5 Destructive Lies You Tell Yourself Every Day - part 4

Inside BST Just go ahead and admit it. You’re lying to yourself today. Life gets complex, relationships get sticky, loneliness creeps in—and sometimes we just feel the need to bend the truth to make it through the week. We need our lies to keep the pain tucked away where it can’t get to us. That deceitful heart of ours has a way making it easy for us to be okay with these lies (Jeremiah 17:9)—that is, until they’re drawn out by God’s scalpel (Psalm 139:23).
These lies don’t just cover up the pain of life, though. They actually make it harder for us to grow in our faith and in our connection with others. We’ve gotten so numb to them that we don’t necessarily even see the damage they do.
But here’s one time when it’s definitely okay to “name it and claim it.” If we’re to get beyond these lies that we drag around with us, we have to identify them and call them what they are.
Have you seen any of these 5 lies in yourself today?

4. That’s Just the Way I Am.

Often, the easiest way out of dealing with a destructive pattern in our lives is simply to make it an acceptable or unchangeable part of who we are. Whether we see it as a part of our nature or simply as something we “can’t fix,” this lie helps us avoid feeling responsible. We can’t stop it because it’s just too deeply embedded.
But what we don’t like to admit is that God is the one who made us. We were intended to look like, act like, and be like Him (Genesis 1:27; 1 John 3:2). Sure, we all trip up somewhere on the way to that goal, but saying something is “just the way I am” means saying that God messed up or was taken by surprise by our struggles. We’re really just saying that He can’t change us.
Thankfully, we’re wrong. He specializes in making broken things new.
Your struggles are real. Just confess that first. They stink; they hurt; they mess us up. Once you get that out of the way, you can begin the often very long, very painful process of being made like Christ. Just keep this promise in mind:

“… he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

Got that? He’s not going to give up halfway through because you mess up or because you’re just a special case. He will complete the work.
We just have to admit that it is a problem before we’ll ask and seek transformation.

5 Destructive Lies You Tell Yourself Every Day - Part 3

Inside BST

Just go ahead and admit it. You’re lying to yourself today. Life gets complex, relationships get sticky, loneliness creeps in—and sometimes we just feel the need to bend the truth to make it through the week. We need our lies to keep the pain tucked away where it can’t get to us. That deceitful heart of ours has a way making it easy for us to be okay with these lies (Jeremiah 17:9)—that is, until they’re drawn out by God’s scalpel (Psalm 139:23).
These lies don’t just cover up the pain of life, though. They actually make it harder for us to grow in our faith and in our connection with others. We’ve gotten so numb to them that we don’t necessarily even see the damage they do.
But here’s one time when it’s definitely okay to “name it and claim it.” If we’re to get beyond these lies that we drag around with us, we have to identify them and call them what they are.

Have you seen any of these 5 lies in yourself today?

3. No One Will Get Hurt.

This lie really could be 2b, since these two excuses are like twins. If it’s not enough that no one will know, we also like to tell ourselves that no one will get hurt. If it’s behind closed doors, if it only involves two responsible adults, if it only impacts me, then it’s got to be okay.
However, what we usually mean is that no one will get hurt that we can see right now. We often don’t like to follow the chain of problems beyond the moment or the immediate circumstances. But what we don’t always consider are the spiritual ramifications that could pop up or the problems that might not be so obvious.
We also don’t take into account that God Himself is grieved and pained by our bad choices. God felt major pain because of raging sin before the Flood (Genesis 6:6), the rebellious grieved His Holy Spirit in Israel (Isaiah 63:10), and Jesus longed to gather His people to Him when they refused to accept Him (Matthew 23:37).
In other words, our sins always inflict grief and pain. And they do so to the very one we should want to please.

5 Destructive Lies You Tell Yourself Every Day - Part 2

Inside BST Just go ahead and admit it. You’re lying to yourself today. Life gets complex, relationships get sticky, loneliness creeps in—and sometimes we just feel the need to bend the truth to make it through the week. We need our lies to keep the pain tucked away where it can’t get to us. That deceitful heart of ours has a way making it easy for us to be okay with these lies (Jeremiah 17:9)—that is, until they’re drawn out by God’s scalpel (Psalm 139:23).
These lies don’t just cover up the pain of life, though. They actually make it harder for us to grow in our faith and in our connection with others. We’ve gotten so numb to them that we don’t necessarily even see the damage they do.
But here’s one time when it’s definitely okay to “name it and claim it.” If we’re to get beyond these lies that we drag around with us, we have to identify them and call them what they are.
Have you seen any of these 5 lies in yourself today?

2. No One Will Ever Find Out.

If we’re ever looking for justification to do something dumb, we usually start here: No one will ever know. True, there might be a thousand variations on that theme, but it almost always comes back to anonymity. That’s why private browsing on the Internet and personal devices such as smartphones and tablets can be some of the most dangerous tools known to humanity. (They’re not necessarily bad, but “personal” devices do have drawbacks.)
No one will know if I watch this. No one will know if I go here while I’m on that work trip. No one will know if I post this anonymous and hurtful comment. No one will ever know.
First of all, there’s no such thing as true anonymity in our world. What we do in “private” very often has a way of being found out and exposed. (Just pay attention to all those hacking breaches you see in the news.)
More importantly, though, God has a way of making our “no one knows” sins come out—and He doesn’t miss any:

“You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.” (Psalm 90:8)

Day by day, we let this lie bring us low and keep us from living the life God has planned. You see, God knows—He always knows the dumb things we do.
But He still loves us:

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

You can’t hide... and you don’t need to.

5 Destructive Lies You Tell Yourself Every Day - Part 1

Inside BST

Just go ahead and admit it. You’re lying to yourself today. Life gets complex, relationships get sticky, loneliness creeps in—and sometimes we just feel the need to bend the truth to make it through the week. We need our lies to keep the pain tucked away where it can’t get to us. That deceitful heart of ours has a way making it easy for us to be okay with these lies (Jeremiah 17:9)—that is, until they’re drawn out by God’s scalpel (Psalm 139:23).
These lies don’t just cover up the pain of life, though. They actually make it harder for us to grow in our faith and in our connection with others. We’ve gotten so numb to them that we don’t necessarily even see the damage they do.
But here’s one time when it’s definitely okay to “name it and claim it.” If we’re to get beyond these lies that we drag around with us, we have to identify them and call them what they are.
Have you seen any of these 5 lies in yourself today?

1. I’m Okay.

We don’t like to dig around inside and examine what’s going on. Why? Because when we start looking, we often find areas that need some major renovations. That gets messy, and most of us are far too busy to go and look for things to fix.
So, we just tie on the “I’m okay” superhero cape and trudge onward. It’s usually only when some sort of tragedy strikes that we finally realize we aren’t as okay as we thought.
But that’s not the biblical model. In the Bible, the Psalmist continually cries out for God to search him and test him and examine him so that He can keep doing the necessary renovation work (for example, Psalms 11, 17, and 26). The attitude of Scripture is more like this:

“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.” (Lamentations 3:40)

Honestly, admitting daily that we’re not okay and that we need God’s help can be scary. It means owning our weaknesses and doing the hard work of self-examination on a regular basis. But thankfully for us, God specializes in weakness, especially when we aren’t sure where to start:

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” (Romans 8:26)

We’re weak. He’s strong. And that’s the best truth there is.



I found this this morning and felt an urgent need to post it...

"No one will miss me", "I’m better off dead"

Read this post from a suicide help site:
      When I worked at a non-profit that handled suicide prevention, I had access to the donation records. Each month, a specific man donated $15 to our organization. It was like clockwork.. same day, same man, he had been doing this for over 4 years. It always seemed odd to me but I never questioned it… until I saw a note attached one month. “For Noah- Dad” his donation was once his child’s allowance.

     I can promise you, they would miss you for the rest of their lives.

"And his hands were steady until the going down of the sun."—Exodus 17:12.

SO mighty was the prayer of Moses, that all depended upon it. The petitions of Moses discomfited the enemy more than the fighting of Joshua. Yet both were needed. No, in the soul's conflict, force and fervour, decision and devotion, valour and vehemence, must join their forces, and all will be well. You must wrestle with your sin, but the major part of the wrestling must be done alone in private with God. Prayer, like Moses', holds up the token of the covenant before the Lord. The rod was the emblem of God's working with Moses, the symbol of God's government in Israel. Learn, O pleading saint, to hold up the promise and the oath of God before Him. The Lord cannot deny His own declarations. Hold up the rod of promise, and have what you will.

Moses grew weary, and then his friends assisted him. When at any time your prayer flags, let faith support one hand, and let holy hope uplift the other, and prayer seating itself upon the stone of Israel, the rock of our salvation, will persevere and prevail. Beware of faintness in devotion; if Moses felt it, who can escape? It is far easier to fight with sin in public, than to pray against it in private. It is remarked that Joshua never grew weary in the fighting, but Moses did grow weary in the praying; the more spiritual an exercise, the more difficult it is for flesh and blood to maintain it. Let us cry, then, for special strength, and may the Spirit of God, who helpeth our infirmities, as He allowed help to Moses, enable us like him to continue with our hands steady "until the going down of the sun;" till the evening of life is over; till we shall come to the rising of a better sun in the land where prayer is swallowed up in praise.
by C. H. Spurgeon

5 Destructive Lies You Tell Yourself Every Day starting Monday through Friday

Tell Your Friends...

"The precious blood of Christ."—1 Peter 1:19.

STANDING at the foot of the cross, we see hands, and feet, and side, all distilling crimson streams of precious blood. It is "precious" because of its redeeming and atoning efficacy. By it the sins of Christ's people are atoned for; they are redeemed from under the law; they are reconciled to God, made one with Him. Christ's blood is also "precious" in its cleansing power; it "cleanseth from all sin." "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." Through Jesus' blood there is not a spot left upon any believer, no wrinkle nor any such thing remains. O precious blood, which makes us clean, removing the stains of abundant iniquity, and permitting us to stand accepted in the Beloved, notwithstanding the many ways in which we have rebelled against our God. The blood of Christ is likewise "precious" in its preserving power. We are safe from the destroying angel under the sprinkled blood. Remember it is God's seeing the blood which is the true reason for our being spared. Here is comfort for us when the eye of faith is dim, for God's eye is still the same. The blood of Christ is "precious" also in its sanctifying influence. The same blood which justifies by taking away sin, does in its after-action, quicken the new nature and lead it onward to subdue sin and to follow out the commands of God. There is no motive for holiness so great as that which streams from the veins of Jesus. And "precious," unspeakably precious, is this blood, because it has an overcoming power. It is written, "They overcame through the blood of the Lamb." How could they do otherwise? He who fights with the precious blood of Jesus, fights with a weapon which cannot know defeat. The blood of Jesus! sin dies at its presence, death ceases to be death: heaven's gates are opened. The blood of Jesus! we shall march on, conquering and to conquer, so long as we can trust its power!
by C. H. Spurgeon

5 Destructive Lies You Tell Yourself Every Day starting Monday through Friday

Tell Your Friends...

"Show me wherefore thou contendest with me" (Job 10:2).

Perhaps, O tried soul, the Lord is doing this to develop thy graces. There are some of thy graces which would never have been discovered if it were not for the trials. Dost thou not know that thy faith never looks so grand in summer weather as it does in winter? Love is too oft like a glowworm, showing but little light except it be in the midst of surrounding darkness. Hope itself is like a star--not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity. Afflictions are often the black folds in which God doth set the jewels of His children's graces, to make them shine the better.

 

It was but a little while ago that, on thy knees, thou wast saying, "Lord, I fear I have no faith: let me know that I have faith."

 

Was not this really, though perhaps unconsciously, praying for trials?--for how canst thou know that thou hast faith until thy faith is exercised? Depend upon it. God often sends us trials that our graces may be discovered, and that we may be certified of their existence. Besides, it is not merely discovery; real growth in grace is the result of sanctified trials.

 

God trains His soldiers, not in tents of ease and luxury, but by turning them out and using them to forced marches and hard service. He makes them ford through streams, and swim through rivers and climb mountains, and walk many a weary mile with heavy knapsacks on their backs. Well, Christian, may not this account for the troubles through which you are passing? Is not this the reason why He is contending with you? --C. H. Spurgeon

 

To be left unmolested by Satan is no evidence of blessing. 

5 Destructive Lies You Tell Yourself Every Day starting Monday through Friday

Tell Your Friends...

Let God Have You

How long has it been since you let God have you? I mean really have you? How long since you gave him a portion of undiluted, uninterrupted time listening for his voice?

Apparently, Jesus did. He made a deliberate effort to spend time with God. Spend much time reading about the listening life of Jesus and a distinct pattern emerges. He spent regular time with God, praying and listening. Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Luke tells us, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

Let me ask the obvious. If Jesus, the Son of God, the sinless Savior of humankind, thought it worthwhile to clear his calendar to pray, wouldn’t we be wise to do the same?

Little Things

By Dr. Walter Martin
"You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life." - John 5:39-40 

A friend who was one of the most gifted philosophy students at New York University, scored in the upper one percentile of all philosophy students in the United States -- an inconceivably brilliant mind. He used to needle me ruthlessly every chance he got because I was a theist: I believed in God. We'd go at it time and time again. 

One night, as we sat in the cafeteria drinking coffee, we had a very interesting discussion. I'll never forget it; it's as if it took place yesterday morning. His name was Kaye. We chatted back and forth for a couple of minutes, and he started needling me again. Finally, I said to him, "Kaye, tell me what you think of Jesus of Nazareth, honestly." 

He answered, "Jesus of Nazareth was an extraordinary human being. He had fantastic insights into the mind of men and into their motives. I've read the New Testament, and I'm very impressed with the person of Jesus." 

"Good!" I continued, "Do you think Jesus was essentially a truthful person?" 

"Oh, I don't think there's any doubt about that at all," he replied. 

"Would you say that Jesus was, perhaps, the greatest moralistic teacher you've ever read?" 

"Oh, I don't think I'd doubt that for a minute, either. I've read all of them." 

"I'm so glad to hear that," I stated. "Now, if you were me, knowing you as I do: hopping from bed to bed, boozing, swearing, telling dirty jokes, living exactly the way you want to live; if you were me, would you listen to Jesus on the existence of God, or you?" 

He looked at me for a minute, put his coffee cup down, and answered, "If you put it that way, I think I'd listen to Jesus." 

"There never was a moment of doubt. Never," I said. 

A few weeks later in class, we were arguing vigorously again with the professor refereeing, when all of a sudden Kaye spouts off, "Now just a minute!" (I thought, Oh boy, now I'm going to get it!) But this time he said, "Martin and I are poles apart. We know our differences of opinion here, but you know, he does have a valid argument. His valid argument is on the person of Jesus. I don't hear anyone here saying they're equal with Jesus. Anybody here think they are? No? Well, that's Martin's position -- until you are, shut-up!" 

Kaye and I became friends. We drank coffee regularly, and I "gave it to him" every chance I got. So you see, the Lord uses little things ... even a cup of coffee.

Just the Way You Are

by Max Lucado

Don’t confuse God’s love with the love of people. That kind of love often increases with performances and decreases with mistakes. When my daughter was a toddler, she loved going to the park and playing in the sandbox. And often I’d give her an ice-cream treat. One day as I turned to do that, I saw her mouth was full of sand. Where I intended to put a delicacy, she had put dirt. Did I love her with dirt in her mouth? Absolutely. Was I going to allow her to keep the dirt in her mouth? No way. I loved her right where she was, but I refused to leave her there.

God does the same for us. “Spit the dirt out, honey,” our Father urges. I’ve got something better for you.” Jesus wants to give us a heart like his. Can you imagine a better offer?

Relationship Wins Over Religion

Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. Romans 7:18-19

When we begin a new Bible study, regardless of the book or topic being taught, we always do an overview that explains why we are sinners and why we desperately need a Savior. We usually start in Genesis Chapters one through three and discuss what happened in the Garden when man fell and sin entered the human race. After Genesis Chapter three, the rest of the Bible tells us about Jesus, our salvation through Him, and our reconciliation with our Heavenly Father. Our only hope for eternal life with our Lord in heaven rests solely on our faith in His Son Jesus Christ.

We do not teach about a religion but about a relationship with Jesus. Jesus came and died for us so that we could have a relationship with Him, regardless of the sin that exists within us. One of the hardest struggles for Christians is resting in the work that Jesus has already done for us. Once we believe in Jesus, truly receive Him into our hearts, then, we are filled with His Holy Spirit and sealed for the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). The seal cannot be broken. But so often, we live as if we still have something to prove to God. So many of us are still trying to work out our salvation in our own strength. We are trying so hard to please God that we are not letting His Holy Spirit truly fill us each day. Tension and stress hurt us in more ways than just physically or emotionally. Any relationship filled with stress and strife will ultimately be in danger of falling apart. The same is true of our relationship with Jesus. He will never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), but we pull away from Him, by leaving and forsaking His presence.

Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

Dining on a Different Kind of Bread

by Adrian Rogers

“Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us.” - Numbers 14:9

When the Israelites were headed into the Promised Land, there were some demon-possessed giants called Anakim. And when the twelve spies went to spy out the land, ten came back saying, “The land is full of milk and honey, corn and wine, oil and pomegranates, figs and grapes. But, hey, we can’t take this land—there are giants in it!”

But two of the spies said, “Don’t fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us.” Bread, like your toast this morning. “Their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us; fear them not.” They said, “Look, these people are a piece of cake. They’re bread for us.”

Why do you eat bread? For strength. Bread gives energy. Bread is the staff of life. What was God saying? These things that look like problems? They are your food. “Anakim—the breakfast of champions.”

It’s when you feed on these problems that you grow. Our Lord isn’t looking for softies as disciples. Remember, you’re governed by His providence when you’re in a storm. He rules over all. And you are growing by His plan. In the storm you’re going to grow and become more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ.

Who will you pray for today?

You probably have someone on your mind and heart who needs Jesus. She (or he) is not a Christian and she’s not interested in becoming a Christian. 

But if God is free to swoop down, uninvited, and lay hold of a person who is dead in trespasses and sins, and bring him or her to spiritual life — that gives us hope! If God saves, then you can ask him to save her. Can you imagine a more powerful incentive to pray? God can do in the lives of some of your loved ones what you can’t even imagine possible. 

Who will you pray for today, knowing that God can do the impossible in a person's heart?

The Silver Thread

1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead.

The whole system of Christianity rests upon the fact that "Christ is risen from the dead;" for, "If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain: ye are yet in your sins." The divinity of Christ finds its surest proof in His resurrection, since He was "Declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." It would not be unreasonable to doubt His Deity if He had not risen. Moreover, Christ's sovereignty depends upon His resurrection, "For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living." Again, our justification, that choice blessing of the covenant, is linked with Christ's triumphant victory over death and the grave; for "He was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." Nay, more, our very regeneration is connected with His resurrection, for we are "Begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." And most certainly our ultimate resurrection rests here, for, "If the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." If Christ be not risen, then shall we not rise; but if He be risen then they who are asleep in Christ have not perished, but in their flesh shall surely behold their God. Thus, the silver thread of resurrection runs through all the believer's blessings, from his regeneration onwards to his eternal glory, and binds them together. How important then will this glorious fact be in his estimation, and how will he rejoice that beyond a doubt it is established, that "now is Christ risen from the dead."

"The promise is fulfill'd, Redemption's work is done, Justice with mercy's reconciled, For God has raised His Son."

LOOKING UP TO THE GOD WHO LOVES ME

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that You take thought of him? And the son of man, that You care for him? —Psalm 8:3-4

When I was in college at the University of Texas, I used to go to the library at night to study. As I would walk home to my dorm at 11:00 p.m. or so, I would look up into the night sky and think about the greatness of God. I felt so small compared to the vastness of the universe. I would say with David, “Wow, Lord. Who am I that you would care for me or even give me a thought? You are so awesome, and I am so insignificant.”

THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER

God is so much greater than our minds could ever comprehend. He created all that we see, all that the highest-powered telescopes can reveal, just by the power of His Word. He simply spoke it all into existence. Universes drip off His fingertips.

The Bible says that God is so “off the charts” glorious and majestic that He even has to humble Himself to behold the things in heaven (see Psalm 113:6). Did you catch that? Every time God looks around heaven, it is a humbling experience for Him. Now, that is glory to the nth degree!

And here is the even more amazing part: this same, infinite God is crazy in love with you and me. We matter to Him. He thinks about us all the time. His thoughts toward you and me outnumber the sand on the seashore (see Psalm 139:18). How cool is that?

WHY DOES GOD LOVE US?

Why does God love you and me so much? Why did He send His Son to die such a horrible death for us on the cross? It isn’t because you and I are so wonderful; it’s because God is so wonderful (see Deuteronomy 7:6-9). The Scripture clearly tells us, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Love is a big part of His nature. God chose to love us regardless of who we are or what we do. Because it was God’s choice, it is not dependent on you and me. Talk about getting off the performance-based acceptance train! Here is truth to put in your heart: There is nothing you can do to get God to love you any more than He already does, and there is nothing you can do to get God to love you any less than He already does. He just loves you!

Our job is to receive His love and rejoice in His love. Obedience to His commands comes when you realize that everything God tells us to do or not to do is for our greatest good. The God who loves me tells me yes to some things and no to other things. His commandments are not given to deprive me; they are given to bless me, because every one of them is given in love.

HOMEWORK

Tonight, go outside and look up into the starry sky. Consider His heavens. Consider how great He is. Then, remember that the awesome God who made all that you see knows your name. He knows your circumstances. He knows your victories and your struggles. He knows everything there is to know about you, and He loves you still.

Share your hopes, dreams, worries, and fears with Him. Tell Him that you love Him. Cast all your cares upon Him, because He really does care for you (see 1 Peter 5:7)! Remember this great word from Isaiah the Prophet, “For since the world began, no ear has heard, and no eye has seen a God like You, who works for those who wait for Him” (Isaiah 64:4 NLT)!  He truly will work in the hearts of those who will look to Him and wait for Him.  Will you do it?

Love,                                              

Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From His Heart Ministries    

Strength through Worship

  by Pastor Greg Laurie

“But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.” - (John 4:23)

When we worship on earth, we are in tune with what is happening in heaven. The Book of Revelation gives us this description of worship in heaven: “And they sang in a mighty chorus: ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing’ ” (5:12).

When we worship, it helps us to get things into perspective. The psalmist Asaph asked the age-old question, “Why do the wicked prosper?”

And then it dawned on him:

Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
      Truly, you put them on a slippery path
and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. (Psalm 73:17–18)

Sometimes we don’t understand why things are the way they are. But when we come and worship, when we hear the Word of God, it helps us gain perspective.

When our son died on a Thursday, my wife and I were in church the following Sunday. People told me my faith was so strong. But actually my faith was weak. I needed help. I needed God’s people. I needed to worship God. I needed to hear a Bible study.

And the moment I walked in, I was surrounded by God’s people. I knew they were praying for me. It helped me gain perspective and see God for who He is and see my problems for what they are. Sometimes we have big problems because we have a small God. But if we have a big God, then we will see, comparatively speaking, that we have small problems.

When we are praising the Lord on earth, we are joining the chorus of heaven. And God is looking for people to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Copyright © 2012 by Harvest Ministries.

Trading Spaces

by Ed Young

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

Christ traded spaces with us on the cross. He died in our place, for our sin. But if you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins, you only believe one-half of the Gospel. The other half of the Gospel is the fact that Christ fulfilled God's standard perfectly.  He was 100% righteous. So, had Christ been 90% righteous or 80% righteous, his sacrifice would not meet God's demands. He was 100% righteous.

So, once you bow the knee to Christ and ask him to come into your life to take residence, to come into the dwelling place of your heart, then the righteousness of Christ is imputed into your life. Thus, when God sees you, he sees Jesus and his perfect character. This is only able to take place because of the resurrection power.

That's the power that can renovate our minds and hearts today and that will one day completely renovate and restore our sin-torn bodies into glorified bodies that will live forever in heaven. The resurrection is the final hope of every Christ-follower. It is the "final reveal" of God's design and renovation: the perfection of our mind, body, and spirit. On the other side of the grave, when God says, "Okay, open your eyes and see your new space," you will open your eyes in a resurrected, recreated body, a completely new space that you will inhabit for eternity.

It will be the perfect space, designed by the perfect Designer (God the Father), rebuilt by the perfect Carpenter (Jesus Christ) and purchased at the ultimate cost (Christ's precious blood). But you've got to make the choice: Are you going to keep trying on your own to rebuild the rubble left by sin or are you going to let the Carpenter renovate your life into the perfect space.

Slow To Speak

by Tony Evans

In His Presence: Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation (1 Peter 2:2).

In resigning ourselves to God’s Word, we must also be “slow to speak.” This means after we are quick to listen to what God says, we don’t argue with it. Many of us are too busy listening to ourselves talk to hear what God is really saying to us, and when we do hear Him, we don’t want to believe Him—we try to argue with Him!

One Minute Please

We must resign ourselves to the pure truth of God’s Word without adding our own perspective.


In The News:

Christians Targeted in Al-Shabaab Kenya University Massacre

by Carrie Dedrick

A brutal massacre at a Kenya university claimed the lives of 147 people Thursday (April 2). Four gunmen from terrorist group al-Shabaab stormed the dormitories of Garissa University College, singling out Christians to kill. 

 

An additional 100 people were injured; 500 traumatized students survived the Maundy Thursday terrorist attack. 

 

The attack extended 13 hours before Kenyan security forces regained control. 

 

In a post on GetReligion.org, Terry Mattingly says that all media outlets stressed the significance of targeting Christians except The Washington Post. 

 

Mattingly quoted The Washington Post’s story on the attack:

 

“NAIROBI -- Rescuers removed bodies of students from dormitories at a university in eastern Kenya Friday and airlifted injured survivors to the capital, one day after al-Shabab Islamist militants stormed the dorms and killed at least 147 people, most of them sleeping college students.

 

“Thursday’s massacre at Garissa University College at about 5:30 a.m. local time was the worst terrorist attack on Kenyan soil in nearly two decades and renewed fears that al-Shabab can still wage significant – and horrific – operations from its strongholds in neighboring Somalia.

 

“A student at Garissa University, who asked not to be named because of fears for his safety, said the government was retrieving bodies Friday. He said casualties littered the dormitory floors, most of them suffering from bullet wounds.”

 

The Post does not mention that Christians were targeted in the attack until the 15th paragraph. 

 

“I could not find one (news story) that buried the "Christian" angle deeper than the Post story,” Mattingly wrote. 

 

Publication date: April 6, 2015

Editor's Note:
Pray for the persecuted Christians...

Who Am I? An Internal Struggle

by Author Unknown To Me

 

            The New Age movement initially fosters the idea that you have no need to look beyond yourself, for you are a god. This sort of idea did not begin with the movement. It did not take long for certain New Age practitioners to admit being in touch with Ascended Masters and other beings with similar identifications. These errors had not begun with them either. The same fallen being has long been busy introducing people to error repackaging the same old lies over and over.

 

            When a person looks inside themselves apart from the working of the Holy Spirit they often come up with self-delusion they must either cover with a great lie or open themselves up to exterior delusion. So an abusive person can convince the self-obsessed they deserve evil done to them; or, the evil beings can bring temptations such as people experience naturally or unnaturally like we see today as the devils have established great headway with gender confusion.

 

            When people exile God from their culture and their lives an identity crisis occurs in each. This is plainly revealed in the first two chapters of Romans and could be understood as not only descriptive of past civilizations but our own as well. Never forget societies are made up of individuals. We should all ask ourselves how much we are impacted by ideas that assail such as:

   “You are what you look like.”

   "You are what you buy.”

   “You’re just an animal with a conscience.”

   “You are whatever you choose to be.”

   “You are nothing.”

 

The answer probably is not a comfortable one. Even believers are assailed by the forces around them trying to distort their worldview and consequently how they see themselves.

 

            The struggle for identity can never be resolved without the recognition we are made in a two-fold image of God found in Genesis. He made us first to be representative of Him in the world and secondly two exercise dominion for Him in the world. Unfortunately man lost title to the earth through sin so the two fold image has become severely marred. When the individual surrenders his self-will to God will he begins to again become complete in Christ beginning with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. So then it is possible to look inside and see something infinitely different from what was thought to be seen without our sins, shortcomings, and failings covered by the blood of Christ.

Peter and the Resurrection

by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson

Profound sadness coupled with terror wrapped Peter's stomach and clenched it into tight, painful knot.

Yes, Jesus had told his disciples that he would be killed, even that he would be crucified. But Peter hadn't believed it. When you see daily miracles and hear incisive teaching from a confident public figure, you refuse to acknowledge that anything could ever change.

But overnight, Peter's world collapsed.

They had eaten Passover together on Thursday night. But only few hours later, Jesus was under arrest. A hasty trial lit by flickering lamps in the high priest's palace condemned Jesus. Then early-morning shuttles to Pilate, then Herod, then back again to Pilate sealed his fate. By 9 am soldiers were pounding nails into his hands and feet, jerking him upright on a cross to let him hang in the sun -- until the sun itself hid its face and left the onlookers to watch the Master die in the eerie chill of this very black day.

Peter had fled. In fact, none of the Twelve remained to see him buried. Only Mary Magdalene and a couple of wealthy followers were left to take his body down, carry it outside the city, and entomb it.

If you've ever felt despair at the pit of your stomach, then you know what Peter felt. When he did go out, he would walk in a kind of daze, utterly disoriented, shattered, the center of his world now a black hole, an empty void.

How could the Messiah, the heir of David's throne, be executed? It went against all logic. It was impossible -- yet it had happened, and oh so swiftly!

Peter slept fitfully Saturday night and when his eyes opened Sunday morning, the doom of death was heavy upon him. He pulled his cloak over his eyes, hoping he could fall back to sleep, but knowing he wouldn't.

All of a sudden someone was banging on the door. Soldiers! Peter got up with a start. How can I escape? Then he heard Mary Magdalene's voice, and his terror fell back into depression. Mary was breathless, troubled, her face stained with tears.

Peter grumbled, "Why did you have to wake me so early?"

Mary blurted out: "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb!"

Peter pulled his fellow-disciple John to his feet, slammed the door behind them, and began to run through the narrow streets, out the city gate, and then on to the tomb.

The great stone that had sealed the tomb stood open. As they entered, the sepulcher was empty, except for some folded graveclothes. The body was gone.

Folded? That was strange. Folded graveclothes but no body. Hardly what you'd expect from grave robbers.

John seemed convinced by the graveclothes that somehow Jesus had been resurrected or something, but Peter wasn't so sure. How could he believe that after so much had happened? He walked slowly back towards the city pondering, thinking, wanting to believe, but afraid to hope.

Suddenly, Jesus appeared. Peter, the so-called "rock," had publically betrayed him. He had shouted, "I don't know the man!" He was so unworthy. And yet here was Jesus before him. Peter fell to his knees and wept for joy.

Peter never said much to the others about this meeting -- what had been said, what had transpired. But after that you'd sometimes see Peter deep in thought, pensive. Then he would nod his head and traces of a smile would begin to transform his face into one written with thankfulness and joy and peace.

Peter had been whipsawed from his pit of despair and pulled by the Master into peace. Life had changed for the good. And since then many have found this same peace, this same smile of wonder at Jesus' amazing grace. Maybe you too. Jesus had risen -- and Peter never doubted him again.

Jesus Or The Easter Bunny?

"And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him." Mark 16:6

Happy Resurrection weekend to each and everyone. I choose to call it Resurrection Sunday and not Easter. I choose to acknowledge the death, burial and resurrection of my beloved Savior Jesus, and not the things that we typically think of when we think of Easter- such as the Easter bunny, colored eggs, hiding eggs, baskets of candies.

I wonder, (I know the answer, so I am not asking for one) why we think that these things have anything to do with what Jesus did for us? What do the things that I have already named have to do with the cross or the empty tomb or the suffering that Jesus went through? They have nothing to do with it. These things were part of a pagan celebration to their goddess of fertility. We have adopted them in Christianity and made it a part of our celebration of Jesus' resurrection.

Some say that they know the difference, yet they celebrate both at the same time. Why would you want anything to distract from the true meaning? Why would you make Jesus share the celebration with a fictitious rabbit? Why would you minimize His suffering on the cross with anything? Why would we replace the miracle of the resurrection of Christ for the belief that a giant rabbit goes everywhere during the night leaving children baskets full of candy and colored eggs? We may say we know the difference, yet once church service is over in the morning, the rest of the day will be spent "worshipping" the bunny and eggs. I just don't get it. After what Jesus went through on the cross for us, why would we allow anything to overshadow it?

At Christmas we have adopted a slogan as a reminder that the celebration is all about the birth of Jesus and not Santa Claus-- "Jesus is the reason for the season". I think we need to take it out of storage during the resurrection season because it appears that we have forgotten that it is still true for this time as well-- "Jesus is the reason for the season, not the Easter bunny." After all, who laid down their life for you so that you could have eternal life and forgiveness of your sins-- Jesus or the Easter bunny!

Have a great day. Who are you "really" celebrating, Jesus or the Easter bunny? Take a long, hard and searching look at what you are doing before you answer.

Is Jesus Just Pretend?

by Tracie Miles

"But he replied, 'I won't believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.'" John 20:25b (NLT)

She looked up at her daddy with eyes filled with concern, trying to put into words the fears and doubts which had crept into her 3-year-old mind.

It was a day dedicated to prayer and worship at my niece's Christian preschool where her father works and where they'd spent the morning praying for Jesus to join them and be present.

When the service finished, Berkeley tugged on her daddy's shirt, and as he looked at her distraught little face, he asked what was wrong. Hesitantly, she innocently asked "Daddy, is Jesus just pretend?"

He was taken aback by her question, but gently answered, "Of course not honey. He's very much alive and with us today."

Berkeley replied, "But He didn't come." They had asked Jesus to come, and in her mind, He hadn't shown up.

When my brother told me this story, my first reaction was a chuckle. How adorable is that? But my second thought was how even as adults, we sometimes wonder if Jesus is just pretend, simply because we don't see physical evidence of Him when we want to. Even one of Jesus's disciples, Thomas, doubted Jesus was really alive until he saw Him with his own eyes.

After the resurrection of Jesus, the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders (John 20:19), and Jesus appeared before them saying "Peace be with you." He showed them the wounds in His hands and His side and they were overcome with joy.

But Thomas was not there that evening to witness this encounter. Since he didn't see Jesus himself, he didn't believe Jesus had actually shown up. In today's key verse, Thomas stated he needed proof before he could believe Jesus was really alive and active.

I've been a doubting Thomas before myself.

I've spent nights wondering if Jesus was really with me when my heart was breaking, my mistakes were heavy burdens, and my problems seemed overwhelming. I've walked through days begging for Jesus to give me a sign, any sign, to prove He was with me. And just like Jesus showed Himself to Thomas, there was one particular day He showed Himself to me.

I was participating in a Bible study and instructed to do a timeline of my life. I half-heartedly began the exercise, but over the next hour, as I scribbled out decades of experiences, good and bad, my spiritual eyes were opened for the first time. I suddenly saw a picture of God's handiwork, and how He had been at work every step of the way.

When they were written in black and white, I began to see the happenings of my life from a new perspective — as tangible proof of Jesus. They were no longer just memories, but experiences that all fed my life story and mapped out a divinely designed future, purpose and plan just for me.

Only after Thomas saw Jesus for himself did he believe He was alive. Similarly, when the proof of Jesus was staring at me from my scribbled paper, I could not help but believe either.

However Jesus wants us to believe in Him even if we don't see the proof. In John 20:29b Jesus says, "Blessed are those who believe without seeing me" (NLT).

Sometimes we want proof that Jesus sees, cares and loves. But if we sincerely look for proof in our lives, seeking how and where He has been at work, what we see with our spiritual eyes will be so much better proof than what we could ever see with our physical ones.

Dear Jesus, I want to see with new spiritual vision how You have been at work in my life. Give me wisdom and discernment to see how You have been shaping me for purpose. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Simon from Cyrene Carries Jesus' Cross

by Max Lucado

“A man named Simon from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was coming from the fields to the city. The soldiers forced Simon to carry the cross for Jesus” (Mark 15:21)

Simon grumbles beneath his breath. His patience is as scarce as space on the Jerusalem streets. He’d hoped for a peaceful Passover. The city is anything but quiet. Simon prefers his open fields. And now, to top it off, the Roman guards are clearing the path for some who-knows-which-dignitary who’ll march his soldiers and strut his stallion past the people.

“There he is!”

Simon’s head and dozens of others turn. In an instant they know. This is no dignitary.

“It’s a crucifixion,” he hears someone whisper. Four soldiers. One criminal. Four spears. One cross. The inside corner of the cross saddles the convict’s shoulders. Its base drags in the dirt. Its top teeters in the air. The condemned man steadies the cross the best he can, but stumbles beneath its weight. He pushes himself to his feet and lurches forward before falling again. Simon can’t see the man’s face, only a head wreathed with thorny branches.

The sour-faced centurion grows more agitated with each diminishing step. He curses the criminal and the crowd.

“Hurry up!”

“Little hope of that,” Simon says to himself.

The cross-bearer stops in front of Simon and heaves for air. Simon winces at what he sees. The beam rubbing against an already raw back. Rivulets of crimson streaking the man’s face. His mouth hangs open, both out of pain and out of breath.

“His name is Jesus,” someone speaks softly.

“Move on!” commands the executioner.

But Jesus can’t. His body leans and feet try, but he can’t move. The beam begins to sway. Jesus tries to steady it, but can’t. Like a just-cut tree, the cross begins to topple toward the crowd. Everyone steps back, except the farmer. Simon instinctively extends his strong hands and catches the cross.

Jesus falls face-first in the dirt and stays there. Simon pushes the cross back on its side. The centurion looks at the exhausted Christ and the bulky bystander and needs only an instant to make the decision. He presses the flat of his spear on Simon’s shoulders.

“You! Take the cross!”

Simon dares to object, “Sir, I don’t even know the man!”

“I don’t care. Take up the cross.”

Simon growls, balances the timber against his shoulder, and steps out of the crowd onto the street, out of anonymity into history, and becomes the first in a line of millions who will take up the cross and follow Christ.

He did literally what God calls us to do figuratively: take up the cross and follow Jesus. “If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross each day and follow me” (Luke. 9:23 CEV).

What the Resurrection of Christ Means to Us

Part Two of Two by Pastor R. Jordan
The import of the resurrection does not end with our justification, however, for it also

OFFERS A FORCE TO BE EXPERIENCED

     ".. .like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, EVEN SO WE ALSO SHOULD WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE" (Rom. 6:4).

This is the practical impact in the believer's life of the reality of Christ's resurrection. Rom. 8:10,11 declare:

"And if CHRIST BE IN YOU, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

    "But IF THE SPIRIT OF HIM THAT RAISED UP JESUS FROM THE DEAD DWELL IN YOU, HE THAT RAISED UP CHRIST FROM THE DEAD SHALL ALSO QUICKEN YOUR MORTAL BODIES BY HIS SPIRIT THAT DWELLETH IN YOU."

The resurrection life of Christ is a power, a force, to be experienced by every believer. The "newness of life" received from Christ means that He lives His life in us.

Christianity is not a religion--it is a life. It is Christ in us living His life through us. This is the essence of Christianity.

Have you ever found the Christian life difficult to live? If not, you will!  In fact, it is not only difficult, it is impossible. Only Jesus Christ can live His life--and He does just that as we simply walk by faith in His marvelous grace to us.

Experiencing this glorious freedom and power is the goal Paul set before himself and us:

"That I may know Him, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death:
"If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead" (Phil. 3:10,11).

There is something else, too, which Christ's resurrection does for us. It

ASSURES A FUTURE THAT IS GLORIOUS

"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him" (I Thess. 4:14).

The future of many things may be very uncertain, but for the believer it is only glorious. No matter how difficult things may be for us now, one day it will only be ''glory for me!"

One day soon our ever-living Savior will return for us and in that day He "shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself" (Phil. 3:21).

May God help us to rejoice in the reality of the resurrection of Christ and all God has made it mean to us.

Truth can't be judged on the basis of popularity.