8/1/99 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
Now there are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. God manifests the Spirit through each person for the good of the entire church.
Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
Christ is all and in all. In Christ we find our access, unity, gifts and relationship to the Father and Holy Spirit. Jesus is the one. In him we become one. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. You will experience growth, encouragement, renewal and forgiveness. When we go to Jesus, we often find that the problems we are facing with others is caused by sin in our lives.
8/2/99 Romans 11: 29
God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.
Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
God uses broken people. When we find ourselves on our knees before the Lord, we are in the proper position for the Father to call us for service. Until we experience brokenness we will not be able to get beyond our pride and self-sufficiency.
8/3/99 1 Corinthians 12:11
It is the same and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.
Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
I must always be what God created me to be. If I refuse to celebrate the gifts God gives me I will always see myself as unworthy and falling short. My gifts are the gifts for which the Lord holds me responsible. God loves me and the gifts He gave me were the ones He wanted me to have.
8/4/99 1 Corinthians 12: 27
Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.
Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
The ground at the Cross-is level. Each one of us is loved of God. Our gifts are not indicators of God’s love for us. Our gifts are marching orders for service. Christ is the proof of God’s love. Exercising my gifts is proof of my love for God.
8/5/99 Ephesians 4: 15-16
We will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
We are works in progress. We strive mightily in full knowledge that we are engaged in spiritual warfare. Our strength is our faith not our accomplishments. All that we do we do as unto the Lord. When we fail we proceed rapidly into the presence of the Lord. He forgives and heals and sends us forth to serve. God uses broken vessels. When we find ourselves broken, get ready for service is at hand.
8/6/99 1 Corinthians 12: 24-26
So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other equally. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
God loves people most of all. When the focus of our heart is Jesus, God will be glorified and people will be loved.
8/7/99 Ephesians 4: 11-13
(Christ) is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.
Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
Our model for service is Jesus. We measure ourselves by Him. As we serve the Lord, we do not look to the left or right. Our eyes are upon the Living Lord and we are constantly seeking direction from Him. The bride of Christ is the church. Jesus loves the church. When we serve Jesus we will be active in the church and love it like Jesus does.
8/8/99 Romans 12:1
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?
Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
Serving God is a daily event. We cannot rest today based on yesterday’s work. It is important for us to understand and remember that a relationship with the Living Lord Jesus is a now relationship. We can be obedience because we love Jesus. Sacrifice is what we do to serve the Lord. Not my will Father but your will.
8/9/99 Romans 12:2
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.
Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
God’s plan for my life is good. He wants the best for me. If I will put the Lord first, he will make the things I do a blessing to those I serve and to me. If I can maintain my focus on Jesus, and willingly set aside sin in my life, the result will be a life lived that will be a great blessing for me in my older years. The Lord builds a no regrets life. No regrets today, no regrets tomorrow and no regrets in eternity.
8/10/99 Romans 12:3-6
As God’s messenger, I give each of you this warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has a different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others. Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
Our identity is in Christ. Changing the way we respond to worldly values is more than not touching and not tasting. It is a change in our hearts. We no longer want the forbidden things of this world. This is impossible to do unless a Christian is willing to make Christ the focus of his or her life. Jesus is all and in all. When He has all of us, we have all of Him.
8/11/99 Romans 12:6-8
God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
Do what you can. Be who you are. Don’t evaluate yourself in light of the things you can’t do. Tithe what you have. Pray about what is affecting you. Forgive those who hurt you. Love those you are with.
8/12/99 1 Corinthians 12:29-31
Is everyone an apostle? Of course not. Is everyone a prophet? No. Are all teachers? Does everyone have the power to do miracles? Does everyone have the gift of healing? Or course not. Does God give to all of us the ability to speak in tongues? Can everyone interpret tongues? No! And in any event, you should desire the most helpful gifts.
Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
Use what you have to help others. Don’t wait until tomorrow or until you get more. Use what you have. Do what you can. Be about the Lord’s business now.
8/13/99 Matthew 6: 31-33
Don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
Have you ever worried about those dead in their trespasses and sin? Are you concerned about your son or daughter? Does your mate know Jesus? Worry about eternal things if you must worry. God will take care of you.
8/14/99 Matthew 7:13-14
You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way. But the gateway to life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.
Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
What road are you on? Is Jesus Lord and Savior in your life? If you aren’t sure you are on the broad road. You are headed to hell. Better turn at the nearest intersection. Ask Christ right now to forgive you of your sin and be Lord of your life.
8/15/99 John 14:6
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
The way to the Father through Christ is wide enough for the whole world. This way creator is in charge. Not my way but His way, Christ is the only way.
8/16/99 Hebrews 3: 16-19
And who were those people who rebelled against God, even though they heard his voice? Weren’t they the ones Moses led out of Egypt? And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it the people who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom was God speaking when he vowed that they would never enter his place of rest? He was speaking to those who disobeyed him. So we see that they were not allowed to enter his rest because of their unbelief.
Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
If I trust God, I will change my life. This is simple to understand and easy to implement. Note that this is not a statement of finality but a declaration of a journey. My life in Christ is a life that is constantly being changed into the likeness of the living Lord Jesus.
8/17/99 Hebrews 4:1-3
God’s promise of entering his place of rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to get there. For this Good News— that God has prepared a place of rest— has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t believe what God told them. For only we who believe can enter his place of rest.
Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
The heart is the place of change. First I must accept Christ as my Lord and Savior. Then, with a new heart I can begin to work under His direction changing the way I am and the things I do. When I come to Him and believe that He has given me a new heart then it will be possible for me to begin new life in Christ.
8/18/99 Hebrews 4: 6-7
So God’s rest is there for people to enter. But those who formerly heard the Good News failed to enter because they disobeyed God. So God set another time for entering his place of rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David a long time later in the words already quoted: “Today you must listen to his voice. Don’t harden your hearts against him.” Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
When we hear God speaking to us is the time to respond to the offer of salvation. We are not promised tomorrow only today. When your heart is warmed and you soul is yearning, that is the time to respond to Jesus.
8/19/99 Matthew 11: 28-30
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.” Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
Jesus loves you. He will provide peace for your life. By faith you can find the comfort that you are looking for. You are not alone, nor are you at the mercy of the world. In Christ you can a meaningful life. Don’t despair. Don’t give up. At the point of your brokenness, Christ is waiting to provide healing.
8/20/99 Luke 12:22-24
Then turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “So I tell you, don’t worry about everyday life—whether you will have enough food to eat or clothes to wear. For life consists of far more than food or clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!” Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
Do your best and put the results in the Lord’s hands. We work and the Lord provides solutions. Stop worrying. Worry hurts you and disappoints the Father. God loves you and is thinking of you all the time. Trust the Lord. Stop worrying.
8/21/99 Luke 12: 25-26
Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not! And if worry can’t do little things like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things? Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
It is more productive to pray than to worry. It is more productive to work hard than to worry. Worry is a negative activity whose only purpose is to destroy your peace. In Jesus we find peace and comfort for our soul. The Lord is on your side.
8/22/99 Luke 12: 33-34
Sell what you have and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven have no holes in them. Your treasure will be safe—no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there will your heart and thoughts also be. Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
When Jesus is our focus, ministry is the result. When money is our focus, heartache is the result. Set aside money goals and make the Kingdom of God central in your life. Work hard, serve God and our eternal treasure will grow. Wealth comes to some in the form of money, but all of us can have wealth in our relationship with the Father.
8/23/99 Luke 12:35-37
Be dressed for service and well prepared, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. There will be special favor for those who are ready and waiting for his return. Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
Are you ready for the judgement day? Christ is coming back. You will not live forever. Our lives pass by in a flash. Lives lived carelessly have a way of vanishing before the careless one realizes it. Jesus could come back today. Are you ready?
8/24/99 Romans 14:1-3
Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. For instance, one person believes it is all right to eat anything, But another believer who has a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. Those who think it is alright to eat anything must not look down on those who won’t. And those who won’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
We are all weak in some areas of our faith and strong in other areas. The sooner we recognize that we are sojourners in this world and that this place is not our home we will begin to think properly about those that we live with. People count most of all with the Lord and we are called to make people count most of all in our daily lives. Watch what you say, take care with what you do.
8/25/99 Romans 14:12-13
Each of us will have to give a personal account to God. So don’t condemn each other anymore. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not put an obstacle in another Christian’s path. Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
God has His eye on you. He sees everything single thing you do. It is recorded and remembered. You are your brother or sister’s keeper. Be hard on your self and gentle with others. Not the reverse.
8/26/99 Romans 14:17-19
For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God. And other people will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up. Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
Think about Jesus. When you rise, when you walk, when you study, when you fail, when you talk, at all times think about the risen Lord. When you do this you will develop wisdom and restraint. As you grow you will become more like Jesus.
8/27/99 John 15:5
(Jesus said: ) I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
Soul winning, prayer, peace, joy, and love are included in fruit bearing. You just cannot do the work of God without being under the control of Jesus. He will direct your path and give you guidance for living.
8/28/99 John 15: 7-8
But if you stay joined to me and my word remains in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be be granted! My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my father. Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
God is glorified when we surrender ourselves to Jesus. We can do nothing apart from Him. When we let Jesus control our lives He will direct our path. Time with Jesus takes time. We are to allocate our time to include Bible reading, prayer time and reflection time. Time with the Lord is time well spent.
8/29/99 Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the command I have given you, and be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
The last words of a good friend are important. Jesus told his disciples that they were under his authority and that they should do the things that He had done. We are to be busy as the Lord’s representative in this life. Jesus will never leave us. We are not alone. Our call is to tell what He is doing in our lives.
8/30/99 Matthew 7:24-25
(Jesus said: ) Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock. Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
We are to listen and do. The doing must become a consistent part of our lives. If I listen and believe, I will do. How do I evaluate my Christian walk? By looking at my behavior and attitude. If it is Christlike then I am growing. If I continue to act like a pagan, then there is a disconnect in my Christian walk. I need to go back to Jesus, ask for forgiveness and strength to change and change. God is interested in my obedience.
8/31/99 Matthew 7:12
(Jesus said: ) Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. Hi, I’m Mike Clay with Today’s Good News.
The Golden Rule is an affirmation in a positive way of my responsibility for my brother or sister. I am to do for not to ignore or evade. When we treat others like we ourselves want to be treated we grow. When we do for others what we want them to do for us, we find that the true gift is the giving. We grow when we give like Jesus gave.
