STREAMS OF LIVING PRAISE INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES

God's Promises For you this Year 2011

2011-02-19T06:40:00.000-08:00

The secret promises of God in Leviticus 26:3-13, to give you the greatest manifestation of blessing and abundance that you have ever experienced in your life.

1. You will receive rain in due season. Your land will produce. (Verse 4.)
2. You will dwell in your land safely. (Verse 6.)
3. None will cause you to fear. You shall lie down in peace. (Verse 6.)
4. God will cause your enemies to fall before you. (Verse 8)
5. Favor! God will look upon you with favor and make you fruitful. (Verse 9)
6. God will walk among you and be your God. (Verse 12)
7. Miracle of debt-cancellation. Your debts will be canceled. (Verse 13)
8. Any stolen or lost property will be returned. God will return to you what Satan has stolen.
9. Total family restoration. Your family will be totally restored. Your unsaved loved ones will finally come to Christ!
10. Prosperity and blessing will encompass you like you have never experienced before. (Verse 5a)
11. These blessings will be so great that your harvest will overflow. (Verse 5b)

Ten Promises of God to this Year 2010

2010-06-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

Ten Promises of God to this Year 2010( By Dr. Morris Cerullo)

I pray that you will let the power and anointing of this promise from God’s Almighty Word sink deep into your spirit. God has spoken to my heart to show you how you can fulfill the promise of Zechariah 8:23.

In 2010-the year of nothing-wanting-God is releasing His supernatural, end-time, financial-anointing into the lives of his people.Ten means "NOTHING WANTING".

Get ready to receive them now. Here are your TEN PROMISES:

PROMISE 1: SPIRITUAL EYESIGHT
In Jesus' Name, I take authority and dominion over every misleading thought of the enemy. I release clear spiritual vision now! In fact, I am expecting God to release His angel to take you by the hand and lead you into the path that He wants for your life.
You will see (as Prophet Elisha’s servant saw, when the miracle of spiritual eyesight was given to him) that they that are with us are more than they that are against us.

PROMISE 2: A NEW BEGINNING
You are not going to go in the ruts of the harvest, and you are not going to walk in the old ways. Get your mind clear because you are not going back. God is going to give you a fresh new start and a new beginning.

PROMISE 3: A FRESH REVELATION
Would you like to get a new breakthrough? A revelation breakthrough will take you suddenly past the lines of Satan’s defenses. A fresh revelation is coming your way, if you will grab hold of the coat of him who is a Jew.

PROMISE 4: TOTAL RESTORATION
God is going to do something for you that He has never done before!
Everything that the devil has stolen from you will be RESTORED to you seven-fold by God. But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house (Proverbs 6:31).

PROMISE 5: FINANCIAL BREAKTHROUGHS
If you believe that I am a prophet of God, I want you to receive what I am saying to you. We are on the verge of the greatest financial overflow from the hand of God that we have ever seen. If you are faithfully serving God, and have no ulterior motives except to get the gospel to the ends of the earth, then you will experience the greatest financial miracle that God has ever bestowed upon His people. The time is now!!!

PROMISE 6: FAVOR
God has favored you, chosen you, and exalted you. You are a royal priesthood. Being God's favored child, His blessings are coming your way.
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (John 15:16).
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (I Peter 2:9).

PROMISE 7: INCREASE
Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) (II Corinthians 9:10).
God has shown me that He will bestow upon you the supernatural manifestation of increase. Your finances are going to increase. Your health is going to increase. The blessings of God upon your family are going to increase. Say it after me: INCREASE!!!

PROMISE 8: SUPERNATURAL PROVISION
I am not talking about natural provision. As God manifested His miracle-working power when the children of Israel were able to draw water from a rock and eat manna from heaven for their provision, He will meet your needs through the blessing of supernatural provision.

PROMISE 9: A NEW SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY
A new spiritual authority is coming into your life. The days of your being intimidated are over. You will face the devil and win because you know Luke 10:19: Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

PROMISE 10: SPIRITUAL INSULATION
In the midst of the biggest crisis that this world has ever experienced in the history of humanity, I prophesy to you, in Jesus' Name, that you will be insulated from the schemes and intentions that the devil has for your life. He will only be able to go so far, but he will not be able to go one inch farther.

Change the Way You Talk to Yourself

2009-08-06T11:12:00.000-07:00

You constantly carry on conversations with yourself in your mind, and studies show that this self-talk occurs at a rapid rate of about 1,300 words per minute. But does what you're telling yourself reflect the truth?

Too often, your self-talk reveals a twisted view of yourself and selfish motives that conflict with the way God thinks about you and your life. But if you change the way you talk to yourself -- conforming wrong thought patterns to biblical truth -- you'll see more clearly who you really are and what purposes God has for you.

Here's how you can change the way you talk to yourself:

Listen to yourself. Pay closer attention to what you're saying in your mind throughout each day and evening. Cut down on busyness that interferes with you hearing your own thoughts well. Ask God to reveal the ugly parts of yourself that you've worked to hide with deceptive self-talk. Listen to what you're telling yourself about your own attitudes and actions, and consider how you might be trying to justify or rationalize sin in your life. Then pray for God to help you change from the inside out.

Recognize the voice of seduction calling you. A battle between good and evil rages in your mind regularly because you live in a fallen world. Satan's goal in that battle is to shift your focus from God and onto yourself. Pray for the discernment you need to recognize evil trying to seduce you: critical thoughts telling you that you're no good as a person, bitter thoughts urging you to take revenge on someone who has hurt you, lustful thoughts telling you that you deserve to take whatever you want even if doing so would hurt others, etc. Ask God to open your eyes to the lies that you've believed, and to renew your mind through His Holy Spirit so you can replace those lies with truth.

Confess and repent of unhealthy self-talk. Read, study, and reflect on Bible passages regularly, so its truth will soak into your soul and transform the way you think. When you notice that your self-talk conflicts with biblical truth, confess and repent of the wrong thoughts. Ask God to help you kill whatever wrong thoughts are passing through your mind, from pride and greed to anger and fear. Admit how you've been following your own plans rather than God's plans for various areas of your life, from your relationships and health to your work and finances. Take an honest look at the motives you have for what you choose to say and do each day. Let the gratitude you feel for all God has done for you motivate you to submit your will to His in fresh ways daily.

Ask God to help you see yourself as He sees you. Pray for God to help you view yourself as His beloved child, and let God's view of you give you the comfort and encouragement you need to focus on pleasing God alone rather than trying to please other people. Don't waste time and energy worrying about what others may think of you. Instead, let the knowledge of God's love for you free you to serve as He leads you, using the gifts and talents He has given you to fulfill great purposes for your life.

Pray about your self-talk as it occurs. Pray about the thoughts that concern you as they go through your mind. As soon as you become aware of something disturbing like a flash of guilt or pride, confess it and take advantage of the opportunity to have God immediately restore your mind. Catch yourself when you're lying to yourself or running from God. Then invite God to transform your thinking in that moment. Ask God to help you trust Him to help you with whatever situation you're thinking about at the time. Then thank Him for His constant presence with you. Make a habit of evaluating your self-talk and praying about it moment-by-moment so you can experience God's peace whenever you need it.

Replace lies with the truth. Be alert to the lies your self-talk reveals about yourself, other people, and God. Pray for the discernment you need to have an accurate perspective on yourself, others, and God. Tune out the clamor you hear from life's chaos around you and proactively turn your heart to God so you can tune into His voice above all the noise. Listen to the truth the God speaks to you through His Holy Spirit and let that overcome the lies you've been telling yourself. Each time the Holy Spirit reveals a lie and nudges you to pray about it, follow a healthy cycle: sensitivity to the Spirit, conviction of sin, conversation with God, freedom and renewal, and changed behavior.

Write to yourself in a journal. Record the details of your self-talk in a journal so you can study them and ask yourself where your thoughts are coming from and what God wants you to do about them.

Enlist help from other people. Ask a few friends you trust to encourage you, hold you accountable, pray for you, and give you advice as you try to change the way you talk to yourself.

Turn your self-talk into God-talk. Once you've learned how to focus on God's voice speaking to you, invite Him to use your private thoughts to help you love Him and others in deeper ways. Pray for more and more insights to help you love God and other people with greater passion. Ask God to fill your mind with thoughts that will lead you to live the best life possible.

2009-07-31T07:53:00.001-07:00

Confront People without Offending Them

2009-06-14T21:32:00.000-07:00

A husband who won't help his wife with household chores. A spendthrift woman who's constantly trying to borrow money from her friends. A boss with an anger problem who alienates his employees. A grandma who's tired of being asked to babysit so often that she doesn't have enough time to herself. These are just a few examples of the many issues that, if not dealt with, can permanently damage relationships.

All too often, people either avoid conflict or deal with it in clumsy, ineffective ways. Such approaches only make conflicts worse. But if you follow God's call to confront people without offending them, you can resolve conflicts, strengthen relationships, and grow personally in the process.

Here's how you can confront people without offending them:

Aim for a goal. Before confronting someone, clarify what you hope to achieve through the confrontation. Retaliation should never be your goal. If you have a vengeful attitude, confess it and ask God to cleanse your thoughts toward the person you want to confront.

Aim to use a confrontation to resolve whatever issue is causing conflict between you and the other person. Consider what specific outcome you'd like to see result from the confrontation -- having someone stop a negative behavior, start a positive behavior, or make some other change -- and keep that goal in mind when you confront the person.

Confront whether you're the offended or the offender. God wants you to try to resolve conflict through confrontation whether someone else has offended you or whether you've offended someone. If you've been offended, don't repress your feelings; that will only lead to bitterness that will poison your soul and express itself in unhealthy ways in your life.

If you've offended someone, remember that it's your responsibility to take action toward reconciliation. Work to overcome excuses and defensiveness no matter what the situation. Be willing to confront to try to work out the issue, since God has given you a mandate to initiate reconciliation whether you are the offended or the offender.

Understand different conflict management styles. Dictatorshandle conflict by charging, commanding, demanding, directing, imposing, mandating, ordering, proclaiming, ruling, calling the shots, and laying down the law. Sometimes that style is necessary because moral values are at stake or the common good is being threatened. But often, dictators need to focus more on hearing and valuing other people's input.

Accommodators handle conflict through adapting, adjusting, conforming, indulging, obliging, pleasing, or accommodating to other people's needs and desires. Accommodators are good at listening, which is a key skill in working through conflicts. But they need to learn to set boundaries to let others know that their negative or insensitive behavior toward them is not acceptable.

Abdicators handle conflict by retreating, bowing out, quitting, stepping down, separating themselves from situations, dropping out, walking away, abandoning, resigning, surrendering, or yielding. But by running away, abdicators make it impossible to resolve their conflicts. They need to express their needs through "I" statements that tell others what they feel when they experience the behavior that's causing the conflict and explain what they'd like to see happen.

Collaborators deal with conflict in the healthiest way, through cooperating, joining forces, uniting, pulling together, participating, and co-laboring to find a way to resolve the issue. Consider what style you tend to use the most, and think and pray about how you can better work with others as a collaborator. Do you need to be more respectful of authority, value other people's input more, or communicate more clearly? Try to choose the collaborator style as often as possible when managing conflict.

Prepare for the encounter. Before you confront someone, first be honest about why you've decided to confront him or her about the issue. Do you have an ulterior motive (such as trying to make the person feel guilty) or do you want to see a genuine change in behavior? Remind yourself that your goal should be to resolve a specific issue for God's glory.

Choose the right time and place for the confrontation, and try to make sure that you talk with the person when you all can be alone instead of in front of others. Pray to prepare your heart and mind before the confrontation.

Own the problem. Speak on your own behalf, explaining how the problem has affected you personally or how you perceive the issue rather than shifting the attention to other people's perspectives. Take responsibility for expressing your own thoughts and feelings clearly and directly to the person you're confronting.
Speak the right words. Pray for the wisdom to choose the words that will help you most effectively communicate with the person, and for the peace you need to deliver those words in a calm tone of voice. Describe specifically what you've observed or experienced, since being too general will make it easy for the person to deny wrongdoing or misinterpret your message.

For every negative statement you need to make while discussing the issue at hand, try to make a positive statement affirming the person's worth and your commitment to the relationship both before and after making the negative statement. That will help the person know that you are rejecting his or her behavior, but not him or her as a person.

When you criticize, do so constructively, giving the person information to help him or her solve the problem and being careful to preserve the person's dignity. Listen to the person with an open mind. Admit your own mistakes. Work with the person to find mutually agreeable ways to move forward.

Listen well. When you listen, you create an environment where the person you're confronting feels that he or she has been heard and his or her thoughts and feelings have been validated. That will motivate the person to try to resolve the conflict with you. Try to fully understand the person's intentions and objectives rather than jumping to conclusions. Verify facts before making accusations. Explain your own actions when the person has questions about them. Ask questions to clarify what the person is telling you; then paraphrase what you think the person has said to make sure you understand correctly.
Negotiate future behavior. Try to work out a mutual agreement on how to move forward after the confrontation. But keep in mind that the only behavior you have the power to change is your own. Determine how much you're willing to compromise without violating your core values or self-respect to achieve harmony.
Forgive the offender. Let your gratitude for how much God has forgiven you motivate you to obey His call to forgive those who have offended you. Decide to forgive -- despite your feelings -- and rely on God's help to do so, trusting that your feelings will gradually change in the process.

While your decision to forgive should be immediate, restoring trust in your relationship with the offender is a process that may take a long time. For true restoration to take place, the offender must first repent and show consistent behavior that gives evidence of his or her change of heart. However, whether or not the person who has offended you ever apologizes or repents, you must forgive him or her to obey God's call and free your soul from the poison of bitterness. If you're having difficulty choosing to forgive someone, pray for that person, and God will help you become more willing to forgive.

After you choose to forgive, stop rehearsing the offense in your mind. Leave it in the past and focus on your future.

Get to know various temperaments. Understand your own temperament and that of others influences how each of you naturally communicate. Figure out the needs, fears, preferences, and propensities toward certain behaviors that come naturally to yourself and other people. Keep that in mind to devise strategies with each person to improve the way you interact with him or her.

4 Reasons to Face the New Year without Fear

2009-01-06T08:21:00.000-08:00

God's Word brings us a comforting promise, along with an insightful command as we face a New Year: "Let your conversation be without greediness and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Hebrews 13:5-6).

We can live this coming year without fear if we apply these four incredibly wonderful truths to our lives and root them deep into our hearts.

The Contentment of His Provision. Contentment is not getting what you want, but it is wanting what you already have. First Timothy 6:6-8 says, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us therewith be content." If you know Jesus Christ, you have contentment. If you've got clothes on your back, something to eat, and Jesus Christ in your heart, you're rich!
Do you know why we have fear? Because we think our needs or the needs of someone we love are not going to be met. Or we fear that the things we think are meeting our needs are going to be taken away from us. The deepest need of your heart can only be met in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Companionship of His Presence. I don't know what I'm going to face next year. But there's one thing I know, He will never leave me. Are you a child of God? He will never leave you either. Isn't that wonderful!
What's another reason we may fear in the coming year? Because we're afraid we're going to have to face something we don't understand, and we're going to have to face it alone.
When God's Word promises that God will never forsake you, it literally means that He will never abandon you. He will not give up on you. We need to practice the presence of the Lord this coming year. When the devil comes and knocks at you heart's door, you can simply say, "Jesus, please go answer the door."
The Confidence of His Promise. We're going to zero in on a little phrase in our verses in Hebrews, "He hath said." A promise is no better than the one who makes it. Who says, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee"? It is the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God. This is the confidence of His promise.
In the coming year, when you say, "God, I just don't have the strength." The omnipotent God will answer, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." When you say, "God, I'm afraid of what is going to happen." The omnipresent God says, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." And when you say, "God, I don't know what to do." The omniscient God will respond, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." He himself hath said it.
The Comfort of His Protection. Hebrews 13:6 promises, "So that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." Now, put that with verse five which says, "He hath said."
Like I said earlier, I don't know what you're going to go through this coming year. But I know you can boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, so I will not fear what man shall do to me." When you find your contentment, companionship, and confidence in Jesus. Then, you'll find your comfort and courage in Jesus.

How to Make Your Faith Real

2008-09-19T09:38:00.000-07:00

You may have been going to church for a long time. You may know lots of Bible stories. You may even pray regularly. But why? What is it that motivates you: a desire to be a good person, a sense of tradition, or a passion to connect with God? What do you really believe about God, anyway?If you've ever wondered if there's more to faith than what you're experiencing now, you can benefit from asking questions and discovering more.

Here are some crucial questions you can consider to make your faith real: Questions about which way you should go in life:·

"Is God more than a feeling?": God is bigger than your feelings. Living by your changing feelings will prove unreliable, but trusting God -- who doesn't change -- will give you consistent faith. Remember that God loves you despite whatever negative feelings you may experience, and He is faithful whenever you struggle. Place your trust in biblical truth rather than your emotions.·

"Do I own my convictions?" Instead of relying on the convictions of others (like your parents, Sunday School teacher, or pastor), explore what you really believe, and why. Ask God to enlighten you and strengthen your core belief system. Get to know the Bible well, and apply its truths to your life. Decide to live out your convictions with courage, wisdom, and faith.·

"Is my faith more than a habit?" Faith is much more than just following religious traditions. God wants your faith to motivate you to freely worship Him out of love, not obligation. Faith should be dynamic; always helping you grow closer to God and become more like Christ. Ask God to give you a fresh vision of His purpose for your life. Then offer yourself to Him to do your part in His important work on earth.·

"Is my faith only a group activity?" Faith isn't a spectator sport. Move beyond just enjoying large worship services with your friends to spending time alone with God on regular basis. Pray about your deepest thoughts and feelings during your one-on-one times with God.·

"Am I ready to take a u-turn?" If you've been heading in the wrong direction -- away from God -- decide to turn around and head toward Him through confession and repentance. God will meet you where you are and help you draw closer to Him.·

"Do I push God away in the tough times?" What's your response to tough times when they come? Realize that you need God all the time -- and especially during tough times. Don't isolate yourself from God when challenges hit. Instead, pray about your troubles and ask God to bring good purposes out of them.·

"Do I give God the first opportunity?" When you need guidance, do you turn to other people or just sort through your own feelings before ask God for help? Turn to God first. If you do, He'll give you the discernment necessary to help you figure out the best way to proceed.·

"Do I ask God for direction when the choice isn't clear?" Save yourself the trouble of muddling through confusion and making destructive mistakes by consistently praying about your choices. Learn how to listen to God and obey what He says.·

"Do I study the Bible for myself?" Rather than just relying on the limited biblical knowledge you can gain from listening to sermons or talking with other Christian friends, decide to actually read and study the Bible yourself on a regular basis. Ask God to speak to you in fresh ways through the Bible whenever you read it.·

"Where do I find my strength?" Look to God alone to give you the strength you need in any situation. He's the only reliable source of strength.

Questions about what you believe:·

"Have I built my own altar?" Build an altar in your heart for God every day by making Him your top priority and working everyone and everything else in your life around your relationship with Him.·

"Who is God to me?" Beware of trying to make God smaller than He really is. He's much more than a buddy who comforts you; He's the all-powerful God of the universe. Ask God to open up your eyes to see Him in a new way. Let God's mysteriousness motivate you learn something new about Him every day.·

"What is my true identity?" Don't base your identity on your talents, your jobs, your relationships, your possessions, or what other people say about you. Instead, base it on what matters most -- the fact that God created you, loves you, and has a good purpose for your life.·

"Is God relevant in my world?" Every part of your life relates to God. Pray for the wisdom to make choices that honor God and His plans for you, so you can enjoy the best life possible.·

"How do I apply this to my faith life?" Incorporate your faith into every part of your life instead of reserving it only for emergencies or certain contexts. Absolutely everything you experience can help you grow as a person if you pray about it and invite God to use it to accomplish good purposes in your life.Questions about who you trust:·

"Do I trust God when life is unfair?" Instead of thinking about how big the obstacle you're facing is, consider how big God is, and realize that you can completely trust Him to act according to what's best for you in any situation.·

"Will God show me what to do?" Whenever you're not sure what to do, pray to God boldly, expecting Him to answer. You can trust Him to give you an answer, plus the peace you need.·

"What if my life is affected by someone else's decision?" Even though other people will let you down, God never will. You can always count on God to help you when others have hurt you. His love can never be taken away from you.·

"What if I can't trust myself?" Struggling with sin is a normal part of living in our fallen world. But when you sin, don't stay in your sin. Instead, ask God to help you heal and mature. You may not be able to trust yourself, but you can always trust God.·

"Am I ready to trust?" Decide that you will reach out to God no matter what you're going through. Then, when challenges hit, your resolve will propel you in the right direction -- toward the God who is always ready to help you.

Questions about what God wants from you:·

"Does God choose me?" God has definitely called you to fulfill a good purpose. Even if other people don't accept you, God does. The purpose God has for you goes beyond anything other people can see, such as how smart or attractive you are. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you discover and fulfill your purpose.·

"Which message do I follow?" You'll hear many different kinds of messages every day, from a variety of sources. Some will be based in biblical truth, and some will be based in lies. Ask God to help you judge the messages you hear before embracing them as truth. Pray for the wisdom you need to discern which messages to follow.·

"Am I following the Rabbi?" Don't worry about trying to earn God's love through good deeds and religious rituals like the Pharisees in the Bible. Instead, follow Jesus the Rabbi's message that you're a sinner saved by grace who is completely and unconditionally loved.·

"Do I have a servant's heart?" God wants you to serve other people, letting His love flow through you into their lives. Ask God to help you overcome apathy and motivate you with a fresh sense of passion to serve others. Pray for guidance about specific ways God wants you to serve.·

"Do I call myself a disciple?" Count the cost of following Jesus. Be willing to do whatever it takes -- whatever He calls you to do -- because you love Him.·

"Am I gifted?" God has gifted you in distinct ways. Ask Him to make it clear to you what those are. Think about your interests and talents when discovering your spiritual gifts. Then use those gifts fully, as God leads you.·

"What if I sink? "What if I sink" Mistakes and failures aren't the end of the road for you. If you ask God to help you learn from them, they can become valuable experiences that will lead to the greatest success of all -- growing spiritually.·

"Why is destiny such a big deal?" You play a vital part in God's work on earth. God wants to use you to spread the Gospel message of hope to others. If you don't do your part, it affects many other people. So make it a high priority to share your faith regularly.·

"Can one person make a difference?" While you can't change the whole world, you can significantly change the lives of the people with whom you communicate. The prayers you pray for others and the practical ways you reach out to help them will definitely make a difference for the better. Pray for God to let others see His power working in you.·

"Am I ready to step into destiny?" Decide now to live out your faith to the fullest. As you do, you can be sure that God will be faithful to complete the good work He has begun in you .

OUR BELIEF

2008-09-09T10:37:00.000-07:00

Does God Still Speak to Us?

2008-07-25T08:27:00.000-07:00

A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible Study. The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice. The young man couldn't help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people?"

After service he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways. It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, "God ....... If you still speak to people speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey."

As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought, stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said out loud, "God, is that you?" He didn't get a reply and started on toward home. But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk. The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli.
"Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk." It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home. As he passed Seventh street, he again felt the urge, "Turn down that street." This is crazy he thought and drove on past the intersection. Again, he felt that he should turn down seventh street. At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, I will." He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi-commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed. Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street."

The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat.
"Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid."
Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk. Finally, he opened the door, "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here." He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?"

Then the door opened before the young man could get away. The man was standing there in his jeans and t-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. "What is it?"
The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, "Here, I brought this to you." The man took the milk and rushed down a hall way speaking loudly in Spanish. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face. He knew that God still answers prayers and that God still speaks to His people.

Do You ???????

COOKIES

2008-07-20T10:24:00.000-07:00

A young lady was waiting for her flight in the boarding room of a big airport.
As she would need to wait many hours, she decided to buy a book to spend her time. She also bought a packet of cookies.

She sat down in an armchair, in the VIP room of the airport, to rest and read in peace.
Beside the armchair where the packet of cookies lay, a man sat down in the next seat, opened his magazine and started reading.
When she took out the first cookie, the man took one also. She felt irritated but said nothing. She just thought:
“What a nerve! If I was in the mood I would punch him for daring!”

For each cookie she took, the man took one too. This was infuriating her but she didn’t want to cause a scene.
When only one cookie remained, she thought: “ah... What this abusive man do now?”
Then, the man, taking the last cookie, divided it into half, giving her one half.
Ah! That was too much! She was much too angry now! In a huff, she took her book, her things and stormed to the boarding place.

When she sat down in her seat, inside the plane, she looked into her purse to take her eyeglasses, and, to her surprise, her packet of cookies was there, untouched, unopened!
She felt so ashamed!! She realized that she was wrong.... She had forgotten that her cookies were kept in her purse.
The man had divided his cookies with her, without feeling angered or bitter.
...while she had been very angry, thinking that she was dividing her cookies with him. And now there was no chance to explain herself...nor to apologize.”

There are 4 things that you cannot recover.

The stone...
...after the throw!

The word... palavra...
...after it’s said!

The occasion...
... after the loss!

The time...
...after it’s gone!

Why it?s Important to Keep Tithing in Tough Economic Times

2008-07-01T09:52:00.000-07:00

Most people would concede that our current economy is going through some tough times and most people are feeling the impact in some way or another. Unemployment rates are rising, gas and food prices are rising, house values are going down in many areas- the list goes on. As Christians, we aren't immune to these troubles, but we know that God will provide a way out and will help us overcome if we trust in Him and follow in his principles.

Deuteronomy 8:18 tells us "Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth." It doesn't say he has given us the power to get wealth only when the economy is strong. God's principles work no matter what the outside circumstances are and no matter what the economy looks like.

"'Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this' says the LORD of hosts, 'If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field' says the LORD of hosts; 'And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land' says the LORD of hosts." Malachi 3:10-12

One of the ways God enables us to create wealth is by rebuking the devourer and keeping Satan away from destroying our finances. But there is a condition we must follow -- we must bring our tithe into the storehouse (the church). Most Christians know this and many already do so. However, when money is tight and the bills exceed the income, tithing is unfortunately usually the first to go. The thinking goes like this: if you cut back on giving your 10%, you will have more money left to pay your bills. Plus, God understands, right?

The problem is that God and His principles don't follow the logic we know. God's teachings often appear backwards from what we would naturally believe (the first will be last, if you want to be great then serve, etc.). So while it may seem logical that cutting back on tithing would help your financial situation currently, the truth is, this actually leaves you behind.

Here are a few reasons it is important to tithe, even when money is tight:

1. God Tells Us To
First and foremost, God tells us in His Word to tithe. We are to obey Him, thus we are to tithe. Even if it doesn't make sense to us, God is smarter than we are and His ways are higher (Isa 55:8-9). He knows that tithing is for our own good and that is why He tells us to do it.

2. The Unchurched Need Our Help
Our tithes provide for our churches and help them to continue to reach more people. In the above verse from Malachi, God tells us to tithe so that there may be food in His house, in other words that His church would have the finances and ability to do what it needs to do to reach the lost and needy. In fact, when the economy is tough and peoples' finances are going south, we often see an increase in unchurched people reach out to find Jesus and to get His help. If Christians stop tithing then the church won't be able to afford the resources to reach these people.

3. Tithing Keeps You Focused on and Trusting in God
If you stop tithing in order to save money, you immediately stop trusting in God and start trusting in yourself and in the world. If you are truly trusting God to provide for you, then you know He can (and will) provide all your needs, even when it seems like you can't afford to tithe. There are so many different ways God can bless you and provide for you that it's impossible to even guess them all. And in my experience, He'll usually do so in a way that surprises you. Increasing your income or bringing you extra money is only one of the ways He can work. He can provide you with a free service that otherwise would have cost you a lot more, He can keep your car from breaking down and costing you a hefty bill, He can keep you from becoming sick or your property from being vandalized, He can provide a sale on something you need to buy -- the list goes on and on. God thinks and works outside the box and He just wants you to trust Him to do what He said without trying to take matters into your own hands.
I've often heard the saying that 90% of your income with God's blessing is better than 100% without it, and I have seen this to be true many times in my own life.

4. Tough Economic Times are Usually When You Need God's Blessing the Most
God's financial blessings abound when you tithe so why would you want to stop the flow of blessing when you need Him the most? If unemployment rates are rising, don't you want God's blessing to provide you with steady income? If sales are down, don't you want His blessing to increase your revenue in the midst of it? If gas prices are going up, don't you want His blessings to help you afford to fill your tank? Obviously, God can choose to bless us at any time and in any circumstance, but when we stop focusing on God as Lord of our lives, we can easily miss out on the graces He wants to give us. As Christians, why wouldn't we want to do our part to honor God and open the door wide to all the possibilities He has in store for us?

If you've been struggling with tithing on a tight budget or if you have stopped tithing altogether, I encourage you to start again as soon as you can. Even if you start with only a small percentage and work your way up, it is still something. God knows things are tough and that tithing isn't always easy, but He also knows it works and that it blesses you and leaves you better in the end. And when things get tough, find encouragement through God's Word and remind yourself of the good things to come. "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." Galatians 6:9

We All Have a Story to Tell

2008-06-28T09:18:00.000-07:00

LET'S READ:
"Neither this man or his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life" (John 9:2-3 NIV).

Every follower of Christ has a story to tell. This is who I was...this is who I am now. Traditionally, we call our stories a testimony. In a court of law, a testimony is an eye-witness account.
A man or woman cannot sit on the witness stand and tell what someone else told them about an incident. They can only tell what they saw with their own eyes or heard with their own ears. Likewise, the most powerful story we can tell is what Christ has done for us and how He brought us from death to life!

One day, Jesus was walking down the dusty road of Jerusalem and came upon a blind man sitting by the road. Jesus spat in the dust, made a clay paste, and rubbed the paste on the blind man's eyes.
"Go wash at the Pool of Siloam," he told the man.When the man washed the sacred mud from his eyes, for the first time in his life he could see the rays of the sun, the ripples on the water, and the lines on the palms of his hands. He received his sight.The dirt held no miraculous powers - it never is. It was, however, what Jesus did with the dirt that transformed it into a healing balm. And so it is in our own lives.

The people in the town were amazed. "Is this the same man we have seen begging by the road for so many years?" they asked.

"It's me," he replied with joy.

"The very one.""How did your eyes get opened?" they asked.

"A man named Jesus made a paste and rubbed it on my eyes and told me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' I did what he said. When I washed, I saw."[1]

The religious officials did not like the fact that Jesus healed this man on the Sabbath. They were more concerned with the binding law than the blinded man, so they called the man in to question him.

"He put a clay paste on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see."Still not satisfied, they called in the man's parents and questioned them.

"We know he is our son, and we know he was born blind. However, we don't know how he came to see-haven't a clue about who opened his eyes. Why don't you ask him? He's a grown man and can speak for himself."[1]

So they brought the man blind from birth back in for further questioning.

"Give credit to God," they said.

"We know this man is an imposter."He replied,
"I know nothing about that one way or the other.
But I know one thing for sure: I was blind...I now see.
"[1]Yes, the blind man now had a story to tell.

God planned it all along. Before the miracle took place, Jesus' disciples asked, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?"

"Neither this man or his parents sinned," said Jesus,
"but his happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life" (John 9:2-3).

Sometimes life doesn't turn out like we thought it would, and we cry "Why Lord? Why?" And

God's response is the same...so that the work of God might be displayed in your life.Have you had an incident in your life that God wants to use for His glory? Maybe your story is the ray of light that points someone to God.
This is how I was...this is how I am now.

Let's Pray:
Dear Lord, I was like that blind man...I was blind but now I see. Sometimes I don't even understand how or why you chose to save me, deliver me, and use me. It is hard to explain. I simply have to agree with the healed man...I was blind but now I see. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Meditation:
Suppose someone took you before a court of law and asked you to explain the change in your life that occurred the moment you trusted Christ. What would you say?Would they have enough evidence to "convict" you of being a Christian?Is there a friend in your life that radiates Jesus in their life? If so, consider writing them a note telling their about the "evidence" you see in their life that "convicts" them of knowing Christ.A changed life is what the Good News of the Gospel is all about! Meeting God changes everything! Your story is simply telling others how God has changed your life. I can only imagine the delight God experiences when He sees you telling others about Him! Walk through your fear and tell your story!

Spiritual Spring Cleaning

2008-04-23T22:37:00.000-07:00

When spring arrives, more sunlight brightens your home as the days grow longer, and fresh air blows in once the temperatures warm up enough to open your windows. But all the light and fresh air reveal what you may not have noticed during the dark, cold days of winter: Your house is a mess. It's not fun to see the clutter and dirt that needs to be cleaned up around your house, but the more light and air that flow in, the more motivated you are to do some spring cleaning.

Spring cleaning can be more than just a chore, however. It can actually be exciting if you use the time to start cleaning up something far greater than your house: your soul. The closer you get to Jesus -- the Light of the world -- and the more you invite the Holy Spirit to blow the fresh air of His love into your life, the more you become aware of how messy your soul has become. Thankfully, there's no sin too messy for God to clean up when you follow His divine cleaning plan of confession, repentance, and reconciliation.

So while you're spring cleaning your house, invite God to clean your soul. Here's how:

Eliminate clutter. Get rid of distractions that block your intimacy with God. Take an honest look at what might be interfering with making your relationship with God your top priority. Are you devoting more time and energy to working, watching TV, shopping, playing sports, socializing with friends, pursuing a hobby, or something else than you're devoting to time with God? How much time are you really spending doing activities that nurture your connection with God, such as praying; participating in church; and reading, studying, and meditating on the Bible? Are frazzled thoughts cluttering your inner life, or are you making time regularly for quiet reflection, and asking the Holy Spirit to renew your mind? Eliminate clutter in your schedule and your mind to create space to focus on what's truly important.

Scrub away dirt and disinfect. Cleanse dirty attitudes and behaviors and purify your soul. What kinds of filthy attitudes are lurking in your soul? Are you harboring bitterness against people who have hurt you? Do you entertain judgmental thoughts about people you don't like? Are you infected with anger, fear, or selfishness? How do impure behaviors affect your life? Are you struggling with a bad habit or even an addiction that causes trouble whenever it rears its ugly head? Pray about each dirty attitude and behavior, asking God to help you clean up each specific one. Whenever negative thoughts enter your mind, purposefully replace them with positive ones that reflect biblical truth. Whenever you're tempted to slide back into a bad behavior, pray for God to empower you to resist and overcome temptation.

Vacuum. Suck up everyday annoyances and persistent resentments that will stain your soul if you let them accumulate. Keep short accounts with people rather than letting issues between you pile up and spill over into dirty arguments. Ask God to help you learn how to deal well with difficult people and those whose personalities differ significantly from yours. Whenever people offend you in minor ways, be willing to let the issues go. Whenever people offend you in major ways, be willing to forgive them and reconcile if possible. Remember that God expects you to forgive others since He has forgiven you. Trust Him to empower you through each step in the forgiveness process. Do all you can to live at peace with others and resolve conflicts quickly and wisely.

Dust. Wipe away vestiges of the past that are hindering you from moving into the future with confidence. Ask God to show you ways you need healing from past traumas and losses. Then patiently work through the healing process as God leads you, from prayer and journaling to support groups and counseling. Expect that each time you deal with one layer of dust from your past, you can see a bit more clearly as you move into the future.

Polish. Make your relationships shine by serving others as God leads you. Be creative about figuring out how often you can bless others through your words and actions. Remember that even a brief encouraging comment or small act of kindness can make a significant, positive difference in someone's life. Every day, look for opportunities to encourage or help the people with whom you come into contact. Be willing to commit to longer-term service (such as volunteering for special projects) when you sense God calling you to do so.

Organize. Rearrange your life so you can dream new dreams. Clear out your own agenda and invite God to show you His dreams for your life. Then build your decisions for how to use your resources (time, energy, talent, money, etc.) around pursuing those dreams, so you can focus on what's important without being sidetracked by what's urgent. Set specific and measurable goals to help you move closer to fulfilling God's dreams for you. Check your progress regularly, and make whatever adjustments you need to make to keep your life organized well.

2008-04-17T11:18:00.000-07:00

A Captive Audience

Today's Word:"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing" (Zephaniah 3:17, NIV)

God wants you to pause for a while and be His captive audience in this very moment. He wants you to be still, gaze into His eyes, and hear about the love He has for you. Maybe you've known of His love for years. Maybe God's love is all new to you. Regardless, it's time to stop and smell the sweet Rose of Sharon. It's time to stop for love.I'd like you to imagine His strong yet gentle hands reaching for your cheeks, lifting your chin, and drawing your eyes to His. He wants you to fix your gaze on His blazing, mercy-filled eyes. He wants your full attention.

Let's Pray:
Heavenly Father, please forgive me for all of the times I fail to give you my attention. I shake my head at the very thought that you want to lock gazes with someone like me, yet Scripture clearly tells me that you desire to be sought after and found by me. I'm here. You have my full attention, please speak to my heart and help me to be your captive audience throughout the day.
In Jesus' Name,Amen.

Now It's Your Turn:
*Grab your Bible and read Psalm 103.
*Write down your favorite verses from that chapter and journal about what they teach you.*Are you spinning any plates that you don't need to spin?
*Learn to say "no" to opportunities that fall outside of your family, passion, and gifting.I really want to encourage you to allow God to quiet you with His love today.
No matter your struggles, fears, or doubts, He sees you where you are, knows your name, and loves you like crazy.

AN EMPTY CHAIR

2008-02-16T23:18:00.000-08:00

A man's daughter had asked the local pastor to come and pray with her father. When the pastor arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows and an empty chair beside his bed. The priest assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit. "I guess you were expecting me," he said.

"No, who are you?"

"I'm the new associate at your local church," the pastor replied. "When I saw the empty chair, I figured you knew I was going to show up."

"Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man. "Would you mind closing the door?"

Puzzled, the pastor shut the door.

"I've never told anyone this, not even my daughter," said the man. "But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it always went right over my head.."

"I abandoned any attempt at prayer," the old man continued, "until one day about four years ago my best friend said to me, 'Joe, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here's what I suggest. Sit down on a chair, place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It's not spooky because he promised, 'I'll be with you always.' Then just speak to him and listen in the same way you're doing with me right now."

"So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I'm careful, though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm."

The pastor was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old guy to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, and returned to the church.

Two nights later the daughter called to tell the pastor that her daddy had died that afternoon.

"Did he seem to die in peace?" he asked.

"Yes, when I left the house around two o'clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me one of his corny jokes, and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead. But there was something strange, In fact, beyond strange--kinda weird. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on a chair beside the bed."

A GARNISH OF PRAISE

2008-02-16T23:17:00.000-08:00

This is a special recipe. Not the kind you serve at meals - you make it in your heart!

Ingredients:

- God's great love, poured out like a drink offering for you
- Some Fruits (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control).
- Faith firm as a rock
- God's word, like honey on our lips (psalm 19:10)
- Your heart and some laughter

Method:

- First, you take some faith, and stir it around,
- Add some joy and laughter, till it makes a bubbly sound,
- Mix in some of God's great love, till it all begins to ring..
- Pour in a willing heart
- Serve to the King of Kings!!!

Serving Tips:

- Don't be afraid to share it all around by giving - because when you give, it will come back to you! (Luke 7:38)
- When you're feeling down, offer the garnish of praise as a sacrifice to God! He invites us to give a sacrifice of praise!! (Psalm 107:22)
- You can consume as much praise as you possibly can. Live in him and the ingreadients will never run out! (John 4:14)

AND GOD SAID NO

2008-02-16T23:09:00.000-08:00

I asked God to take away my pride. And God said "No." He said it was not for him to take away, but for me to give it up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole. And God said "No." He said her spirit was whole, her body was only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience. And God said "No." He said patience is a by-product of tribulations. It isn't granted, it is earned.

I asked God to give me happiness. And God said "No." He said he gives me blessings, happiness is up to me.

I asked God to spare me pain. And God said "No." He said suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow. And God said "No." He said I must grow on my own. But he will prune me to make me fruitful.

I asked for all things that I might enjoy life. And God said "No." He said I will give you life, that you may enjoy all things.

I asked God to help me love others, as much as he loves me. And God said, "Ah, finally you have the idea.

THE BIRD CAGE

2008-02-16T23:07:00.000-08:00

A man was on the side of the road with a large birdcage.

A boy noticed that the cage was full of birds of many kinds.

"Where did you get those birds?" he asked.

"Oh, all over the place," the man replied. "I lure them with crumbs, pretend I'm their friend then when they are close, I net them and shove them into my cage."

"And what are you going to do with them now?"

The man grinned, "I'm going to prod them with sticks, and get them really mad so they fight and kill each other. Those that survive, I will kill. None will escape."

The boy looked steadily at the man. What made him do such things? He looked into the cruel, hard eyes. Then he looked at the birds, defenseless, without hope.

"Can I buy those birds?" the boy asked. The man hid a smile, aware that he could be on to a good thing if he played his cards right.

"Well," he said hesitantly, "The cage is pretty expensive, and I spent a lot of time collecting these birds, I'll tell you what I'll do, I'll let you have the lot, birds, cage and all for ten pounds and that jacket you're wearing."

The boy paused, ten pounds was all he had, and the jacket was new and very special, in fact it was his prized possession. Slowly, he took out the ten pounds and handed it over, then even more slowly he took off his jacket, gave it one last look then handed that over too.

He received the cage from the man. And then (well, you might have guessed it) he opened the door and let the birds go free.

The Enemy of the world, Satan, was on the side of life's road with a very large cage.

The man coming towards him noticed that it was crammed full of people of every kind, young, old, from every race and nation.

"Where did you get these people?" the man asked.

"Oh, from all over the world," Satan replied. "I lure them with drink, drugs, lust, lies, anger, hate, love of money and all manner of things. I pretend I'm their friend, out to give them a good time, then when I've hooked them, into the cage they go."

"And what are you going to do with them now?" asked the man.

THE THREE TREES

2008-02-16T23:04:00.000-08:00

Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up.

The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: "I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I'll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!"

The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on it's way to the ocean. "I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world!"

The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. "I don't want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me, they'll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world."

Years passed. The rain came, the sun shone, and the little trees grew tall. One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain. The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his ax, the first tree fell. "Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful treasure!" The first tree said.

The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his ax, the second tree fell. "Now I shall sail mighty waters!" thought the second tree. "I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!"

The third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the woodcutter never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do for me," he muttered. With a swoop of his ax, the third tree fell.

The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a carpenter's shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feedbox for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, nor with treasure. She was coated with saw dust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals.

The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead the once strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river. Instead she was taken to a little lake.

The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard. "What happened?" The once tall tree wondered. "All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God..."

Many, many days and night passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feedbox. "I wish I could make a cradle for him." her husband whispered.

The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and the sturdy wood. "This manger is beautiful." she said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.

One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She knew she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through with the wind and the rain.

The tired man awakened. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, "Peace." The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. And suddenly the second tree knew she was carrying the king of heaven and earth.

One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten woodpile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hands to her. She felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had changed everything.

It had made the third tree strong. And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.

The next time you feel down because you didn't get what you want, sit tight and be happy because God is thinking of something better to give you.

THREE WORDS TO NEVER FORGET

2008-02-16T23:01:00.000-08:00

John 19:30

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Have you ever heard the words, "I Love You" spoken to you by a person who truly appreciates you and loves you for who you are? Only 3 words, yet they speak immeasurable volumes to the person who receives them. What's even more vital is the fact that these words should be given on a daily basis. If you are in a relationship, especially a marriage, you personally understanding and realize how important it is to feel that love and hear it spoken to you often and hopefully daily.

So, why do I keep bringing the word "daily" to mind? Simple. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, spoken 3 vital words from the Cross before He breathed His last breath. He said, "It is Finished." Now, those words are probably spoken each day by millions of people in the day-to-day job environment. The plan is finished, the song is written and finished, the blueprints are finally finished, the long-delayed project is finished, etc. However, when these words were spoken from the parched, cracked lips of the One who died to save us from our sins, they take on a whole new meaning. Jesus went all the way to the Cross and gave up everything He could because of the tremendous Love He had for us. When He said, "It is Finished", He didn't just mean a small job was finished or that He had accomplished something to be printed in tomorrow's newspaper headlines. His words soared through the air, into the Heavens and have been written in God's Holy Word so that we would be reminded today of the wonderful Love that drove Him to sacrifice for our salvation and promise of eternal life.

We should never forget the last words out of Jesus' mouth. He wants us to remember those words today because He loved us enough to go all the way to death on the Cross to show just How much He truly loved us. A relationship or marriage may bring the words "I Love You", but Jesus brought those words in a way we'll never be able to comprehend because His love was and is stronger than we can ever imagine.

Don't EVER forget how much Jesus loves you. He fulfilled the law so that you and I would have the opportunity to come to know Him personally.

He said, "It is Finished"......For YOU!

ACCES TO GOD

2008-02-16T22:58:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 3:12

In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Remember the last time you sat in a doctor's office waiting to see him for a medical problem? Perhaps you can recall the countless times you've sat in traffic while being delayed immediate access and clearance into an amusement park? Or, how about getting in to see a boss of a company for an interview? Here's one we can all relate to: Being put on "hold" when calling a customer service number.

In our everyday way of life, we are bombarded and surrounded with countless measures of waiting periods. Seems like nothing is available immediately anymore these days. We must wait in line at the grocery store, doctor's office, airport, amusement park, restaurant and wait for the next available representative when we call customer service. No matter whether we need something big or small taken care of, we are usually faced with long periods of waiting time.

May I remind you how extremely fortunate we are to have direct and immediate access to the Throne Room of God? Remember the veil which was torn in two so that we could have access to God at all times, without someone else going before us to offer prayers and petitions? With God, you don't have to listen to "elevator music" while on hold, wait in line to be seated to begin your conversation, or sit in a lobby while you await the time to see the Physician.

Going to the Lord is "Wait-Free". I don't know about you, but I feel blessed to have a direct connection to my Creator at anytime I wish. All I have to do is say His Name and He's there. What a wonderful privilege the direct access is!

Let this passage of Scripture be an encouragement to you that access to God is totally and completely 100% Wait-Free. His line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And....He has no secretary to go through. The appointment book is clear, His door is wide open and He's waiting for you to come and share with Him.

BEING RESTORED

2008-02-16T22:56:00.000-08:00

Psalm 51:12-13

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners will turn back to you.

It's truly unbelievable how busy we sometimes find ourselves getting in our daily routines. I don't know about you, but sometimes I find myself running crazy trying to get deadlines met, plans made, trips organized, etc. I know that I've picked a profession in which I'll always have something to plan and work on. I've chosen full-time vocational ministry and the job/lifestyle never ends. Day to day, week to week, month to month and year to year. And I find myself speechless when I realize how fast time passes by.

I think what makes me feel worse than anything is when I look back on a day, week or month, and I see how little I've grown in my personal walk with Christ. I'm not saying that I don't pray or read the Bible during that time, but it's not enough time. I get caught up in busyness and my daily routines that sometimes I forget that I need personal, quality quiet time with my Lord and Savior. Not preparing a sermon, preparing a youth lesson or working on something for worship, but actual alone personal growth time away from my ministry work in the office. I know that I need to be personally restored in my soul and spirit so that God can speak to me more clearly and effectively use me to minister to others. If I'm too drowned by my work and my schedule, I tend to neglect opportunities God gives me to be restored in my personal walk. And that leads to me being weak in successfully sharing the Gospel with others because I don't take the time to stop and seize opportunities. Now, don't get me wrong! I love sharing Christ with people. I'm not always great with words, but I love to share His Love. It's just that I find myself not being as effective when I'm not personally taking the time to grow in my own faith and walk.

My question to you and for myself is this....do we want to pray a prayer for God to restore us the joy of salvation so that we're reminded of His Great Commission? Are we too caught up in our daily routines to remember that people need to hear about Jesus Christ? Doing work for the Lord is wonderful no matter how it's done, but it's so easy to get caught up in the busyness of doing the Lord's work and not personally taking the time to get alone and grow in Him. We cannot effectively reach others with the Gospel if we ourselves are not being personally fed by His Word daily. Once a week or a few times a month just won't do enough.

Jesus Christ died on a cross for us in order to offer restoration back to our lives that are cluttered with sin. He offers a gift for us to receive and accept so that we can live for Him and then tell others and effectively minister His Gospel.

Are you taking the time daily to be restored in His Word? Being filled with His love and learning more about Him so that you can reach others and help them turn from their evil ways? I know I need some "heart surgery" in this area and I'm going to assume that many of you do, too.

Take the time daily to be restored in God's Word.

BIBLICAL TIME WISDOM

2008-02-16T22:53:00.001-08:00

Psalm 90:12 (NLT)

Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom.

Have you ever had someone come up to you and deliberately ask where you spend your time? How does that make you feel? Do you feel life your privacy is a bit violated? Most likely. Many of us do not enjoy having others challenge us and hold us accountable to where we spend our time. We can probably all honestly say that we would prefer to spend time the way we want to. However, the Bible teaches that we need to grow in God's wisdom so that we know how to invest our time properly each day.

Are you familiar with the Chris Rice song, "Life Means So Much"? When this song comes on the radio in my car, I am challenged to think of how I invest my time. In this song, Chris Rice challenges us to think of our lives as a bank account. We each get the same amount of time each day. Will we invest our time or squander it? What a way to look at our time!

I have to admit that I cringe when I realize how I waste time and don't invest it into serving others. It's sad how I take time that God gives me each day and use it for selfish reasons. Many times, I'm only thinking of what I want to do, where I want to go, who I want to talk to. What a selfish list! Don't I know that all around me are people who don't know Christ? I've titled this devotional "Biblical Time Wisdom" because I feel that we all need God's guidance on how we should use our time. We can listen to others about advice on how we should spend our time. But, shouldn't God's Word alone challenge us on how to use our time wisely?

I've received a lot of great wisdom throughout the many years of my life from family, friends, co-workers and acquaintances. However, no one has been able to give as great time advice than my Heavenly Father.

Not only do we all need to make the most of the time we spend each day in our routines, we also need to seek out and find different new ways to spend our time that would be pleasing to God. We need to be creative. Making a difference in other people's lives. Like Chris Rice says, "Teach us to count the days. Teach us to make the days count. Lead us in better ways. Somehow our souls forgot". We've definitely forgotten how to make the best use of time that God gives us. Would you agree? Let's strive to make the most of the time God gives us each day. Time is a precious gift.....why waste it?

JESUS SAVES

2008-02-16T22:49:00.000-08:00

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." ( Romans 10:13)

Friend to Friend

When asked, "Are you a Christian?" most Americans will respond affirmatively. According to statistics, most Americans believe in God and think they will go to Heaven when they die. However, the Bible says, "But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matthew 7:14). Why do so many people think they are Christians if they aren't?

A False Christian

Believes in God â€“ Simply believing in God doesn't make you a Christian. Satan himself, along with all the demons of Hell, believes in God. James says, "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that â€“ and shudder" (James 2:19). The difference in a false Christian and a true Christian is that a true Christian doesn't just believe in God, he knows God personally. Believes in Self â€“ Some people think they are Christians because they strive to live a moral life. They assess themselves as "good" in comparison to others. Based on their good deeds they believe they have earned the right to enter Heaven.

The Bible teaches that our good deeds will not purchase our ticket to Heaven: "â€¦all our righteous acts are like filthy ragsâ€¦" (Isaiah 64:6). If we could receive salvation by being a good person then God sent His Son to die for no reason. To say that you are good enough to enter Heaven on your own is to reject the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Believes in Religion - Being a Christian isn't about a religion, it's about a relationship. Salvation isn't found in whether or not you attend church or in your denominational preference. Salvation is found in the person of Jesus Christ. Going to church, wiping noses in the church nursery, and teaching a Sunday school class doesn't win you brownie points in the Lamb's Book of Life. The Lord condemned the "religious" leaders and all their religious rituals when He said, "these people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men" (Isaiah 29:13). God is concerned with your heart, not your religion. Believes in Unconditioned Mercy â€“ I wish I had a quarter for every time I have heard, "God is too good to send me to Hell. His mercy will prevail." Mercy is only one of God's holy characteristics. He is also a God of justice. His mercy will prevail with sinners who accept His Son. His justice will prevail with sinners who reject His Son

A True Christian

Becoming a Christian is as simple as receiving a gift. We cannot earn it or buy it. Jesus bought it for us with His own blood. He paid our debt in full so that we don't have to. Paul says, "The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life" (Romans 6:23). The word "wages" is what our sins have earned us, which is death. The Bible defines eternal death as being separated from God. A true Christian:
Believes He is a Sinner “ Sin separates us from God. Sin is simply breaking God's law, His commandments, such as lying. We have all broken God's law. Therefore, we are all sinners.

Believes Jesus Christ Died for Him “ Because God is holy, He cannot tolerate sin. In fact, He said that all sin must be punished by death. In all fairness, we should each pay for our own sins. But God, out of His love for us, paid the price when He sent Jesus to die on the cross.

Believes Salvation is Only Through Jesus Christ â€“ Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Jesus Christ is the one and only provision for our sinfulness.

Believes in God's Promise “ God's Word is holy and true. If you acknowledge yourself as a sinner, if you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, if you repent of your sins and invite Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, you will be saved. Jesus promised, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in" (Revelation 3:20). Will you let Jesus in?

Let's pray

Dear Father in Heaven, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe that Jesus died for me, paying the price for my sins. I believe Jesus rose from the dead, conquering death in order for me to live eternally. I am sorry for my sins against you. Please forgive me. I invite you to come into my life and reign as my Lord and Savior. Help me to know you. Thank you, Jesus, for saving me and for giving me new life in you. Amen.

Now it's your turn

Have I ever come to a point in my life where I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior? When?

Do I attend church out of duty or desire?

Do I attend church to be entertained and meet with friends, or to praise, worship and bless my Lord?

Am I striving to grow in my personal relationship with Jesus? How?

CHANGE REQUIRES EFFORT

2008-02-16T22:47:00.000-08:00

Scripture: Jeremiah 13:22-23

And if you ask yourself, "Why has this happened to me?"--it is because of your many sins that your skirts have been torn off and your body mistreated. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.

I was very intrigued by this passage and I pondered it for quite a while. I thought about how so many people promise to make changes in their life. The world has become a vacuum for Satan's ugly disguises of satisfaction and desired lifestyles. As we slowly make our way in becoming accustomed to the world of sinful lusts and desires, it's not very noticeable to us. Satan knows how to lure you slowly and slyly so that you don't really feel you have fallen. You reach a point, though, where you stop and actually realize where life has taken you. It disgusts you just to think of all the disgrace and damage you've brought to your body and life. You ask the same question Jeremiah asked, "Why has this happened to me?". Or possibly, "How did I get into this mess?". I think it's a question we all ask ourselves no matter how far into sin we've crept.

We do realize, then, that there must be some sort of change. We know that we must make an effort to make our lifestyles different. But, it's not that easy to do. I mean, if it was so easy, people would be coming back to the Lord and more lives would be brought into the Kingdom again. But, the changes are not usually easy to come about. Now, don't get me wrong, the changes desired are wonderful and the attitudes of people who want to change is terrific! But, change must be backed by great effort and determination to leave the world of sin. Yes, we will still be living within the world plagued with sin, but we don't have to indulge into the cravings.

If we are accustomed to doing evil, change is going to take quite some time. I've talked to enough people who have been buried in the entrapment of sin. They have just gone deeper and deeper and deeper. In this way, change cannot just "happen". There must be great effort exerted in order to start climbing out of the pit of sin. God has promised all things are possible. No matter how deep you've gotten, there's still a way out, and God will help you find it. However, the effort for change must come from you. Without the effort, you slip further away from God's healing and deliverance.

Don't expect quick change to come in all situations. The effort, though, will make you stronger than you could possibly imagine.

HOW TO CHANGE LIFE THROUGH WORSHIP, JUSTICE AND EVANGELISM

2008-02-16T22:41:00.000-08:00

Too often in the church, an artificial divide exists between three key areas on God’s heart – worship, evangelism, and justice. God doesn’t want you to separate what you sing, say, and do. If you let those areas overlap, they’ll each become more powerful in your life and community, while honoring God more fully.

Here’s how you can combine worship, evangelism, and justice:

Recognize that there’s no true distinction between the sacred and the secular. Understand that God cares about every part of your life and wants you to make choices that honor Him in everything you say and do. So, for example, buying a pair of running shoes isn’t just a secular activity; it’s also a spiritual activity because you can do your part to ensure that the people who made the running shoes earn a fair wage and work in reasonable conditions, which is an act of loving your neighbors as God wants you to do. Realize that you can have just as much of a ministry by chatting with your coworkers in the office cubicles next to yours as you can by speaking to large crowds of people from a church pulpit – if you approach everything you do by giving your best effort to honor God.

Worship through every part of your life. Know that worship means much more than just singing praise songs to God during a church service. Give God more than just a song when you worship. Realize that true worship means making God your highest priority in life. Don’t allow anything or anyone else to take more of your attention than God. Understand that whatever you place above God in your life will cause you to see everything through the lens of that priority and often conflict with God’s plans for you. For example, if your top priority is to make money for financial security, that will affect all your decisions and conflict with God’s call to rely on Him for security and be generous with others. Be completely honest when expressing your thoughts and feelings to God. Remember that He knows all about you anyway, and wants to have a close relationship with you where you approach Him with confidence about anything that’s on your heart. Don’t use worship as an escape from reality; instead, invite God in through your worship to help you in the midst of your doubts and fears. Rather than worshipping God only when life is going your way and you feel like celebrating, worship Him when you’re in the middle of tough circumstances as well. Remember that God is always worthy to be praised because of who He is, no matter what your feelings or circumstances at any particular time. Get rid of a consumer attitude that asks what you can get out of worship personally, and instead focus on how your worship can become an offering that blesses God. Ask God to use your worship to break your heart with the things that break His heart and motivate you to intercede in compassion for people who are suffering in this fallen world. Hold nothing back from your worship, because God is worthy of more than even the very best you can give. Try to make everything you do an act of worship to God, so your life matches the worship songs you sing.

Let your love for God motivate you to love people through evangelism. As you express your love for God through worship, let that naturally lead you to love other people who are made in His image by sharing your faith with them. Pray for God to make you aware of daily opportunities to share His love with others, knowing that doing so is an act of devotion to Him. Don’t settle for interacting with people from a distance; instead, get to know them, build relationships with the, and participate in their lives. Ask God to help you see people the way He sees them so you can have the compassion and wisdom to help meet their needs as God leads you. Instead of viewing people as projects to work on, view them simply as people to love. Care for them not because you want to rack up a certain evangelism quota of converts and move on, but because you want to build relationships with them, no matter what. Instead of expecting people to change to believe and act like you do before inviting them to church, invite them to come just as they are. Remember that Jesus doesn’t expect people to clean up their lives before He decides to love them. Pray every day, asking God: “Who do you want me to talk to, love, or serve today?” Ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of opportunities you might otherwise miss. Be yourself, trusting that God will use your natural personality to communicate His message to others in your own style. Just do your best to love and pray for people while leaving the results up to God, since it’s only God who can actually save people. Listen to people more than you talk. Let them share their stories with you and ask them thoughtful questions so you can genuinely get to know them well. Pray for each specific situation they’re concerned about in their lives, as well as for their salvation and God’s blessing on them. When people go through suffering, show them that God cares for them by obeying God’s call to care for them in whatever ways He leads you to do so.

Show people God’s love in action by pursuing justice. Know that you worship God and evangelize others most fully when you work for justice in this fallen world. Ask God to make you passionate about helping the poor, oppressed, marginalized and dispossessed. Commit to working for justice as a way of life. Realize that the groups of people who suffer injustice are much broader than simply those who don’t have enough money. Seek to also help those who suffer physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and socially, such as people who are lonely, abused, forced into slavery or prostitution, are victims of terrorism, have lost their homes due to wars or natural disasters, etc. Give your money generously to God’s work on Earth, remembering that all you have (including your ability to earn an income) is a gift from God to you. Know that as you obey God’s call to be freely share your money and other resources (like time, energy, and talents), He will take care of all your own needs. Recognize that loving your brothers and sisters in God’s family is a vital part of loving God. Don’t avoid news stories of suffering; make time regularly to really see and connect with what’s going on in the world and ask God to use what you see, hear, and read about in the news media to expand your heart. Pray for God to make it clear how He would like you to respond. Be assured that God will guide you and help you make a real positive impact on people He leads you to help. Remember that the costs involved will ultimately be worthwhile. Pray regularly about specific injustices in the world. Consider using prayer guides or e-mail alerts produced by Christian charities working on the frontlines of injustice. Financially support charities who are pursuing justice. Sponsor a child in need through a monthly donation that will cover vital costs like food, basic healthcare, and education. Instead of buying material items from a regular store to give people for birthday and Christmas gifts, give donations to charities in their names. Join others from your church’s small group or some other group and to fundraise for charities in creative ways (car washes, yard sales, dinners, raffles, etc.). Shop only from businesses that you know engage in fair trade practices and have ethically sound company policies; boycott others and contact company representatives to protest their unfair practices or policies. Lobby your government officials to change laws to benefit people who are being mistreated. Find out how your bank invests your money to see if it is being invested in organizations who don’t support your values. If so, switch to a bank that will invest your money more ethically. Consider taking short-term missions trips, and support long-term missionaries. If you sense God calling you to become a long-term missionary yourself, follow where He leads. Find ways to help people in your local community and church by figuring out what needs exist and how you can best use your unique mix of interests, talents, and skills to help meet those needs. Keep your devotional times with God a high priority in your schedule; never get so busy serving Him that you neglect your relationship with Him. Be good news for people by serving them so they’ll be more open to hearing the good news of the Gospel when you talk with them about your faith. Offer all your faithful decisions in every area of your life to God as living sacrifices. Let every action you take to work for justice in a broken world also become an act of worship to God and an act of evangelism to the people you help.

FAITH: MORE THAN AN ACT

2008-02-16T22:40:00.000-08:00

Do you enjoy a time of worship at church on Sunday, yet argue with your spouse on the way home while reacting rudely to other drivers in traffic? Do the people with whom you interact during the week see the same you that others in your congregation see, or do they see someone who struggles with gossiping, lying, envying, or a host of other behaviors you just can’t seem to overcome?

It’s not enough just to try your best to act like a Christian, modifying your behavior from the outside in. You need to invite Jesus to change you from the inside out, transforming you into an authentic Christian.

Here’s how you can stop acting like a Christian and just be one:

Let love – not a sense of obligation – motivate you. Don’t waste time and energy trying to impress God with religious words or rituals if your heart isn’t truly in them. Understand that God doesn’t want you to come to Him out of a sense of duty, but out of a genuine passion for Him. Strengthen your heart – your core spiritual muscle – by staying in close communication with God through prayer and remaining obedient to His Word, the Bible. Expect that as you seek God, you will discover more and more about Him that will cause you to genuinely fall in love with Him and naturally motivate you to live in a way that pleases Him.

Guard against potential heart blockages. Combat attitudes that can block your intimacy with God. Instead of becoming bored with your faith journey, remain bold and adventurous to keep your relationship with God fresh and dynamic. Remember that there is always more for you to learn about God, and there are always more ways for you to grow into the person He wants you to become. Keep seeking God, and taking risks that He leads you to take. Don’t let your familiarity with God lead you to take Him for granted. Remember that everything you have – even you next breath – is a gift from God. Express your gratitude to Him on a regular basis, and live in awe of His power. Prevent lust from blocking a close relationship with God by staying focused on God as your top priority in life. Know that this will keep everything and everything else in proper perspective so you don’t become controlled by your desires. Overcome laziness that can block your relationship with God by recognizing that the good works He created you to do are not empty and dead tasks, but life-giving works that are full of purpose. Ask God to help you notice how He uses even the most mundane activities in your life to fulfill exciting purposes. Embrace His plan for your life, and decide to do your part to see that plan realized. Don’t let disobedience block your intimacy with God. Remember that every small step of obedience has eternal ramifications. Whenever you sense God leading you to do something, do it. Keep in mind that if God sees that He can trust you to obey Him in small ways, He will trust you with larger assignments.

Pursue the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Realize that all true Christians should produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit’s work in their lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Don’t withhold any part of your life from God; invite His Spirit to take control of every aspect of it. Seek healing for any damage in your soul that is causing you to produce bad fruit (such as anger, fear, jealousy, depression, or low self-esteem) in your life. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill your soul and empower you to live faithfully.

Strengthen your mind. Know that if you want to change your life, you must change the way you think. Recognize that the quality of your mind depends on how much of God’s truth (as found in His Word, the Bible) you believe and apply to your life. Daily pray for the Holy Spirit to renew your mind as you read and reflect on Scripture. Don’t allow negative thoughts to remain in your mind long enough for you to dwell on them and have them lead you in the wrong direction. Instead, choose to focus on positive thoughts, and let those thoughts guide you in the direction God wants you to go in life. Expect that when you fill your mind with God’s thoughts, you will naturally start to act more like Jesus and experience unshakable peace and joy.

Don’t just go to church on the weekends – become the church all the time. Realize that the church isn’t a building; it’s the group of believers who loves God and other people both inside and outside the building. Don’t keep your faith confined to just a weekend worship service. Instead, live out your faith constantly. Share the Gospel message with people, respond to people’s needs through loving service, work for justice, disciple new believers, and engage in other activities that God leads you to do in your community and elsewhere. Just as God is transforming you, work to transform your world. Never let complacency distract you from your core mission to help seek and save the lost in this fallen world. Ask God to help you view others you meet as He sees them, and to value their souls enough to give your best to reach out to them in love.

Shine your light into the darkness around you. As you invite God to transform your life, point other people toward the life God has waiting for them. Look for opportunities to shine the light of God’s love into the darkness of the fallen world, dispelling despair with hope. Don’t hide from the evil in the world or be overwhelmed by it. Instead, ask God to show you how you can overcome evil with good every day at work, in your neighborhood, at school, and wherever else you go.

Get up close and personal with other people. Ask God to help you love lost and hurting people. Realize that, while you’re not called to help everyone, you are called to help certain people in certain ways – and you need to respond. Pray for God to let you know of specific ways He wants you to help meet specific needs for specific people. Don’t hesitate to become involved in the lives of people to whom God calls you to reach, building genuine relationships with them. Rather than viewing them as projects to work on, see them simply as people to love.

Remain committed. Stay faithful to the ongoing process of living out your faith authentically. Realize that authentic Christians like you, when working together, wield tremendous .

WHY DO WE SERVE?

2008-02-16T22:19:00.000-08:00

It is one of the most famous episodes of the classic television show The Twilight Zone. A race of aliens has landed on earth. They are much more advanced than human beings. They present a gift to the residents of earth, a book written in the aliens’ language, the translated title of which is To Serve Man. The aliens set about doing good for humankind while a team of translators works on deciphering the book. Putting their advanced technology to work, the aliens soon eliminate all of humanity’s major problems, eradicating famine and war. Eventually, earth residents begin volunteering for excursions to the aliens’ home planet. One of the translators is about the enter the ship for his journey to the alien planet when a co-worker, who has now translated the book, runs up to the ship, screaming at him, “Don’t get on the ship. The book, To Serve Man, it’s a cookbook!”1

The earthlings thought that “to serve man” meant “to aid man, to do something helpful for man.” Of course the aliens were serving humankind in that way, but they had an ulterior motive — they wanted to save them so they could use them. The title of the book really meant “to serve man” as in “to serve people up as food.” The good actions of the aliens were revealed to be not so good when their motive was discovered. The purpose of their good actions was ultimately to use those human beings for their own benefit. Their actions were manipulative.

Now let’s make the considerable leap from The Twilight Zone to the New Testament. James and John, two-thirds of Jesus’ inner circle, launched a pre-emptive strike, hoping to secure places of honor in Jesus’ kingdom when he established it. They asked Jesus to grant that they could sit at his right and left hand in his kingdom. Jesus told them that they did not know what they were asking. When he asked them if they were able to drink the cup that he drank or to be baptized with the baptism with which he was baptized, their quick “Yes” revealed just how little they did know about what they were asking. Jesus told James and John that they would drink his cup and be baptized with his baptism but that who got the positions of honor in the coming kingdom was not up to him.

The other disciples were not happy about the request of the sons of Zebedee. While we cannot read their minds, it is a logical conclusion that they did not think that James and John deserved such positions of honor and that, after all, they might deserve them just as much. So Jesus called his disciples together and told them that they were not to be like tyrannical worldly rulers. Instead, he said, “It is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all” (vv. 43-44).

We are Jesus’ disciples, too. If we would be successful followers of his then we must be servants as well. The foundation of Christian life is service to God that is lived out in service to others. The focus of Christian ministry is love of God that is fleshed out in love for others. There is simply no way around this and we ought to be ashamed if we try to find one. Being a disciple means being a servant. Being what God regards as a great disciple means being what God regards as a great servant.

Such service is not first about us. Oh, it is in some way about us but the benefit to us comes around to us through the back door and it is best if we just keep it out of our minds. Why we do what we do matters. Think again of those aliens in the Twilight Zone story. They did good and helpful things for folks. They made sure they had plenty of food and they made an end of war on earth. But they did all of that finally for their own benefit. Let’s face if — no matter how well you are taken care of, it doesn’t matter if you’re going to be eaten in the end. It is not good enough for a Christian to do good things for people if our motive is self-centered. It is not good enough for a Christian to help folks if our goal is to use the people we help for our own benefit. It is not good enough for a church to have good and reputable ministries if our only goal is to make ourselves bigger and stronger and more respected.

We don’t want to be like the disciples of Jesus of whom Lamar Williamson said, “The disciples have heard Jesus’ words, but they have the music all wrong. They still dance to the world’s tune.”2 To focus on ourselves and never to think about others is blatantly unchristian. To focus on others but always with an eye on what’s in it for us is more subtly unchristian, but it is unchristian nonetheless. The substance of Christian living and ministry is self-emptying, God-centered, other-focused, sacrificial service. It can be no other way.

And the rationale was given to the disciples and to us by Jesus himself: “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (v. 45). Jesus Christ, the Messiah of God and the Savior of the world, came not to be served but to serve. In the words of the great hymn quoted by Paul in Philippians, he “emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.” He emptied himself and came down to us in the Incarnation. And here he sought not glory. Instead, he healed the sick. He rescued the perishing. He washed feet. And, again quoting Philippians, “He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death — even death on a cross.” That’s how far he went in his service. He died. He died so that we could be forgiven of our sins.

Now, you might say, “Yes, but only Jesus could serve in the way he did because only Jesus could give his life as a ransom for sin.” And you would be right. Only Jesus could live and die to save people from their sins. That does not change the fact, though, that Jesus calls his followers to share in a life like his, a life of obedient service and sacrifice. That is what it means to be a Christian. The method of Christian ministry is service; the rationale for that service is Jesus’ own way of living and dying. It can be no other way. As it says in 1 John, “We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us — and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses to help?” (1 John 3:16-17).

In Rod Serling’s voiceover at the end of that Twilight Zone episode, he said that the story was about the “evolution of man, the cycle of going from dust to dessert, the metamorphosis from being the ruler of a planet to an ingredient in someone's soup.” James and John wanted to be rulers. They were thinking about coming out on top, not serving from the bottom. To live that way is to be eaten up by the world and by selfish ambition. We need to remember that people, the people all around us, are not ingredients in our soup. They are God’s precious creation for whom Jesus gave his life. Our calling is to give our lives for them, too.

GETTING THE GOSPEL RIGHT

2008-02-16T22:16:00.000-08:00

I am amazed at some of the things that have been said and written in recent years about the gospel. I fear that in many circles a different message is replacing the good news of salvation. I'm not talking about the attacks on the gospel from liberal religion or the theology of the cults, but a skewed message that has sprouted from right within conservative evangelicalism.

That sentiment reflects a viewpoint that is rapidly gaining momentum within evangelicalism. A handful of outspoken and increasingly vocal teachers are popularizing it. To their credit, most of those men are motivated by a passion to keep the gospel of God's grace free from the influence of human works. Their desire, I'm sure, is to make clear the biblical truth that salvation may in no way be earned or obtained by man's effort. Their approach, however, has been to eliminate from the gospel message anything that sounds like a work of righteousness, and to speak only of believing the objective data. They have erased the biblical words repentance, obedience, and submission from the vocabulary of evangelicalism.

Such teaching has taken a heavy toll. Faith has become merely an intellectual exercise. Instead of calling men and women to surrender to Christ, modern evangelism asks them only to accept some basic facts about Him. A person can believe without obeying. Thus faith is robbed of any moral significance, and righteousness becomes optional.

Even the way we invite people to Christ reveals this shift. "Make a decision for Christ," we say. When was the last time you heard an evangelistic message that challenged sinners to repent and follow Christ? Yet isn't that the language Jesus Himself used (Matthew 4:17; Mark 8:34)?

Those were the questions that prompted me to write The Gospel According to Jesus ??? I wanted to study the message Jesus preached to unbelievers. How could any issue be more important? The gospel we present has eternal consequences. If it is the true gospel, it can direct men and women into the everlasting kingdom. If it is a corrupted message, it can give unsaved people false hope while consigning them to eternal damnation. This is not a trivial matter for theologians to speculate on. It is an issue every lay person must understand and get right.

Here are some questions that need to be answered biblically:

Do we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, or as Savior only? Some say a person who refuses to obey Christ can still receive Him as Savior. They teach that the gift of eternal life is available by faith even to one who rejects the moral and spiritual demands of Christ. They accuse others of teaching "lordship salvation," implying that it is novel to suggest that submission is a characteristic of saving faith.

Until relatively recently, however, no one would have dared suggest a person can be saved while stubbornly refusing to bow to Christ's authority. Nearly all the major biblical passages calling for saving faith refer to Jesus as lord (cf. Acts 2:21, 36; Romans 10:9-10).

Is repentance from sin essential to salvation? Some say that turning from sin is a human work and therefore cannot be part of salvation. To accommodate the biblical call to repentance, they redefine repentance as nothing more than a change of mind about who Jesus is.

Biblically, however, repentance is a total about face ??? turning away from sin and self and unto God (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:9). That is no more a result of human effort than faith itself. Nor is it in any sense a pre-salvation work required to prepare a sinner for salvation. Real repentance is inseparable from faith and, like faith, is the work of God in a human heart. It is the response God inevitably generates in the heart of one He is redeeming.

What is faith? Some say faith is merely believing certain facts. One popular Bible teacher says saving faith is nothing more than confidence in the divine offer of eternal life.

Biblically, however, the object of faith is not the divine offer; it is the Person of Jesus Christ. Faith in Him is what saves, not just believing His promises or accepting facts about Him. Saving faith has to be more than accepting facts. Even demons have that kind of faith (James 2:19).

Believing in Jesus means receiving Him for all that He is (John 1:12). It means both confessing Him as Savior and yielding to Him as Lord. In fact, Scripture often uses the word obedience as a synonym for faith (cf. John 3:36; Acts 6:7; Hebrews 5:9). What is a disciple? In the past hundred years or so, it has become popular to speak of discipleship as a higher level of Christian experience. In the new terminology, a person becomes a believer at salvation; he becomes a disciple later, when he moves past faith to obedience.

Such a view conveniently relegates the difficult demands of Jesus to a post-salvation experience. It maintains that when He challenged the multitudes to deny self, to take up a cross and follow Him (Mark 8:34); to forsake all (Luke 14:33); and to leave father and mother (Matthew 19:29), He was simply asking believers to step up to the second level and become disciples.

But how does that square with Jesus' own words, "I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners" (Matt 9:13)? The heart of His ministry was evangelism, and those difficult demands are evangelistic appeals.

Every believer is a disciple and vice versa. A careful reading of Acts shows that the word disciple has been a synonym for Christian from the earliest days of the church (cf. 6:1-2, 7; 11:26; 14:20, 22; 15:10).

What is the evidence of salvation? In their zeal to eliminate good works as a requirement for salvation, some have gone to the extreme of arguing that good works are not even a valid evidence of salvation. They teach that a person may be genuinely saved yet never manifest the fruit of salvation ??? a changed life.

A few have even taken the absurd position that a born-again person may ultimately turn away from Christ into unbelief, deny God, and become an atheist ??? yet still possess eternal life. One writer invented a term for such people: "unbelieving believers"!

Scripture is clear that a saved person can never be lost. It is equally clear that a genuine Christian will never fall back into total unbelief. That kind of apostasy proves an individual was never really born again (1 John 2:19).

Furthermore, if a person is genuinely saved, his life will change for the better (2 Corinthians 5:17). He is saved "for good works" (Ephesians 2:10), and there is no way he can fail to bring forth at least some of the fruit that characterizes the redeemed (cf. Matthew 7:17). His desires are transformed; he begins to hate sin and love righteousness. He will not be sinless, but the pattern of his life will be decreasing sin and increasing righteousness.

You need to settle these critical questions in your own heart. Study the gospel Scripture presents. Listen with discernment to every speaker you hear. Measure everything by the Word of God. Above all, make sure that the message you share with unbelievers is truly the gospel of Christ.

HOW TO PURSUE UNITY AMONG BELIEVERS

2008-02-16T22:13:00.001-08:00

Jesus prayed that all believers would be one and love another in the same way He loves us. When we avoid, criticize, or argue with each other, we hurt Jesus as well as ourselves. But when we rely on the power of His Spirit working through us, we can achieve the unity He desires.

Here’s how you can pursue unity with other believers:

Make no distinctions among believers. Remember that, in God’s eyes, there are no distinctions between His children who are in Christ – neither male nor female, young nor old, rich nor poor, etc. Don’t let other believers’ backgrounds discourage you from reaching out to them in love to build genuine relationships.

Surrender your agenda to God’s agenda. Instead of letting your personal agenda guide you, make a habit of seeking God’s will and fulfilling His purposes as you face decisions each day. Understand that God’s plans for you involve working within the body of Christ rather than just on your own. Ask God to give you the ability to build close, trusting relationships with other believers and learn how to work together to achieve common goals.

Immerse yourself in God’s Word. Invite God to speak to you through the Bible, which will transform your thoughts and help you see other believers from His perspective. Regularly read, study, and meditate on the Bible, and attend a church where you can hear God’s Word preached often.

Forgive. Don’t allow bitterness over ways other believers have hurt you to poison your soul and block your intimacy with God. Instead, obey God’s call to forgive, and rely on the help He will give you to do so. Remember that God has chosen to forgive you even when you didn’t deserve it, and that no one truly deserves forgiveness, yet it’s a wonderful and healing gift from God. Whenever the people whom you forgive are alive and willing to reconcile, restore your relationships with them.

Share the Gospel message. Ask God to give you a renewed sense of compassion for the lost souls of the world and help you join other believers in the common goal of sharing the Gospel message with them. Let the experience of working together with other believers bond you into closer relationships with them. Be grateful for the love and forgiveness God has so graciously given to you all.

Let God’s miracles inspire you. Read about the miracles recorded in the Bible, and learn about modern accounts of miracles, as well. Recognize that God is always at work in ways that often go beyond what we can understand. Know that God is bigger than any problem your or other people will ever face. Trust God to help you through even the most challenging situations with other believers. Expect Him to answer your prayers in wonderful ways.

Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Understand that God stands ready to fill all of His believers with the Holy Spirit – regardless of denomination – just as He filled members of the early church with His Spirit. Know that it’s the Spirit’s power that will enable you to live the Christian life and grow into the person God wants you to become.

Use your spiritual gifts to encourage and serve other believers. Realize that every believer has a unique and valuable contribution to make to the universal church. Ask God to help you recognize and develop the spiritual gifts He wants you to use together with other believers to do His work on Earth.

Overcome evil with good. Don’t be afraid to confront evil when you encounter it. Remember that God has given you and other believers the authority, through Christ, to overcome evil in all its forms. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you discern what’s going on spiritually in any situation, and stand firm against evil. Be aware that Satan wants to divide and distance believers from each other; resist this danger and overcome it with God’s love.

Celebrate Communion often. Recognize that Communion is a powerful experience that spiritually unifies you with God and other believers. Celebrate it often, as members of the early church did. But be sure to evaluate the state of your relationship with God and other believers before taking Communion. If you need to confess sin or ask for or grant forgiveness, do so first, and then you can participate in Communion with a clear conscience and in right standing with God.

Seek to please God instead of other people. Don’t waste your time and energy trying to please other people, even if they are fellow believers. Instead, focus on pleasing God through your thoughts, words, and actions, and know that by doing so He will bring you into true unity with others.

Constantly seek God’s will. Understand that every decision is ultimately a spiritual decision, because God cares about every choice you make, and your choices add up to shape what kind of person you become. Keep seeking God’s will in all situations, including those in which you need His guidance to get along well with other people.

Pray for each other. Intercede regularly for other believers. Get to know them and regularly pray for their specific concerns. Share your concerns with them and ask them to pray for you, as well. Follow up with each other by talking about how God has answered the prayers.

Appreciate diverse styles of worship. Understand that, just as God has created people with different personalities, it’s natural for believers to prefer different styles of worship. Don’t expect other believers to worship the same way you do. Give them the freedom to express their worship in the ways that bring them closest to God.

Respect church leaders. Remember that Jesus Himself will judge church leaders; it isn’t your place to do so. Ask God to help you respect them and be a blessing to them and others in your church.

Control your thoughts and words. Be proactive about choosing not to think negative thoughts or speak harsh words, which can bring great destruction in your relationships with other believers. Ask the Holy Spirit to renew your mind, and focus on thinking positive thoughts and speaking encouraging words.

Ask God to show you His vision of what the church can be. Pray for God to reveal His vision to you of what a loving, unified church should look like. Focus on that instead of the problems you see around you, and work to become part of the solution.

Keep saying “Yes!” to God. Whenever God calls you to do something, trust Him and faithfully answer Him, expecting Him to use you to accomplish good purposes.

ARE WE LEARNING AND CHANGING?

2008-02-16T22:12:00.000-08:00

Titus 2:11-12

The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age.

I remember back in high school all the papers I was assigned to write for a grade. Not only in high school, but also in college. College laid on more paperwork than I thought would come along. However, it wasn't meant to be frustrating and upsetting, but to discipline me to know how to write well and to keep improving my writing. I had teachers that were strict about the writing and kept on me so that I could achieve the potential they and God saw in me. At times, I would feel like ripping up the paper and just saying "enough of this" and forget about it. Now, in my life, I deal with trying to become a better devotional writer. I look back at the previous ones I've written and I can see how God and others have given me guidance and suggestions at how to improve my writing. I enjoy working hard on improving my grammar, sentence structure and wording things differently. There can always be improvements. I'm continuing to learn and change how I write so that others can read my devotional writing easier and be touched more by the Word of God.

Learning will never stop in life, no matter what profession/career you take on. If we stop learning how to do things right in life, we will sway toward doing things wrong. We know what is right and desire to know how to do things correctly, so we must keep learning and changing how we live in our Christian lives. God gave us His Word and offers His Salvation so that we can learn how to live properly. We have no excuses for doing wrong because God is clear about how we should live our lives. Sometimes we complain about not being sure of what is right or how to handle a tempting/compromising situation. Could it possibly be that too often we find ourselves "stuck" in a decision making situation because we have strayed away from keeping to God's Word and remembering what He says is right? I think so. We find so many excuses and we end up falling so far back from where God wants to take us.

Our Father in Heaven has taught us, through His Word, how to say "NO" to ungodliness and worldly passions. I see things in my own life, day after day, that I want to get right and I seem to keep messing them up. I then realize that I must really desire, deep in my heart, to really end whatever obstacles remain in my way of pleasing God. I need to get rid of that sin, learn and change how I'm living. The grace of God has saved me from the fires of Hell, but it's up to me to continue living for God and not turn my back on His ways. The world is good at pulling us away from what we know is right and holy. God has taught us and is still teaching us through His Word how to say "NO" to the world. However, it is His Word we must keep studying daily to be reminded of what He says "YES" to.

So, are we really learning and changing for God? Or are we letting too much of the worldly passions consume our lives?