5 Minutes a Day to Grow in Faith

Transcription

1 5 Minutes a Day to Grow in Faith

2 What does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 5 Minutes a Day to Grow in Faith Written by David R. Schmitt

3 The mission of CTA is to glorify God by providing purposeful products that lift up and encourage the body of Christ because we love him! Justice. Kindness. Humility... It s a Guy Thing 5 Minutes a Day to Grow in Faith Written by David R. Schmitt Copyright 2015 CTA, Inc Larkin Williams Rd. Fenton, MO All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of CTA, Inc. Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ISBN: PRINTED IN THAILAND It s a guy thing. A Guy Thing... or a God Thing? That s what people say. Whether it s the cars you love, the action movies you watch, or the directions you fail to ask for. With a knowing roll of their eyes and a we-love-you-anyway smile, people dismiss these things by saying, It s a guy thing. As if you should get over it, grow out of it, explain it, or change it in some way. When actually, it s just who you are. A guy. Who does things. Have you ever heard someone say, It s a God thing? When they say that, they aren t dismissing something. They re drawing attention to it. Expressing humble amazement at what God does. He takes an accidental meeting of strangers and turns it into a job offer. He takes a wrong turn and somehow makes it right. 3

4 When people say, It s a God thing, they re talking about something they can t explain but also something they wouldn t change for the world. They re rejoicing in the things of God. Perhaps that s also true about guys. Let the world roll its eyes at the things we do. God opens our eyes to see his work in our lives. This God, who created the world, created you as one of his own. He sent his Son to die for you and to give you life. His life. He can take a guy thing and make it into a God thing. CHAPTER 1 O God, Creator of all, I place myself in your hands, trusting that what is ordinary to me can become extraordinary by the work of your love. Amen. What Does the Lord Require of You? 4

5 You Want What? What do you want from me? How often have you said that? People today ask a lot from men: that they be more sensitive, that they communicate their feelings, that they work well with others. It s a full-time job just to understand all the requirements! are forgiven, God wants you to experience what salvation is all about. As the apostle Paul writes, He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). And, then, along comes Micah, adding another dimension to the list: What does the LORD require of you? Before you dismiss Micah s question or tell him to get in line behind everyone else, stop and see what Micah is doing. Micah is waking us up to something important: with God there is a difference. God s people had reduced his service to a bunch of rules to be kept. Pro forma. Going through the motions. Micah reveals that what God brings instead is a life for them to live! God doesn t want something from you. He wants something for you. Think about it. God saved you without any effort on your part. Jesus lived, died, and rose again without any help. And he did it all for you. Now that you are God s own, now that you Jesus, you saved me from sin and opened to me the way of everlasting life. In a world that wants so much from me, help me discover all that you want for me. Amen. 6 7

6 Less Talk, More Walk He s a man of few words. That s what people say. Guys don t always need to talk, to verbalize everything. Take Marissa and Jim. At their wedding, they chose to write their own vows. Marissa went first. Her vows were beautiful. She offered a long personal testimony of her love for Jim and her promises to him. It was perfectly memorized and powerfully delivered and, by the end of it, even Jim had tears in his eyes. In Jesus, God s Word became flesh. God revealed his love when Jesus went to die and rise for you. By his actions, Christ made his love unmistakable, undeniable. Still today, he is showing his love to you as you follow him. God created you for more than talk. He made you a man of action, and he promises to equip you to walk in his ways. Then it was his turn. Jim stood there for a moment. He shrugged his shoulders. He cleared his throat and then he spoke. Uh... what she said. A man of few words! Some people make Christianity all about words. You have to have the right answers to questions about the Bible, the right words to say in prayer, the right way to talk to others about the faith. Yet, look at what Micah says. What does God desire for you? Action. Do justice. Love kindness. Walk humbly. These are things you do. Not say. Lord Jesus, in you, God s Word became flesh. Help me put your words into action in my life. Amen. 8 9

7 Prayerful Reflection Action. That s what guys are known for. Not just saying, but doing. And Micah s words, too, call us to put faith into action. Consider Jesus. He put God s love into action for you. By righting your relationship with God, Jesus did justice. By seeking out the suffering and caring for their needs, Jesus loved kindness. By taking up the cross and dying for your sin, he walked humbly. How can faith take action in your life? Consider a relationship you could put right. Think about something you could do for someone who is suffering. Contemplate a sacrifice God is calling you to make. CHAPTER 2 Do Justice 10 Jesus, you make God s love real. You do this for me and through me. Help me put faith into action in my life. Amen.