Day 40

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again:  Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:4-7

Rejoice. Be thankful. Gratitude means I give thanks. Paul used the word gratitude 46 times in his letters. Why is gratitude so important? Scientific studies have shown that gratitude improves your health! Really! Practicing gratitude improves your mental health and physical health. Wow! What if you are feeling like a victim of your circumstances? Be thankful! What if you don’t feel well?  Be thankful! What if you are bored? Be thankful!

Let’s practice being grateful – let’s list things to be thankful for – thank God for your life, your salvation, the roof over your head, that you have shoes to wear, your Cedar Hills community, that you have a job, that your car started this morning, that there is food in your refrigerator, your friends, your kids, your spouse, or that you are single! Paul tells us to be grateful (thankful) in every situation – “in every situation by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING present your requests to God.”

Dear Lord,

Help me to be grateful for all You have given me and continue to provide. Show me how to give thanks in all situations, good and bad, and I trust You to provide Your peace.  May my life show Your gentleness and gratefulness.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

-Dana Chapman

Day 39

“I don’t say that I have already achieved these things or that I have reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.” Phil. 3:12

What were those things Paul had not yet achieved?  He was putting his life on the line each time he preached Jesus.  My gracious, he was sitting in prison as he wrote this. There is more. He wanted to know Christ and the mighty power that raised Him from the dead.  He wanted to share in His death.  That hadn’t happened for Paul yet.  Who in their right mind would want to experience those things?

Then he goes on to say that he has not reached perfection. I thought about that and said, if I am honest, I have to confess I haven’t reached perfection.  I look at Paul’s life after he met Jesus and to me it seems he was as close to perfect as a person could get on this side of heaven.  What more was he seeking that he didn’t have?

I believe, he desired to know Christ in a very real, vibrant way. He wanted to be so close to the mind of Christ that his life was automatically lived as Christ would live it. He wouldn’t have to think about “what would Christ do,” but he would be so attuned to Christ that the Spirit would lead him easily to his next task, thought, and prayer.

This ambition caused Paul to press on with determination and diligence. How can I see such an example and refuse to be encouraged to live my life pressing on to know Jesus?

 Dearest Jesus,

 I see the reality of who I am 24/7.  I read Paul’s words and Lord, I cherish the idea of such a close attachment to You.  Help me, Lord, to look closely into Your words as Paul wrote them guided by Your Spirit.  As I see Paul’s determination to follow his desire, help me to press on also so that You may be glorified in me.   Amen.

-Joanne Lodge

Day 38

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Phil. 4:6

Do not be anxious about ANYTHING….This might be impossible for humans!!

We’ve heard this verse so many times, and every time we hear/read/study it, we vow to take everything to God in prayer, and not try to “fix it” ourselves. But then the next “mini crisis” happens in our life, and we immediately try to take control of the situation, instead of taking it to God, asking Him for His divine help.  We often remember to pray during hardship and tragedy, but sometimes forget that He wants to help us with everything that worries us.

Here Paul suggests that we turn every problem into a prayer. God loves us and only wants what is best for us.  The Bible tells us that if we would just trust Him and invite Him into every aspect of our lives, sharing our day-to-day challenges and frustrations, He will abundantly bless us.  God wants us to pray and ask Him for His guidance, and He will answer our prayers.

When we find ourselves worrying, about things small or large, use it as an opportunity to take it to our heavenly Father in prayer, thanking Him for the opportunity. We can rejoice knowing that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is also available to us!

Whenever you start to worry…STOP and PRAY!

Dear Father,

Forgive us for not trusting You and thinking we can handle our own problems.  Help us to stop worrying and turn our lives over to You in prayer. In your name we pray, Amen.

-Nancy Josifek

Day 37

“So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.” 2 Samuel 5:20

Water can be peaceful or powerful. Some of my most precious quiet moments have been while watching the sunrise over a glassy, still lake.  My soul has been stirred by the trickling sound of water running through a creek in the woods on an otherwise noiseless winter day. Moving water however can be dangerous and powerful! I remember the sound of waves breaking on the rocks as I gazed across the ocean.  The relentless power of water has created the Grand Canyon.  Maybe you can recall images of destruction caused by a flash flood or tsunami.

King David uses this powerful imagery to describe our God.  In fact, David even names the town after this wonderful truth about God’s character. We worship Baal Parazim, the Lord of the breakthrough!  God broke through David’s enemies like a flash flood tearing across the countryside.  This is one of my favorite names for God because it challenges me to grow my faith in God and trust Him for a breakthrough in my own life.

Let us claim this truth about our God as we celebrate 60 years of growth at Cedar Hills.  Let us not settle for normal life, when God has called us to abundant life!  What is a breakthrough you need to ask God for in your personal life? What would it look like for God to breakthrough in your family? How will the Corridor be transformed if God accomplished awesome breakthroughs in our church, and “breaks out” of these walls?

Dear Father,

Thank You for giving David, and Your people Israel, victory through Your breakthrough power!  Help us grow our faith today and we ask for great breakthroughs here at Cedar Hills, in our families and community.  Amen.

-Steve Poole

Day 36

“Work hard to show the results of your salvation… For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him… Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in the world full of crooked and perverse people.” Phil. 2:15-16 (NLT)

Have you ever been in a night-time situation where you urgently needed a flashlight only to discover that the batteries were dead? Our world is in dire need of some light these days, don’t you agree? Is the Church prepared to give it?

The Christian life should be different from the non-Christian life, as different as night and day! We live in a dark, oppressive, self-seeking world. But God is working in us to produce humility, compassion, generosity, and forgiveness—qualities that shine brightly in the gloom of greed and hatred.

God’s forgiveness is an absolutely free gift; we don’t do anything to earn or deserve it. We are saved by grace, apart from any effort on our part.  But God is working to transform us from the inside out, to give us “brilliant” lives that bring honor to him.

Let’s become people who look like Jesus, a community of love that brings light to the dark corners of this world.

Dear Jesus,

We honor You as the Light of the World.  Help us to be that light today. Allow Your light to shine through us that others may see You.  Please put someone in my path today and help me to light up their way for You. Amen. 

-Alan Crandall

Day 34

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Phil. 4:6

Do not be anxious—that statement is laughable! In my nearly four decades on this earth, I have yet to find a week in my life that I’m not anxious about something! Is it just me?

When I get anxious about a situation, task — I go into overdrive. What else can I do to prepare? How else can I practice before the upcoming event or encounter? Do I have my to-do lists detailed enough to not forget anything? Do I have my calendar organized for optimal achievement?

Notice anything missing in my statements above? None of my immediate go-to behaviors or actions follow Phil. 4:6: “…present your requests to God!” Why does presenting our anxiety-ridden requests to God seem to be our last, desperate attempt for help? Why do we think our humanly skills and abilities are greater than God’s? Why don’t I first present my anxiety to God and let Him guide me on how to prepare, what to organize, what to prioritize! Honestly, that thought immediately sounds stress relieving!

As a church, we need to remember that God has been faithful to us for 60 years, and He knows we get anxious. We have expenses, we need renovations, and we need commitment. Let’s make our requests known to God and have faith that He will provide.

Dear God, 

I am an anxious person, I try to battle the world on my own. I often think my skills and abilities are sufficient to fight each battle without bothering You for help. I think it’s time for a change in behavior. It’s time to take all my anxieties to You first. I need to thank You for the opportunity to discern Your will and listen and watch for Your guidance, versus relying on my limited human abilities. Thank You for allowing me to bring my anxieties to You. You are a good God. Amen.

-Mel Dahm