September 29

Paul’s letter to the Christians at Philippi is among his most warmly autobiographical. His deep affection and strong relational bond with those he had led to Jesus in the face of fierce persecution was very strong. In its opening verses, he expresses his praise to God for their partnership in the Gospel and his deep conviction in the reality of the Lord’s providence. In the last chapter of this same epistle, Paul sets forth one of the greatest promises of provision to be found anywhere in Scripture – “…my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus...(vs. 19)” – and clearly links it to their ongoing relationship which was centered around a commitment to spread the Good News about Jesus whatever the cost.

In the opening verses of this book, which make up part of our reading for today, the Apostle also expresses his rock-solid conviction that God’s providential hand is at work in all of our individual lives, guiding and sustaining us as we walk with Him. He recognized, for instance, that not everyone in spiritual leadership was functioning out of the right motive or with the right agenda (“…some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love…the former preach Christ out of selfish ambition…” vs. 15-17). He also spoke quite candidly of the price he had paid personally to serve Jesus (“…I am in chains for Christ…” vs. 13). In spite of both of these difficult realities, he was convinced God’s purposes would prevail in and through him. He was personally committed to do whatever it took to finish his life’s work, even to the point of preferring to delay his personal entrance into eternal glory and fellowship with Jesus in the life to come so that he could serve the Philippian congregation (“…to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain…” vs. 21-26).

God wants to help each one of us to live our lives with that same perspective. As you walk through today and every day to come for the rest of your life, I encourage you to wrap your heart and mind around the very precious promise found in verse six:

“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

As you serve Jesus and seek with all your heart to do His will, remember:

“God is with you! God is for you! God will help you!”

Have a great day…!

Pastor Mark

September 24

Good morning!

What an amazing daily reading! My heart burns within me as I read. I love Isaiah. It's one of my favorite Old Testament books. I used to read it and highlight it as a child. Isaiah 43:18 proclaims, "Do not earnestly remember the former things; neither consider the things of old." Sometimes "former things" can be bad or tough times. Sometimes thoughts of the past are filled with regret. Sometimes memories of the past are full of really, really great memories...memories that can hinder us in the present because our life is not what it used to be.

Verse 19 declares, "Behold, I am doing a NEW thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." God is declaring a new thing for Hillcrest church and even personally for my life and many of ours. Do you perceive it? Will we cling to the past as a church and as individuals or will we heed, reach out and take hold of what God wants to do with you and I and will Hillcrest Church right now? Not only is He proclaiming that He is doing a new thing but that He will make the way for us and provide for us.

God goes on to describe Himself as He "who blots out your transgressions for His sake" and as the "First and the Last" as "Redeemer" and as our "Rock." Praise be to God on High!

In Isaiah 44, He tells us to "fear not whom I have chosen" and that He will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on dry ground." Do you know that YOU are chosen by God? He will pour His Spirit out on our descendants, His blessing on our offspring! Watch and see the Lord accomplish His Word in our church, in our children, in our city, Hillcrest!

To close, I'll pray Ephesians 3:16-20 over you in my own words.

Dear heavenly Father, I pray that You would strengthen each one of us at Hillcrest Church in our inner man through Your Spirit. Cause Christ to dwell in our hearts through faith. Root us & ground us in Your love & cause us to comprehend w/all the saints the width & length & depth & height of Your love which passes knowledge. And fill us with the fullness of God today. May You do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, and to You be the glory forever and ever. In Jesus' mighty name, I pray, amen and amen!

Blessings,
Rolanda Green
Hillcrest Children's Minister

September 23

Isaiah 41:17-43:13; Ephesians 2:1-22; Psalms 67:1-7; Proverbs 23:29-35

Here's looking at you kid!

Have you ever seen a little boy preparing to sing in the school Christmas play? Nervous hands and feet, crooked red bow tie he never wears and scared because he is desparately trying to remember the lyrics to the song. But then all the sudden the worry melts away from his face. Why? Because he sees his parents in the sea of faces, smiling, so proud of little Jimmy. I have also seen the face of children looking for the mom or dad missing in action. Maybe a promised attendance but once again falling short of expectations.

Why is it so important to see the face of your loved one? Because it reminds us of who we are and what we are made of. It proves that someone loves us unconditionally and we will never be alone. It fills our soul with joy and reassurance that we can make a difference. Are you still looking in the crowd for this face? Maybe it's not a Christmas play anymore but a workplace. You might be looking for this gaze of reassurance in your marriage or relationship. If you are looking for love, protection, safety, healing or that unconditional love, well I have good news today. You can find it in the eyes of Jesus. He has always been watching. With your nervous hands and feet, trying to be a perfect person and failing. Let your worries melt away as He looks at you right now.

Psalm 67:1
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, Selah

Blessings,

Pastor David

September 17

Hello Hillcrest family,

Today's passage that resignates with me greatly this morning is Isaiah 26:3 & 4. "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, for in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength." (NKJV) I don't know about you, but I want peace and strength. My family is moving from one part of Dallas to another today and need the peace of God as much as ever!

Peace according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary's second definition means: freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions. I love that definition because honestly our minds are totally a battle ground where good & evil fight to dominate. I can be in the middle of prayer time or in worship or some other special time when all of the sudden my mind becomes distracted by awful or at least unnecessary thoughts right at that moment and in reaction to that thought I can sometimes become stressed or agitated or put my focus on me instead of God. It happens to ALL of us! Before I know it, my peace is gone.

Well, there's a way to get it back and that is to stay our mind's on the Lord. Stay can mean to stop doing something and to continue in a place or condition and also means to be in waiting or attendance. The way I can get peace is to quiet my mind from the distracting, unnecessary thoughts (no matter how good or how bad those thoughts are) and to purposefully put my mind on Christ and on His Word and attend to Him. As we make a conscious effort to stop thinking about one thing and to start thinking about the Lord and His Word and blessings, our peace returns and our emotions come in check once again. However, the other key part to staying in a state of peace is trusting God.

Peace comes in knowing God and in trusting that what He says is true and will come to pass for YOU (not just someone else)! Knowing God is everything. Do you know Him? Really know Him? Do you purposefully focus your thoughts on Him? Do you believe what He says is true for you not just someone else? If not, I challenge you to bow your knee before Him today and cry out to Him to know Him...to really know Him and trust Him.

Blessings,
Rolanda Green
Hillcrest Children's Minister

September 16

Isaiah 22:1-24:23; Galatians 2:17-3:9; Psalm 60:1-12; Proverbs 23:15-16

I remember watching a show on television about the strongest men on the earth. One gentlemen showed his strength by pulling a big truck down the street with his TEETH! Wow, I thought to myself this guy is amazing! Then I thought, you know if I saw this guy pulling that truck with his teeth down the highway I would say,"This guy is a fool. Why doesn't he just get in the truck and drive it!" That is sort of what the Apostle Paul says to the Galatians in chapter 3 (NLT)

1 Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. 2 Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. 3 How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? 4 Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?

Why do we so often try to become perfect Christians by our own effort? Why would I think I can achieve anything for God without depending on Him and Him alone? If I look at my track record compared to His I see clearly that my efforts fail and He has never failed. I find the only way to start my life is to acknowledge His death for me. Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Are you showing your amazing strength today? Are you pulling that truck (perfect life) down the highway? STOP... get in and let Him drive.

Blessings,

Pastor David

September 3

God is good ALL the time, and His Word is life!

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 touched my heart as I read and sought God about this devotion. "Do not be unequally yoked w/unbelievers," God says. A yoke is a wooden device that joins two draft animals by the head or neck. For us it means, do not join ourselves intimately to unbelievers, to wickedness, to darkness, to idols. Through these verses God is calling us into deeper intimacy with Him and away from deeper intimacy with the world and the things of the world. We are His temple. He wants to dwell in us and to be our God. He wants our affection, our intimacy, our love & devotion. He wants us. He loves us. He wants us to be seperated unto Him so that He can fill us and be with us and walk with us. (Youth, do your music and tv shows and words reflect this?)

My mother, a precious godly woman, yoked herself to an alcholic, my dad, in one marriage. She thought she was doing better the second go around and yoked herself to a kind, wonderful man who may or may not be saved, who doesn't go to church like we do, and who isn't Spirit-filled. This unequally yoked initmate relationship cost my mother and our family 28 years of hurt, another failed marriage, and a very much so damaged testimony to our unsaved family members. My step-dad is a "good" man, but you might be surprised just how serious such an unequally yoked relationship really affects you and those around you. God gives us commands and shares His wisdom w/us because He loves us. Guard your heart and your relationships closely. As you live and work and move in this world, remember that you are His Temple & to live for Him by His Word & yoke yourself to Christ and those like Him!

Blessings,
Rolanda Green
Hillcrest Children's Minister