GOD'S COMMANDMENTS LEAD TO HAPPINESS

Matthew 5:32, “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, save for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.”

MATTHEW 5:31-32

God’s commandments are not intended to make us miserable–they’re meant for our own happiness. Satan‘s lie in the Garden of Eden caused Eve to question God’s motives behind His command (Genesis 3:5).

Malachi 2:15 says God hates divorce. God doesn’t hate the people who divorce. He hates the act of divorce because of the damage it does to people. God loves people.

Today, people see divorce as an easy way out of marital problems. But this is based on the misconception that the mate is the problem–which is rarely the case.

People who blame their mate for their problems give in easily to divorce, thinking that a new partner will solve the situation. Yet second marriages have over twice the failure rate of first marriages. That’s because we take ourselves and all our unresolved problems into the next marriage.

You can’t control other people–not even your mate. But through obeying the Lord, you can control yourself and have fullness of joy. God’s commands tell us what will produce true happiness for us.

BUMMYLA http://wp.me/p1DKIN-YM

A WITNESS FOR OUR OWN DEFENSE

Acts 24:10-12

When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: "I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me."

When I was growing up, my younger brother was the biggest pest on the face of the earth. One of his favorite things to do was to sneak up on my older sister and I -- slap, pull hair, or pinch one of us -- then run from the room laughing. He would continue to do this until one of us would stop what we were doing and give chase.

Unfortunately for my sister and I, when we gave chase he would immediately start crying while running to my Mom or Dad and say, "Mike and Nancy are picking on me!" The evidence of an angry older brother or sister chasing a tearful sibling would seem to support his testimony. So, invariably, we would be chastised and sometimes punished, until one fateful day when my Dad observed the whole story. Needless to say it was the last time one of my parents came to my brother's defense. If only in life we were able to find justice as easily.

In our passage today, Paul begins his own defense, but rather than use words of flattery like Tertullus did, he gives a statement of fact about Felix: "for many years you have been a judge over this nation." He then recounts the exact details of the charges made against him. While there had indeed been riots in Jerusalem while Paul was there, the charges that he caused them must be proven.

The lesson many learn from Paul's experience (or our own similar ones) is to not get involved. That's especially true in today's culture where so often people are afraid of confrontation. After all, if Paul hadn't gone to Jerusalem in the first place he wouldn't have been in trouble. If he hadn't gone to the temple he couldn't have been accused of defiling it. If he hadn't spoken about Jesus he wouldn't have been attacked. But are those really the lessons God would have us learn from the passage, or even from our own experiences? Have you learned the wrong lesson from anything in your past that has made you more timid, skeptical or afraid? Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 3:12 where his boldness comes from, "since we have such a hope [in Jesus], we are very bold."

My Dad taught me through my childhood experience with my brother to have faith that justice would ultimately prevail and to not (in frustration) take matters into my own hands. What I have learned as an adult is justice may not come in this life, but that shouldn't stop me from living "boldly" for Christ. What lessons have you learned that need to be maturely rewritten?

pocketpower.org

WEIGHED DOWN

A few stupid criminal stories:

One man robbed a liquor store at gunpoint and demanded all of the cash from the register. He then asked for some liquor, but the cashier declined saying that he didn't look 21. The robber again demanded, but the cashier declined saying that he could not give liquor to anyone under 21. The stupid criminal proceeded to show the cashier his driver's license to prove he was 21! The cashier took down his information, gave the robber his liquor, and called the police when he left. The robber was arrested AT HIS HOME later that evening.

Another guy was in a verbal lineup (where you have to say something to see if the victim can identify you by voice). He was told to say "Give me your money or I'll shoot you", and he refused to do it. When asked why by the detective, he said "Because that's not what I said"!

David Posman, 33, was arrested in Providence, R.I, after allegedly knocking out an armored car driver and stealing the closest four bags of money. It turned out they contained $800 in PENNIES, weighed 30 pounds each, and slowed him to a stagger during his getaway so that police officers easily jumped him from behind.

David Posman is not the first person to make the mistake of trying to run while being weighed down. In fact, it happens spiritually all the time. The Hebrew writer talks about sin being a weight that keeps us from effectively running the Christian race. We can get bogged down with things that pull us away from God. And, by the way, as with Posman, those things that are weighing us down are not worth nearly as much as we thought they were when we grabbed hold of them.

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1)

Anything weighing you down? May you lay it aside as you run the Christian race today.

Have a great day!

…..Alan Smith, Helen Street Church of Christ , Fayetteville, North Carolina (alansmith.servant@gmail.com) by way of “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

SPIRITUAL FITNESS

Matthew 5:29, "And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell.

MATTHEW 5:23-30

Is Jesus advocating dismembering of our bodies? Quite the contrary. He is drawing on the universal drive within every person of self preservation to make a point. If you value your body highly enough that you would never sacrifice one of its parts, then you should esteem your spiritual well being much higher.

Ever since the fall of Adam and Eve, man's priorities have been misplaced. Great effort is put into preserving our physical life while our spiritual condition is often overlooked. It constantly gets put on the "back burner" while we tend to more urgent matters of this life.

Yet our physical bodies are just temporary. If we live 70 years or more, that is just a fraction of a second in the light of eternity. Our spiritual man lives forever. The state in which it exists is determined by choices made in this life.

Therefore, choose to make your spiritual condition your top priority. Spend more time on your spiritual well being than you do your physical well being. You and everyone around you will be eternally grateful that you did.

BUMMYLA http://wp.me/p1DKIN-Vx

CHURCH IS ABOUT INTIMACY NOT ENTERTAINMENT

I have seen a lot of people come and go from church and from Jesus. Every church I have pastored I have brought new people in or welcomed them as they walked in but I have also seen a number of these people walk away. Is it because I am not a great preacher? Perhaps I don't tell enough jokes or not entertaining enough. Maybe it's the music. Is it too loud, too fast, too slow, too quiet? Maybe it's because there are not enough chairs or perhaps the chairs are too old. It could be because the message we preach is too hard, too demanding, too personal. Or maybe it's because these people got what they wanted and moved on.

We all remember the story of the ten lepers right? Jesus sent ten men with leprosy to present themselves to the priests. On the way they discovered they had been healed but only one returned to worship and thank Jesus. The one who returned wasn't even a Jew. This is how so many people are who come into the church out of desperation, needing something from God. They come in all sincerity but once they have what they want they are off again, not understanding relationship, intimacy and the need for worship. I see this portrayed in the masses who almost crushed Jesus with their needs:

When they heard all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. (Mark 9:8-10)

These people knew there was truth in the actions of Jesus. They could see the power to meet their needs but there was no desire for relationship. Our churches have a revolving door for these people. They come in out of desperation but they leave out of boredom. It is wrong for us to try to hold on to people using the trappings of this world, with entertainment and programs. It is wrong to bring the Church down to the level of this world when she is a house of prayer and intimacy with Jesus. It is wrong to hold on to people who fill the pews with no sincerity in their seeking.

There were those who achieved intimacy with Jesus. There were the eleven disciples and the women who supported the ministry. There were people like Mary and Martha who were friends with Jesus. There was Lazarus who also became a victim of the Sanhedrin's plotting simply because of association with Jesus. But these were the people who saw greater worth in Jesus then what they could get out of him. They had received a lot from Jesus but they stuck around because they had fallen in love with him, the Son of God. They had realized that God gave to them out of love, not because he was some kind of wish granting god. That love compelled them into a deeper place with Jesus.

Just like with those lepers, we need to live with the reality that not everyone is going to understand the invitation to become intimate with Jesus. There will always be those who come in all beat up from life, who get doctored and healed by Jesus, and who do not feel the compulsion to return to his feet to worship. But that does not give us an excuse to stop teaching and guiding people to this place of intimacy. It does not give me license to lower my expectation. It does not give me just cause to change my church into just another entertainment alternative in the hopes of holding on to more people. The Body of Christ is about intimacy with Jesus or it's not the Church.

So go out to the highways and byways and invite them in. Those who get it will stay and those who don't will move on. Celebrate with those who seek greater intimacy and pray for those who lack the maturity to understand but don't stop pressing on. Don't try to hold on to people for the wrong reasons. Don't dilute the message of the cross and the hope of the empty grave so a thankless people can fill the Church. Let's celebrate the sincerity of the one who returned and desired intimacy with Jesus. Forget the numbers and let the Church be what it was always meant to be: a place of intimacy with God and with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

http://pastorpaulvbsblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/church-is-about-intimacy-not.html

OUR WORSHIP IS RIGHT ONLY WHEN...

Our worship is right only when we are right with God and with others.

READ: John 12:1-8

Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. —John 12:3

Shortly before Jesus was crucified, a woman named Mary poured a bottle of expensive perfume on His feet. Then, in what may have been an even more daring act, she wiped His feet with her hair (John 12:3). Not only did Mary sacrifice what may have been her life’s savings, she also sacrificed her reputation. In first-century Middle Eastern culture, respectable women never let down their hair in public. But true worship is not concerned about what others think of us (2 Sam. 6:21-22). To worship Jesus, Mary was willing to be thought of as immodest, perhaps even immoral.

Some of us may feel pressured to be perfect when we go to church so that people will think well of us. Metaphorically speaking, we work hard to make sure we have every hair in place. But a healthy church is a place where we can let down our hair and not hide our flaws behind a façade of perfection. In church, we should be able to reveal our weaknesses to find strength rather than conceal our faults to appear strong.

Worship doesn’t involve behaving as if nothing is wrong; it’s making sure everything is right—right with God and with one another. When our greatest fear is letting down our hair, perhaps our greatest sin is keeping it up. —Julie Ackerman Link

Whenever we gather to worship
Let’s not hide behind a façade;
Instead, let’s be open and honest
With others and also with God. —Sper

Our worship is right only when we are right with God and with others.

BUMMYLA http://wp.me/p1DKIN-Un

DAD'S GLORY DAYS: OLD AND NEW

I knocked on my parent's front door, "Dad? It's your darling daughter." There was no answer. I used my key. "Dad?" Now I was scared. I ran from room to room then rushed to their bedroom. The bathroom door was closed. I knocked. "Dad, it's me."

He opened the door looking pale. He was just wearing trousers and an undershirt. I led him to the bed to sit down. He had been crying.

"Ma's going to be fine, Dad."

"I hope so, Poop." (He called me Poop when I was a baby. That delightful nickname stuck.) We were bringing my mother home from the hospital today.

He put his hand on mine. A thin veil of transparent skin covered his bones. "I'm living in memories," he said. "Those days when you kids tore around the old red brick house. Those were the glory days."

He slowly got up and picked out a shirt. He was having trouble with the buttons.

Together we buttoned his shirt. He smiled, still lost in his reverie. "I remember the day you thought you'd surprise us by saying you and Bob were engaged. But we had already chosen the reception hall."

"I can't believe it!"

A while later, my eyes filled with tears. "Dad, now that we're opening up, I have something I need to say." Though terrified to face the truth, I forced myself, knowing it could be my last chance. I have been haunted by one dreadful belief for over fifty years.

"Dad . . ." I couldn't speak further. He tenderly kissed my tears.

"What are you putting yourself through? I am your father. I cherish you. Just tell me so I can take your pain away."

I looked up at him with the eyes of a little girl pleading for him to make it all better. "Dad, I was always much closer to you than Mom. I disappointed her terribly."

"Listen to me. You never disappointed her. Her love for you is boundless. Her favorite bible passage is about Naomi and Ruth."

Tears stung my eyes. "We read that story together all the time – of the love between Naomi and the child Ruth who said, 'Wheresoever thou goest, I will go.'" My heart was breaking. "But it didn't turn out that way, Dad."



"Oh, yes it did," my wise father said. "Your mother's love has never been measured in miles. It has been measured in making two hearts into one. You've had your falling outs, but nothing could touch the solid foundation of your love for one another, just like Naomi and Ruth. That's why you read that passage together so often."

In an instant I had been released from years of self-torture. I hugged my wondrous father. "I will always need you to guide me." We stopped, then looked in each other's eyes, knowing that "always" was looming closer and closer as a fantasy that would never come true.

When we brought my mother home, I watched as Dad helped her inside. My parents had become so tiny.

Dad helped her to bed. On her pillow were two presents.

With shaky hands, she fumbled with the ribbons. Dad helped her open his gift. Inside was a beautiful nightgown dotted with tiny pink roses. I helped her open mine. I had no idea that Naomi and Ruth would be a vital part of this day. My gift was a small plain Bible. She held it to her chest like it was a moonbeam that would never disappear.

I cupped Dad's face in my hands and whispered, "These are our glory days." I saw a sparkle in his eyes. A beautiful sparkle of realizing that the glory days of long ago could come back to life. As they did, right on this very day, for my precious father, for my beloved mother, and for me.

…..Copyright 2010 Saralee Perel. Permission is granted to send this to others, with attribution, but not for commercial purposes, by way of Mikey's Funnies (funnies-owner@lists.MikeysFunnies.com) and “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net). Award-winning columnist/novelist, Saralee Perel, welcomes friends on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SaraleePerel - also e-mails at sperel@saraleeperel.com or via her website www.saraleeperel.com

THE CONFESSION OF YOUR MOUTH

Your Spirit will produce what you say!

If anyone thinks to be religious among you, yet does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is vain (James 1:26).

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 says, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.” Here, the Apostle Paul shows us that the Holy Spirit searches the deep and profound things of God. Which means that the Holy Spirit seeks, investigates, inquires or scan through the divine counsel of God with the purpose of bringing them to pass.

The 11th verse of the same 1 Corinthians 2 reveals that the human spirit also operates the same way: “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” The Bible calls the human spirit the candle of the Lord (Proverbs 20:27); that’s where the light of God is; that’s where He guides you from. Therefore, a Christian who utters words that are inconsistent with the realities of the new life in Christ deceives his own spirit. As a result, his spirit will no longer be a trustworthy guide.

For example, someone might say “We don’t live past age forty in our family.” What he hasn’t realized is that as long as he continues to talk that way, his spirit will believe it and that’s what will be established for him and he wouldn’t live past forty. Rather, he ought to declare “I live a long, healthy, prosperous and impactful life here on earth, and there’s no death in my path, in Jesus Christ Name! Amen!” (Exodus 23:25-26).

Never speak contrary to the will, purpose and plan of God for your life. Let your words be full of grace, and void of guile and deceit. Talk health, prosperity, success, and victory, and that’s exactly what your spirit will produce for you. James 3:2 says “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able to bridle the whole body.”

CONFESSION:

I speak in agreement with what God has said concerning me. I live in the reality of my inheritance in Christ Jesus – a long life, full of joy, peace, prosperity and divine health, in Jesus Christ Name. Amen!

BUMMYLA http://wp.me/p1DKIN-RI

PART 2 WHAT I HOPE

Acts 24:15

"... and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked."

Although there is still much discussion about this issue, most Biblical scholars agree there will be two resurrections, the first for believers and the second for unbelievers.

Resurrection of believers:

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words."

This passage is the foundation for what has widely become known as "The Rapture," in which Jesus comes back and the world experiences one thousand years of unparalleled peace and prosperity.

Revelation 20:1-5, "And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended... They [believers] came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection."

At the end of this time will be the second resurrection, the Resurrection of the unbeliever:

Revelation 20: 11-15, "Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."

There will always be those who profess to live by their own set of moral and ethical standards, who compare themselves to the world and ask, "I'm a good person aren't I? Why then should I go to hell?" That is until the records are opened and every thought, lie, attitude, and deed is revealed. There is no grading on the curve. There is no higher or lesser degree of guilt or innocence. Either we are guilty or innocent. Which are you?

Paul's hope was for a resurrection -- one in which all believers would stand blameless before God, our sin covered by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This past week the Pastor of my church asked the question, "Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, or is being a Christian just something you do?" In other words, is being a Christian simply another activity or a job like being a mechanic, hairdresser, or skier. In Colossians 1:27 Paul wrote, "To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." What is your "hope of glory"? Mine is Jesus.

http://mail.aol.com/35810-111/aol-6/en-us/mail/DisplayMessage.aspx?ws_popup=true

PART 1 WHAT I ADMIT

Acts 24:14a

[Paul speaking] "However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect."

Paul is speaking before Felix, defending the accusations made against him by the Jews. Previously, Paul had denied some of the charges, now he begins with the first of four "What I's." He clarifies "What I Admit".

Paul is crystal clear: "I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way." Six times in the Book of Acts, believers are referred to as followers of the Way. Only two times are they referred to as Christians -- the word "Christian" (little Christ) was actually considered an insult when used by those outside the faith. I really like "the Way," because it truly reflects the message of Jesus Christ. Jesus wasn't one of many options. He wasn't one of several paths that lead to God. He spoke very plainly, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

I have a friend who considers himself a Christian because he believes in Jesus. I asked him if he believes that Jesus is the son of God who lived as a man, died for our sins, yet defeated death through His resurrection. He said, "Sure, but I don't believe that God or Jesus created some exclusive club for Christians only. I don't think God is that narrow-minded." In other words, he believes that Christianity is just a "sect" containing a lot of truth, but only one of many paths. I quoted John 14:6 and asked him how he reconciled his many paths concept with what Jesus said, "No one comes to the Father except through me." He looked at me for a really long time and then said, "I don't know, I'll have to think about that." I said, "I hope you give it some serious thought, because everything hinges on that one statement."

What do you admit? Do you admit Christianity, or your "sect" (Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, etc)? Do you admit your belief in the one and only Way or have you become more open-minded to other perspectives? Jesus was very clear on this subject. Are you? Who do you follow?

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BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO...

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.... It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.

Jeremiah 17:7-9

We cannot separate actions from consequences. Why, then, do we allow our culture to tell us that we can plant seeds of one kind and bear fruits of another? The world tells us that we can plant seeds of promiscuity and carelessness and bear fruits of beauty, happiness and even love. But the results are disease, unwanted pregnancy and unhappiness.

Root and fruit are inevitably intertwined.

Isaiah 32:17 says, "The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever."

One of the surest ways to change your life for the better is to stop sowing seeds that bear bad fruit! Plant seeds of righteousness and put those roots in your life. Unlike the culture around us, the Bible takes a very clear position on right and wrong.

Ask Him to guide your actions so you will produce good fruit that is pleasing to God.

Further Reading

•Jeremiah 6:19

•John 15:4

•Galatians 5:22-23

God Bless

BUMMYLA http://wp.me/p1DKIN-Nw

GOD'S WORD HAS NO LIMITS

John 4:50, “Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.”

JOHN 4:46-54

Jesus didn’t have to touch the child. He didn’t have to send anything home with the father to affect the cure. All He did was speak and the son was instantly healed (v. 53).

This man had traveled over fifteen miles from Capernaum to Cana to find Jesus. Therefore, the son was not within ‘earshot” so that Jesus’ words sparked some cord of hope in his heart, thereby releasing God’s power. No, Jesus’ spoken word had so much power that no barriers (such as time or space) had any affect on it whatsoever.

This is hard for us to comprehend. We spend an entire lifetime learning physical limitations and adapting to them. But there are no limits to the power of God’s word. Jesus created everything in this physical universe by His words, and that creation will respond to anything He says.

The Lord gave His Word to the Jews but they didn’t believe it. Hebrews 4:2 says, “…the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it].” We have been given God’s words too, in the Bible. If we will speak God’s Word in faith, we will get the same results that Jesus did here.

BUMMYLA http://bummyla.wordpress.com/2012/02/19/gods-word-has-no-limits/

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR

I heard about a man who was drafted into the army. While in the army he developed a very strange habit. As he walked along each day he kept picking up pieces of paper, saying to himself aloud, "That's not it!" He would pick up one piece of paper after another and say, "That's not it. That's not it!"

This went on for about six months. His bizarre behavior was finally brought to the attention of his superiors. They ordered him to report to the base psychiatrist. The psychiatrist asked, "What is wrong with you? What is the problem?"



The man had a baffled expression on his face as he said, "What problem? I don't have a problem."

The psychiatrist said, "Well, there's got to be something wrong with you. It has been reported to me that you keep going all over this base picking up pieces of paper and saying, 'That's not it, that's not it!" So, tell me, just what is it you are looking for?"

The man said, "I don't know. I just don't seem to be able to find it." The psychiatrist consulted some of his colleagues, then told the man, "I think your problem is serious, and I'm going to give you a medical discharge from the Army."

When the psychiatrist handed him the discharge papers, the man jumped up and shouted excitedly, "This is it! This is it! This is what I've been looking for!"

This story reminds me of an incident in the gospel of John where two men were asked the same question.

"The next day John was there again with two of his followers. When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, 'Look, the Lamb of God!' The two followers heard John say this, so they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following him, he asked, 'What are you looking for?'" (John 1:35-38a, NCV)

It's an important question for all of us. What are you looking for? On occasion, we may stumble across something we weren't searching for, but most of the time we have no hope of finding something unless we're looking for it. For example, I understand that there is a lot of ginseng in the mountains of North Carolina. When we lived in Boone, I knew a lot of people who found ginseng, but I never did, and I'm sure a big reason for that is that I never looked for it.

Spiritually speaking, what are you looking for? So many people miss out on much that God has to offer simply because they don't have hearts that are searching. Are you searching for a right relationship with God? Are you searching for a congregation of God's people? Are you searching to know God's will in a difficult decision you're facing? What Jesus promised is true: "Seek and you will find." (Matthew 7:7)

By the way, those two disciples in John 1 found exactly what they were looking for. "'We have found the Messiah." (John 1:41).

What are you looking for?

Have a great day!

…..Alan Smith, Helen Street Church of Christ , Fayetteville, North Carolina (alansmith.servant@gmail.com) by way of “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

A BAG OF KINDNESS

"Class, tomorrow I want you all to bring a cup of macaroni for our crafts class, okay? Now go on out there and enjoy the day."

These words from my second grade teacher at the end of the day echoed in my mind all evening. I was dreading the next day because I knew we wouldn't have any macaroni at home. Living in an alcoholic environment we never had to much of anything laying around our house except beer bottles.

I trudged home after school with my mind working overtime. Where would I find macaroni? I knew that the local bottle depot at the edge of town gave twenty cents for a case of beer bottles so I decided that I would collect some bottles and maybe I could buy a small box that evening at our local corner store.

When I got home I started collecting the bottles and before long I had a nice pile in the back of my wagon. I started off to the bottling depot with my little brother Able in tow. We had a mission and no one would stop us.

When we arrived at the depot they counted our bottles and gave me the eighty cents. I felt very wealthy and as we walked back into town Able was bouncing up and down asking to see the money. I showed him several times then asked him to get in the wagon so I could pull him. Truth be known I just wanted to enjoy feeling those coins in my pocket and I didn't mind pulling him as the price for this little freedom.

We got to the corner store and entered to the smell of fresh bread baking in the back. I think we must have looked like we had rabies the way our mouths were watering. Able looked at me and at once I knew I would be going to school the next day with no macaroni.

We bought two loaves of bread and two jelly doughnuts (which we ate on the way home). When we arrived there was the usual party going on upstairs so we gathered my other siblings and went to the basement where we shared the bread with some strawberry jam.

We all fell asleep with Johnny Paycheck booming from the ceiling above that night.

The next day as craft class neared I began to think about the macaroni again. I was in anguish as the teacher asked why I didn't have any macaroni.

"Weren't you listening when I asked you all to bring it John?" She asked sternly.

I was mortified, I didn't know what to say and as the other children started laughing. Then out of nowhere this little girl Rosalyn who sat beside me turned to me and said "Here you can have some of mine." The way she said it, so nice, and the kindness in her eyes made me start to cry and I ran from the room in shame.

I never did take her macaroni or thank her for the offer. I couldn't speak to her again because I was sure I would see my own shame mirrored in her eyes.

I often think about Rosalyn and the way she turned to save me that day. I spent a great deal of my life letting the bricks of anger, hurt and rejection wall me in. I kept good people like Rosalyne out and surrounded myself with the kinds of people who I thought I was.

I eventually did see that and I have changed my life. My own daughter is eight now and I have had the opportunity to send her to school with her own little bag of macaroni. I wrapped it up with a heavy heart that morning thinking of those turbulent days past. I thought of Rosalyn and the little gift she tried to share with me and I give a silent prayer of thanks for all the people like her that make this world a better place to live in.

…..Copyright © 2003 John Gaudet by way of Tim’s Inspiration (timsinspiration@yahoo.com) and “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

WE FAIL TO SEE...

We often fail to see the potentials in others and even in ourselves because of our preoccupation with the outward appearances and actions. But within every born again person is a new creation which is waiting to be released

FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTEMPT

Luke 4:24, "And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country."

LUKE 4:16-30

A modern day equivalent of this verse is "familiarity breeds contempt." Those who know the most about us also know more of our faults than anyone else. As a general rule, our weaknesses will blind most people to our strengths.

However, in the case of Jesus, there were no faults or failures to bias these people. In this instance, the problem stemmed from the people's lack of perception. They knew Jesus better than most in the flesh, but they had failed to see who He was in the Spirit.

Jesus was God in all His power and majesty, yet He was clothed in flesh --a human in every respect (1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 1:3). These people looked on Jesus' outward appearance and failed to see God within (1 Sam. 16:7).

Likewise, we fail to see the potential in others and even in ourselves because of our preoccupation with the outward appearance and actions. But within every born again person is a new creation which is waiting to be released (2 Cor. 5:17). All it takes is someone who believes.

Today look beyond the exterior in yourself and others and help bring into reality what we can be in Christ.

BUMMYLA http://wp.me/p1DKIN-Iv

THOUGHT PROVOKING - INSPIRATIONAL

Jesus changed the whole world with 12 (only 11 of whom panned out) disciples. Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point is a study of how human organizations change. How does a system reach the "tipping point" whereby an organizational culture is transformed? Gladwell documents that it takes no more than six children in a school to begin wearing a certain brand of sport shoe to reach the tipping point whereby in just a few days a hundred children will begin wearing the same brand of shoe.


"I believe Gladwell is right. In all of the churches I have served as pastor, only 6 percent of the members gave nearly two-thirds of all the financial gifts of the church. I've served some wonderful churches, but I've never served a church that wasn't being led by 6 percent of the members. Only 6 percent of the congregation are people to whom God has given the passion and the position to lead the whole church.

"There is a word of grace here for church leaders. If you want to give the church a brighter future, you only have to convince 6 percent of the people in the church. As a bishop, if I want to reverse the decline of my conference, I only have to identify a mere 6 percent who know how to make that turn around happen.

"Christianity tends to be a minority movement. Jesus occasionally attracted multitudes, but His transformative work tended to be through a small group of disciples. Thanks be to God we don't have to wait to follow the Spirit until 99 percent of everyone thinks this direction is a good idea.

God can work through something as seemingly small and insignificant as a mustard seed to grow the Kingdom."

…..Will Willmon (Preaching Now) by way of Chaplain Notes (ChapnotesMail@aol.com) and “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

MATTHEW 7:7 - BIBLE VERSE FOR THE DAY

One verse that I feel is a major verse on getting more of your prayers answered by the Lord is the one I am going to list for our Bible Verse for the Day. This is the famous ask-seek-knock verse.

Here is this most important verse, and then I will point out a few key things for you to grasp on this verse:

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened … If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:7-11)

Notice several things:

1. There are three conditions – ask, seek and knock – and they are all in the same sentence.

2. What I believe the Lord may be trying to tell us is that sometimes all you need to do is ask Him for something and He will then bring it your way. You will not need to do any kind of seeking or knocking.

But then there will be times you may ask several times, and nothing seems to happen. What you may want to do then is see if you need to go into a seeking or knocking mode.

Example – you have just lost your job. You then “ask” God to lead you to the next new job He will want you to have.

From there, God may throw you into the seeking and knocking modes. What this means is that you will have to start seeking and searching for that next new job. And as you are knocking on different doors and going through various interiews, you will then find the next new job God will want you to have in the divine destiny that He has set up for your life.

In other words, you will find it as you are “seeking” after it – just like this verse is telling us.

So the next time you have a prayer request and you have not received an answer to it after “asking” God for it several times, see if God may want you to go into a seeking mode. Sometimes the answer to your prayer will come after you start seeking after it, just like the above example on looking for a new job perfectly illustrates.

http://www.bible-knowledge.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/02/ask/

THE DIAMOND

Harry Winston, a famous diamond broker, was excited. And so was the crowd that had gathered around him. He had just purchased one of the most famous diamonds in the world. And he expected it to be delivered at any moment!

In the crowd were friends and news reporters and curious onlookers, all anxious for the first glimpse of the famous stone. While they waited, Mr. Winston entertained them with stories from the diamond’s past history. The crowd buzzed with excitement. The people kept watching for the armored car and police escort that would make the delivery. Security was sure to be tight.

At the edge of the crowd a man in a postman’s uniform tried to make his way through, but he was shoved back. The people wanted nothing to distract attention from the arrival of the fabled gem.

The crowd grew. Self-appointed sentinels kept their eyes on the roadway, ready to shout the arrival of the armed escort. Again the postman tried to push through the crowd. In his hand he clutched a brown paper parcel tied with string. He said he had to deliver it to Mr. Winston. Imagine! Who was he? Some crackpot trying to get his name in the paper?

Finally, with more irritation than courtesy, they let the stubborn postman through. Mr. Winston took the parcel, glanced at the return address, and gave a short cry. With trembling hands he tore the paper away from a small box. Then he opened it and tenderly lifted the precious diamond for all to see. He held it up to the sun and let the gem’s reflections play over the amazed crowd.

For a few moments they stood in stunned silence. How could such fabled beauty arrive in such a common wrapping? And then they burst into a loud, spontaneous cheer!

But no one in that crowd ever forgot how they had almost rejected one of the world’s most precious diamonds!

How like what happened nearly two thousand years ago when Jesus came to earth. The people were expecting their Messiah. They were waiting for him, longing for His arrival, but they didn’t think He would come in a brown paper parcel!

…..George Vandeman, These Times, Copyright (c) May 1979, Pacific Press, http://www.signstimes.com by way of The Daily Encourager (dlangerfeld@harrisburgbaptist.org) and “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:6

Faith Alone

Do you have what it takes to please God? Don't get me wrong; there is nothing we can do to earn His love, but as James 2:17 says, "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

Many think that God is impressed by works or by following the law in a legalistic manner. Some believe that if they show kindness or if they are "good," this will please God. God is clear about what will please him-FAITH.

Do you have faith in God? Do you believe that He will answer your prayers and will provide for your needs? Faith doesn't come without effort. To be faith-filled you must be in a place where you are growing in God.

Faith goes beyond just saying "God exists." Faith is following Him all the days of your life. Faith is trusting in Him even in the worst situations, and remembering Him in the best.

Believe that God will bless you as you seek Him and you will witness answered prayers as never before...because God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Further Reading

Hebrews 7:19
Hebrews 9:9-10
Hebrews 10:19-22
God Bless

BUMMYLA http://wp.me/p1DKIN-Qm

THE HAL LINDSEY REPORT

Though it would be tempting to think that Joseph Goebbels, notorious Minister of Propaganda for Hitler's Third Reich, invented the co-option of the mass media for propaganda dissemination, it would be wrong. That honor more probably belongs to America's own President Woodrow Wilson.

To win his first term as President, Wilson promised to keep America out of the impending Great War in Europe. But in 1916, the President decided that if he wanted a seat at the negotiations when the war finally ended -- basically so he could promote his League of Nations scheme -- then America needed to be in the war. So he employed famed New York Times journalist Walter Lippman and psychologist Edward Bernays to develop techniques to influence public opinion in favor of entering the war.

They did and America did.

The rest is history. In fact, Wilson, Lippman, Bernays, et al, were so successful that two up-and-coming political leaders took note of their methods and put them to good use just a couple of decades later. Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler pushed the propaganda envelope, so to speak, but they owed much to the Wilson-Lippman model -- even down to daily talking points on the issues and conference calls between the government and the news organizations. Much like today.

Of course, now we call it "spin." We even have "spin doctors" and "no spin zones." But it's still propaganda.

One can make a strong argument that we've never seen the American mainstream media so "in the tank" for a sitting Administration as we're seeing today. But then the Left argues that Fox News is the PR department for the Republican Party!

The reality is that almost every news organization operating today has some sort of "slant." Some more pronounced than others. If you want your news with a liberal progressive twist, watch ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, or, especially, MSNBC (not to mention publicly-funded PBS). If you want a conservative take on the news, watch Fox News and... well, Fox News Channel. But, you get the picture.

Truth be told, to get just a middle-of-the-road presentation of the news, you probably need to go online and read everything you can from both sides, then filter it through your lens of common sense, historical knowledge, and intuition. But who has time to do that?

So what does this mean? It means that we all need to keep in mind that the slant and intent of almost everything we see and hear and read from the mainstream media is decided in advance in corporate boardrooms and political backrooms. It's based on what works best for the corporation or party making the decision. If they decide that you shouldn't hear certain news reports, then you won't. Welcome to the brave new world.

Speaking of media bias, have you noticed that we've seen a lot more media outrage over an ill-advised comment made by conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh than we have over the killing of six American soldiers and more than 40 Afghans after the accidental burning of some Korans in Afghanistan? Even when the UN's top diplomat in Afghanistan publicly described the Muslims' violent reaction as "legitimate" and "peaceful," and went on record calling for punishment for the American soldiers, the mainstream media couldn't be bothered. There were, apparently, bigger fish to fry. Like Rush and Israel.

Just as the media turned a blind eye to the deaths of innocents in Afghanistan and focused on American insensitivity to the Koran, the United Nations followed suit. While Syrian security forces continue to murder Syrian citizens in astonishing numbers (nearly 5,500 so far); even after a UN commission reported "widespread and systematic violations" of women's rights by Syrian forces, including sexual violence, rape, and torture, the UN Commission on the Status of Women chose to pass a resolution condemning... Israel.

According to the Commission, the major obstacle to the advancement of Palestinian women is Israel's occupation of the disputed territory. In fact, the UN Commission condemned the "systematic violation of their human rights resulting from the severe impact of ongoing illegal Israeli practices."

Never mind the rape, murder, and torture of women going on in Syria; never mind the oppression of women in Iran or Saudi Arabia; don't worry about the slave trade in Sudan and Darfur, this cruel Israeli scheme to suppress the self-reliance and advancement of Palestinian women has got to stop!

Do you remember what the Apostle Paul said about those who do not love the truth in the last days? He said that God would send a "deluding influence" upon them "so that they will believe what is false, in order that all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness." I believe that's precisely what we're witnessing in the earth today.

Finally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House last Monday. The Prime Minister chose the occasion of the Feast of Purim to emphasize to the President that Israel finds itself once again under mortal threat from Persia, or modern-day Iran. Mister Obama continued to insist that there is still time to try further negotiations and tougher sanctions against Iran. Netanyahu persisted in affirming Israel's sovereign right to defend itself, by itself, if needed.

Then emerged a story that may prove the fallacy of President Obama's assertions. Apparently German and Japanese intelligence sources last week confirmed stories that have appeared in Der Spiegel and Welt am Sonntag that western intelligence has known for 11 months that North Korea carried out covert nuclear tests on an Iranian radioactive bomb or nuclear warhead. And they did it in 2010! A Debkafile report concluded that, "The disclosure invalidates the main point the US President made... that there was still time for diplomatic pressure and sanctions to bring Iran's leaders to a decision to halt their nuclear momentum before military action was called for, whether by the US or Israel."

I think it may be wise to remember Paul's words in Romans 13:11, "...knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed." Make sure you're ready for the moment when Jesus calls, "Come up here!" And use this time and the drama of these events to make certain that those near you have heard the "good news" that Jesus Christ died to purchase a pardon for all their sins so that when it comes time for the believers to leave this earth, they, too, will hear His call.


http://www.hallindsey.com

THE ONE CHOICE THAT LED TO DEATH

by Bishop Keith A. Butler

And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of man offences unto justification

Romans 5:16

The first instance of God saying something and it not being done occurred after God gave a limit to Adam, and satan challenged Eve about whether God had really said it. In the end, Adam openly disobeyed the one limit God placed on his existence and purpose in Paradise. As a consequence, Adam and Eve were ejected from the garden and gave up their crowns for the yoke of death.

Again, it wasn't God's choice; it was a human one. It is still that way. Our choices always have consequences. God chose to risk everything by giving us the power of choice in the hope that we would choose His way freely and from the heart.

God gave Adam one boundary and countless free choices outside that boundary. Humankind tends to set up countless boundaries and provide only a few limited choices-especially when God has been removed from the center of their lives.

Prayer for Today

Father,

I praise you for loving me enough to set boundaries, for loving me enough to show me the good path which leads to life. Thank you for your Word which gives light to my way. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Selah: Think on These Things

* Galatians 3:10

* James 2:10

BUMMYLA http://wp.me/p1DKIN-Pv

WINDOW OF CONNECTION

As I was going to sleep, or maybe I was asleep, I heard a voice. The voice may not have been audible, but the voice spoke to me. The voice said, “When you open the door to let my light and love come in, you must learn all you can about me, you must commune with me, and you must get to know my will. When you do this, the window of connection is opened. Only then, can my love and light shine freely through you to others. It is then others can see Me in you. If a person does not take time to know me, how can they tell others about me? Going to church only on Sundays, is not going to do this. It takes study. You must study by getting into my Word, where you can truly learn of me. When you do this, then, you can share my love with others. It is then; my ‘light’ will shine forth brightly. My spirit becomes alive, in you."

I realized how true and right this was. Far too many people have only asked Jesus to be their Savior, and never seemed to ‘grow’ in Him.

It is very hard to share Jesus when a person does not personally know Him. This message was so powerful; I felt it was also for many churches. In this day and age they seem too passive and almost dead when it came to the teaching of our Lord. Think how ‘on fire’ Christians could be when they really got to know God's precious Son, really know HIM.

Suddenly, I found myself in a huge field that was filled with many wild flowers. Jesus asked me, “What do you see?” I replied, “I see flowers.”

“No, open your eyes and see.” He instructed. I hesitated, for all I could think to say is ”I see wild flowers everywhere.”

In a soft correcting voice He spoke, “This is God’s beauty that He has ‘given’ to His Children. You need to appreciate the wonder of His creation by spending more time in it.”

I knew that I was guilty of sitting in front of the television for too many hours and spending too much time on the computer, I had not spent time to enjoy the wonders He had blessed us with.

Then I was in a room filled with really disgusting looking individuals. I wrinkled my nose, but did not say a word.

The voice said, “You are to love the unlovable. As I have always loved you.” Then I looked at those in the room and thought yes, Jesus truly loved me and I was once so unlovable. I hang my head in shame.

The scene changed and I was standing inside of a big auditorium. There was a man on the stage and the people seemed to worship him. He spoke to me, “You see this man. Did He die for your sins?”

I said, “No Jesus, you died for me!”

He asked me, “Why does man worship him?” Why did we lift man up and worship him? A question I had no answer for.

All through this dreamy vision, I felt an overpowering love. A love that powerful yet peaceful; when I awoke all I could say was, “Thank You, Jesus….”

…..Sharon Niese (Sniese3@roadrunner.com) by way of “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO...

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.... It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.

Jeremiah 17:7-9

We cannot separate actions from consequences. Why, then, do we allow our culture to tell us that we can plant seeds of one kind and bear fruits of another? The world tells us that we can plant seeds of promiscuity and carelessness and bear fruits of beauty, happiness and even love. But the results are disease, unwanted pregnancy and unhappiness.

Root and fruit are inevitably intertwined.

Isaiah 32:17 says, "The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever."

One of the surest ways to change your life for the better is to stop sowing seeds that bear bad fruit! Plant seeds of righteousness and put those roots in your life. Unlike the culture around us, the Bible takes a very clear position on right and wrong.

Ask Him to guide your actions so you will produce good fruit that is pleasing to God.

Further Reading

•Jeremiah 6:19

•John 15:4

•Galatians 5:22-23

God Bless

BUMMYLA http://wp.me/p1DKIN-Nw

ISAIAH 64:8 - BIBLE VERSE FOR THE DAY

Yes, this article is a might long, but so worth the time it takes to read it. It is good for us "ole timey Jesus People, the babies in Christ and for those anywhere in between. Thanks and God Bless each of you, recj/LJG

This next Bible Verse for the Day may only be a one line sentence, but an incredible amount of knowledge and revelation is being given to us in it.

This verse is from the Book of Isaiah and it tells us that God is the Potter and we are His clay. What this verse is telling us is that it is God’s job to shape, mold, and transform us in this life as we walk out our divine destiny for Him.

Here is this most profound verse:

“But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8)

To really understand this verse with all of the incredible revelation that is being given in it, you need to know exactly how a potter makes jars of clay. Over the years I had no idea on how that was done until about 4-5 years ago when a friend of mine sent me a DVD of a pastor who was going around the country giving live demonstrations on how real live pottery was made. As He was doing this, he was showing people how this process lines up with what God wants to do with each one of us.

As a result of this good DVD I had received, I went ahead and drew up an article on this verse. Here is the link to this article if you would like to see exactly what God is trying to tell us with this great visual analogy in the above verse.

“God is the Potter, We are the Clay”

THE AROMA OF CHRIST

Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth
But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? ( 2 Corinthians 2:14-16, NIV).

Friend to Friend
I tend to be a creature of habit in many ways – a fact that impacts all areas of my life – even when it comes to smells. I know. A little strange but let me explain.

While teaching third grade at an elementary school in Texas, I habitually took the same route to work every morning. The elementary school was only a 15 minute drive from our home, and there were several different and even shorter routes I could have taken. However, the one I normally took went by a bakery at the precise time they were gearing up for the day. The aroma of fresh bread was like a magnet that lured me in to grab a hot cinnamon roll or blueberry muffin to eat on my way to school. Scrumptious! In fact, I eagerly volunteered to provide goodies for the teacher break room because it gave me an excuse to stop at the bakery. And all the other teachers just thought I was being nice! Interestingly enough, if I was dieting, I took a different route in order to avoid that tempting smell.

I am also a creature of habit when it comes to candles. I love candles. In fact, everyone who knows me can testify to the fact I have a “thing” for candles. I burn them continually for any or no reason other than the fact I enjoy their aroma. When I walk in my front door, the fragrance of a burning candle often triggers wonderful memories and instantly draws me in. And the aroma of just-baked cookies or a pot of coffee brewing just makes me feel good. I have to say that fragrances are important to me.

Unfortunately, life is filled with both pleasant and not-so-pleasant fragrances. One of my least favorite smells comes from a litter box. We have had cats on and off for many years. Never just one cat mind you. Oh no. At one point, we had two adult cats that both had kittens within a month of each other for a grand total of nine cats. And did I mention the fact that I hate litter boxes? When I walked in the front door of our home and was greeted by that toxic litter box odor, I flew into high gear lighting candles, emptying the litter box and … well, you get the idea. An aroma can be appealing and inviting or it can be offensive and unpleasant. That same principle can be applied to our life in Christ.

A life without Jesus Christ is filled with the aroma of death but the fragrance of Jesus Christ at work in a life is pleasing and winsome. The knowledge of Christ is a compelling and magnetic fragrance that draws the broken heart and wounded soul to a place of restoration. When God looks at one of His children, I am convinced His heart beats with love, giving off the beautiful aroma of grace and hope.

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (NIV) “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?”

How about your life? Do you live in such a way that people are drawn to you and the pleasant aroma of Jesus Christ and His truth at work in you? Does His transforming knowledge compel others to take a second look at your life and want what you have? I so want my life to be one that is winsome like Jesus was. I want others to see Him in me and be drawn to the fragrance of His love and mercy that save me and give my life purpose. I want to be the aroma of Jesus Christ to the broken and wounded people who cross my path every day.

Let’s Pray
Father, I want others to see You in my life. I want to live out Your truth and knowledge in such a way that the lost and broken are drawn to Your love and mercy in me. Teach me how to saturate my life with Your truth and then share that truth with those around me. Let me be the sweet aroma of You to my family, friends, and neighbors … everyone You send my way.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn
Make a list of your five favorite fragrances.
How do these fragrances make you feel?
Are you saturating your life with the fragrance of God’s truth?
Who are the people in your life who need to know Christ?
What step(s) do you need to take to be the aroma of Jesus Christ to the people in your life?

More from the Girlfriends
It has become a family joke that I have an invisible sign on my forehead that says “Dump here.” Why? Not because of anything that I have done but simply because of God’s presence in me that draws people to Himself.

www.girlfriendsingod.com

GOD IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN PROMOTE YOU

DRAWN BY God’s POWER

Mark 1:37, "And when they had found him, they said unto him, All [men] seek for thee."

MK. 1:35-39; LK. 4:42-44

This is an amazing statement. Jesus' ministry was only a few months old and the masses of people were already seeking him out.

This is even more astonishing when you realize that Jesus had not used any of the conventional methods of publicity. In fact, Jesus had already rejected publicity during His first ministry in Jerusalem (Jn. 2:24-25). There was no natural explanation for Jesus' success.

God is the one who promoted Jesus. And He used supernatural means to do it. It was not the slick techniques of Madison Avenue that brought the crowds--it was the awesome manifestation of God's power.

Just the day before, Jesus had cast the demon out of a man at the synagogue in Capernaum (Mk. 1:21-28). This caused the whole city to gather at Peter's house and Jesus healed every one of them (Lk. 4:40).

Jesus' display of the miraculous power of God was the spark that the Holy Spirit used to light a fire in the hearts of these people. Jesus had this power because of His intimate relationship with His father. It is no accident that He was praying while all men were seeking Him.

As you seek to touch others with the new life that you've found in Christ, let God confirm His Word with the miraculous manifestations of His power through you

http://bummyla.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/god-is-the-only-one-that-can-promote-you/