Daily Reading for Sunday, Jan. 13

Philippians 4:8-9 “For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.” The Amplified Bible

In this life that we lead, in these days that are evil, we have many temptations, trials, and opportunities that come before us each day. By knowing our values and acting solely from them, we can triumph over the temptations and in the trials, and optimize the opportunities (even if that means turning some away). How are we going to model our lives? On the Word-values we have, or some fleeting idea? Once we solidify our values and allow all decisions to emanate from that core, we will have less doubt in our hearts and more well-being in ourselves. Paul tells us that the God of peace will be with us as we live in such a manner. Steven Covey takes that biblical principle and states it thusly: “By living Your Core Values, not only are you more successful, you enjoy your success more. You also achieve your outcomes with less effort and conflict.” Notice the highlighted words that point to the results of the peace of God reigning in our lives. We can have that peace when we remain true to our values and committed to the path that they illuminate.

Such is the purpose of our church values. We have prayed, evaluated, discussed and discerned what is of primary importance to us as a church. We have listed those things which we believe are most important to us as a church. Not just in function, but as the guideposts on our ministry journey. We will have many opportunities to minister as a church, We will have many personalities, callings, and giftings come here to make up this body. But to truly function as a whole, we must have our values fixed so that we can help the members of the body use those amazing giftings, abilities, and callings to their best and highest potential. This is why we have emphasized our values so much—and this is why we, as individuals, must have our values in place and be operating from them. As we pursue Christ with all our hearts, with all our minds, and with all our strength, let us do so without the entanglements this world would seek to place on us. We will always have limits in time, money, and energy. But we dare not have limits to our dedication to our values which keep us focused on the way of kingdom living.

From Your Core Values you can expect to . . .
...gain real clarity about who you are and what you stand for
...make better choices about where you spend your time and who you spend it with
...see why and how your values affect your bottom line
...have more passion in your purpose & purpose in your passion
...discover how your core values drive and direct your purpose
...stay inspired and motivated; overcome discouragement
...notice if, when and why you’re off-course
...learn how to prioritize your goals
...help your family and your [church] to develop their values
...get more of the right things done
...stay focused on what matters most to you
~Stephen Covey

Daily Reading for Saturday, Jan. 12

James 1:5-8 “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

“Values exist and have meaning only within a web of other values, not in isolation. For example, if I say that honesty is important to me, then you might expect that I will always tell the truth. But, in fact, knowing that honesty is important to me will give you little
idea as to whether I will always tell the truth unless you know the priority I place on honesty relative to my other values. If I place a higher priority on being liked than on honesty, then I may not give you honest feedback if I fear doing so would alienate you. This is an example with just two values. The situation gets much more complex when our top 10 or 20 values are in play. It also means that people with shared values, but with different value priorities, may behave in radically different ways. Thus, in working with an individual or an organization, it is not enough to know what their values are – you must also explore their value priorities. And, if you want to help that individual or organization change, then the best strategy is to help them re-prioritize their most important values, not for them to prioritize their less important values more highly.” Mike Munro Turner

Yesterday, we discovered what was most important to us, and we wrote it down. Today, we place priorities on those values. As the above passage explains, the priority of our values impacts our actions much more than simply having values. What do we consider to be the highest, most fundamental value we have? If all else were stripped away, what would we consider to be the greatest value upon which to build our value system? When we answer that question, we can then see real transformation take place in our lives. We are no longer “double-minded” as described by James, but we are focused solely on those things that God has given us to be and to do.

Daily Reading for Friday, Jan. 11

Matthew 13:45-46 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

“Values describe, and provide a means of talking about, what is
important to us. They are ideals we hold that give significance and
meaning to our lives and hence they underpin our beliefs,
influencing the decisions we make, the actions we take, and the life we lead. Understanding values helps us to understand how we create our own reality and gives us insight into the personal realities of others.” Mike Munro Turner

Take a moment today, if you have not already, and write down those things you value the most. Be very specific. Then compare the amount of time you spend on those things you say you value the most. What wins? In most cases, you’ll find that there are many things that demand a great deal of attention in your life, but they are not what you value. They may be good things, they may even be Godly things, but they are not in line with the God-given values and directives you have for your life. If you have found that there is a wide chasm between what you say you value and the time spent on those things you do value, it is time for an adjustment. Prayerfully ask the Lord to help you identify those things that you truly value. And, check your love level. See if you are abounding in love.

Daily Reading for Thursday, Jan. 10

Matthew 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

“How different our lives are when we really know what is deeply
important to us, and, keeping that picture in mind, we manage ourselves each day to be and to know what really matters most.”
—Stephen Covey, author and speaker

Jesus told us that the kingdom of heaven consisted of individuals who, when they realized where their treasure was, did all they could to legally obtain it so that they could have full claim to it. When we look at what we truly value, and we write down our core values—those values that are vital to our living our life as God desires and intends—we become like that man who found the treasure in the field—full of joy, ready to abandon anything that would hinder us from obtaining the treasure, and doing all we can solely for the purpose of getting the prize. Our values are not the prize; they help us obtain it. The prize is living out the destiny God has spoken over our lives; our values keep us in the race. They help us not be deterred or distracted. We cannot reach our destiny if we do not know our values. Look at the Stephen Covey quote. How different would your life be if you lived according to what was of the deepest importance to you? How different would this church be if we lived according to what was of the deepest importance to us?

Daily Reading for Wednesday, Jan. 9

Philippians 1:10a “So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences]…” The Amplified Bible

Yesterday, we discussed the foundational role that love plays in determining our values. We must not make the mistake of having any other starting point. There is a statement that says “If you begin what a wrong assumption, you will end up with the wrong conclusion.” How true that is. When we really take a long, hard look at what we value, we must start with love. The bible passage tells us that Paul wanted our love to abound so that we could learn to sense what was vital—what mattered above all else—and approve and prize that which has real value. When we approve something, we not only believe that it is valuable, we act as though it does. When we prize something, we do all that we can to attain that which we prize. Two runners may have equal ability—but the difference comes between which runner prizes the victory the most. When we make the leap from belief to action, we must have our values cemented in the love of Christ, so that we can truly live and strive for those excellent things that a Christ-filled person prizes above all else.

Daily Reading for Tuesday, Jan. 8

Philippians 1: 9-10a “And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment]. So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences]…” The Amplified Bible


Sometimes it seems to be a difficult task to list your values. You know what you value, but you may not be able to clearly define it. Paul’s prayer for the Philippian believers was that the growth of their love that comes from their rebirth in Christ would result in greater ability. Ability to do what? Ability to posses the knowledge and insight needed to cut through all those things that seek to have you—your attention, your gifts, your abilities—so that you may discern what is truly valuable and worthwhile in your life. Only from the starting point of love can you achieve that result. Any other starting point, and you’ll find yourself valuing things that really have no imperishable, eternal value. And it is only those things that we must seek and put our greatest effort and ability towards.

Daily Reading for Monday, Jan. 7

Philippians 1:10 “So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences], and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless [so that with hearts sincere and certain and unsullied, you may approach] the day of Christ [not stumbling nor causing others to stumble].” The Amplified Bible

This is a new day. A new year. A new beginning. What new things do you want to see spring up inside of you as you gaze into the unknown vastness of the journey you are upon? You are on a quest, a quest toward destiny—the destiny that God foreknew and fore-destined you to walk in. The key to finding your path of destiny is to know your values. As this verse says, real value is recognizing that which is the highest and the best. It distinguishes the moral differences between that which is good and that which is God. Your values determine what you should place priority upon, and what you shouldn’t waste time on. Without values, you cannot sense what is vital, you cannot prize what is excellent.

Core Values Daily Devotional: Week 1 Values

Thank you for visiting the Lighthouse Fellowship Church of God blog. Both Pastor and I will be adding posts from time to time that we hope will be inspirational and informational.

This first series of blogs is going to center around the preaching series that Pastor is bringing forth on the core values of the church. Each day, we will post the daily readings from the devotional guides that have been prepared to supplement the weekly preaching and hopefully, enhance your understanding of the heart of the values being discussed.

For those of you visiting our blog who are not a part of our local church, let me offer a little background. For the past couple years, it has become ever more apparent to us as a church that we have drifted into a sea of complacency and ineffectiveness. We have been as busy as ever, but not seeming to accomplish much of anything that really mattered. So the elders took a good, long look at us as a church, and they realized that we needed a fresh start. A clean slate. A new launching pad. And so, they gathered together in August of '07 to seek the Lord and what He wanted for this body of believers. What came out of that meeting was the intense conviction that we must be transformed to once again be the church Christ intended.

To that end, our elders clarified the values upon which this "new church" would be built and encapsulated a vision for the church from these values. From these core values, we desire to be a body not just adjusted but transformed. We believe that by identifying what we believe to be most important and of highest priority in our church's value system, we surrender our agendas to the Lord and submit to His--for we believe that He has led us to focus on these values and to hold them dear. They are our guideposts on this road to transformation so that His glory may be manifest through us as we seek to exalt the Lord, help the saints of God grow in their walk, and help others who are seeking the Lord find Him.

In that spirit, we begin a discussion of our church's core values. Our march towards transformation begins as we explore more deeply the principles of value-based living and the values we as a church have deemed to be of highest priority and importance. If you are attending our church, you will receive a devotional guide for each of the next 8 weeks. We prepared these devotionals to supplement the preaching about the core values and to help motivate you to action as you grapple with these concepts.

I hope you enjoy these posts and will glean many good things from the Holy Spirit as we explore these core values together. ~Jennifer