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2025 Kingdom-Minded 4 17 25 2024 Purchased – High Price; “As-Is” 1 3 24 Resurrection Power! 3 20 24 Brotherly Love 12 22 24 2023 Oneness With God And Other Believers 3 24 23 2022 Freely Receive And Freely Give 3 4 22 Blessings In Disguise 12 20 22 |
2021 Humble Yourself 2 24 21 Grace, Grace, And More Grace 4 6 21 Harvest Time! 12 31 21 2020 Let Your Light Shine 12 30 20 2014 Obedient Follower 3 24 14 & 8 8 20 Surrender 4 14 14 & 8 25 20 |
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Maundy Thursday, April 17, 2025 |
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Scripture: Luke 22:42-44 (NIV) – “‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’ An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Message: As the dark hour approached in which Jesus was to be arrested, the Scriptures tell us that He agonized. Jesus openly shared with Peter, John and James in the Garden of Gethsemane, that “His soul was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38). He had hoped to receive comfort and encouragement from His closest friends in those terrifying hours, as He pondered a decision which would impact the world for eternity, at a cost to Himself that was unfathomable. He prayed for strength! His emotional and physical reactions leave no doubt that, although conceived by the Seed of the Holy Spirit, and being fully God, Jesus was also fully human, with a free-will like each of us. The final steps to fulfill the centuries’ old prophecies of the coming Savior rested solely on the decisions and actions of Jesus, as the “Son of Man”. He had a choice! Besides the physical torture, Jesus contemplated the unimaginable torment of being separated from our Heavenly Father as He took the sin of the world on Himself and experienced the death and punishment that we all, as sinners, deserved. As the only sinless human, only He could pay the price for humankind. He used the same spiritual tools, in those difficult hours, with which believers in Christ today are equipped: prayer, Scripture, the Holy Spirit and its fruits (Galatians 5:22), and God’s comfort through humans or angelic messengers. The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 5:19, “For just as through the disobedience of the one man [Adam] the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man [Jesus] the many will be made righteous.” Prayer: Heavenly Father, when we think the cost of our time, money, emotional or physical comfort is more than we can sacrifice for Your Kingdom’s purposes, remind us of the obedience of Christ. We are eternally grateful for Jesus’ decision to do Your will, so that we never have to experience separation from Your Holy Presence. Empower us to be Kingdom-Minded as well! In Christ’s Holy name. Amen. Patti Gich |
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Christmastide - Wednesday, January 3, 2024 |
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Scriptures: John 3:16-17 (NIV) – “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) – “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Message: When I purchased my waterfront home nearly 20 years ago, I was aware of its need for costly repairs. I saw past its obvious problems to its potential value. My plans were to fix it, not to leave it in its current condition. I first focused on a foundation issue. The concrete pool deck was showing signs of collapse along the drain line. Forty bags of concrete were pumped into the hollow space below the deck’s surface to stabilize it. While doing the repair work, the contractor realized that the hollow space had become a haven for poisonous water moccasins! When the work was done, the pool deck was restored to its intended purpose as a place of safety, beauty, and enjoyment. Praise God! The quoted scriptures tell us that we are so loved by God that, before we even knew we were in need of major repairs, He created a divine plan for our purchase and our restoration, as opposed to the condemnation we deserve. He sent His Son Jesus into this world to be the ‘high price’ paid to redeem us, so that we can enjoy eternal life with Him. When we believe and accept this plan for our redemption, and begin our walk with God, Jesus can begin His work in us. He fills the pit of our own despair and sinfulness with His love and salvation. Only then are we prepared to fulfill the God-given purpose for which we were created. Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, as we celebrate this Advent season, we thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, into this desperate world; coming in the form of a baby, carpenter, and Savior, He alone paid the highest price (with His very life) to fix our spiritual brokenness and to miraculously make us perfect in Your eyes. In the Holy name of Jesus, we give You thanks and praise. Amen. Patti Gich |
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Wednesday, March 20, 2024 |
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Scripture: John 11:3-4 (NIV) – “So the sisters sent word to Jesus, ‘Lord, the one you love is sick.’ When He heard this, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’” “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ she replied, ‘I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.’” Message: In John Chapter 11, we see that Jesus saw an opportunity for a greater purpose to be served in this crisis. He decided to stay where He was for two more days after receiving word from the sisters that Lazarus was ill; however, He immediately spoke about what was not going to happen, and of what was going to happen in this situation. Specifically, the sickness was not to end in Lazarus’ death. Jesus’ purpose for not immediately going to save Lazarus, was twofold. Firstly, to glorify God, by demonstrating power over death, not just sickness; and, secondly, so that His disciples, and the many others who had gathered to console the sisters, would witness the greater miracle, and therefore believe that Jesus was God’s Son. While Martha was still in the midst of her despair over the loss of her brother, Jesus reminded her: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies…” “Do you believe this?”, He asked. Her response was, “Yes Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God…” How much more did Martha, and all those that witnessed Lazarus walking out of the tomb in his grave clothes, believe that Jesus was the great “I Am”! In observation of the Lenten season, we focus on Christ’s ultimate sacrifice on the cross. He had proven His authority over natural death through His raising of Lazarus. Now, through His own death and resurrection, Jesus declares an even greater victory; the world’s fatal sickness (sin) will not end in spiritual death to anyone who believes Jesus is the Son of God – the One who came to take away the sins of the world. Prayer: Dear Jesus, help us to trust in Your plan when it looks to us that we’ve reached a dead end with nowhere to go. Like you did with Martha, please gently remind us that when we believe, we have the privilege of seeing God work in our lives in extraordinary ways. In Your precious name, we pray. Amen. Patti Gich |
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Sunday, December 22, 2024 |
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Scripture: Hebrews 13:2-3 (NIV) – “Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” Message: There are several Biblical accounts of angels delivering messages from God to specific individuals. The Angel Gabriel revealed to Mary her role in God’s plan to bring salvation to the world through Jesus. Angels also provide guidance, comfort and protection as well as testing our hearts. Last fall, on my way home, I noticed a man sheltering under the I-4 overpass. After passing by several times, I conceded that I could, and should, do something to help him. With a bag of non-perishable food in my car, I pulled over into the emergency lane one night. We were separated by a concrete barrier and another lane of traffic, so I waved my arms to get his attention and left the bag on the barrier for him to safely retrieve when he could. I made a few more deliveries to him in the following weeks. On the final time, I walked around the back of my car, as I had done before, towards my open passenger side window to retrieve the bag of food. Much to my astonishment, and as if by swift flight, the man was standing right in front of me smiling, with his right hand extended. We shook hands and he told me his name. Then I said to him, “Sheldon, God knew your name already, and now I do, too.” That was our last encounter. Maybe he found work, or just moved on. However, I couldn’t help thinking about the Scripture passage and wondered if Sheldon had been on assignment from God. Showing hospitality to friends and family is a joyous part of celebrating the birthday of our Savior. However, the Scripture reminds us to care for those we don’t know. In doing so, we give glory to God through obediently passing along His love to others in practical ways. Prayer: Heavenly Father, open our eyes to the needs of those who are “unseen” and “unloved”. Create in us a heart of compassion leading us to action during Advent and throughout the year. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen. Patti Gich |
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Friday, March 24, 2023 |
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Scripture: John 17:20-21, 23 (NIV) - "My [Jesus] prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." "I in them and you in me - so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." Message: Jesus had much to impart to His disciples during those few waning hours before His prophesied arrest and crucifixion. His "Last Supper Proclamations" spoken at the Passover dinner and during their walk to the Garden of Gethsemane, included His final teachings, forewarnings, comfort, and encouragement to the disciples; and then Jesus ended in prayer. The Scripture above is part of that final prayer through which Jesus clearly conveyed the importance of unity and oneness among believers. He tells us, through His audible prayer to the Father, that the unity of believers will point the world to the truth of who He is, who sent Him and for what purpose. Was this Jesus' way of telling us that all believers need to work in unison to be effective in bringing His Kingdom to earth? Thanks be to God that we are not left wondering how we are to do this. The Bible is full of Scriptures, that teach us the characteristics and benefits of unity, which definitely warrant our further study! During Lenten season, as Christians around the world prepare to celebrate Easter, let each of us commit to do our part in seeking and maintaining unity with other believers, both within and outside our church family. Only then can we properly reflect God's love to all people and fulfill the Great Commission of making disciples of all nations. Prayer: Our Father in Heaven, thank You for giving us the Scriptures which provide direction for our lives and knowledge of Your will for us. We pray that each of us responds in haste to obey Your Word to be one with other believers by being completely humble, gentle, patient, and bearing with one another in love, and bonding in peace; all for Your glory! In the precious name of Jesus. Amen. Patti Gich |
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Friday, March 4, 2022 |
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Scriptures: John 1:12 (NIV) – “Yet to all who received him, to all who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Isaiah 61:3a (NIV) – “...and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,” Message: I recently saw an episode of one of my favorite sitcoms in which two of the characters were overly concerned about purchasing a Christmas gift for the other person that was not of comparable value. Neither wanted to spend more than the other person and, as a result, they would feel that they had gotten the short end of the stick; nor did they want to spend less and feel they were somehow indebted to the other. The storyline, although entertaining, sadly speaks to the all-too-common human tendencies that distort the true meaning of gift‑giving and gift-receiving. The underlying culprits being greed and pride. My Bible’s dictionary defines a gift as: “something of value voluntarily given at no cost” [to the recipient]. It also describes a gift as a sacrifice. The very foundation of our relationship with God, through His Son Jesus Christ, is predicated on us taking the role of a willing recipient of the greatest Gift which is Jesus, the priceless Lamb of God. In Matthew 10:8b, Jesus told His disciples, as He equipped them for ministry, that they had freely received and they should freely give. As we observe Lent, let’s honor God by emulating His self-less and sacrificial giving (that is, giving generously to others and without strings attached), and in receiving boldly the gifts given to us (that is, receiving without false pride or self-imposed obligation). Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are so grateful for the Gift of Your “beauty for our ashes”, made possible by Your death on the Cross and available to all who receive You as their Savior. Thank you for taking our past, present, and future sins upon Yourself and washing them away so that we are made righteous in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. In Your precious name we pray. Amen! Patti Gich |
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Tuesday, December 20, 2022 |
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Scriptures: Philippians 4:19 (NIV) – “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Luke 2:12 (NIV) – “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Message: Reflecting upon the humble birth of Jesus and the events leading up to it, Scriptures tell us Mary and Joseph were righteous and highly favored by God. When told by angels they were chosen to participate in God’s plan for the world’s salvation, they set aside fear, worry, pride, and self-interest for the higher purpose of God’s calling. No doubt the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem, late in Mary’s pregnancy, was treacherous and uncomfortable. However, the time and place that God chose for the Holy birth not only fulfilled the prophecy, but also allowed this recently wed couple to be spared scrutiny from those in their hometown who may have judged them for what appeared to be an untimely birth. How unsettling for these weary travelers to learn the local hotel had no vacancy. The unusual accommodation they were offered instead however, may have provided unexpected benefits. The stable in which they stayed perhaps allowed them the privacy needed as Mary gave birth; the cool night air and view of the starry skies provided a peaceful environment; and the company of animals offered a sense of tranquility that God’s creatures can bring us. With no blanket for the baby, God ensured they had cloths with which to swaddle Him. And without a cradle, they used what was available. They laid Jesus in a feeding trough lined with hay. An angel later provided that exact description of the newborn Savior to the Shepherds: “This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:12 (NIV)). To God’s glory, He met this faithful family’s needs in wonderful and mysterious ways, the essence of which has been depicted in Nativity scenes for centuries. All who gaze upon the crčche see the central figure upon whom all the others are focused. Indeed, God met the greatest need of all humanity that night, by providing this sin-stained world with a Savior in the form of a baby. Prayer: Father God, by Faith enable us to obediently walk out the call upon our lives to glorify You and fulfill Your purposes. Help us to trust You when things get rough. Thank You for knowing and providing our every need: the greatest being Jesus! Amen. Patti Gich |
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Wednesday, February 24, 2021 |
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Scripture: 1 Peter 5:5b-6 (NRSV) - "And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time." Message: The Bible says a lot about humility and pride, with good reason. Pride is arguably the root of all sin, and humility is the best preventative. Most importantly, though, it is the attitude of humility that allows us to see and believe the Truth of God and to therefore make the eternal life-changing decision to accept the gift of salvation. As we read in the Scripture above, God's response to true humility is to give us grace. Grace is God's undeserved favor and the ability, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to enable us to handle the challenges in life that we cannot otherwise handle through our own strength and striving. Matthew 11:25-26 (NIV) tells us that God hides the Truth from the "wise and learned" in their own estimation (i.e. the proud people - not only those in the cities where Jesus performed miracles), and He takes pleasure in revealing the Truth to those who are like "little children" (lowly and humble). In Numbers, Chapter 12 (NIV) we read about God's astonishing reaction to Moses' siblings talking badly about him. The passages tell us Moses was the humblest man on earth. God not only fiercely defended Moses and punished Miriam, but God also answered Moses' heart-felt plea for leniency on his sister despite what she had done to him truly amazing demonstration of Moses' humility and God's favor! As we experience this time of Lent, let us remember that Jesus humbled Himself to leave Heaven and come to earth in human form. Jesus, through the sacrifice He made on the cross for all of humanity, fulfilled the Law of the Old Testament and opened up to us a new and radical form of grace - Salvation from our sins! All that is required of us is that we humble ourselves, realize our sinful nature, admit that we need Jesus as our Savior, repent of our sins and accept His Gift. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for teaching us that humility opens us up to receive the Truth of Your Word and God's Amazing Grace! Amen. Patti Gich |
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Tuesday April 6, 2021 |
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Scriptures: James 4:4b-6, 10 (NKJV) - "Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, 'The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously'? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." 2 Corinthians 12:9,10b (NKJV) - "But he (the Lord) said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." "For when I am weak, then I am strong." Message: God is not pushy or imposing. He gives us free will to follow Him or reject Him. The choice is ours and the thing that prevents those from choosing 'life and blessings' over 'death and curses' is ultimately their pride. What a dangerous thing pride is! I was recently sorting through papers at my house and I came across some notes I wrote down from a sermon many years ago by Charles Frazier Stanley, Pastor Emeritus First Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia. He spoke on twelve traits of a humble person. As we walk out our decision to be humble instead of prideful people, this is a good checklist of attributes that we should be practicing. We should be people who:
Humility is an attitude of the heart that comes from knowing we need God and that our worth is in Him alone. As the apostle Paul came to understand and accept, the more we learn to depend on God, the more grace we are given. Prayer: Lord, keep us keenly aware of where our own strength ends and where Your strength within us begins so that we appreciate the fullness of your grace and give You the glory. Amen. Patti Gich |
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New Years Eve, Friday, December 31, 2021 |
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Scripture: Mark 4:26-29 (NIV) - "He also said: 'This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain - first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.'" Message: During the pandemic, I planted a small vegetable garden to supplement my store bought fresh food. The lessons learned, both spiritually and agriculturally, have been inspiring. I continually marvel in the miracle of a planted seed eventually producing what I call "food straight from God's hand." With great amazement, delight, and gratitude, I harvest and consume the fruits and vegetables of my labor. In the scripture passages, Jesus describes how each of us is to plant the seed of the Word within our heart and mind. Once a "farmer" plants the seeds, however, what happens from there is all God! Just as He "programmed", in the natural, a seed to sprout in the soil of our garden, He also makes provision for us in the Spiritual realm. God sees to it that the spiritual seeds we diligently plant through reading our Bible, listening to sermons and teachings, and spending time in praise and worship will, over time, produce a spiritual maturity that we can continually draw upon. In doing so, we not only reap the benefits for our own well-being as we navigate the troubles of this world, but also for equipping us to be great ambassadors for Christ to others. Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for demonstrating Your bountiful and loving provision in making the seeds we plant in our garden into healthy food for our bodies. And for making the Seeds of the Spirit we plant in our hearts into mature Fruit of the Spirit that equip us in our Christian walk. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen! Patti Gich |
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Wednesday, December 30, 2020 |
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Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV) – “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Message: During a chance encounter recently in the parking lot of my neighborhood Publix, I was reminded of this teaching from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. I had finished my shopping, had quickly loaded the groceries into my car and jogged the empty cart back inside the store’s entrance. As I sprinted back out to the parking lot, a gentleman was just getting out of a car parked close to mine and he called over to me: “You were too quick!” he said. “I was going to take your cart back inside for you.” I smiled and thanked him just the same and mentioned that I try to do that as well when the opportunity arises; but, these days, the carts have to be cleaned before the next person uses them. He quickly replied that he had his own supply of cleaning wipes for just this purpose. I was intrigued. This man was obviously prepared and intentional in doing this good deed for others, a practice which I’m guessing pre-dated COVID-19. He did not let the current pandemic, and the resulting restrictions of masks, distancing and the need to sanitize surfaces between uses deter him in his attempt to spread joy to strangers. The light of his spirit drew me into conversation with him and I learned he was a member of a Baptist church in Eatonville. I also gathered from our dialogue that he uses this simple act of service (and even a failed attempt at it!) to open the door to a conversation in which God would be glorified. I left feeling uplifted, encouraged and challenged to be more intentional to do the same. Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, let it be apparent to all we encounter that the joy of the Lord is in us. And help us to be intentional in pouring out Your love to others through even the simplest of deeds, gestures and kind words of encouragement. In the precious name of Jesus. Amen. Patti Gich |
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Monday, March 24, 2014 & Saturday, August 8, 2020 - "The Connection" Series |
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Scripture: Proverbs 12:10 (NIV) – “The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.” Message: I adore animals – all animals. I’m the crazy person who stops to save an earthworm stranded on the sidewalk! This verse for me marries to others: 2 Corinthians 5:21b (NIV) which says, “so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” and Genesis 1:28b (NIV) says, “Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” which tells us God gave humans authority over other animals. I believe God delegated this awesome responsibility to us – particularly with respect to our pets – to give us insight into our relationship with Him. Take a moment to ponder the parallels between the ‘God-you’ relationship and the ‘You-your pet’ relationship. Are you following God’s loving example and being the provider, comforter, teacher and protector your pet deserves? And are you following your pet’s example as the loving, obedient follower; excitedly greeting Your Master after an absence; watching in amazement at all He does; totally dependent and content to sit at His feet, just to be near Him? Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift and responsibility of caring for Your creatures on this earth. Teach us through our interactions with them to be Godly leaders, as well as loving and obedient servants, that we might be pleasing to You. Amen.
Patti Gich
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Monday, April 14, 2014 & Tuesday, August 25, 2020 - "The Connection" Series |
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Scripture: James 1:2-4 (NIV) – “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Message: I’m a rather conservative person, who does her best to stay out of trouble by making wise choices. Given the fact I’m not perfect, nor is the world in which we live, trouble nevertheless comes my way. When I find myself in one of those scary, and what I consider “impossible” situations, I’ve learned to be calm, reaffirm to God (and myself) that I am surrendered to His will and in desperate need of His help. I then fasten my spiritual seat belt (my faith) and prepare myself for the awesome privilege of seeing God’s hand at work in, not only solving my “impossible” problem, but mysteriously blessing me in the midst of it. My job (the test) is having patience and unwavering trust demonstrated through a positive attitude and a willingness to be obedient to God’s word and His promptings. My immediate and long-term reward is contentment and peace that passes all understanding. Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, what a privilege it is to partner with You in overcoming the trials we face. As You allow us to exercise our faith in this way and to receive the benefit of a closer relationship with You, may the glory be all Yours. Amen.
Patti Gich |
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