Morningside Devotionals

 Time, we're in it, God is not. God controls time. We don't. Listen carefully, my doctorate is in business statistics, read that; really heavy math- my expertise is planning- my associations with highly effective planners, names you might know; trained me as a strategist. Sitting down? The orthodox Jews say if you want to hear God laugh tell Him your plans... Time, we're in it, God is not. God controls time. We don't.  Means 70 years of the school of hard knocks have taught me, prayer really does matter. Hope you stayed seated- none of this is about you. Someone you will come to know in the coming week ("How does he know that?) or possibly longer, needs to know the Jesus you know.  They may be born again, but Christ spit 'em out. There's plenty of those- started hot- time(!), has slowed their roll, and now? They all wet... Think the disciples are random? Think the time(!) Jesus picks them is random? Think  where Jesus chooses them at is random? Think the sk...

 As you've no doubt noticed, these encouragement memos, drop off as my schedule gets consumed. Bet that happens to you? One my favorite movies is "Mr. Hollands Opus" One my favorite quotes when the Dean would be telling me to conform or be out of a job is: "Life is what happens when you're doing other things." And the insight in that sentence ought give even the strongest of you, pause. Honestly I've whined, prayed, ranted, and pretty much had a "Go ahead and discipline me King Jesus," Jonah type conversation over the Lord laying His Bent Knee Tribe in my heart. Feel enormously inadequate, and that's where He starts laughing; I love to hear Jesus laugh; and love His loving us, He whispers, "Go Dana, make disciples..." What my heart feels toward you of the tribe can't be adequately expressed, you pray- most of you, more than once a day, most of you, a lot! Thank God for you, for your loving Him. Saw the strange connect the vers...

  Discipleship is war. You are at war with evil. Jesus has you in it- you're reading this because you have been prayed over, and prayed over and prayed over in this way: "Jesus,  no disrespect my King, but not every follower can take this ministry? Lord please, do not let my sin affect their purity of armour? If You want them Lord buckle my ego, please hear my confession, please accept my repentance and grant them both armour and wisdom...oh, and yes Lord,  4...they uh, seem a tad slow in the math department. What's that Lord? They didn't read that Week 1 blog? You serious? We wrote it, You, Holy Spirit kept me chargin' for 2 days? Well yes Lord- true,  nothin' in eternity...I confess master..." David Cooper https://medium.com/@davidcoopa/sit-down-and-write-two-letters-5e94a95c9207 When Nikita Khrushchev was forced out as leader of the Soviet Union, he sat down and wrote two letters to his successor Leonid Brezhnev. He said, “When you get yourself into a...

  As we look deeper into discipling, let's think on the essence of what it means. First it's personal, which means, the mask comes off. Now that doesn't mean losing your mind. Don't misunderstand, read Amos 3:3 carefully. Personal mostly means you care.  Touch- it takes guts- it ain't fun- in fact I'll promise you, the love you expand in your soul toward Jesus and your 4 disciples- Huh? 4? Oh oh, you ain't found 'em yet? Know why? That love will cost you. Here you go, Peter Sillence Fleming, hmm...not a name you're familiar with. Don't misunderstand, discipling means taking them back to Jesus- back to Jesus, why do I say it that way, because, that's why we have brothers and sisters in Christ. In Christ- note that, in Christ- you take your disciples to Christ. That's the task- when Jesus talks in Matthew about His command the so euphemizied great commission- so misquoted, so missused, so mishandled; He said "Since you're going an...

  Lord You have absolute faith in us.  We need to grow up about what that means? You've given us the most astonishing gifts ever in the brief history of humanity? People, good people, have devoted their lives that we might have it better, You made that better possible, now we need to stand up, get bold, listen to You in Luke " 12:47 And that servant, which knew    his  lord's will, and prepared not      himself , neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many  stripes . Luk 12:48 - But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few  stripes . For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more."  Sounds like we...

  How close Lord, Jesus, how close will You allow us to be? Close enough to follow a thread centuries long? By eating, sin came, in the garden(!), and by eating, sin is defeated! "Take, eat, for this is My body." We share centuries, eons, with disciples who are now with You in heaven. Every one who has ever believed in You ,                                      [Luk 23:42 - Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.  Luk 23:43 - Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”]      You have saved! How close will You let us get? Yes, yes, that's it, isn't it, the miracle of all:  [ Eze 36:27 -  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.] You are beyond wonder Lord, centuries You give us as root to a vine of miraculous po...

  BY JESUS! Be encouraged, be hopeful, be alert, be ready, be faithful, be devoted, be loyal, be challenged- you get the idea, don't you? Or do you? Do you believe for even a second, that your participation in the Bent Knee Tribe is accidental? Do you perhaps entertain the idea that you are too busy to hammer out a half hour? Maybe you entertain the thought that Jesus has already a ministry you are busy with, so this bent knee business isn't of Him toward you? Maybe the idea of just another "Thing" to do, tempts you to dismiss Holy Spirit calling you to disciple disciples in this Jesus energized and commanded way? Be encouraged to read on, it's five minutes Holy Spirit gives you, from eternity. Phl 3:13 - Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, Phl 3:14 - I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Chri...