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Attitudes for Effective Living March 15, 2007

Key Bible verses: Psalm 119:59; Luke 6 Here's a Scripture-packed exhortation to consider our ways and be watchful concerning the direction of our lives. Pastor Jeff Perry highlights biblical attitudes that are essential to being an authentic Christian, and he calls us to right thinking, frequent mid-course corrections, and hearts that are responsive to God and faithful to His ways.

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MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR OPPORTUNITY March 15, 2024

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving. Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Colossians 4:2,5


1. BE AN APPRECIATOR. In Colossians, Paul writes about praying with alertness and gratitude. God has opportunities for us – to love people, to walk through open doors of influence, to move mountains – but when we gripe and murmur, it takes us out of our moment of opportunity and into focusing on the negative. Instead of inspecting how big and wonderful God is, we begin an introspection of our own failings. If we shift and begin to appreciate the redemptive hand of God and His amazing, abiding affection and mercy, our expectation rises, and we notice opportunity.

ap·pre·ci·a·tor, noun 
A person who is fully aware of something and understands it.  
 
2. EXPECT GOOD THINGS. "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). When my wife was in her later months of pregnancy, she was such a picture of expectancy. Even as a dad, I was expecting and looking forward to another kid coming into my life. Whether we can see them coming or not, we can get excited about the good things God will do in our lives. He is working everything after the counsel of His own will (Ephesians 1:11). So, with the assurance that God is working it all out, we become noticers. We understand and perceive with our heads up and our eyes open; we realize that God is ordering our steps and has a plan for each of our days.

3. DEVOTE YOURSELF TO PRAYER. Whatever season of life you are in, God wants to use you right where you are. Maybe you are stuck at home without a car or because of health reasons and have extra time to pray. I remember an older woman whose husband passed, and she spent the next two years of her life praying 8-10 hours a day until she went to heaven. She made the most of her time with a devotion to prayer that amazingly moved mountains and influenced and impacted lives. We are all in different stages of life and busyness. You may be able to pray only five minutes at a time right now, but God hears and answers your prayer. It's not the quantity, it's the quality. Implement it. Devote yourself to it. But always approach it with an attitude of thanksgiving, praying that God would open a door for the Word and that we would make the most of every opportunity.
 
PRAY THIS PRAYER:

God, I pray that You will help me make the most of every opportunity I have today. In every interaction, text message, phone call, face-to-face moment with people, and even in my solitude and quiet, help me make the most of my time. I pray a blessing on this day in Jesus' name, amen.
 
Press on! 
Pastor Jeff Perry 

Copyright © 2024 St. Louis Family Church, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.  “Appreciator, N.” WordNet 3.0 by Princeton University, 2006, https://www.wordnik.com/words/appreciator.  Accessed 14 March 2024.

A HEART OF THANKSGIVING November 23, 2023

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 
 

DETOX WITH THANKFULNESS. When we express gratitude, it's a game-changer and a mind-renewer. People go on detox programs for their liver or their intestines, and those things are helpful for the body. Thankfulness goes a long way to help us detox from meanness and selfishness. The Bible says that "The eyes of a person are never satisfied," which shows the human tendency we all have to be demanding and insistent on our own way and needs (Proverbs 27:20). But when we renew our minds and have an attitude of gratitude, we get free from those fleshly tendencies and instead start appreciating our lives.


MAKE A GRATITUDE LIST. The Holy Spirit wants to give you a boost today. I encourage you to itemize three or four things you are thankful for. If you are home alone, thank God you have a home you can be alone in. If you are surrounded by people, maybe some that you haven't seen for a while or some that you don't have an ease of flow with, thank God you have the opportunity to walk in love. Take a moment to go outside and thank God for making everything around you. Discouragement has a hard time growing in a heart that continually reminds itself how good and faithful God is.  


Happy Thanksgiving!
Pastor Jeff Perry 

PRAY THIS PRAYER:
Father, I thank You for Your goodness towards me today. I enter Your presence with thanksgiving and praise. I acknowledge Your love and faithfulness. Thank You that You are my savior; I receive Your mercy. Thank You for being my healer; I receive Your healing power into my body. Thank You for being my provider; I receive Your blessing into every area of my life today. The joy of the Lord is my strength. I love You, Jesus – amen! 
 


thank′ful·ness, noun
Expression of gratitude; acknowledgment of a favor.
Gratitude; a lively sense of good received.

Copyright © 2023 St. Louis Family Church, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. “Thankfulness.” Webster’s Dictionary 1828, MasonSoft Technology Ltd., https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/thankfulness. Accessed 20 May. 2023.

SALVATION July 21, 2023

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ.
Colossians 4:2-3a


1. SALVATION IS FOR EVERYONE. God desires no one to perish but all to come to eternal life (2 Peter 3:9). Before I was saved, I was lost and in darkness. But God, in His mercy and grace, was knocking on the door of my heart. At five years old, I remember reaching out, wanting God, trying to figure Him out. I yearned for truth. I hardened when I became a teenager, and I began to follow the patterns of my peer group and go further and further into lostness. But then, as God was drawing me, I began again to seek. And the Bible says, if you seek, you’ll find; if you knock, the door will be open (Matthew 7:7).

2. SALVATION IS FOR THOSE BOTH NEAR AND FAR OFF. Some people are open to God – like the man Jesus looked at and said, “You’re not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34). This person was seeking truth and was hungry for what Jesus had to offer him. Other people dismiss and ignore the message; Psalms says, “Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes” (Psalm 119:155). Indifference and apathy are dangerous. That’s why we’ve got to take the message to the lost and introduce it to them in a non-threatening and effective way – in our conversation, in our interactions with people, and in our performance at our jobs – people are observing us.

Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. Colossians 4:5-6

3. PRAY FOR OPEN HEARTS AND OPEN DOORS. 
As you talk to different people, you’ll find that they will have different degrees of interest, and sometimes their hearts will have been prepared beforehand – someone might have been praying for them before you even crossed paths. That’s why it’s so important that we pray for the hearts of people who need Jesus – pray that God would send laborers to cross their paths and that they would be receptive to the gospel. We are called to be evangelistic – not obnoxious or annoying – but available to minister to someone else in the way God wants to use us. Spend time in the Word every day so that the Word is what comes out of you; spend time praying; ask God to use you in your daily life and interactions. He will!

PRAY THIS PRAYER:
God, You said in the Bible that he who is wise wins souls (Proverbs 11:30). I pray that You would give me wisdom and fill me with the content of the Scriptures so I am ready with a good word. Help me with this. I pray that there will be a breakthrough in my interaction with the lost and that they come to know Jesus by the hundreds of millions in my lifetime. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, amen.

sal·va·tion, noun
Deliverance from the power and effects of sin.
The agent or means that effects salvation.
Preservation from destruction or failure.
Deliverance from danger or difficulty.

Press on!
Pastor Jeff

Copyright © 2023 St. Louis Family Church, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. “Salvation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salvation. Accessed 20 Jul. 2023.

OVERCOMING POWER July 18, 2023

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John 5:4-5


1. GET CERTAIN. Our beliefs, when rooted in and built on God’s Word, create supernatural strength and power. When you are attacked in an area of uncertainty, go to the stabilizing Word of God to get your mind renewed. Knowing God’s will through His Word will take you from disorientation to focus, from depletion and defeat to confidence and courage.

2. GET AN ATTITUDE. God desires for each person to be healed, delivered, protected, and made whole. When you get hit with challenges, resist the enemy by equipping yourself with God’s promises. Instead of playing into the devil’s lies, go to God’s Word, cast down imaginations, watch what you say, and receive power from God for the answers to turn your circumstances around.

3. GET GOING. We are called to be watchmen on the wall, holding up our shields to quench all the fiery darts of the enemy. Like the Bible heroes of old, we too are required to fight the good fight of faith. Jesus has anointed us to bring healing to the hurt, restoration to the broken, and to save those who are crushed in spirit. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it. Breakthrough and freedom are on the other side of the battle.

DAILY CONFESSION:
The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble. He knows those who take refuge in Him. I resist the devil, and he flees from me. I draw near to God, and He draws near to me. I cast down imaginations. I take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. I crucify my flesh, and I walk in the Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.

pow•er, noun
The ability or capacity to act or do something effectively. The ability or official capacity to exercise control; authority.

Press on!
Pastor Jeff

Copyright © 2023 St. Louis Family Church, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. “Power.” The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition, Harper Collins Publishers, https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=power. 12 July 2023.

FOCUS ON THIS April 14, 2023

Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze
be fixed straight in front of you.
Watch the path of your feet and all your ways will be established.
Do not turn to the right nor to the left; turn your foot from evil.
Proverbs 4:25-27

 

1. FOCUS ON STABILITY-PRODUCING SCRIPTURE INSTEAD OF THE INSECURITIES OF THE WORLD. Jesus is a strong foundation, and we can base our lives on Him. He is the safe landing place. When we stand on His promises – by thinking about them and becoming familiar with them – they will get into our situation and produce delight. Whatever is creating consternation will lift and, in its place, will be joy, hope, and renewal.

2. FOCUS ON JESUS INSTEAD OF YOUR PROBLEMS. Farmers often put blinders on plow horses to help them not get distracted by what’s in their peripheral vision so they can stay on the right path. When we fix our eyes on Jesus and His Word, it helps us to stop looking to the left and the right. Instead of veering off into the distraction of the devil, who comes to steal, kill, and destroy, we stay on God’s path, which is abundant life (John 10:10).

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:1-2a

3. FOCUS ON TODAY INSTEAD OF THE PAST. 
Yesterday is over. God’s mercies are new every morning. If you need to repent of something, if you need to change your mood, attitude, or outlook, remember it’s the kindness of God that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). You can repent right now and ask God for help to change and to yield to Him more. God’s Word is Spirit and life, and it is fuel for your spiritual walk (John 6:63). He covers your sins (Romans 4:6-8; Psalm 32:1), and now you are a new person in Christ (1 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 1:9).

Press on!
Pastor Jeff Perry


fo·cus, 
noun
A center of activity, attraction, or attention. A point of concentration. Directed attention: emphasis. A state or condition permitting clear perception or understanding. Adjustment for distinct vision.


PRAY THIS PRAYER:
God, Your Word is Spirit and life, and it is fuel for my spiritual walk. Today is a pivot point day. Right now, I fix my eyes on You. I trust You. Help me to crucify my flesh and yield more to Your Spirit. I pray that the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart become what You want, God. Help my words to line up with what You say about me in Jesus’ Name, amen. (John 6:63; Hebrews 12:2; Galatians 5:24; Psalm 19:14).

Copyright © 2023 St. Louis Family Church, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. “Focus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/focus. Accessed 12 Apr. 2023.

HOW TO HAVE A VIBRANT LIFE August 5, 2022

Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23

1. WATCH OVER YOUR HEART. We all have a muscle in the center of our chest. It’s called a heart, and it’s pretty amazing. It pumps about 2,000 gallons worth of blood every day. But just as the physical heart gives life to our body, our spiritual heart serves as the central element of our existence. That’s why Proverbs is telling us to watch over it with all diligence.

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From Fear to Faith! July 2, 2022

Peace I [Jesus] leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 14:27

Jesus told us not to let our hearts be troubled or fearful because He knew there would be opportunities to do so. The cure for despair is to take practical steps to move from fear to faith. When confronted with a challenge, we have a few options: (1) be apathetic; (2) freak out; or (3) get busy in faith.

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How to Run Your Race with Strength May 13, 2022
One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13b-14

Hey, Family Church!

God wants to meet your needs right where you are. Today can be a new beginning, a season of refreshing and strength. He will help you make big decisions, get you unstuck, and lift you out of depression.

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Pay Attention! February 27, 2022

My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to all their body. Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:20-23

1. GUARD YOUR HEART. When we enter the secret place with God, we obtain strength, direction and refreshing (Psalm 91 NKJV). But the strategy of the devil is to provide weapons of mass distraction that pull us away from attention to God’s Word. That’s why we must stay attentive — to guard our hearts and to keep life’s distractions from choking out the fruitfulness of the Word.

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