DAY 1 - IRON: WHAT WE MUST BECOME

 “As Iron sharpens Iron, so one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17 NASB)

As a Lead Pastor and a Chaplain, I have felt at times that we embrace our weaknesses as a necessary part of life, rather than allowing them to identify areas in our lives that need work. It seems that we wallow in our weakness and ask others to wallow in theirs. I want to share with you a prophetic word if you are in this position. STOP IT! There is absolutely nothing to admire in a person that allows the challenges of life to trap them in a pit of despair. Jesus has not called you to accept your weaknesses but simply to identify them and allow him to turn them into strengths. In the Army when you exercise and your muscles ache, they tell you it’s just weakness leaving the body. The more you turn your weaknesses into iron, the weakness will leave the body.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Identify a weakness in your life and pray for God to strengthen you in it.

Prayer:  Lord, I give myself to you and ask that you take my insecurities and weaknesses and turn them into iron for you and your Gospel.

John Branning

Lead Pastor, Central United Methodist Church

Chaplain (MAJ) 185^th Theater Aviation Brigade

DAY 2 - CONDITIONS

“This I command you, that you love one another.” (John 15:17, NASB)

No matter what we do in life there will always be conditions. Even in our leisure activities there are certain guidelines we must follow. Take for example, rock climbing. A friend of mine in Texas has been into rock climbing for many years. One day, as we talked about his hobby, he said that a rock climber has to find the right line up the mountain or cliff. If not then you put yourself at a greater risk of falling. He also uses the assistance of rope and metal holders to reduce the chance of injury.

Just like everything else in life, we need to become familiar with the conditions of our faith. Jesus says that the most important one to realize is love. Love is like finding the right line of our ascent; it is like using ropes and holders so we will not fall. Love is a necessary condition of being a disciple of Jesus. In John’s Gospel, Jesus told his disciples to love one another. Many Christians are missing out on this condition as they try to climb the mountain blindly.  They take no regard to the path they are taking until they get to the point where they are stuck.

Do not get stuck! Don’t risk serious harm to yourself and others around you. Start loving your brothers and sisters.    

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Jesus said to love our Christian brothers and sisters. Search your Bible and find out who else Jesus commanded us to love.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, help me to love those around me today. Help me to love as you have loved me. Amen.  

Dennis Gossett

DAY 3 - TRUST

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV)

Trust and communication go hand-in-hand. One’s relationship with another is dependent upon the two – trust and communication - especially when life is difficult.  Well, our scripture comes from Proverbs – a book of wisdom – and we learn to trust in the Lord…lean not on your own understanding.

I believe we gain [each other’s] trust through communication and likewise, with God as well. If we are to continue growing in our faith as followers of Jesus Christ, then we must trust; we must communicate with Jesus daily. When we’re unsure of our paths, we must remember that our relationship with Jesus and others – ones built upon trust and communication – is what will be with us as we walk along the path.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Think of at least one relationship – whether with Jesus or with others – in which you can work on your communication.

Prayer: Lord Jesus of Nazareth, High Priest of Heaven, thank you for the gift of this new day. I rejoice as your Spirit is with and for us directing my path. Today, I am reminded to trust in You. Amen.

Rev. Jonathan Crabtree

Pastor for Student Ministry

DAY 4 - LOVE

“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.” (1 John 4:7-9)

John tells us that God is love. Though I have a difficult time thinking that there is anything that God cannot do, God cannot help but to love. For God to choose to not love would be for God to choose to be other than what he is. If God did not love he would not be love.

We, on the other hand, have the option to love or to hate. John tells us that love comes from God. Hate comes from the other – Satan. He places that option to hate in front of us every day, all day long. He tells us that to hate this or that is only to hate what God hates. But he is wrong every time. God is love. Our choice is clear. We can either love as God loves, or we can hate as Satan hates. It is that simple.

God has shown us how much he loves us. If we choose to accept his love and his gift of eternal life, then we too will love.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  When you are tempted to hate today, remember from whence that hate comes.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, you have shown us your love. Help us to demonstrate your love to all those around us.

Bob Peden

DAY 5 - LOYALTY: WHERE DOES YOUR LOYALTY LIE?

“A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, ‘if you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.’”

This is a hard verse to swallow, but being a follower of Jesus is not easy. From the moment Jesus called his disciples, there was “a cost.” My husband, Jonathan, and I have been watching Turn on AMC. I normally do not like history related topics, but the Turn series has given me insight to the loyalty of George Washington's army. Both sides of the war had a unique loyalty to either Washington or the King of England. No matter the cost, each soldier was loyal to their superior. As a follower of Jesus, we too have to decide where our loyalty lies.

The scripture above says that a large crowd was following Jesus. Jesus confronts the whole crowd with a disturbing action to be his followers. In order to be a follower of Jesus, you had to give up your family. To give up everything in order to follow Jesus means that our relationship with Christ always comes first. It is so easy in our world today to make our relationship with Jesus just like any other relationship. We can be loyal to our families, our spouses, and our children; but being loyal to Jesus will cost us everything. Are we living today as if we are loyal to our King or are we living a loyal life to ourselves, our possessions, our kid’s schedules, our work schedules, our bible studies, etc., more than to Jesus?

Iron Maker’s Daily Challenge:  I challenge you to have a time of reflection over your life. I want you to ponder and wrestle with this last question, what has it cost you to follow Jesus?

Prayer:  Oh Lord, here the cry of our hearts this day. We have heard your word. May it penetrate our hearts to become a person of honor, a loyal follower of you? Forgive us for where we have not been loyal to you. We know that only you can give us strength to get back in the fight and serve you as King in our lives. Amen.

Rev. Kristina Crabtree
Minister of Spiritual Formation

DAY 6 –TRUTH

"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this." (Psalm 37:5)

For most of us, if we are honest with ourselves, when we look back on life we see examples of this lack of integrity we called truth, even though we may be considered by most people to be a person they can count on. But we know there are those nooks and crannies in life where the dust collects, where we cut corners, or where it is easier to be silent to truth than to speak it.

Truth, however, is really a duty, in the highest sense. It is something we owe not only to other people, but to God and ourselves as well. When we are truly present to what we say, mean, and do, we reflect Jesus.  Jesus spoke in truth, not always a truth that was popular or easy to hear, but always in love. We know, both from experience and Scripture, keeping our word is at the very core of the Christ-centered life.

Is it always easy? No. Are there often repercussions? Yes.  But at the end of the day, when we walk and speak in truth, there is a peace that comes to us deep within, that is no doubt a peace that only God can bestow.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Today reflect on those areas in your life where you struggle with truth, either by commission, or by omission. Turn these over to God, and rectify an untruth if you can.

Prayer:  Most Gracious God, help us today to love one another as you have commanded, to turn the dark corners of our lives to you, and to speak the truth in all situations, but always in the love that you showed as you walked this earth.  In your name we pray, AMEN.

Sabrina Williams

DAY 7 - SELF-DISCIPLINE

“I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.”

(1 Corinthians 9:27 NLT)

I have noticed that people who demonstrate spiritual strength in the most difficult situations of life are self-disciplined. Self-discipline is a difficult subject for many, because it forces us to implement a plan of action that is not based on feelings. If you base anything in life on feelings rather than a set of values, you will always live your life without stability nor a sense of accomplishment. If we are not careful, our feelings will tell us to give up, quit, and go home. The enemy desires for you to cave to your natural emotions and crumble in the face of defeat. I know that emotions can make the hair stand up on your neck, but discipline will always win the day of battle. As Paul says, we must constantly discipline ourselves so that when others look toward us, they are able to see the strength of Christ.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  I challenge you to pray three times a day for one month. These prayers must include giving God thanks for something, asking for God to grow your faith, and asking God to open the door for you to share his message with others.

Prayer: Lord, create in me a spirit of self-discipline so that I may be prepared to live for you.

John Branning

Lead Pastor, Central United Methodist Church

Chaplain (MAJ) 185^th Theater Aviation Brigade

DAY 8 - COVENANT

“Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” (Jeremiah 31:31, NASB)

A covenant basically is a contract between two parties, which binds the parties to specific terms and agreements. For example, when a person purchases a home, he or she will sign a contract detailing the terms of the purchases. Under normal circumstances, this contract is legally binding. However, we know that some of these contracts are broken.

Similarly, there was a time in our country’s history when a covenant was made with a handshake. Now, this wasn’t legally binding of course. Instead, the two parties would keep to the agreement based on honor and honesty. A person’s word was considered their bond. We also can assume that these contracts were also broken from time to time.

In our relationship with God, He too has made a covenant with us. His Word is His bond. The great news is that the contract is based on His grace. Because of grace, we are able to recognize that we are His children. Faith in Jesus gives us hope in this contract regardless of our circumstances. The covenant from God is that He will be our God and we will be His people. If we accept this divine contract, then we are bound to the terms to love Him and our neighbor.

How are you holding up your end of the contract?

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Recommit to the covenant God has made with you and begin to express your love for Him through praise and worship. Also, demonstrate acts of love to someone this day. 

Prayer:  Almighty God, I recommit my life to you this day. Forgive me for the times I turned away and bless me with the ability to love You more and my neighbor as myself. Amen.  

Dennis Gossett

DAY 9 - PURPOSE

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NIV) 

“What is its’ purpose?” I often ask this question when my curious mind seeks to know why something exists. From a painting in an office to the vacant building on the corner of anywhere, I simply desire to know the purpose. Humans place meaning and value on several things, but what about purpose?

For something to have a purpose, I assume that it carries a daily meaning and function. Can you think of something that you use on a daily basis in order to function? What about our purpose as humanity? What about our purpose as followers of Jesus Christ? Our purpose is our mission, which is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Our purpose is bigger than ourselves, and God invites us to join in something global. Now, that’s purpose! That’s a reason to exist. That’s a reason to live!

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Are there things in your life that serve no purpose? What are they? Allow time for God to reveal them to you, this day.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus of Nazareth, High Priest of Heaven, Your purpose and invitation are much bigger than us, and we are thankful that because of who you are, you give us purpose. You give life. Amen.

Rev. Jonathan Crabtree

Pastor for Student Ministry

DAY 10 - IMAGE

“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27)

God created us in his own image. How awesome it is to think that God created us to be like him. He could have made us in any way he could imagine, and believe me, God’s imagination and creativity are boundless; but he chose to create us in his own image. When he had finished, he saw to it that it was not just good, but very good. Indeed, it was perfect. Or it could have been. But being made in his image, we also had the gift of choice – free will, and we exercised that free will by choosing to disobey God in the hopes of something even better. The knowledge of good and evil. And through that choice, sin entered into the world and everything was broken. Most of all the image of God in which God had created us was broken and destroyed. But that is just the beginning of the story. God, in his infinite love and grace, chose to create a way for us to return to him and for his image to be remade in us. That is the story of the Bible, and that way is Jesus Christ.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Be ye perfect, even as God in heaven is perfect.

Prayer:  Gracious God of all, thank you for creating us in your image. Forgive us for destroying that image. Thank you for recreating that image in us through Christ.

Bob Peden

DAY 11 - CONFESSION

“For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.” (Psalm 32:3-4)

As a follower of Jesus, we are all called to live a life that includes confession. Jesus talks about confession multiple times in the gospels to his disciples. If Jesus taught it to his disciple, it must be important, right? For me, growing up in the church, a confession was what I called the “big talk.” When one believes in the power of salvation, confession is required. We are told from our Sunday school teachers, our youth leaders, and our pastors that confession is a crucial part of our relationship with God. But do we actually know what to do? Personally, confession to me was just religious head knowledge. I knew that it was key to being a Christian but never implemented it as a part of my relationship with God. Because I did not see confession as a crucial part, but only processed it as head knowledge, there became a groaning nature about myself.

The scripture above states that when we keep silent, we waste away, our strength is dried up, and we don’t know what else to do in our relationship with God. I have learned that confessed is not about you proclaiming all your wrongs, but it is about depending completely on the Father to forgive you. The beautiful thing about forgiveness is living out of that forgiveness. Living out of forgiveness is living a life in the strength and righteousness of Jesus. Confession is one part of a Christian's life that is not easy; but we, as followers of Jesus, are not called to live an easy life.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge: Today, maybe you have viewed confession in your Christian life like me- just knowledge of what we need to do. At the end of you day, take the time to review your day and ask the Lord to reveal to you any part of your day that did not imitate Jesus.

Prayer:  Father, we thank you for your mercy and love that you give to us each and every day. I ask now that you will help me live today in the image of your Son. Forgive me for not depending on your forgiveness in my life. May your Son's righteousness and strength be lived through me today! I love you, Father.

Rev. Kristina Crabtree
Minister of Spiritual Formation

DAY 12 - REPENTANCE

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” (Psalms 51:10-12)

One of the Rotation Sunday School units that we study on the Elementary Floor is about David.  David is called a “man after God’s own heart.” Let’s just think about this…he lusted after his neighbor's wife, committed adultery with her, and had her husband murdered. That said, the Lord's description of him is remarkable. How could a man who was a convicted murderer and an adulterer also be called one after God’s own heart?

The answer is simple but so profound: God did not regard David according to the actions of his sinful nature, but according to his heart and will; and these were revealed by David's response - a conviction which brought immediate total confession and repentance, and a broken and contrite heart. This response was upheld throughout David’s walk with God the rest of his life.

If after David had fallen, had he made excuses or rationalized his sinfulness, it would have been a totally different story. The consequences of his sin were very serious and followed David all the days of his life. But he demonstrated the genuineness of his repentance by never railing against God for the troubles, which followed him as a consequence of his sin with Bathsheba. David always rose up, submitted, and humbly praised God, writing beautiful psalms and pouring out his heart before the Lord. He served and worshiped God all his life. God didn't acknowledge David’s life by his fall – but by his walk and his heart.

We all stumble in many ways, but God does not define us by our failures. It's our love for Him and our honesty before Him that reveals a true walk of faith! So, if you have fallen, messed up, or let your “humanness” get the best of you, you simply need to repent. Make your confession. Accept the consequences, allow the Lord to forgive and restore you completely, and continue on your journey with Him. David's heart and example is worthy to follow. Like David, may we all be known as one of those that lived their life “after God’s own heart!”

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Acknowledge “that sin” in your life.  Lay it before God as you read Psalm 51 in its entirety.

Prayer:  Have Mercy on me, Heavenly Father. As with David, I lay my sin before you, asking for your forgiveness and mercy.  May I walk this day, realizing the love and grace you have bestowed upon me.  May I follow in your footsteps, forgiving and restoring those who need grace and mercy. In your name I pray, Amen.

Sabrina Williams

DAY 13 - RELIGION VERSES RELATIONSHIP

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10 NLT)

In our world, there is a great argument over the understanding of the need of religion in the role of modern society. Our televisions display picture after picture of what they identify as “religious extremists.” This has caused many people to decry religion and remove it from the public spectrum. As a follower of Jesus, you have not been called to argue the need for or against religion. Instead, you are directed to enter into relationships with all different types of people so that you may use your spiritual influence to point them to Christ. Jesus said that the enemy’s purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy; but his purpose was to give life. This is the greatest news that we, as his followers, could ever share. God doesn’t need you holding a sign up in front of a public building. He does need you to be in relationships where you have spiritual influence and can share the message of life that is found in following him.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  I want you to get out your phone and call or text someone close to you and thank them for being in a relationship with you. You will be surprised that this simple act will deepen your connection to each other.

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for a satisfying life filled with relationships. I ask you to use me to show others the way to have a relationship with you today.

John Branning

Lead Pastor, Central United Methodist Church

Chaplain (MAJ) 185^th Theater Aviation Brigade

DAY 14 - FANTASY VS REALITY

“Don’t be troubled. Trust in God. Trust also in me.” (John 14:1, CEB)

As I watch television, I am always astonished at how incomplete the advertisers tell me my life really is. They say that I am not living to my fullest potential by not wearing a certain watch, driving a specific car, putting on a certain type of cologne, or having six pack abs. Immediately, I will dismiss those commercials, but subconsciously I still tend to look at myself in these terms. It comes to light when I find myself wanting to be and look like a certain image. So, when I don’t have, become or look like that image I get angry with myself and say, “Something must be wrong with me.” It can a real issue for us when we want to blame our failure on others. We blame them for not being able to obtain this image.

So many times, we put all of our trust into things that advertisers say that we need to be complete. Sadly, when we do finally get them, it doesn’t take long for the new to wear off, and we start searching for something else. Jesus seems to point out that all of these things are nothing but trouble. Nothing in this world can satisfy our internal need. The classic definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different outcome. Maybe it is time to do something different. It is time to start trusting in someone who is everlasting; then we can begin to live as we were truly meant to live.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Today, evaluate what is truly important in your life and what is not. Make a change and go after what is important to you. 

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, help me to recognize what is really important in this life. Help me to trust you more and more, day by day, moment by moment. Amen.  

Dennis Gossett

DAY 15 - AUTHENTIC JOY

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:11 NKJV)

Do you know a person, perhaps yourself, who always has a smile? No matter the circumstance, they seem to have this joyful spirit about them at all times? I can think of some, myself. These folks, even when they discipline or possibly rebuke others, they still contain this joyful presence about themselves. I believe this is the joy in which Jesus speaks of in this verse. If the very Spirit of God – the presence of God – lives in and through us, then like Jesus says, “My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” Jesus almost seems to refer to a pot of water overflowing at the brim, and so our joy is in our lives as followers of Jesus Christ – to the top and overflowing into others’ lives.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Be mindful of moments when you may not seem or appear joyful to others today. At the end of the day, replay the day in your mind, and ask God to show you where you were or could have been joyful.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus of Nazareth, High Priest of Heaven, you are the Lord of joy. Fill us with the joy as we rejoice in the gift of this new day, and show us how to be joyful to the point of overflowing into others’. Amen.

Rev. Jonathan Crabtree

Pastor for Student Ministry

DAY 16 - FEAR

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.  (Luke 2:8-10)

Fear is used in two senses in the Bible. Often in the Old Testament, it is used in the sense of respect for God. Though it is sometimes used in this sense in the New Testament, more often it is used in the expression,

“Don’t be afraid!” Angels appear on several occasions. They are often greeted with fear. But their admonition is always, “Don’t be afraid.” Jesus repeatedly tells his disciples, “Don’t be afraid.” It is clear from Jesus’ comments that he views fear as the opposite of faith. Or at least as the lack of faith.

When we have faith and trust in God there is no fear in us.  Our culture today is filled with fear. Fear of violence and crime. Fear of financial loss. Fear of exclusion from the social groups of which we desire to be a part. Fear controls much of what we think and do today. However, when we have faith in God and trust in his everlasting goodness, fear is not necessary. In fact, if we trust God, fear is not possible. In the beautiful 14^th Chapter of John, Jesus tells us: “I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Fear is a choice. Today – just for today – choose to not be afraid.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, you have given us the gift of free will. Help us to use our will to choose not to be afraid of the things of this world and to trust in you.

Bob Peden

DAY 17- STEWARDSHIP: WHAT DOES STEWARDSHIP LOOK LIKE IN YOUR LIFE?

“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” (Psalms 24)

Every faculty you have, your power of thinking or of moving your limbs from moment to moment, is given you by God. If you devoted every moment of your whole life exclusively to His service, you could not give Him anything that was not in a sense His own already.

– C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

If you have been in church the majority of your life, you have heard a partial meaning of stewardship during a stewardship campaign at the church. Honestly, growing up in the church, I only heard stewardship from the pulpit on those Sundays during a campaign. Maybe you have been taught differently.  Stewardship is more than a financial campaign at the church or more than your Sunday tithes. It is so much more.

In Psalms 24, the Psalmist is declaring that everything in the world and everyone in the world is the Lord’s. Our very life is really not our own. When Jesus calls his disciples and teaches them about being his followers, a cost of their very lives is at hand. Jesus declares that we have to take up a cross daily to follow him. If our very lives, that we live, are to be given up to be his followers, then our lives are not ours, our land and houses are not ours, and our kids are not ours.  Everything that we own has been given unto us because God loves his creation. God did not just give us financial blessings to give back to him. In a sense, everything we have is to be steward back to God.

At Central, we ask that you give not only of your tithes but also of your gifts and presence. Your very presence in worshiping God each Sunday is an action of stewardship to God. When you serve God in the various areas of the church to build his Kingdom, you are being stewards of yourself to God. I encourage you today in being a good steward of what God has given you. If God has given us everything that we have and we think about our lives as being his and not our own, then maybe we won’t hold so tightly to worldly possessions.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Take a look at your current life.  How are you being a steward of your time, gifts, presence, and financials? Is God asking you to give up your "life" (worldly things) in order to be a faithful steward in our community of Faith?
Prayer:  Heavenly Father, I thank you so much that you have created me in your image. Thank you for all the blessings in my life that you have given me. Help me to know how I am a steward of my life, and help me to know where I can give you more. I love you, Lord.

Rev. Kristina Crabtree
Minister of Spiritual Formation

DAY 18 - BATTLE SCARS

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (I Timothy 6:12)

We all have them…battle scars from the fight of this day-to-day life. Sometimes, we feel like it has been more one-sided – a beating…we didn’t stand a chance. Other times it feels like we are being bullied, taken advantage of. We all have those scars. But what about the scars from the fight of life, where you trade blows with the world?

The keeping of one's faith is such a fight. If you want to be a Christian, this life will fight you for it. It's going to hit you, and as noted in Rocky Balboa, “nobody hits harder than life.” The world will try to take your joy and peace with every unwanted circumstance, tragedy, and unforeseen pitfall. We often help the enemy by inflicting wounds on ourselves. Those moments when we agree with every negative thought that comes in: "I'm not good enough, wealthy enough, pretty enough, smart enough, etc."

That is when we fight. We fight by remembering God's promise that He is with us always. We hide His words in our heart and wear them out on our sleeve.

There are times it will be rough. We get wounded. The enemy doesn't fight fair and is very aware of our weak points.

Battles are not fought without scars. Jesus had scars. He showed them to the disciples after His resurrection. In fact, His scars were proof that He had died and came back to life. Our scars bare the same resemblance. They are the evidence that we are overcomers. They qualify us to speak to those in pain and say, "I've been there."

So today, keep your head up. Be prepared to lose a few battles, but remember that you've already won the war.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Reach out to someone today who is struggling in an area that you have the battle scars to help.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, I come to you in thankfulness for my battle scars. Though often painful and deep, they are a reminder that you walked with me through the darkest of times. Help me today as I reach out to those in need, as You reached out to me.  Amen.

Sabrina Williams

DAY 19 - KNOWING YOUR STORY

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1 NLT)

As you read the opening lines of the Book of Genesis, you read the beginning of your story. Your story is as unique as the fingerprints on every human hand. These stories are made up of the people, places and moments in a person’s life that make them who and what they are. Have you ever pondered the fact that no one will ever live the same life that you do? I want to ask you a few questions about your story. First, I want you to identify the single most influential person in your life. This person has had a profound impact on the person that you are now. They taught you what was most important and what was least important. I bet that you think of them often if they no longer living or you make contact with them daily if they are. Am I right? Secondly, I want you to identify who you are impacting in that same way. Believe it or not, there is someone at this very moment that you are leaving your legacy to the world through. As a follower of Jesus don’t make them believe that you are without spot or blemish. As a follower of Jesus show them the self-disciplined life of a warrior. As a follower of Jesus, know that your story is connected to the story of God.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Take a moment today to remember the person that impacted your life the most in following Jesus.

Prayer:  Lord, I ask you to continue to guide my story and use me to influence others to follow you.

John Branning

Lead Pastor, Central United Methodist Church

Chaplain (MAJ) 185^th Theater Aviation Brigade

DAY 20 - SHARE YOUR STORY

“Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” (Acts 23:6, NIV)

Have you ever wanted to share the gospel with someone but were too shy to do so? Have you ever gotten into a conversation about religion, and it ended up being an argument? Most of us have been there at one point or another. I remember when I was a student at the University of Mississippi when a traveling evangelist came through. This guy was so rude and began condemning every person who walked by. According to him, if you wore a Rolling Stones t-shirt, then you were going straight to hell regardless if you were a Christian or not.

I remember thinking to myself that I don’t ever want to be like this guy. In my opinion, you can never share the gospel with an argument. On the contrary, it must be shared with a testimony. A testimony is personal; it is a story about you. The Apostle Paul was great at sharing his story with other people. His story was about a personal encounter with a Savior who is alive!

People need to hear about a gospel that is real and how it affects real people in real situations. People need to hear your story. 

    

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Today, take advantage of an opportunity to share your story with someone.  

Prayer:  Loving Father, put someone in my path to do so that I can share my story with them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.                                                                          

Dennis Gossett

DAY 21 - CONDITIONING

“…and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…” (Hebrews 12:1b)

As I have mentioned before, I enjoy exercising, and in days past, I have competed in athletic events. This surprises people when I tell them, but it’s true! I don’t look like the ideal athlete, but that should not matter. I have not competed in a long time; however, I still train and exercise. If I ever take some time off from exercising, the very next workout is tough! I have been conditioning my body to endure the discipline and training, and when I stop, it’s always difficult to get going again. Perhaps the same is with our spirituality and our spiritual disciplines. If we stop or get behind, it’s often difficult to catch up, and that’s something to consider. Don’t try to catch up and miss the current surroundings. Take your time; condition yourself and run this race with endurance – not hindrances.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Think of a spiritual discipline in which you would like to work on. Set a goal for one week – only one week – and run this race with endurance. In addition to this spiritual exercise, set a physical goal – i.e. wake up a few minutes earlier, go to bed earlier, go for a walk x-amount of times in one week, do some body exercises, something to get the physical body running this race with endurance!

Prayer:  Lord Jesus of Nazareth, High Priest of Heaven, we give you thanks for the gift of this new day as we begin and as we are held in your Grace. Give us strength today to run this race before us with endurance. Amen.

Rev. Jonathan Crabtree

Pastor for Student Ministry

DAY 22 - HUMILITY

“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Though he was God,

    he did not think of equality with God

    as something to cling to.

Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;

    he took the humble position of a slave

    and was born as a human being.

When he appeared in human form,

    he humbled himself in obedience to God

    and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor

    and gave him the name above all other names,

    that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

    and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,

    to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11)

Humility, as this passage about Jesus clearly illustrates, is a choice he made. He did not have to give up his divine privileges. He chose to give them up. His life was not taken from him. He chose to die on the cross. If Jesus, who is God himself, can chose to humble himself the writer of Philippians says we must also choose the attitude of humility. If we demand the respect due to us, the rights that are ours, the possessions that belong to us, we may have those things taken from us. But if we chose to give up respect, rights, or possessions for the glory of God, we gain a place in eternity with Jesus Christ that cannot be taken from us.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Today give up one right which is yours. Perhaps it is as simple as your place in line at the store.

Prayer: God, help me to allow the attitude of humility to be normal for me as it was for Christ.

Bob Peden 

DAY 23 - PUSHING YOURSELF

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)

Growing up in my household, giving up was not an option. It was one of the core values. I remember growing up as a kid learning a new sport (with the help of my father and brothers), and no matter how many times I wanted to quit, my dad would always encourage me to never quit.

As I was training for the Andersons 5k, I had to think back to those days of my father’s teachings to never give up no matter how hard something was for me. The race was not easy, but I pushed through. I believe that when we are faced with the option to give up or push through, pushing through is the strength of IronMakers.

In order to push through, the aspect of a community is encouraging. The community of folks surrounding me on the day of the race and at the end of the finish line was the final push I needed to cross that finish line. It was evident on race day and has also been evident in my life. Whether on the ball field, at dance recitals, or supporting me through life decisions, my family was always and is always there to help push me through. In James 1:12, he tells us that the triune God will one day look you in the eyes and give you a crown of glory for pushing through this life. So keep pushing through; don't give up!
IronMaker's Daily Challenge:  Write a summary of a time (maybe now or in the past) that you personally had to push through. Then I want you to write an encouraging "don't give up" note to someone you know.
Prayer:  Father, help me to push through my trials of life. Help me to know you are always with me. Help my life of pushing through be an encouragement to others today. Amen.

Rev. Kristina Crabtree
Minister of Spiritual Formation

DAY 24 - SURRENDERING

“Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” (Isiah 64:8)

I remember several years ago, as I dealt with significant health issues with both my mother and my daddy, finding myself turning to God in confusion, exhaustion, and frustration. Trying to make informed decisions based on physician input, the reality of physical limitation for both them and me, I often found myself asking “Lord, what do You want from me? What do I do for these who gave the best years of their life to me?” At times, I felt like I was being asked to sign a blank check, offering my life and theirs for an unspecified commitment—both in daily requirements and number of days, months—or years.

But isn't that exactly what God asks of us? He's the potter; we are the clay. We sing, "mold and make after Your will." That is asking Him to direct our lives.

I had to trust Him - to sign the check. Why was it so hard? I had an agenda. More than anything, I wanted to make everything right, to make it work the way I wanted it to.  For magical healing to occur and have the wonderful witness of God allowing me to work in His miracle.
But my agenda was not to be…not in the way I had planned it out. God was faithful, just as He had always been faithful. He was with me when both mother and daddy left this life for eternity. His grace was sufficient.
But, sometimes it's hard to surrender. Hard to lay it all down. Even when you know it's what's being asked of you. The Lord is gracious. He doesn't leave us alone in our struggles. Our God knows how to use hardship and suffering for His purposes and His glory. We simply have to surrender…our agendas, control… our lives.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Today write down an area in your life that you struggle with trying to control. Look at it each day for the next week and begin surrendering your control to God.

Prayer:  Dear God today I begin my journey of surrender to you. Be with me, reminding me that if you care for the sparrow, for the lilies of the field, then surely you care for me…I simply come to you, placing my life in your hands. Amen

Sabrina Williams

DAY 25 - STRENGTH

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Phil. 4:13, NLT)

Humans are some pretty remarkable creatures. We have made some amazing achievements in this world. For example, the Great Wall of China, pyramids, skyscrapers, cars, the internet, and vaccines against diseases. Humans have found ways to look further and further into space. We have harnessed nuclear energy so powerful that it could level entire nations. As of today, there are unmanned aircrafts controlled by people on the other side of the world. The advancements made through human ingenuity is mind boggling.

Yet, in spite of all these remarkable technologies, we still cannot draw closer to the Creator of all things. It does not matter how strong or smart we become, we are unable to make ourselves good enough to stand before a holy God. Only through the strength and confidence found in Jesus can such things be accomplished. In him, we can actually do something no one is able to do, and that is live forever. All we have to do is be humble enough to admit that we cannot fix ourselves; only Jesus can. Then we open up to true strength and divine ingenuity. The divine achievement of Jesus makes us strong enough to love the unlovable; strong enough to be the spouse, child, and friend we are called to be; strong enough to do what is right.    
   
IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Commit yourself to Christ and walk in the confidence of his strength. Start to mend a broken relationship in your life.  

Prayer:  Merciful God, forgive me for relying on my own strength. I now humbly submit myself to your will. I seek only your strength. For only in you can I then do all things. In Jesus’ name, Amen.                                                                          

Dennis Gossett

DAY 26 - SOLID

“He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.” (Luke 6:48-NKJV)

This past February, we took our confirmation class to a retreat on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and we talked about what it means to confirm our faith – our baptism. Confirm means to make something solid or concrete. The speaker held up a rock every time we gathered for worship. Since we have a solid foundation to build upon, this means our work, though physically and spiritually difficult and tough at times, will be made solid as well – because we build on the Rock, Jesus Christ. The only reason we are made to last during the difficult ‘storms’ of life is because of our foundation – Jesus Christ.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Today, take a step in building on the rock by inviting someone to church or maybe memorizing this scripture and telling someone about it. Build on the foundation and show others how to build on the foundation!

Prayer:  Lord Jesus of Nazareth, High Priest of Heaven, you are the foundation on which I build my house. I trust that because of the groundwork you have laid for us, I can build a solid house ready to take on the storms. Amen.

Rev. Jonathan Crabtree
Pastor for Student Ministry

DAY 27 - FAITHFULNESS

 “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” 

(John 1:14)

Thomas O. Chisholm penned the words to the great hymn, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”

The first verse is a resounding description of God’s faithfulness to his creation:

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father;

there is no shadow of turning with thee;

thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;

as thou hast been thou forever will be.

The second verse lists all of creation that responds to God faithfulness

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,

sun, moon and stars in their courses above

join with all nature in manifold witness

to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

What is missing from this list? We are. Let us join with all nature in witnessing to God faithfulness. The third verse describes what awaits us as we respond to God’s faithfulness:

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth

thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Witness to God’s faithfulness in your life to one other person today.

Prayer:  Lord God of Heaven, thank you for your faithfulness to me. Keep me ever mindful of my need to respond to your faithfulness by my own faithful witness.

Bob Peden

DAY 28 - FIRE

“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;  rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.” (Romans 12:10-13)

“Get on fire for God and men will come and see you burn.” ― John Wesley

As believers, the symbol of fire is used multiple times throughout scripture to describe the lifestyle of followers of Jesus. When I think of a fire, I think about a community gathering, the roasting of marshmallows, and roasting hotdogs. The fire is the very purpose that a community of people has gathered, it is central. As followers of Jesus, we are living a life that is on fire. I bold texted “fervent in spirit,” because it actually comes from the word zeo, which means to boil with heat. Remember that scripture in Revelation 3:15-16 where John is talking about how we as Christians need to be either hot or cold, being lukewarm is not the way of following Jesus.

As we have this picture of a community of people surrounding a fire, let’s think about the three main components to a fire: fuel, oxygen, and heat. Without all three working together, a fire will not exist. In Matthew 24:12, it proclaims that in the last days, the love of many will grow cold. As followers of Jesus, we want to be labeled “fire.” A fire is not easily put out but takes work to maintain.

One way is by feeding the flames. The fuel for the fire is more firewood. This is our hunger for the word of God. This is not a mundane daily routine that is done out of a Christian’s duty to be a Christian but a way in which you approach the Word hungrily expecting to hear the very voice of God. Another way is by stoking the furnace. The fire needs oxygen to continue to burn. This is our time of prayer. Prayer can be seen as breath, the very oxygen we need to keep our fire going. The last component is heat. Without the heat component, the fire would not “burn.” John Wesley states above that our lives are meant to burn for others to see. This is the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives. If we don’t allow the Holy Spirit to move in and through our lives, the very heat of our fire will become cold.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:   Take a look at your life with God. Has it become cold? What component of the fire do you need to ignite in order to burn again?

Prayer:  Come Holy Spirit. Create in me a new Spirit to live as though I am burning and on fire for you. May my life become a fire so that it can spread to others. Thank you, Lord, for giving me the Holy Spirit. I love you, Lord. Amen.

Rev. Kristina Crabtree
Minister of Spiritual Formation

DAY 29 - PURIFYING FIRE

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 

(I John 1: 8-9)

I was recently reading about the role fire plays in art. From glass, pottery, fine metals and steel, fire is used in the molding and refining process. Gold is purified in only one way: with fire. Not an outward brush with fire, but from being plunged into the heart of the fire — the place where fire is harshest and turns blue — and it is kept there until that which is being purified loses any resemblance to what it once was. Having been purified, the gold can be molded according to the will of the goldsmith. It only loses its contact with the fire when the final shape has been formed.

When we, as believers, confess our sin, our imperfect works, to God, He not only promises to be faithful and to forgive us; He promises to engage us in the painful process of purification in order to cleanse us from the sin that is tearing us apart. God knows our weaknesses, our innermost thoughts that we withhold from the rest of the world.  He knows our words before we even speak them, yet often in our superiority, we think we hide them not only from others but from God. We are often guilty of pursuing perfection rather than purification. Perfection comes in our human desire to reign superior. Purification comes in surrender of our humanness to God.

Fire can be incredibly destructive, but it can also strip away impurities. Today, as we go through our daily routine, may we be well aware of the imperfection in our work, our words, and our thoughts, and surrender them to the purifying fire of God – all the while knowing that we strive to continue to work as holy and godly people hoping for the day when the labors of our hands will be cleansed from all sin.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Ask God to begin the purification process in the area you began to surrender to His will on Day 24.

Prayer:  Most gracious God, I confess that my work bears the stain, the imperfection of my sin. I give these imperfections to you, ask you to purify my works and look to the day when all my imperfections will be destroyed and I live in full fellowship with you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

DAY 30 - BATTLE MIND

“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5 NRSV)

The Army Chaplain Corps was at one time in charge of Battle Mind training for Soldiers. The idea was to mentally and spiritually prepare the Soldier for the realities of conflict. I always felt this was the best training that a Soldier could receive before going down range. We, as followers of Jesus, need this training also as we constantly are engaged in spiritual conflict. Each and every day you are placed on the front lines of an enemy that desire for your life to have no meaning or purpose. His goal is for you to live defeated. Paul told the church at Philippi that they must mentally and physically prepare for this fight. You and I are the tip of the spear when it comes to engaging the world with the message of Jesus. Let us not cower down at the moment that we are needed to press the advantage. Let us have the same mind that was in Christ and that was a Battle Mind.

IronMaker’s Daily Challenge:  Meditate on Philippians 2:5 and consider the meaning of having a mind like Christ.

Prayer:  Lord, prepare my mind for the task before me. I ask you to use me to sharpen others as I continue to be sharpened for you.

John Branning

Lead Pastor, Central United Methodist Church

Chaplain (MAJ) 185^th Theater Aviation Brigade