HE HEARS US

One of my favorite Dr. Seuss stories is “Horton Hears A Who”. We see this kind elephant, Horton, hearing a tiny sound in something like a dandelion. He soon learns that a whole smaller world of creatures lives in that dandelion. People don’t believe him, but he keeps listening and speaking to the small creature he befriends. He goes to great lengths to protect that small world he holds with his trunk.

In the scheme of things we seem, but small and insignificant in God’s creations. Yet, God, like Horton, sees us as important and worth saving, loving and listening too. What an encouragement to know that our God hears us when we pray. When we pray with a humble and right heart persistently before Him, He will hear us. Daniel was just one example to us in the Bible. In Daniel 10:12 we read,

“Don’t be afraid, Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers.”

Even more encouraging is the fact that God will answer us. He will send and give us an answer. We may not be blessed with a great angel coming to bring us the answer like Daniel experienced, but we will receive a response that is just as valid from the Lord. The key is to be like Daniel. Be a humble and persistent prayer warrior.

http://wisejunction.wordpress.com/

NO GREATER LOVE THAN THIS...MEMORIAL DAY

by Kevin Nunez





Memorial Day


A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.

-Joseph Campbell

Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. God bless all the women and men who have served in the past and who are serving in the present.


“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”

-Billy Graham

What makes a person a hero?


“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.”

-Arthur Ashe

The ultimate hero is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!


Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13 ESV

Greater love has no one than this, - No higher expression of love could be given. Life is the most valuable object we possess; and when a man is willing to lay that down for his friends or his country, it shows the utmost extent of love. Even this love for friends has been rarely witnessed. It greatly enhances the love of Christ, that while the instances of those who have been willing to die for friends have been so rare, he was willing to die for enemies - bitter foes, who rejected his reign, persecuted him, reviled him, scorned him, and sought his life, 1 John 4:10; Romans 5:6, Romans 5:10. It also shows us the extent of his love that he gave himself up, not to common sufferings, but to the most bitter, painful, and protracted sorrows, not for himself, not for friends, but for a thoughtless and unbelieving world.


"O Lamb of God, was ever pain was ever love like thine!"

God bless you all!

Source: Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Picture: http://packerchatters.com/wp-content/uploads/memorialday1.jpg

—

Always, for God’s glory and our joy in Him!

Kevin Nunez

KEVIN NUNEZ@wordpress.com

MY NEIGHBOR'S FAITH: THE RABBI AND THE CAB DRIVER

I flew into Syracuse, N.Y., on a windy evening in October of 2000. After we landed, I hailed a cab. This not being New York City, where I am from, there was no cab line, no wait and no time to look at the car I was jumping into.

As soon as I was in the cab however, I noticed that pretty much every surface of the car's interior was covered with a JESUS LOVES YOU sticker, that there was a crucifix mounted on the dashboard and there were even little green pocket bibles hanging on strings at the point where the windshield meets the frame of the car. This wasn't just a cab, it was a rolling cathedral!

Part of me thought I should just jump out of the car, but we were already pulling away from the curb and I didn't want to cause any trouble or cost the driver his fare.

As he pulled out of the airport, the cabdriver, a middle-aged man with a scraggly beard, long greasy blond hair and wearing a red checkered shirt, cut off at the sleeves, was checking me out in the rearview mirror. He was actually using his rearview mirror to see if what he thought he saw on the back of my head (a kippah/yarmulke/skullcap) was really there.

Having decided that it was really back there, which it was, he finally asked in the raspy voice of a heavy smoker, "So, what do you do?"

I hesitated. Every fiber of my being said, Lie. In fact, I actually recall thinking of the other careers I had explored, and telling him about one of those. You see, I travel 100 nights a year for the work I do teaching, speaking and consulting, and although I love and miss my wife and kids, most of the time I relish the adventure of connecting with all the different types of people I meet on the road. At that moment, however, I did not want to connect with the cabbie.

All I wanted to do was sit quietly, get to my hotel, brush my teeth, put on a tie, and go give my lecture.

"I'm a rabbi," I said. I couldn't lie. Not because I'm so pious, but somehow, at that moment, it did not feel like the right thing to do.

"A rabbi!" he replied. "There are so many things I want to ask a rabbi."

"I bet there are," I responded, looking once more at my surroundings.

"So", he said, "Can I ask?"

"We are going 65 miles an hour down the highway, where am I going?" I said. "Ask away!"

He studied me. "You believe in the Bible, right?"

"Yes," I said, figuring this was not the time to bring up Old Testament, New Testament ... those distinctions didn't seem relevant.

"What do you think of Jesus?" he asked.

"Oh, an easy question" I deadpanned. "If you are asking me if I believe that Jesus is God's only son and the only way we can find salvation, no, that's not what I believe about Jesus. If you're asking if I believe that Jesus is one of humanity's great teachers from whom we all can learn, then yes, I believe in that Jesus."

A long silence followed my response to his question, followed only by a very loud "huh" from the front seat of the cab. I didn't know whether he was impressed or offended. Perhaps he felt I was mocking Christianity.

"But if you think Jesus is so great, shouldn't he be your path to salvation? Why if you believe the first thing, don't you believe the second, and why if you don't believe the second thing, do you believe the first?"

"I can believe that Jesus is a great teacher without believing that he is God's son and the only path to salvation. One truth doesn't negate the other. I can love Jesus in my way. And you can love Jesus in yours. There is room for both of our understandings of Jesus. I don't believe that you have to be wrong for me to be right."

"Whoooah" he said. "A rabbi who loves Jesus!" He was watching me so intently in his rearview mirror that he drifted off the road. Chunks of gravel flew up from under the wheels as we veered onto the shoulder and then back onto the highway. Was the price of my honesty going to be death by car wreck? I actually thought about all those times I had commented on God having a wicked sense of humor, and that this might be one of those times.

Eventually both the cabbie's breathing and his driving returned to normal. We were back on the road and staying in one lane, mostly. With that, my own breathing returned to normal, apparently enough for my driver to notice and continue our conversation.

"Rabbi" he exclaimed, "That whole you-don't-have-to-be-wrong-for-me-to-be-right thing, I've never heard anything like that before! Now there are so many more things I gotta ask you."

I didn't explain that I had never said it quite that way before -- I didn't see how that would help. I was struck however by the fact that in many ways, much of my life and work had been leading up to that formulation for most of my life. It was, it turns out, a momentous occasion for both us.

Even as I clutched the armrest and prepared myself for whatever was coming next, I empathized with the cabbie. I suspected that he lived a life in which his way was the only way, and it was incomprehensible and not just a little bit maddening that everyone didn't share his particular point of view.

I had been there. In the early 1980s, when I was a teenager, I had been a religious fanatic. I had left my family's upscale North Shore Suburban Chicago neighborhood to join a group of settlers in the West Bank city of Hebron. I felt absolutely sure of myself, absolutely sure of the meaning and purpose of my life, absolutely sure that my way was the only way to live.

I led tours for Jews through Hebron, with a Bible in one hand and a gun in the other, pointing out every building with a niche for a mezuzah, the handwritten scroll that marks the door of a Jewish home. I showed them that regardless of contemporary maps, this land was ours. The Bible was our deed, because, according to the Book of Genesis, Hebron was the place where Abraham, the first Jew, had bought land for the tomb of Sarah, his wife. It is the place where Genesis says Abraham, Sarah and their children are buried.

Then something happened that shook me to the core. A group of Jewish settlers was attacked. In running down one of the assailants, three of the settlers fired into a school and killed two Palestinian students.

I was stunned by their deaths. When I sought the advice of one of the settlement movements leaders, he said, "Yes, this is a problem, but it is not a 'fundamental problem.'" That was when I knew something horrible had happened. Staying in Hebron was destroying the very things that had brought us there: the desire to take back power and walk the land our ancestors had. These are good things. But even the best things have limits. A lesson that I learned in Hebron was that the best things can become the most seductive and deadly -- great dreams become absolutist dogmas and people suffer on all sides.

The deaths of those students cracked me open. I realized that perhaps I didn't have all the answers, and the beliefs that had been driving my life were deeply flawed, or at least the entire program of their implementation was. I found myself suddenly outside the fold of the settlers' movement, and I felt desolate and not just a little bit lonely.

I tried to stay in Israel after the incident, but it wasn't working for me. The feelings of disillusionment and alienation persisted. So I came home. America, even with all of its materialism (much of which I happen to like) and consumerism, its culture of Coca-Cola and McDonald's, felt more spiritually healthy to me than the Holy Land. Because with all of its problems, this is basically a pluralist, inclusive culture; or at least more of its members aspire to that ideal than do the members of any other society I've experienced. I enrolled in the University of Chicago to study religion while remaining a traditionally observant Jew; I wanted a wider perspective on the forces and beliefs that had run my life. I wanted to explore the forest and not just hug one particular tree.

The University of Chicago provided that for me. I was influenced by Jonathan Z. Smith, who gave all religions a hard time but respected them as well. He moved with ease from Cargo Cults to ancient Israel to medieval Islam to the letters of Paul. I was also influenced by Jon Levenson, a warm engaging man with a wicked, and sometimes cutting, sense of humor. I decided to continue on with my studies, and I enrolled in the doctoral program at the Jewish Theological Seminary in Manhattan. I wanted to go into academia. I had no interest in becoming a rabbi.

I felt that rabbis just persuaded other people to imitate the rabbi; that they scored points by getting you to join their institution, and measured success based on how many people they signed up. While that was different from what was going on in Hebron, it seemed so to me only in degree, not in consciousness. I now know that many rabbis aren't like that, but I still feel that too often success for religious leaders of any faith is about getting their students to look, act and think more as they do. I aspire to use what I know to help people look more like the person they want to be; to find, to use an overused term, "their best self." I try to offer my teachings as a way to do that, not as an instrument of affiliation.

When I gave the cabbie my take on Jesus that night in Syracuse, I was speaking to him through the prism of my Hebron experience and how it had changed me. I was trying to help him see that my way was not the only way, and that although each of us was deeply committed to a particular tradition, we could remain open to the wisdom found in other traditions. I wanted him to appreciate that I could love and learn from his tradition, and that we did not need to agree in order to share that love.

I assumed the cabbie's strong reaction had to do with the fact that, as he said, he had found a rabbi who loved Jesus. But it was more than that.

"Rabbi" the cabbie said "Can I ask you another question -- it's about my wife."

Although I didn't say it, what I thought was, can I just have another Jesus question, please. But what I said in response was simply, "Sure."

The cabbie said that for years and years he had been a drug addict and an alcoholic. He had been in and out of detox programs. He had suffered relapses and broken countless promises to himself and others. He had been unable to hold a job and was often in trouble with the law. He had lived his life that way for as long as he could remember. And then he had been introduced to his church and his pastor, had found Christ, and had become clean and sober. Jesus had saved him.

I've talked to many addicts over the years, and I know what a difference Jesus can make in their lives. In Jesus they find a source of unconditional love-an affirmation of human dignity and infinite worth, no matter what transgressions they have committed -- an image of someone who suffered more than they have, no matter how much they have suffered. And in Jesus they find someone who literally came back from the dead, who was reborn.

Jesus had showed the cabbie how he could start over, and evangelical Christianity had been his salvation. But, he told me, he had a problem: his wife of 20 years wanted nothing to do with his religion, church or pastor. "She doesn't go to church with me, and she doesn't want to go to church with me," he said. "She doesn't believe what I believe. But she never gave up on me, through all the dark times. She stuck with me. And now..." His voice broke and he couldn't get out the words. "Plus," he finally added, "My pastor says that if she doesn't get the Message, then maybe I should get a new wife."

I could feel how torn he was. His most important teacher had told him that he had a choice to make. He felt pulled in different directions by the two things that mattered most in his life: his wife and his faith. Nobody had told him that his wife could be completely with him on his journey even if they were never going to be in complete agreement. My teacher in Hebron, for whom any difference was an excuse for disconnection, expressed the same mind-set. Either the cause was perfect and for everybody, or it was flawed and therefore for nobody.

"Look" I said to him, "I can't tell you what to do, but I can tell you this -- you are a very lucky man. You are doubly blessed; first you were saved by your wife and then you were saved by your faith. I can't imagine why you would give up on either one of them. You can make room for both of them and for each other."

"Whoaaaaaa!" He shouted, and again we were swerving sharply to the right and heading off the road. I couldn't believe it -- I thought I was handling things so well, and for the second time in one day, I was about to die in the back of this guy's cab! Bu it turned out that while he was very excited about my response to his question, and was moving very fast, we were turning into the driveway of my hotel.

"Can I still pray for her?" he asked.

"For her to see the light? To believe what you believe? I guess so," I replied. "You probably wouldn't be you if you didn't pray for her. But if your praying starts to make you appreciate her less or any less able to sustain your relationship, then you are praying too much. Your wife doesn't have to be wrong for you to be right, and when it comes to Jesus, you don't have to wrong for me to be right either."

Having arrived at the hotel, I thought that we were done. I was wrong. As he screeched to a halt, he jumped out of the car and was coming around to open my door. He was moving with such speed and determination, that I thought this time I really had offended him. He threw open my door and was literally reaching in for me!

As I got out of the cab, I realized he wasn't upset at all, but he was shaking. He literally fell into my arms and put his head on my shoulder. It was only moments before I felt my collar wet with his tears.

So there we were, two middle aged men standing in the parking lot of a Syracuse hotel, hugging each other. We must have made quite a picture. After what seemed like a very long time but was probably only a couple of minutes, the cabbie pulled himself together, stood facing me as he sniffled a bit and wiped his eyes. He straightened himself, brushed his hair of his face, tucking it behind his ears, and stared at me hard in the eyes.

"Rabbi," he said "You'd make a good pastor!"

I felt honored -- it was his highest form of praise. I gave him one last hug and we were each on our way.

I have no idea what became of the driver, but I carry the lessons of our ride with me each and every day, and now you can too.

This column is an excerpt from 'My Neighbor's Faith: Stories of Interreligious Encounter, Growth, and Transformation.'

OBEDIENCE TO THE HEAVENLY VISION

Acts 26:19-20

"So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds."


In our passage today, Paul received a pretty clear "heavenly vision" from God (his "vision from heaven"):
Who? Jews and Gentiles.
What? Preach repentance and a turn to God; and proving repentance by deeds.
When? Always now -- when Paul got an order from God he acted upon it immediately.
Where? First in Damascus (Paul's location when he first received the vision), then in Jerusalem and all of Judea.
Why? Proving of his faith through obedience.
Last night my wife and I were out to dinner with some friends when the conversation turned to the general topic of the Lord's vision for our lives (the "what" question from above). One of our friends, Dave said he had been working on his for awhile and it was very simple: "Connect people to one another and to God." I think that's beautiful in both its simplicity and clarity, not to mention it completely captures the essence of Dave's personality: For example, whenever someone brings up a subject he immediately begins to think of others with similar interests. He's a great "people network" kind of person who sits on multiple boards, truly knows just about everyone, and is always helping people to connect. God gave Dave his very own unique "heavenly vision" and Dave has been faithful to it ever since.
While Dave was talking I couldn't help think about what my heavenly vision might be. No sooner had the thought crept into my mind than I had it: "Help people to apply Scripture in their everyday lives." That's it -- my own personal "heavenly vision."


Hopefully you agree the writing of these devotions is proof of my obedience to the "vision from heaven" for my life. What about you? What is your "heavenly vision"? Have you been obedient? When will you start? It only takes a small effort to begin. Will you take the first step today?

pocketpower.org

TAKING EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE PART FIVE

Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV).

Friend to Friend In my last 4 devotions, I’ve looked at steps to taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. I’m proud of you for sticking with it! Today’s the last of the series. If you’ve missed any of the series, you can read them all on my blog at www.sharonjaynes.com. Let’s review:

Step One: Recognize the Enemy’s True Identity Step Two: Recognize Satan’s Lies Step Three: Reject the Lies And today we’re looking at step four: Replace the lies with the Truth

Just as Satan tempted Eve in the Garden, he tried to tempt Jesus in the wilderness. How did Jesus fight the enemy? He fought him with Scripture – He conquered him with the truth. Each time Satan put an evil thought before Him, Jesus said, “It is written….”

It is not a sin to be tempted. The Bible says that Jesus was tempted and yet did not sin. It becomes a sin when we act on the thought or accept the lie as truth. As Martin Luther once said, “You can’t keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hat.”

Let me give you this example. I believe that Satan sends us e-mails all day long (evil-mails). If you get a seductive e-mail on the screen of your computer, is it your fault? Not unless you’ve placed yourself on some bad e-mail lists. When does that e-mail become a sin? The moment you click on it and accept the invitation.

Likewise, when the enemy tempts you to believe a lie, the temptation is not sin. It becomes sin if you accept the thought as your own and act on it. Your responsibility is to delete the lie and replace it with the truth.

When it comes to defeating Satan, Dr. Neil Anderson said it well: “You don’t have to out shout him or out muscle him to be free of his influence. You just have to out truth him.”

Below are some common lies of the enemy and the truth that “demolishes” them. I have listed each lie in the first person, “I,” because that is how the enemy puts them into our thoughts.

Satan’s Lie Nobody loves me.

God’s Truth For God so loved the world, He gave His only Son. (John 3:16)
Satan’s Lie I’m not able to do this job. I don’t have the right gifts.
God’s Truth Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant. (2 Corinthians 3:5)

Satan’s Lie God couldn’t love me.

God’s Truth How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! (I John 3:1)

Satan’s Lie I’m so worried about this. I can’t help it.

God’s Truth Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving; present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. - (Philippians 4:6)

Satan’s Lie I’m a loser.

God’s Truth I have been blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)

Satan’s Lie I can’t help myself.

God’s Truth Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

In order to win the battle for our minds, we must refuse the lies and replace them with the truth. The more we think on the truth quicker we will recognize the lies and replace them with truth.

Girlfriend, I’m proud of you for sticking with me these five days. T he Bible says “Wisdom brightens a [woman’s] face and changes its hard appearance” (Ecclesiastes 8:1 NIV). I’d say you are absolutely glowing. Stunning.

Let’s Pray Dear Heavenly Father, today I am choosing to believe the truth. Help me realize the enemy’s true identity, recognize the lies, reject the lies, and replace his lies with Your truth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn It’s seems the key to this entire process of taking every thought captive is knowing and applying the truth! So let’s commit 2 Corinthians 10:5 to memory. In this series, I quoted from several different translations. Chose the translation that is most comfortable for you and write this verse on a card. Put it on your dashboard, by your kitchen sink, or on your bathroom mirror.

See if you can name the four steps to taking every thought captive without looking.

www.girlfriendsingod.com

TAKING EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE PART FOUR

Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Friend to Friend In my past three devotions, we looked at two steps for taking every thought captive. Today, let’s look at step three: Reject the Lie.

Once I had a door-to-door vacuum salesman come to my house. To my detriment, I let him in. Before I could convince him I did not need a new vacuum cleaner, he had his demonstration trash sprinkled all over my foyer floor. Almost two hours later, I finally got him to leave.

What was my first mistake? You know it! My first mistake was to let him cross the threshold of my doorway and enter my house. Once he was in, it was difficult to get him out. It is the same way with our thoughts. Once we entertain a thought, once we allow the “salesman” to scatter his “trash” in our minds, it is hard to dismiss it or push it back out again. The place of easiest victory is at the threshold; don’t even let the trash in the door. It has been said, “Every spiritual battle is won or lost at the threshold of the mind.” I think victory is possible once the thought has passed over the threshold, but it sure will save us a lot of heartache and pain if we begin to recognize Satan’s lies and reject them from the start.

Let’s go back to 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 and dig a little deeper by discovering the rich meaning of some of the key words in the original Greek language of the New Testament.

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

This verse tells us that through Christ, we have the power to demolish strongholds. What is a stronghold? The Greek word for stronghold is echo, meaning, “to hold fast.” A derivation of that same word, echuroma means “a stronghold, fortification, fortress.” Bible teacher, Beth Moore, describes them as “anything in our lives that we hold on to that ends up holding us.” They are formed when thoughts or habit patterns “echo” time and time again in our minds. They are negative thoughts that are burned into our minds through repetition (such as verbal abuse) or a one-time traumatic incident (such as a rape). These thought patterns have the potential to grab hold of a mind and rule a life. Many strongholds are built brick-by-brick for protection, but inevitably they become prisons. Beth goes on to say, “No matter what the stronghold may be, they all have one thing in common: Satan is fueling the mental tank with deception to keep the stronghold running.”

The word demolish implies a kind of destruction requiring tremendous power – divine power. One reason many Christians have remained in a yoke of slavery to past sins and lies of the enemy is because they swat at strongholds like they are mosquitoes instead of blasting them with the truth like they are concrete fortresses formed by years of construction.

We cannot destroy demonic strongholds on our own strength even on our best days. The Holy Spirit can destroy strongholds with His power even on our worst days. The power of the Holy Spirit is the Greek word dunamous, which is where we get the word dynamite. “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

The verse goes on to describe another area that needs to be destroyed.“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God.” I don’t know about you, but on a few occasions, (OK, on more occasions than I can count) I have argued with God and against the knowledge of God. Guess what? God always wins.

The Greek word for arguments is logismos, meaning “a reckoning, calculation, consideration, reflection.” A calculated thought might be a conclusion that you are a failure, after you have failed at something. That seems logical. It all adds up. Upon reflection, it seems highly probable. However, that’s not what the Truth says. It is against the knowledge of God. Regardless of your calculations, God says you are a saint who has been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, a child of God, and a co-heir with Christ. You are not a failure and you need to reject the lie. When the thought comes into your head, simply say, “I reject that thought. It is a lie of the enemy and not the truth of God. I failed in this instance, but I am not a failure.”

So far we’ve looked at three steps to taking every thought captive:

Step One: Recognize the Enemy’s True Identity

Step Two: Recognize Satan’s Lies

Step Three: Reject the Lies

Join me next time as we look at the final step to taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

Let’s Pray Dear Father, I’ll admit that I toy with thoughts that I know are not true. I feel sorry for myself, entertain thoughts of rejection, and sometimes even feel like nobody loves me. Those are lies. All of them. Right now, I commit to reject the lies of the enemy as soon as the thought comes into my head. Thank you for the truth that sets us free from feelings of inferiority, insecurity, and inadequacy. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength – and that’s the truth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn I want you to write down five lies that you tend to believe about yourself and leave some space between them. Now, I want you to write down a truth from the Bible for each one that lets you know it is a lie.

Let me get you started. Lie: I can’t do anything right. Truth: I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

Lie: Nobody ever prays for me. Truth: Jesus said: “I pray for …those you have given me. John 17:9

www.girlfriendsingod.com

TAKING EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE PART 3

Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth “[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One), (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Friend to Friend My neighbor, Michael, was a stand-in for Samuel, the nine-year-old son of Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) in the movie The Patriot. For months, Michael wore his hair long with extensions, donned Italian knickers and knee-high stockings and acted the part of an American colonial boy. He traveled to rural South Carolina where part of the movie was filmed and received an education in the production of the silver screen. Michael saw how producers and makeup artists made something appear as though it were real when it wasn’t.

The movie was rated R for violent content, but his parents let nine-year-old Michael watch it upon release. It was a bloody realistic reenactment of the horrors of the Revolutionary War. However, during the guts and gore, little Michael didn’t even bat an eye. Why? He knew it wasn’t real.

During one scene, Mel Gibson pummeled a British soldier and landed a hatchet square in the middle of his bloody forehead. I covered my eyes. Michael watched nonplussed. His comment?

“That guy walked around the set with that hatchet in his head for three days. We even ate lunch together and he had that hatchet with fake blood glued to his face. It isn’t real.”

Michael knew what was true and it removed all fear. That’s the power of the truth. Yesterday we looked at step one to taking every thought captive. Today let’s look at step two:

Step One: Realize the Enemy’s True Identity

Step Two: Recognize Satan’s Lies

In 2 Corinthians 2:11 Paul says, "For we are not unaware of his (Satan's) schemes." So let’s take a few moments and look at his battle plan.

If Satan came to you in a little red suit with a pitchfork and announced himself as the devil, you wouldn’t believe a word he said. But he is cunning and disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). When he deceived Eve, he even quoted Scripture – albeit twisted and distorted. He has a collection of old tapes from your past and pushes rewind and play, rewind and play. Oh yes, he knows just which buttons to push. He also uses personal pronouns like “I” instead of “you.” The thoughts sound something like this: “I am a failure. I am a loser. I can’t do anything right. I am ugly.” The thoughts sound like you, feel like you, and before you know it, you think it is you. He did this all throughout Scripture and he still does it today. (See 1 Chronicles 21:1 as an example.)

Satan knows exactly which lies to whisper in your ear. He has watched you over the years and is well acquainted with your insecurities, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities. Do you tend to get discouraged? He will plant seeds of discouragement in your mind. Do you tend to feel rejection and loneliness? He will put ideas that you are rejected in your mind. But are they true? No they are not. You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength. You are loved and chosen by God. That is the truth.

Here’s a simple exercise. If you aren’t sure if a thought is of the enemy, attach, “In Jesus Name,” to the end of it. For example: “I can’t stand that woman, in Jesus’ Name.” “I don’t love my husband, in Jesus’ Name.” “I am a loser, in Jesus Name.” Just doesn’t fit, does it? That is not a fail-safe method for detecting the truth versus a lie, but it is a quick litmus test that takes us in the right direction.

Step two in taking every thought captive is Recognizing Satan’s Lies.

Join me next time as we look at step three to taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. But before we get there, you’ll get to visit with another one of the GiGs.

Let’s Pray Dear Lord, Help me to recognize Satan’s lies. I know the only way to recognize a lie is to know the truth. I pray that the Holy Spirit will convict me when I am believing a lie and that He will help me see Your truth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn Think of some of the negative thoughts that have run through your mind this week. Now attach “in Jesus’ Name” to the end of that thought. What does that reveal?

What are some lies that you have believed about who you are? For example: I am a loser. I can’t do anything right. I am used goods. I can never be forgiven. I am too far gone.

www.girlfriendsingod.com

TAKING EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE

Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV).

Friend to Friend In my last devotion, we looked at 2 Corinthians 10:5 and the idea of taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. We compared it to roping a calf in a lassoing contest. Every spiritual battle is won or lost at the threshold of the mind; right as the calf comes bursting through the door. Let’s look at four simple steps for taking every thought captive and lassoing those runaway thoughts.

STEP ONE

Realize the Enemy’s True Identity On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, after I got my son off to school and my husband off to work, I took a long walk through my neighborhood. The sky was crystal clear blue with a gentle breeze. It was a gorgeous cool North Carolina fall day with just a hint of color on the leaves. There was nothing special on my schedule - just the ordinary. However, one hour later, because of a horrendous terrorist attack on our country in New York City and Washington, DC, by evil personified, the day turned into anything but ordinary. I watched in horror as the television played and replayed the airplanes crashing into the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon.

Amazingly, we never saw it coming. As I thought about that, God reminded me: That's how the enemy always attacks. When you least expect it.

Let’s think about another monumental day in our country’s history. On December 31, 1999, the country and the world braced for the potentially disastrous effects of Y2K. Families and businesses alike prepared for months for what might occur as the clock ticked past 11:59 PM and into the new millennium. We held our breaths, clasped our hands and braced ourselves. Yes, we were ready. What happened? Nothing. The new millennium came without incident.

Oh dear friends, do you see the correlation? There is an enemy who seeks to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). His name is Satan. He desires to destroy us just as sure as the hijackers drove those airplanes into, and toppled, the twin towers in New York City.

Satan has other names – the devil, the accuser of the brethren, a liar, the father of lies, and the deceiver. A deceiver is someone who presents a lie in such a way, it sounds like the truth. He can make you believe something is not true when itis and make you believe something is true when it isn’t. He speaks in your own voice. The thoughts feel like you, because they are the old you that he has memorized so well. He’s not very creative, but he is very effective and he uses the same methods with us he’s used since the beginning of time.

The first step to changing the way we think is to recognize the enemy’s true identity. It’s not your mother; it’s not your father; it’s not the person who abused you as a child. The real enemy is Satan himself and he uses your past hurts and failures as cannon fodder to wound you. If you don’t have sufficient ammo in your past, he concocts some of his own.

In my next three devotions, we’ll continuing look at the steps for taking every thought captive. Mary and Gwen’s devotions will be interspersed. I don’t want you to miss them. I couldn’t go a week without these gal pals. But when I return, I’ll pick right back up where we left off and move on to Step Two of taking every thought captive.

Let’s Pray Heavenly Father, I know that I cannot win a battle if I do not know who I am fighting. Help me to recognize the enemy’s true identity. Spiritual warfare is very real. Today, I put on the armor of God and stand firm against the powers of the enemy. I am more than a conqueror through the power of Jesus Christ. In His Name I pray and stand, Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn Can you think of a time when you blamed someone for a difficulty in your life when it might have been an attack of the enemy?

Go back and read John 10:10. What does the enemy desire to do?

What is he called in John 8:44?

Why do you think it is important to know who the real enemy is in order to win the battle?

www.girlfriendsingod.com

TAKING EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE

Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Friend to Friend Several years ago, my family went on an excursion out West. We flew to Nevada, rented a car, and then proceeded to log in 2500 miles in ten days. One of our stops was Jackson Hole, Wyoming – Cowboy Country.

On Saturday night, we attended the local rodeo. There we sat, three city slickers among whoopin’ hollerin’ locals. The cowboys’ skills entertained and amazed those of us who thought a Bronco was a 4-wheel drive. Cowboys, young and old, rode bucking broncos, raced around barrels, and conquered angry bulls. But the most thrilling event was the lassoing contest.

We all sat on the edge of our seats as the cowboy waited, poised in his saddle, anticipating the calf’s release from the chute. The corral door swung open and the calf burst from the gate. The cowboy exploded through a second door with lasso in hand, and pursued the bucking, twisting, galloping animal. He lassoed the calf’s neck, threw him to the ground, quickly wrapped the rope around his legs, tied them securely in place, and immediately jumped up and raised his arms in victory. As the victor stood receiving his applause, his trained steed took three steps backward to secure the rope in place.

The timer continued to run for a few seconds to make sure the calf was indeed captive. Then the cowboy’s time was posted on the scoreboard. Time and time again, cowhands lassoed little calves, secured their captives, and raised their hands in victory. Only a few times did a calf escape the rope and make his way out the door on the other end of the corral.

I’ll admit that I was feeling a bit sorry for the little calves, even though they were released as soon as the time was logged. The first time one escaped the lasso, I applauded wildly. Angry onlookers let me know with a glare that cheering for the calf was not acceptable. As I continued to watch the contest, the Lord prodded my mind and told me to look and learn. Suddenly it hit me. This event was a perfect picture of what Paul described in today’s truth.

Those calves reminded me of wild and wooly thoughts that burst forth from the stable of my mind at times: negative, rebellious, fearful, angry, worrisome, jealous, degrading thoughts that are untamed and unruly, bucking, jumping and running wild across pleasant plains. And when my thoughts are ungodly, my reaction should be like the cowboy’s: ride up hot on the thought’s heels, lasso it with the truth, tie it up securely, and throw it in the dust. My response should be just like the cowboy’s trusty trained horse who, automatically, because of practice, takes three steps backward to make sure the deceptive thought “ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

Trained because of practice. Taking every thought captive. Yes siree. Let’s lasso those thoughts little sister, tie ‘em up, and throw em’ back in the dust where they came from in the first place. Then we can raise our arms in victory with all the heavenly hosts applauding in victory. And believe me, the faster we do it, the better.

In my next four devotions, we’ll look at four simple steps for taking every thought captive. Mary and Gwen’s devotions will be interspersed. I don’t want you to miss them. I couldn’t go a week without these gal pals. But when I return, I’ll pick right back up where we left off in taking every thought captive.

My prayer is that you’ll put these steps into practice in your own life and light up the scoreboard with victory in lassoing those runaway thoughts.

See you next time!

Let’s Pray Dear Heavenly Father, sometimes my thoughts run wild. I believe things are true when they aren’t and don’t believe things are true when they are. Help me to take every thought captive that is not of You. Fill me with Your Truth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn When is the last time you had a runaway thought that was not godly?

At what point did you realize the thought was not of God?

Look up Philippians 4:8 and meditate on this litmus test for our thoughts.

www.girlfriendsingod.com

SPIRITUAL CANCER

Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6, NIV).

Friend to Friend C.S. Lewis called pride a “spiritual cancer” that devours love and contentment. Pride is a sign of our own insecurity and feelings of inferiority. Pride and inferiority are actually opposite sides of the same coin and are both sin, a preoccupation with self that leaves little room for God’s spirit of humility.

We all struggle with pride and must constantly battle the tendency to measure every circumstance and relationship against the narcissistic viewpoint of “What’s in it for me?” Pride has no place in the life of a Christian because pride steps between God and us. To think that God stands in opposition against prideful people is a strong and sobering statement that should send us all running to the place of humility. Because He is a loving Father, God opposes pride, in part, for what it does to His children. “Pride will destroy a person; a proud attitude leads to ruin. It is better to be humble and be with those who suffer than to share stolen property with the proud” (Proverbs 16:18-19). Learning to deal with pride is an important and essential part of spiritual growth.

Pride will prevent us from seeing others as God sees them. Pride will hold us back from laying down our expectations and rights in order to reach out to those who cross our path. Pride will slowly erode the humble spirit God so wants to see in His people and in their relationships. I suspect that a good dose of humility would cure many of our failing marriages, broken family relationships and struggling friendships. Then the question becomes, how can we eliminate pride and prevent it from carving out a destructive stronghold from which relationship problems arise. The answer is found in a passage of scripture written by the apostle Paul and directed to the church in Rome.

Romans 12:3 -6;10 “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

Paul certainly understood what it meant to struggle with pride. Before his encounter with Christ, Paul had been a man of great arrogance. After all, he was a power broker in the Roman government as well as a highly regarded and chief persecutor of anyone following Jesus Christ. Little did Paul know what the road to Damascus held for him that day when God interrupted Paul’s life with His blinding love and His unparalleled power. Everything changed. Paul became a humble man, the walking definition of a servant, delighting in his new role of striving to be last among the least. Paul understood that he was a trophy of grace; that his heart had been captured by grace and his life completely transformed in the process. God’s grace was Paul’s starting place and finish line and the very reason Paul was so humble and so powerful. It is such a paradox in God’s economy of life that in order to be strong we must choose weakness and in order to be first we must be content with last.

The amazing truth is that grace is ours for the asking. God stands ready to pour His priceless grace into every heart and soul while watching grace work to generate an unexplainable peace, eternal life, unending joy, and freedom from sin through unconditional love. Grace offers us the riches of God, at the expense of Jesus Christ and His death on the cross.

Pride’s goal is to make us independent of God, duping us into believing that we are in control of our own fate and are able to call our own shots. What audacity we possess as humans to think we can live life on our own when, whether we admit it or not, we are totally dependent on God and even our very next breath is a gift from His hand. Pride convinces us that we can play God, worshipping ourselves while erecting false idols shrouded in rebellion and sin. Pride is the universal religion of hell and a deadly poison. It’s antidote? Grace.

A friend told me about a new product she found listed online. “Disposable Guilt Bags” first appeared in a few select stores to test the market. I could have told the inventor that guilt exists in abundance and that people will go to any lengths to assuage their guilt. My friend explained that you could buy a set of Disposable Guilt Bags, ten ordinary brown bags on which were printed the following instructions: "Place the bag securely over your mouth then take a deep breath and blow out all of your guilt. Close the bag and dispose of immediately.” The amazing part of this story is that the Associated Press reported that over 2500 kits had sold immediately at $2.50 per kit.

Nothing on this earth is powerful enough to erase guilt. We try to “fix” ourselves but fail. The only power that makes it possible to be forgiven is God’s grace. “In Christ we are set free by the blood of his death. And so we have forgiveness of sins because of God's rich grace” (Ephesians 1:7). When our lives are lived against the backdrop of grace, pride will die from a lack of attention.

Let’s Pray Lord, please forgive my arrogant heart. I am so sorry for the pride I see in my life. Today, I ask You to search my heart and destroy the strongholds of pride and ego. Help me to recognize prideful thoughts and actions in my life. Give me the discernment to be honest and transparent before You and before others. I, too, am a trophy of grace. Help me to live like one. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Now it’s your turn Read the following verses and answer each question:
•Psalm 10:4 “In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God” (NIV). How does pride affect our relationship with God? Is this true in your life?
•Proverbs 16:5 “The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished” (NIV). What is God’s attitude toward those who are proud?
•Psalm 40:4 “Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods” (NIV). How does pride encourage idolatry? Do you have any idols in your life? Name them and eliminate them.

What decision do you need to make today in order to choose grace over pride? What would that look like in your daily life?

www.girlfriendsingod.com

SELFISH DESIRES

“Me First”

READ: James 4:1-10

Put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. —Ephesians 4:22

A man once asked me, “What is your biggest problem?” I replied, “I see my biggest problem every day in the mirror.” I am referring to those “me first” desires that lurk in my heart.

In James 4:1 we read: “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?” The words “desires for pleasure” refer to our self-serving desires. That’s why in James 1:14 we are told: “Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” James warns that such “me first” desires will destroy our friendship with God (4:4) and cause divisions, wars, and fights (vv.1-2).

Therefore, we are told to put off “me first” thinking. How do we do this? First, “Submit to God” (4:7). We need to get our ranking right—God is God and His will must always be first. Second, “Draw near to God” (v.8). Deal with those desires that lead to sin by going to God for cleansing. Don’t be double-minded, desiring both evil and good. But rather desire to please God alone. Third, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord” (v.10). Then “He will lift you up.”

Remember, “me first” living is not the key to success. Put God first. —Albert Lee

I once was full of self, and proud Just like a Pharisee, Until one day, quite by surprise, I caught a glimpse of me. —Hawthorne

When you forget yourself, you usually start doing something others will remember.

http://bummyla.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/selfish-desires/

WHO'S A PHARISEE?

Who’s A Pharisee?



James Tissot’s John and the Pharisees (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I’m amazed about how often I hear this word misapplied. This is an especially favorite taunt for people who make extra-biblical or heretical statements directed against people who have asked for a biblical explanation for what they claim. Since they’re making claims and statements that don’t line up with what the bible say’s, they can’t tolerate someone exposing them as false prophets. Unable to actually present sound arguments, biblical or otherwise, they resort to ad-hominem attacks against the character of the person they disagree with.

In the Gospels, the Lord Jesus had nothing good to say about Pharisees, often referring to them as vipers, serpents, & hypocrites (see Matt 23:31-33) . It is for this reason that it is used as a taunt, what Christian wants to be identified with these people?

People who teach unbiblical beliefs want to shut down any hint of criticism. Since their teachings can’t survive even a brief examination they immediately become offensive, often accusing people who question their statements of being a Pharisee. This is a blatant attempt to manipulate and intimidate questioners into silence since there is simply no biblical justification for what they say or do. They try to make it seem that a person using the bible as a basis for judging whether something is of God or not is being ‘legalistic’ and is thus a ‘Pharisee’. They want their hearers to believe that they are only accountable to God and have no need to give an accounting to ‘lesser’ (in their view) people.

That in itself proves their total lack of biblical understanding. This is demonstrated in two ways: 1) Totally corrupting and misstating the definition of a Pharisee to suit themselves. 2) Totally disregarding the commands in scripture for the hearers to verify their claims against scripture.

1) The Pharisees were one of the main Jewish sects during Christ’s earthly ministry. They were noted for their zeal for the Torah – the Law of Moses. The Apostle Paul was himself a Pharisee (see Philippians 3:1-6) before his conversion . They were also known for maintaining an oral tradition – which eventually became written – called the Talmud - A.K.A. The Teachings of Man - which they regarded as equal in authority to and sometimes exceeding the Torah’s - A.K.A.: God’s Inspired Infallible Word.

Look at Matthew 15:1-3 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?” Jesus didn’t criticize the Pharisees because they obeyed and followed scripture, but because they didn’t. Pharisees disregard the word of God to promote their own ideas and teachings instead of God’s.

2) False prophets however don’t want people comparing what they say to what God says. But what does the scripture say? When Paul & Silas proclaimed the Gospel in Berea, Acts 17:11 says: ”Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” The Bereans were praised for seeking and finding scriptural verification of what was being proclaimed. 1 John 4:1 Tells us to ‘test the spirits’. 1 Thessalonians 5:20 & 21 tells us not to disregard but to test prophecies and hold on to the good. The only way to do that is to verify what is being taught with what God Himself has already said in the bible because God can’t lie or contradict Himself (see Numbers 23:19).

You wont go wrong in your Christian walk believing that the Bible has all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness. A person who thinks that their personal dreams, words, and revelations surpass or override biblical revelation is being foolish and will lead you to hell with them. Don’t be manipulated and controlled by someone claiming spiritual authority who has become offended with you because you asked them “Where does it say that in the bible?” .

I’ll finish by asking you to consider one thing: If a Pharisee is actually someone who disregards the bible to promote their own teachings; who then is actually the Pharisee, the person who asked for biblical proof, or the guy offended because you did?

http://davidharman.wordpress.com/2012/05/05/whos-a-pharisee/

DO I DESERVE LOVE

The Hidden Children
By Miriam Adahan



“Do I deserve love?” This is one of the most fundamental questions a person can ask himself. The answer will determine, to a large extent, our ability to connect to others, to feel G‑d’s love and to function effectively in the world.

At an early age children learn to feel either valued and important, or inferior and insignificant. This is largely the result of how they are treated during their first three years of existence, before they have any awareness of an ability to choose how to think. For those whose early years were filled with physical or emotional abuse, neglect or abandonment, love will not feel natural or deserved. For these “hidden children,” as normal as they may seem on the outside, part of them lives in the dark, afraid to emerge.

At an early age children learn to feel either valued and important, or inferior and insignificantHidden children can know, intellectually, that “beloved is man, for he was created in the image of G‑d; it is even a greater love that it was made known to him that he was created in that image. Beloved are the people of Israel, for they are called children of G‑d . . .” (Ethics of Our Fathers 3:14). They can be told that their Creator seeks connection, that the very word mitzvah comes from the root meaning “to form a bond.” They are aware that, with 613 commandments which morph into an almost infinite number, we can be involved in some form of connection to Him at all times.

But they don’t feel connected.

For the hidden children, the idea of a loving G‑d may seem like an abstract theory which has no experiential corollary in actual life. Unlike the entitled and arrogant narcissists, who have no room for G‑d since their egos take up the entire universe, with hidden children it is their own divine essence that is hidden from themselves. Their image of G‑d is intertwined with the images of those who betrayed and hurt them.

When children are unable to form secure bonds of trust with their parents, they cannot help but feel anxious and ashamed. Inevitably, they assume, “I must be defective. That’s why they don't love me.” Blaming yourself was, in a sense, a smart move; it helped you make sense of a senseless world. It made perfect sense to think, “I’m irresponsible, crazy, slobby, stupid, lazy, anxious and disorganized! That’s why I’m unloved.” This self-limiting belief seems to make perfect sense.

If you are a hidden child, self-blame gave you hope that “if I can just get top grades, be quiet and obedient, or have a personality like ——— [whoever did receive their attention and praise], then I’ll be loved.” When your efforts didn’t work, you might have sunk into depressive despair, or been consumed with jealousy of the “elite” who did seem to be loved and capable of living with ease and confidence, without being tortured by self-doubt and anxiety.

Blaming yourself was, in a sense, a smart move; it helped you make sense of a senseless worldFear and shame are highly addictive states, quickly becoming part of a child’s very sense of identity. Once hooked, then even if objectively there is nothing to be anxious about or ashamed of at a particular moment, the brain will generate endless reasons to arouse these feelings. Anything, from memories of failure and rejection to the daily frustrations—dirty dishes in the sink, socks under the bed, a critical remark from a relative, a child’s refusal to cooperate—any discomfort sparks an attack of self-doubt and self-castigation. “I’m not good enough” floods the brain, drowning out any attempt to feel positive, pounding away with the old mantras, “You’re not bright, brilliant or ebullient enough; not calm enough, organized enough or doing enough, to be deserving of love and respect.”

If these messages are an integral part of your self-talk, then your “inner child” is still cowering emotionally in the dark. Your childhood is over, but the child within you is hearing childhood distortions. You seek love and acceptance, but you are so scared of being rejected that you adopted self-defeating behaviors that cause others to reject you. For example, in an attempt to get others to fill the holes in your soul, you might cling too tightly, so desperate for reassurance and approval that your “saviors” feel stifled and shun you. You may try to numb yourself to your inner sense of emptiness and anxiety with junk foods, drugs, alcohol or the Internet. Or, you may be cynical and critical. The minute anyone gets close, the wall of “not good enough” messages goes up, preventing even the possibility of connection.

Hidden children are so used to being scorned, shamed and rejected that they expect G‑d does the same. Once a person is convinced of his essential inferiority, it truly does seem as if there is an impenetrable wall between himself and his Creator. How can you down this wall and trust that G‑d loves you, and is as much an integral part of you as a ray of sunshine is an extension of the sun? How can you believe in a loving G‑d, when His image is superimposed onto the faces of those who did not know how to love?

Recognize that it takes time to change brain patternsRecognize that it takes time to change brain patterns. Because you have “protected” yourself by avoiding connection for so long, you might feel that you are betraying your principles and endangering yourself when you think, “I do deserve love.” Be persistent. Remind yourself, “I don’t have to believe those old distortions. It wasn’t my fault. I was not to blame for their screaming fits, the neglect, molestation or punishments. There was nothing wrong with me! It wasn’t even personal. I was just an easy target, being that I was such a sensitive soul. I can stop giving myself rejection messages. I can free myself from the past by simply realizing that I do deserve love—right now, as I am. This is G‑d’s truth—not the truth of those who hurt me.”

At first, your inner child may feel more comfortable with negativity and resist adopting these new beliefs. Since writing is far more effective in making new neural patterns in the brain than mere thinking, take the time to write new messages to your inner child each day. If you have a desk calendar, write at the top of the page, “I deserve love. I can trust G‑d.”

Another exercise is to take a blank page and make a primitive, stick-figure picture, with your non-dominant hand, of any scene you remember in which you felt inadequate, rejected or unsafe. With your non-dominant hand representing your inner child, write the “child beliefs” that were being programmed into your mind as a child, such as, “I’m unlovable. I shouldn’t have been born. I just make everyone miserable.”

Think of your dominant hand as the adult you. Write words of praise to yourself, as if a loving parent is telling you, “You were a smart kid to figure out how to survive in such a hostile and scary world. There is nothing wrong with you! You are perfect as you are. They simply tried to control you through fear and shame. You don’t have to believe those lies! It is safe to come out into the light now. I’m here to help you slowly get used to feeling loved.”

Just as you don’t wear the same clothing you wore as a three-year-old, you don’t need to wear the same thoughts. Imagine taking the child out from that dank dungeon and bringing him or her into a new world. Imagine a place of safety and light. Draw yourself holding the child’s hand in that place.

To heal from a lifetime of negativity you will need to flood yourself with compliments throughout the day for whatever you manage to accomplishTo heal from a lifetime of negativity you will need to flood yourself with compliments throughout the day for whatever you manage to accomplish. It’s enough to get out of bed, wash your hands, say a prayer, take a shower, eat healthy food, smile at someone, do some act of kindness and notice your acts of self-control. Don’t push for spectacular or perfect, since that just discourages you.

It is inevitable that your inner child will regress at times and begin the old chattering, “What’s wrong with me? I’m really crazy! I made such a stupid decision. How come I can’t get along with everyone?” These thoughts indicate that you need to reinforce your new adult voice that says, “I’m perfect the way I am. I am the child G‑d wanted me to be. I’m doing great, considering what I’ve been through. I don’t compete with, or compare to, anyone. My Creator is my own personal coach. He never leaves my side! He just wants me to be compassionate and self-disciplined, and keep going despite my mistakes. I’m not crazy, just in need of reprogramming. As a child, I adopted someone else’s mindset. They gave me the wrong prescription, and I’ve been looking at the world and myself with a distorted pair of glasses. I can change that!”

It may still be difficult to trust and function at times, but with effort, this inner voice of love will become stronger. If it feels right, have compassionate thoughts for those who couldn’t love. They did the best they could. They gave what they had to give. Because they didn’t know the truth, they could not imbue you with the truth. The truth is that G‑d loves you more than you can even imagine. You are as much an integral part of Him as a ray of sunshine is an extension of the sun. You don’t have to believe this. All you have to do is notice your efforts to be kind and self-disciplined. That’s the best sign of the existence of your G‑dly soul.

Although we are all imperfect, fallible and disconnected at times, G‑d says, “I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for Me. I was ready to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here I am. Here I am!’” (Isaiah 65:1).

Welcome your “hidden child” to this new world. Each morning, begin your day by thanking our Creator for being alive. See your new day and opportunities as a way of G‑d saying, “You deserve love. I believe in you—even when you don’t believe in yourself.”

ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE DAY

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Some years ago radio evangelist Charles E. Fuller announced that he would speak the following Sunday on “Heaven”. It was to be broadcast on radio. During that week he received a letter from an old man who was very ill. Here is part of that letter:

“Next Sunday you are to talk about “Heaven”. I am interested in that land because I have held a clear title to a bit of property there for over 55 years. I did not buy it. It was given to me without money and without price. But the donor purchased it for me at a tremendous sacrifice. I am not holding it for speculation since the title is non-transferable. It is not a vacant lot.

“For more than a half-century I have been sending material out of which the greatest architect and builder of the universe has been building a home for me, which will never need to be repaired because it will suit me perfectly, individually, and will never grow old.

“Termites can never undermine its foundation for it rests upon the Rock of Ages. Fire cannot destroy it. Floods cannot wash it away. No locks or bolts will ever be placed upon its doors, for no vicious person can ever enter that land where my dwelling stands, now almost completed and ready for me to enter it and abide in peace eternally without fear of being ejected.

“There is a valley of deep shadow between the place where I live in California and that to which I shall journey in a very short time. I cannot reach my home in the City of God without passing through the dark valley of shadows. But I am not afraid, because the best friend that I have ever had went through the same valley alone, a long, long, time ago and drove away all the gloom. He has stuck by me through thick and thin since we first met and became acquainted 55 years ago, and I hold His promise in printed form, never to forsake nor to leave me alone. He will be with me as I walk through the valley of shadows, and I shall not lose my way when He is with me.

“I hope to hear your sermon on “Heaven” next Sunday from my home, but I have no assurance that I shall be able to do so. My ticket to heaven has no date marked for the journey… no return coupon… and no permit for baggage. Yes, I am ready to go and may not be here while you are talking next Sunday, but I shall meet you there some day.”

…..The Daily Encourager (dlangerfeld@harrisburgbaptist.org) by way of “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

OUR PURPOSE FOUND IN HIM

Acts 26:18

[The Lord speaking to Paul] "I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me."


One of the more challenging things to do in businesses is to write a mission statement (a few sentences that effectively communicate and encapsulate what the business all about, the values it represents, and its purpose or its reason for being). It's not an easy thing to do because there is so much to say; and so many things that can be said. I absolutely love our passage today because it succinctly and elegantly expresses our purpose as Christians on this earth. It is God's "Heavenly Vision," or rather God's Mission Statement for us, and it is twofold:
"Open their eyes" I'm sure you probably remember the story of Samson and Delilah. After much pestering, Samson finally revealed the secret of his strength to Delilah -- his hair which she promptly cut off once he fell asleep. When the Philistines attacked, Samson awoke to fight but was not aware the Spirit had departed him (the Spirit was the source of his strength, Judges 16:20). As a result, the Philistines were able to capture him, bind him, poke his eyes out, and turn him into a slave. Sin is just like that -- we know it's bad for us but it can be entertaining or even enjoyable for a while; then when we finally wake up, we find out its too late because we're already overpowered. I think the really sad part of this story is Samson was so involved and preoccupied with sin that it blinded him far before he ever lost his eyes -- so much so he didn't even notice when the Spirit left him. He was blinded and bound by sin far before the Philistines ever attacked to seal his fate.
"Turn them from darkness to light" God told Paul/us that it is our mission to turn people from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. For Jesus there was no middle ground. No grading upon the scale, no tolerance for alternative beliefs, and certainly no excusing because of parents or societal issues. Sin is a human fault; we all suffer from it equally; and there is only one solution: our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In Mathew 12:30, Jesus said, "He who is not with me is against me." I think that's pretty clear.
In this our final step to recovery from whatever ails us, it's really pretty simple: we open our eyes to sin (which the previous 3 steps allow us to see with clarity), then we turn from darkness to light (from the power of Satan to God). It's a choice we all must make either we cave into the darkness of depression, despair and hopelessness, or turn to the light and our hope of glory in Christ Jesus. Which choice will you make?


Have you opened your eyes to sin today? What is the Lord speaking to you about right now? As the Lord casts His Holy light upon our sin our next step is very simple: we must make a conscious decision to turn away from sin and to the Lord. Will you turn now? The Lord is waiting to forgive and rescue -- all we have to do is ask and accept.

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THE LORD'S RESCUE PLAN

Acts 26:17

[The Lord speaking to Paul] “I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles.”


In our passage today, the Lord tells Paul that He will rescue him from the Jews and the Gentiles. I’m sure Paul wondered how all that was going to happen. In a similar situation, if we are not careful our own expectations for how the rescue might occur can impede the Lord’s plan. Here is an old joke I am fond of: A small town preacher had been lecturing his congregation on faith, “We must have it without doubt or fear — the Lord will always provide a way out for us no matter how desperate our situation may appear. We simply have to trust Him!” About this time a major rain storm had descended upon the town and surrounding areas. Water began to flood the streets and the river rose to dangerous levels. Many of the church members packed up their belongings in a truck and drove by the church. “Pastor, we’ve got an evacuation order, the river is rising, grab your things and let’s get going,” they shouted. “Nonsense,” the Pastor replied, “Didn’t you learn anything from my sermon? The Lord will provide a way out!” A few hours later the police department did one last sweep of the town by boat to look for anyone left stranded. Standing on the steps of the church knee deep in water they found the Pastor. “Come aboard now Pastor, you’re the last one to leave,” the policemen ordered. Steadfast in his faith the Pastor replied, “I am safe; the Lord will send His help to rescue me — He will provide a way out!” “Have it your way,” they shouted as they motored off to safety. The flood waters continued to rise. A helicopter flew over the flooded town now with only rooftops still visible — its searchlight found the lone figure of the Preacher sitting on the roof of the church. “Grab the ladder, the levee is about to break and the town will be wiped out,” they cried concerned for his safety. The Pastor refused, and shouted back “We must have faith and trust in the Lord, He will provide a way out.” The levee broke and the pastor drowned. Upon arriving in Heaven the Pastor asked to speak to the Lord, “You know Lord I have always tried to live a good life and preached your Holy Word. You heard my sermon, so why didn’t you provide a way out for me? Why didn’t you rescue me?” Concerned the Lord asked, “What did you expect? I sent a truck, then a boat, and finally a helicopter… you just kept refusing!”


Are you having trouble and see no way out? Have you prayed and asked God for help and rescue? Are you waiting for a miracle? Is it possible God may choose to answer your prayer in a way you do not expect? Is it possible for you to miss the Lord’s blessing entirely because you are so firmly entrenched in your own expectations?

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GOD GIVES THE POWER TO GET WEALTH

Deuteronomy 8:18 says:

But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”

God has given us the power to get wealth. That power is found in obedience and faith. It is found in living righteously so that God can pour out His blessing upon us. It is found in us trusting Him in every area of our lives. It is found in us realizing that God is our source.

Paul said in Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

God is your source. Never forget it as you become blessed. Never forget where your blessing came from. Never forget that it was God who gave you the favour, the wisdom, the counsel, and the direction to bring blessing to your life. Today, wholeheartedly thank Him, worship Him, and praise Him for all He has done and all He is about to break forth upon you.

Thank Him for the power!

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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DIVINE APPEARANCE AND APPOINTMENT

Acts 26:16b

[The Lord speaking to Paul] "...I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you."

If you are reading this devotion the Lord has appeared to you. He has drawn you to Himself and to His Word (the Bible). My words will hopefully encourage you to study and grow deeper in your understanding and personal application of Scripture. So if the Lord has already divinely appeared to you, what then is your appointment? The same as it was for Paul two thousand years ago and is today for you and me: To serve and witness. Let's look at each a little more closely:
Servant Songwriter and musician Bob Dylan once wrote: You may be an ambassador to England or France; You may like to gamble, you might like to dance; You may be the heavyweight champion of the world; You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls. But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed, You're gonna have to serve somebody. It may be the devil or it may be the Lord, But you're gonna have to serve somebody.
I've always felt those lyrics spoke pretty well to the folly of humanity. Most of us don't realize there are truly only two choices -- either we serve the Lord or we are in service to the demands and cravings of our sinful nature. Think about it: What is the source of our sinful nature? If we give in, where does this nature always lead? That's right; it's a path to destruction and separation from God. Serve God or serve Satan, the choice is up to each of us.
Witness Jesus said in Mathew 29:28, "...the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Jesus' witness or example to us is His death. In our passage today, Jesus goes on to say that we must also be a "witness of what you have seen of me..." An evangelist friend of mine once told me the best explanation of the Gospel was our personal testimony of what God has done in our own life.
You might ask, "So how does being a servant and witness help me to recover from my particular circumstance (as devastating as it might be)?" The very last phrase of our passage today gives us the answer. When we are serving Him and witnessing to others about what He has done in our lives, then our focus is upon the Lord -- not on our problems ("What you have seen of me"). It is only then the Lord can show us His will ("...and what I will show you"). Isn't that wonderfully simple? When our heart is centered on what He has done for us, it is so much easier for us to see what He has planned.

Before my wife Sherry and I left for a recent mission trip we wrote out our personal testimonies (the short one page version). I can tell you without exaggeration that I used it over 500 times and it was by far the most compelling and interesting thing I had to offer. Yours is too, so take the time right now and write it down. Next, using Jesus as your example, become a servant (look for opportunities to help others) and whenever you can -- share your faith. If you have been depressed, your depression will lift. If you've been demotivated, you'll be surprised at how much energy you now have. And if you've been struggling with direction for your life, the Lord will give you both hope and inspiration -- He will show you His will for you personally.

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GRACE GIVES CONFIDENCE PART TWO

In 2 Corinthians 8-9. Paul deals extensively with what it means to practice grace giving. In fact, in these two chapters alone, the word "grace" is mentioned six times.

We learn from these chapters that grace giving is God-honoring. When everything is going well in your life and you give God the crumbs, you are not honoring God. But when everything is blowing up in your face and you give to God sacrificially, you do honor God--something He will never forget. Problems are a part of living, but don't use problems as an excuse to not practice generosity.

It is because of the grace that we have freely received that we can be sympathetic with other people's trials. Our trials give us the ability to minister to others with compassion.

That is the difference the grace of God makes, and that is why the Apostle Paul writes, "out of the most sever trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in generosity" (2 Corinthians 8:2).

What did they have to be joyful about when they are in the midst of severe trials? Well, they had joy in the fact that God's grace was poured out upon them. That is truly enough to make you joyful until you close your eyes in death. They had joy in the fact that they had been brought by God out of the darkness and into light and that they were on their way to spend eternity in heaven.

Grace giving is generous giving and it receives God's blessing. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 8:5, "And they did not do as we expected, but they gave of themselves first in the Lord, and then to us in keeping with God's will." Trials and poverty tend to make us bitter, mean, tight-fisted and greedy. However, when those trials are seen through spiritual eyes, we can comprehend things that the world cannot, and we want to give generously.

The Macedonians gave first of themselves and then of their possessions. Paul said they first gave themselves to the Lord and then everything else became just that--things.

Grace giving is God's model. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." The giving of the Macedonians was incredibly sacrificial, but it was nothing in comparison to what God gave. What He gave is incomprehensible.

Before the incarnation, the Lord Jesus Christ was in the presence of God the Father. He had perfect intimacy and communion in the godhead. He owned everything that the godhead owned--all of the galaxies, including that tiny little called "Earth," with all of its gold, silver, diamonds, and stock and bonds. He owned it all, and yet He laid it aside and became poor, bleeding to death on a cruel cross for our salvation. Never in the entire history of the universe did anyone abandon so much in order to become so poor so that so many can become rich in grace.

When you practice grace giving, you are following the model of your Lord Jesus. Our greatest model for giving is the cross of Christ.

What are you withholding from God today?

Copied from My Journal, The Awesomeness of God's Grace by Dr. Michael Youssef

ARE YOU REALLY LIVING

Hey everyone! How are you? I hope all is well!

Today's blog post is a little longer than usual.

Here is the audio for the message I preached on Sunday @ New Hope Community Church in West Covina. I wasn't able to get the video but here is the audio you can listen to and my sermon transcript. I hope you are blessed by it!

My preaching went well, thanks for the prayers everyone! Glory to God always. I definitely enjoy preparing a sermon and preaching! Hoping to do it more often. :D

ARE YOU REALLY LIVING?

This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.


The High Priestly Prayer

17 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

John 17:1-3 (ESV)

INTRODUCTION

I would like to begin today by asking you a question. Are you living or existing? You see there is a difference. The vast majority of people on earth today are existing. They are waking up in the morning, going to work or school, keeping house, whatever the case may be. They are going about their business but they have no real sense of purpose in their lives. Their happiness and fulfillment in life depends largely on their circumstances or their achievements. If they were completely honest with themselves they would have to admit that inside they are empty. That is existing.


“There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus”

-Blaise Pascal (French Mathematician, Philosopher and Physicist, 1623-1662)


Saint Augustine in his Confessions states "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you."

Christ came however that we might have life and have it more abundant (John 10:10). If we are going to experience this kind of real life we must look to Jesus the source of life.


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

In John 17 Jesus is at the end of his life. He is facing the cross. He uttered these words either on his way to Gethsemene or in the upper room. This chapter is known as the High Priestly prayer of Jesus. In this first verse Jesus begins to look to God as he faces his hour of darkness. Jesus is about to suffer. Jesus is the suffering servant of Isa. 53, don’t read it now but make a note and take a look at it later.

In this text we see how Jesus lived.

READ v1

I asked the question, "are you living or just existing?" The answer to that question can be determined by three questions based on our text.

I. ARE YOU LIVING WITH A DEPENDENCE ON THE FATHER

As Jesus entered his hour of trial the bible says, "He lifted up his eyes to Heaven and said, "Father". Jesus didn't look at his outward circumstances and try to figure a way out. He didn't even look inward for answers, even though he was the Son of God. He looked upward to Heaven, to the one He knew as His Father.

Jesus lived with complete dependence, not on his own person, or his own humanity, but complete trust and dependence on the Father.

One of the most eye opening verses I have ever read is John 5:30. There Jesus says, "I can of myself do nothing". Every person Jesus ever healed when he was on the earth, every sermon he ever preached, every temptation he ever overcame, he did it not by trusting in who he was as the Son of God, but by depending on the Fathers strength and guidance.

If Jesus who is God's Son could "Of himself do nothing" how much more can we of ourselves do nothing. Think about that. The problem with many Christians (including myself) today and churches is that we are depending primarily on our own natural abilities, our reasoning abilities, our talents, our education, our financial resources to accomplish God's work. And we of ourselves are doing nothing. We are existing by and large completely in the natural. But when we live with this dependence upon God that Jesus lived with, the natural begins to give way to the supernatural and God begins to work.

I read all of the texts where the bible says Jesus "lifted up his eyes". One time he lifted up his eyes to God and he stuck his fingers in a deaf mans ears and the man received his hearing. On another occasion he lifted up his eyes in dependence upon God and thanked God and called Lazarus forth from the grave. On another occasion he lifted up his eyes to God and took two small fishes and five loaves and fed thousands of people.

The life that is lived in dependence upon God experiences the supernatural power of God. Can you say this about your life. I'm not asking if you have healed anyone lately or turned water into wine. I am asking if you can look at your life and say God gave me victory over this temptation, Only God could have done it, God had his hand upon me and touched the lives of others and I know it was God that did it. Can we say this about our church.

We forfeit God's power when we substitute dependence upon Him with dependence upon ourselves, other people, or other resources. One of the Popes invited a theologian to the Vatican. Sitting amongst all the treasures of the church the Pope said, "the church can no longer say silver and gold have I none". To that the theologian replied sadly, "yes but neither can she say in the name of Jesus of Nazereth rise and walk."

We must take our eyes off of the natural, off of that which can be seen, and lift our eyes in faith to Heaven.

Jesus lived with a dependence upon the Father. The second question we might ask to ascertain whether or not we are Living is:

II. DO YOU LIVE WITH A SENSE OF DIVINE DESTINY

Jesus said, "the hour has come". This is an interesting phrase that Jesus uses in this gospel. At the beginning of his ministry at a wedding feast his mother wanted him to show himself as the Messiah and he said,"my hour has not yet come". On another occasion his brothers urged him to go to the feast of tabernacles if he was really who he thought he was and show himself as messiah. He said then, "my time is not yet come." What was Jesus' time, his hour? It was his hour to be glorified and to glorify God. What Mary and Jesus' brothers didn't know was that Jesus would be glorified and would glorify God through a bloody cross and the resurrection. But Jesus knew. He knew that he had come for the purpose of dying for the sins of the world. He had a sense of purpose of destiny, and everything that he did and said led to that moment, that hour. And now the hour had come. Jesus' life was one of direction, and purpose, and divine destiny.

One of the most miserable ways to live is to live aimlessly without real ultimate purpose, not really knowing ultimately why we are here. One of the greatest things that happened to me when God really began to move in my life was when I was 14 and all of a sudden I began to have purpose in my life. God brought salvation to my life. I started experiencing what it means to have eternal life and know the One True God. Life is more than just getting a good job, trying to achieve, to feel good about yourself, just existing, drifting.

God wants all of us to live with a sense of divine destiny. Why are you here? Why are you a member of this Church? Because you like the children's program, good. Because your family belongs here, great. But God has a greater purpose for you in the body of Christ. He wants to use you. He has a nitch for you in His body. He has given you a gift, a divine ability to carry out the purpose that He has for your life.

Some people don't believe they have a spiritual gift, but thats not what the bible says. "Each one has been given a manifestation of the Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:7). I believe that if a person will honestly ask God to show him or her what His purpose is for him or her in the body of Christ, and how He's gifted them, He will be faithful to reveal that to them. It may require you to step out in faith and try something you've never done before. It may stretch you, it may cause you to risk failure. But God will be faithful. He will show you. The truth is, He is more interested in revealing your purpose in His body than you and I are in knowing it.

Jesus lived with a sense of divine destiny. Do you? The third and final question we might ask to determine whether or not we are really living is:

III. ARE YOU LIVING WITH A DESIRE TO GLORIFY GOD

As he faced the cross Jesus prayed, "glorify Your Son that Your Son also may glorify You." Jesus' overarching desire in life and in death was to glorify the Father. To “glorify” God means to give glory to Him. The word glory as related to God in the Old Testament bears with it the idea of greatness of splendor. In the New Testament, the word translated “glory” means "dignity, honor, praise and worship." Putting the two together, we find that glorifying God means to acknowledge His greatness and give Him honor by praising and worshiping Him, primarily because He, and He alone, deserves to be praised, honored and worshipped. God’s glory is the essence of His nature, and we give glory to Him by recognizing that essence. To glorify God is to extol His attributes—His holiness, faithfulness, mercy, grace, love, majesty, sovereignty, power, and omniscience, to name a few—rehearsing them over and over in our minds and telling others about the singular nature of the salvation only He offers. Jesus experienced both. In his life he revealed the presence of God. He was the image of the unseen God. When people saw him they saw the Father. But his desire was that through the glory the Father gave to Him, He might use it to bring praise and honor to the Father. Even in death he sought the glory of the Father, or shall I say especially through death.

I heard a story of a missionary family in China during the Boxer rebellion in 1900. In the Boxer rebellion a group of native Chineese began to murder Christians. This women wrote a letter telling about how terrifying her families life had become. They never knew when the banging on the door would come and they would be taken out and murdered. She prayed that they would only take her daughter first so she wouldn't have to witness the killing of her parents. At the end of the letter she wrote. I only ask that God's will be done and no matter what happens that he be glorified.

The desire to glorify God can be costly but it is very liberating. The opposite of the desire to glorify God is selfishness. The selfish life is a miserable life. Things wont always go our way, circumstances of life will assuredly change, people don't always treat us as we think we should be treated and this make us miserable if we are primarily living for self.

But when we can honestly say,"Lord no matter what happens to me, whether I live or die, whether I am treated fairly or unfairly, whether I endure affliction or comfort, Lord you be glorified in it", when this is our desire we are free of the misery of selfishness.

This is what Jesus means when he says, "Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

Are you living or existing? Are you living with a dependence on the Father? Are you Living with a Sense of destiny? Are you living with a desire to glorify the Lord?

Conclusion.

In light of the questions above, let’s summarize by looking at the finished work of Jesus--the gospel, in this passage, called “the hour for which he came”, his dying on the cross. My question for you is where do we find the power and motivation to live in dependence on the Father, for his purposes, and with the desire for his glory?

Jesus, he would die to give eternal life, and eternal life means knowing "you the only true God". Jesus himself demonstrates what it means to know God the father in this way--he addresses God as Father, or "Abba" in the Aramaic, which is, as you know, the intimate term of a child uses to address their father. It means intimacy, trust, acceptance, and love. The Jews never used this term to address God, but Jesus shows us a new way to enjoy the Fatherhood of God, through his work on the cross.

"know and enjoy God this way, and you will delight to live in dependence on him. You will be eager to embrace his purpose for you, which is to make the possibility of this relationship with God known to others. You will increasingly desire his glory to be seen through your life..."

Amen! Let’s pray!

—

Always, for God’s glory and our joy in Him!

Kevin Nunez

GRACE GIVES CONFIDENCE

Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” This is an invitation for all who put their trust in Jesus Christ to experience the awesome power of God’s grace that flows from His very throne. Hebrews 4:16 is an invitation to come to the throne that was concerted from a throne of judgment to a throne of grace. There, you will experience unbelievable and untold blessings from the hand of God.

God the Son, who sits on the right side of God, is our great High Priest. Our Great High Priest understands us. Our Great High Priest sympathizes with us. Our Great High Priest knows our weaknesses. As our Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ waits for us every single day to come to the throne of God–not for condemnation, but for a blessing. As our Great High Priest, He is waiting for us every single day to come to the throne of grace in order to give us power over temptation. As our Great High Priest, He is waiting for us in order that we may receive victory over the trials of life.

If you come to the throne trusting only in what Jesus did for you, not in anything you have done, then you will find grace in your time of need.

He is not saying that you should come to the throne of grace only when you are in trouble or need. he is saying that when you come to the throne of grace regularly that you will be empowered in your times of need.

Are you going through a trial in your life? There is grace for you at the throne of grace. Are you trying to fight temptation? There is power in the blood when you come to the throne of grace.

The reason we do not go to the throne of grace regularly is because we do not comprehend the promise of the awesome power that is reserved for those who tarry in His presence. We don not understand the abundance of grace that can be poured upon us from the throne of grace when we approach Him in confidence.

May the Lord renew our minds to understand this great truth so that we will approach the throne of grace regularly to help us when the time of need arises.

Copied from My Journal, The Awesomeness of God’s Grace by Dr. Micheal Youssef