality.

In the context of our weekend message, this is manifest in our lives as "Once I get a raise, then I can tithe", or "Boy I'd love to help with that ministry BUT..." The Bible suggests a remedy in Philippians 4:6 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God"

A poverty mentality leads us to an underlying anxiety about not having enough to be able to give. The Bible says push past that thought and pray with a heart full of thankfulness for what we do have. Here are two key things to be grateful for no matter what circumstance we find ourselves in today:

When our attitude is solidly guided by a heart that sees and appreciates the blessings of the Father we can experience the promise of Philippians 4:7 - "...and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Do: Next time you feel anxious about giving, pray the words from Philippians 4:6-7. God is working in us all to break down any barriers that stand in the way of us becoming generous givers. Thank Him for that work in your life.

Pray: Father, You have been so generous to me, I am truly thankful. I know that all I have is Yours and I ask that You would teach me to trust You. Help me to become more and more like You each and every day. Amen.

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

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

Daily Devotional: Friday, April 9

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Living Every Moment

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Happy Day by  Tim Hughes; No Not One by Christy Nockels; Jesus Paid it All by Kristian Stanfill; Hosanna by Brooke Fraser.

Read: Romans 8:35-39; 2 Corinthinans 5:17; John 6:51

Bible Challenge: Luke 19

That also brought me to another place of reflection.  A friend of mine who led a small group I was in a number of years ago used to ask the best questions.  One evening he asked each of us to remember back to the days, weeks, and months when we accepted Jesus as our Savior.  He then asked us to compare that to the present.  I remember the days following my decision for Christ, how excited, eager, thankful, and joyful I was.  Time has put a lot miles between me and the day I first believed, and maybe I have let those miles also distance me from the joyful existence that was realized in that moment.  Perhaps I need to take a page from one of my employees and remember back to that first day I believed.  How does that transform the present?  How does that allow me to live more humbly, more urgently, more expectantly?  Probably most importantly it allows me to humbly remember the saving grace and forgiveness that was freely given to me....that's a reason to celebrate daily!! 

Paul encourages us in one of todays devotional readings that living expectantly allows us to look past our current circumstances, with hope and knowledge that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.   

Ask: Am I allowing lifes current circumstances to rob me of the joy of my salvation? Maybe you haven't received Christ into your life yet, but you desire a relationship with Him, to become a new creation in him (2 Corinthians 5:17), to live eternally with him (John 6:51). Is he knocking on your door, your heart?  

If you want to know have a relationship with God you can know him today by asking Jesus into your life, into your heart. Simply ask Him and He will answer.  A simple prayer such as:

Please Lord Jesus forgive me and come into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior today. I need you to be my Father and my friend.

I give you my life and ask you to take full control from this moment on; I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ."

Pray: Heavenly father let me remember your touch, your grace, your forgiveness of me. Help me hold it close to me each day.  In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

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

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

Daily Devotional: Tuesday, April 6

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Living Every Moment

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Happy Day by  Tim Hughes; No Not One by Christy Nockels; Jesus Paid it All by Kristian Stanfill; Hosanna by Brooke Fraser.

Read: Luke 16; John 10: 7-10; Romans 15:7-13 (The Message)

Bible Challenge: Luke 16 

Think:  How is your life today?  If I am truthful with myself I would have to say that I am more bored with life at times than I care to admit.  As a follower of Christ it is a painful admission. Those that know me might be surprised by my answer given that my life is full of people, activities, family, friends and a job which keeps me on my toes.  Now for the follow up question: “whose fault is that?” 

When I read the second part of today’s devotional in the gospel of John, Jesus makes a promise that He came not only that we may have life, but have it to the full!  Now read Romans 15:13 from the Message translation:

“Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!”

Do:  Do I live life expectantly?  Am I complacent with my life?  Am I curious about what God personally desires for me? Do I look forward to following God’s plan for my life?   

Pray:  Heavenly Father I desire to live the life you have planned for me, a life lived expectantly on your promises. Today I look to you full of hope and anticipation.  May my eyes see what you see, hear what you hear, and feel what you feel.  In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

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

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

Daily Devotional: Monday, April 5

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Living Every Moment

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Happy Day by  Tim Hughes; No Not One by Christy Nockels; Jesus Paid it All by Kristian Stanfill; Hosanna by Brooke Fraser.

Read:   Matthew 26:36-41

Bible Challenge:  Luke 15

Think:  Pastor Ben used several props this weekend to illuminate several truths for Easter services. Most notably an easy chair, which even more appropriately is trademarked by a certain company as the "La-Z Boy Recliner".   Admittedly, I have one in my office at home, complete with a remote control on the table next to it. 

I have some productive moments in that chair, on many an occasion leaning back and having a conversation with my best friend, Jesus.  That's the good news. The not so good news is that too often that chair represents exactly what Pastor Ben was trying to show us this weekend, it is a chair of lost and squandered opportunities and under-appreciated relationships that God has desired for me.  My comfort to watch a TV show, and dine on popcorn (Ho'Ho's and Twinkies just aren't my thing) took precedence over something else that undoubtedly was more important.

In addition to the reading of Luke, today's devotional focuses on a very familiar "La-Z Boy" moment if you will.  Jesus asked three of His disciples to join him in the Garden of Gethsemane. He specifically asked them to keep watch with Him while he poured out His anguish to His Father.  At this moment Jesus knew full well what was about to happen, the sacrifice that He would asked to make. His humanness felt the pain; His Godliness, love and humility For His Father and for us, caused Him to utter these words: "My Father, if it is possible may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."  When Jesus returned to His disciples he found them sleeping.  At this time, at this hour, the disciples chose to sleep. The disciples surely missed an opportunity to spend time serving our Lord in an hour of need. I am pretty sure they were regretful for the rest of their earthly lives about this event.

What am I missing in my comfort, in my slumber?  Don't get me wrong, we all need our rest, but Jesus provides a very clear instruction: "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation".  Living urgently forces us to ask ourselves whether we are living for God, or living for ourselves, for our comfort.  A friend of mine advised me on what regret is: "Regret is knowing that you could have done something differently but chose not to". As the song says "Live Like You Were Dyin"....so how would that change what you would do?

Ask:  What regrets am I carrying with me today?  How can I make amends for those regrets?  What are one or two things that continually nag at you that you need to do?  Speak to a long lost friend?  Forgive someone?  Let go of a hurt?  Reach out to a neighbor?  Share your testimony about the saving grace and everlasting life of Jesus Christ with a friend or family member? 

While you are in that recliner, ask God to help you examine your priorities, to help you get up out of the chair and take a step of faith, an urgent step of action.

Pray:  Heavenly Father, You desire so much for us.  You desire an abundant life, pressed down, and overflowing.  Help me Lord to put away my agenda and urgently follow You.  Help me to be watchful and prayerful always.  I love You and want to know You more.  In Jesus name I pray. Amen. 
 

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

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

Daily Devotional: Friday, April 2

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Failing Forward

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Salvation is Here by Hillsong United; Hosanna by Paul Baloche; Cannons by Phil Wickham; Lead Me to the Cross by Hillsong United.

Read: Isaiah 53

Bible Challenge: Luke 12; Sat. Luke 13; Sun. Luke 14

Think: Good Friday is here, this most awful and wonderful day. Last weekend Pastor Ben shared the myths that our failures leave us unlovable... unforgiveable... unacceptable. The absolute falsehood of that comes into crystal clear focus on this day as we recall the Son of God giving his life on a cross because He loved us enough to make all things right.

Jesus Himself took the weight of our failure and sin - all our condemnation upon Himself and in His death on the cross. Isaiah 53:5, "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."

Truly incredible that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered and died to make things right for a sinful and lost world! He was wounded for our transgressions. "All we like sheep have gone astray," but praise God, "the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).

In one sense, Good Friday was the darkest day in human history. But because of Jesus' sacrifice for us, the cross was actually the greatest victory of all time!

Do and Pray: Not so long ago there was a worship song we would sing called Amazing Love. Make it your prayer and your worship this morning:

 I'm forgiven because You were forsaken,
I'm accepted, You were condemned.
I am alive and well, Your spirit is within me,
Because You died and rose again.

Amazing love,
How can it be
That You, my King, should die for me?
Amazing love,
I know it's true.
It's my joy to honor You,
In all I do, I honor You.

I'm forgiven because You were forsaken,
I'm accepted, You were condemned.
I am alive and well, Your spirit is within me,
Because You died and rose again.

You are my King
Jesus You are my King

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

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

Daily Devotional: Thursday, April 1

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Failing Forward

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Salvation is Here by Hillsong United; Hosanna by Paul Baloche; Cannons by Phil Wickham; Lead Me to the Cross by Hillsong United.

Read: Philippians 3:12-14; Psalm 103:12

Bible Challenge: Luke 11 

Think: As Pastor Ben talked about the idea of failing forward it got me thinking about God's forgiveness and how it is focused forward...

As we recall the times we've failed ourselves or the people we care about, the part that hurts the worst is that at the same time we have failed the Lord, too. I know the One I want to disappoint the least is my Heavenly Father.

When we see the character of God through the Bible we get to know Him, we see that He is the Perfect Father - our true Abba Father (Daddy!). And as such, He loves us in spite of our failings. His goal is to keep moving us forward to spiritual maturity - to the place where we become more and more a reflection of Him... But until that process is complete, He travels alongside us, guiding and forgiving us when we need it. The Apostle Paul captures the attitude and mindset we are to have in his letter to the Philippian Church:

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:12-14

So often we look back with regret on things we shouldn't have done, the sin and difficulty we've caused. But sin is one thing we should never need to look back on with feelings of failure IF we have confessed our sins and asked God's forgiveness. When we do so, He promises to take that sin and remove it "as far as the east is from the west"! Our job is to keep a forward focus toward the goal of pleasing Christ!

Do: Follow the words of Paul - press on with everything you have in pursuit of God!

Pray: God, I get swallowed up sometimes in regret over the past. Help me to know that once I've confessed my sin to You, Your Word says you remove it from me! Thank you! Father, help me to continue to press on toward the goal - becoming like You! Amen. 

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

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

Daily Devotional: Wednesday, March 31

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Failing Forward

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Salvation is Here by Hillsong United; Hosanna by Paul Baloche; Cannons by Phil Wickham; Lead Me to the Cross by Hillsong United.

Read: Isaiah 6:1-8

Bible Challenge: Luke 10

Think: Television shows like American Idol have become huge. Millions of us wait each week to find out who will be the next performer to get cut. We watch as Ryan Seacrest tortures them one by one, dragging out the decision as painfully long as possible. For those of us who've been around for awhile we know this kind of show isn't exactly a new idea - there was the The Gong Show in the 70s (weird as it was), and Star Search in the 80s (which gave us Brittany Spears and Christina Aguilera).

As we hear their background stories though we often hear about the doors of opportunity that were slammed along the way, the big flubs they'd made, the failures and missed opportunities..... Yet they kept trying, pushing ahead and remained open to what would bring them their heart's desire!

In much the same way, we as followers of Christ must do the same. Just as Pastor Ben pointed out, we need to remain available, keep moving forward in our faith with God EVEN after we've blown it.

God seems to value the heart that is open to Him above all else... In Isaiah, the Lord asks: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" And then we read Isaiah's quick response: "Here am I! Send me" (6:8). It's a lot like the challenge Ben put out to all of us a few months ago - are we willing to tell God YES even before we know the question?  In spite of our failures, in spite of what we have or haven't done - are we open and available to God?

He isn't looking for the most qualified or talented but He is seeking hearts that are surrendered to Him. If that's you then you can fully trust God will show Himself strong, and He will be glorified through you!

Do: Are you available?  Are you open to what God would ask of you? If not figure out what's holding you back and take care of it today!

Pray: Thank You Lord that my sin and my failure don't disqualify me from being used by You. Father, today I say (again) Here I am Lord send me! In Jesus' name, Amen.

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

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