“Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene.” 2 Timothy 2:16-17

This week as I have talked about being coachable, I have also discussed being changed by God’s teachings. Today let’s examine our “chatter.” Read below The Message version of 2 Timothy 2:16-17.

“Stay clear of pious talk, that is only talk. Words are not mere words, you know. If they’re not backed by a godly life, they accumulate as poison in the soul.”

Recently, my son overheard a Christian talking about him to another Christian in a public place.  The discussion came across as judgemental and pious. Plainly speaking, the discussion was gossip. As a result, I have become very aware of my walk, reflecting my talk. I have been convicted of times that I share “prayer concerns” with others in a manner that is actually glorified gossip. 

Today, examine yourself. Do your words glorify God? Are the words you use also reflected in the actions you display? Does your walk match your talk? Are you displaying Christ to others or are you like today’s featured picture, abstract and vague? 

Let’s pray: Dear God, Make me aware of the power of my words and actions. Forgive me for times when my words or actions have not been Christ-like. May my walk match my talk and may I reflect Your presence in my life in all that I say and do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 NIV

This week I have encouraged you to examine your coachable spirit. Today I challenge you to examine your response to God’s coaching. How do you respond to God’s guidance and direction? Are you affected by His message for you?

The Bible study our Sunday school class is doing is titled First & Second Thessalonians – A World Changing Faith by Levi Lusko. In the first video, Lusko stepped on our toes when he said, “Sunday doesn’t change anything until it changes Monday.” So I ask you, has the message you received on Sunday changed your Monday? Are you applying each day of the week the coaching God delivers to you on Sunday? Of course, Sunday isn’t the only day God is teaching you. What about the lessons you learn through daily prayer and devotion? The Holy Spirit speaks to us each time we read God’s message in the Bible. Take a few moments today to examine your response to God’s coaching in your life. Are you correctly handling the word of truth? Just as the sand in today’s featured photo has been changed by the ocean, I too want to be affected, shaped, and molded by God. I want to be changed by God’s presence in my life.

Let’s pray. Dear God, Thank You for being the Master Coach. Continue to coach me to be the best I can be. May I respond to Your coaching in a manner that glorifies You. May my response on Mondays reflect the lessons You teach me on Sundays. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither-whatever they do prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly or the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.” Psalm 1:1-6

I love learning. I like hearing new insights and taking notes. However, do I allow God’s words to teach and train me? At the baseball field, I often hear coaches telling pitchers to follow through. Do I follow through? When I hear God’s words and take notes about it, do I then follow through? Am I changed by His word? Do I apply His message in my words and actions.

I want to be coachable/capable of being easily taught and trained to do something better. I want to be a tree which yields fruit and whose leaves do not wither. I want to prosper for God. What about you? Are you presenting yourself to God as coachable? Are you ready to learn and apply His word today? Are you following through? God wants us to not only hear His word and read His word, but to also learn and grow from His word. He wants us to be changed by His word. As a result, we should follow through by living our lives in a way that exemplifies His word.

Let’s pray. Dear Lord, open my eyes and ears to Your words for me today. May I be humble and yielding to Your message and may I apply Your word in the way I live out my life each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 NIV

My son has played baseball since he was 4. He loves baseball. He is passionate about baseball. As a young boy, he sometimes thought he knew everything there was to know about baseball. As he was growing and learning as a young player I often reminded him that it is important to remain coachable-capable of being easily taught and trained to do something better.

Today, I encourage you to reflect. Does God view you as coachable? Are you humble? Do you allow God to teach and train you to do something better? 

If you are worshiping in a corporate worship service today, be mindful of the way you approach the service. Are you participating with an open mind and willing spirit? Are your eyes, ears, and heart wide open and ready to receive the message God has for you? Are your hands and feet ready to respond to His message as you leave the service? Are you ready for the game of life He has set before you?

Let’s pray. Dear God, open my eyes, ears, and heart to the message You have for me today. May I be willing to listen and then respond to You as You coach me to be more like Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

“The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.” John 3‬:‭29‬ ‭NIV‬

Join me for See You Saturday as I talk about our Invitation from God to be His bride.

You can read the full passage in John 3:22-36.

Let’s pray though Jeremiah 33:11.

Dear God, I am full of joy and gladness at the sound of Your voice. I give thanks to You Lord Almighty, for You are good and Your love is everlasting. I seek to be Your bride. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

“‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’” Mark 1‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s invitation from God is to follow Him. As you can see in Ray’s key photo, fishing is a vital food supply to our area. We live along the beautiful coastline of the Low Country. There are many places to fish, shop, and dine for fresh, local fish. Take a moment to assess your faith in action. Are you following Jesus? Are you fishing for men by sharing your faith? What opportunities are you taking?

Sharing our faith with others should be as easy and enjoyable as catching fish. The truth is, sometimes we get paralyzed and can’t find the right words to say. Living out our faith in our actions and reactions can be just as powerful. The photo below is of our son Trevor fishing. He is holding a Red Drum out on Winyah Bay. This is both a passion and a stress reliever for him. The next time you share Your faith, go in confidence and be reminded of the simplicity of fishing. Let’s pray through Deauterotomy 31:8 to courageously guide us in sharing our faith.

Dear God, You are with me always. Thank You for never leaving me or forsaking me. Help me not to be afraid to share my faith. Help me not to get discouraged when sharing and living out my faith looks different than I had planned. In Jesus’s Name I pray, Amen.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s invitation from God is to come to Him to find rest. Deborah and I are blessed to get some much-needed rest this week over our Spring Break. We’ve also been blessed to spend some time planning for our Water Walkers blog with Ray, our retired partner, and friend. How do you find rest in God? For me, it is my devotion and quiet time. This is one of my favorite promises when life is busy or complicated. Ray’s key photo is a rocky terrain along the water. God doesn’t promise us an easy life but He does offer us rest when life’s path is rocky.

What do you think Matthew means by God’s yoke being easy? Take a moment to read the Message Translation of these verses. God says “I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you”. The simplicity of these verses reminds me of making tea cakes. I’ve included the recipe below. Just like God’s word, there are key steps you don’t want to rush through. The simple process of baking by hand, feeling the light and easy yoke as it slips through your fingers is an unforced rhythm. Let’s pray.

Dear God, Show me the areas in my life that I need to recover. I desire to find rest in Your unforced rhythms of grace. Thank You for walking with me through the rocky terrains of life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Tea Cakes Recipe

• 2 sticks butter softened
• 3 cups self-rising flour sifted
• 1 cup powdered milk
• 3 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Sift flour and powdered milk together and mix in sugar. Crack one egg at a time on a plate. Remove the chalazae which is the strand of membranes that attach the yolk to the shell. In a separate bowl, hand-mix softened butter, eggs, and vanilla together. Then hand-mix this with flour mixture. Dust your fingers with flour so that you can easily pinch a small amount and drop on a sprayed pan or pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 325 for 15 minutes on the top rack.