The Purpose

The purpose of this blog is to encourage the family of Four Mile Church to eat God's word on a more regular basis; to be nourished and fortified. Mile markers help you to know how far you have come and how much further you have to go. God's word is like a mile marker. My prayer is that this simple blogg helps you to partake in God's word and prayer on a more regular basis.



Please share your insights and revelations if you think they may encourage another brother or sister in Christ.

Friday, April 30, 2010

May - What's Next?

Next week I will be posting links to sites with either audio or video teachings that I think you will beneifit from. You can watch or listen to them in your spare time. They will cover some of my favorite teachers. I pray you enjoy them.
Blessings,
George

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Following Jesus - Friday, April 30th

Drop Everything - Luke 5:4-11

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down[b] the nets for a catch." 5 Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Questions

1. Why do the fisherman drop everything and follow Jesus?

2. Is there anything you are holding onto that is keeping you from following Jesus?

3. What would it take to let it go?


Prayer


Ask God to reveal to you those things you cling to that hold you back from following Jesus,and ask for the strength and fellowship to let them go.

Following Jesus - Thursday, April 29th

John 9: 23-27 - Take up your cross.


23 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? 26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God."

Questions

1. Is following Jesus a one time decision?

2. What might loosing our life for Jesus look like today?

3. What might God be asking you to deny yourself of in order to gain more of Him?

Prayer

Ask God to show you what you're being asked to deny so that you can have more of Him. Ask God to give you the strength to pick up your cross daily and follow Him. Thank God for his mercy and grace.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Following Jesus - I am the Good Sheperd

John 10:11-13

11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

Questions

1. List some people who have authority over you ( work, school, family)?

2. What difference does Jesus make between himself and the hired hand?

3. How is this good news?


Prayer

Thanks God that we follow a shepherd who cares for us and does not run away when things get tough.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Follow Jesus - Monday, April 26th

Matthew 5:43-48

43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor[h] and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies[i] and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Questions

1. How does Jesus turn our expectations upside down?

2. Is there someone whom you are haveing a hard time loving? Why?

3. What step could you take towards loving this person today?

Pray

Thank God for giving us the ability to love beyond our own strength.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Who Is Jesus - Friday, April 23rd

John 10:11-13

11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

Questions

1. How do we know that Jesus is the good shepherd?

2. What is the difference between a shepherd and a hired hand?

3. A hired hand prays that the wolf will never come, but it does. What does the wolf do?

4. What images of love do you see in this passage?

5. How does this passage teach us to love?


Pray

Thank God that he doesn't leave us when the hard things come our way. Thanks God for laying down his life for us. Ask God to help us to love others like he loves us.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Who is Jesus - Thursday, April 22nd

John 14:6

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Questions

1. If truth is a person, how then can we know the truth? (Don't over think it)

2. If no one came to the Father except for knowing the truth, what does that say about Jesus?

3. How is this passage good news?

Prayer

Thank God for revealing truth in the person of Jesus. Thank God for making truth relational. Ask God to help you live truth.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Who is Jesus - Wednesday, April 21st

Hebrews 2:14-18

14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Questions

1. If you could be like anybody else, who would you be and why?

2. This passage tells us that Jesus is like one of us. Why is this good news?

3. Is Jesus ever surprised by our sin? Why?

4. After these past several days, how would you answer the questions? "Who is Jesus?"

Pray

Thank God for being like one of us and that he understands how hard it is to be human. Ask for God's help to understand those in your life who might be having a hard time, and how you might come along side them.


Next Step

Pick up the phone and call that person whom you know is struggling and ask " How are you doing? How can I come along side you?"

Monday, April 19, 2010

Who is Jesus? - Tuesday, April 20th

Hebrews 1:1-4

1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

Questions

1. This passage sounds alot like yesterday's passage. How is it similar,and is there anything new here?

2. How does it describe Jesus in relationship to His father? Have you every been described this way in relationship to a parent?

3. Can we trust Jesus to tell us about the Father? Why?


Pray

Give thanks that we can trust Jesus because he is the eact radiance of the Father. Ask that God would reveal this to someone in your family or a friend who has yet to see Jesus as God.

Who Is Jesus - Monday, April 19th

Colossains 1

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Questions

1. What kind of relationship does Jesus have to the Father, to creation, and to the church?

2. Look at the all the prepositions in this text ( before, over, in, through). How do they help you understand those relationships?

3. What role does Jesus play in each of those relationships?


Pray

Thank God for how intential He is about all his relationships.



Thursday, April 15, 2010

Winning at Home - Friday, April 16th

God is Just - Romans 3:25-26

25 God presented Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his patience he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Questions

1. When do you want God to be merciful, and when do you want him to be just?

2. How does God demonstrate his mercy, grace, and justice perfectly in this passage?

3. What part do we play in our own salvation?

Prayer

Give thanks for God being the prime initiator of our faith and for his justice made known in Jesus.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Winning at Home - Thursday, April 16th

God is Unchangable - James 1:16-18

16 Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Questions

1. Is there a food that you either liked or disliked, and then you changed your mind about it? What changed?

2. What does this passage tell us about God? Why is this good news?

3. Think of something that seems unchangable,and then use that in the sentance " God is like . . . . . ". What word pictures come to mind.

Prayer

Using your new word pictures, thank God for being unchangable.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Winning at Home - Wednesday, April 14th.

God is holy - Luke 5;1-11

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,[a]with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down[b] the nets for a catch."

Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.


Questions

1. What is your most prized possession? How do you treat it? How do others know it is important to you?

2. Holy means "set apart". How does Jesus show that he is set apart from Peter?

3. How does Peter respond to the miracle? And how does Jesus respond to Peter?

Taking the Next Step

How can you set yourself apart? By treating others as better than yourself? By sharing those things that you prize most? (Being set apart doesn't mean prideful or arrogant, but set apart in how you love.)

Winning At Home - Tuesday, April 13th

God is Patient - Nehemiah 9:29-31

29 "You warned them to return to your law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, by which a man will live if he obeys them. Stubbornly they turned their backs on you, became stiff-necked and refused to listen. 30 For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you admonished them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention, so you handed them over to the neighboring peoples. 31 But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

Questions

1. When someone hurts your feelings are you slow to anger and quick to listen? Are you quick to anger, and slow to listening? How do you respond?

2. What does this portion tell us about people and God?

3. What does patience look like in this portion? (You might be surprised.)

Taking the Next Step

Patience doens't mean you ignore a wrong done. It's the way you respond. Before you make a judgement about some one, take a breath, and then you might ask them a question like "Can you help me to understand why you did (or said) what you did?"

Being patient might mean finding something else to play with until your friend is done playing with it instead of getting upset.

Winning At Home - April 12th

If you have never done a family devotional before, now is a great time to start. These devotionals are designed to do over breakfast, dinner, or just before bed. They'll only take 15 minutes, and will get the whole family involved.

Over the next three weeks we're going to focus on God's character, who is Jesus, and living like Jesus.

All you have to do is read the passage given for that day, answer the questions, and take the next step.

Ready to get started?

MONDAY - April 12th God is faithful.

2 Timothy 2:11-13

11 Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
12 if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
13 if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.

Questions

1. Have you ever made a promise that you weren't able to keep? How did it make you feel? How did the other person feel?

2. What does this passage say about us, and God?

3. The fact that God is a promise keeper is good news. Why is it good news to you?

Taking the Next Step

Instead of making a promise,make it a point this week to do what you say you will do, and don't promise what you can't.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Better Late Than Never

Sorry folks. I got pink eye this week, so the devotional will be a tad bit shorter. Next week I will be posting devotionals with questions that the whole family can do together.

Thursday - 2 Corinthians 4

(Day to Fast - 1/2 day ; pray for those who visited Four Mile on Easter; pray that God moves them to return for a second visit; pray that God would show us how to minister to them.)

Friday - 1 John 3:11-24

Saturday - John 15:1-11

Sunday - 1 John 1:1 - 2:2

Every Day Read Psalm 46

Prayer

Lord, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who pours your peace into our hearts. We ask that you keep us healthy, both in mind and in body, so that we may love you with all our strength, and with gracious hearts serve those whom you have called us to love through action. In the name of Jesus, the Christ, Amen.