FINDING BEAUTY IN THE UGLY

By Tova Benjamin

The world can be so ugly at times, even in its appearance. On a dreary dismal day, when I look out the window, all I can see is the ugliness. Bare black trees, dirty yellow snow, trash and gray clouds, it's ugly.

There is ugliness everywhere. I drive down the road and see a car, smashed up against a pole. I hear ambulances racing by from my classroom. I hear about death, diseases, and murder. See people yelling at each other with sheer hatred. We discriminate and degrade others unlike us, walk along the streets and see the graffiti decorating the walls.

Our speech is so ugly, so coarse, unrefined and cruel. Our actions are thoughtless and disconcerting. Our thoughts are bad and judgmental.

You hear disturbing things every day, you hear about terrorists blowing up planes and awful stories of abuse. There's poverty, hunger, want, orphans, and war.

There is ugliness everywhere.

I see it abstractly, the sharp angular lines cutting across a canvas, harsh and unsettling.

The gray dark clouds of despair hovering over the destruction.

When I picture it my forehead creases up and I feel angry.

Then I think of beauty, and everything softens.

Soft, flowing lines lightly spread across a rich wood board.

Beautiful pastel colors, pleasing, radiant and wonderful. Beauty is everywhere.

Beauty you can feel. You can feel it in your soul and in your essenceIn the sky, the clouds, the trees, the grass. The sunrises, the sunsets, the stunning fall leaves and magnificent mountains and hills. Beauty is lasting and forever. Beauty is in our family, our friends, and our home. Beauty is in a baby's laugh and a child's smile. Beauty is in the way we act. Beauty is in the way we speak. Our kind, soft words that make such a difference, the beauty we spread and it sets off, skipping across the water like a stone in the lake.

Beauty you can feel. You can feel it in your soul and in your essence. Beauty rings through you, peals of bells ringing in your heart. No matter how hard your day has been, no matter how bad things have gotten, no matter how low or down you feel, it will always be there. You can't get rid of the beauty that permeates the world, our surroundings and every person. It's permanent and beautiful.

There is a lot of ugliness, and it isn't just going to go away. But the ugliness isn't permanent. The ugliness doesn't last.

It all depends on which side you see. There is ugliness, but at the same time there is beauty. It's up to you to make your world beautiful.

http://www.chabad.org/theJewishWoman/article_cdo/aid/1410428/jewish/Finding-the-Beauty-in-the-Ugly.htm

SUNDAY EDITORIAL

God Did Not Save You to Tame You
with Lisa Bevere

God does not reveal himself as limitless in order to limit us. Quite the contrary. He wants to put his heart within us. My friend Christine says it best: “God did not save you to tame you!”

God is not looking for people who act like Christians. He wants us to be Christians! The word Christian means “anointed or Christlike one.” Jesus did not go around “being good”; he went around “doing good” and releasing all who were oppressed. What has he anointed you to do?

God’s Spirit is on me; he’s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, To set the burdened and battered free, to announce, “This is God’s year to act!” (Luke 4:18-19)

If the Spirit of God was placed on Jesus to do all these things, and if we are born of the same Spirit, then we are to do as he did – preach the good news to the poor, set the burdened and battered free, and announce, “This is God’s year to act!” I believe that each and every year is God’s year to act, that he is still waiting for us to go into motion on his behalf.

In light of this charge, God does not need a band of domesticated daughters who spend their days baking and behaving well. Nothing wrong with baking, but if that is all we do, God won’t use us to change history.

Laurel Thatcher Ulrich says, “Well-behaved women rarely make history.” I know this quote may challenge some of you. It challenged me when I first read it. This is not an admonition to be naughty, but to realize that change often comes with the challenge of the status quo.

It is when I bow before Him that I stand the tallest In knowing I belong to Him, I am most my own, and in submission to His Spirit I experience the greatest possible freedom. The river of life flows freely and the result is fruitfulness and true fellowship with the Father and the family as Kingdom power reveals the love that never fails.

In the eyes of her southern culture and the bus company, Rosa Parks was not behaving well when she refused to yield her seat and move to the designated “colored” section in the back of the bus. One woman’s choice to hold her ground and not change seats changed how our nation looked at racial segregation. I seriously doubt in that moment she realized she was making history. Time alone has the power to reveal motives and consequences of choices. Maybe Rosa was just tired of being marginalized and denied her God-given right of human dignity.

What about Deborah, Jael, Tamar, Esther, Bathsheba, Abigail, Rahab, and even Mary? (These are just a biblical sampling, because there are more.)

Was Deborah behaving well by inciting her people against a dominant oppressor and riding into war with the men? The leaders of her time thought not. An army rose to oppose her rebellion, but they could not prevail. When the God-chosen male leader hesitated, Deborah carried out God’s directive the best she knew how.

What of Jael? Did she have to use a tent peg to kill her enemy? Couldn’t she just have turned him over to the authorities while he slept? Possibly, but she didn’t. God was okay with her choice, and a song was composed to declare her value.

Then there is Tamar. This twice-widowed woman pretended to be a prostitute and slept with her widowered father-in-law, patriarch Judah. Her behavior is shocking on many levels. There is no evidence that God instructed her to do this. She chose this course of action. But the son of this tenacious woman is found in the lineage of Christ, and she was declared righteous.

Esther disobeyed the command to come to the king only when called. Disobedience had gotten Vashti, Xerxes’ first wife, sacked. Esther should have known better! But her choice to behave badly at court saved her people.

Bathsheba was an adulteress and the mother of Solomon the wise. Rahab was a prostitute who lied to her king and hid enemy spies. Not only did her actions of faith redeem her family from the destruction of Jericho, but her son is in the lineage of David and Jesus. Abigail circumvented her husband. Her choice saved her household and won her the heart of King David.

Mary appeared to carry and illegitimate child and gave birth to the Son of God. What if she had said, “Unwed and pregnant will look bad. Can this wait until I'm married so I will look well behaved?”

History alone justifies the choices of these women. Their hearts were awakened and stirred.

How will you respond when you are fully, dangerously awake? What history will you make? Will you, like the fierce lioness, awaken from a tranquilized state and rise up to defend your family, your community, your world? Are you awake? Even now, what is stirring in your heart?

SATURDAY EDITORIAL

Learn Something
By Cindy Beall

I remember the day well. It was the end of May in 1991, and my mother was sending me off to Wyoming for the summer as a missionary with the Southern Baptist Convention of Texas. Despite the adorable denim jumper with a colorful sailor collar I had on, I was down. And scared.

I'd never been away from my mother for more than a couple of weeks and even then, I could drive 55 miles home to see her if I really needed to do so. And here I was leaving her and going some 1,200 miles away for eleven weeks. Eleven weeks. What in the world was I thinking?

The first couple of weeks proved to be difficult at best. My tear-stained cheeks certainly put a damper on my partner's spirit. She wanted to fix me and make it better, but we both knew that I just needed some time. Time to grow up and learn to rely on God.

And I did.

We had a tremendous summer where we learned more than we thought was possible. Spending that much time on an Indian Reservation will do that. Spending that much time anywhere will do that...if we'll let it.

You're in a place in your life. You don't know what the future holds. You don't know what plans are ahead for you. You don't have any idea what lay on the horizon.

Neither do I. But we know Who does.

Wherever you are in your life, learn. Learn something from it. As the old adage goes...Grow where you're planted. I am confident that God will meet you where you are.

Scripture Of The Day: "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" - Jeremiah 29:11

http://www.cindybeall.com

EMERGING FROM THE DARKNESS

Acts 9:17-19"Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.

One of my wife and daughter's favorite springtime activities involves the capture of a caterpillar, placing it in a jar, and over the next few weeks watching it's metamorphosis into a butterfly. When I read about the scales falling from Saul's eyes, I thought of the butterfly emerging from the chrysalis -- the same creature yet through God's miracle of transformation, so completely different. Saul could see again -- but did he see things in the same way or did he see the world with Christ's eyes? Did he still have the narrow world view of the caterpillar from crawling around on the ground for so long (rocks can seem like mountains and puddles like oceans), or did he now have the vantage point of the butterfly -- still in the world, yet with a completely different perspective?

I think the answer to this question for Saul is obvious -- when he emerged from blindness his life was forever changed as he became a "new creation in Christ". He no longer had the same perspective or eyesight -- and we -- two thousand years later have been greatly blessed as a result.

How do you see the world? Do you see it the same as your non-Christian friends or do you see it through Christ's eyes? Are you still stumbling around with your eyes closed or have you let Jesus change your perspective? How can you begin to change right now?

pocketpower.org

WITHOUT FAITH

The conversation began around 11:30pm. And it ended around 4:15am.

About a year or so ago, I decided to stay up late and share with my wife about something rather unusual that was going on inside me. While I could not adequately describe to her what it was, I told her that it felt like it was a combination of extreme restlessness and interestingly enough, a sense of peace.

And then, after hours of emotional rambling, I said these words to my wife: “I feel like I have gone as far as I can possibly go…WITHOUT FAITH.”

I sincerely believe that where many of us are in life today is not actually a testament of our faith in God, but rather a testament of our individual skills and talents. And there (for many of us) lies the problem.

As believers, we tend to exercise our faith only in areas that we have seen God move before. But when it comes to the unknown, our faith remains still. Which as Hebrews 11:6 indicates, is not faith at all.

“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.”

Sometimes I wonder if we find more security in knowing who we are or have been in times past, than we do in believing who God is. Many of us have come to the end of some rather long roads in our lives that now require faith to move forward.

As we examine our hearts and lives today, many of us must come to the realization that the skills and talents we so heavily relied on in the past can no longer move us forward. Neither can the resumes (and perhaps associations) we worked so hard to build.

What lies before many of us now is a faith in what seems to be impossible. A faith that fosters a sense of restlessness, yet at the same time, a sense of peace.

May you and I lean hard into that peace today.

Scripture Of The Day: "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!" - 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NASB).

STREAMINGFAITH.COM

CAN YOU IMAGINE

“Cheer up, don’t be afraid. For the Lord your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty Savior. He will give you victory. He will rejoice over you in great gladness; he will love you and not accuse you.” Is that a joyous choir I hear? No, it is the Lord himself exulting over you in happy song.” — Zephaniah 3:16–18 TLB

Can you imagine that God’s delight in us is so genuine, so spontaneous, so spirited that he exults over us by singing happy songs? Can you imagine that he not only lives among us (within us) and promises to give us victory, but also that he rejoices over us in great gladness? Who in your lifetime—past, present, or future—has ever been or will ever be so utterly in love with you?

Only God! Plain, simple, profound. That realization is enough to cause me to look up, up, up, and topple over with cheer-inducing, heartfelt gratitude. It’s wonderful to know that no matter what or whom I meet on the road, I can be of good cheer. How? Why? It is because Jesus lives within me, and he is an overcomer. And because of his indwelling presence, so too am I.

So come on! Grab your robe and join the joyous choir. There’s a lot more living, loving, and laughing to do. Sure, there’s plenty of stuff in this world to steal your joy. But remember, you have Jesus. You have a choice. You can choose cheer over fear. And after all is said and done, wouldn’t you rather be laughing?

— Marilyn Meberg
womenoffaith.com

BY MY SPIRIT

"So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty." — Zechariah 4:6

Imagine if the state where you are living right now were surrounded entirely by enemies intent on your total destruction — just because you happen to live in Florida, or Kansas, or Colorado. How would it feel to live under that tension, that fear, 24/7? How would that affect how you looked upon yourself, others, the world?

Of course, you know where I'm heading with this. Israel is that state, the Israelis are those people. Living in a country no bigger than the state of New Jersey, throughout her history, Israel has been surrounded by enemies who share one goal — wiping Israel off the face of the earth. Within a day of its inception, five of Israel's surrounding "neighbors" declared war on the fledgling state and attacked from all directions. As a result, the Jewish population, some 600,000 people, was outnumbered 20 to 1! Yet, we prevailed.

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised by this. We need only to remember the biblical accounts of Gideon and Midianites, where the people of Israel routed their much stronger enemies with only 300 men. Or remember how Nehemiah and the people rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem in 52 days, despite opposition from her enemies. Over and over again, we see the people of Israel succeed, despite being outnumbered, outmanned, and out-equipped.

The one thing we were never without, however, was God. Remember what God told Gideon: "With the three hundred men… I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands" (Judges 7:7). And when Nehemiah and the people completed the rebuilding project in record time, the nations around them realized, "that this work had been done with the help of our God" (Nehemiah 6:16). The prophet Zechariah reminds us of this as well, in God's words to His people: "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit."

There was opposition to God's plans in biblical times; there is opposition to God's plan for His people today. But what people of faith can depend upon is that God's Word will endure. He remembers all His promises that He makes to His people. He cares for His people and will deliver them from all opposition.

Despite what enemies we face, Christians and Jews alike, we know that we have God on our side. As you live for Him, determine not to trust in your own strength and abilities, but in His Spirit.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

YOUR CALL TO SERVICE

Acts 6:2
So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables."

Previously, there was a problem with the fair distribution of food to widows. Too often when confronted with a problem, we have a tendency to run to the pastor and ask him or her, "What are you going to do about this thing that is bothering me?" Although I am not proposing making decisions and solving problems without input and direction from church leadership, I am suggesting that perhaps if God has placed a concern or passion upon your heart -- it is God's call for you to get involved in service -- not to ask the pastor to do it for you.

It is the pastor's job to minister the word of God. It is our job to serve the needs of our church and community.

Many people wonder why the church doesn't do more. A better question is what is God calling you to do, for you to get involved in? What need or concern has God placed upon your heart? Will you accept the call?

pocketpower.org

RISE ABOVE DISCOURAGEMENT

Words of Encouragement from Billy Graham

Many times I have sat on the front porch and watched the clouds below. I have thought of the clouds of discouragement and suffering that temporarily veil the sunlight of God’s love. You may have a cloud hanging over your life. You may be in a hospital bed or you may be suffering discouragement and bereavement.

The Bible has a great deal to say about clouds, for they are symbolic of the spiritual forces that obscure the face of God. The Bible indicates that clouds are given to us for a purpose, that there is glory in the clouds. In Exodus 16:10 we read, “They looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.” Without the clouds there would be no shield from the burning sun. There would be no lavish sunsets; no rain; no light; no beautiful, picturesque landscapes.

Often when we board an airplane, the sky is overcast. But as the plane climbs up through the clouds, we emerge into a sun-drenched world far above the dismal and disappointing things of Earth. If we could only see our clouds from the other side, as we do when flying above them in an airplane, their radiant magnificence would take our breath and our worries away. These same clouds that are hanging low in your life, and look so dark from the underside, would look totally different if you could see them from God’s vantage point.

I want to remind you of some of the clouds that hide from you the beauty of the face of God.
First, there is the cloud of suffering. I received a letter from a woman suffering on a hospital bed in the last stages of cancer. She did not ask that God would relieve her of suffering or raise her up, but only that God’s grace would be sufficient through the trial of suffering.

The Bible teaches that human suffering is an integral part of life. Job said, “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). Our life has its beginning in suffering. Life’s span is marked by pain and tragedy, and our lives terminate with the enemy called death. The person who expects to escape the pangs of suffering and disappointment simply has no knowledge of the Bible, history or life.

To this dear woman on her hospital bed I would say, “Look toward Heaven, look beyond the clouds, and you will see that the sufferings you are undergoing here are nothing compared to the glory that God has prepared for you there.”

Tell me why the gardener trims and prunes his rosebushes, sometimes cutting away productive branches, and I will tell you why God’s people are afflicted. God’s hand never slips. He never makes a mistake. His every move is for our ultimate good. The knowledge of this caused Paul to sing, “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

My beloved suffering saint, everything is under control. His will for you is being wrought in the whirlwind and in the storm, and His blessed presence is in every cloud of distress that crosses your pathway. The Master Gardener is purging your life so that you might bring forth more fruit and more glory to Christ in this world and in the world to come.

Another cloud that obscures the sun and distresses us is the cloud of discouragement. Many of the great Bible heroes became discouraged: Moses in the Sinai desert, Elijah when he heard Jezebel was searching for him to take his life, and David when his son Absalom rebelled against him.

Discouragement often comes when we don’t get our own way or when things don’t work out the way we want them to. The children of Israel thought that because they were God’s children they should be spared adversity and trouble, that Canaan should be captured without a struggle. But this was not God’s plan. It never is. We must be willing to die to self before we can know the real meaning of life. We must often bleed before we can be blessed, and a cross must be endured before the crown is to be worn.

Discouragement is the very opposite of faith. It is Satan’s device to try to thwart the work of God in your life. Discouragement blinds our eyes to the mercy of God and makes us perceive only the unfavorable circumstances.

There is only one way to dispel the blighting cloud of discouragement. If you are counting on your own strength and ingenuity, you are doomed to continued discouragement. But the Bible says, “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14).

I have never met a person who spent time in daily prayer and in the study of the Word of God and was strong in faith who was ever discouraged for very long.

Third, there is the cloud of disappointment. I received a letter from a 19-year-old girl on the West Coast whose fiancé had just broken off their engagement. Her heart was crushed, and life no longer seemed worth living. I wrote to tell her that it is not always easy to trace God’s designs in our ill-planned hopes and dreams. But rest assured that if we are called according to His purpose, and if we love God, all things do work together for good. Who are we to dictate which way the winds of Providence shall blow, or how the Pilot of life shall maneuver our ship through life’s storms? The psalmist said, “He … guided them by the skillfulness of his hands” (Psalm 78:72).

Yes, clouds will come. They are part of the fabric of life. But by God’s grace we need not be depressed by their presence. Like the misty billows that float above us, they protect us from the brightness of the sun; they reveal the glory of God, and from their lofty height God speaks to us. Like the children of Israel, we are travelers to the Promised Land. As the Israelites traveled through the wilderness, the Bible says, “The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way” (Exodus 13:21).

One of the best ways to get rid of discouragement is to remember that Christ is coming again. The most thrilling, glorious truth in the world is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. When we see pessimism on every side, we should remember the Bible is the only book in the world that accurately predicts the future. The Bible is more current than tomorrow morning’s newspaper! And the Bible says the consummation of all things will be the coming again of Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. … I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3).

If your life is dark, depressing and gloomy today, Christ can turn your dark clouds inside out. The sunlight of His love can still shine into the darkest part of your life. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12).

SATURDAY EDITORIAL

“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. But when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathens do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:6-13)

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God …” (Philippians 4:6)

“Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion; and to You the vow shall be performed. O You who hear prayer, to You all flesh will come.” (Psalm 65:1-2)

“… Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16:23-24)

“And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14)
Notice several key things from these verses, along with how Jesus interacted with His Father when He was walking down here on our earth in the flesh:

1. In the very first verse listed above, Jesus tells us to specifically pray direct to God the Father. He does not tell us to pray direct to Him, the Holy Spirit, or to any dead saints who will be up in heaven once He dies on the cross for all of us.

If Jesus wanted us to pray to either Him or the Holy Spirit, I believe He would have included that directive in this verse. This verse is very specific in that we are to pray only to God the Father if we have any specific prayer requests or needs that need to be met.

2. In the second verse above, the apostle Paul once again tells us to make all of our prayer requests be made known direct to God the Father, not to Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or any dead saints who are now up in heaven by the time Paul makes this statement.

3. The third verse above is from King David. Notice that he is addressing God the Father direct and then makes the statement that God the Father is the One will actually “hear prayer.” Again, he is only addressing God the Father on this issue, not Jesus or the Holy Spirit.

4. The last two verses from Jesus are now going to give us one more key piece of revelation. Not only must you pray direct to God the Father, but Jesus now wants those prayers to be done “in His name.” In other words, pray direct to God the Father in the name of Jesus.

Praying direct to God the Father in the name of Jesus means you recognize and realize that it is only through Jesus and His sacrificial death on the cross that we now have direct access to both Him and His Father in heaven. Here are two main verses that will tell us that Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal salvation with God the Father:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
5. If you study very carefully how Jesus interacted with the Father while He was walking down here on this earth, He was always praying direct to God the Father. There is not one instance where He prayed direct to the Holy Spirit. Jesus was obviously doing all of His miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit, but all of His actual prayers were always directed to God the Father, not to Himself or to the Holy Spirit.

I believe all of the above verses should be interpreted very literally. And if Jesus and the apostle Paul are telling us to direct all of our prayers to God the Father, then we should do exactly that and not try to direct our prayers to either Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or any dead saints who are now in heaven.

If Jesus wanted us to direct any of our personal prayers to either Him, the Holy Spirit, or to any dead saints who are now up in heaven, I believe He would have personally put that kind of revelation into the Bible.

http://www.bible-knowledge.com/

DO WE SHOW PREJUDICE IN OUR CHURCH?

Acts 6:1b…the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

As the church grows, so grow the problems. In New Testament times there were two classes of Jews, those who remained in Palestine and spoke Hebrew, and those who had lived outside Palestine, spoke the Greek language and observed Greek styles of dress and custom. These Greek Jews were looked down upon as not being "real Hebraic Jews." As a result their widows were "being overlooked in the daily distribution of food" despite the communal nature of the church. (The new church was now providing for the widows -- this had previously been the responsibility of the temple.)

We sometimes are guilty of similar prejudices. How often do people or new ideas get rejected because they are different or challenge the way we are accustomed to doing things -- especially in worship. I have attended various churches around the country and I am always interested in the unique style each displays. While God has allowed great latitude in the way we choose to worship Him (how we do it is a lot less important than why we do it), it never ceases to amaze me about how "right" each church feels it is in the way it does "church" -- or worse, how "wrong" others are.

It is always a challenge to observe the instruction of Matthew 7:13-14 "enter through the narrow gate"; while being cautious of it's warning -- "spacious is the road that leads to destruction"; yet remain scripturally open-minded and welcoming.

Are you guilty of rejecting other people because they don't fit your idea of what a real Christian should be? Do you need to rethink your prejudices? Does the way you think church "has" to be done need some flexibility? How so?

pocketpower.org

WORTH THE WAIT

"But you, O Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
you descendants of Abraham my friend,

I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, 'You are my servant';
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."—Isaiah 41:810

How long are you willing to wait for something? The answer really depends on what we are waiting for, doesn't it? If it's lunch from a fast-food establishment, then ten minutes may be too long. If it's saving for a new home, we may be willing to wait several years. If it's news following a loved one's surgery, then waiting an hour seems like an eternity. If it's our career, we might be willing to wait a lifetime to achieve our ultimate goals.

But what about thousands of years? For us Jews, waiting has been woven into the very fabric of our history and our faith. The people of Israel waited for 400 years for a deliverer to rescue them from bondage in Egypt. They waited for nearly 100 years, exiled in a foreign land, before they were allowed to return to their beloved Jerusalem. And once again exiled and dispersed to "the ends of the earth," they waited nearly two millennia to return to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

How is such waiting possible? Why did we never give up hope that one day we would return to our homeland? I think part of the answer lies in the prophet Isaiah's words: "I have chosen you and have not rejected you… I am with you… I am your God." Not only are we a people who wait, we are a people of faith. We depend on and trust in God, who has promised that He has not rejected us and that He is with us always.

The same is true for all people of faith. We should not fear or grow weary of waiting because we know that God is with us. He has established a relationship with us, and He gives us assurance that He will strengthen and help us through whatever we are facing.

Are you waiting for something right now? Remember God's promise to you: "I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ROBERT E LEE

Robert E. Lee: Remembering An American Legend

America has always loved her heroes like: Baseball Legend-Babe Ruth, Golf Great-Ben Hogan, Movie Actor-John Wayne and…..
Wednesday, January 19, 2011, is the 204th birthday of General Robert E. Lee.

Young people will get a school holiday in remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King whose birthday is January 15th. But, will anyone tell them that January 19th is also the birthday of Robert E. Lee?

Booker T. Washington, America’s great Black-American Educator wrote in 1910, quote

“The first white people in America, certainly the first in the South to exhibit their interest in the reaching of the Negro and saving his soul through the medium of the Sunday-school were Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.” unquote

Robert E. Lee…. who was born at “Stratford” in Westmoreland County, Virginia, on January 19, 1807. The winter was cold and fireplaces were little help for Robert's mother, Ann Hill (Carter) Lee.

Ann Lee named her son "Robert Edward" after her two brothers.

Robert E. Lee undoubtedly acquired his love of country from those who had lived during the American Revolution. His father, "Light Horse" Harry, was a hero of the revolution and served as Governor of Virginia and as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Members of his family also signed the Declaration of Independence.

Lee was educated in the schools of Alexandria, Virginia. In 1825, he received an appointment to West Point Military Academy. He graduated in 1829, second in his class and without a single demerit.

Robert E. Lee wed Mary Anna Randolph Curtis in June 1831, two years after his graduation from West Point. Robert and Mary had grown up together. Mary was the daughter of George Washington Parke Curtis, the grandson of Martha Washington and the adopted son of George Washington.

Mary was an only child; therefore, she inherited Arlington House, across the Potomac from Washington, where she and Robert raised seven children.

In 1836, Lee was appointed to first lieutenant. In 1838, with the rank of captain, Lee fought valiantly in the War with Mexico and was wounded at the Battle of Chapultepec.

He was appointed superintendent of West Point in 1852 and is considered one of the best superintendents in that institution's history.

General Winfield Scott offered Robert E. Lee command of the Union Army in 1861, but he refused. He said,

“I cannot raise my hand against my birthplace, my home, my children.”

Lee served as adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and then commanded the legendary Army of Northern Virginia.

After four terrible years of death and destruction, General Robert E. Lee met General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox, Virginia, and ended their battles.

In the fall of 1865, Lee was offered and accepted the presidency of troubled Washington College in Lexington, Virginia. The school was renamed Washington and Lee in his honor.

Robert E. Lee died at 9:30 on the morning of October 12, 1870, at Washington-Lee College.

He is buried in a chapel on the school grounds with his family and near his favorite horse, Traveller.

President Theodore Roosevelt described General Robert E. Lee as

"the very greatest of all the great captains that the English-speaking peoples have brought forth."

By: Calvin E. Johnson, Jr., Speaker, Writer,
Author of Book “When America Stood for God, Family and Country”— cjohnson1861@bellsouth.net

THE LOVE OF MONEY

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain., 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. & 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

God help us all to be content and to over come "the love of money."
Those that make a trade of Christianity to serve their turn for this world, will be disappointed; but those who mind it as their calling, will find it has the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come. He that is godly, is sure to be happy in another world; and if contented with his condition in this world, he has enough; and all truly godly people are content. When brought into the greatest straits, we cannot be poorer than when we came into this world; a shroud, a coffin, and a grave, are all that the richest man in the world can have from all his wealth. If nature should be content with a little, grace should be content with less. The necessaries of life bound a true Christian's desires, and with these he will endeavour to be content. We see here the evil of covetousness. It is not said, they that are rich, but they will be rich; who place their happiness in wealth, and are eager and determined in the pursuit. Those that are such, give to Satan the opportunity of tempting them, leading them to use dishonest means, and other bad practices, to add to their gains. Also, leading into so many employments, and such a hurry of business, as leave no time or inclination for spiritual religion; leading to connexions that draw into sin and folly. What sins will not men be drawn into by the love of money! People may have money, and yet not love it; but if they love it, this will push them on to all evil. Every sort of wickedness and vice, in one way or another, grows from the love of money. We cannot look around without perceiving many proofs of this, especially in a day of outward prosperity, great expenses, and loose profession.

Proverbs 15:16 Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proverbs 28:25 A greedy man stirs up dissension, but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Timothy 4:8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
New International Version ©1984 by Biblica


Thank You Jesus what we have and to know that our treasure is stored in heaven.

LJG/rECj

Easton's Bible Dictionary

I WAS WRONG, IMAGINE THAT

All my life I have claimed Jesus saying, "by My strips ye are healed." Well, guess what He didn't say those words. I have been healed plenty of times for believing in those words. My Baby Boy is alive and is going to be 34 on the 20th of this month. He wasn't supposed to live to be the ripe ole age of 6.

I am right in saying those precious words, just wrong on who said it. Isaiah is the one who said it in Isaiah 53:5 But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. I knew Peter said in 1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

This is why we need to read, study and understand the Old Testament. Jesus did say in Matthew 5:17, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

"Think not that I am come ... - Our Saviour was just entering on his work. It was important for him to state what he came to do. By his setting up to be a teacher in opposition to the scribes and Pharisees, some might charge him with an intention to destroy their law, and to abolish the customs of the nation. He therefore told them that he did not come for that end, but really to fulfill or accomplish what was in the law and the prophets.

To destroy - To abrogate; to deny their divine authority; to set people free from the obligation to obey them. "The law." The five books of Moses called the law. See the notes at Luke 24:44.

The Prophets - The books which the prophets wrote. These two divisions here seem to comprehend the Old Testament, and Jesus says that he came not to do away or destroy the authority of the Old Testament.

But to fulfil - To complete the design; to fill up what was predicted; to accomplish what was intended in them. The word "fulfill" also means sometimes "to teach" or "to inculcate," Colossians 1:25. The law of Moses contained many sacrifices and rites which were designed to shadow forth the Messiah. See the notes at Hebrews 9. These were fulfilled when he came and offered himself a sacrifice to God,

The prophets contained many predictions respecting his coming and death. These were all to be fulfilled and fully accomplished by his life and his sufferings.

He was treated as if he had been a sinner, in order that we might be treated as if we had not sinned; that is, as if we were righteous. There is no other way in which we can conceive that one bears the sins of another. They cannot be literally transferred to another; and all that can be meant is, that he should take the consequences on himself, and suffer as if he had committed the transgressions himself."

Thank You Lord for showing me the error of my ways. Thank You for forgiving me.

God Bless each of you,

LJG/rECj

Eason's Bible Dictionary

SUNDAY EDITORIAL

"1 Timothy 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. King James Bible

1 Timothy 5:8 If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. New International Version

Dawn Allestad Schull
I found this so profound- We may not choose the journey we have to travel, but we can choose how we travel it.

But if any provide not for his own - The apostle was speaking 1 Timothy 5:4 particularly of the duty of children toward a widowed mother. In enforcing that duty, he gives the subject, as he often does in similar cases, a general direction, and says that all ought to provide for those who were dependent on them, and that if they did not do this, they had a less impressive sense of the obligations of duty than even the pagan had. On the duty here referred to, compare Romans 12:17 note; 2 Corinthians 8:21 note. The meaning is, that the person referred to is to think beforehand of the probable needs of his own family, and make arrangements to meet them. God thus provides for our needs; that is, he sees beforehand what we shall need, and makes arrangements for those needs by long preparation. The food that we eat, and the raiment that we wear, he foresaw that we should need, and the arrangement for the supply was made years since, and to meet these needs he has been carrying forward the plans of his providence in the seasons; in the growth of animals; in the formation of fruit; in the bountiful harvest. So, according to our measure, we are to anticipate what will be the probable needs of our families, and to make arrangements to meet them. The words "his own," refer to those who are naturally dependent on him, whether living in his own immediate family or not. There may be many distant relatives naturally dependent on our aid, besides those who live in our own house.

And specially for those of his own house - Margin, "kindred." The word "house," or "household," better expresses the sense than the word "kindred." The meaning is, those who live in his own family. They would naturally have higher claims on him than those who did not. They would commonly be his nearer relatives, and the fact, from whatever cause, that they constituted his own family, would lay the foundation for a strong claim upon him. He who neglected his own immediate family would be more guilty than he who neglected a more remote relative.

He hath denied the faith - By his conduct, perhaps, not openly. He may be still a professor of religion and do this; but he will show that he is imbued with none of the spirit of religion, and is a stranger to its real nature. The meaning is, that he would, by such an act, have practically renounced Christianity, since it enjoins this duty on all. We may hence learn that it is possible to deny the faith by conduct as well as by words; and that a neglect of doing our duty is as real a denial of Christianity as it would be openly to renounce it. Peter denied his Lord in one way, and thousands do the same thing in another. He did it in words; they by neglecting their duty to their families, or their duty in their closets, or their duty in attempting to send salvation to their fellow-men, or by an openly irreligious life. A neglect of any duty is so far a denial of the faith.

And is worse than an infidel - The word here does not mean an infidel, technically so called, or one who openly professes to disbelieve Christianity, but anyone who does not believe; that is, anyone who is not a sincere Christian. The word, therefore, would include the pagan, and it is to them, doubtless, that the apostle particularly refers. They acknowledged the obligation to provide for their relatives. This was one of the great laws of nature written on their hearts, and a law which they felt bound to obey. Few things were inculcated more constantly by pagan moralists than this duty. Gelgacus, in Tacitus, says, "Nature dictates that to every one, his own children and relatives should be most dear." Cicero says, "Every man should take care of his own family. "

(1) that a Christian ought not to be inferior to an unbeliever in respect to any virtue;

(2) that in all that constitutes true virtue he ought to surpass him;

(3) that the duties which are taught by nature ought to be regarded as the more sacred and obligatory from the fact that God has given us a better religion; and,

(4) that a Christian ought never to give occasion to an enemy of the gospel to point to a man of the world and say, "there is one who surpasses you in any virtue."

King James Translators' Notes

house: or, kindred

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
8. But-reverting to 1Ti 5:4, "If any (a general proposition; therefore including in its application the widow's children or grandchildren) provide not for his own (relations in general), and especially for those of his own house (in particular), he hath (practically) denied the faith." Faith without love and its works is dead; "for the subject matter of faith is not mere opinion, but the grace and truth of God, to which he that believes gives up his spirit, as he that loves gives up his heart" [Mack]. If in any case a duty of love is plain, it is in relation to one's own relatives; to fail in so plain an obligation is a plain proof of want of love, and therefore of want of faith. "Faith does not set aside natural duties, but strengthens them" [Bengel].

worse than an infidel-because even an infidel (or unbeliever) is taught by nature to provide for his own relatives, and generally recognizes the duty; the Christian who does not so, is worse (Mt 5:46, 47). He has less excuse with his greater light than the infidel who may break the laws of nature.

Or women do not maintain their poor relations, they in effect deny the faith. If they spend upon their lusts and pleasures, what should maintain their families, they have denied the faith, and are worse than infidels."

God Bless each of you,
LJG/rECj

Easton's Bible Dictionary

SATURDAY EDITORIAL

1 Corinthians 6:6-8
But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. 7) Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather [suffer yourselves to] be defrauded? 8) Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
BROTHERS
But brother goeth to law with brother,.... The relation meant is spiritual; it was usual for members of churches to be called brethren, they professing to be born again of the same Father, and belonging to the same family under Christ, the son, firstborn, and master of it: and a very wicked and shameful thing it was, that persons in such a relation, being of such a family, should go to law with one another at all: why do ye not rather take wrong why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? than to go to law, especially before unjust persons and unbelievers, taking the advice of Christ, Matthew 5:39-40 It is more advisable to a believer to suffer wrong than to go to law with any man, and especially with a brother.

The differences among Christians could be adjusted among themselves, by a reference to their brethren. In 99 cases out of 100, the decision would be more likely to be just and satisfactory to all parties from an amicable reference, than from the decisions of a civil court. In "the very few" cases where it would be otherwise, it would be better for the individual to suffer, than for the cause of religion to suffer. Christians ought to love the cause of their Master more than their own individual interest. They ought to be more afraid that the cause of Jesus Christ would be injured than that they should be a few pounds poorer from the conduct of others, or than that they should individually suffer in their character from the injustice of others.

JUDGES
and that before the unbelievers; which is an aggravation of their sin and folly. The apostle before calls them "unjust", now "infidels", such as had no faith in Christ, disbelieved the Messiah, and denied the whole Gospel, and therefore no faith or confidence should be put in them; for, generally speaking, such as have no faith, are not only wicked, but unreasonable men, men of no reason, conscience, justice, and equity; and therefore very improper persons for believers to bring their causes before. I am sure that they may be quiet a few judges who are believers but who knows who they are?

I do not do what I do for gain or profit. I do what I do for the glory of God and Jesus. It is a shame that a small quarrell can reach the threat of 'court.' We should do, with the help of our Saviour, everything in our power to keep that from taking place.

I want the "peace that passes all understanding," in my own mind. That "peace" comes by compliance with all the commandents of God.

1 Thessalonians 4:6 and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you.
New International Version ©1984 by Biblica

God Bless each of you,
LJG/rECj

Easton's Bible Dictionary

ADDITION, SUBTRACTION, MULTLICATION

Acts 6:1a

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing…

Previously, in Acts 2:47 the Lord added to their number; in Acts 5:1-12, using the example of Annanias and Sapphira the Lord subtracted from their number; then in Acts 5:14-15 the Lord once again added to their number. Now in Acts 6:1, the number was increasing -- or a different translation from the King James version is "multiplied."

Up until this time, the Lord had added to their number, but after the subtraction -- when people realized this wasn't just the latest fad -- the Lord once again added to their number which led to a multiplication (from a foundation of those who were strongly committed).

So it is with us as well. When we allow the Lord to work in our lives, we grow. But when we are challenged, tempted, and persecuted -- yet continue to seek the Lord is when we really experience the blessing of multiplication.

Do you feel like you are in a time of:

* Addition -- Is the Lord calling you into ministry or slowly adding to your present ministry?

* Subtraction -- Is your ministry area drying up or becoming less effective? Have you lost your passion for service?

* Multiplication -- Is your ministry area growing exponentially?

What could the Lord be teaching you through this experience?

pocketpower.org

COMPLETE FAITH: ARE YOU WORTHY OF SUFFERING DISGRACE

Acts 5:40-42

His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

Previously, the Sanhedrin wanted to put the apostles to death for speaking the words of Jesus and preaching the good news of the resurrection. However, Gamaliel a well respected Pharisee and teacher of the law, had spoken persuasively -- recommending a cautious wait and see approach (see Acts 5:35-39). The apostles were then flogged and set free. Encouraged by this event the apostles continued to teach and proclaim the good news.

The apostles had been jailed, threatened with death, set free by an angel, then re-arrested, flogged and warned again. Yet despite the hardship and pain -- they were rejoicing, proud of being "counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name". Instead of the shame and humiliation that usually comes from incarceration and flogging -- they were encouraged by these events.

This is remarkable to me as it isn't a "normal" human reaction to punishment. I like their perspective -- they counted themselves worthy of suffering disgrace. They didn't focus on the indignity or unfairness of the punishment. Instead they focused on the honor of sharing it with and for Jesus. But there is one more key to their "rejoicing" -- "they never stopped teaching and proclaiming that Jesus is the Christ." In other words, their focus was on the cross not on their hardship, and they never stopped. All too often when we are confronted with punishment or hardship, we stop doing the Lord's will. Not so in the apostles example.

Things don't always go as we would like when we're in service to the Lord. Many times we have to adapt our plan as the Lord makes His will and intention known to us. Other times we have to be patient and wait on the Lord's timing. But there are also times when we, as in the apostles' example -- will suffer a disgrace for the Name -- and we just have to endure. However, if you have the apostles perspective you will be "rejoicing" that you have been counted worthy and you will continue on -- as the apostles did -- day after day never stopping!

What is your perspective when a hardship comes along? Do you rejoice and count yourself worthy of suffering? How do you handle hardship? Do you stop when the going gets tough? Do you need to change your perspective?

pocketpower.org

KING JAMES BIBLE CELEBRATES

400 YEARS AS WORLD’S NUMBER ONE SELLER

“The Bible commissioned by King James VI of Scotland and I of England was the centerpiece of her (England’s Queen) message recorded at the Chapel Royal in Hampton Court,” writes Tom Peterkin. “Making the broadcast from the palace built for Henry VIII was a break from tradition. The Queen's annual address is normally recorded from Buckingham Palace. The change was suggested by the Queen, because Hampton Court was where, in 1604, King James commissioned the Bible, which took seven years for translators to complete. The Queen said the King James Bible was "acknowledged as a masterpiece of English prose and the most vivid translation of the scriptures."

The Queen added: "The glorious language of this Bible has survived the turbulence of history and given many of us the most widely recognized and beautiful descriptions of the birth of Jesus Christ which we celebrate today."

The book was born in controversy and reigns to this day in controversy. But, despite all the controversy and attack it still reigns while all other English translations have fallen by the wayside.

The King James is attacked as being too hard to read. But a sampling of verses using the Fiesch-Kincaid grade level indicator test reveals that the King James ranks easier than modern translations in 23 out of 26 comparisons. It averages reading levels between 6th and 7th grade compared to most other translations which average between 8th and 9th grade levels.

The book was born in contentions when at a 1604 meeting at Hampton Court palace, when a young James VI of Scotland, newly crowned as James I of England, was trying to iron out differences between the Church of England and a dissident sect known as the Puritans. He proposed a new translation to calm the controversy.

The King James is attacked for showing some political influence. Tyndale and the board responsible for the KJV had to sign a statement saying that they would remain faithful to the doctrines of the church sponsored by King James. This meant using the word "forever" instead of "age" and "Hell" to replace "Sheol", "Gehenna", "Hades", and "Tartoo."

But the King James still reigns supreme. Some of the phrases that still resonate in the age of Twitter and Facebook are, "my brother's keeper," "salt of the earth," "give up the ghost," "scapegoats," "an eye for an eye," "casting your pearls before swine," "scarlet woman," "writing on the wall" and "the blind leading the blind."

Abraham Lincoln quoted the King James: "A house divided against itself."

The famous atheist, Richard Dawkins, praises the King James Bible: "You can't appreciate English literature unless you are to some extent steeped in the King James Bible. There are phrases that come from it — people don't realize they come from it — proverbial phrases, phrases that make echoes in people's minds," he said in a video released by the King James Bible Trust, the British organization that is one promoter of the 400th-anniversary celebrations due next year.

The Labour MP, Frank Field, who is chairman of the King James Bible Trust, says: "If you have to pick one book which shaped the English language and gave us a cultural commonwealth around the world, it's this book."

MoodyNews.com...Sent by my Preacher, John Sweat

THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON

The brand new pastor and his wife,
newly assigned to their first ministry, to reopen a church
in suburban Brooklyn , arrived in early October
excited about their opportunities. When they saw
their church, it was very run down and needed
much work. They set a goal to have everything
done in time to have their first service
on Christmas Eve.

They worked hard, repairing pews,
plastering walls, painting, etc, and on December 18
were ahead of schedule and just about finished.

On December 19 a terrible tempest - a driving
rainstorm hit the area and lasted for two days.

On the 21st, the pastor went over
to the church. His heart sank when he saw that the roof had
leaked, causing a large area of plaster about
20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall
of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit,
beginning about head high.

The pastor cleaned up the mess on
the floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone
the Christmas Eve service, headed home.
On the way he noticed that a local business was
having a flea market type sale for charity, so he
stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful,
handmade, ivory colored, crocheted tablecloth
with exquisite work, fine colors and a Cross
embroidered right in the center. It was just
the right size to cover the hole in the front
wall. He bought it and headed back to the church.

By this time it had started to snow.
An older woman running from the opposite direction was
trying to catch the bus. She missed it. The pastor
invited her to wait in the warm church for
the next bus 45 minutes later.

She sat in a pew and paid no attention
to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put
up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor
could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and
it covered up the entire problem area.

Then he noticed the woman walking
down the center aisle. Her face was like a sheet. "Pastor,"
she asked, "where did you get that tablecloth?"
The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check
the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG were crocheted into
it there. They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had
made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria.

The woman could hardly believe it
as the pastor told how he had just gotten "The Tablecloth". The
woman explained that before the war she and
her husband were well-to-do people in Austria.

When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave.
Her husband was going to follow her the next week.
He was captured, sent to prison and never saw her
husband or her home again.

The pastor wanted to give her
the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for the church.
The pastor insisted on driving her home. That
was the least he could do. She lived on the other
side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn
for the day for a housecleaning job.

What a wonderful service they had
on Christmas Eve. The church was almost full. The music and the
spirit were great. At the end of the service, the
pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door
and many said that they would return.

One older man, whom the pastor recognized
from the neighborhood continued to sit in one of the
pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he
wasn't leaving.

The man asked him where he got the
tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one
that his wife had made years ago when
they lived in Austria before the war and how
could there be two tablecloths so much alike?

He told the pastor how the Nazis
came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety and he was
supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and
put in a prison. He never saw his wife or his home
again all the 35 years between.

The pastor asked him if he would
allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten
Island and to the same house where the pastor
had taken the woman three days earlier.

He helped the man climb the three
flights of stairs to the woman's apartment, knocked on
the door and he saw the greatest Christmas
reunion he could ever imagine.

True Story - submitted by Pastor Rob Reid
who says God does work in mysterious ways.
I asked the Lord to bless you as I prayed for
you today, to guide you and protect you
as you go along your way. His love is always with you. His
promises are true, and when we give Him all our
cares we know He will see us through.

So when the road you're traveling
seems difficult at best, just remember I'm here
praying and God will do the rest.

When there is nothing left but God,
that is when you find out that God is all you need Take 60
seconds and give this a shot! All you do is simply
say the following small prayer for the person
who sent this to you.

Father, God, bless all my friends and family in what
ever it is that You know they may be needing this
day! May their lives be full of Your peace,
prosperity and power as they seek to have a
closer relationship with You. Amen.

Sent by my Preacher, John Sweat

ARE WE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF GOD?

Acts 5:33-39

When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men (Peter and John) be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed them: "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."

When I first read our passage today, I was impressed with the maturity and clarity of Gamaliel's arguments. Historically, these "men of Israel" had heard and experienced many accounts of being on the wrong side of God. One that immediately comes to mind is the Book of Jonah. Jonah, as you probably know, was told by God to go to the city of Ninevah and preach repentance to the Ninevites. The people of Ninevah were enemies of Jonah and his people, so that was the last thing he wanted to do. He not only was fearful for his own life, but he also did not want them to repent -- instead he wanted them to experience God's full wrath. So he ran away. He jumped on a boat going the opposite direction of Ninevah. You are familiar with the outcome: God sent a great storm, then a big fish that swallowed Jonah and vomited him on the shore. During this experience Jonah finally agreed to do God's will -- although without joy. He went to Ninevah and preached one of the best sermons of all time -- so good in fact that the people of Ninevah repented. Jonah's story ends on a hill outside of town, as he waits and watches for the Lord to destroy the Ninevites. Jonah was ultimately angry and disappointed because the Lord chose to spare Ninevah.

I see the Sanhedrin in this same place -- deciding to take a wait and see approach with the expectation that God will punish the followers of Jesus, believing that the Christian movement will turn to nothing, it will fail. Unfortunately, like Jonah, the Sanhedrin are so committed to their own agenda they are unwilling to allow God to lead in their lives. As a result they don't experience the joy of salvation. Instead they are left with the harshness of the lesson without the benefit God intended.

Jonah sat on the rocky ground and baked in the sun, angry at God for His forgiving nature. The Sanhedrin wanted to punish the apostles, in fact they wanted to put them to death -- but they were on the wrong side of God as well -- doing in great error what they thought was God's will. As we will see further in our story, some were ultimately transformed, but many were not. Which will you be? Transformed by the experience or stubbornly stuck in your expectation or tradition?

Are you on the wrong side of God? What change of thought will it take to correct your thinking? Have you had an experience in which you resisted God's will? What do you think He was trying to tell you or get you to change?

pocketpower.org

SUNDAY EDITORIAL

Finding Help
At times we need another’s wisdom
by Betty Robison

About fifteen years into our marriage, James and I found ourselves caught up in a vicious cycle that lasted for several years.

James began his ministry at age eighteen, and after nearly two decades of preaching five or six times a day for more than 250 days a year, he was no longer happy. He was burned out and exhausted, and as a result he became depressed and angry. He also acknowledged a serious battle with lust.

My attempts to help him only triggered my old fears and insecurities about being an inadequate partner for him in ministry. When he traveled, I was lonely and missed him. But when he was home, his dark moods and lack of joy made him difficult to be around. When he confessed his lustful thoughts and compulsive feelings, I felt helpless to respond. I kept asking him if I was doing something wrong, but he always assured me that it wasn’t my fault. Still, I felt overwhelmed and incapable of being the kind of wife he needed. How could I be strong and help James when I was struggling so much myself?

I prayed for James, asking God to bring back the joy we’d had earlier in our marriage. Eventually it became clear that we needed outside help and counsel. When James returned from a trip and confessed that he had become so depressed and discouraged that he had considered deliberately crashing the plane he was flying, which would have killed not only him but a very good friend, we knew we had reached the breaking point. The next day James spent several hours talking with various friends, and when he was done, he told me he wanted to meet privately with a pastor from Florida, Peter Lord, who had spoken at our annual Bible conference. “I know I can trust Peter to keep things confidential,” James said.

I encouraged him to meet with Peter as soon as possible, and James found the time while he was conducting a crusade in Miami. When he returned home, I could tell right away that something was different. James seemed at peace for the first time in a long time, and his hunger for the Word of God and his enthusiasm for preaching had returned. Always quick to tell me what was happening in his life, James explained how Peter had opened his eyes to the realities of spiritual warfare, especially how deceptive evils spirits could influence and oppress us – even as Christians.

At first I was confused. “I thought the devil and demonic spirits couldn’t trouble us once we have Jesus in our hearts,” I said.

“No, that’s untrue,” James replied. “And that’s what Peter showed me. He gave me some references from Scripture to see for myself.”

This timely counsel profoundly affected James. It was obvious that he had a newfound freedom. Sadly, that freedom didn’t last.

When James shared what he had learned with some of his more conservative friends, including several prominent pastors, they scoffed and downplayed the role of evil spirits in affecting believers. James was troubled by their mocking response, but because he respected their knowledge of Scripture and their Christian maturity, he backed away from the teaching he had received and stopped pursuing the breakthrough he had experienced and so greatly desired.

Tragically, the spiritual battle intensified, which is just what Jesus said would happen when a spirit is driven out but the house is not then occupied by God’s Holy Spirit and abiding presence. The Lord said that seven more spirits would come into the house and the condition would be far worse.[1]

It wasn’t until months later, when James not only received further counsel from a friend but also an unmistakable deliverance through the prayers of a humble servant of God, that he was truly set free from the forces that had sought to derail his life and ministry.

The lesson we learned is this: if you reach a point in your marriage when outside counsel is needed, pray for God’s guidance. Ask Him to direct you to the right person or people in whom to confide. As with anything in life, when we seek outside counsel, we must do so with discretion and discernment. Not everyone we might choose will give us the kind of godly counsel we need.

James and I both believe that when a person is defeated and caught in an addictive practice, the problem must be acknowledged and outside assistance accepted. Serious problems such as substance abuse, alcoholism, and sexual addition usually require a process that leads to positive change. Do not be ashamed to admit your failures or weakness.

Although it may be difficult, if you discover problematic issues in your spouse’s life, I urge you not to write them off, throw them out, or give up on your marriage. Help is available and necessary.

It is important to understand that the decision to seek outside counsel is not to be taken lightly; nor is it to be undertaken individually. When the need arises to go outside your marriage for help, you and your spouse must maintain your commitment to work together. James and I highly recommend that you make a joint decision to seek the help of a counselor.

Sometimes it can be helpful to seek advice from a professional who doesn’t know you or your spouse. Look for a person with strong professional credentials and a faith-based approach. Many churches provide a list of referrals, or they may have a well-trained counselor on staff who is both qualified and caring.

You don’t need to suffer in silence, and you don’t need to cry out behind each other’s backs. If you’re in the midst of a difficult time and you can’t see any way out, please let me encourage you: there is a way. Pray and ask God for His direction in finding help. If you ask Him for an egg, He won’t give you a scorpion.[2] No, if you ask Him, He will give you the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth.[3]

Most important, ask God to help you and your spouse remain united as a team. When you’re upset with something your husband or wife has said or done, there is a huge temptation to seek a sympathetic ear. As the saying goes, “Misery love company.” We want to unload telling all the ways we’re right and our spouse is wrong. We want someone to be as upset as we are and to validate our feelings.

This is not a good idea. It’s also not what we mean by seeking counsel. Commiserating with people just to get them on your side is merely stewing in your own juices and inviting others into the pot with you. It is treacherous because you run the risk of fostering an air of superiority over your spouse. If you continue to do this, you can eventually find yourself resenting your spouse rather than moving toward understanding and reconciliation.

Please be very careful when discussing your spouse’s weaknesses without his or her consent, because it can result in deep feelings of betrayal.

Instead, take your concerns first to God, and then take them to your spouse. After you’ve prayed and spoken to your spouse, if you still have no resolution, take your concerns – together with your spouse – to someone you both agree on. James and I have never approached another person to discuss a challenge or difficulty in our marriage unless we have first addressed it between ourselves and then have explicitly agreed to discuss this particular challenge with a trusted friend or counselor. We never have and never will go behind each other’s back. Believe me, this practice has enabled us to work through some very serious challenges.

It was essential for both James and me to seek and accept outside help. We needed someone we could trust when we shared information on recurring defeats in our lives. Thankfully, we found someone who would actually advise us, then would pray and take authority over the tormenting spirits of deception, distraction, fear, and rejection that has effectively held us in bondage.

From James: The above writing comes from our book Living in Love, which is available in bookstores or online from www.livinginlovetoday.com. When you get our book, please don’t fail to read Chapter 15 “The Invisible Enemy” which reveals the adverse affects of the spiritual realm of deception and darkness. Regardless of the challenge or failure, Betty and I want to encourage you – there is hope in the Lord and there is help available. Seeking help from an outside source for a marriage challenge is not a sign of failure. Be patient. It takes time for you and your spouse to work through the difficulties you’re encountering. Be willing to forgive and begin again. God wants your marriage to be heaven on earth and He makes all things new! Your marriage is worth fighting for!

SATURDAY EDITORIAL

Restoration Work

"When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, The LORD has done great things for them." —Psalm 126:1–2

The work of restoration and renewal takes place all around us. We see it as people labor to rebuild their homes after the devastation of floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Forests that have been ravaged by fires grow back over time. Old homes are refurbished because of their historical or sentimental value. Through the power of modern medicine, health is restored and broken bones are repaired.

One of the more amazing — indeed, miraculous — examples of restoration is happening in the state of Israel, thanks to the support and generosity of our Christian friends. Over and over again, we see God continuing to bring His people, the Jews, back to their land, fulfilling the covenant He made with Abraham so many thousands of years ago.

Like the author of Psalm 126, our mouths are filled with laughter and our hearts rejoice because "the LORD has done great things for us." God, indeed, has restored our fortunes. He has taken our tears and turned them into joy.

God's ability to restore life, to bring good from tragedy, to bring joy out of grief, is often beyond our ability to comprehend. But that He specializes in doing just this is evident to all who believe and call Him Lord. Even when we are burdened with sorrow or crippled with grief, we can turn to Him and trust that He will work to restore us.

Then we will be able to experience, as the psalmist described, "Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest" (vv.56, NLT).

If you are weighed down today with worries, beset with troubles that seem overwhelming, remember that even if it doesn't appear so, God is at work bringing about that great harvest of joy.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

ACCEPTABLE CHRISTIAN CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

Acts 5:29-32
Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead -- whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."

The Sanhedrin believed they were divinely appointed by God to administrate God's will on earth, so everything they did was God's will. You can imagine how angry they must have been when Peter and the apostles continued to disobey their orders and answered, "We must obey God rather than men!"

I think we must be careful that we are not self-serving when we apply this principle of civil disobedience. John Stott, a well known Christian commentator, once said, "If the authority concerned misuses its God-given power to command what he forbids or forbid what he commands, then the Christian's duty is to disobey the human authority in order to obey God's." We can get into trouble if we follow this advice too literally or liberally. There are those who might think a seventy mile-an-hour speed limit is too slow, and therefore argue that the state is misusing its God-given power to command. 1 Peter 2:13-14 tells us that we are to submit ourselves to every earthly authority placed over us, so how do we balance all that?

There are two primary biblical requirements to keep in mind as we consider an act of "Christian Civil Disobedience." I pose these as questions, the first is: Does it have scriptural support and authority? The apostles weren't following a feeling, they were following a direct order of Jesus from Matthew 28:19 "Go make disciples of all nations."

The second: Will you carry it out with humility? Peter and the apostles were willing to take punishment for disobedience. Throughout the Scriptures we see other examples of those who say, "we can't do this because we have a higher authority;" however, they do so without anger, resentment, or violence.

Can you remember a situation recently when you had a choice to obey God or man? What was your decision? What was the outcome? Did you accept punishment with humility?

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THE PROMISE KEEPER

Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. —Genesis 15:6

Next time you are at the beach, or any place with sandy soil, scoop up a handful of sand. In essence, you are holding an object lesson of God's promise to Abram. Remember the promise — "I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore" (Genesis 22:17)

God didn't promise Abram wealth or more possessions or even fame. God promised Abram a nation, a people who would be so great in number that they would rival the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. It is a promise that we Jews have held on to for thousands of years, during times of exile and persecution. It is a promise that has connected us — physically and spiritually — to our homeland, Israel.

But remember when God gave that promise to Abram? In Genesis 15, Abram had no children, no sons, and he was beginning to despair of ever having an heir. God came to Abram in a vision and comforted him; He renewed the promise given to Abram in chapter 12: "Look up at the heavens and count the stars — if indeed you can count them… So shall your offspring be."

And how did Abram respond? Abram believed: "Abram believed the LORD, and he [God] credited it to him as righteousness." That was all that was needed. It was his belief, not his actions that made Abram right with God. The fulfillment of God's promise did not rest on what Abram did — or did not do — but on Abram's faith in the One who gave the promise.

The lesson is the same for us. We can do all the right things — go to worship, engage in Bible study, act charitably toward others — but ultimately that's not what makes us right with God. Rather, it is our faith, our heartfelt confidence that God is who He says He is and that that He will do what He promises for His people.

Faith in the Promise Keeper is what has sustained the Jewish people for centuries, and it is the bedrock of our conviction that Israel is our home. Let your faith in the Promise-Keeper be the bedrock of your life as well.

With prayers for shalom, peace,


Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

WE CAN'T BE WRONG, RIGHT?

Acts 5:25-28

Then someone came and said, "Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people." At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them. Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood."

I am quite sure neither the Sanhedrin nor the chief priest, felt they were opposed to God in this confrontation with Peter and John. Rather, they were so focused on their own power and authority they could not see God's correcting hand in the experience. We see this indignation in verse 28, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name."

So often we get locked into doing things our way (like the Sanhedrin), that when God corrects us through events (which many times are miraculous), we ignore the miracle because it doesn't fit with our expectation. We couldn't be wrong -- right? When things seem to be going wrong -- people aren't following your direction, leadership or example -- it's probably a good time to reevaluate how and what you're doing. God might be correcting you and He may be using a lowly person or people to do so. I think the most difficult correction for me to accept is, when God uses someone less educated, less experienced, or a new Christian. That's when I have to be especially careful that my "Sanhedrin" indignation and arrogance doesn't kick in.

Is God trying to correct you right now? Is there a way you are doing something, maybe even an attitude that needs to change? Has there been someone in your life that like the Sanhedrin has made you angry because they've challenged you? Perhaps it's time to reevaluate -- you couldn't be wrong, right?

Evaluate your attitudes and actions in light of God's Word, the Bible. Open your Gospel of John and hear, with humility and gratitude, God's guidance for you.

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CONFOUNDING THE PLAN

Acts 5:21b-24

When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin--the full assembly of the elders of Israel--and sent to the jail for the apostles. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, "We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside." On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this.

The high priest (and his associates) had a lot of confidence in their plan. In fact, so much so they called the full assembly of the elders of Israel together, only to find out that Peter and John were no longer in jail -- despite the fact the door was locked and the guard was still in place. They had every reason to believe Peter and John would be there. But they weren't. God had a different plan.

When the captain of the temple guard and chief priests were confronted with the miraculous they were puzzled. "What just happened here? Where are they? They were here last night, what happened to them?" Once they had processed the fact that Peter and John were indeed gone, the next question they asked was, "What would come of this?" In other words, "What does this mean? Should we change our approach or direction? Have we missed something important?" Unfortunately, they didn't allow themselves to answer those questions, otherwise our story might have had a different ending. Instead they went right back to their plan, despite some really big holes and unanswered questions.

Have you ever felt puzzled when a plan you thought was perfect, didn't work out and you were shifted in a completely different direction? As new events began to shape did you also wonder, what would come of this? If you have, then you have probably had a God experience -- divine intervention in your life. God is alive, active, and concerned about us. When we get off track, He intervenes. He uses these interventions or interruptions to instruct and correct as well as to bring us back into fellowship and relationship with Him. We so often get caught in our own traditions and rituals like the Sanhedrin, that we completely miss God and His plan.

When God intervenes, do you ignore the miraculous and go right back to your plan? Or do you pause and prayerfully consider the question: What is God's purpose in this interruption? The yielding of your plan to His will is the answer.

pocketpower.org

FIRST THINGS FIRST

by Greg Laurie

I have often said of the Bible, "Sin will keep you from this book, and this book will keep you from sin." If you obey God's Word, it will keep you from sin. But sin will keep you from God's Word.

The devil will do everything in his power to keep you from reading and memorizing Scripture. As he did with Eve by first questioning God's Word, then distorting it, and finally adding to it, he will keep you from it as well.

In Ephesians 6, we are told as believers to take up the whole armor of God. But have you ever noticed there is only one weapon listed that is both defensive and offensive? God has given us the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. That is what Jesus used. And that is what we need to use. As the psalmist said, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11).

What shape is your sword in today? Is it polished from daily use and sharpened on the anvil of experience? Or is it rusty from lack of preparation or dulled by disobedience?

Take time for the Word of God. Make it a top priority to not only read the Bible, but to memorize it. It will prepare your heart for what you will face throughout the day.

Scripture Of The Day: "Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up." - Deuteronomy 11:18–19

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SUNDAY EDITORIAL

Discover Who You Are This New Year
by James Robison

While many people are making New Year’s resolutions, I’m praying for a supernatural recognition of who believers are in Christ. We are kingdom people—no longer orphans, but sons and daughters of almighty God and members of the family of faith. Together, Christians are the body of Christ – blood-bought, born-again believers. We must recognize who Christ is in us and who we are in Christ. Even as Jesus was about to ascend into heaven, His followers were still asking, “Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” They were focused intently on a physical realm rather than the spiritual reality Jesus continually presented to them.

The Lord reminded them in His departing words that the times and seasons belonged to God, but they were to tarry until they received the fullness of His Spirit. Then they were to be witnesses of the kingdom to the ends of the earth. Jesus promised He would not leave them as orphans, but that He would send another one of the same kind – the Holy Spirit – to live in them. In a brief period of time, thousands were added to the church because of the witness of these Spirit-filled believers. In the Book of Acts, they were referred to as “those who had turned the world upside down.” The fact is, they were turning an inverted world order right-side up.

In his classic book on the kingdom, scholar and theologian Dallas Willard told the story of a fighter pilot who attempted to ascend, but instead flew straight into the ground. Unknowingly, the pilot had been flying upside-down. Willard pointed out that our prevailing irrational academic mind-set has much of our society, and the church, unknowingly living with an upside-down worldview. Because we don’t understand our present condition, decisions lead us toward continual catastrophic crashes in everything from relationships to security and economic stability. We seem unable to make wise decisions because we have not submitted our lives to the appropriate reverential “fear of the Lord.”

Most professing believers fail to understand they are truly children of God and joint heirs. They see themselves as orphans and live as slaves, when in reality, God has set us free. As Paul declared to the Galatians, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Gal 5:1, NIV) Most people go to church buildings and do not recognize that God does not dwell there. He is not to be found in buildings built by hand but in our lives because we are “the temple of the Holy Spirit.” The only way God’s glory and power permeate a worship house is when people come in filled with the glory and presence of our mighty God.

I am praying that every person I can possibly influence will come to recognize their importance in fulfilling God’s kingdom purpose. Years ago, when I was exhausted, but seeking God with all my heart and knowing that I loved Him, He revealed to me that I had come to understand what was in His heart, but everything in His heart was not my part. I couldn’t accomplish all He willed to do. I had to discover my part in God’s heart and fulfill it. He made clear to me that in order to fulfill my part, I am to help others understand their importance in fulfilling kingdom purpose and discover their part in God’s heart. We are not all the same, and we do not all have the same gifts or assignments. But every one of us is just as important in fulfilling God’s eternal purpose as the other. We must learn how to better relate to one another. It is only when we are properly connected to each other and submitted to Christ as the head that He is clearly revealed through His body—the church.

I’ve recently encouraged people to get the book The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews, which shares the scientific law known as “the Law of Sensitive Dependence Upon Initial Conditions.” In essence, this law demonstrates that the motion of a butterfly’s wings can move molecules of air to the point that a hurricane is created on the other side of the world. Andrews uses this illustration to show the potential every person has on impacting others and even the world by their obedience to God’s will.

I want to help everyone recognize that Adam made the worst swap in history when he traded sonship for orphan status. His attempts to cover his guilt by his own efforts and mere fig leaves were as futile as people trying to practice religious behavior and traditions in order to earn forgiveness and salvation. Jesus paid it all. He gave His life to give us life. Jesus freely offers us everything we will receive. As Peter said, He gives us everything pertaining to life and godliness. This means every aspect of life. He came that we might have life and have it abundantly. It has nothing to do with things, even though God said He has given us “everything richly to enjoy.” The fact is, you can’t enjoy anything—including riches—if you have not discovered the fullness of life Christ freely offers.

Paul swapped orphan status in order to gain sonship. Christ made it possible. Paul said he “counted all things but loss,” actually dung or rubbish, in order to know Him. Nothing in this world compares with simply knowing Christ as He is.

Christians know that we have future assurance of eternal life in the kingdom of heaven and yet fail to recognize the kingdom of heaven is in us here and now. What good is it to have car insurance on a car that won’t run? God did not just promise life in the “by and by,” but also in the here and now. Jesus says we do have it and that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It is within us, and it is to be released through us. It is this power and the glory of God that will turn our upside-down world right-side up.

Since we are new creations in Christ and ambassadors for Christ, why don’t we begin to live like it? We can become the clear answer to Jesus’ prayer that we “be one with the Father and perfected in unity.” If God has said we are to call Him Father, surely we can receive the grace to call one another “brother and sister.”

As you begin the new year, allow the river of God’s life and love to be released toward others. Focus on God and His kingdom purpose, and He will readjust your focus and sensitivity to the needs of others. Ask God to enable you to directly impact and influence someone or some family with particular needs in their life. Don’t try to convert them to your belief system. Allow them to see that your mind has been so transformed you are experiencing the life Jesus revealed.

Let’s join together, yielding to the promise of the Father, fullness in the Spirit, and become witnesses at home and to the ends of the earth. We can be the great difference-makers on planet Earth because Jesus has made an obvious difference in us.

Be encouraged by Paul’s words to the Philippian Christians: “If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.” (Phil. 2:1-4, The Message)

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