TXT3

The past few weeks the TXT3 band (speaking of which, we need a name- if you can think of a cool name we would love to hear it) has been working on a song by Lincoln Brewster called “Let Your Glory Shine”.   This song rocks!  Starts with a face-melting guitar solo, flows into multiple beat patterns with another face-melter (hey that could be the band name) then back to the original chorus.   Needless to say, the band has been working it’s butt off to get this going.  Through all the rehearsals my prayer has been that the music we sing will give glory to God, and that He will use it to make a change in people’s lives.   Chorus 2 goes like this :  I KNOW YOUR THE SAVIOR, YOU’RE TAKING EVERY FEAR AND FAILURE.  YOU LIFTED ME TO RISE ABOVE IT ALL.  YOUR LOVE WON’T BE SHAKEN, YOU’RE TAKEN WHO I AM AND MAKING, SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING FOR YOUR CAUSE.   That’s tight!  Here is my version:  LORD YOU ARE THE MAN!  I AM A BIG SCREW-UP, BUT YOU SAVED ME FROM MY SELF-DESTRUCTION.  YOUR LOVE FOR ME WILL ALWAYS BE THERE, YOU TAKE WHO I AM AND MAKE IT WONDERFUL FOR YOUR GLORY!

I can’t wait to give this song to the Lord.

Brett’s Devotional Thoughts

3/8/09 – I love talking to people about Jesus.  I also love debating.  Sometimes those things don’t go together in a healthy manner.  I read Psalm 14:1-3 this afternoon.  The Psalmit says that the foolish say there is no God.  I agree because it takes a lot more faith to look at creation in it’s magnificence and minuteness and believe it accidentaly happened.  Sometime it’s easier to treat someone I’m talking to as if they are stupid rather than a person of worth.  I need to help the foolish become wise.  To do that, my response in tone, mannerisms, and humilty is very important.

3/7/09 – Read Numbers 5:5-10 is about making things right.  When I mess up and hurt someone it can be difficult to apologize and make things right.  This week, I was asked to relay an important message to a friend of mine from someone else.  I totally dropped the ball and forgot which led to some wasted time on behalf of my friend.  I was in the proverbial doghouse.  I reflected on that this afternoon and realized that instead of being sorry and trying to make things right, I tried to laugh it off and rationalize it.  I’ve got some apologizing to do.

3/6/09 – Sometimes God just uses your time with Him to work on you.  There have been a couple of things about work today that caused extremely high frustration . . . you know the kind where you just want to throw up your hands and quit . . . that kind of frustration.  I read 1 Peter 4 today and the title of the devotional is something about “the work place.”  That was my first sign that Jesus was going to tell me something.  He did.  I’m working on my attitude.  Thank you Jesus for 1 Peter 4:11.  I want what I say to bring glory to God.  Since that’s my aim, I’m going to have stop blogging for today

3/5/09 – No excercise bike today (apparently I didn’t shake this sickness).  I read John 11:17-27.  Jesus claims that He is the resurrection and the life.  Since I feel like I’m going to die, that is a good devotional   It is interesting that the Romans used to toss sick people out of the city because they were afraid of getting sick themselves.  The Romans only believed the gods were immortal so death was a scary thing.  It was the Christians who cared for the sick because they knew that if they died, they would be in Heaven and had nothing to fear.  I want to live like that today.  Unafraid of anything the world offers up.

3/4/09- Read 1 and 2 Thessalonians and several chapters of 1 Corinthians on the exercise bike (couldn’t do that yesterday with a 100 degree temperature).  Devotionally I read Titus 1:15-16.  I’m still teaching “The God Questions” on Wednesday nights and tonight we are covering “Do All Roads Lead To Heaven?”  This verse helps explains why that discussion is so difficult to have with some people.  I need to remember when I talk about Jesus today that some people’s thinking is corrupted.  You don’t get mad at that when they don’t get it.

3/3/09 – My devotional had me in Nehemiah 9:5-6 today.  The Bible tells us that God created the universe.  Some scientists disregard that because of a naturalistic presupposition they bring to their thinking.  Verse 6 says that God gives life to everything and the heavens worship Him.  This evening I think I’ll spend some time admiring God’s creation (namely the moon and stars) and spend a few minutes worshiping Him with the heavens.

3/2/09 – Hit the treadmill today and was able to read the book of Galatians and the book of James.  I’m trying to read the Bible chronologically and am finally in the New Testament.  My devotional had me in 1 John 4:19.  God’s word to me today: Love your wife and daughter above and beyond today . . . and do it in a practical form that they understand.  If you feel like that is too much to do at times, remember that I loved you first and will show you how to do it!

Brett’s Recommended Devotionals

Click on the image and it will take you to an online listing of the devotional

This is what I’m using now.  It leads you to think a lot about the culture that we live in and how believer’s should respond and impact culture.  It may not be the most practical devotional, but does a great job in challenging the way you think about the world.

 

 

 

 

This is a classic devotional that I love, but it is DEEP!!!!  I can remember re-reading some of the entries multiple times just to try to get it!  It’s so popular you could price shop and find it for a bargain.  It’s probably in most Christian book stores, too.

 

 

 

 

If you are interested in the family devotionals that I was talking about during the Download time last night, I’ve got some updated info.  You cannot order them online until April.  You can call an order them at 1-888-932-5827.  You will be asking for the Quiet Time guide (and by age).  They will ask you if your church has a club.  The answer is no.  If anyone tries this out, I’d be really interested in seeing what you think about it!

 

Application Ideas For This Week

* Make a plan to read the Bible through.  You could purchase a copy of the One Year Bible or download a reading plan.  Here is a 12 month plan and a chronological reading (if you have problems printing it, right click the link and save it to your computer.  Then print from there).

* Purchase a devotional book for a local Christian book store or check out The Message: Solo

* Set aside some time each night this week to sit down as a family and discuss what God showed you in the Bible today

* Follow the “meat and milk” theme and invite some friends that you would love to have in your small group over for a “Cook Your Own Steak Night.”  You provide the grill, everyone else brings their own steaks and sides.

Text Answers

This week, we asked TXT3ers to do a self-assessment during the message. In your spiritual life, do you consider yourself to be an infant, a child, a teenager, an adult, or an elder? We received 89 replies. The results?

Baby: 4
Child: 5
Teen: 39
Adult: 35
Elder: 6

It’ll be interesting to do this same poll a year from now…

Music

Here is Our King, David Crowder Band
Song of Hope (Heaven Come Down), Robbie Seay Band
Mighty to Save
Shine Your Light on Us, Robbie Seay Band
Awesome is the Lord Most High, Chris Tomlin

Following  Jesus is a journey.  Growing takes time.  It really is one new step each day.  Last night we talked about growing from being an infant, to a toddler, to a teenager, to an adult, to an elder (in a spiritual sense) and I hope you made some sort of concrete decision on where you need to go next.  I know one thing for sure . . . the Bible has to be a part of that growth.

On a side note: Did you notice that most people last night thought themselves to be a “teenager” or an “adult.”  There were few “infants” and “toddlers” in the room.  That isn’t a good sign if we are truly becoming “adults.”  We should be investing in new believers and we should be inviting those who haven’t discovered true life to come to the experience.  Let’s change that!  Start praying for people who are far from God and looking for opportunities to be used by God to impact their lives.

This week I decided to blog every day.  I’m going to briefly put what I read about in the Bible.  Hopefully it will encourage you to do the same.  I’m going to put these over in the “Current Series” section of the website.  We’ll also put up our favorite devotionals and some thoughts on how you can apply last nights message to your life!  Check back a few times to see if it us updated.  I’d love for you to put a comment or send us a message about what you use to grow spiritually.  We’ll post it, too!

Two things you need to do:

1. Make plans to go bowling with us on March 15th.  We’ll be practicing community (like we’ll talk about this week).  Childcare is provided for young ones.  Bring you elementary school age and older kids with you! 

2. Make sure you sign up to receive a weekly text message from us.  It’s usually a reminder about what we talked about the week before!

See you Sunday night and bring a friend!