Scripture:
“Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:37-38

Scripture:
“When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.” Luke 5:11

Observation:
Peter, James, and John left everything behind to follow Jesus. They left their jobs, their routines, their family and friends – EVERYTHING.

Application:
Every time I read about the calling of the disciples, I am amazed.  I try to picture what it would be like to literally drop everything I know, everything I trusted, and everything I loved to follow Jesus.  Many of us think that Jesus doesn’t call us to be that radical today, but in a way he does.  He may not ask us to leave our family behind, but he does call us to put our family after him.  He may not ask us to change professions, but he does call us to put our jobs after him.  When Jesus called me to leave my job in healthcare and enter the ministry, I will admit that I struggled with the decision.  Even today, I have times that I am tempted to second guess my decision. Then I am reminded of what He gave up for me.  I am reminded that following Jesus means more than just acknowledging him as Savior.  We must leave our pasts behind and commit our future to him.

Prayer:
Lord my prayer to you is that I want to serve you with my whole heart.  Lord, whatever you ask of me, I want to be willing to leave everything and follow you.  When I am tempted by the comforts of this world, Lord please remind me of what you gave up for me.  Lord, serving you is such a privilege. Thank you for giving me each day.  May I serve you with all that I am. 

— Jennifer Van Norman, children’s minister, Reservoir campus

Scripture:
“When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.” Luke 5:11

Scripture:
“I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between me and the earth.” Genesis 9:13

Observation:
When God made this covenant with Noah, he promised three things: 1) never again will a flood do such destruction, 2) as long as the earth remains, the seasons will always come as expected, and 3) a rainbow will be visible when it rains as a sign to all that God will keep his promises.

Application:
How reassuring it is to know that in this craziness of life, that God is still faithful to his Word. As the New Year starts, I am reminded anew of God’s promise to care for us.  What an awesome God we serve! 

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for your promises. Thank you for your faithfulness. My heart’s desire is to serve you faithfully this year. Please place your hand of goodness on me this year. 

— Jennifer Van Norman, children’s minister, Reservoir campus

Scripture:
“I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between me and the earth.” Genesis 9:13

Scripture:
Genesis 3:1 — "Now the serpent was more crafty than all the other wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, "You must not eat from any tree in the garden."

Observation:
The enemy appears on the scene and the first thing he does is question what God says. He makes Eve question the validity of God’s word causing her to doubt and ultimately sin. She, when questioned, adds to God’s word (don’t touch it) and the enemy finds her vulnerability. The enemy is crafty and will do anything he can to make us question the words, commands and promises of our God.

Application:
The key to victory is to know what God said in the first place. Eve did not accurately handle the truth she had been given which ultimately led to the fall. If we know God’s Word we will be a lot less likely to buy into a lie the enemy tries to sell us about God or ourselves. The same enemy attempted to question God’s word to Jesus in Matthew. The outcome is much different though. Jesus, being the Word of God, spoke the truth back to the enemy with confidence and clarity and the enemy retreated to search for a more opportune time. Satan will never give up as long as He has the chance, but accurately handling the truth of God will lead to victory in the day to day battles.

Prayer:
I need to know you more, your Word more. I want to be able to stand firm when the enemy says…."Did God really say….?" Let my foundation for victory be found in the promises of your Word and not in my own strength to stand up against a crafty enemy

— Jason Smith, student pastor, Madison/Ridgeland campus

Scripture:
Genesis1:2 — "Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters."

Observation:
Formless, empty, dark. That was the earth before it was exposed to light. God’s Spirit hovers over it all and in a moment it’s emptiness and formlessness is brought to light. I can imagine the Spirit hovering over the deep as if it were a blank canvas, dreaming His creation up as he went. Picking where oceans would stop and shores would begin, picking how tall mountains would be, where stars would go, how the moon and sun would work just right. Even how galaxies would lay just right amidst it all, or exactly far earth would be from His sun. He is just hovering, and planning His next move, How He will create life, and redeem it.

Application:
I love how the Spirit’s work in Gen 1 and His work today are the same. He still hovers over our lives. Lives that are formless- seeking an identity, empty- without hope and meaning, chasing mirages to find satisfy our deep thirst, and dark- blinded by sin and walking aimlessly through life with each self gratifying step. He hovers over us with a plan to bring us into the light. He is intimately involved in the movement of our lives. He doesn’t leave us. He is never far enough away to be blinded from our pain, nor too far away where He can’t reach in change things. He is right there moving amidst us and re-creating us.. giving us a form, filling us with purpose, and giving us light to see the truth. May we never forget His presence in our lives, always be ready to see His hand move amidst us and always be prepared to adapt to the change He brings.

Prayer:
Father, that is what you did for me. You took me, who was searching for my real identity, empty from never satisfying my thirst, and in the dark about everything that really mattered….and you brought your light to my life. You saved me, redeemed me and gave me a new life….made me a new creation.

— Jason Smith, student pastor, Madison/Ridgeland campus

Scripture:
Revelation 22:20 — "Yes, I am coming soon."

Observation:
I just saw a commercial on TV while watching bowl week on ESPN today. The commercial was promoting an upcoming show that talks about how there is proof the world will end in 2012. But Jesus didn’t make it that clear, that sure. Jesus tells us numerous times and closes off His great Revelation to us reminding us He is coimg soon. Crazy thing is He has been saying those words over and over again for the last 2000 years. What about the first century Church that heard that promise…Wasn’t that promise unfulfilled….to them atleast. What does soon mean anyway? To me it means like, tomorrow or next week not 2000 years….. But I was also reminded about what soon means today when looking at pictures of Beth and I’s first Christmas with our daughter Rayna (just a few months old at the time). I remember how people told us to cherish those moments because "soon" they would be gone. Man was that true, our little baby girl is now 10 and I am almost unable to hold her. That first Christmas with her seemed like just yesterday. Soon could be tomorrow, it could be years, it could be lifetimes…..but soon always comes….

Application:
With another year drawing to a close and a new one beginning in just a few short hours I am reminded that we are another hour, another day, another year closer to the day He returns! May I live my life expectant of your coming and excited to share your love with others.

Prayer:
God Thank you for 2008! May 2009 be a year of great revelation and the year of Your great return! Come quickly Lord!

— Jason Smith, student pastor, Madison/Ridgeland pastor

Scripture:
"Yes, I am coming soon."  Rev. 22:20

Scripture:
"Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of Ages. Who will fear your, O’ Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." Rev 15:3-5

Observation:
Those who persevere the tribulation, those who worship God through the Hell on Earth, will sing a song with harps in hand to the King of all Glory. It amazes me that these people just walked through the darkest days that will ever be on earth and their first instinct when face to face with the King is to worship Him. I also think it is awesome that they all know how to play the harp … now that is a miracle in and of itself! I love how all their pain and suffering leads to praise when face to face with the King. All that matters is His Glory, His Holiness, His Revelation.

Application:
Though I am not living in the great tribulation I still feel overwhelmed many days with the things I face. The pressures of life … finances, responsibilities, being a husband, father and leader. Then add to that the constant attacks of the enemy attempting to thwart God’s plan for my life and at the end of the day I can just crumble under the pressure. I notice that my songs to God are songs that are solely focused on His forgiveness and His mercy. Mostly because in the midst of the pressure I fail so much. So those are two characteristics of God that I love to sing through my life. In this scripture, these saints sing about the great and marvelous deeds God has done … through them! I want to sing this song. May my song today be a song of victory! A song of your awesome power displayed through my life and the life of your people!

Prayer:
I love my songs of forgiveness and mercy. Without them I would be nowhere. But today I have been challenged to add to the playlist of my life … May the end of this day be filled with songs of your Victory, Your Glory, Your Holiness, and Your great Revelation to every nation through my life and the life of your Church.

— Jason Smith, student pastor, Madison/Ridgeland campus