LET GOD HANDLE THE IMPOSSIBLE

by Ruth Bell Graham
Each man needs something a little bit different from what another man may need. Are you trying to adapt yourself to your husband and be the kind of wife he needs—not the kind you think he needs?

The best advice I ever heard given to a woman whose husband was not a Christian was: “Your business is not to make him good, but to make him happy!” It’s God’s business to make him good.

I heard a true story about a mother of five children. She had a militantly unbelieving husband who took great delight in criticizing his wife, making fun of her faith in front of the children and telling her faults before guests. He did everything he could to undermine her, and yet those children grew up to be dedicated Christian men and women.

Late in her life a friend who knew of the difficult situation asked the mother how she had managed to cope. She replied, “I made it a point never to argue with my husband and never to criticize him; and I made it a point, when I tucked the children in at night, to read to them from the Word of God and to pray with them.”

A wife has two God-given weapons— love: this includes ministering to your husband’s immediate needs; and prayer: keep your mouth shut and pray. We are to keep busy in our department and stay out of God’s. We are to take care of the possible and let God take care of the impossible.

Taken by permission from “Husbands, Children and God” by Ruth Bell Graham, originally published in Decision magazine, June 1967 ©1967 The Ruth Graham Literary Trust.
editor@bgraham.org

PRAYER FOR THE DEVASTATED

Here at Women of Faith, we are heartbroken over the devastation from the many storms across the southern U.S. So many have lost so much . . . so many want to know what they can do to help. While there are several ways to give, one simple, powerful thing we can do is pray. The following is from our friends at World Vision. Will you join us in prayer?
Dear Heavenly Father,
We come to You in the Name of Jesus asking that You would bring peace, comfort and provision to those impacted by the deadly storms in Missouri, Alabama, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Mississippi, New York, Delaware, New Jersey, and Vermont. Lord, our hearts break as we hear reports and see pictures of the horrific damage and learn of the loss of so many precious lives.
We do not know how to pray or even ask on behalf of our Nation in this time of crisis, but we know that You are the God of the impossible and we ask that You would raise up an army of people who would be willing to do what it takes to be Your Hands extended in these places and to these Americans who stand in such dire need. Help them, Lord. Show us our part in this and give us the courage to take the action that we need to take to bring honor and glory to Your Name. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.
http://www.womenoffaith.com/blog/2011/05/a-prayer-for-the-devastated/

BRIGHT BLESSING OF CHRISTIAN LIVING

There are special moments that Christians experience perhaps more frequently than others realize. Usually these spiritual occurrences are not shared, and sometimes in a busy day, the person is not fully aware of the gift that has been given. Other times, the experience is noted with sudden joy, but the individual moves on through the day with renewed zeal and enthusiasm for all of life's experiences.

These bright blessings, or moments of special awareness, intensify our awareness of God and His love and goodness. One such recognition comes readily to me through an intense appreciation of nature. In those moments of beauty, I feel the presence of God and sense His creative power. It is as if I come into contact with a deep reality and energy that permeates all of life. The moments are very special and filled with love.
Then there are the times of deep sorrow, loss, or trial. Perhaps a death or threat of terrible loss and violence presents itself. In these times, I feel a special comfort, support, and encouragement and inner whispers of encouragement, prophecy, and assurance. I feel as if an inner voice is quietly ministering to my deepest needs.

Then there are the gentle, supernatural nudges that surround us with spiritual joy. The radiance and light that characterize this type of spiritual experience illumines the heart, mind, and soul.

Recently, I was recovering from a serious cold and flu. After a day of healing rest and sleep, I felt the worst of the sickness leaving me. I was grateful. The next morning on the way to church to prepare Communion, I turned onto a main street I frequently travel. It was a bright, sunny day; but beyond nature, there was a shower of bright sparkles that fell on and around me. It was a literal vision of light and radiance, a blessing shower of sparkling bits. As I prepared Communion, I covered my face to protect others from any residual illness I might carry, but I had the overwhelming experience of wholeness and wellness.

These special blessings do not result from an intense seeking after spiritual assurance. They are freely given as a by-product of Christian living and growth. These blessed moments are a gift from the God who loves us beyond our ability to comprehend.

…..Mary-Ellen Grisham (meginrose@gmail.com) by way of Eternal Ink (eternal_ink@associate.com) and “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

"SPECIAL BLESSING" REAL FAITH - OBEYS PART TWO

Real Faith Obeys Part 2

Something to consider about being “slow to speak”
A wise old owl lived in an oak.
The more he knew, the less he spoke;
The less he spoke, the more he knew;
And the same thing applies to you.

Faith is authenticated by obedience. Obedience implies that you have heard the instructions and that you have carried them out to the finest detail. True faith requires action. If I have truly received the Word of God then it will take root. When it has been received internally, it will eventually work out externally. We must never be hearers only, but also doers of the Word.

Coming to Church to hear the Word of God, and not doing what it says is like:
Going to your favorite restaurant just to read the menu
Getting a prescription filled that you do not intend on taking
Going window shopping (Do you men agree?)

What good is going to the finest of restaurants, and not eating. Or going to the doctor because you are ill, but never take the medicine that he prescribes; or going shopping without the intent of buying something. These things make no sense!

What makes even less sense is when we have the Word of God at our fingertips; in our hands, we read it; we hear it; and we approach it with no intent of doing what it says.

James 1:22 “But be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
Hunt – “Too many Christians mark their Bibles, but their Bibles never mark them.”
Blackaby – “It is not enough to know God’s will, we must obey His will.”

We deceive ourselves if we think that hearing the Word of God is the blessing. (I just love to hear good preaching! Faith visit – I just enjoy the pastor’s speech!)

Paul said, “Faith comes by hearing the Word of God.” Real faith requires a response to what we hear.

Doers of the Word (22)
Their Duty – This is a command to all believers! We are to become doers of the Word.
It is our desire to learn, but it is our duty to apply. It is our desire to be blessed, but it is our duty to be a blessing.

Lehmann Strauss – “Many there are in our churches who read the Bible, respect the Bible, and even reverence the Bible, but do not act upon its teachings.”

It is our duty to be known as those who live according to the Word of God. Whether it be in our homes, in our schools or at our jobs. Our daily song should be the B-I-B-L-E that is the book for me!

Church, it is our duty to do what God has said in His Word! That’s real faith!

The Deception - This is a warning to all believers! We should not be hearers only.
For one who only hears and does not do is deceiving himself.

Matthew 7:21-27 – Notice that the foundations are based upon those who do what God says and those who do not do what God says. The key is obedience to the Word of God:
Obedience to God’s Word builds a rock solid foundation under your life.
Disobedience to the Word of God builds a foundation of shifting sand that goes in and out with the tide of life.

It seems that our ability to stand strong during the storms of life hinges on whether or not we are obedient to the Word of God. Obedience proves real faith and it is the proper foundation.

Which foundation would you rather have? Young people, do you want safety, security and blessing in your lives? Then you better be doers of the Word of God. Adults?

Hearers of the Word (22b-23a)
Hearing His Word – Being a hearer is not the negative aspect of this verse. We all need to hear the Word of God. The negative part, is when we hear, but then do not take action. “Woe unto that man who hears God speak, but does not do what He says.”

Hardening Your Will – The danger of hearing and not doing, is that your heart begins to harden. How long will God speak to those who ignore Him?

Pharaoh hardened his heart, because he would not do what God said. Then the Bible tells us that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.

When we hear God speak, and we do not obey, we harden our hearts against the Word of God. If we continue to ignore Him, there is a danger: For the believer, the danger is discipline. For the unbeliever, the danger is judgment.

James gives an example of what it is like to be a hearer only and not a doer: James 1:23

“Glancers” into the Word (23-24)
He looks into the Word
He looks into the Word for casual observation. He is not approaching the Word of God with the intent to change. He just wants a quick glance, a casual observation.

What is a mirror for? A mirror is designed to give a reflection of those who look into it. Why do we look into mirrors? Because we know that we need a check up from the neck up. We look to see if everything is O.K. But how foolish is it when we look into the mirror, and we see the need for change, but we ignore it.

Suppose David Lewis goes to the mirror to admire himself for a moment and discovers that he needs to shave and comb his hair. Yet he walks away without taking action.

How Karen Brugh? You go to the mirror to behold your beauty and discover that the barn needs a little touch up, yet you ignore what you see and walk away.

O.K. John John: You get up tomorrow morning making preparations for school. You notice that your reflection shows a huge, nasty pimple on the end of your nose. Do you do something about it or do you walk away looking like Rudolf?

The Word of God is the mirror for our lives.
Examination – We look into it, it doesn’t reflect our face, but it does reflect our hearts. It shows us what it wrong, what is right, how to get the wrong right and how to keep it right.

Restoration – We look into the Word when we have sinned and need to be restored. Psalm 119:9 – “Wherewithal shall a man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy Word.”

Transformation – We look into the Word to be molded and changed into the person that God wants for us to be. Romans 12:2 – “And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”
II Cor. 3:18 – When a believer spends time looking into the Word of God, seeing Christ, he is
transformed, the glory on the inside is revealed on the outside. (Also translated transfiguration)

He likes his own ways (24)
He looks into the Word, sees the needed changes, but decides that he likes himself just the way he is and walks away unchanged.

Listen to me “quiet timers”, even if you do your quiet time everyday without fail, but walk away untouched and unchanged, it is like being a glancer, a hearer only.

“Gazers” into the Word (25)
He pays careful attention to the Word
He looks into the Word for careful application.
Ex. The difference between most men and women: A man glances quickly for casual observation (like the “Fonz”), but a woman looks intently for careful application. And she usually does so several times a day!
Weirsbe – “It is the difference between a photo and an X-ray.”

He continues in the Word
He takes time in it carefully observing himself. Hiding nothing, taking off the veil.
“Search me, oh God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked thing in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Ps. 139:23-24

He makes a commitment to the Word
He commits to do what God has revealed from the His Word. He knows what it says and does it. “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” John 13:17 “Him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:17 “Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.”

His conclusion in the Word
The conclusion is a blessed work and a blessed life. There is great blessing in doing as long as you are doing the will of God. You cannot do the will of God if you do not know the Word of God, and you will never know the Word of God unless you are in the Word of God and then let the Word of God get in you.
Don’t be hearers only. Be doers of the Word!

Senior Pastor John Sweat, Sr
Crossroads Baptist Church
1595 Baxley Road
Middleburg, Florida

THINGS GOD HATES

By Billy Graham
We in the church have failed to remind this generation that while God is love, He also has the capacity to hate. He hates sin, and He will judge it with the fierceness of His wrath. This generation is schooled in the teaching about an indulgent, soft-hearted God whose judgments are uncertain and who coddles those who break His commandments. This generation finds it difficult to believe that God hates sin.

I tell you that God hates sin just as a father hates a rattlesnake that threatens the safety and life of his child. God loathes evil and diabolic forces that would pull people down to a godless eternity just as a mother hates a venomous spider that is found playing on the soft, warm flesh of her little baby.

It is His love for man, His compassion for the human race, that prompts God to hate sin with such a vengeance. He gave Heaven’s finest that we might have the best; and He loathes with a holy abhorrence anything that would hinder our being reconciled to Him.

What Does God Hate?

What does God hate, you ask? Solomon answers the question in the Book of Proverbs. We read: “These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6:16-19).

First, God hates a proud look. The Bible says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). It says, “those who walk in pride He is able to put down” (Daniel 4:37). And again the Bible says, “Behold, I am against you, O most haughty one!” (Jeremiah 50:31).

In almost every instance in the Bible, as well as in life, pride is associated with failure, not success. We hear a great deal about the inferiority complex, but the superiority complex of pride is seldom spoken of. Pride caused the fall of Lucifer, and he became Satan, the devil.

Pride keeps thousands away from Christ today. What will my friends say? What will my family think? Will my reputation be affected if I become a Christian?

Jesus said, “And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). The entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven is gained through your coming in humility.

The greatest act of humility in the history of the universe was when Jesus Christ stooped to die on the cross of Calvary. And before anyone can get to Heaven, they must kneel at the foot of the cross and acknowledge that they are a sinner, that they have broken the commandments of God and that they need the grace of God in Christ. No one can come proudly to the Savior.

Second, the Bible says that God hates a lying tongue. Where did we learn to lie? Isn’t it strange that children lie instinctively without being taught? The flagrant sins of fraud, embezzlement, slander, libel and breach of promise are the products of a lying heart.

Where did this blighting deceit come from? Jesus gave us the answer when He said to those who spoke a lie in His day, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do” (John 8:44). Human nature was warped and twisted in the fall of Adam. But Jesus Christ, who is the truth, came saying, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).

Third, the Bible says that God hates hands that shed innocent blood. The sixth commandment says, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). Psychologists tell us that the seed of murder lurks in the heart of the most respected person.

The Bible says, “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15). Murder can be committed in many ways. You can murder your wife, your children and your friends by the poisonous venom of hatred and bitterness.

Not all murderers are behind bars. It so happens that only those who kill the body are punished by the law; but many who are free are just as guilty of destroying the lives, the personalities and the souls of others. The Bible says that you can strike someone with your tongue (Jeremiah 18:18). You can ruin another person’s reputation. God holds such people accountable for murder.

Fourth, the Bible says that God hates a heart that devises evil imaginations. Thought is sown in the mind before it is reaped in the field of action. The law judges sin according to the act, but God judges us according to the evil of our hearts. “Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart,” said Jesus (Matthew 5:28).

We are living in a day when men and women’s imaginations are evil in the sight of God. The Bible says that He hates this. No person with an evil imagination can inherit the Kingdom of God. God hates evil imaginations. They lead to habits, habits lead to bondage, and bondage leads to death: “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
Fifth, the Bible says that God hates feet that are swift in running to mischief. Evil thoughts and imagination, if nourished and fed, will eventually lead to sinful actions. There are people in every community who openly and flagrantly violate God’s law. They boast that they are not hypocrites, and they make no pretense of being good. But this does not excuse them for their wickedness.

Sixth, the Bible says that God hates a man or woman who sows discord among brethren. We seldom hear the slanderer, the libeler or the malicious gossip denounced. We have come to think that it is a harmless thing to sow discord in the office, the shop, the church or the home; but the Bible says that God hates discord and strongly denounces those who sow strife.

“Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice,” says the Bible (Ephesians 4:31). And the Bible says, “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless” (James 1:26).

What Can We Do?

“What can we do about these dreadful traits that are in our hearts?” you ask. There is little that you can do, but there is something God has done. The secret is found in the words of the Apostle Paul: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Jesus Christ, if received into your life, can make your tongue so that it will speak only that which is good. Jesus Christ can come into your heart and transform you, change your nature, until you’ll love instead of hate. Gossiping, slandering and maligning will no longer provide pleasure.

How can this be? I’ll tell you. Christ, through His triumphant death on the cross, purchased for you a new lease on life. “I have come that they might have life,” He said (John 10:10). The Bible says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). This is not just a theological theory; it actually works. It has worked in my own life. What is more, it will work for you. We have seen thousands of people whose lives have been transformed by the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (see Romans 1:16). The same power of Christ can transform your life.

You say, “But Billy, I’m guilty of all the things you have mentioned today.” Yes; the Bible says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

But no matter how guilty you may be (you may have broken every one of the commandments), God can forgive you today because Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins. Yes, God hates the evil of your heart, but He loves you. Just as a parent despises the bad behavior of their child but still loves the child, God loathes the forces that would cause you to be lost, but He loves you with an infinite love.

However, this matter of salvation is not thrust upon you; it is a gift, and it must be duly and properly received. Here is the promise on which you may put your whole trust: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).

At this moment you can receive Christ. He will forgive every sin that you have ever committed and give you new strength, new power over the temptations of life. But first you must renounce your sins, confess them and receive Christ into your heart. Will you do that right now? You can at this moment, and He will change your life. D ©1955 BGEA

*Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version.

editor@bgraham.org

REALITY

Genesis 4:9
And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

We cannot turn on the television or pick up a newspaper without seeing violence that is going on all around us. A few days ago we had a shooting at our Jr. High School, this is a small town and we only have one . A fight had started the day before and the next day the guy who lost brought a gun. Thank the Lord no body was shot. The police said the boy was shooting at them, the fact is the boy was shooting in the air, the FACT is it does not matter. I know the shots were not fired at the police because one of these boys talked to me today. Why do I believe him because some of these boys know they can talk to me. They also know I don't bite my tongue with them either.

Two young boys both headed to time in jail if not prison,came by my house today. One I have known for a few years. His Dad and Uncle are both in prison. This young man is facing 2 felony charges and 3 other charges, he is 16. He will turn 17 real soon, about the time he goes to court. He is trying to raise money by selling drugs to pay off some of the charges before court. What could I say to him, be careful! I told him the only thing he can do is seek God, because He is the only One that can help him now, Jesus is the only One that can turn this around. He knows he can come to me anytime, I hope he nevers forgets that.

Reality, what can we do? I am asking you today to look around you, pick out the child you think has the least going for them. You know the one, the one you know it would only take God for this childs life to turn around. We are asking you to put this child on your prayer list, and leave them there. Start praying for someone who looks like they have no one praying for them. You don't have to tell them, it can be between you and God. If we all take just one, we can make a difference.

God Bless
recj/LJG

THOUGHT PROVOKING - INSPIRATIONAL

What in the world was I doing in Miami Florida, poor and alone in a rich and sophisticated place? It was thirty years ago, and I was a finalist in the Pillsbury Bake-Off. I had entered three recipes, and remarkably, I was chosen as a finalist, out of thousands of entries. I remember clearly the voice of the woman on the other end of the phone. "Congratulations! You are a finalist in the Pillsbury Bake-Off."

Pillsbury flew everyone to Miami. Then they whisked us away to the famous Fontainebleau Hilton in Miami Beach. I was stunned just to be there in the fabulous surroundings. The food was incredible, and the settings like nothing I had ever seen. Nothing could top this, I thought, but I was about to learn one of the greatest lessons of my life.

The waiters and waitresses were all Cuban, and they spoke not a word of English. I couldn't help but notice anger in their expressions. It was not long before I understood why. They were ignored as though they didn't exist. No one even gave them a smile. I quickly lost my appetite and barely touched my food. I tried, with difficulty, to keep up with the questions of a very nice Vice President of a Pillsbury subsidiary. I was unsuccessful, but it didn't matter, because I was now a witness to the painful struggle of refugees from another land.

Were the refugees as overwhelmed as I? Did they feel as out of place, surrounded by wealthy people, who had no idea of what it was like to have nothing? Our situations were different, yet I felt that we were very much alike. I didn't know what to say to the people around me, and neither did they. I didn't understand the chatter, almost as much as they.

All of a sudden, I decided to do something about their situation. I wanted desperately to make them feel visible, important, and welcome in their new country. From somewhere deep inside of me, I began pulling out rusty expressions from my four years of high school Spanish. I could only remember a few phrases in their language, yet with that first phrase, "Gracias," I beheld a remarkable transformation. Warm, brown faces took on a shocked and delighted glow.

"De nada!" my delighted waiter replied. "It was nothing," he said, in halting English.

So it began, my bad Spanish communicating with another's bad English. I was enchanted by the happiness I saw in their faces. Did they feel more welcome in their new home? I hoped so.

After breakfast we were led into a converted ballroom. A hundred stoves and refrigerators were packed inside. We had just a few hours to complete our recipes, twice. One entry for pictures and one for the judges, who were kept in seclusion. I was one of the first contestants finished. Exhausted, I went up to my room to rest, greeting many smiling Cubans along the way.

That evening we were treated to a huge award ceremony dinner. No one ate much, and as they began to name the winners, there was sporadic applause from their family and friends. If I were a winner, I thought sadly, there would be no one to applaud for me.

I was amazed when I heard my name called out. As I stood, the room erupted in thunderous applause. What in the world?! I turned to look, and I saw dozens of smiling Cubans, waving and cheering for me. Stunned, and blind with tears, I reached out for my prize.

Bob Barker handed me my check and said, "You must have a lot of friends."

“I do now," I smiled, choking back tears. In that brief moment, I understood that my "prize" was neither money nor my fifteen minutes of fame. My true reward, I told my children later, was in learning that one small kindness can bring unexpected return.

…..Jaye Lewis, via Heartwarmers by way of Chaplain’s Notes (ChapnotesMail@aol.com) and “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

IS GOD MOVING YOU TO WHERE HE WANTS YOU TO BE?

Acts 8:1b

"On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria."

I wonder -- when everyone was running for their lives as a result of a "great persecution against the church at Jerusalem" -- if anyone remembered Jesus last instructions? Matthew 28:19 "...go make disciples of all nations...." Mark 16:15 "...go into the world and preach the good news to all creation..." or Acts 1:8 "...you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Rarely do we -- when we are in the middle of a crisis, disaster or run for our lives -- realize that God sometimes uses significant events to not only get our attention, but also to motivate us. Remember from our earlier study how God might use challenges in our lives not necessarily to teach us something, but to put us in a new place where we can fulfill His plan.

How quickly do you think the church would have spread to the surrounding regions without persecution? Without a high level of motivation the church probably would have stayed predominantly in Jerusalem and eventually become stagnant. Most of you have heard the illustration of a grasshopper placed in a jar with the lid on. At first the grasshopper keeps jumping, banging its head on the lid of the jar. Eventually it learns and doesn't' jump as high, so much so that the lid can be taken off of the jar and the grasshopper will not jump out of the jar. How do you get the grasshopper to leave the jar? You have to turn its world (the jar) upside down!

It is the same for us. Sometimes we can get so comfortable doing what we're doing that we don't realize the consequences or destination of the path we are on. We think everything is just fine. God knows better. Other times God wants us to grow or serve in another area -- so He speaks to us -- gently at first, eventually with greater emphasis. My greatest prayer is to have "circumcised" ears and heart, that I might hear God's voice, be sensitive to His will, and obey His direction -- without needing a major crisis or other potentially disastrous event to correct my course.

Not everything we experience in life has a clear purpose or meaning. You can make yourself crazy trying to understand why something happened and what it is supposed to mean to you or someone else. Sometimes things are beyond our understanding until after the event has occurred and we have the benefit of looking back. However, there will be other times when things just don't make sense from any point of view -- except God's. This is where faith kicks in -- when you are running for your life -- that is the true test of faith and is my prayer for you and for me -- "May we know the peace and love of God that surpasses all our understanding." Is God moving or motivating you right now? Is it time to stop resisting or trying to understand, and just let God take you where He wants you to go?

pocketpower.org

WHATEVER/WHERE ARE YOU?

PSALM 22

My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?
Why are You so far from helping me,
And from the words of my groaning?

There is nothing wrong with laying claim to having said this. There are few and far between that do not feel at sometime to have been left behind by the Lord. Oh that we have a Lord who loves us so much that yes He even listens when we cry out like this. To forgive and then forget. We believe that the Lord is the only one that really does the forget part. As hard as we try, we remember. Hopefully we will use those experiences to reach out to others and let them know there is a life after. Maybe we would be better at letting go, and letting God, instead of hoping to forget..

Letting go, allows us to be released from pain and continue on forward on a new and better path. Believe us when we say that asking God to forgive us is the first step in letting go. Once we bring something to the Lord, He begins a work in us. We have used this expression before that is well worth repeating: God does not take anything of value away from us, without replacing it with something of equal value. Of course we as humans sometime don't see what is right in front of us, because after all holding onto 'whatever' is a habit that is hard to let go of. It is in the act of letting go, even if it is just saying the words that we can begin to see the work that God is doing. If 'whatever ' is hanging around you after you have asked God to forgive you then ask the Lord to help you 'let go', He is there, He hears and He will answer.

God Bless
recj/LJG

KEEPING OUR MOUTH SHUT

I think we have all had someone say out of kindness I know how you feel, when in fact they have never experienced what we are going through.

We are reminded of the man who went to a funeral and just sat there without saying a word. Around him people were saying the usual things people say at funeral, and we believe you know what we are talking about. Afterwards the family remembered this man as the one who showed the most compassion. He had shook hands and hugged family members, he had let a few cry on his shoulder, but not a word did he speak.

This man had suffered a lost and knew that it was not the time to say 'it will get better with time', 'they are not in pain anymore', and our all time favorite 'they are in a better place'.

We need to be there when our friends and family are going through something, but we need to be careful of what we say to others.

This is not what we intended to write about, but as always we follow the Spirit. If you know someone who is experiencing a lost or something traumatic in their life, be there for them if you can, while being careful the words that come out of your mouth.

Some people pull away from people because they do not know what to say. Write a note or send a card saying 'You are in my thoughts'. Reach out in a way that is comforable to you. It is better to say to a friend 'I don't know what to say, what can I do for you; than to not be there at all.

God Bless
recj/LJG

"SPECIAL BLESSING" REAL FAITH - OBEYS

Real Faith Obeys
James 1:19-21
August 7, 2011 AM

Real Faith is what we have been talking about the last few weeks! And we have learned that we can expect our faith to be tested by trials…but when we learn to trust God through the trials, our faith becomes stronger.

We also know that our faith will be tempted...but if it is real and if it is strong, Real Faith learns to resist the temptations, believing that God will give something better.

As we move forward in our study...we will also see that Real Faith requires obedience to the Word of God…which is by the way, a clear evidence of Real Faith…Obedience!

It is not only about knowing what God says…but also doing what He says. And how do we know what He says? The Word of God!

I want you to notice the references to the Word of God in this passage:

Verse 21 – Receive with meekness the engrafted Word
Verse 22 – Be doers of the Word
Verse 23 – Be hearers of the Word
Verse 25 – Look into the Perfect Law of Liberty – the Word of God

All of these are references to the importance of hearing, and doing the Word of God.
But as we will see today there are things that can hinder our hearing it, and things that will certainly hinder our doing it!

And today’s passage proves the practicality that we can expect form James. Let’s take a look at some things we must have if we are to express Real Faith through obedience to God’s Word:

Stand and read James 1:19-21…

We Must Have A Careful Ear – “Swift to hear” (v. 19a)

Many times in the Bible you will find this phrase, “He who hath an ear, let him hear”…
It is possible to have good ears and still be hard of hearing.

A story is told about a time when President Roosevelt had grown tired of all the superficiality that occurred at White House receptions. So he decided to see if people were really listening to him or if they were just going through the motions. On this night, as people filed by to shake his hand, he smiled real big and said, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” No one even noticed, they just gave the usual response, “Oh, how lovely,” or “Keep up the good work!”
Finally there was one diplomat who actually heard what he was saying, and his response was, “Well sir, I am sure that she deserved it.”

I have told you the story before about the man who was concerned about his wife’s hearing…

We all should learn how to listen more carefully…However, James is not referring to listening in general, but more importantly, listening to the right person. In verse 18 we see the reference to “the Word of Truth. The Word of God is the primary source of wisdom for our lives. Therefore, we need to be quick to hear what it says.

The Bible tells us that people who listen, and obey are very wise and even blessed.
Proverbs 1:5 – “A wise man will hear and will increase in learning…”
Proverbs 12:15 – “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he that hearkens unto council is wise.”
James 1:25 – “He being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

But, what kind of council should I seek? What kind of persons should I listen to?

Friends, we should never underestimate the Word of God… When it comes to the Word of God, we should always be quick to hear it! And quicker to obey it!

We should seek advice from people whose advice is based upon the Word of God…but be careful about those who are not applying God’s Word to their lives.

In reference to the preceding verses, what do I do when I am in one of these trials or when I am tempted? I listen to the Word of Truth, so that I will have the proper perspective on the things that are happening and the power to do the right thing.

So we must have a careful ear where the Word of God is concerned…but we also must…

We Must Have A Controlled Tongue – “Slow to speak” (v. 19b)

Slow to speak doesn’t mean that you’re supposed to talk like you’re from Middleburg… It refers to restraint in speech or thoughtfulness before you speak.

I was always told as a child that God gave me two ears and one mouth, so I should listen twice as much as I speak.

Now be honest, how many of you know someone who is guilty of talking more than they listen? Are any of those people in the congregation today?

James encourages us to learn to listen carefully and also learn to consider what we say.

Sometimes we don’t hear what others are saying because we are too busy thinking about what we want to say…And sometimes we don’t hear what the Lord is saying to us because we are too busy doing all the talking!

Proverbs 10:19 – “In a multitude of words (endless chatter) there is no lack of sin, but he that refrains his lips is wise.”
Ecclesiastes 5:3 – “A fool’s voice is known by a multitude of words.”

Remember that what you say will tell others a lot about who you really are!
And don’t forget the old cliché, “It is better to let people think that you are stupid than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”

So we must have a careful ear, a controlled tongue, but also…

We Must Have a Calm Temper – “Slow to wrath” (vv. 19c-20)

How many of you would say that sometimes you lose control of your temper?
Is it a sin to be angry? Did Jesus ever get angry?

Ephesians 4:26-27 – “Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun, go down on your wrath. Neither give, place to the devil.”
Proverbs 14:17 – “He that is soon angry deals foolishly…”
Proverbs 14:29 – “He that is slow to anger is of great understanding, but he that is hasty of spirit exalts folly.”

There is definitely a righteous anger, which I believe, only God can have (Romans 1:18). But there are also times when we have a right to be angry…but it should come slow…it should have no evil intent…and then it should leave in a hurry.

Remember this, a righteous anger is never sinful (God), but human anger, even when it is right, can quickly turn to sin.

The word James uses for anger is wrath. And wrath is a deep anger that has judgment or revenge in mind. It is an anger that continues to boil steam or brew. It is a root of bitterness that grows deeper and deeper until it is unleashed or repented of.

James says that we should be slow to wrath, because our wrath does not produce the righteousness of God. When I get mad and stay that way, it hinders my testimony before others, and it also hinders me from hearing and obeying the Word of God.

So a careful ear, a controlled tongue, a calm temper, and…

We Must Also Have a Clean Heart (v. 21)

James says that we should lay aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness.

Now, filthiness refers to a type of morality. It is anything that deviates from God’s righteous standard. Friends, ever one of us were or still are filthy in the eyes of Holy God!

Interestingly, the word filthiness from the Greek is a compound word that means earwax.

Maybe that’s why James encourages careful ears. It is as if he is saying, “Get the wax out of your ears and listen to God!”

Think about all the filthiness that enters our ears; that enters our lives! It hinders us from hearing God! It ultimately hinders our desire to hear God. (Kind of like a person who is hard of hearing and gets frustrated because he can’t make any sense out of what people are saying.)

We must constantly be on guard…and constantly cleansing ourselves…how? Through the Word of God!

Why? Because there is an overflowing amount of wickedness (superfluity of naughtiness) rushing into our lives from all directions.

James says, “Lay it apart” – strip it off, discard it, get rid of it…like a snake that is shedding his skin and leaving it behind.

The things we are reading hear must not only be heard, but also heeded! Because Real Faith is hindered by ears that are not careful…by tongues that are not controlled, by tempers that are not calm…and especially by hearts that are not clean!

Is there sin in your life; filthiness in your ears; wickedness in your heart; is there a lack of restraint in your temperament? If so, these things must be dealt with before you can “receive with meekness the implanted Word of God.”

Rip it out of your life and replace it with the implanted Word of God, which is able to save your souls.

Closing: If we do not have careful ears; if we do not have controlled tongues, if we do not have calm tempers and if we do not have clean hearts then how shall show to others a Real faith? For a genuine faith is obedient to and changed by the Word of God.

When James speaks of meekness in verse 21, he means humility, teachability. Are you teachable? If you are not, then you are not ready to receive anything from the Lord.

However, if you receive the Word it will give you all that you need in this life and the next.

Senior Pastor John Sweat, Sr
Crossroads Baptist Church
1595 Baxley Road
Middleburg, Florida

THOUGHT PROVOKING

A story is told that took place in London when a preacher, Caesar Milan, was invited one evening to a very large and prominent home where a choice musical was to be presented.

On the program was a young lady who thrilled the audience with her singing and playing. When she finished, this young preacher threaded his way through the crowd which was gathered around her. When he finally came to her and had her attention, he said, "Young lady, when you were singing, I sat there and thought how tremendously the cause of Christ would be benefited if you would dedicate yourself and your talents to the Lord. But," he added, "you are just as much a sinner as the worst drunkard, or any harlot. But I am glad to tell you that the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, will cleanse you from all sin if you will come to Him."

In a very haughty manner, she turned her head aside and said to him, "You are very insulting, sir." And she started to walk away. He said, "Mam, I did not mean any offense, but I pray that the Spirit of God will convict you."

Well, they all went home, and that night this young woman could not sleep. At two o'clock in the morning she knelt at the side of her bed and took Christ as her Savior. And then she, Charlotte Elliott, sat down and wrote the words of a favorite hymn, "Just As I Am":

"Just as I am, without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidd'st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come!

Just as I am, and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come!"

And then the final stanza:

"Just as I am - Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come!"

And this is the basis on which all of us must come to Christ.

…..Chaplain’s Notes (ChapnotesMail@aol.com) by way of “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

FORGIVENESS

There is no limit to the forgiveness that God can give you Isaiah 1:18 'Come now, let us argue this out,' says the Lord. 'No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool.'

But what of asking forgiveness of others. The Bible is very clear on this God will forgive us as we forgive others, Matthew 6:14-15. The big question is do we have to ask that person to their face?

Matthew 5:
23Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Matthew 18:
15Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

Read those two scriptures again. First it is speaking of our brother having a problem with us. Our brother in the Lord. It does not say anything about us going to our brother if we have something against him. In the two scriptures it is speaking of something that is known. If we have sinned against someone and they do not know about it, what are we to do? Ponder on this as we always say. If we have stolen from you and you do not know it is us, then yes we need to make it right and tell you it was us. But what if you do not know, what if it is something that would tear you apart to know? What if more harm would come from the telling then not telling?

Our answer is to ask forgiveness from God. Then if the Lord so leads you to tell this person then do so. Ponder on this example. Can you imagine how hard it is to forgive not one but two child molesters? One was my best friend's husband and the other was one of my son-in-laws. Trust me it ain't easy. I carried that unforgiveness in my heart for a lot of years. I felt these two men didn't deserve to breathe God's air. Then low and behold one Sunday in Sunday School our Preacher/teacher ask us to write down two names of people that we hated. So I did. Then he ask us to tell everybody why we felt that way. So I did. That was hard for me to do. But after telling my story, I felt all that pure hate leave my heart. I heard God say that the hate I felt was just plain stupid. Now I am able to pray for them and I know they are in God's hands not mine. My unforgiveness didn't hurt them, it hurt me and kept me from getting closer to God.

What then about telling that person. The story continues:
No I haven't told them. I see no reason to do so. They wouldn't care anyway. God will work on them the same as He has worked on me. I do not feel that it is always that important to go to the person. The main person in my life is Jesus. He is my source of strength and encouragement. Many times do we really know why someone is out of sort with us? How can we ask for forgiveness for something that only God knows in the first place? Isn't it more important to ask God to clean out our hearts and let Him take care of the rest? Even I will say "I'm sorry" when He tells me I was wrong BUT I will not say I'm sorry for my stand for Him and His cause.

Remember there is a difference between our brothers and sisters in the Lord and worldly people. What we need to remember is to ask God to forgive us for our wrongs and to forgive ourselves. The next step is then to forget, which when you think about it can be the harder part.

The Lord laid it on our hearts to cover forgiveness at this time, if this is you, then we pray that you will go to the Lord with this.

God Bless
recj/LJG

SLEEPING IN CLASS

I can still remember it like it was yesterday. I was a college freshman and had stayed up most of the night before laughing and talking with friends. Now just before my first class of the day my eyelids were feeling heavier and heavier and my head was drifting down to my desk to make my textbook a pillow. A few minutes nap time before class couldn’t hurt, I thought.

BOOM! My head jerked up and my eyes snapped open wider than saucers. I looked around with my heart pounding trying to find the cause of the noise. My young professor was looking back at me with a mischievous, boyish grin on his face. He had intentionally dropped the stack of textbooks he was carrying onto his podium. "Good morning!", he said still smiling. "I am glad to see everyone is awake. Now let’s get started."

For the next hour I wasn’t sleepy at all. It wasn’t from the shock of my professor’s textbook alarm clock either. It was instead from the fascinating discussion he lead. With knowledge and good humor he made the material come alive. His insights were full of both wisdom and loving-kindness. And the enthusiasm and joy that he taught with were contagious. I left the classroom not only wide awake, but a little smarter and a little better as well.

I learned something far more important than not sleeping in class that day too. I learned that if you are going to do something in this life do it well, do it with joy, and make it an expression of your love. What a glorious place this would be if all of us did our work joyously and well.

What a beautiful world we could create if every doctor, teacher, musician, preacher, cook, mechanic, waitress, businessman, fisherman, poet, miner, farmer, and laborer made their work an expression of their love. Don’t sleepwalk your way through life then. Wake up! Let your love fill your work and God’s love fill your soul. Life is too short not to live it well.

…..Joseph J. Mazzella (joemazzella@frontier.com) by way of “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

MERELY A PLEASANT VOICE

God forbid that any preacher should become merely a pleasant voice, entertaining and tickling the ears of his hearers. Yet many of America’s popular preachers have stripped the gospel of that which is designed to awaken its hearers, and replaced it with a message of life-enhancement. And I suspect that they have no idea what they have done. They are like a doctor who was well-liked because he never used a needle to inoculate his ever-increasing number of patients against a deadly disease. He did not like the feeling he got when the needle brought them pain, so he discarded it in the name of love. When his patients began to die of an agonizing disease, his professed love was seen for what it was—a terrible betrayal. Millions of unconverted churchgoers sit in pews with a Bible on their lap, asleep in their sins within earshot of the pulpit.
Listen to these sobering words of warning from J. C. Ryle: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, but never so fearful as when men fall from under the gospel. The saddest road to hell is that which runs under the pulpit, past the Bible, and through the midst of warnings and invitations.” How much sadder is it when no warning is given. Many a church service has become nothing but entertainment for those who profess to know God, while in works they deny Him (see Titus 1:16; Matt. 15:8). Jesus said, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).

Ezekiel 33:31 So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. 32 Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them.

http://dailyevidence.wordpress.com/2011/08/16/merely-a-pleasant-voice/

GOD'S OBLIGATION

A young lady from Corona, California, was devastated by the tragic death of her boyfriend. The couple had just celebrated the birth of their first child. He had been to a nightclub, and was returning with friends at 2:00 a.m., when police believe he was speeding and lost control. He wrapped his car around a tree, killing himself and his three passengers.
His mother said that her son “loved to drink.” His distraught girlfriend lamented, “I don’t know why God would do this to me.”
My heart went out to her for her loss, but why was she blaming God for the death of her boyfriend? He was the one who was speeding, probably drunk, at 2:00 a.m. He killed himself. The incident had nothing to do with God, other than that He allowed it, in His sovereign will.
It seems obvious that many nowadays think God is nothing but a divine butler. He is there for our convenience—to come running when we snap our sinful fingers.
God gave us life. He lavished His goodness upon us, and to think that we can treat Him as some sort of lowly servant reveals a great ignorance of who He is. Such error can only end in disillusionment of life and bitterness of soul.
God owes us nothing but justice. He has no obligation at all to bless us with health, wealth, or long life. A civil judge is under no obligation to show mercy to a guilty criminal. If there was an obligation, then it wouldn’t be true mercy. Mercy is unmerited. He is, however, obligated to make sure that justice is done.
So it is with God. He is obligated by His very nature to manifest His divine and just wrath against all sin, and that will happen on what the Bible calls “the great and terrible day of the Lord” (the Day of Judgment). But He is also “rich in mercy,” and has offered us mercy in the cross…and we must receive it while we are on this side of eternity.

Proverbs 3:29 Who has woe?
Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions?
Who has complaints?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
30 Those who linger long at the wine,
Those who go in search of mixed wine.

http://www.thedailyevidence.com/

WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE?

Acts 7:58b-60
"Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Then he fell on his knees and cried out, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.' When he had said this, he fell asleep."
Have you ever been wronged? Have you ever been taken advantage of? Misunderstood? Humiliated? Falsely Accused? Punished? What was your response?

Not long ago I went to the airport to pick up the Pastor of my church who was returning from chaplain duty in the Air Force Reserve. As I drove up to the curb at baggage claim right outside the big John Wayne statue (our designated pick up spot), I parked (with the engine still running) under one of the signs that said "No Parking -- No Waiting." I was finishing a conversation with one of the leaders of our Men's Ministry, while I scanned the crowd. I hung up the phone and dialed my Pastor; he told me he was still waiting for his bag in baggage claim. I looked in my side view mirror as I prepared to leave the "No Parking - No Waiting" area to circle the airport again, only to see a police officer standing there, writing me a ticket. When he gave me the ticket, I held back some impulsive comments and instead thought about our passage and Stephen.

As I drove away, I couldn't help feeling a little anger and indignation -- after all, I was being punished (getting a ticket), for doing something good (taking the time to pick up a friend, who also just happened to be the Pastor of my church), while working for God (talking on the phone about Men's Ministry objectives). How could God let this happen? It didn't seem fair. The key for all of us is in Stephen's example under pressure and extreme circumstances when he prayed, "Lord do not hold this sin against them." Wow! I have to be honest that was not my first thought when I got the ticket.

Was Stephen's prayer answered? St. Augustine said, "The Church owes Paul (Saul changed his name to Paul after his conversion) to the prayer of Stephen." I sometimes wonder what great thing might have come out of my ticket experience had I prayed for the police officer as Stephen prayed for those (including Saul) who falsely accused him and stoned him to death.
Do your wrongs and indignations seem a little insignificant when compared to Stephen's? How have you responded to wrongs in the past? Have you tried to retaliate? Have you held on to the anger? What would you like your response to be? What would a Christ-like response be?

pocketpower.org

"SPECIAL BLESSING" REAL FAITH TESTED BY TRIALS

Real Faith
Tested By Trials
James 1:2-8
July 24, 2011 AM

As we dive into the Book of James…we will notice that he gets right to an issue that is very prominent in all of our lives…the issue is trials!!

The fact of the matter is: Every one of us has gone through…is going through…or will soon go through…some sort of trial.

That may sound disturbing…because we don’t like trials. We don’t like difficulty or adversity in our lives!

And James touches on things that all of us struggle with. And we all certainly struggle with trials.

So how are we supposed to respond to trials…What can we expect from these trials?

As we study the Word of God this morning, I want all of you to get an “A”!
So, if you will pay close attention I will give you four “A’s” this morning!

And each of the “A’s” that I give you will hopefully help us in dealing with trials in our lives and in understanding the purpose of those trials.

Stand and read James 1:2-8…

The first “A” is…

Attitude – 2

What should be my attitude when I encounter a trial in my life?
James tells us exactly how we should respond to trials, but it sounds a little strange to our ears…because he says, “Count it all joy!”

Whether we like it or not, that is the attitude that the Word of God says we ought to have when it comes to trials.

I think most of the time we have the wrong perspective on what true joy really is.
It is not based on our circumstances…but rather it is based on an inner faith and confidence in God.

James is not saying that we ought to stare trials in the face and shout, “Bring it on! I am so ecstatic about the misery and turmoil you’re gonna cause in my life that I can’t wait! In fact, give me a double dose!”

No…we don’t have to rejoice in the trial itself, but rather in what the trial will accomplish in us if we respond to it properly.

If my confidence is in the Lord, then I can have pure joy through any trial.

By the way, anyone who expects the Christian life to be easy is in for a shock!
Over and over again we are told that the Christian will have trials and troubles.

A verse that offers a lot of encouragement for the Christian who is going through troubles and trials

I Corinthians 10:13 – There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

The proper attitude is to rejoice in the fact that though we have trials, we also have a God who is faithful; and who has control over our trial and will not allow us more than we can bear…He will help us through it!

William Baker said, “Seeing God work in our trials is the purest form of joy, as anyone who has suffered can testify”

So the first “A” is Attitude…but my attitude is helped by the next “A”…

Aptitude – 3

Aptitude has to do with a capacity for learning or understanding something. It is also a readiness to learn something.

James says, “Knowing this…”

There are some things that we need to know about trials…and there are some things that we will learn through trials.

A trial is merely a test of faith. If you study your Bible closely you will see that faith is always tested! Not because God is cruel, but because He is carefully building up strong men and women of faith!

There are All Sorts of Trials
Notice the words “divers temptations” in verse one: Could also be translated as various or multifaceted trials.

You see trials come in many colors, shapes and sizes. We don’t all have the same trials, but we do all have trials.

They Come Unexpectedly, But Not Accidentally
The KJV uses the phrase: “When you fall into”.
That sounds like an accident to me…But if you look closely at the text, you will see that we don’t accidentally “fall into” trials.

There is no indication of accidental trials in this passage. In fact, James says – “When you fall into” not “If you fall into”! The idea is to encounter unexpectedly, not accidentally!

And you might ask, “Well what’s the difference?”
The difference is that while you may not be aware of the trial that is coming…God is aware of it! Therefore it is not an accident! And knowing that should bring us great comfort!

Romans 8:28 – And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

There is a Purpose for Trials
Notice, that he did not say that we should count the trials as joy, but rather God’s purpose in the trial.

“Knowing this that the trying or testing of your faith produces patience”

When you suddenly and unexpectedly fall into or encounter a trial…it may cause some turmoil in your life, but you can be sure that God knows about it, He is able to bring you through it and He will use it for a purpose.

Be honest! Some people are afraid to say that God allows trials in our lives…

But listen friends, I believe in a sovereign God who has complete control of all things! He has the power to prevent or allow trials in my life!

Just ask a man by the name of Job!
Just ask Daniel, Sahdrach, Meshach and Abednego!

God allows trials to come into our lives…and so the question is “why”?

Because God loves us…and He is in the business of conforming us to be more like His Son Jesus. And He is in the business of declaring the glory of His name and the greatness of His power!

The purpose of trials in our lives is to mold us into the people that He wants us to become. So that He can use us for His honor and glory.

No one says we have to like trials and troubles, but when they come may we have the aptitude, the ability to understand and know that God allowed it for a reason and He is working in it to mature our faith. So in that truth we can certainly count it as joy!

Two “A’s” so far here’s the third…

Acceptance – 4

James says, “Let the trial do its work in you”

Don’t resist the trial, don’t run from the trial, don’t collapse in the midst of it, but accept it…and let God work in it and in you!

Everywhere you look in the Bible you find great men and women of God who went through trial after trial…and through those difficulties God matured them and increased their faith and made them into great people of God.

No one wants to be tried and tested, but when we are be patient during the trial know that god is at work.

Look at some of the things that the trials produce:
Joy (2) Inner peace and confidence in the ability of God
Patience (3) Endurance – ability to make it to the end
o “To abide under,” the potential to endure threat without panic “I have been here before and I know exactly what to do.”
Maturity (4) Complete and lacking nothing
o Fully equipped to better serve God
Wisdom (5) Wisdom to trust God (not answers)
o Some believe that when trials come we should ask God why, but I believe James is saying that we should ask God for wisdom to trust Him. (Job’s trials)
o Notice that wisdom must be requested in faith. The whole process is a test of faith which requires an exercise of faith.
Stability (6-8) Not tossed to and fro but grounded
o When a trial comes the double-minded man wants to trust, but he is tortured with doubt. His faith is weak, probably due to a lack of spiritual disciplines in his life.
Humility (9-11) The poor & the rich need to trust God
o The brother of low degree will realize that though he is poor in this world, he has spiritual wealth.
o While the rich will realize that though he has wealth in this world, it is all passing away and all he really has is spiritual wealth.
Rewards (12)
o When we endure these tests of faith we are blessed in this life and the next. We shall receive the crown of life

Ask – 5

Notice that it says “If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of God”

There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is information or facts. Wisdom is the ability to properly use the knowledge that you have.

James tells us that it is proper for us to make such a request for wisdom…The Lord will not reproach us for asking and He promises to liberally give us wisdom.

Why do we need wisdom when we are going through trials? Why not ask for strength,
or grace, or even deliverance?

For this reason: We need wisdom so we will not waste the opportunities God is giving us to mature. Wisdom helps us understand how to use circumstances for our good and God's glory.

But there is a proper way to ask for it…notice verse 6 – Ask in faith, not wavering!

Closing:

The Bible never asks us to seek ways to escape our trials, it never instructs us to run from our trials, but it teaches us to allow God to take us safely through them. In doing so, we understand that God wants to work in and through the trails of life to bring us to maturity as believers and to give us greater blessings in eternity.

Turn to I Corinthians 10:13 – “Way of escape” This literally means a way out. In the Greek this term was used to describe a landing place for a ship...like a safe harbor.
God doesn’t take us out of the tempestuous seas, but He safely guides us through them, helping us to endure (“bear it”) and enabling us to land intact on the other side.

Will you count it pure joy when you encounter unexpected trials or tests?
Saying, “I don’t know what I will do, but Lord You are with me and I know You will guide me safely through.

Senior Pastor John Sweat, Sr
Crossroads Baptist Church
1595 Baxley Road
Middleburg, Florida

HEARING WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR

Acts 7:57-58a

"At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him."

When I was a boy, from time to time my older sister and I would have an argument. She would usually end it by putting her fingers in her ears and saying, "nah, nah, nah, nah, nah." Try it sometime. You'll find you cannot hear what the other person is saying. In our passage today, that is what the Jewish leaders are doing -- covering their ears and yelling at the top of their voices. They didn't want to hear anymore of what Stephen had to say.

Have you ever felt that way before? Have you ever felt you've had enough of Scripture, church or preaching? Not long ago I was talking with a young family man, who told me he just didn't like going to church anymore. He felt all that was preached about was giving -- the church just wanted his money. We went to church together shortly after we had this conversation, and following church he said to me fully vindicated, "See what I mean!" You see he heard what he needed to hear and nothing else. Notice I said, "What he needed to hear." No one else heard a sermon on giving; only he did because that is what he needed to hear. Giving was his heart issue -- generosity -- not just to the church but to everyone, including his wife and children.

So what should we do when we read Scripture or hear a message that makes us want to cover our ears and yell at the top of our voice to block it out? We have to first be careful to not follow the normal human reaction to information we don't want to hear -- and that is illustrated in our passage today -- "they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him." Rather than stoning, a modern day example might be in the young family man's case: stop going to church, or change churches. In other words, if you remove the person (the pastor/Stephen) and the words (sermon/Scripture), then the issue is removed.

pocketpower.org

LOVE

Dr. Alfred Adler, international psychiatrist, based the following conclusions on a careful analysis of thousands of patients: "The most important task imposed by religion has always been, 'Love your neighbor....' It is the individual who is not interested in his fellow man who has the greatest difficulties in life and provides the greatest injury to others. It is from among such individuals that all human failures spring."

True, Jesus did say that we were to love our neighbor as we love our own self, but as somebody else said, "Heaven help your neighbor if you hate yourself." If I happen to hate myself, I will tend to project my feelings of self-hatred onto my neighbor; and while I may not hate him, I will find it difficult, if not impossible, to love him. This is because I can only love and accept others to the degree that I have learned to love and accept myself--in a healthy way that is.

So, if we are to follow Jesus' example and admonition to love our neighbor (all people), we need to resolve our damaged and negative emotions that block or hinder our loving ourselves so we can be free to love others.

While we are working towards that goal, we can choose to do the loving thing to others even if we don't fully feel that love yet. And what an impact we Christians would make in our homes, places of business, schools, cities, and nation if every one of us would make the commitment every day to love our neighbor, mean it, and practice it. It's still important to do right whether we feel like doing it or not.


.....Chaplain's Notes (http://www.chapnotes.org) (t.airportchaplain@verizon.net) by way of "Christian Voices" (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

I BELIEVE

We believe, really believe, how about you? When we come to a place when we can believe even in the face of everything falling apart, we have arrived. It is easy to believe when that belief is not tested, isn't it? It is when we have waited and waited and still see nothing that we might begin to doubt. That is when we look up that dear scripture that says He will help us with our unbelief. Oh we do serve a mighty God. We believe. The next time you are waiting on the Lord we have something for you to do. Get busy. That is right get busy, do something for someone else. Get your mind off your problem. And remember the answer you except might not be the answer God has for you, but it will be the right one. Believe.

God Bless
recj/LJG

PONDER ON THIS

Ponder on this: who are you? If right now you could do anything, yes anything, what would the real you do? We watched Granny Carter live for her husband, a good and faithful wife. She raised not only her own children but others as well. She seemed to be a fulfilled woman. The only things her and Grandpa did apart was him go to work and to the barber. Granny would go to her woman's Bible study and quilting bees. If you saw one you saw the other. Grandpa did not like to sleep anywhere but his own bed and except for a few over night trips to family the two were always at home. Then Grandpa passed away. Granny was heartbroken they had been married just short of 50 years. One morning my phone rang "is Momma with you?" "No" I said and then I will meet you at the house. within a hour all the children who lived in the area were at the house. No Momma. A neighbor saw all the cars and came over to check. She had taken Momma to the bus station early that morning and Momma had told none of us anything. A few phone calls later her baby girl found her at the bus station across the state from home. She informed us she wanted to see her baby and got on the bus and went, she was grown and didn't have to ask us could she go. The quite lady we had all known and loved was a closet gypsy. Momma lived close to 30 more years and in that time she traveled all over the USA, including spending a summer in Hawaii.

What would you do if you could do anything? Who are you? We are never to old to find out that we can go for it. Momma toke God with her everywhere she went, in fact He went ahead of her preparing her way. With God in our life we can do many things.

Who was Granny, she was a faithful wife, and when she got the chance she was a traveling gypsy at heart. Who are you today?

God Bless
recj/LJG

TOUCHING A STRANGER

Many years ago on a family trip we passed a old wooden church, on the grounds were divided into two groups men on one side and women on the other. These beautiful saints of God were washing each others feet. It was one of the most enlighting forms of fellowship I have ever seen. To this day I have never witnessed it again. How sad, some of the traditions from the Bible that many have seemed to have been forgotten. Christ washed the feet of His disciples, yet we cannot find time in our worship to humble ourselves and wash our brothers and sisters feet. How much more so to do it to a stranger. Years later I was sitting outside a store on my break when a young lady walked up. She was talking on her cell fone and it was apparent her feet were hurting. She sat down a little way from me and took off one shoe, flecking her foot. I reached over and took that foot in my hands and began to massage it. When I finished with one I did the other. She is still on the fone telling the person 'you will never believe what is happening to me'. All I said to her is you look like you need it. How true, she had been standing on her feet all day doing hair. When I think back on that day I believe that she will remember that one day someone saw she had a need and rubbed her feet.
When is the last time you reached out and touched a stranger? Not expecting anything in return? Doing the unexpected for someone. When did you last touch a stranger?

God Bless
recj/LJG

CRAZY WORLD

Philippines 2 :15

That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.

We are living in a very perverse age. To know, not think or desire to, that we are a light that is shining in this crazy world. What a mighty God we do serve.

Oh Lord our God, give us the strength to be blameless and harmless as we venture into the world today. Let our little lights shine brightly, knowing that the Real Light of the world is behind us, in front of us and beside us in every step we take.

God Bless
recj/LJG

SUNDAY EDITORIAL

We have stressed many times that we are to question, study and pray about what we are told to believe. Warren Jeffs is a good example of a person taking the Words of God and twisting them into beliefs that come straight out of the pits of hell. Sex with children both girls and boys. Yes he has been with boys. Filming what he is doing with others watching. Instructing these children to shave their privates to better please him so they can get to heaven. So little we write about this man.

We are amazed at how some journalist want to go on and on about the clothing and hair styles these woman wear. This is not the problem. There are many true believers that do follow the holiness standard of dress. They speak of how the husband is the head of the household. The Bible does say the man is to be the head. It also says the woman is to be his queen. Children are home schooled, why because of the things going on in the school system today, and there is nothing wrong with that.

No we do not believe there is any thing wrong with those things. If we look around us we will see many who live like this, dress, hair, etc. What they do not do is hand their children over for sex with a man. We need to be careful not to put all people in one basket.

These folllowers of Jeffs, women and yes men have accepted a way without once questioning it. The ones that have questioned are put out as trouble makers. Many have accepted it because they as Jeffs also enjoy the crime they are committing. Some are so blind they will believe anything that their leaders tell them.

It is time for us to open our eyes to the world around us. Everywhere we look we see murder of children, sexual abuse and more. What is happening on this earth? The Bible tells it all. Many hundreds and even thousands of years ago men said how much worst can it get before the Lord comes in all His glory and puts a stop to this madness.

How much more? We do not know the answer to that, but we do know He is coming back. Are you ready? Look around you and see if you think it is time to get ready. How much worst can it get?

God Bless
recj/LJG

POWERFUL PRAYER FROM BILLY GRAHAM

We just received an email from one of our readers with a current prayer from Billy Graham. This prayer was just to good not to put up on our blog.

Here is this very profound prayer, word-for word, from Billy Graham on the current state of our nation.

This prayer has incredible words of knowledge and wisdom with how he describes many of the things we are now doing as a nation.

THIS IS MORE THAN A PRAYER, IT’S AN ACCURATE REFLECTION OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN AMERICA OVER THE PAST 60 YEARS.

Current Age: 90. Truth………….from a man the media has never been able to throw dirt on…..amazing!
He has certainly hit the “world” on the head!

Billy Graham’s Prayer For Our Nation
THIS MAN SURE HAS A GOOD VIEW OF WHAT’S HAPPENING TO OUR COUNTRY!

‘Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, ‘Woe to those who call evil good,’ but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!’

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, ‘The Rest of the Story,’ and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord’s help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called ‘One nation under God!’

BibleKnowledge.com

FOLLOW THE LEADER

“God is with us; He is our leader”
(2 Chronicles 13:12, TLB)

Is God your leader today? Do you allow Him to lead you in every area of life? A lot of times, people set out in a direction of life, or they make decisions and then “look around” to see where God is. They try to fit Him into their schedule, but really, He should be in charge of our schedules. Or, they ask God to bless their decisions when, instead, we should follow His ways because His ways are already blessed!

Today, instead of incorporating God into your day, ask Him to lead your day. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and mind and see if there are any areas you need to submit to Him. Remember, He is with you and He is for you. When we allow Him to order our steps, when we seek Him first and follow Him as our leader, than nothing can stand in our way! Go out in victory today knowing that He is ordering your steps.


A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, thank You for going with me and leading me into victory day by day. I choose to trust and rely on You, knowing that You have a good plan for me. I know that Your ways are higher, and so I submit myself to You in every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen

GET ALONE WITH GOD

By Pastor Paula White

I often encounter people who assume that God sees them as worthless throwaways, deserving to be cast into the nearest hellfire, or punished by His awesome wrath. The truth is, God doesn’t see you or anyone else that way. He sees you as His beloved creation, with whom He desires to spend eternity.
I also encounter people who, because they have a faulty perception of God, continually strive to have enough, do enough, or be good enough to gain God’s approval. But God does not evaluate anyone on the basis of things external or behavioral. God doesn’t see you or any other person through the lens of a bank account, a family tree, a job, or a set of accomplishments.

Learning to see ourselves as God sees us is key to getting our spiritual identity in focus!
The very essence of self-discovery is seeing yourself apart from all other relationships and responsibilities. The “core you” is the you that exists even if you aren’t somebody’s parent, child, spouse, employer or employee, pastor, friend, or so forth. If you truly want to discover your self-identity, you need to see yourself as you are by yourself.

As you seek to discover who God says that you are, you will benefit greatly from retreating to a place where you can be alone with God. It may be just for a night, for a weekend, or even longer. I know a woman whose husband left her for another woman. After dealing with practical matters, she asked her parent to take her children for a few days, and flew to one of her favorite places – a beach where she had spent happy days in her childhood. There she spent time alone, taking long walks and talking to God.

She told me, “I discovered myself again on those walks. I saw the ebb and flow of life as the waves lapped up on that beach, and how the ocean washed the beach clean at high tide. I asked God to wash my life in that way, and not allow me to clutter it up again with bad choices and decisions. I came away with renewed hope, energy and a much clearer perspective.”

What this woman experienced is what many people experience when they get away by themselves. I have a personal retreat where I go to be alone with God. It’s where I do my best Bible study and where I have prepared some of my most effective sermons. I don’t spend prolonged periods there, but I do spend the time I need, so that I am able to keep a clear focus on who I am as an individual in God, and to gain rest and restoration needed for the busy, complicated life I lead.

When we know who we are individually in God, we are able to express ourselves in new ways, able to connect at deeper levels, and to strengthen our love for the people in our lives.

Getting alone with God is not an escape. Getting alone with God is a way to confront what we need to confront—so we can grow!
Scripture Of The Day: "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." - James 4:8 (ESV)
streamingfaith.com

LETTER TO GOD

Thought to Ponder

We are sure all of us could have at some time wrote a letter like this to God. It sounds crazy but thank about it a bit. Remember we need to ask forgiveness for these times.



Dear God,

Lord I know You know I love You and am trying my best to live right. There are times like what happened earlier that I just forget that it is suppose to be You in charge of everything in my life. I know you saw what happened and I know I am not responsible for the actions of others, BUT God You did see what happened. The Bible does say I can be angry. Was it really a sin for me to explode and tell them where to get off? You know what I have to deal with living in this world. Maybe I should have just walked up and laid hands on them. LOL Can I dump here Lord, I am really tired of being the nice guy. You really did not made this walk easy. Yes I know there are angels watching over me, but couldn't one of those angels put their hand over that person's mouth? I have been through alot lately and I do need a break, don't You agree! I really did not need this right now. Would it be possible for You to let me have a vacation from all this. Let me rest and recover from all that is going on and then we can get back to real life. LOL Can I just hide from the world? Thank You for listening and like I said I know You love me.

Sincerely Your child

Maybe not those exact words, but yes we have been there. What many of us do not realize is that yes we can tell God our real feelings. It is in being truthful with the Lord Jesus Christ that He can hear and answer us. He said He would not put more on us then we can bear. We on the other hand put things on ourselves that we could never bear.

Remember that in all things He will never leave us nor forsake us. Praise the Lord

God Bless
recj/LJG

DON'T LET THE CHAOS SCARE YOU

By Tanya S. Martin-James
Have you ever set out to clean a closet or your garage and as you really get into it, you look around and things look worse than they did before you started?
Or have you ever began a DIY (do it yourself) project and halfway through it doesn’t look like the end result will be anything you expected?
The “process” can look and be very chaotic at times–sometimes to the point that you begin to doubt if you’re even proceeding correctly. You begin to ask yourself all kinds of questions like, “What did I get myself into?” Or “What in the world was I thinking?”

You might make declarations like, “I can’t do this anymore!” Or, “I should have left well enough alone.”
When things look and feel chaotic it’s easy to be discouraged or disheartened, but there is hope in that chaos. A pastor in Florida shared this with his congregation: “CHANGE looks like CHAOS until it is COMPLETED.”

We are constantly asking God to change something or fix something in our lives, but we want everything to happen instantly. When things start shifting we get anxious and nervous and start crying out for help or even asking God to stop the process before it’s done.

We must understand that the process may get uncomfortable, may even get messy, but we have to keep our focus on the end result. More importantly, we have to continue to have faith that if God brought us to it, then He will bring us through it.

Relax and find freedom in the fact that there is nothing too big for God. No matter what “it” looks like through your natural eyes, God is still God and even in the midst of the chaos, He will complete the work that He has started within you.

So the next time you want to give up while change is taking place around you, remember how good that closet or garage looked once you sorted through all the mess and chaos. Remember how that DIY project turned out when you finally put the finishing touches on it.

Be encouraged and continue to move forward regardless of the chaos that may surround you, and remember: “Change looks like chaos until it’s completed!”

Scripture Of The Day: “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” - Philippians 1:6 (NKJV)

streamingfaith.com

WHO IS YOUR MASTER?

By Dr. Charles F. Stanley

No man or woman is absolutely free. Romans 6:16 says we are the slaves of the one whom we obey—slaves of either sin or obedience to the Lord. Because every human is born with a fallen nature, being the master of our own lives is the same as being enslaved to sin.

Our heavenly Father’s prescription for this unhealthy situation is submission to Him. But we may reason this way: If I give the Lord control, then I lose it—and that’s scary. God could lead me somewhere I don’t want to go.

When fear seeps into your heart, stop and consider the Lord’s character and motive: He is holy and sinless; He has infinite wisdom, perfect knowledge, and an eternal perspective; He loves you and has the power to work all things for your good (Rom. 8:28). Now compare your credentials to His. Who do you think would make a better master of your life?

If the Lord is to have full authority, all rival rulers must be dethroned. The Spirit will not fill believers who tolerate sin in their lives. The grace of God covers the guilt of our transgressions, but it cannot be used to excuse continued disobedience (Rom. 6:1). We grieve the Spirit by saying yes to sin (Eph. 4:30) and stifle Him by saying no to God (1 Thess. 5:19).

Do not be discouraged by the magnitude of this call to submission. We can’t attain sinless perfection on earth, but with each step of obedience, sin’s hold will lessen. Press on—you’ll soon begin to live in the freedom of enslavement to the most amazing Master you’ve ever known.

Scripture Of The Day: "Do not quench (suppress or subdue) the [Holy] Spirit;" - 1 Thessalonians 5:19 (AMP)

streamingfaith.com