Dan Gould

Tag: Dan Gould

  • Bowlin’ (featuring Chris Tomlin)

  • Bible Challenge – Ephesians 5

    Imitate God, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love. following the example of Christ. Ephesians 5:1-2

    Have you ever tried to be like someone else?  Have you ever watched to see what someone else did first? Have you ever changed your answer based on what others thought.  Have you ever  …. ? If you’re like me the answer is YES! Fortunately for me I have had some great mentors in my life who have shown me what it means to imitate God in everything. Their love for God and desire to be like Jesus challenged me in so many ways. As a teenager, their example was so different than what I was seeing or had seen  at school and sadly at church. As I look back on it now I am so thankful for their consistent and authentic pursuit of becoming more like Christ daily. I don’t know I would be where I am today without their example.

    Fast forward several years! There has never been a more important time in my life than now for me to be an imitator of God.  Having a family, working with Teenagers & Adults, coaching my sons baseball team, and living in what seems to be a glass house, are all areas that God has placed me to live and lead by example.  Everyday I have a choice to imitate someone or something.  Some-days I feel like I fail big, while others days I feel like I’m a little more successful. But the desire of my heart is to imitate God in everything.  That means giving God credit where credit is do, and confessing the things that are not pleasing to Him.  It means living authentically and pursuing Christ daily so that the next generation, will look at my example in the same way I look at some of the great examples in my life! It’s time to pass the baton, they have passed it to me, and now it’s my responsibility to pass it to the next generation!

    Father, today I want to imitate you in everything!  I pray that I would surrender the thing things that keep me from you, exposing them to your light so the dark places in me could become victories you use to bring Glory to your Name.  I pray that my example, will cause others to chase after you daily I pursue to live authentically, confessing my failures and celebrating the victories. It’s in Jesus Name I pray, Amen!

    When you read Ephesians 5 what speaks to you?

     

  • Bible Challenge – Ephesians 4

    Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God – truly righteous and holy. Ephesians 4:21-24

    I don’t know about you, but sometimes I find myself trying to fit back into my old nature. It can happen in a split second by saying something that I really shouldn’t say or being in a place that I shouldn’t have allowed myself to be in causing me to do things or act in ways I shouldn’t act. However, living in the new life and striving to put on the new nature is a choice that has to be made daily. This is why it is so important for me to spend time with God. It’s in these times that God speak to me through His Inspired Word (the Bible) and the power of the Holy Spirit begins to renew my thoughts and attitudes. It’s here that I am convicted of sin and conformed to image of Christ. The more time I spend with God the easier it is to live in the new life He’s provided through the Cross of Christ. Daily, I remind my self I have been Born Again!

    Father, help me live in the newness of life you have provided though the Cross. Help be to delight in you so you can be shown through me. Give me the power to resit the Devil by renewing my thoughts through the power of your Holy Spirit. Let me guard my heart, In Jesus Name, Amen!

    When you read Ephesians 4 what speaks to you?

  • Bible Challenge – Ephesians 3

    Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20

    Have you ever felt like you were at the end of your rope? Has life ever seemed unfair? Have you ever asked yourself, “How am I going to do this?” Have you ever just sat down and had no idea where to start? These are just some of the things that I have wrestled with over the last three years. Believe it or not, these questions have actually drawn me closer to God because of this promise … God is Able!

    You see, when I offer the situation, my feelings, my fears, and opportunities to Him, His power works through me accomplishing more than I could imagine or more than I could do on my own. His ways are wiser, His thoughts are deeper, His power is supreme and His resources are endless. He can and has done infinitely more than I can think or imagine and He can do the same for you when you give Him ALL the Glory!

    Father, thank you for the power, wisdom, forgiveness, and blessing you have shown me when I turn my worry into worship and ask for you to take control of the situation. Will you continue to do infinitely more than I ask or think! In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

    When you read Ephesians 3, what speaks to you?

  • Be who YOU are!!!

    Saw this a couple of weeks ago at Student Life Refuge! It’s just a simple reminder that I sometimes forget!

  • Bible Challenge – Ephesians 2

    But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. Eph 2:4-5

    We were dead in our sins, BUT GOD … We were rebels against him, BUT GOD … We were enslaved by the devil and our sinful natures, BUT GOD … These may be the two most welcome words in all of Scripture: “BUT GOD.” God could have left us spiritually dead, in rebellion against him and in bondage to our sins. But He didn’t!!!!! He did not save us because of, but rather in spite of, what He saw in us. Therefor, we shouldn’t just thank him for what He has done for us, we should also show humble patience and tolerance for others who seem unworthy of undeserving of our love and compassion. They may be spiritually dull, and rebellious toward God. So were we; BUT GOD LOVED US ANYWAY!

    Father, I am so thankful that you chose to step in on my behalf. Help me to be mindful of the depth of your love then and the depth of you love you have for me know! Sometimes I forget that you still love me in this way! Help me to reflect this love toward others so they to can see how much you love them! In Jesus Name I pray, Amen!

  • Bible Challenge – Ephesians 1

    And this is the plan: At the right time he (God) will bring everything together under the authority of Christ – everything in heaven and on earth. Ephesians 1:10

    God’s plan is that through Christ the world would be rescued from sin. Everyday God is giving us one more opportunity to surrender and trade our sin for a Savior. But the day will come when Christ comes back. On this day He will unite heaven and earth. On this day, every knee will bow to Jesus as Lord, either because they love Him or because they fear His Power. This will be the beginning of Eternity!

    Let’s face it, life on this earth is fragile! At any moment our life could be taken from us or Jesus could return to usher in God’s Kingdom. The question shouldn’t be “When will this happen?” The question should be, “Will I be ready?” When Jesus returns, will I experience Him as Lord and Savior or will I experience Him as Judge and Jury. There has never been a time like ours before. I believe that Jesus could return at any moment! This should give us a sense of urgency. When we live with urgency we live each day as if it were our last. We capture each moment and make it obedient to Christ, we spend time with the people who are important to us, and we tell others about the Love God has for each of us. This is the way I want to live, how about you?

    Father today, let me live with a sense of urgency! Let me make time for the important things and not get caught up in the things that keep me busy. Let me keep my eyes on you so I don’t get tempted by the things around me! Let me love others the way you have loved me, and let my life reflect Christ in away that others might experience you in a powerful way! In Christ’s Name I pray, Amen!

  • Bible Challenge – Galatians 6

    Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humble help that person back onto the right path. Galatians 6:1

    Sin is Sin, and at any moment anyone of us can give in to it’s appeal.  The Devil’s always looking for ways to keep us trapped by sin and/or opportunities for us to give into temptation and sin.  As a Christ Follower, there is a daily battle against sin and the desire to sin.  However, because we are sinful people, sometimes the lure to sin is so appealing that we give in.  We think to ourselves, “it will only happen once” or “no one will know.” And before long we have done it more than once, and what we thought would be secret has somehow become public.  We are exposed in our sin and we are in crisis! The last thing we need is to be an outcast by those who are Christians.

    As a Christ Follower, my role is to love, encourager, confront, serve/help, and hold others accountable so together we can stand against the temptations that come our way.  I don’t do this with prideful arrogance, I do this with a humble spirit that see the person and not just the sin that has trapped them. I realize that at any moment this could be me.  The reality is I am only one choice away from doing the same thing. I am one choice away from being caught in the same sin or a different sin. Therefor, it causes me to set up boundary’s that will safeguard me from having this situation happen to me. This is serious stuff, if it happened to them, it can happen to anyone and I would be foolish to say that it would never happen to me.

    Here are some things that I am trying to do to win the battle of sin n my life and help others at the same time:

    • Prayer – pray that God Power would be Evident in my weakness.  Pray that God would use my life to encourage others to strive to live for Christ in all areas of their life.
    • Time in the Word – Real Power comes from the Holy Spirit and knowing what God says.  Many times I give into temptation because I don’t have His Word hidden in my heart.  Someone once said that “Sin will keep you from the Bible, But the Bible will keep you from sin!”
    • Fellowship – I need others …. and truth be told, others need me. I need to have a place I connect with peers to learn, laugh, and develop stronger friendships.
    • Accountability – I need a place that I can expose the real me and be accepted despite my imperfections. I need others who will pray with me, encourage me, and yes, even correct me when I give in to sin.  Sometimes this is easy, but sometimes this is a very difficult process.  But regardless, it is necessary for me to see seriousness of sin and understand the Unconditional Love of God.

    Father today, help me to live a life that pleases you and inspires others. If I know, see, or hear that someone has been trapped in sin or struggling with sin, help me not to focus on the sin, but to focus on the your truth and lovingly help that person see you. Give me wisdom and the ability to hold them accountable in a loving way, drawing them closer to you and not pushing them away from you. It’s in Jesus Name I pray these things, Amen!

  • Bible Challenge – Galatians 5

    “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” Galatians 5:16

    Guilty! There is so much in this chapter it’s hard to find just one thing to talk about. However, all of them stem from one choice … who I chose to surrender to. Everyday, I can chose to live in my own power, or I can chose to live in the Holy Spirits power.

    When I choose to live in my own power, I find myself more likely to give into the sinful desires that are mentioned in this long list of things. Things like, sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, fighting/arguing, jealousy, outburst of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, …. and the list goes on. Because I have chosen to live for myself, with a me first mindset, when this temptation comes, when this desire presents itself, I find myself more likely to give in. EVEN if I know I shouldn’t.

    But when I chose to live in the power of the Holy Spirit, there are different attitudes and actions that begin to become a part of my life. Things like, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Now don’t get me wrong, I still experience some of the same temptations, and the desires still present themselves. But I am less likely to give into them because I have chosen to live in the Holy Spirits power, and I’m not striving to please myself, but to please God.

    Now I wish I could say that when I look at these two list, that I find myself always surrendering to the Holy Spirits power. However, when I look at that list there are some elements of the Holy Spirits power in my life, but there are still some sinful desires that seem to get the best of me some day’s. Maybe you can relate!

    Now here is where the rubber meets the road. If I am going to be free from the sinful desires I have to surrender everything to God. That means every day, every hour, every minute, every second, I chose to live for Him and not myself. I chose to fight against those desires and allow the Holy Spirits power to get me though that situation. As I begin to live for an audience of one and choose to live in the Holy Spirits power, the desire to give into the sinful nature will decrease, and the fruit of the Spirit will increase. So, “since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading IN EVERY PART of our lives.”

    Father, today, let me live for an Audience of ONE, choosing to live with and in the Holy Spirits power and choosing not to live in my own power. I surrender! In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

  • Bible Challenge – Galatians 4

    “God sent him (Jesus) to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.” Galatians 4:5

    WOW! Jesus stepped out of Heaven to BUY me FREEDOM! Adoption is in interesting concept for a couple of reasons. 1.) Adoption is a choice. People have to choose to adopt someone as their son or daughter. God made a choice to adopt us His sons and daughters. 2.) Adoption is expensive. Adoption isn’t cheap and it wasn’t cheap for God either. He knew, the only way that you and I could be adopted was by sending His son to live, die, rise, taking on the sins of the world so we could be adopted as sons and daughters and restored to a right relationship with God the Father!

    The fact that Jesus would give up everything for me so that I could be adopted by Gods own choosing blows me away. It really puts in perspective How much God loves me. Now the real question is … how much do I show God that I love Him?

    Father today, let me rest in your unconditional love, but let me reveal with my thoughts, words, and actions how much your love means to me. Let me not just say it with words but prove it with actions. It’s in Jesus Name I pray, Amen!