She Said Yes - December 28, 2010

Daily Reading

Revelation 1-5

Daily Verse

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.

I wish you were either one or the other!

So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-

I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Revelation 3:15-16

Daily Thought

On Thanksgiving Day, a boy got on his knee and said to my daughter, "Will you marry me?"

She can say "Yes." She can say "No." But she can not say "A little bit."

I would that you were cold or hot.
~Revelation 3:15

She said, "Yes."

To God's Glory,
Dave Price

Daily Prayer

Father God, I am all in. You are worth my everything and more. All that I have is from You and for You.

Forgive me for and protect me from my half-hearted efforts. I want You to be part of everything in my life. I want everything in my life to point to You and give You pleasure. You are my God.

Amen

All Or Nothing - December 12, 2010

Daily Reading

Acts 20:4-23:35

Daily Verse

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me,

if only I may finish the race and complete the task

the Lord Jesus has given me-

the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

Acts 20:24

Daily Thought

"Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important."
~C.S. Lewis, Christian Apologetics

To God's Glory,
Dave Price

Daily Prayer

God, Your Law is summed up simply - love You with everything I am and everything I have. And if I do that, while I do that, I will love my neighbor as myself. Help me put aside my self-centered desires, my wants and wishes, for the good of those who have need.

May I hold nothing back, my God, but rather give extravagantly - just the way You have given me a life overflowing with grace, goodness, freedom, joy, peace, trust, faith, hope, and love.

Amen

To Whom Shall We Go? - October 18, 2010

Daily Reading

John 6

Daily Verse

"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.

Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go?

You have the words of eternal life."

John 6:67-68

Daily Thought

A great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick.
~John 6:2

The community follows him because he puts on a great show. Until the show is over.

Jesus answered, "You are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
~John 6:26

The crowd follows him because he meets their wants and needs. Until they are full.

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."
~John 6:35

The curious follow him because they are... curious. For a while.

"You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
~John 6:68-69

The committed follow him because he is Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord, God.

Period.

To God's Glory,
Dave Price

Daily Prayer

My Lord and God, Author of Life. Everything about why I am here, You are the answer. I love You and promise to follow You. I know it will be hard, because Your truth is difficult. People want to do things our own way, and You demand that we follow You to find full and everlasting life.

I choose to stand for You, to stand with You, God. Thank You for standing with me, because really, I am not that strong. (You knew that already.) But, in the power of Your Spirit by the authority of Your Son, I will stand for Your truth and live a life fully committed to You.

Amen.

First Things First - September 20, 2010

Daily Reading

Haggai 1-2

Daily Verse

"Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins?"

Haggai 1:4

Daily Thought

"Basketball practice is on Wednesday nights," complained Paul. "Same as youth group. What do I do?"

"You made a commitment to the team, Son."

"Mom, the jazz band scheduled a bunch of concerts during Spring break," Elizabeth frowned. "I wanted to go on the Mexico Mission Trip."

"Elizabeth, the band depends on you. There will be other mission trips."

"Where's Dad?" asked Billy. Sunday morning rush to get ready for church, the family loaded into the Suburban. Mom sat in the driver seat.

"He had to go to the office. Work is really busy right now."

"You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house."
~Haggai 1:9

It is 1924, the Olympics are in Paris. The 100 meters belongs to Eric Liddell, the "Flying Scotsman." The race is scheduled for Sunday.

Sunday is the Sabbath.

Eric Liddell does not run on the Sabbath. Not even in Paris.

Those who honor me I will honor.
~Samuel 2:30

To God's Glory,
Dave Price

Daily Prayer

My God, I love You with heart, soul, mind, and strength. My life is committed fully to You. May the life I live reflect my devotion to You. Where I work, may I serve You by serving others. In my home, may I build my house on the solid foundation of Your Word. In my neighborhood, may I love my neighbor as myself.

May the things I do bring You praise and glory.

Amen.

All In - September 11, 2010

Daily Reading

Ezekiel 44-45

Daily Verse

I am to be the only inheritance the priests have.

You are to give them no possession in Israel; I will be their possession.

Ezekiel 44:28

Daily Thought

If you were a member of Caesar's army in 49BC, you had a choice to make when Caesar crossed the Rubicon. Follow him and you are a traitor against Rome, and your fortune and future belonged to Caesar.

If you were a member of the Second Continental Congress in 1776, you were a rebel and considered a traitor by the King of England. You knew that signing the Declaration meant that your fortune and your future belonged to the United States.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.
--1Peter 2:9

Jesus gave the Twelve their chance: "Do you also want to leave?"
Peter replied, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?
--Luke 9:24-25

To God's Glory,
Dave Price

Daily Prayer

Lord God, You are the Sovereign Lord. You are my King, and You have invited me into Your Kingdom. "Follow me," you offered (and could have commanded). You gave me the choice, to put my life in the hands of this world, or in the world to come. I will give up all, and place my life in Your hands. I am Yours.

Amen.

Commitment Means Action - July 2, 2010

Daily Reading

2Kings 1-4

Daily Verse

Elisha picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah

and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.

2Kings 2:13

Daily Thought

Commitment. "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So the two of them walked on.
2Kings 2:6

Action. Elisha picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah
and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.
2Kings 2:13

Commitment. "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
--Matthew 26:39

Action. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified him.
--John 19:17-18

Commitment. At once they left their nets and followed him.
--Matthew 4:20

Action. Anyone who does not carry his cross cannot be my disciple.
--Luke 14:27

But someone will say,

"You have faith; I have deeds."

Show me your faith without deeds,

and I will show you my faith by what I do.

--James 2:18

To God's Glory,
Dave Price

Daily Prayer

My Lord and Savior, I believe fully in You, loving You with all of my being. I will stand for You and confess You before men. You are King of kings and Lord of lords.

I pray, God, that I will be a bright light, that I will be part of a church that sits on a hill, that my faith will not be hidden, but will shine in the darkness. That by all my actions people will know that You are God. I will take up the cross and follow You.

Amen

Forsaking All Others Keeping Only Unto You - June 27, 2010

Daily Reading

1Kings 17-19

Daily Verse

So Elisha left him and went back.

He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them.

He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat

and gave it to the people, and they ate.

Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.

1Kings 19:21

Daily Thought

For which of you does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it.
--Luke 14:28

To have and to hold

from this day forward,

for better or worse,

for richer or poorer,
in sickness and in health,

to love and to cherish,
and forsaking all others,

keeping only unto you,
until death do us part.

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.
--Philippians 3:7-8

To God's Glory,
Dave Price

Daily Prayer

Father God, You left heaven to come to me. May I return Your love with my own love, keeping You first, forsaking anything that stands in the way, following You wholeheartedly.

You are my first love.

Amen

We Never Missed - March 18, 2010

Daily Reading

Deuteronomy 21-23

Daily Verse

Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together.

Deuteronomy 22:10

Daily Thought

Sports ruled at my high school. Football, basketball, baseball, soccer, track and field. The football players jokingly referred to the head coach as "God."

Half-jokingly.

We never missed practice. We never missed a game. We were committed.

For God is the King of all the earth

--Psalm 47:7

Most of the people at most of the churches are regular attenders; that is, people who show up at least once or twice a month.

Interesting verse today: Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together. --Deuteronomy 22:10

The problem with hitching a plow to an ox and a donkey is one is stronger than the other. Makes it difficult to keep your lines straight.

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Our God, at the Name of Jesus every knee will bow, above the earth, on the earth, under the earth. And every tongue will confess Jesus Christ is Lord. Our God reigns.

You are sovereign, You are Creator, You are King, You are God. I love You with all my heart and soul and mind and strength. At least, I want to. Increase my love, Oh God.

Amen