Month: October 2021

The Kitchen Table Devotional:          The Game of Life  Day 80

“Pedal to the Metal:

Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; ²⁷ but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.            1 Corinthians 9:26-27

Keep moving!  If we stumble, we must get up and keep moving.  Our bodies might want to stop and scream but don’t do it.  We must make our bodies get up and keep moving.  Not much good comes from just lying there and crying there.  The body was created to serve the spirit.  That’s why the demonic is always looking for a body.  The body will function from appetites and affections with attitude, but it’s made to function in Godly authority, affection, and aspiration.  The body is the first place where we learn to rule and if we don’t discipline the body, it will disqualify the spirit.  The spirit lives by hearing, the body lives by hunger.  We can discipline the body or be disqualified by the body.  Don’t stop, get up again and keep moving.

The Kitchen Table Devotional:          The Game of Life  Day 79

“Metal to the Metal”

Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; ²⁷ but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified             1 Corinthians 9:26-27

Just don’t stop!  Keep moving!  As long as we’re moving, we’re doing something.  We must get our eyes on our destiny and keep moving.  It’s when we stop that people and problems begin to take over our journey.  Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:23, “I do all things for the sake of the gospel; so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.”  When we’re driving our eyes are up and on the road but when we stop those same eyes go down and all around.  When we stop, we start doing what’s worthless and winless.  Don’t let sin, sorrow, or sabotage stop you, hold on to the gospel and keep moving.  Head toward heaven!  If we will just keep moving and God will take us through, over, or around whatever threatens our trip.  Hold on to the gospel and go!  Keep on moving by keep on believing in God and believing God.  He is always faithful!

The Kitchen Table Devotional:          The Game of Life  Day 78

“Pedal to the Metal”

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things.              1 Corinthians 9:24-25

Where there is agreement, there is authority.  The secret to success in this life is agreement.  There must be agreement in our parts because disagreement will tear us apart, binding us up with indecision and burdening us with insecurities.  We can want a win in our hearts but if we don’t live to win in our bodies we’ll end up only fantasies and failures.  We have a choice.  We can live from the inside out or the outside in.  If we live from the outside in, we let our bodies determine where we’re headed.  If we live from within, we let the Spirit set our course.  This Christian life is lived from within, from faith with hope in love according to God’s word and by the power of God’s Spirit.  We’ve been seated with Christ Ephesians 2 tells us.  Come into agreement with the Spirit of God and come into control of your life.  Let the appetite of the His Spirit become the attitude of the His servant.

The Kitchen Table Devotional:          The Game of Life  Day 77

“Peddle to the Metal

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶ Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; ²⁷ but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Run to win in this life by running to possess what’s beyond this life.  Life needs a goal that is bigger than what we can do and last longer than we will live.  Run to win!  We can’t run forward with our heads turned backward.  Everything that is temporary will turn our heads backward eventually.  Only things that are eternal will constantly keep us looking beyond.  When our eyes are on the promises of God, we celebrate moments, but we concentrate on medals.  For instance, we celebrate family gatherings on earth, but our goal is a family gathering in eternity.  That’s a real metal.   That’s something worth living and dying for in this life.   That’s an imperishable wreath or medal.  Don’t let anyone or anything cause us to look back rather than beyond.   Keep the pedal to the metal.

The Kitchen Table Devotions:          The Game of Life  Day 76

“Peddle to the Metal”

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.

1 Corinthians 9:24

This life is our reality, keep moving.  If we have breath in our lungs, we are living this life, don’t stop.  There’s a destination for every breathing soul, but make sure that destination is worth living for and dying for.  Run in such a way that you may win.  Some people run toward something while others run from something.  We need to be running toward something, not from something.  People who are running from something are always looking back and that will slow anyone down.  People who are running toward something keep their eyes and their body in alignment to reach the goal.  Don’t stop, once we stop life begins to pass us by.  God has given us breath today: He has something in store for us.  One more thing, our destination must be something more than physical because what is physical is temporary, we’ve been created to reach the eternal.  Run to win until the end!

The Kitchen Table Devotions:          The Game of Life  Day 75

“Hands On the Wheel”

But the goal of our  instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ⁶ For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, ⁷  wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions 1 Timothy 1:5-7

We keep our hands on the wheel when we keep our hearts in the word of God.  Jesus said that the mouth speaks what the heart believes.  The Bible says that belief or faith comes by hearing. God’s word  Our walk will go where our words take us. Our want will be what our words once were.  Our will is what our words are.  Our drive through this life becomes foolish when our words become fruitless. Let’s let our words be what God’s word is and we will always s have some idea of where we’re going and what we’re doing and why.  The goal of our instruction is “love”…

The Kitchen Table Devotions:  The Game of Life Day 74

“Hands On the Wheel”

But the goal of our  instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ⁶ For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion

1 Timothy 1:5-6

There is a faith that operates in the supernatural, not just the natural.  It’s a faith that walks and works in the love of God.  And it is real, belonging to those who have experienced it personally.  This faith is real and those who have it are both experienced and educated in it.  They don’t just know about it, they know it.  They have a testimony of how God has touched and transformed their lives through it.  These people don’t just have words, they have God’s words, and with those words they are able to bring heaven here.  All other words just fill up time and space.  God’s words change time, space and everything within them.  These words are not polluted by past sins and perverted hearts.  These words can and will form the faith of anyone for anything.  Lay hold of the word of God and keep your hands on those words, they are the wheel of your life.

The kitchen Table Devotions: The Game of Life Day 73
“Hands On the Wheel”
But the goal of our  instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion…1 Timothy 1:5-6
The love of God will make us wise about the past and wise in the present. By faith, we possess the love of God that will make our conscience good and make us conscious of good too. When we by faith, believe and believe in the love of God, His love makes our conscience good and makes us conscious of good too. One of the most powerful things God does in our lives is to make our conscience good so that we can be conscious of what is good. Many people will let go of the wheel of their lives simply because of their bad conscience. Unable to get past the bad remembrances and regrets, they give up and give in to the enemy of love and life. Jesus came dealt with the bad so that we could live in the good and He did that on the cross and will do that for anyone who is willing to kneel there and receive His love, life, and liberty (forgiveness) personally. God’s love will make us conscious of God’s good and that’s a powerful motivation to keep our hands on the wheel of our lives.

The Kitchen Table Devotional:  The Game of Life  Day 72

“Hands On the Wheel”

As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, ⁴ nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. ⁵ But the goal of our  instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith                     1 Timothy 1:3-5

It’s love that keeps our hands on the wheel.  For some people it may not be love but it will be what they think is love.  Paul instructs Timothy not to pay attention to myths and genealogies which only lead to speculation.  Love doesn’t lie.  We can’t walk in love and not operate in truth.  There’s a certain energy that comes from fears and fantasies that scares us.  Love doesn’t scare us, it satisfies us.  Fears and fantasies cause us to let go of the wheel; love keeps our hands on the wheel.  But only a pure heart, one that has been exposed to love and embraced love, will keep our hands on the wheel.  Only love has the power needed to persist, persevere, and possess what is true.  That’s the goal.  Let the love of God inspire you to keep your hands on the wheel.

The Kitchen Table Devotional:  The Game of Life  Day 71

“Hands On the Wheel”

But the goal of our  instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 1 Timothy 1:5

It doesn’t do much good to keep our eyes on the road if we don’t keep our hands on the wheel.  The life we’re living right now is the one we’ve chosen.  God works with us, not without us., when it comes to living this life.  Jesus won’t take the wheel of our lives, but He will get in the car with us and help us at every moment and turn along the way.  He instructs us and asks us to believe Him.  The goal of this instruction is…  Keep those hands on the wheel and follow His instructions.  He will help us arrive at the life that works and the life we really want.