A STORY OF TWO BOYS

It has been said that a simple smile can change a person’s life. It has been said that a single kind word can spread throughout the whole world and change history. I was thinking of these sayings recently when I remembered a story I had once heard about two boys.

Both of these boys were born in the late eighteen hundreds. The first boy was the son of a poor cobbler and had contracted smallpox as a child. This left his face scarred and caused him to face teasing from the other boys. He sought solace by dreaming of a career in the church. His first job was as an altar boy but he was sharply criticized by the priest when he made a mistake during a service. This boy later abandoned the seminary as a young adult. The second boy was sickly as a child too contracting tuberculosis as a baby. He also felt drawn to a career in the church. He too had his first experience in church as an altar boy. And he as well made several mistakes once during a service. The difference was he was forgiven and encouraged to keep trying by the kindhearted priest there.

The first of these boys grew up to become Joseph Stalin, the dictator of the Soviet Union, who slaughtered untold millions of his own people to maintain his power and control over his country.

The second boy grew up to become Bishop Fulton J. Sheen who touched millions of lives and brought joy to millions of hearts by sharing God’s message through his television show "Life is Worth Living" in the nineteen fifties.

This story reminded me of how much power God gives us to change lives in this world. Every smile we share is important. Every kind word we speak is essential. Every loving act we do can encircle this entire world. May we always use this power wisely. May we always give every little boy or girl the same love our Heavenly Father gives us.

…..Joseph J. Mazzella (joemazzella@frontier.com) by way of Cup O'Cheer (cheer316@sc.rr.com) and “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

A FRESH START

James 1:15 - "Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death." (NKJV)

Before my born-again experience, I felt spiritually lifeless because of my years out of close relationship with Jesus. However, afterwards, I felt the total opposite. I felt filled with new life. This inspired and encouraged me to change more, pray, serve, and to grow in knowledge of my Lord, His Word, and His will.

2 Corinthians 5:17 reminded me: "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" (NLT)

Obviously, everyone's conversion or renewal and beginning relationship with the Lord is different -- this was His new beginning for me: In my heart, Lord Jesus sowed seeds of fervent desire to communicate His Word, the Gospel, and the on-growing testimony of Him and His "Good News" teachings in my life.

I'm exceedingly happy to testify, today, that even through the many tests and trials of my Christian journey, those precious gifts have so increased over the years. The relationship with and knowing Jesus the Christ is ever a flawless ecstasy. Thank You my Lord!

Yes, Jesus loves to come to those broken-hearted, who know they've messed up their lives--those considered despised and weak. He dignifies us with His all-inclusive, forgiveness, justification, adoption, glory, acceptance, royalty, purpose, significance, wealth, honour, salvation, wisdom, revelation, understanding, status, character, holiness, victories, blessings, and privileges for the highest good of all. All glory to His abounding gracious love!

Jesus the Christ enlivens believers to become like Him in nature and Spirit. It is a colossal pleasure, living in enthusiastic, zeal and amazement of the love, patience, and grace the Lord Christ has toward His people.



I am ever reminded of Colossians 3:1 - "He Is Your Life. So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides." (MSG)



Gradually, in the hands of God, the Master Potter, and by His Spirit, believers no longer want to live bound to the earth as sparrows pecking in the dirt.

Progressively, we are no longer comfortable with carnal conduct and speech, as unfruitful cooing pigeons perched on the fence.

Increasingly, believers grow-up to be happiest when soaring as eagles into higher and higher spiritual holy realms of revelation knowledge of the ways, love, and will of Jesus through surrender and obedience to Him.



Jude 20-21 gives a good conclusion: - "But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit; (AMP)


…..Rosemary Renninson (rosemary396@dodo.com.au) by way of Eternal Ink (eternallyours8@yahoo.com) and “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

LUKE 9:62 BIBLE VERSE FOR THE DAY

This next Bible Verse for the Day is another one that many Christians need to get worked out with the Lord if they are violating it to any significant degree.

I will first give you two good verses on this subject matter, as they both fit perfectly together. Here are the two good verses, and then I will point out a few things to really key in on:

1. But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62)

2. “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12)

When Jesus is telling us that anyone who keeps looking back on their past is not fit for His kingdom, I believe He is telling us that we have to learn how to let the past fully go, no matter how bad our personal past may have been. And the 2nd verse from Paul perfectly confirms this when he tells us that he literally forgets those things which are now behind him, as he now wants to concentrate on pressing forward into the things that now lie ahead of him.

As we have said over and over, we firmly believe that God has a set divine purpose and plan for each person’s life. But many Christians never fulfill all of their divine destiny for the Lord because they could never get over and unbound from all the hurts and injustices of their past. They keep wailing in the misery of their past, and as a result, they cannot keep their eyes forward to concentrate on the present and the future like what Jesus and Paul are telling us to do in these two verses.

If any of you are having a hard time in breaking away from your bad past, we believe God will work with you to help you get a grip on what had occurred to you. He will want you to forgive all of the people who have hurt you. The Holy Spirit will also work with you in healing up any wounds that will need to be healed so the pain and trauma of these wounds do not prevent you from properly functioning in your present.

But after God has taken you back in memory lane for a certain length of time, the time will come where He will then want you to let the past go so you can get back into living in your present again. You cannot properly concentrate and focus on your present with what God will be wanting you to do for Him on a daily basis if you are always looking back and living in your past.

When Jesus says you will not be “fit” for His kingdom if you keep looking back on your past – these are some extremely words being used by Him and we as Christians need to get a grip on this if our past is holding us captive in any way.

Again, we already have another article in our main site just on this one topic if you would like to see some more good commentary on this issue. Here is the title link to the article we have in our main site:

“Letting Go Your Past”

BibleKnowledge.com

THINK

"Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through."

I Thessalonians 5: 19-23a NIV



"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith; meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Galatians 5: 22-23 KJV

Wisdom from the Spirit: "No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and God destined for our glory before time began."

I Corinthians 2: 7 NIV

"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are the temple."

I Corinthians 3: 16-17 NIV

"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." Galatians 5:19-21 NIV

Some Christians have difficulty discerning the difference between the occult, which is to be avoided and through which Satan can easily work, and the prompting of the Holy Spirit. They tend to lump all hard-to-explain, hard-to-understand occurrences into one bin labeled "questionable." The main test for supernatural or spiritual gifts and transmissions is to realize that good comes only from God, and spiritual goodness is confirmed by God's Holy Word, the Bible.

A person immersed in living the Christian life, in prayer, in study of Scripture will be less likely to question spiritual gifts and information that comes from God. Faith and obedience are living attributes for the believer and assist discernment. The well springs of living water, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, bring joy and affirmation for the Christian.

Matters such as these are hard to discuss and hard to word correctly. Young and new believers perhaps struggle with these insights and determinations more than others, but at any stage of our Christian walk we can suffer doubt and lack of understanding. Prayer is a constant source of strength and direction. Guided by the Bible, faith, and the Holy Spirit, each of us must work out these understandings and messages for ourselves.

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

PHILIPPIANS 4:6 BIBLE VERSE FOR THE DAY

These next two Bible verses for the day are two of my personal favorites. The reason I say this is because if you can get this revelation worked into your mindset with how you look and view things in this life, they will help give you a peace of mind even through the most trying of circumstances.

These next two verses will tell us to be anxious for nothing and not to be worrying about tomorrow. Here they are:

1. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6)

2. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:33-34)

I remember when I first saw these two verses, I wondered how anyone could really abide by them since we all live in a fallen and cursed world where bad things can happen to even good people. However, once you piece the other parts of the Bible together, you can see how you can abide by these two verses, even through the worst storm cloud you can imagine yourself going through.

Bottom line – once you enter into a true full surrender with the Lord where He is now in total control of your life and the direction it now will be heading, then you truly have nothing to worry about since God is now in full control of every area of your life.

And then if a trial and tribulation does come your way in this life, it will be because God is allowing it to come your way in order to test your faith levels in Him from time to time, along with using it to help sanctify you in Him. This is all explained in our article titled, “Trials and Tribulations – the Testing of Your Faith.”

And with God totally by your side since you are now in a full surrender with Him, this means that God will now help you handle and get through the storm cloud. As a result, you can learn how to relax more in the Lord since He will now be working with you in every area of your life as long as you are open to receiving this kind of divine help from Him.

In other words, you can learn how to be anxious for nothing and not always be worrying about tomorrow just like what these two verses are telling us to do since you know that God Almighty Himself is now totally by your side and will help you with anything that you will need His help on in this life.

For more good commentary on these two incredible verses, please go to the article in our main site titled, “Be Anxious For Nothing.”

BIBLEKNOWLEDGE.COM

ROUGH SAILING AHEAD

During my youth, the two metaphors or symbols of Christ my youth group focused on were "light" and "running water." Jesus was the light, and the water symbolized the stream of life. When we accepted Christ, our lives would be like a flowing stream of pure, clear water flowing gently and peacefully along. As members of Christian families and a church that taught us the love of Jesus; we thought all we had to do was to accept Him and our lives would begin to flow with the stream. Sure, we wanted that kind of life. At sixteen I gave my life to Christ. I was eager to walk in His light and cruise down the gently flowing river of salvation.

I soon found this was not the whole picture. There were still periods of darkness when the sun didn't shine. The stream could become rough and the nights dark. However, I did have the assurance at these times that somewhere in the darkness; the presence of Christ was still with me. I knew if I could continue holding on through the darkness, the light would shine again in my life. The flowing stream I'd pictured as the Christian Walk through life sometimes slowed down; its water becoming dark and polluted. Rather than flowing in a straight line, it detoured around many fallen trees and debris that clogged its path. When these bends in the stream appeared, there seemed to be a tiny circle of light just beyond. I knew if I could keep moving and holding on to the image of the light, I could find my way out of the maze.

When these times came in my journey, I blamed myself. Where had I failed? This was not the life I thought I'd chosen. Later, I figured out this was God's way of purifying and making me stronger. Each time I came through a period of darkness, I realized Christ was teaching and molding me into the person He wanted me to be.

Today, as I tell others of the Christian life, I'm always careful to point out the obstacles they may encounter along the way. Walking the path of Jesus is not an easy one. It led Him to the cross, but it bought salvation for us. Our Christian journey will not be an easy one - but when we let Jesus walk with us, it is worth the trip. We become stronger and we can help others along the way. We can assure others that the Love of Jesus never leaves us. We may try to leave Him; or in the darkness, his light may be hard to see; but He's always there. We just need to remember to reach out toward Him.

Luke 9:23-24 Then he said to them all, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it." NRSV

…..Ivie Bozeman (ivie@rose.net) by way of Eternal Ink (eternal_ink@associate.com) and “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

WILL THE LIFE YOU LIVED OUT LIVE YOU?

I just realized the title I’ve chosen for this article sounds a bit confusing and chaotic. But I think you’ll quickly pick up on what I’m asking, so I’m going to leave it as is.

Have you had that moment (or moments) in life when you realized that living for the things in this world offers a poor return on your time? Of course your days are filled with work, managing money, paying bills, making decisions, dealing with family, dealing with extended family, trudging through some form of suffering or discomfort—not to mention all the other things that fall under a list like this one. But life isn’t found so much in the “what” but rather the “why?” Meaning, what serves as the motivation or source for all that you do?

What matters in life is not what you accomplish or accumulate but rather what remains for all of time. If only the rewards of this earth occupy your attention, when it’s all-said-and-done, what exactly will you leave behind? Consider that:

Money you make, others will spend.
Empires you build, others will run.
Successes you have, others will forget.
While in this world, whatever is made or achieved from this world stays in this world. None of it is coming with you.

The same holds true for a spiritual life lived in self-effort. You may do many great things for God and from many receive great applause, but unless your actions find their source in Jesus, they too will fade like a flower and wither like grass.

How you live directly correlates to what life you cling to
This means that two people can do the very same thing, perhaps witnessing to the lost, yet the one whose actions trace back to self receives only a temporal reward, while the one whose behavior draws from Jesus receives an enduring crown.

So in both the material and spiritual, nothing makes it into eternity without first being birthed in the eternal. It is the source, and not the activity itself which determines whether or not what you do will stare down time and last forever.

You see, when your actions originate from the Originator (the life of Jesus within you), what flows from Him flows through you and eventually hangs on your life, like fruit for others to pick off and consume. Your life serves as a branch through which Jesus’ life passes for the greater good of others.

As nothing but a branch connected to the Vine, I guess, then, your purpose should be to have as much fruit hanging from your life as possible. For this to happen, your life has to be more about Him and less about you.

Through my own journey of faith, I’ve discovered something—I guess more accurately I had to pay for this revelation through my own spiritual starts-and-stops—and it’s this: life and living are two very different things.

How you live directly correlates to what life you cling to. To scoop up a handful of self-reliant-life today will leave you grasping at nothing but air at the finish line. To run the race and finish with nothing to show for it wastes a good life.

But clinging to a greater Life—the Life of Jesus within you—guarantees you a reward. Any action which possesses the DNA of Christ, meaning anything you do that He initiates, passes from this world into eternity. This means that in each moment, if you allow yourself to be the conduit for Jesus to flow through, your investment of time will reap a “forever” reward.

Today you may live in this world, but your life yearns for a different one. With eternity placed in your heart, only the eternal will bring you satisfaction.

The single, most significant thing you can do is whatever Jesus asks of you in this moment.

Why not ask Him what He wants you to do and immediately go do it?

Why not stuff heaven with more of the eternal?

Why not discard a little of this world today so you can make more room for the life that is yet to come?

David Stephens http://beliefchangers.com/site/blog/will-the-life-you-lived-outlive-you/#

ROSELINDA'S JOURNAL

If it seems we were repeating ourselves there was a reason. It is import to know and realize the differences in the stories told. The chosen 12 were the Apostles, and yes, that includes Judas Iscariot.
Mark and Luke were both followers of the teachings of Christ. They were disciples. Mark was a relative of Barnabas. Barnabas is the one who was not chosen to replace Judas by the drawing of the lottery. Matthew was chosen instead. Mark very lightly walked with Jesus. Luke was the physician of Paul, his traveling companion and biographer. Since Paul never met Jesus personally, we can assume Luke did not walk with Jesus either.
Let us look at bit at Luke. In Luke 10:3 Luke writes … having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first. Luke probably gained the knowledge he had of Jesus through first hand knowledge.
Mark’s Gospel while very different displays a fast moving and busy action. This would be lost to someone writing from a close time to the actions reported.
As to the other differences, we can assume there were two by the name of Simon, and that Lebbaeus, surname Thaddaeus was the same Judas brother of James. As these are the only two names that are completely different.
It is easy to see the differences in their individual stories. Just as writers today have versus styles, so too did these men. Just as we play, the old game of passing a story around a room, at the end the story is slightly changed. These men wrote according to lifestyles lived and what stood out to them.
God Bless
recj/LJG

ROSELINDA'S JOURNAL

Who are these men and were did they come from? First we need to see the difference between disciple and apostle, according to the Bible. A disciple is a follower of the doctrines of a teacher or school of thought. Disciple in the Bible is those that choose to follow Jesus and to listen and follow His teaching. Apostles are those disciples chosen for a special assignment. Now back to the original 12 disciples who were chosen to be apostles.

Matthew and Luke both list

1 Simon, who is called Peter
2 Andrew, Simon's brother
3 James, son of Zebedee
4 John, James brother
5 Phillip
6 Bartholomew
7 Matthew, the publican
8 Thomas
9 James, son of Alphaeus

Now is where we see a difference.
Matthew finishes the list with:
10 Lebbaeus, surname Thaddaeus
11 Simon the Canannite
12 Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him

Luke though list these names:
10 Simon called Zelotes
11 Judas, brother of James
12 Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him

More questions to be answered? And we will.

God Bless
recj/LJG

ROSELINDA'S JOURNAL

SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK

Matthew 10: 2-4
2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

Luke 6: 13-16
13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;

14 Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,

15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,

16 And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor

These scriptures were in the reading that was Lesson 1 and 2. What differences do you see? Did you think Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were all of the original 12? Who were these men, and who did write the books Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John?

God Bless
recj/LJG

NEW TESTAMENT ROSELINDA'S JOURNAL

In our hurry to get this ready something was overlooked that was right in front of me. Tonight as I went to sit I saw this book right in front of me. Opening the first page I said Thank You Lord, for reminding me of this. I pray you will forgive me also, as it should be a big help to you all.

THE NEW TESTAMENT

When we pick up a book to read, we expect it to clearly let us know what direction it is going in. Even when we don't know the name of a character, we can follow along. Oh if the Bible was set in such a simple easy to read format. Instead we have four men telling a story four different ways. And that is only the beginning. There are some guidelines that if we know will help us to understand why the Bible is laid out the way it is.

There are twenty-seven books in the New Testament, they are divided into three different kinds of books. Commonly known as Historical, Pauline and General these books guide us as to what is being told. In a Historical book we can expect history, Pauline would be about Paul, no they are books of instruction, as are the General books.
Historical books include the first fivebooks, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the book of Acts. These books include the story of Christ and the church He established.
Pauline are the letters that were written to churches then, that includes the next 13 books.
The final nine books are letters written to churches and individuals.

We are now looking at the first four books of the Historical group. It is in the fifth book that we see the church set up.

So again forgive me and now lets go forward.

recj/LJG

SUNDAY EDITORIAL LINDAROSE'S JOURNAL

We are making some changes that we hope you find both knowledgeable and interesting.

Lessons 1 and 2 have already been posted, we will be starting this week with Lesson three. The premise is to continue with our study, but an article can be read and uplifting at the same time by itself.

On a personal note our families has had a Home going this pass week. Alma Mae Carter Dees has gone to be with the Lord. We rejoice in knowing that she is in Heaven completing the circle of family that already resides there. One of our favorite songs follows. We ask that God will give you the peace He has given us in knowing family is waiting with Jesus for our Homecoming.

God Bless
recj/LJG


Will The Circle Be Unbroken?
Hymn Lyrics
There are loved ones in the glory,
Whose dear forms you often miss;
When you close your earthly story,
Will you join them in their bliss?

Refrain

Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, by and by?
In a better home awaiting
In the sky, in the sky?

In the joyous days of childhood,
Oft they told of wondrous love,
Pointed to the dying Savior
Now they dwell with Him above.

Refrain

You remember songs of heaven
Which you sang with childish voice,
Do you love the hymns they taught you,
Or are songs of earth your choice?

Refrain

You can picture happy gatherings
Round the fireside long ago,
And you think of tearful partings,
When they left you here below:

Refrain

One by one their seats were emptied,
One by one they went away;
Here the circle has been broken
Will it be complete one day?

Refrain

DAY BY DAY DEVOTIONAL

Complete Acceptance

by Charles R. Swindoll

Read Job 2:10

Because we've lived with our wives over the years and have become extremely comfortable around them, we tend to be unguarded in our words. Wives usually get the brunt of our worst words. Since this is true, let's agree today that we will restrain ourselves from verbal impurity. Job didn't make a blasphemous statement. He didn't curse God. Furthermore, he didn't curse her. As we read earlier, Job didn't call her "wicked," but "foolish."

Job may have been a public figure, but he didn't throw his weight around. It makes no difference how well known or how important you are, how long you've been married, how much money you make, or how big your company is—or your church is; no man has the right to talk down to his wife. She is your partner—your equal. Furthermore, she knows a lot of stuff on you. Someday she may write your long-awaited, unauthorized biography!

Accept her completely; love her unconditionally. A wife thrives in a context of love and acceptance. She is who she is. God has made her into the woman she has become. And may I remind you, she is the wife you chose. She has become the woman God is making her into, and that calls for complete acceptance and unconditional love on your part.

Ideally, that combination results in a deep commitment. Both of you are in this relationship for the long haul. You're there to stay. And no amount of hardship, difficulty, test, or trial will separate you. In fact, it can pull you closer.

Tragically, many a marriage is bound together by very thin, fragile threads. As tests come—from the in-laws or the children, perhaps a difficulty at birth that leads to defects in a child, or trials and tests in the business or financial realm . . . whatever—deliberately pull together and determine to hang in there. Tell her how much she means to you. Talk to her about her value in your life—how much she represents to you. When the crucible heats up, too many guys look for ways to get out.

Don't get out. Get tough with yourself and stay, no matter what.



Christianity.com

PROVERBS 18:21 BIBLE VERSE FOR THE DAY

This next Bible verse for the day should be one that is not only memorized by all of us, but it is one that should also be kept front and center in our walk with the Lord so we never, ever forget to abide by the revelation that is in this extremely important verse.
This next verse will tell us that life and death are in the power of the tongue. Just stop and think for a moment what kind of important revelation is being given to us by the Lord just in this one-line verse alone.
Bottom line – what words we choose to speak out to other people in this life can either bring them life or bring them death. As a result, we should all learn how to clean up our speech and how we express ourselves to others.
We need to build up others as to who they are in Christ with good and positive words of encouragement and edification, not tear them down with words of condemnation, harshness, and criticism.
Parents with their children, spouses with one another, and friends with one another all need to abide by the revelation that is in this most important verse. If we do, we can then bring true life, peace, happiness, joy, and harmony in the environments we are now currently living in and working in.
Once again, here is this extremely vital and important verse straight from the Word of God that can literally change the atmosphere in the environment you are currently living in:
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)
To those of you who are having a hard time in abiding by this verse, simply go to God the Father in prayer and ask Him, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to help clean up your speech life and how you express yourself to all of those around you. If you do, the Holy Spirit will then move in to help clean up your speech and how you talk and express yourself to others.
This is a deeper sanctifying type of work the Holy Spirit can do with each born-again believer if they will just simply go to God the Father in prayer and ask Him for this kind of help.
For more good verses and commentary on this topic, we have an article in our main site that has become one of our more popular articles with many of our readers. Here is the title link to this very good article we now have on this topic:
“Death and Life are in the Power of the Tongue”

BibleKnowledge.com

TESTING GOD'S PROMISES

Psalm 119:107

“I am afflicted very much; Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word”.

Trials refine us, pain opens our eyes to the realities of life, and sorrow tunes us in to what really matters. And on and on through life it goes. Traumatic and painful experiences actually help us be more aware and apart of the world around us.

We find that when troubles come, and we experience affliction it forces us to test the Promises of God

AFFLICTION is used by God because it --

1. PUSHES US INTO GOD’S WORD: Psalm 119:50
2. PULLS US BACK ONTO THE PATH: Psalm 119:67
3. CHISELS GOD’S PLAN INTO OUR LIFE: Psalm 119:71
4. TEACHES US THAT GOD IS FAITHFUL: Psalm 119:75
5. KEEPS US FOCUSED ON OUR TEACHER: Psalm 119:92
6. FORCES US TO TEST HIS PROMISES: Psalm 119:107
7. BRINGS GOD TO OUR DOORSTEP: Psalm 119:153

Now to illustrate this point, turn with me to Hebrews 11.8-19.

In Hebrews 11 God briefly summarizes one of the greatest men of human history – Abraham.

Abraham is the 2nd man that God chose to appear to after Adam.
God walks with Enoch, talks with Noah -- but APPEARS to Abraham. That makes Abraham very special.
But with every blessing comes responsibility. And with the appearance of God to Abraham at age 75, comes 100 years of lessons in the promises of God; and most of them would be called by us – afflictions.

Hebrews 11. 8-19 summarizes the entire life of Abraham as a life of faith. What made it a life that God says reflected enough faith to be called the ‘father of the faithful”? Simply this – Abraham did what the Lord asked him to do, and went on a journey even though he didn’t know where, he did not know how, he did not know when, and he did not know why!

Please click here to read what the promises were that affliction forced Abraham to test?

discoverthebook.org .

LEADING THE WAY

with Michael Youssef

Standing Up for Truth

The Truth of Christ has not changed since before time began. God is constant and true; He does not change. Yet throughout history, humanity has tried to transform God into its own image. When people do not like something in God's Word, they try to twist it to fit their own needs and agendas. When people try to understand God through their worldly views instead of through the Holy Spirit's discernment, they are easily fooled by Satan's lies.

All around us we see the consequences of these deceitful hearts and judgment errors. We see the Gospel being watered down for the sake of appeasing the culture. We see Christians allowing the name of Christ to be trampled and ridiculed. We allow false teaching into our churches and homes. But how many of us stand up for God's Truth? How many of us confront those lies and false doctrines? How many of us defend Christ's name when we hear it mocked?

We may follow Christ in our hearts. We may boldly profess His name in the company of other believers. We may worship Christ in the security of our church pews. But how do we react when confronted by our worldly culture?

The church in Pergamum also endured intense social pressure to walk away from the Truth. On the outside, the church seemed to be following God's commandments. Inwardly, they allowed the culture to weaken their courage. They began tolerating the customs of their pagan society. They permitted false teachings to infiltrate their church. They remained followers of Christ but chose to blend in with society instead of standing for His Truth.

While Jesus encourages them in their suffering, He admonishes them for tolerating what they know to be false doctrines and teachings: "I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam…[and]…the Nicolaitans" (Revelation 2:13-15).

Jesus knew the Pergamum believers faced intense attacks because of their faith. He knew that Satan held a stronghold in their city. Jesus was aware of their situation, just as He is aware of everything that we face today. He knows it is not easy to feel the pressure of a godless society. Yet the world's opposition does not excuse us from speaking against the lies of our culture. Jesus still expects us to stand up for His name and His Truth.

Even though we are called to stand firm for the Gospel, we should not be surprised when the world rejects our stance on Truth. "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood" (1 John 4:4-6).

We can praise God that He does not expect us to make this stand on our own. He will be right there with us, no matter what persecutions we face. He has given us every tool and weapon we need in our spiritual fight. "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes…so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand" (Ephesians 6:10, 11, 13).

If we continue on the road of compromise, eventually we will face serious consequences. Jesus is appealing to each of us to change our lifestyles before it is too late. He knows the pressures and temptations we face, and He wants to give us the strength we need to stand against these attacks. He wants to give us courage to denounce sins, errors, and false teachings. He wants us to speak up when we see people twist the Gospel message.

Pray for God's strength to stand up for Truth. Pray for wisdom for the words to say and the right times to say them. Pray for His comfort and protection as your face the enemy. Commit today to stand up for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

"You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near."
James 5:8



www.leadingtheway.org

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU'VE LOST ALL HOPE

By David Stephens

I know of someone who lives life by way of retreating. I mean, going into a cave and not coming out type of retreating. Run over by an overwhelming world; disconnected from family and friends; Christian, but more comfortable surrounded by a self-inflicted darkness than living in the Light that entered into the world.

Existing, yes; living, no.

Faith?

Are you kidding me!

You don’t understand. (Or maybe you do).

People don’t live by faith anymore. At least not those who wander into the cave of hopelessness. Once the spiritual eyes adjust, walking deeper into the darkness becomes much easier than turning around and heading back toward the Light. Light brings exposure. And no one looking for comfort in the cover of darkness wants to be revealed.

Once in the cave, the enemy speaks consoling words, warm feelings of justification by which the hopeless can snuggle-up in, safe and secure, now, surrounded by darkness. The last thing the enemy wants is for any amount of hope to spring eternal. Hope leads to faith, and faith blinds away the darkness. Better for the enemy to snatch up the beginning of hope, for fear it might breakout into an all-out-war of faith.

Jesus is a rescuer. He comes for the one who doesn’t have the strength to come.
What makes a person choose hopelessness over life, anyway?


In various degrees, we all choose to take cover from the world. The disturbances that fall from the sky like a fine mist don’t seem to bother us too much. Even if they do leave us a little wet, we can handle them. But when the mist turns into rain, and the storms of discouragement come, we get poured upon, drenched with disillusionment. Heading for cover presents the quickest and easiest way to get out of the storm. And sometimes the first place we see to take shelter in is the dark cave of hopelessness. Many times, we enter without fully knowing we have.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to take cover in the midst of a spiritual or internal storm. That’s a response God pre-wired into us all. In fact, in the New Testament, the word for “hope” implies running and hiding. Only not into the dark cave of hopelessness, but rather into the warm, open arms of our heavenly Father.

So why do so many people choose hopelessness over God?

You’ll only seek cover in that which you trust. Without getting too spiritually geeky, the Greek, New Testament word that translates “hope” actually gets translated “trust” more times than not. Hope and trust convey the same meaning.

Hopelessness, then, is Satan’s and the world’s alternative to trusting in God. You would never take the enemy up on a specific offer to trust in him instead of God. How foolish would that be! Even the non-believer has enough sense to refuse such an overt offer. Instead, Satan disguises his disruption to your life by sending you an invitation to join him in finding solace in the cave of hopelessness. Hopelessness is anti-trust, saying no to God.

In the past, you may have stepped into the darkness, only to step right back out again. Pressured by the immediacy of your situation, you quickly saw the way to overcome and avoided a long-term stay in the blackness. I’m not sure I would even call this hopelessness.

But to enter the cave and continue walking, without looking back, leads to the dead end of hopelessness. And when a person becomes more comfortable with the darkness instead of the light, life ends. Not the existing part, but the living part.

To live again requires a journey out of the darkness and into the light. But a person truly in despair will never make that trip. It’s too comfortable to remain where they are and too scary to think about moving.

But God has a plan. If in the midst of hopelessness you’ll simply verbalize your desire for Him, the Light will come get you out of the darkness. One word sent God’s direction, even a slight glance His way, and Jesus is on the move.

It’s difficult to comprehend how anyone choosing the path leading to hopelessness wouldn’t be held responsible to reverse course and head in the right direction. That type of thinking contributes to a lot of people settling for despair. They no longer feel deserving of the light, because of how long they’ve lived in darkness. After all, darkness is what they deserve since they chose the cave in the first place. Life becomes a self-imposed prison sentence.

The truth is, they don’t deserve the light—none of us do.

Yet, Christianity isn’t about deserving, but receiving—far more, in fact, than any person could ever hope to get.

Jesus is a rescuer. He comes for the one who doesn’t have the strength to come. But He needs you to ask for His presence. If He came without you asking, the dark shadow of hopelessness would blind you from recognizing the Light. You’d miss Him altogether.

But that doesn’t mean you need to get verbally fancy. Just ask Him to simply come into the darkness and rescue you, and He will.

The enemy is going to tell you that it can’t be that easy. He wants you thinking this way, because the more complicated he can make things seem, the less likely you are to listen to anything other than the consoling thoughts and feelings he’s been feeding you.

But it really is simple. Once you ask for Him, Jesus will enter the cave and pursue after you until He ultimately finds you. And when you place your focus on His coming and set your gaze at the expectancy of seeing His Light, the first rays that pierce through your darkness will revive a feeling that you so long ago lost.

You’ll begin to hope again.



BELIEFCHANGERS.COM

ACTS 5:29 BIBLE VERSE FOR THE DAY

This next Bible verse is another major one that all Christians need to get worked into their walk with the Lord. This one right here will determine whether or not you fulfill all of your divine destiny for the Lord in this lifetime.

This first verse I will give you will tell us that we have to obey God in this life, not man. Here it is, and then I will point out a few key things on this verse and the second verse that follows right after it:

1. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)

2. “If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.” (Job 36:11)

When the first verse tell us that we have to obey God in this life instead of man, that includes even your parents and your best friends. If your parents are wanting you to be a doctor, but God is calling you to be a great pastor of a church, then you will have to go with God’s call on your life, not what your parents are wanting you to be.

If your parents and friends are telling you to marry the person you are dating, but then God comes along and tells you this is not the person He has in mind for you to marry, then again, you have to listen to and obey God with what He is telling you to do, not your family and your friends.

As we have said before, we believe that God has a perfect divine plan and destiny set up for each person’s life if they are willing to yield to it. But you will never reach that divine destiny and totally fulfill it unless you are willing to fully obey God every step of the way.

Notice the 2nd verse above says that “if” they obey and serve God, they shall spend their days in prosperity. The key word is “if” – if they obey God and they do what He tells them to do as they journey through this life.

Your life is like a chessboard to the Lord and He has to be the One to tell you not only what specific chess moves to make, but exactly to when to make those specific chess moves, as many of these chess moves in your life will have a major timing factor on them.

Again, we cannot emphasize this divine truth strongly enough. I do not have to tell you how many landmines that are out there that could totally derail you on your walk with the Lord – and only God knows where those landmines are located at, and only He can show you how to navigate around them so you do not lose your chance to fulfill all of your divine destiny for Him.

Many Christians have have their lives cut completely short with an early death because they would not be obedient to the Lord with the specific instructions He was giving them.

Remember – Father always knows best. Simply obey God every step of the way as you embark on His divine plan and destiny for you life, and you will then reach your own personal finish line in the Lord with all of your divine destiny fully completed for Him.



newsletter@bible-knowledge.com

UNLOVABLE

Samantha Reed, Executive Assistant
“Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away.” Song of Solomon 8:7a (NIV 1984)
“I’m unlovable.”
How many times has this thought consumed your mind? It swirls powerfully, like muddy rapids. Thrashing heart and mind round and round like a toy boat in a damaging river of doubt, fear and lies.
The “I’m unlovable” thought often tosses us from one painful situation to the next.
Rejection from a parent leads to a heart desperate to fill the void that leads to an unloving abusive relationship. A broken heart is patched up with food that leads to weight gain that makes us feel less than beautiful and unworthy of love.
The bruised parts of our hearts can lead us down dark alleys littered with regrets and sadness.
I don’t assume to know the tongue lashings, torturous words or deeds, and taunts you’ve endured. I don’t know what rejections, rudeness, or raw aches have slayed your heart. I don’t know what choices you’ve made—what choices were made for you—that pushed you into the roaring rush of this river that tries to drag you down with lies and pain.
I only know this—you will drown in that river unless you grab hold of this safety rope: You are loveable.
Yes. You. You are loveable.
There is an all loving Creator who is sovereign. This is a big word with bigger meaning: all powerful. He had the choice to concoct you in His mind. He had the option to create you. He had the wherewithal to call you by name. He didn’t have to.
He could have said,
Nah, I know how that one turns out.
Depression and doubts are her go-to’s instead of Me.
Guys are allowed to violate her body.
Her marriage falls apart.
Her relationship with her parents isn’t good.
Her kids can’t stand her.
She’s frumpy.
She’s not worthy of My time or talent.
She’s not lovable.
But He didn’t. No.
Instead, He said,
I know how that one turns out.
She trusts me despite her teetering emotions and difficult circumstances.
She redeems her past to inspire purity in young girls.
She encourages and invests in other’s marriages.
It’s My delight to be her Father and call her My daughter.
Her knees hit the ground in fervent prayer for her children.
She’s beautiful.
She’s worthy of my Son’s life and death.
She’s so lovable, I call her Mine and nothing she does—nothing that happens to her—can take My love from her.
I don’t know why you don’t feel you’re lovable. Or what lies come trying to convince you that your past, your actions, your shame, your guilt disqualifies you from love.
What I do know is this: you are worthy of love. You are loveable. And you are qualified as a child of God. But don’t take my word. Take His…
This is what the LORD says: ‘[Insert your name] who survives [insert what makes you feel unlovable] will find favor in the desert; I will come to give rest to [her].’ The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. I will build [Insert your name] up again and you will be rebuilt.’” (Jeremiah 31:2-4a, NIV 1984)
Dear Lord, I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made! Thank You for knowing me fully and loving me completely. Please help me know…truly know…I am loveable. Thank You for the freedom You give from the hurt and lies. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

http://devotions.proverbs31.org/2011/08/unlovable.html

RUNNING AWAY FROM GOD, ONLY TO FIND OUT HE NEVER LEFT YOU

How close are you to God? I don’t mean how close do you feel toward God. Rather, how close does God consider Himself to you?
A sudden surge of emotion—a reply to what someone says, a response to something someone does, a reaction toward what you see or hear—cools down as quickly as it heats up. Reactionary emotions explode like fireworks in your life’s nighttime sky, an intense burst of sound and color, followed by nothing. After all the fanfare dies down, rather quickly, life returns to normal.
Long term feelings behave very differently. Nagging and lingering, they roll into your life like a dense fog. You see, but can’t see through them. They never reveal an accurate sense of what’s going on. They do more lying than truth-telling.
Often times, your spiritual life takes its cues from how you feel about yourself. When life runs well organized, or relationships flow smoothly and uncomplicated, or others follow your lead in fulfilling the task at hand, typically, you like what you see reflecting back at you in the mirror—regardless of the image’s truthfulness.
All is well, so, you think, all must be well with God.
But seldom do you live a life without any wrinkles. The tasks that define your identity never fully get completed, relationships take unexpected right turns, veering off into the unknown, and those people you count on to help fulfill your dreams, they fail you. Emotionally, you live a volatile life of ups-and-downs.
Perhaps, that’s how you would describe your relationship with God: up-and-down. Your desire for God takes you up toward Him, but your feelings about yourself in relation to how you’re living for God bring you back down.
In my failure to know Him, God makes Himself known.I’ve been on that rollercoaster. And like you, I know how frustrating life lives, wanting to draw close to God, but not too close, fearing He might see what I see, the contradictions in my own life. Spiritually queasy, I never quite know exactly where I stand with God.
I hate living this way. As much as I try to draw near to Him, my emotions never allow me to get close enough.
Self-effort always ends in defeat.
So what does God do about me?
In my failure to know Him, God makes Himself known.
Rather than shouting, God quietly speaks to the heart of the defeated. His whispers of exchanging a life lived in lying emotions, for one living by faith, revive hope in the midst of hopelessness. Not a faith required to do something, but rather to believe in someone, a simple faith in the faithfulness of God.
You may run from God, but you’ll never get away from Him. His faithfulness acts like gravity, pulling you close.
All those emotions that result from your up-and-down living, accusing you of moving too far away from God to ever return, exist as lying fools. And to believe them would be foolish. You can’t move away from the One who has moved into your life. Jesus lives within your heart, so how could God possibly be anything but close?
Some people prefer to continue living their Christian lives out of their own self-efforts and not out of the efforts of Christ. When they read something like the impossibility of ever moving away from God, immediately they bring up the verse about how God draws near to the person who draws near to Him, implying some sort of distance separates the Christian from God. They quote this verse, not because they intend to live it, but rather as a way to maintain a measure of control over your life.
The attraction of legalism is in its ability to be used as a spiritual weapon against others. As well, legalism never tells the entire truth. It sets God up as a passive judge, doing nothing to help, ready to pounce on you at a single misstep.
But the real story of Christianity, the one God tells, focuses on what He does for you, and not on what you do for Him. Nowhere in the bible does it say that your nearness to God depends on your movement toward Him. Drawing near to God, and in turn having Him draw near to you, doesn’t imply that you have to make the first move. Out of the millions of miles of travel necessary to close the gap between you and God, He traveled all but a fraction of an inch.
But you’ll never experience the reality of the closeness you have with God, until you fully embrace the faithfulness of God. Living by faith is important. But faith only echoes God’s faithfulness. Faith responds to what God initiates. No amount of right-way-living on your part can keep you in hot pursuit of God. You’re going to face some times when the fire has all but gone out.
Yet God’s faithfulness toward you, to guide you step-by-step out of the dense, gray fog of lying emotions, and into a colorful world of grace and truth, never burns out. His very essence serves as the source of His unending loyalty.
Today, the enemy is sending lying emotions your way. Or worse, baking in a one percent falsehood with ninety-nine percent truth, just enough so when you take a bite of what he’s offering, you won’t notice anything peculiar about the taste. All that’s wrong with your life, he gladly points out, and then lays the blame for the apparent distance between you and God at your feet.
The enemy’s continually swirl of lying emotions, a hurricane dumping wind and rain in your life, cannot be withstood. If you try, you’ll just get washed out to sea. You cannot fight against, and sustain yourself, in such an overwhelming, internal storm.
But you can hide in the faithfulness of God. He can save you.
The truth of the matter is you’re already hiding in God, because your very existence is in God, through Christ.
You can’t get any closer to Him than you already are.
Truth-be-told, His faithfulness never let you go.

BELIEFCHANGERS BY DAVID STEPHENS

ACTS 10:34 BIBLE VERSE FOR THE DAY

This will be our second Bible Verse for the Day post. In my opinion, this next verse is one of the most liberating verses in all of the Bible.
Once you get saved and born again by accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, that is just the beginning. From there, God has a set divine plan for the rest of your life if you are willing to yield to it. But as we also know, not everyone will yield and accept the call of God on their lives. And one of the reasons many born-again Christians never accept the call of God on their lives is because they could never accept the profound revelation that is in these next two verses.
These next two verses will tell us that God is no respecter of person and that He shows no personal favoritism to no man. Here are the next two verses that every Christian should get burned into their memory banks so they will fully realize that they are just as important and just as loved by God as anyone else is with Him.
1. “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him.” (Acts 10:34)
2. “… God shows no personal favoritism to no man ….” (Galatians 2:6)
I know there are many Christians who have had a lot of their self-esteem and self-confidence beat right out of them as a result of an abusive past. But we cannot project onto God what others have done to us in the past. Just because your natural father may have abused and mistreated you does not mean God will do the same thing.
Since the Bible tells us that there is no darkness in God, this means that He will not hurt you or mistreat you in any way. As a result, you can fully trust God to handle both you and your life. I have met many Christians who could not come to the Lord because they thought He would mistreat them just like their natural fathers had done. And this is where the above two Scripture verses will come into major play.
When the Bible tells us that God is no respecter of persons, this means we are all on an equal footing with the Lord. This means that He loves you as much as He loves anyone else He has ever created.
This also means He will give you the same amount of love, care, and attention in helping you fulfill the divine plan that He has set up for your life as He would with anyone else. As a result, no Christian will have any excuse on judgment day as to why they did not fulfill the divine plan that God had set up for their lives.
Again, if there are any of you who are having a hard time in establishing a close personal relationship with the Lord because you do not feel He will love you as much as He will love other people, really study and meditate on the above two verses. They are both short verses, but a major profound revelation is being given to us by the Lord in both of them.
If all of the Bible is infallible and inerrant, then you can fully believe what these two verses are trying to tell you. And if you can believe what these two verses are telling you, then you can be set totally free to draw as close to God as you want, fully realizing that He will love you, take care of you, and give you the same amount of time and attention as He would with anyone else in this life – either in heaven above or on this earth.
As a result, you will be able to receive God’s perfect divine plan for your life, and from there, be able to leave this life with all of your divine destiny fully completed for Him.

Michael Bradley Bible-knowledge.com

NO UNMOVEABLE WALLS

Now, it may be that there's a wall in your life that looks like it's always going to be there. It's hard to imagine how it would ever come down. But God doesn't know anything about unmovable walls. He's been tearing them down for a long, long time!

In our word for today from the Word of God, for example. Now, the Jewish people had been in captivity in another land for 70 years, living under the rule of the pagan King Cyrus. It was hard to imagine how they would ever get back home. But in Ezra 1:1 , the Bible says this. "The Lord moved the heart of Cyrus, king of Persia." Verse 3 tells us about the king's proclamation that said, "Anyone of His people among you - may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem and build the temple of the Lord ... And the people of any place where survivors may now be living are to provide him with silver and gold." That's incredible! This was about as likely humanly as the Berlin Wall coming down, but God moved the heart of the most powerful man on earth. And the wall between Persia and Israel came crashing down.

This kind of miracle is reported all through scripture. God changed the hard heart of Pharaoh to let the Jews - his major labor force - just walk out of Egypt. Who would have figured? When Saul didn't want to be Israel's first king, the Bible says, "God changed Saul's heart." (1 Samuel 10:9 ) When God wanted Peter to take the Gospel to a Gentile military commander, Peter's strong Jewishness - and his lifetime dislike of Gentiles - was a major wall of prejudice. But with one vision, God tore down that wall, and Peter went willingly into Gentile territory for Jesus. When Saul of Tarsus was determined to stamp out Christianity before it spread, God changed the heart of the persecutor into the heart of a disciple of Jesus - in a moment.
Walls. Impossible walls. Things that look like they will never change. God specializes in these kinds of things. And right now, He's calling you believe Him, to pray to Him in faith, for a wall in your life to come down. Whether it's a wall in a relationship, a person who seems like they will never come to Christ, maybe a son or daughter who looks like they will never leave their prodigal ways, people who are standing in the way of something God wants - any wall that stands in the way of the will and the working of God. Come against that wall in prayer, unleashing all the power of God on that wall. Pray especially for hearts. God's wall-demolishing miracles often begin with the miracle of a heart changing that only God can change.

No matter how high the wall, no matter how long it's been there, it is not unmovable. If God wants it gone and if you'll believe Him for it, that wall is coming down!

http://www.hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-most-important-relationship/no-unmovable-walls-4152

WAIT! RESPONDING WISELY TO SETBACKS

Today’s devotional at Lifetime Guarantee Ministries, written by the late Anabel Gillham, deals with a very similar situation. Think about the last time you encountered a serious setback or disappointment in your life. How did you react? Anabel, reflecting on a huge personal disappointment that caught her by surprise, lays out the different ways we can respond in such a situation:
Well, we have options. (1) Go in the bathroom, close the door and cry hard. Wait. (2) Go to your room and collapse on the bed feeling like you’ve just been hit by a truck. Wait. (3) Retaliate and cause bigger problems. Wait. (4) Stuff it and feed your ulcer. Wait. (5) Tell yourself the truths that we’ve learned together and make yourself listen! He is with me. He loves me. He can handle this (I sure can’t!) He is with me. He loves me. He can handle this–one hand tied behind His back. Wait. (6) Get busy. Whistle while you work or sing while you suffer. (I whistle. My singing leaves a lot to be desired.) Wait. (7) Do something nice for someone. All the while fixing your thoughts on those things that are true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely. Dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about. Not just one time–over and over and over, etc. Wait. (8) Ask Him to tell you what to do. Ask Him to give you His thoughts on how to handle this unexpected crisis–and listen. Wait. (9) Thank Him for taking care of this crucial episode that burst into your life quite unexpectedly–having one goal–to incapacitate you or destroy you! Wait. (10) Go back to #5 and do it all over again.
I am presuming that you caught the word, “wait?” Spewing out those impulsive, angry, defensive, hurtful words on the tip of your tongue–no! Regurgitating rash, condemning statements to anyone around you–no! God tells us, “Be angry–but sin not. Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still” which means wait (Psalm 4:4).
Obviously, there are many different ways to respond to life crises, and different situations call for different responses. But whatever the response, it’s important that we not sin by acting rashly and emotionally. The next time you’re insulted, disappointed, or provoked, don’t indulge your instinctive reaction. Wait.
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. —Psalm 37:7
Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly. —Proverbs 14:29

GOSPEL.COM

LESSON 2 HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE

MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, and JOHN

We have read the first four books of the New Testament, now we are ready to start Lesson Two which is to read the first four Books of the New Testament. We are sure as you started reading Mark you saw many differences, the same with Luke and John. This is what we wanted you to see. Four people telling the same story from their point of view, and what was important to them. Together you get a over-all view of the birth and life of Christ Jesus until His death.

Now as you begin to reread, we want you to write down the questions that come to mind. Use stick-ems to mark places and leave notes on things that stand out to you. There are no right or wrong ways to do this. What works for you is best.

This is your second lesson. You might be surprised what stands out to you this time reading through the four books. It should also be a fresh enlightened reading.

Remember in your notes to write Book, Chapter, and Verse or Verses for future references. Enjoy your journey is only beginning.

God Bless
recj/LJG

GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSION

1 Corinthians 14:33
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Matthew 12:43-46

43When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

44Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

45Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Psalm 1:1
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH US? We allowed God to come into our hearts and sweep it clean. Then we turn around and open the door for the confusion and the spirit of the ungodly to come right back into our lives. Why do we not have the courage to just close the door to confusion? Because we don't want to and that is just plain stupid on our part.

How many times have I used the word 'LOVE' to open that door? Too many. We are commanded to 'LOVE.' We are to 'LOVE' as Jesus loved. But we must remember when Jesus was tempted He said 'IT IS WRITTEN.' He went over to the other side meaning He walked away from people to give Himself not only rest but to pray and draw closer to His Father.

Too many times I find myself wandering around and around in the wilderness just like Moses and The People of God. Like them it is mostly of my own doing cause I forget to say 'IT IS WRITTEN.' Instead I say, 'woe is me,' 'pity me,' 'I don't deserve all this.' But I do deserve it cause I won't be as bold as Jesus and speak the Words. I won't show satan and all his demons the door. I don't fill my heart with His Words to keep my heart full. Because I allow all the unclean spirits to take hold like depression, emptiness, loneliness, and for just laying down and letting satan walk all over me. I am suppose to bruise his heel, not allow him to walk all over me and bruise me with his heel. I am coming up from all this and going into the land of milk and honey which is my promise for God Almighty.

Let's look at some 'IT IS WRITTEN' Scriptures that has helped me,

Proverbs 25:28
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls

A man without self-control is compared to a city with broken-down walls. Without self-control, we are vulnerable to any spiritual attack or temptation that comes our way; we simply have no defenses at all to keep them away.

Romans 4:17
(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

Mark 10:27
And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

Philippians 4:13

13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

John 15:5

5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

2 Corinthians 12:9

9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Proverbs 6:2

You are snared by the words of your mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth.

Matthew 15:11

Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 15:19
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

So many more in Psalms.

Would ya'll like to share some of your favorite 'IT IS WRITTEN' with us?

God's Blessings to you,

LJG/recj

WHAT DOES THE NEW YEAR HAVE IN STORE FOR YOU?

It all depends on your personal relationship with Jesus as your Lord and Savior. We all need to look in the mirror and see what He is seeing. The Bible has many promises for His children, but if you are not His child… God is a jealous God. He promises us peace in all our life, but only through Him. Hard words, maybe. He also says that the words we speak come to life. So what you are speaking, is what you need to be looking for. What does the New Year have in store for you…what you speak into it.

Hope you are blessed this New Year. And remember God is watching everything you do including the things you can not do in Heaven.

God Bless
Happy New year
recj/LJG

We think that covers it all