Be a Church Stayer, a Church Builder, Be a Faithful Member

Backsliding and church hopping are the difficult realities of our American culture. Unfortunately, some people move from church to church and back to another church with regular irregularity. Others start hot and grow cold quickly, then repeat the process again and again. The call of God is for commitment and faithfulness. The call is to bloom where you are planted, to help build up the church where you have been called, not tear it down by leaving for no good reason. And leaving to be "enterntained" is not a good reason.

The question should be "how can God use me and where can God best use me to carry out His mission in the world," not "where can I be best entertained" or where can I get that seemingly spiritual "buzz." We are called to worship God, not chase "signs" or feelings. Jesus calls us to be faithful, not to be entertained.

Instead of helping to build up a church body to serve God and do God's work, some folks are often shopping for what will serve themselves, and make them feel a certain way for at least a certain time. Worshipping God takes a back seat to satisfying oneself. That is not the proper order!

Church hopping is an example of the overall instability of our culture. It reflects a deeply troubling trend of how easily people slide in and out of commitments. “Commitment” is a revisable term at best and an increasingly negative concept to many. Reflecting the prevailing discontentment in our culture, people are endlessly looking for something "better."

But better, often means more exciting, entertaining; more satisfying to self. In an article entitled “Confessions of a (Recovering) Church-hopper”, John Fischer acknowledged that, “In our free-market, commodity-rich society, it’s understandable that we would approach church as we would a shopping mall of spiritual products and services. This is the way our culture operates. In our hymnals we can still find those great hymns of the church like ‘A Mighty Fortress’ and ‘The Church’s One Foundation,’ but in our worship and practice we are probably more consistent with the Motown hit ‘You Better Shop Around.’”

Fischer describes the following scene from a church-hopping family: “‘Where shall we go this morning, dear?’ he says. ‘The music is great at Calvary but I like the teaching at Grace.’ ‘Don’t forget the kids,’ she says. ‘The youth program at Bethany is the best of all.’ ‘I've got it. We’ll drop the kids off at Bethany and go to Grace for teaching, and then we can start going to the Saturday night worship and praise services at Calvary.’”

What’s wrong with this picture? Fischer suggests some important points:

First,we become critical consumers instead of faithful worshippers. “As consumers we reserve the right to pass judgment on the products and services we use, and the companies that service us begin to cater to our demands. ‘The customer is always right’ may work well at McDonald’s, but in a church it undermines the authority of the Word of God and the leaders God has called to represent Him. We should not go to a particular church to decide whether that church is doing everything right, but to hear from God and humbly find out where we went wrong that week in our own lives and what we need to do to make it right.”

Fischer says we become detached from what we are and who we should be when we are "consumers" instead of worshippers, when we are not doing our part to build up a church body. “When you were a child, did you ever make a church with your hands folded together, forefingers pointed up like a steeple and all your fingers interlocked inside? Remember opening your hands to see all the people? Well, that’s exactly it. We are the church. You and I are the fingers and toes and eyes and ears of the body of Christ. To be only a spectator and a consumer in church is to detach yourself from who you are — like cutting off your fingers.”

Church-hoppers also hurt the churches they hop to and then leave, because usually the new church is willing to invest time and responsibility in the church hopper, only to be left at the proverbial altar when the church "frog" hops away. Church hoppers need to remember the old advice, “If you find a perfect church, don’t join it, because once you are there it will not be perfect anymore.”

People, God is not looking for church hoppers. He is looking for church stayers, who will be faithful where God plants them, and help Him bring forth fruit in the area where He has raised up the church they have been called to be a part of in that particular body. Be a faithful member of your church.

If you feel the urge to hop, pray intently. Unless God gives you a very clear signal to hop, please stop.

Keep a Positive Attitude -- Think on the Good Things

"Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it (the heart) are found the issues of life. For as a man thinketh in his heart so is he." Proverbs 4:23, Proverbs 23:7

If we are to be a faithful Christian, we must develop a positive attitude. That attitude of positive expectancy in God, and that attitude of grateful gratitude for the blessings of live will help you to succeed, to heal, and to grow stronger. A positive attitude can be a great gift. But the devil wants you to be negative. he will bombard you with negative thoughts. DO NOT ACCEPT THEM!

What is a positive attitude? A positive attitude is more than optimism, and more than looking past the bad to see the good in life. A positive attitude acknowledges and accepts the pain of the "bad", then moves on to embrace the "good" hope of tomorrow. A positive attitude in life sows the seeds of spiritual balance and inner peace, even in the midst of life's struggles.

Keeping a positive attitude in life entails much more than simply being an optimist. Don't get me wrong, being optimistic is a valuable tool in building, and maintaining, a positive attitude about life. After all, an optimist seeks the good in life, seeing "the cup as half-full" rather than seeing "the cup as half-empty". It's good to see the world through a positive perspective, rather than a negative one. And you sure can't find a positive perspective about life if all that you focus on are the things that are wrong in this world. Yes, being an optimist is definitely a valuable tool in keeping a positive attitude in life.

But having a positive attitude, and overcoming negativity, takes more than the ability to seek and focus on the good in life. A positive attitude seeks the good, but has also learned how to be okay with the bad. A pessimist might say "Life stinks!". An optimist might say "this, too, shall pass, and things will get better". A person living a positive attitude will say "Life stinks right now, it hurts, but I'm okay until things get better". There is a subtle, but important, difference between the pessimist, the optimist and the person living a positive attitude.

A pessimist will say "My glass is half-empty". An optimist will say "My glass is half-full". A person with a positive attitude will say "My glass is half-empty right now, but I'm okay with that". The pessimist is stuck in the negativity of the glass half-empty, unable to see past what he doesn't have.

The optimist seeks the good in the situation, but fails to embrace the "now" moment by acknowledging the absence of what is gone. The person with the balanced, positive attitude remembers the pleasure of emptying that half-glass, enjoys the "now" moment of the glass still being half-full, and looks forward to the moment when the glass is full again. Past (emptying the glass), present (the glass is half-full) and future (the glass will fill again), blend in perfect balance to create the positive attitude that enable you to endure any struggle you have to face in life.The Bible encourages us to think positive thoughts: "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there by any virtue, and if there be an praise, think on these things" Philippians 4:8

Keep Praying -- And Develop Patience in Waiting for God's Perfect Timing

I believe all healing comes from God. Jesus is the healer who heals in many ways -- through straight out miracles, through the miracles of doctors and medicines. but all ways of healing can be aided and fostered by prayer. I urge you to keep praying and seeking God, and to also pray for the Holy Spirit's help in developing patience in waiting for God's perfect timing.

God is a compassionate and merciful God who does heal. But sometimes healing does not come right away. Sometimes God uses our disability for His glory, allowing our infirmities to teach us and to teach others. The great singer and artist Joni Erickson Tada is a glowing example of God using a person in the midst and through their disability. Though a quadriplegic, she has a wonderful ministry that has inspired millions of people around the world.

Sometimes God allows us to have infirmities that will cause us to look to Him for His strength and power. In 2 Corinthians 12:7, Paul says, "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness.'"

Infirmities can teach us valuable lessons about our faith. Psalm 119:71 says, "It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees." And in Romans 5:3, "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us - they help us learn to endure" (NLT).

When Jesus healed people in the gospels, He often told them not to tell anyone about being healed. He did not want others to focus on His miracles, but instead to focus on the glory of God. When Jesus heard that his friend Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days, saying, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it" (John 11:4).

When Jesus arrived, Lazarus was dead, so instead of healing him, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead! We may miss the whole message of Jesus if we are focused only on being healed from our disease and not on the Savior who heals.

Another thing to remember is that the when and where and how of healing is our sovereign God's ultimate choice. We know that God is compassionate and merciful. We also know that He has full authority over all sickness and can choose to heal whomever He chooses, whenever He chooses. We don't always know all of the answers as to why - just that His ways are higher than ours.

Ultimately, our full physical healing awaits us in Heaven. We will all be fully healed, forever, with glorified bodies replacing our decayed and damaged ones. Revelation 21:4 says, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

You Are More Than A Conqueror!

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through him that loved us." Romans 8:35-37

Romans Chapter 8 is quite a chapter. Read it anew today and you will see that it is a magnificent chapter. Let its eloquence strengthen your soul.

Leonard Ravenhill wrote that the 8th chapter is a one about the liberated soul, of our emancipation, of our triumph in Christ. The 8th chapter is a chapter about the Christ-centered person. He notes that "In the 7th chapter (of Romans) you read that first person over and over and over until you get weary of reading 'I, I, I, I,...' 'I want to do this but I can't...,' and 'I find I'm in bondage...,' and so forth and so on. If you count you'll discover 41 times you find that 'I,' and no mention of the Holy Spirit. In the 8th chapter there is no mention of the "I" except in two verses where he says "I reckon" and "I am persuaded" (where there is no alternative). But the difference in the 8th chapter is that there is all the mention in the world about the Holy Spirit. Nineteen times the Holy Spirit is mentioned."

And the 8th chapter proclaims us as "more than conquerors!" Never forget this: we are more than conquerors. Most believers misread this to say, “We defeat any opposition we face.” Doing this severely diminishes Paul’s statement, however. We may not win every battle, but we do win in the end -- and God can bend all things for our good, even our temporary losses and defeats. So we are more than conquerors through His power!

NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH, TELL YOURSELF THE TRUTH -- YOU ARE MORE THAN A CONQUEROR! JESUS HAS MADE YOU MORE THAN A CONQUEROR!

Christ’s love defeats our enemies, restores peace, and extends our reach. While we make it our duty to prosper in faith, Christ engages our adversaries and triumphs on our behalf.

“Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Corinthians 15.57 says in the spirit of one who is more than a conqueror. In Exodus 14.14, while the ground trembles with the roar of Pharaoh’s cavalry and chariots, Moses assures Israel, “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” As more than conquerors, neither fighting nor winning is ours to worry about. Through Christ, God’s love carries the day. He gives us victory.

Jesus' love guarantees He and we will remain inseparable always. “For I am convinced,” he writes in Romans 8.38-39, “that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This is the "great crescendo" of the Christian faith!

Jesus told His disciples, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 14.13) Calvary is the believer’s Gettysburg—the blood-soaked battleground where God’s unconquerable love turned history’s tide to reunite Him with us for all time.

In Christ, love ultimately triumphs. To paraphrase Paul, no wall can be raised so high, no trench dug so deep to separate us from God’s love. He chose us. He called us. He justified us. He qualified us. He wins us the victory for us. We are more than conquerors.

Christ conquers all with love and we are more than conquerors, who express our gratitude and praise for the victory He gives.

It is True -- The Family that Prays Together, Stays Together

In the last three weeks I have learned of five couples with problems in their marriages, not just in our churches, but in our communities..

This is a situation in need of much prayer. We must bathe the couples we know in love and prayer.

After much meditation and study, I believe many problems in marriage can be avoided with preventive medicine -- prayer, Bible reading, church going, Sunday school going, Bible study, and a return to the first love affair of the couple. Let Jesus be your other marriage partner (let no one else in your marriage but Him!) and protect your covenant relationship like a mama bear defends her cub. Your marriage is worth fighting for -- do not let it die.

There is an old saying that is as true now as it ever was -- THE FAMILY THAT PRAYS TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER. To that I add THE COUPLE THAT INTENTIONALLY TALKS TO EACH OTHER LEARNS TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER. Spiritual commitment and communication are keys to healthy marriages. Couples need to keep their vows and work to preserve and protect the holy thing God gives us in marriage.

Marriages are under attack today. The devil is on the move in these last days, running amok wherever he can. He often attacks through the thought life. As Rev. Kenneth Hagin used to say, "Birds may fly over your head, but do not let them make a nest in your hair!" So it is with bad thoughts. And remember another saying, "The grass is not always greener on the other side." Instead of looking for a new patch of ground that might very well be quicksand or desert, spouses need to work hard to keep their God given gardens watered (with the Word) and nurtured (with prayer and care), and free from weeds.

Where children are involved, their good health: emotionally, socially, spiritually and physically, should be of the utmost concern of both parents. Do not be selfish -- think of your children first. God gave them to you to take care of -- at all costs.

A general societal disregard for the gift of marriage in our culture makes it harder for couples to see that marriage is a covenant with God, a holy partnership with the Divine One. Let God have a say in your marriage, too, and you will see results.

Recently I did a five week series on Couplehood, using materials from the movie "FIREPROOF," one of the great healing tools the Lord has given us in this time. EVERY COUPLE SHOULD SEE FIREPROOF, at least once a year.. THE COMPANION BOOK "LOVE DARE" is a miracle in itself and should be used by every couple, if you are having problems or not, for it is a great preventative medicine.

I encourage you to please spread the word -- rent FIREPROOF at Movie Gallery or Red Box or Net Flix or wherever and watch it together. if you have already seen it, watch it again. Protect your marriage. Be proactive about love and compassion and caring for your priceless gift of family

All Dogs Go to Heaven -- Or At Least Some of Them, I Hope!

A fellow asked me the other day whether I thought dogs went to heaven. His wife thought they did. He was sure they did not. "They ain't got no souls," he stated emphatically. The Bible says they just die."

Actually, the Bible is silent on dogs in heaven. The Bible is a story about human relationship to God, and that is what it is about. But could God grant dogs entrance into heaven? If you believe God is all-powerful, which I do, then surely He can.

However, the Bible is seems to indicate that there will be some animals in the new heaven and new earth. It may be just symbolic of God's great peace, but what a great way for God to show us that peace -- by having former natural enemies in the animal kingdom acting in peace towards each other!

Isaiah 65:25 states that "The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent's food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain," says the LORD."

I have no doubt that it is entirely possible that our loving heavenly Father can resurrect our pets and make them part of our happiness in heaven. However, the Bible does not give any references to this, as the Bible was written for the salvation of mankind. (After all, something written for animals wouldn't do a lot of good when the animals can't read!!)

Sin came on this earth through man, not through animals. The animals are but innocent by-standers. Rom 5:12: Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.

So I hope to see my old dog in heaven. (And i hope that there may be cats, too, for those feline lovers out there!) I hope God in His infinite goodness might grant that great comfort to those of us who have adopted animals as members of our earthly families.

Laying on Hands in Prayer

The Directory for Worship of the Presbyterian Church USA reminds us that “Healing was an integral part of the ministry of Jesus which the church has been called to continue as one dimension of its concern for the wholeness of people." Through services for wholeness, the church enacts in worship its ministry as a healing community.

Services for healing and wholeness, which we do in our churches, are profound events of faith and prayer. They vital element of worship in the service for wholeness is prayer since this is essentially a time of waiting in faith upon God. Thanksgiving for God’s promise of wholeness, intercessions and supplications should be offered. Adequate time for silent prayer should be provided, as well as occasions for prayers spoken and sung.

Enacted prayer in the form of the laying on of hands and anointing with oil is appropriate. (James. 5:14.) The enactment of prayers involves the presiding minister of Word and Sacrament together with representatives of the believing community.

These prayers are a response to the Word read and proclaimed. Particular focus should be on announcing the gospel’s promise of wholeness through Christ. The sealing of this promise in the Lord’s Supper may be celebrated, and should follow the prayers and the laying on of hands. Occasion for offering one’s life and gifts for ministry may be provided, as well as opportunities for reconciliation and renewed commitment to the service of Jesus Christ in the world.

Healing is to be understood not as the result of the holiness, earnestness, or skill of those enacting the prayers, or of the faith of the ones seeking healing, but as the gift of God through the power of the Holy Spirit”

Laying on of hands can be a powerful tool of prayer. Thank our Lord for it.

Let Your Greater Hope See You Through -- Keeping the Faith in Difficult Times

Studs Terkel was a fine writer who wrote often inspiring books about the strengths of common people. Recently I picked up one of Studs Terkel’s last books at a thrift store for a dollar. It was published in 2003, and I love its title, Hope Dies Last. It has the subtitle, Keeping the Faith in Difficult Times.

The title comes from a comment by a farm worker (Studs seldom quoted “big names” but usually “the little guy”); in this case, it is a farm worker laboring stooped over in the fields before the time that Cesar Chavez organized the United Farm Workers. She said, “We have a saying, ‘La esperanza muere ultima.’ Hope dies last. You can’t lose hope. If you lose hope, you lose everything.”

The Bible is book of hope. Reading it can give you renewed hope. In the book of Isaiah we find a passage about hope in chapter 40, verses 28-31. The Word proclaims – “He gives power to the faint and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” – that last section breaks through as words of hope to those who have seemingly lost hope.

I suggest that these are words of hope to any of us who experience loss of any significant kind – the death of someone dear to us, to be sure, but also our own health, a job, a significant relationship, a marriage, self-confidence, a sense that life, essentially, is good. Sometimes we lose all that we depend on, and we are ready to lose hope. And the words of the prophet ring out, “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.” There is a history beyond human history upon which you can lean. Ah, the old hymn, “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms of God.”

These words of hope that are found in the 40th Chapter of Isaiah can be a refeshing drink for us in times of need. This is the chapter which begins, “Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.”. Originally, these are words directed to the faithful Israelites living in exile in Babylon. But they have a resonance and power for all of us who are grandfathered into Abraham;s blessing by Jesus Christ, and they still have power for us today.

Isaiah preaches to us, "Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

Jesus Christ brings that power which renews us, gives us new life, “born again,” we say. But Christ brings rebirth in other ways than conversion, or the knowledge of who we are in Christ, as important a first step that certainly is for us.

Sometimes being “born again” is not an ecstatic spiritual experience but the slow thawing of a frozen soul, chilled to the bone by death, by loss, by regret, by difficult bosses and even harder jobs, by layoffs and firings and the perils of unemployment.

Wait on the Lord. He will renew your strenth. He will take us to a new "normal." In him we see the hope which sees us through and returns us to a solid place. In Him, we can find the strength to never give up, to keep on going, to be reborn in the midst of difficulty. In Him, we find the fortitude to let our greater hope defeat the tough times of life.

The Dash of Your Life -- What is Your Dash?

This arrived in my email this morning, and I felt like sharing. It’s a beautiful reminder about what’s really important in life. Be blessed while you read it.

I read of a man who stood to speak, at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on this tombstone from beginning ….to the end.

He noted that first came his date of birth and spoke the following with tears.
But he said what mattered most of all, was the dash in between those years.

For the dash represents, all the time he spent alive on earth.
And how only those who loved him know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own; the cars, the house, the cash,
What matters most is how we live and love and how we spend our dash…

So think about this long and hard. Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left, that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough, to consider what is true and real.
And always try to understand, the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more,
And love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect, and more often wear a smile…
Remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read, with your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say and how your spent your dash?

(By Linda Ellis)

God Will Not Ask -- A GREAT THOUGHT PIECE FOR GRADUATES, THE GRADUATED, AND ALL THOSE HOPING TO GRADUATE TO HEAVEN

God Will Not Ask

REMEMBER THIS: YOU WERE BORN TO BE A BLESSING, THEREFORE --

God will not ask what kind of car you drove, but He will ask how many people you drove who did not have transportation.

God will not ask the square footage of your house, but He will ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

God will not ask about the clothes you had in your closet, but He will ask how many people you helped to clothe.

God will not ask what your highest salary was, but He will ask if you compromised your character to obtain it, and how much of your earnings you gave to the church.

God will not ask what your job title was, but He will ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability, as unto Jesus himself.

God will not ask how many friends you had, but He will ask how many people to whom you were a friend.

God will not ask in what neighborhood you lived, but He will ask how you treated your neighbors.

God will not ask about the color of your skin, but He will ask about the content of your character.

God will not ask about your social status, but He will ask what kind of class you displayed to others, especially to those less fortunate than you.

God will not ask how many material possessions you had, but He will ask if they dictated your life.

God will not ask about the quality of the food you ate, but about how much food you helped hungry people to have.

God will not ask how much overtime you worked, but He will ask if your overtime work was for yourself or for your family.

God will not ask how rich you were, but how you enriched other people’s lives, especially when you blessed the poor.

God will not ask how many promotions you received, but He will ask how you promoted others.

God will not ask what you did to help yourself, but He will ask what you did to help others.

God will not ask what you did to protect your rights, but He will ask what you did to protect the rights of others.

God will not ask you about your body type, but He will ask how many times you used your body as a vehicle to do service for others.

God will not ask how many times your deeds matched your words, but He will ask how many times they did not.

God will not ask why it took you so long to seek salvation, but He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.

~ Author Unknown ~

An Eight Second Prayer that Lasts for Eternity!

Bishop T. D. Jakes has an eight second prayer that brings eternal life:

'Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen.'

Pray that someone who has never embraced the love of Jesus will whisper this prayer today.

And if you have already proclaimed Jesus as your Lord and Savior, we encourage you to pray this similar prayer of thanksgiving right now:

'Lord, I love you and I need you, thank you for being in my heart, and for blessing me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen.'

What is Your 168? Take Time for the Important Things in LIfe!

One hundred and sixty-eight—168! This is an important number, but most people are unaware of what it means.

We are talking about time. Time is priceless. If you could sell it, you would instantly be very rich. Many people want more time. Yet, far too often, we waste much of the time that we do have.

There are certain things in life where we have great equality. One is that, In a given day or week, we all have the same amount of time: in a week that is 168 hours. The question is this: how many of those 168 hours do you use well?

How many of your precious hours do you use for sleep, work,
cleaning of self, cleaning house/car/laundry, time with children and/or grandchildren, pets, quality time with your marriage partner, hobbies, eating, playing Sports/ exercise, watching TV or movies, listening to music, on the internet, reading books/magazines/ or newspapers, in prayer/Scripture reading, at church, or in other pursuits?

An honest time inventory can be very revealing and can challenge us to making new priorities of our precious commodity time. I would extend a friendly challenge to everyone to add up how they use their 168 hours.

Then, prayerfully consider if it isn’t possible for you to spend more time with God, with prayer, with the Bible, with church, and with family. At the end of the day, these are the things that matter most of all. Never forget it.

Make time for the important things in life! God gives us time. How we spend that time is our gift back to God!

May You Catch Your Dreams and Make Them True

Today we salute two fine young men graduating from high school -- Mitchell Habeger and Nathan Weiland. Both are exemplary young adults who, we pray, will be successful in the things they feel called to do in life.

Here is some semi-useful information for them and for other high school graduates this May, 2009.

If you are graduating,You have been in school now for approximately 2160 days.

You have spent 12,960 hours in classes. That translates into 777,600 minutes.

So far you’ve lived approximately 18 years. You’ve been around 216 months.

You have been breathing 936 weeks. You’ve been in this earthly realm for 6,552 days. You’ve been here 157,248 hours. You’ve been here in this life for 9,434,880 minutes.

In that time you’ve slept approzimately 52,500 hours. The average person your age has watched T.V. 12,173 hours,and spent 7,488 hours eating (usually with a lot of pizza and burgers in the mix).

WHEN YOU ARRIVED,YOU WERE MORE THAN LIKELY WRINKLED, RED, BALD, TOOTHLESS, CRYING, COMPLAINING, AND YOU HAD NO CLOTHES ON.

YOU HAVE COME A LONG WAY IN 18 YEARS. HOW MUCH FARTHER WILL YOU GO? WE HOPE AND PRAY YOU WILL GO FAR ENOUGH TO CATCH YOUR DREAMS AND MAKE THEM TRUE.

Proceed Gently, With Awe and Reverence

Psalm 118:24 -- "This is the day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it!" These are words to live by.

There are many wonderful things in the world, and although it is broken by sin and disobedience, we still see ample evidence of God's glory, of his fingerprints on His creation. Today we had a bright blue sky day with cotton candy white clouds, with a gentle breeze and warmer weather, ending with a bright orange sunset that Da Vinci himself would have trouble matching for beauty and grandeur.

The pattern for our lives is to be found not only in everyday miracles of natural wonder, but in the human wonders, inspired by God, that we find in grace, love,acceptance, kindness, forgiveness,compassion, concern and all the "ordinary" delights we find in being family to each other, and in being good neighbors.

Life is full of meaning. Every act of grace adds meaning. We must slow down and see them, and sometimes we must come to a full stop to carefully observe them, letting God's goodness soak into our souls, reflecting His light for others.

There was a poster I had on my wall in college years ago, which had a profound message for me. It said "Along the way, remember to stop and smell the flowers." Amen. Do not rush through life. Relish it. Live in gratitude to Your Creator. Do not waste time by complaining and moaning. Never stop looking for a reason to smile. Seize the joy that is sometimes hiding.

Proceed gently, with awe and reverence.

Live As Children of Light

"Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them." Ephesians 5:6-10

Jesus Christ is the Light of the World. He shines His light on our hearts – on our lives – and calls on us to reflect his light – to live as children of light.

Light is important. Where would we be without lights? Just consider a typical day. You get up and turn on the light in the bathroom so you can shower and shave and get ready for work. You turn on the light in the kitchen so you can see to pour milk on your cereal. The factory, warehouse, barn or office where you work has lights so that you can see what you are doing and be productive in your work. After work you get into the car and turn on the headlights so you can drive home safely.

You stop at a store and walk down well-lighted aisles to find something for supper. You use lights to cook the meal and do the dishes and read the newspaper. When you tuck the kids in bed, you turn on a nightlight for that added sense of security. After tucking yourself in bed, you breeze through a few pages of that novel and finally switch off the light so you can go to sleep.

And that’s just electrical light! Where would we be without sunlight? We wouldn’t even exist. Without the sun’s warming, life-giving rays this world would be nothing more than a cold, dark, dead sphere floating in space. Yes, light is important. Without light life could not exist.

But without Jesus, we would have no spiritual life in us. Without the Light of the World we would be cold and dark and dead. But, my friends, the Son has shined on us. The Spirit has called us to faith and made us God’s children, children of light.

In Ephesians 5 Paul encourages us to be what God has made us to be, to LIVE AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT. We are Enlightened by Christ. We are empowered to shine. We are human candles of hope, Exposing the darkness! Let your light shine for Jesus!

The Virtuous Woman -- Much Like Many Contemporary Women She Juggles Family and Career, But She Fears the Lord!

Proverbs 31 has the famous passage about the virtuous woman. I see images of my mother and my wife in her. It is a passage worth reading, beginning at verse 10.

It is interesting to note that this last part of Proverbs 31, beginning with verse 10, consists of 22 verses. Each verse begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet (in proper order). The same alphabetical pattern is found in some of the Psalms and may have been used as an aid in memorizing Scripture. The most well-known alphabetical Psalm is Psalm 119 where there are 22 alphabetical sections of eight verses each. In the Hebrew text of Proverbs 31, each verse is also clearly divided into two parts (for example, in verse 10---Part 1: Who can find a virtuous woman? Part 2: For her price is far above rubies). This same two-part format is found in all of these verses. The only exception might be verse 15 which seems to be divided into three parts.

The first part of verse 10 literally reads, "Who can find a woman of strength?" The term "virtuous" is from a noun meaning strength, efficiency, ability. Here it refers to strength of character, that is, moral strength and firmness. The Old Testament uses this expression of a virtuous woman in two other places. In Ruth 3:11 it is used of Ruth. Everyone in the city knew that she was a virtuous woman! When a woman has strength of character (fears God, loves truth, hates sin), then others will take note and recognize this. It will be very obvious because it is so unusual. People are usually so morally weak and so anemic in character, that when a man or woman of strength shows up it is quite evident to all. The other place the term is used is in Proverbs 12:4 where we learn that a virtuous woman (lit--a woman of strength) makes her husband blessed and she is to be praised.

And note that although Proverbs 31 talks of women in the context of wifehood and mothernood, there is ample Biblical evidence of God’s love, respect and call upon single women and widows who serve the Lord. They too may be deemed to be “virtuous women” in the light of the verses that apply to them in their unmarried state, both in Proverbs 31 and elsewhere in the Scriptures. We must give our deepest respect to all virtuous ladies among the godly single women and widows!

There is a lot to be said about women in the Book of Proverbs. As you know, the Book of Proverbs is a list of proverbs or statements of wisdom, and throughout the Book of Proverbs there is a continual interest in women.

There is a woman who appears frequently in the Book of Proverbs, and she is the opposite of the "excellent woman;" she is the "adulteress." She flatters with her lips; she forsakes the covenant with her own husband, to seduce someone else. The "adulteress" has lips that drip honey, she has a smooth tongue and she hunts for the precious life of some victim.

There is not only the "adulteress" but there is the "noisy woman," the loud, boisterous woman, with whom no one wants to live, and the normal man would prefer, the proverbs says, "to live in the corner of the roof, in a tiny little place, than in a big house with a boisterous woman. There is the "foolish woman," there is the "rebellious woman," there is the "quarrelsome woman," and they are all really set in contrast to this "excellent virtuous woman" here in chapter 31. There is in chapter 12:4 of Proverbs, this statement, "A virtuous woman is the crown of her husband, but she who shames him is as rottenness in his bones."

There is no other Scripture portion that even remotely gives such a detailed description of the “virtuous woman” as does Proverbs 31:10-31. Repeating some of the highlights, the woman that God’s Word describes as praiseworthy:

• is of noble character
• is fully trustworthy
• is an asset to her husband
• is domestically skilled
• is concerned that her household be well and nutritiously fed
• is diligent, arising before dawn and busy until after dark
• is endowed with a good business sense, even to the point of buying a field and planting a vineyard
• may have her own profitable home-based business
• is a hard worker
• is generous to and aware of the poor and needy
• is wise in preparing her household for the needs of the days to come
• is wise in ensuring that she and her family are well and appropriately clothed
• is in proper relationship to her husband, who is out conducting his business affairs at the city gates
• is a woman of wisdom
• shows dignity and strength
• is a faithful instructor to her children
• is diligent to watch over her household
• is the recipient of blessing and praise from her children and her husband
• is above all a God-fearing, godly woman!

Such a woman has been enshrined in the Scriptures for several thousand years as God’s role model for the godly, virtuous woman. To the older women I say, teach these things to the younger women. To the younger women, I exhort you to resist the enticements of the antifamily feminist teachings of our day. Reach out, rather, to embrace God’s vision for you, His “virtuous women”. To such a woman God says (vs. 31), “Let her works praise her at the city gates.”

There is much wisdom in Proverbs, and especially in Proverbs 31—we see a woman described here who is like many contemporary women – balancing home and business, motherhood and a career, domesticity and an example that women can be just as active as men in contributing to society, all aided by divine guidance and wisdom.

All of life, Proverbs proclaims that the wise life is to be lived in the fear and respect of the Lord. A proper respect God is the beginning of wisdom, the end of wisdom, and the whole of wisdom. Or as Jesus, the Wisdom of God incarnate, once put it, "Do not worry about what you will eat or what you will wear. But seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you as well." We do not need to know much more than that the Lord Jesus abides with us every day and in every situation. The wise live like they really believe that what the Bible says is true. Amen.

Great Women of the Bible

Happy Mother's Day and happy day to all the women of our lives and our churches. You all add beauty and grace to the lives of the rest of us! Praise God for women! Praise God for mothers.

The Bible shows us many women who served God in grace and power - women who contributed to making the world a better place as they served the Lord. Women served God in many ways!

1. Eve, the mother of humanity – a sinner like us, but one created in His image (Gen. 1:27).
2. Sarah, wife of Abraham, mother of the Hebrew people (Genesis
3. Miriam who led the people in praising God after the crossing of the Red Sea (Ex 15:21).
4. Rahab, the prostitute, who helped the Hebrews, and became Jesus ancestor (Joshua 2).
5. Ruth who put God first and became the ancestress of King David (Ruth 1:16; 4:17).
6. Deborah, a judge in Israel, who teamed with Barak to save the nation (Judges 5).
7. Hannah who 'lent to the Lord' the child of her prayers (1Sam 1:28).
8. Esther who took her life in her hands to plead for her doomed people. (Esther 4).
9. The widow whose obedience sustained the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 17:9-16).
10. A little captive maid who told Naaman's wife of the man of God (Elisha) who could cure Naaman of his leprosy (2 Kings 5:2-4).
11. The virtuous woman spoken of in Proverbs 31 – a model for noble womanhood.
12. The woman who anointed Jesus with the expensive ointment in love (Mk14:3).
13. The poor widow, whose gift of two mites won Jesus' praise (Mk 12:43).
14. Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus, who gave birth to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Luke 1:28), who carried God in her womb.
15. Martha who served and Mary who sat at the feet of Jesus (Luke 10:38-42).
16. Mary Magdalene, the Apostle to the Apostles, who brought spices to anoint Jesus, who first greeted the risen Lord and who received the first commission -'Go tell' (Jn 20:1-18).
17. Lydia, the merchant woman, who was a first convert in Macedonia (Acts 16:14), who opened her home and set a gospel fire in Philippi!
18. Dorcas - full of good works (Acts 9:36), who touched many with her good Christian life, and who God had Peter raise from the dead.
19. Pheobe & Priscilla – good and gracious servants of the church (Ro 16:1-4).
20. Lois and Eunice, Timothy’s grandmother and mother, raised him in the faith (2 Tim 1:5).
21. The Samaritan woman at the well who Jesus transformed into an evangelist, who told many about Jesus the Messiah.(John 4).
22. Persis 'the beloved', and Tryphena and Tryphosa who labored for the Lord (Ro. 16:12).
23. The four daughters of Philip the evangelist, who were prophetesses for God (Acts 21:9)
24.Jael, who God used to kill the evil General Sisera with a tent peg, and therefore give the Hebrews the victory in Judges 5:24-27.
25. Peter’s (Cephas) wife, who traveled with him on gospel missions (1 Cor. 9:5). Jesus often stayed at Peter’s house and healed her mother.

THE POWER OF GRACE!

Here is a great statement about the power of grace:

“The Bible’s purpose is not so much to show you how to live a good life. The Bible’s purpose is to show you how God’s grace breaks into your life against your will and saves you from the sin and brokenness otherwise you would never be able to overcome… religion is ‘if you obey, then you will be accepted’. But the Gospel is, ‘if you are absolutely accepted, and sure you’re accepted, only then will you ever begin to obey’. Those are two utterly different things. Every page of the Bible shows the difference.” ~Timothy Keller

Grace help a believer to trust in God for His constant provision and care on a daily basis. God has promised that He will provide all our needs in Christ Jesus. The daily cares, frustration, and worries of this world must be given to Him. In John 16:33 Jesus said "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Jesus promises that in Him we will have peace and through Him we can overcome our circumstances.

What is the power of grace? Grace means that we can rely on the beautiful simplicity of God's eternal plan because it was obediently fulfilled by Jesus Christ. When we trust Jesus Christ as Savior we know that we are His forever. In addition, we can have peace concerning His daily provision, and we can have that right here and right now. Grace is indeed powerful and practical. May you be overwhelmed by His grace.

If You Do Not Do Things in Love, You Have Missed the Point!

Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another. Romans 12: 10

My Bible tells me that love is the key to Christianity. But so many judgmental Christians are ready to cast stones, spiritual versions of the ones that killed Stephen and battered Paul. So many pastors have preached judgmentalism -- the Pharisees' life milk - -and yet ignore the revolutionary social calls of Christ -- to be known by our love, not by our judgementalism.

Read the Bible. In the New Testament, which is OUR COVENANT (we learn from the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible, but the New Testament contains the Christian's covenant!), time after time the rule of love is taught. Why is it not obeyed by so many so called Christians?

Little children, let us not love [merely] in theory or in speech but in deed and in truth (in practice and in sincerity). 1 John 3: 18

Living an authentic Christian life requires only two simple virtues: faith and love. Using these two qualities, a person is able to learn and exhibit the wide assortment of values required for good Christians as well as any good people in general. Faith and love together are the two keys to living a happy life as a Christian. The Bible tells us so!

Love of others and of self can be summarized in the golden rule of, "do onto others as you would want done to yourself", so through learning to love, we can come to understand compassion, respect, and hope for change in Christ. Close, loving relationships, above all, are the key to happiness in life and love is the key to securing those relationships.

He who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love. 1 John 4: 8

Christians are called to love in all different ways. First and foremost, a person must learn to love themselves, and only then can they learn how to love others. An authentic Christian life of love should be filled with selflessness, sharing, and compassion for others. Through helping others who are less fortunate, we fulfill something in ourselves. To live an authentic Christian life means putting love of others above petty selfishness, judgmentalism, rivalries, and worship of idols like money.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11: 6(NKJV)

The second aspect of an authentic Christian life, faith, allows us to have a basis for our lives, as well as a more intimate relationship with God. If someone questioned everything instead of having faith in others as well as God, that person could never live a happy life because he would never be fulfilled. There are too many questions in life to know the answer to them all, and anyone who searches for them all are misguided. Faith, therefore, is one of the two keys to real happiness in life. Love without faith isn't necessarily an inauthentic way to live for non-Christians, but for Christians, faith is fundamental.

Why are So Many Like Pharisees, When Jesus Rebuked Them?

Jesus said: “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter, without leaving the former undone.” (Luke 11:42)

When we read Jesus’ rebuke to the Pharisees, it is easy to just think, “Boy, the Pharisees sure were bad!” – and then to go no further. Who were the Pharisees in Jesus' time?

They were the experts in the law – which is to say Bible scholars. Or, at least, they thought they knew it all. But according to Jesus, they did not. They lacked love,and without love, all that knowledge is hollow. In our passage in Luke, He is rebuking anyone who acts like a Pharisee. Since Jesus has a low opinion of Pharisees, why do so many people in our churches act like Pharisees, instead of people who truly love as Jesus calls on us to do?

Today, the majority of Pharisitical people are found right here, among us, in the church. Jesus hates hypocrisy, and the greatest hang out for hypocrites is often found in Christ’s church. So let us open and inspect our own hearts and think about the Pharisee inside of us.

In Luke 11:39 it says: “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.’” Jesus points out that a hypocrite will clean the outside of a cup, because he wants people to see how clean he is. But he will not take the time to clean the inside, because he doesn’t really care if he is clean – just so long as people think that he is. He is doing everything for a show, so that people may praise him. How foolish! It is like worrying about dirt on your hands, but ignoring greed and wickedness on your heart. Which is the more important to wash clean?

And then the Pharisee is always pointing out the sins of others, just as they complained and criticized Jesus. He was not respected by the Pharisees because He reached out to the hurting people, the down and out, with love. The Pharisees wanted him to turn such people away, because they did not measure up in outward appearances. But Jesus reached out to the poor, the outcasts -- to the tax collectors and the prostitutes.

What is it about Jesus message that so many in the church simply do not get? Jesus won with love, not force. He won people over with his grace, mercy and love. He changed them from the inside out, not the outside in. He met them in their sin and then He showed them a better way, and they changed for the better. But He did not turn anyone away because they were not "good enough." He said it Himself -- only God is truly good. The fact is, we are all sinners,and, if we are saved, we are saved by grace, not by our works or our own "goodness."

So, I say to you, if you are a Pharisee, who do you think you are fooling? God knows your heart. Jesus said woe to Pharisees then, and He says woe to Pharisees now!If you are a modern day Pharisee, it is time to get right with God. Its time to wash the inside of the cup. It is harder than washing the outside, but it is not difficult. Only our pride keeps us from repenting and confessing our sins. For instance, the Pharisees looked like better people than the tax collectors and prostitutes, but Jesus said that these public sinners would enter heaven ahead of the religious leaders.

The effect of the Pharisee's way is to drive people away from God, and to lower God’s royal law of love to the same standard as their own rules. But this is not the way of Christ, who came to set men free. Jesus proclaimed, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Mt 11:28-30)

Remember that when you point out some one's weaknesses, four fingers are pointing back at you. Try to give out grace the way the Lord is gracious to you.

And know that Jesus will not turn you away. You will not have to pass some kind of test for Him to love you. Do you feel burdened? Come to Jesus who will give you rest. If someone needs help and encouragement, lend a hand. Love them. Jesus said, they will know us as Christians, by our love. (Mark 12:28-31). Be a lover like Jesus, not a loveless, finger pointing Pharisee!

Bloom Where God Has Planted You!

Bloom Where You Are Planted!

As we are in the spring and planting is near, the phrase bloom where you are planted comes to mind. As I flew home from Kansas City yesterday I saw many fields below the plane where tilling had been done and the ground was ready for the seed. These crops will bloom where they are planted, if they get the nutrient and nurture they need.

How goes it with you? Are you blooming where God has planted you? Are you bringing forth a good yield? Are you being fruitful and productive for the Lord?

Could it be you need more nutrients? (the Word in church and study, prayer, fellowship with Christians, etc.) Could it be that you need more nurture? (teaching by the pastor and church leaders, the guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, the care of a Christian family in addition to your natural family, the care of God that comes from being in His presence and worshipping Him in Spirit and in Truth).

Could it be that you need some weeding, to get toxic things (sin, disobedience, apathy) out of your life? Could it be that you need more light (from the Son) and more water (from the Living Water of the Holy Spirit)? If so, go to the Light and Water station that is your church every time you can and get filled up and warmed from the inside out.

Are you blooming for God? A blooming Christian is the opposite of a "blooming idiot" for the wisest thing you can do in your life is to give yourself to God and let Him help you to grow for Him.

Jesus Died for You and Me

Holy Week is a Special Time for Contemplation of Christ's Sacrifice for Each One of Us

Holy Week is approaching. The time is at hand to think about the arrest, the trial, the crucifixion, the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The time is at hand to think about the Son of God voluntarily going to the Cross.

Each person needs to savor the meaning of the Cross. Each person needs to meditate on the meaning of the Cross. Each person needs to attempt to fathom the degree of sacrifice, the degree of humility represented in Jesus Christ going to the Cross.

The Apostle Paul told the Corinthians: "I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."(I Cor.2:2) Believers need to determine the amount of time they devote daily to Jesus Christ.

Believers need to determine the amount of time they will devote to the Lord Jesus Christ during Holy Week. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are important services that every Christian should attend. Each service is rich in content. Each service is rich in Scripture. Each service directs the mind and heart and soul to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The soul of each person deserves attention throughout life. The soul deserves care throughout life. The point at which individuals become conscious of and begin to care for the soul can vary. A small number of individuals are serious about Christ from an early age. A small number of individuals are active believers from an early age and remain active throughout life. Some individuals are active and conscious sinners but at a certain point in life turn to Christ in repentance. When the commitment to Christ is made, concern for the soul arises.

The battle for the soul is a daily battle. The battle for the soul is a moment by moment battle. Temptations, passions, diversions, detractions, outside influences and internal thoughts can create tension in the person and put the soul in peril.Believers must remain close to Christ. Believers must turn to Christ in the face of temptations and distractions, in face of contrary thoughts and inclinations.

Only Christ gives the strength to battle for the soul. The First Epistle of St. John says: "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."(I Jn.4:4)

The soul has greater value than the whole world(Mt.16:26) Holy Week is the time to contemplate the condition of the soul. Holy Week is the time to contemplate Christ and the care of the soul.

Holy Week is the time to contemplate what is valued most in life. Our Lord Jesus Christ said: "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."(Mt. 6:21)Each believer determines the allocation of time and personal resources. Each believer applies personal time and resources to the pursuit of goals, to the living of daily life.

Family and friends, work and community, church and personal interests are allocated a portion of a believers time and resources. Time studies can show where waste exists. Time studies can show where a certain area or areas of life can receive greater emphasis and attention than others.

During Holy Week believers will answer the question of the importance given to the Lord Jesus Christ. During Holy Week believers will answer the question of weight and importance given to the soul. The Lord God deserves expressions of appreciation. The Lord God deserves acknowledgement of His Glory. The Lord God deserves expressions of love.

Holy Week affords the believer the opportunity to hear and study the accounts of Jesus crucifixion. Holy Week affords the believer the opportunity to join with others in being attentive to the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.

By coming to church during Holy Week, believers not only come to learn, believers by their presence witness to the importance assigned to the life in Christ. By attending church during Holy Week, believers declare by action that church services are an important part of life.

The soul requires nourishment. Holy Week provides nourishment for the soul. Opportunities exist for receiving the Precious Body and Blood of Christin the Lord's Supper. Holy Week should be a week of serious prayer. Holy Week should be a week of serious concentration on Christ. Holy Week is a movement toward the joy of the celebration of the Resurrection!

Believers know going into Holy Week where Holy Week leads. Believers know of the Cross and the Tomb. Believers also know about the Resurrection. Believers immersed in Holy Week open their hearts and minds to the experience of Christ.

Holy Week is an invitation to the full life in the Church. Holy Week is an invitation to share with Christ the experience of betrayal, arrest, trial, crucifixion, death and resurrection. Holy Week can transform the believer if he or she enters Holy Week seeking transformation. Our Lord said: "All things are possible to him who believes."(Mk.9:23)

The mind, heart and soul have much to deal with in Holy Week. The mind, heart and soul have much to absorb. The mind, heart and soul are of central importance during Holy Week. Christ was upon the Cross between two criminals. Believers going through Holy Week come face to face with Christ upon the Cross. How many will shed tears of repentance? How many will shed tears of love? How many will shed tears of thanksgiving? How will you observe Holy Week this year?

Fill My Cup Lord!

Like the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8), the story of Jesus's encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4) reminds us that the kingdom He inaugurated is a realm of inclusion not exclusion, dignity not denigration, empowerment rather than exploitation, and affirmation rather than marginalization. His simple request for a drink of water provoked a dialogue with a marginalized woman that teaches us that

Jesus does not desire any human being to shrivel and die from a parched soul. Rather, he longs to quench the deepest needs and desires of each one of us with the "living water" of his Spirit.

As Jesus traveled from Judea to Galilee he stopped in the town of Sychar around noon time, tired and thirsty from the journey. There he sat down by a well and asked a Samaritan woman for a drink of water. That Jesus, a Jew, would talk to a Samaritan shocked the woman (4:9). That he would talk to a woman surprised His own disciples (4:27). In fact, through death or divorce, this woman had burned through five marriages and was then living with a boyfriend not her husband (4:18).

When you connect the dots of her story, you realize that in her one person this woman epitomized the many ways that society marginalizes people. Jesus shatters all the taboos that held sway then (and now) — gender discrimination, ritual purity (sharing a drinking cup with a Samaritan), socio-economic poverty (any woman married five times was likely poor), religious hostility, and the moral stigma of serial marriages.

In marked contrast to the male, rabbi, scholar Nicodemus in the previous chapter (John 3), the Samaritan woman displayed spiritual thirst, candor about her past, and genuine insight. She longed not only for literal water, but for the "living water" (4:11) that Jesus offered her, so much so that in her excitement she forgot her water jar when she returned to town (4:28). This thoroughly powerless woman made such a powerful impression upon Jesus and her own neighbors that John included an interesting eyewitness detail about Jesus's itinerary: upon the neighbors's request, "he stayed two days" in Sychar (John 4:40).

The woman embraced Jesus as the Messiah, her witness converted many other fellow Samaritans in town (4:39), and she became the cause of the story's punch line: "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we really know that this man is the Savior of the world" (4:42.

Will you fill yourself with the living water of Jesus Christ? Be filled with the Holy Spirit and follow Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior!

Forgiveness is a Witness to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in Your Life!

Forgiveness is a key of the Chrisian life. Let us look at what the Bible says about forgiveness. As it is summed up in the Lord’s Prayer: “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.”

Forgiveness is a necessity. We see it in the Lord's Pray and in Mark 11:22-26:

"22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. 25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”[a]

But Forgiveness is often a journey. It may take time and practice. We may long for reconciliation with the one who wronged us, but often forgiveness precedes reconciliation. It may be a long time before we can face seeing someone who hurt us deeply, even though we hold no bitterness against them.

Miroslav Volf is a Croatian theologian who has written much on forgiveness and reconciliation, especially in the light of his experiences through the wars in the Balkans after the collapse of communism. One of his books, ‘Free Of Charge‘, was the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent book in 2006. In it, he says that forgiveness means we blame but do not punish. We do not pretend about the offence. It is real. But we choose not to punish, or press for punishment.

That is rather like God’s treatment of us with regard to our own sin. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin so that we might repent and follow Jesus. The Spirit of God never pretends that the sin was a fiction. Otherwise, we could never repent and walk in the ways of God’s kingdom. But having convicted us, there is no sentence and we are treated as if we had never sinned, even though we have. If this is how God treats us, then it is also the goal we seek in our journey of forgiveness.

Why Forgive?

First of all, because it is consistent with the character of God. The Lord may say, ‘Vengeance is mine,’ but that is surely because God is the only one to whom vengeance may safely be trusted. In our hands, vengeance becomes revenge, not justice. But ‘the Lord is slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love’, and the work of the Holy Spirit within us is to make us slower to anger and more ready to be rich in love.

It’s central to our calling to become more Christ-like. Whatever the word ‘Christian’ means today, it started out as meaning ‘little Christ’. Debbie and I say that Rebekah is her mini-me and Mark is my mini-me. Notwithstanding the fact that the ‘mini-me’ language comes from the Austin Powers films, where Mini-Me is the son of Doctor Evil, I nevertheless assume that Jesus is longing to see a vast crowd of his ‘mini-me’s on earth. A central way in which we can be more like him is in adopting the practice and discipline of forgiveness.

For of course Jesus often called his would-be disciples with the words, ‘Follow me’. He didn’t simply mean a geographical following of him, but following his lifestyle. It’s what Jewish rabbis did: they expected their disciples to follow them in the sense of imitating their life. So if discipleship is about following Jesus and Jesus modelled forgiveness, then it’s of the essence of Christian faith to forgive.

But this approach poses questions, and one is this: another strand of the call to faith is what Paul emphasises, namely that God saves us in Christ entirely by his own work, and not on the merits of our good deeds. How then can it be essential to forgive? Wouldn’t that be salvation by good works, rather than by faith?

I believe the answer is something along these lines. God does indeed save us entirely by his own work in Christ. We receive that by faith, and faith itself is not a good work, either: it is the holding out of empty hands in trust to receive all that God has done for us. However, the test of faith is whether we are grateful for God’s gifts - or as Paul put it to the Galatians, ‘faith working by love’. It’s therefore reasonable and logical to expect that those who by faith receive what God gives us in Christ demonstrate that by showing grateful love. And since Christ shows us the love of God supremely in forgiveness, it behoves us to show true faith by being forgiving people.

Forgiveness is good and indeed authentic witness to the Lordship of Christ in our lives. If there is one thing we can do in society to show Christ, it is to forgive.

So may God who is rich in mercy fill us with the knowledge and experience of his mercy, that we too may be rich in mercy to others.

Lent -- a Time of Seeking God's Face

It is the time of Lent. a time of preparation for the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Lent is a forty-day period before Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday. We skip Sundays when we count the forty days, because Sundays commemorate the Resurrection. Lent began on 25 February 2009 and ends on 11 April 2009, which is the day before Easter.

Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance. It is a season for reflection and taking stock. Lent originated in the very earliest days of the Church as a preparatory time for Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism. By observing the forty days of Lent, the individual Christian imitates Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days. All churches that have a continuous history extending before AD 1500 observe Lent. Some focus in by giving certain things up for Lent. Others focus in by doing special devotions and Bible reading and by attending special services of the season.

May we soak up Biblical teaching and find a passionate witness to bring people to Christ, and to challenge the church of Christ to holiness of heart and purpose of life; to a Spirit-filled walk with God; to a brokenness of heart in humble earnest and believing prayer for God to pour out His Spirit in true revival power.

Be Still and Know He is God

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” What comforting words in Psalm 46! They assure us that God is there for us -- whenever we are in need, whenever we are in trouble. Throughout the centuries, people have turned to the psalms for comfort. When we are troubled or worried, the psalms give us encouragement and reassurance to get on with the task of living our lives.

Psalm 46 reads: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.” These are supposed to be words of assurance. The Psalmist is saying that God is with us. We have nothing to fear. Even when our world seems to be crumbling down around us, God will be present to sustain us.

These words are reassuring when we feel the Divine presence strongly in our lives. We can take comfort in the fact that God will always be there for us, even in times of trouble. . . . Yet what about those times in our lives when God does not seem present, when our world is falling apart and it feels as if we are all alone? What about those moments of deep despair when we call out in agony and God seemingly ignores our cries? Why is it that we feel God’s presence keenly when things are going well and we’re content with our lives, but when a tragedy occurs and we desperately cry out, God seems silent?

When author Frederick Buechner was a child, his father committed suicide. In the book Listening to Your Life: Daily Meditations with Frederick Buechner, Buechner tells about the impact this had on him, and with the story of his father’s suicide as a backdrop, he describes how he understands God’s presence in our lives. He writes:

As I understand it, to say that God is mightily present even in such private events as these does not mean that [God] makes events happen to us which move us in certain directions like chess[pieces]. Instead, events happen under their own steam as random as rain, which means that God is present in them, not as their cause, but as the one who even in the hardest and most hair-raising of them offers the possibility of that new life and healing which I believe is what salvation is.

For instance, I cannot believe that a God of love and mercy in any sense willed my father’s suicide; it was my father himself who willed it as the only way out available to him from a life that for various reasons he had come to find unbearable. God did not will what happened that early morning in Essex Falls, New Jersey, but I believe that God was present in what happened. I cannot guess how God was present with my father -- I can guess much better how utterly abandoned by God my father must have felt if he thought about God at all -- but my faith as well as my prayer is that God was and continues to be with him in ways beyond my guessing.

God continues to be present with us as well -- in ways that we will never know or be able to guess. Scripture does give us some clues, however

The Psalmist has written, “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” Why does the Psalmist mention the God of Jacob? And how is the God of Jacob our refuge? God promised Jacob protection and companionship. The promises made to Jacob have also been made to us. Listen to the promise God made to Jacob, which is recorded in the 28th chapter of Genesis: “Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” The Psalmist tells us that just as God promised to be with Jacob and to keep him wherever he went, God has also promised to be with us.

Believing in God can be sustaining in and of itself. Our faith can help to carry us through even the darkest of times.

Listen again to the words of the Psalm: “God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help the city when the morning comes.” The morning will come and when it does, God will help the faithful. Psalm 46 ends with the words: “Be still and know that I am God!”

God is found in the stillness. God does not leave us when the going gets tough. God does not abandon us. He is our refuge in times of trouble.

Dare to be a Daniel -- Let the Lions Roar -- You Will Be Safe!

It is in the Scriptures. A man was unjustly accused and affected by an unjust, stupid law. People plotted against him for political reasons. But God had the final say, and Daniel made it through the lion's den, and in the end his plotters were eaten by the lions themselves! (Read Daniel 6:1-28). Daniel did not let circumstances affect his faith in God and his practices of worshipping God. But there were those who plotted against him. Here is how the story begins:

"It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent."

"Finally these men said, "We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God." So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: "O King Darius, live forever! The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den. Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered - in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians [see Ancient Empires - Persia], which cannot be repealed." So King Darius put the decree in writing."

"Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and Prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: "Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions' den?"

Ah, yes, Daniel was thrown in with the lions, but God sent an angel to protect Daniel, and the rest of the story is one of overcoming tough circumstances! He was protected and he ended up prospering, while his enemies perished in their own plot. Praise the Lord!

Perhaps you feel like you have been thrown into a lion's den, surrounded by possible harm. Perhaps you are the victim of deceitful plotters, of lies and unjust situations, of stupid laws and evil people. If so, remember Daniel, because he found victory while looking danger in the mouth (several mouths to be exact). Hold on to your faith in God and you will see such a victory, too!

Have No Fear -- God Will Make a Way for You!

One of my favorite praise songs is "God Will Make a Way," where it speaks of God's care and provision for his people, and for you and for me:

God will make a way, Where there seems to be no way,
He works in ways we cannot see, He will make a way for me.
He will be my guide, Hold me closely to His side,
With love and strength for each new day, He will make a way, He will make a way.

By a roadway in the wilderness, He'll lead me
And rivers in the desert will I see, Heaven and earth will fade
But His Word will still remain, He will do something new today.

God will make a way,Where there seems to be no way.
He works in ways we cannot see, He will make a way for me.
He will be my guide, Hold me closely to His side,
With love and strength for each new day, He will make a way,
God will make a way!

This is the message we find throughout the Bible -- God will make a way. The story of the Hebrew people in Genesis and Exodus is that God will make way. It continues in Numbers and Joshua and on throughout the Old Testament. Pslams testifies, again and again, God will make a way. The story of Jesus is to show us that God has made a way!

The Bible is filled with stories and words of hope. No matter how hopeless, desperate, or dark your future may appear to be, may the truth of Jesus be yours today: God will find a way. Even where there appears to be no way, God will find a way.

Whatever your problem, give it to God in prayer. Let Him work in your behalf.

Do you and your spouse need to find a way to save your marriage? God will find a way.

Do you need a way out of difficult financial problems? God will find a way.

Do you need help dealing with an illness of your own or of someone you love? God will find a way.

Do you need to find a way out of a long tunnel of grief or sadness that seems to have no end? God will find a way.

Have you been unjustly accused? The truth will win out for you. God will find a way.

Do you need to receive forgiveness and assurance that God loves you despite some terrible thing you might have done? God will find a way to forgive you and give you eternal life. His name is Jesus.

No matter what you are facing: God will find a way.

God helped Mary and Joseph find a way to bring their precious child into a world that seemed stacked against them, and to save Him when they fled to Egypt. He gave Paul ways to escape when persecution was near. He did the same for David. He can do the same for you. God will find a way for you. That is our Christian hope. That is our Christian promise from our Loving God. Be still and know He is your God! (Psalm 46:10)

Divine Protection -- Our Inheritance in Christ

God’s protection is what actually keeps us safe, not our own power or intelligence. It is great to know that God Himself watches over you! How cool to have God as your father, what more could a man ask?

God promises us that we will have His protection in everything against many, many things! Let’s take a look at some of them.

"He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep. The LORD protects you; the LORD is a shelter right by your side. The sun will not strike you by day, or the moon by night. The LORD will protect you from all harm; He will protect your life. The LORD will protect your coming and going both now and forever." Psalms 121: 3-8

Here we can see that the Lord keeps us He protects us, He never goes to sleep and He never stops...nothing can happen to us without Lords will. God knows where we are, what we are doing and His protection is over us, it is a continuous protection. That does not mean that nothing bad is ever going to happen because that is not true, many times God allows trials and tribulations to come into our lives to teach us a lesson to help us understand something and to bring us closer to Him, but that does not change the fact that His protection is a continues thing.

"I raise my eyes toward the mountains Where will my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of Heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1, 2

The protection of the Lord is something necessary in our lives, we picture here a man looking to the hills, but he is not really expecting help to come from the hills because in verse two he answers his own question: his help is coming from the Lord. Without God looking over us we can get nothing accomplished, we cannot get anything done for the Lord in our own strength...we are weak and we are sinners, that is why it is a necessary thing for the Lord to watch over us and care for us because we certainly cannot, and even the most proud person will some day have to admit that. Our life as a Christian is not one of independence; it is supposed to be a life of utter dependence on God.

"But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil." 2 Thessalonians 3:3

"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape, so that you are able to bear it."
1 Corinthians 10:13

Here we can see one of the things where we have God's protection. God will never tempt us above what we can take, and every time that there is a temptation that has come our way and it just seems that it is too big and that we will surely fail, remember these verses, remember the fact that God has provided a way for you to escape, remember the fact that God is there with you watching over you; all you have to do is to trust Him. Remember the verse that says that "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me"? Take heart and fight on because God is right there beside you.

God’s love and protection is round about us and as the Bible says, we shall be covered by Him, we shall have His complete protection in Him, it is then that nothing can touch us; it is then that nothing can happen to us, but we have to be in Him...we cannot expect God to protect us and watch out for us if we have never accepted Him as our Savior. The person living exactly the opposite way that the Lord would have him live cannot expect too much protection, following the Lord's will and doing the best you can to fulfill His will in submission to Him is key to enjoying the blessings and benefits that come with it.

Take a look at Israel’s past, every time they strayed away from the Lord they were chastised and it was those times that they lost the protection of the Lord, and they suffered for it. It happens the same in the Christian life, when God tells us that He wants us to do something and we refuse, we cannot shake our fists at heaven when that divine protection is lifted...because it was our own fault that it went away.

Unjustly Accused? Joseph was Patient and God Made a Way

Many people in the Bible are unjustly accuses, including Jesus, Paul, Peter, Stephen, and many of the prophets. The story of Joseph is another such one of great pain, suffering and tribulation. Yet, it is also one of joy and tremendous accomplishment. However, it was the test of his character during times of crisis that would define Joseph as a person.

Joseph was the son of Jacob and firstborn of Rachel. He was the eleventh of twelve brothers, who were all shepherds by trade. Joseph, at age seventeen, would report to his father all that his brothers did in the field—both good and bad. This was something that his brothers did not appreciate.

Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children, and made him a special coat. This caused Joseph’s brothers to envy him. Joseph described some dreams that he had to his brothers and father. His father meditated on them, but they caused his brothers to hate him even more.

One day, as Joseph approached his brothers in the field, they plotted to kill him. However, Reuben stopped them from committing the crime. He implored them to cast him into a pit in the desert. This would give him a chance later to save Joseph from the pit and return him to Jacob safely.

They all agreed, stripped Joseph of his coat and threw him into a pit. However, while Reuben was away, the brothers sold him to merchantmen. When Reuben returned and found the pit empty, he was afraid and asked the brothers what they were going to do. They killed a goat, dipped Joseph’s coat in the blood and returned to their father. When Jacob saw the coat, he immediately recognized it and assumed that Joseph had been killed. Jacob was heartbroken, and he continually mourned for Joseph.

Joseph had endured his first injustice. And it was at the hands of his brothers—people whom he loved. Later, the merchantmen sold him to Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.

Joseph had been made a slave in Egypt. But, the Eternal was with him. He prospered in everything he did, and Potiphar saw it. Therefore, Potiphar promoted Joseph, making him overseer of his entire household. Potiphar was blessed because of Joseph.

But, in the background, Potiphar’s wife was eyeing Joseph. She was attracted to him and ready to make a move. She tired to seduce him. When she made advances toward Joseph, he refused her. However, this did not deter her. She tried even harder, grabbing a piece of his clothing. Joseph was forced to flee from her presence, leaving the garment behind in her lustful hands.

Furious that Joseph rejected her advances, Potiphar’s wife went to her husband and lied. She told him that Joseph had attacked her and that he only fled when she screamed for help. She showed him the article of Joseph’s clothing to back up her story.

Potiphar was outraged. He immediately had Joseph seized and thrown into prison. Joseph had endured his second severe injustice. He had done the right thing, yet he suffered for it. But he was patient and he never lost faith in God. In the end he was made Governor of Egypt and he was given a chance to show mercy to his brothers! Read it all in the Book of Genesis, from Chapter 37 until the end in chapter 50.

Like Joseph, you must never quit. You should not allow anything to make you bitter. Let the Spirit help you rise above the nastiness of others. Notice: “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be you kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you” (Eph. 4:31-32).

When you are going through tough times, remember Joseph’s example. Do not lash out. Keep things close. Pray. Be patient, wait and trust in God, and He will work out the problem for you.

He Will Do It

He Will Do It (Devotional)

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Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life!

Answered Prayer: The Story of George Mueller

George Mueller was a man of faith. He was also a man of love. In 1835 he started caring for children born in wedlock and whose parents had both deceased. For over ten years he had been renting houses for orphanage facilities. Renting had numerous advantages such as being able to invest more money into kingdom needs. Something happened though that changed his course of thinking.

On October 30, 1845, he received a letter from a man living on the street where the four orphanages were located. It was a kind and friendly letter, but he did state how the people of Wilson Street were being variously inconvenienced by the Orphan Houses. He left the affair into Mueller's hands.

For ten years Mr. Mueller did not have any desire to build, but he did begin to think of this situation totally different when he got this letter. He wrote down the reasons to and not to move. In the end, he discerned that it was God's will to move. The primary reason was the inconvenience to the neighbors. Philippians 4:5 affirmed this for him.

" Let your forbearing spirit (yieldingness) be known to all men. The Lord is near."

He felt a great responsibility for the noise of the children and the abuse of the sewerage system (houses weren't built for so many occupants). He tried to think of other solutions but could not think of any. Others conferred he should build. After he prayed for a season, he sensed God was using this occasion to show God's love to the neighbors and better provide for the children. Of course, behind all of this was his concern that people would know of God's great and glorious work.

One might think little of this matter except that he had no money in hand for building. By policy he did not he ask for funds. Furthermore, he would not go into debt. Making a decision to buy ones own place big enough for 300 children was one matter. Anyone could decide to do it. But where would the funds come from? Mr. Mueller was not living by what resources he could plan for but by what God would provide.

Is this not the pattern we saw when Jesus fed the 4000 men and families? Mr. Mueller estimated the cost back then:

2-3,000 pounds for property (6-7 acres) around Bristol, England
6-8,000 pounds for a building (lower estimate)
1,500 pounds for bare furnishings for the 3-400 people using it.
He said, "This is indeed a large sum of money which I need; but my hope is in God. I have not sought after this thing. It has not begun with me. God has altogether unexpectedly, by means of the letter before mentioned, led me to it. Only the day before I received the letter, I had no more thought about building premises for the accommodation of the orphans than I had had during the ten previous years." (1)

Love and the glory of God shaped his thinking and firmed up his decision to start on this project. Without asking, 15,784 pounds were sent in and after everything was built and cared for there remained a balance of 776 pounds. This was 1,195 days since he began asking the Lord for the building. 300 orphans were cared for in the new orphanage on Ashley Down.

I am amazed how similar this story is like the one where Jesus fed the multitude. Love should dictate our decisions rather than our resources. We need to be need focused rather than money focused.

Our walk with Jesus will primarily be one made up of miracles. We simply do not have what it takes to meet the needs of the people and situations that God will have us meet up with. Whether it be supplies, healing, wisdom, direction, power, etc., we are to let love move us into faith and let God work out the details.