From the Kitchen Table

The Kitchen Table Devotional:          The Game of Life  Day 91

“Navigating Life’s Highways”

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. Galatians 6:7

There are laws on the highways of life that make those highways safe and suitable for traveling with confidence. But just because there are laws doesn’t mean that everyone will follow them. God has allowed us to choose what we will do and how we will do it. But we can’t break these laws without being broken ourselves.  Judgment is woven into creation. A man sows what he reaps.  The life we are living right now is the one we have chosen. The Bible says, “The LORD God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; ¹⁷ but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17  Do not be deceived, God is not ridiculed.  God wove laws into creation to preserve and protect it physically, spiritually, and relationally for man.  It’s our choice to live by them or not.

The Kitchen Table Devotional:          The Game of Life  Day 90

“Navigating Life’s Highways”

By faith we understand that the  worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.                         Hebrews 11:3

Until we let our faith share & steer our thinking we won’t know how to think about our faith.  Faith comes by hearing, the Bible says.  Who we listen to and what we listen to, determines who we are and where we go in this life.  Until God’s word steers our thinking, we might believe in God, but we won’t necessarily believe God.  Believing God is how we best travel through this life and it’s something we must learn to do.  By faith we understand.  We measure everything that is said and done by God’s word.  We measure everything we face and fear by God’s word.  Before we can really believe God for certain things, we must believe God for all things.  It’s hard to believe God for healing when we don’t believe God for living.  Don’t just believe in God, believe God for every step and turn along the way.

The Kitchen Table Devotional:          The Game of Life  Day 89

Navigating Life’s Highways

Now faith is the  assurance of things  hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. ² For by it the men of old  gained approval.

Hebrews 11:1-2

Faith will birth conviction, the proof that we believe.  Faith not only convinces us about truth, but it convicts us to live in that truth.  The proof of faith is in the conviction of faith.  Conviction happens when what we believe is not just in but on.  We believe in Jesus, but do we believe Jesus?  Get the picture?  And this conviction, this proof, that we believe brings approval, approval in life and approval for life.  This kind of faith gives us approval before God and the approval to live like God in this life.  By this kind of faith, the men of old gained approval to be the witness of God.  It’s powerful!

The Kitchen Table Devotional:          The Game of Life  Day 88

Navigating Life’s Highways

Now faith is the  assurance of things  hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

Faith lives for the hope that love brings.  Without hope, it doesn’t matter what highway we take in life.  The problem for many of us is that we have a little hope that comes from a little love that requires a little faith.  Love creates hope that inspires faith.  You’re on this highway of life because God’s great love created a great hope that inspires great faith.  There’s an assurance of things hoped for in this faith we’ve found in Jesus.  The hope we’re living with comes from the love we’re living in.  Little hope comes from little love that requires little faith.  We find little hope in mere men but there is great hope in the mighty Master, Creator, Lover of our souls.  The hope we have will determine the highways we take.  Look for great love that creates great hope and inspires great faith.

The Kitchen Table Devotional:  The Game of Life  Day 82

Navigating Life’s Highway

Now faith is the  assurance of things  hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. ² For by it the men of old  gained approval.

Hebrews 11:1-2

Faith gives us assurance.  When we’re looking for confidence, we need to look inside, not outside, look at what we believe, not what we behold.  Who we believe and what we believe will determine where we go in life and what we do in this life.  Some people believe that if they do the “right” thing long enough they will think the “right” way.  Even an athlete needs more than discipline, he or she must believe in what they can do.  Assurance is the confidence we need for this journey.  This faith is not in pictures, that would be hope, this faith is in words.  The words we live by are directly connected to who we live for.  Don’t just believe in God, believe God!  Listen for His voice and hear His words.  God wants to speak to us and will speak to us.  Listen for His voice and to His words, they are truth and they are life and they will give us the confidence we need to make the “right” turns and take the “right” highways to reach the right dreams and destination in life.

The Kitchen Table Devotional:          The Game of Life  Day 81

“Navigating Life’s Highways”

Now faith is the  assurance of things  hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. ² For by it the men of old  gained approval.  ³ By faith we understand that the  worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.                         Hebrews 11:1-3

Our faith gives us understanding and by faith, we understand our world.  It’s not a question of who has faith but rather what or who our faith is in.  However, a man without a Maker is a man without meaning.  Without faith in God, we are left without purpose, promise, and a helpful perspective in this life.  It’s our faith that gives us hope for the journey, conviction on the journey, and approval in the journey.  Our faith is what keeps us on the road.  By faith, we understand the “truth” about our journey through this life and with “truth” we have understanding for the journey.  Faith brings understanding.  Faith brings understanding to the undertaking.  It’s not what we believe but who we believe that matters.  The temptation is to believe in the “what” we see but the truth is found in believing in the “Who” we hear.

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.