DAY 1 - LOVE

 “There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.”  (John 15:13)

We live in a world where the word ''love" is used to acquire something from another person.  People will say that they love something or someone so that they can obtain possession of the object of desire. You may have experienced love in this way and now you feel that it is just an empty word with no real meaning. Jesus said the "love" as it relates to being a follower of him is a word of action. This love is seen in the laying down of one's own life for another. Jesus was willing to lay down his life to set free the souls of all people even if this meant going to the cross. The question that remains for us today is what are we laying down for others. In your most intimate relationships, what are you doing for them that is showing that they are most important to you? What are you laying down? When you tell them that you love them, what does that mean to them? Jesus said that no greater love exists than this, and as an IronMaker, we must show them the love that will last a lifetime.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Stop what you are doing and through an act of kindness, show love to someone that is close to you.

Prayer:  Lord, give me a heart of love that others can see, and use me to show Your love to the world.

John Branning

Lead Pastor, Central United Methodist Church

Chaplain (MAJ) 185^th Theater Aviation Brigade

DAY 2 - CONFLICT

"Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from?  

Is it not from this, from your passions that battle inside you?"  (James 4:1)

Life. When we stop for a moment and think about our lives and the world we live in, more easily than not, the conflicts in life arise faster than the joyous times. Conflicts seem to be a part of our human nature. As followers of Jesus, we are not exempt from conflicts, yet, I believe we have a greater challenge in the conflicted world to rise above the conflicts in the way God would handle conflict. God's way of handling conflict is not a ten-step process to gaining peace in this world, but God gets to the heart of the matter that works from the inside out. I encourage you to open the Word of God to James 4 and read verses 1-12 out loud.

Among that verse, we see God getting to the heart of the matter, and he began with looking at your own heart. In summary, the way to approach conflict the way God does is in these four ways:

      1.      Looking at what you desire and examining your selfish way (4:1-3)

       2.    Turning from your ways and accepting God’s grace for you (4:4-6)
       3.      Submitting to God (Draw near to God) and resisting evil (4:7-10)
       4.      Loving each other (4:11-12)

Our natural instinct, when conflicts arise, is to blame one another. Let us not forget the first sin and who blamed who. God always works opposite than our ways. He says, look at yourself, examine your heart and desires, then allow God to resolve the conflict. I don’t know what conflict you have, but I encourage you today to know that God knows how to resolve the conflict better than anyone, even yourself.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Draw near to God today. Humble yourself in his presence. Find a quiet place where no one can bother you, and for just five minutes sit in the presence of God and allow his peace to cover over the conflict. At the end, give thanks to God for a moment of relief.

Prayer:  Oh Lord, thank you for being the author and giver of peace in this world and in my conflicts today. Help me to know that you are always with me. Help me to draw near to you in those moments of conflicts. Thank you, Father. Amen.

Rev. Kristina Crabtree

DAY 3 - MERCY

“God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”   (Matthew 5:7)

Grace and Mercy. We often confuse the two, but they are not the same thing at all. Grace involves a gift of something that is undeserved. Mercy, on the other hand, is the withholding of something (usually punishment), which is deserved.

God has extended great mercy to us by withholding the full measure of judgment against us for our rebellion against him. Therefore, should we not show mercy to our fellow servants in our dealings with them. Yet, something in our human hearts desires retribution. We often feel that mercy shown to someone who has wronged us thwarts the dispensation of justice. Yet, the only way for us to receive God’s mercy is to show mercy to those around us.

Jesus quotes Hosea saying: “I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.” And this is also not to be confused with forgiveness. Forgiveness still allows for the full punishment for the misdeed to be carried out. “Even though I forgive you, I want to be sure you have learned your lesson.” Mercy is a matter withholding the punishment that is deserved. (For more information read Matthew 18:23-33.)

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  In some small matter today, where you have the ability to exercise justice – something as small as withholding a smile to a friend or loved one – take the opportunity to show mercy.

Prayer:  Merciful God, you know the wicked desire we have for full justice to be served on those who wrong us. Grant us the courage to show them mercy just as you have shown mercy to us. 

Bob Peden

DAY 4 - DEATH

“No one can live forever; all will die. No one can escape the power of the grave.” (Psalm 89:48)

We have all had those life-changing moments – the death of a parent, child, spouse, sibling, or close friend. We tend to run from the fact that death is a part of living until we run into it face-to-face. As a good friend once reminded me…we are all terminal.

Some years ago, I read an “object lesson” for children that I have since used many times. It goes something like this: “Many years ago, in a time we do not remember, we were in our mother’s tummy – warm, safe, fed. Everything was perfect. When the time came for us to be born, we surely did not want that. We did not want to leave our perfect world. Then in a matter of moments, we came into this world – bright lights with talking and laughter. As we grew, we got to taste all different kinds of foods, make friends, play, and explore. Once here, we cannot imagine ANYTHING that would be more wonderful than this. But one day, we will go to a place even more beautiful than this. Just like the time we were in our mother’s tummy, we don’t want to leave; but God has promised us eternal life with Him that is FAR more wonderful than anything we could ever experience here.”

To me, that simplistic “object lesson” puts both life and death in perfect perspective, even for adults. You see, death always exposes our hidden fears. We have been hiding from our fears sine Adam and Eve hid from God because of their nakedness.

As we walk through the valley of death, either for ourselves or with others, we need to put death in the place it deserves…as an integral part of what we believe. It is but a stepping stone to life eternal. God was with us during our first breath and will be with us for our last breath on earth as we begin eternal life with Him.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge: Today, take a moment to be conscious of your breath. Slowly inhale, then exhale. Do it several times. Feel God’s presence as your lungs fill with air. Be reminded of His presence in your life, both here, and in life eternal.

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for this beautiful world in which I have the opportunity to live. May I be reminded, however, that this world is only a temporary dwelling place and that my life here is only a small journey on my path to life eternal. Take away the fear that surrounds the unknown of death; replace it with a joy and peace that only you can give. Amen.

Sabrina Williams

DAY 5 - GRACE

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

(Ephesians 2:8 NIV)

Grace. Maybe you say it before a meal or maybe you offer someone forgiveness long before they ask for it. Either way and in any circumstance, grace goes before us. Long before any of us were born or walked this earth, God’s grace traveled before us; preparing the way for our arrival. Grace is God saving us from our fervent follies long before we realize it, while grace constantly and consistently pursues. Grace is God’s invitation to respond to this unwavering and undying action with faith and trust that God will catch us; receive us; embrace us on the other side of our choices. Receive this free gift from God in faith today.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Receive God’s grace. Hold your hands palm-side up and pray the prayer below.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus of Nazareth, High Priest of Heaven, I open my arms wide to receive your grace today. Live in and through my life to show grace to others, this day. Amen.

Jonathan Crabtree

Pastor of Student Ministry

DAY 6 -TRAGEDY

“And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.”  (Mark 13:7-8, ESV)

Today, we are certainly not in short supply of tragic events. I am unsure if these occurrences are becoming more frequent or if the media simply chooses to focus on them. At any rate, we hear of such things and are affected by them in one way or another. Maybe, you the reader, have personally experienced a tragic event in your life. For the majority of us, we have been alarmed by what we have heard. We hear of the tragedies of war, terror, and natural disasters. Even our countries political climate has some forecasting the downward spiral of this nation, which is cause for major concern. Current and projected tragedy grips our hearts and paralyzes our minds. 

When the Roman Empire fell in 476 A.D., most Christian believed the end of the world was imminent. People were convinced that life was over. However, once things settled down and the dust cleared, the community of faith continued to be just what it was called to be, to tell of and demonstrate the love of God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The community of faith gathered itself together and began feeding those starving, taking care of the sick, and preaching the Gospel to the poor.

Every one of us will be affected by tragedy in some way, and as Jesus puts it, life will seem hopeless during those moments. But the promise of the Gospel says that tragedy does not have the last word in this world. In fact, there is nothing that can ever happen where God’s grace and mercy will not be made evident.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Jesus said that wars, the rise and fall of nations, natural disasters, and loss of life will continue to happen until he comes back to reconcile all things unto himself. How strong will your trust in Jesus be when the next tragedy occurs?

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, help those who have been affected by tragedy, and may You use me to respond in such a way that reflects Your nature.

Rev. Dennis Gossett

DAY 7 - COMPASSION

“Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” (Mark 6:34)

Five times in the Bible we read the phrase “moved with compassion;" four of the five are references to the compassion of Christ. True compassion will always move you to do something for others. Jesus and his disciples were exhausted, and the disciples understood that they did not have enough resources to care for so many. The disciples wanted to send the crowd away, but Christ’s compassion would not allow them to be sent away empty. Compassion took thousands, who would have been sent away faint, and fed them until they were full with leftovers.

In your world, you will come across so many people that are empty in life. They have tried everything to find peace and security but have nothing to show for it. You are the one that can show the compassion of Christ to them by the words that you speak and love that you offer. You don't need bread and fish but a heart willing to make a difference.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Invite someone to spend time with you and make the time spent about the other person. Ask them to tell you something about them that you don't already know and see what God can do with it.

Prayer:  Lord, allow me to show compassion to all people and to witness to Your grace.

John Branning

Lead Pastor, Central United Methodist Church

Chaplain (MAJ) 185^th Theater Aviation Brigade