Romans 11:13-14 “For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.” NKJV

Life Lessons: God’s plan for you includes you reaching other people.

Real Christianity has to be about reaching others or it is not real.  Jesus reached out to others with the Good News of His coming.  If you are to be like Christ, then you also have to be reaching out to others with the Good News.  Jesus said go and reach the world. You are to take the church to the world, not just bring the world to church.  This is the heart behind Cross the Bridge…to take the church to the world; to look outside the church instead of inside.  I want to go where the unsaved are instead of waiting for them to come to us.  I would love for you to partner with me in this.  We just held a massive Cross the Bridge Outreach event in South Beach, Miami and saw over 165 people commit their lives to Jesus.  That is 165 people that may never have stepped foot inside a church building, but were willing to come to listen to awesome music and hear a simple evangelistic message they needed to hear. Cross the Bridge Outreach Ministries not only reaches through outreach events but also through our television, radio, and social media…speaking to people right where they are and not waiting for them to come where we are.  Your partnership counts. Every prayer, every dollar and every moment you are willing to dedicate to our shared endeavor will see a life changed … maybe even your own.

Dear Father, Thank You for Your love for each person on this earth.  Lord, it’s not Your will that any should be left out, but that everyone should have the choice to make; think about life, think about Jesus.  I ask you to bless Cross the Bridge Outreach Ministries and show me how I can actively partner with them in reaching the world.  I pray this in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee
Senior Pastor
Calvary Chapel of the Triad
Reachthetriad.com
336.996.6880

2 Kings 19:1 “And so it was, when King Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.” NKJV

Life Lessons: We should make a commitment to come to church.

In the current times, many people are finding themselves in difficult circumstances… whether in their family, their finances or some other facet of life. King Hezekiah faced a huge crisis situation with the Assyrian army besieging Judah.  His actions give us a wonderful model of what we should do when times turn tough.  Read the verse above.  What did Hezekiah do? He went to church.
Far too often, when Christians encounter difficulties, instead of going to the church, they seek comfort and counsel in the world.  That, my friend, will only compound the problem and exacerbate the situation.  Come to church. Worship God.  Seek counsel from godly people.  Pray. Don’t listen to your enemy, the devil.
How big is your God?  Now, how big is your problem?   If you think your problem is too big for God to handle, you need to think again.  God created the universe and He created you.  He He chooses kings and cuts down nations.  I guarantee you that He will overcome your problems.

Psalm 121:7-8 “The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.” NKJV

Dear Father,

Thank You for Your love. Thank You that I do not have to fear or worry because You will preserve me. Though this world would seek to destroy me, You have surrounded me in Your love and protection. I love Your Salvation, Your Yeshua. I give to you every trouble in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee
Senior Pastor
Calvary Chapel of the Triad
Reachthetriad.com
336.996.6880

Romans 11:6 “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.” NKJV

Life Lesson: You can either be saved or forgiven through grace or works.  You get to choose. (This is a trick question.  The answer is by grace.)

Salvation through works is at odds with salvation through faith.  Counting on the former, as a matter of course means, we cannot count on the latter.  The very nature of ‘doing’ to earn is in contrast to receiving without merit.  So what of those seeking to earn their entrance to heaven based on their works?

Matthew 7:22-23 “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” NKJV

Why not salvation by a system of works?  That, my friend, is an act of ‘chesed’– (Hebrew for loving-kindness) from our Lord.  God knows that in our fallen state we can never do a truly righteous work.

Isaiah 64:6a “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are like filthy rags;” NKJV

There is no other way.  It has to be by God’s grace through the mechanism of faith, which in itself, is a gift of God (see Ephesians 2).  If we could do it ourselves, we would get the glory instead of giving God the glory.  Jesus paid the price so that we wouldn’t have to; all we have to do is believe.  Two of the most beautiful words in the Bible are, “but God.”
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” NKJV

Dear Father,
Thank You for Your loving-kindness toward me.  I am truly grateful that I do not have to earn entrance to heaven based on my works. Thank You that Jesus paid the price. Thank You, Lord, for your grace and mercy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee
Senior Pastor
Calvary Chapel of the Triad
reachthetriad.com
crossthebridge.com

2 Kings 18:4-8 “He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan. He trusted in the LORD God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him. For he held fast to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses. The LORD was with him; he prospered wherever he went. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. He subdued the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city.” NKJV

Life Lesson: God is a blessing God and wants to bless His children.

Having just returned from Israel, I am freshly reminded how man can turn anything into an idol … even a gift from God.  While I was there, I was able to visit some traditional and historical sites.  Traditional is code for “it probably did not happen here” while historical means “it probably did happen here.” At many of the traditional sites, you will find people “worshipping” the place rather than the God who performed the miracle there. This was the very thing happening here in 2 Kings. The people of Israel had turned the bronze serpent, which God had worked healing miracles through, (Numbers 21:6-8) into an idol.

It’s so easy to turn your trust from God to things that God has given you as a blessing.  In other words, you love the gift and not the Giver.  Money is a big one these days.  Is it in ‘God we trust’ or in ‘money we trust’?  These present-days are testing where you place your trust.

Psalm 121:1-2 “I will lift up my eyes to the hills — From whence comes my help?My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.” NKJV

Are you looking to the high places of money worship or are you placing your trust in the Lord God who made heaven and earth?  God wants to bless you.  He loves to bless His children.  He wants you to place your trust in Him and not the world.  When you trust Him to provide, He does.

Dear Father,

Thank You for Your love.  Lord, I know it is easy for me to be distracted with the things of this world. Help me to keep my focus on Your will for my life. I surrender to You and place all my trust in You to provide.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee
Senior Pastor
Calvary Chapel of the Triad
Reachthetriad.com
336.996.6880

Isaiah 56:5 “Even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.” NKJV

Life lesson: Actions you do not take can be as bad as actions you do take. What you do not say may speak louder than what you do say.

Today, we visited the Israeli Holocaust Museum “Yad Vashem”. Yad Vashem means “hand and a name” in Hebrew. I would encourage everyone to make the trip to Israel at least once, and if you do, be certain not to miss Yad Vashem. It will change you forever.

One thing that should be striking to any Christian is the role the Christian Church played in the Holocaust. Six million Jews were slaughtered including one and a half million children. Where was the church? They were standing aside in silence.

Each day, we are faced with the decision to take an action or not; to speak out or say nothing; to help a need or disregard; to love or not to love. Sin is not only something done but also something not done.

James 4:17 “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” NKJV

Take a moment to pray and reflect. Allow the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart. What have you neglected to do? Now what do you need to do?

Dear Father,
Thank You for loving me. Lord, speak to my heart the ways I have neglected to serve You in my actions toward others. I am sorry Father. I truly love You and desire to serve You faithfully. Please fill me with wisdom and discernment to make decisions that reflect the truth of Your Word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee
Senior Pastor
Calvary Chapel of the Triad
www.reachthetriad.com
www.crossthebridge.com
336.996.6880

Ezekiel 37: 21 “Then say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land;” NKJV

Life Lesson: The time is now.

The fortress palace of Masada is located about 1500 feet above the surrounding land. With its sloping walls, most armies would have found it unreachable – but not the Roman army. In 66 AD, nearly 1000 Jewish men, women and children made a final stand against the forces of the Roman army. The standoff culminated in their mass suicide in order to avoid capture and slavery. Masada is significant in the hearts of Israelis who proclaim “Masada will never fall again.”

In 1948, Israel became an independent nation once again. The people here love their land and their country. God gave them this land.

While excavating in the synagogue of Masada, archaeologists discovered a fragment of scroll. This scroll contained Ezekiel 37, a prophecy about the rebirth of Israel. Today, this scripture has been fulfilled. God has given the Israeli people this land, and no one can take it away.

Friends, Jesus is coming soon. The prophetic timepiece is in place… Israel is back in the land. Are you prepared? A student once asked his Rabbi, “When should someone repent?” The rabbi responded, “One day before you die.” “I do not know when that will be”, protested the student. “Then repent now”, said the Rabbi. Friend, where are you with Jesus?

Dear Father,
Thank You for the truth of Your promises. Just as You brought life again to Israel, You also bring the same hope of vitality to me through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Remind me to feed upon Your Word daily. I give You all praise and glory for the promises You set before me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee
Senior Pastor
Calvary Chapel of the Triad
www.reachthetriad.com
www.crossthebridge.com
336.996.6880

Revelation 16:15 Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”NKJV

Life Lesson: Prepare your heart.

As I sit looking out over the Valley of Megiddo in Israel (where the Bible says the final battle will take place), I thank the Lord for His patience; that many may be saved.

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” NKJV

In earlier times and at the completion of a public performance, the author of a play would walk on stage; this was how people knew who wrote, created and orchestrated the play. In the same way, Jesus will walk on the stage of the world and all will recognize Him as the Author. For some, that day will be glorious, but for others it will be disastrous.

Romans 10:9-10, 13 tells us all who believe and call on the name of Jesus will be saved. The Bible also tells us that we should take a close look at ourselves to be certain we are in the faith. You see, there are visible evidences in our lives of where we stand as Christians.  A couple of those things are love for others, self sacrifice and good works. These things don’t save you, but they are an indication of your faith. Perhaps you should take a moment to reflect.  Are you prepared to meet Jesus?

Dear Father,

Thank You that You are not slack concerning Your promises. I desire to live a life surrendered to You. I desire that my life reflect Your promises, love and great mercy so that it encourages the lives of others around me. Thank You for Your longsuffering toward us. Your Word is faithful and Your covenant is forever.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee
Senior Pastor
Calvary Chapel of the Triad
www.reachthetriad.com
www.crossthebridge.com
336.996.6880