Mini-Miracles

by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Managing Editor

So they all ate and were filled. Mark 6:42 

The title of my devotional today strikes me as oxymoronic. Miracles, after all, are defined as acts of God, amazing and marvelous events, and "seals of a divine mission" (Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary). Generally speaking, there's nothing small about them.

What I'm talking about, then, are instances of heavenly intervention in the lives of believers that impact what we would consider "minor" areas of our existence, the things that cause us to make statements like: "It showed me that God cares about even the small things in our lives," always as if that's a profoundly shocking proclamation. Nobody ever responds by saying, "Well, duh…"

I think that's because it never stops being a mind-blowing concept - the Creator of the universe, who hears the prayers and praises of billions simultaneously and loves each one the same, provided, perhaps, just the right amount of money for a struggling single mom to buy her child a pair of shoes. It's not the parting of the Red Sea to preserve for Himself a people, or the resurrection of His son to purchase the redemption of humanity. It's, for lack of a better term, a mini-miracle.

I remember one time in our Adult Bible Fellowship class my friend Karen stepped in to teach our continuing series in Mark's gospel. We were in Chapter Six, focusing primarily on the Feeding of the 5,000. As she began her lesson, Karen admitted that she'd never quite been able to visualize this scene, or understand exactly what the miracle was meant to show. I mean, there is the lesson of provision, but the human body can go without food for quite some time. Jesus Himself fasted in the wilderness for 40 days (Matthew 4:1-4). So it's not like life and death were hanging in the balance if the people who had followed Him to this "desolate place" went without dinner that night.

It could be, Karen suggested, that Jesus just didn't want the people to go away; He had just suffered the death of His cousin John the Baptist, and recently endured the "amazing unbelief" (Mark 6:6) of those from His hometown of Nazareth. It could be Jesus took immense delight in this multitude foregoing their bodily needs to attend to His Word. It very well could be our Lord simply wanted to do something "just for them."

Maybe, Karen said, that's why she always tended to overlook this miracle a little bit. "You know how sometimes when God does something that you know was 'just for you,' and you tell someone else about it, and they're like, 'That's cool and all,' but it just doesn't carry the same meaning for them?"

I knew exactly what that was like, and I liked where she was going. I could see an even greater personalization in mini-miracles, in God drawing delight from blessing our socks off in ways that speak to our individual hearts. The idea also gave me greater permission to attribute to the Lord all sorts of transpirings that I had chalked up to my own efforts, happenstance, or even worse, had gone without noticing.

If, for instance, I told you about the time we thought we'd lost my wife's keys - including several costly ones - only to find them sitting precariously on a single steel beam of the auto transport behind our moving van, maybe you'd respond the way my friend Scott did: "You got lucky, dude." Yeah, well, I guess that's why Karen says sometimes these events are "just for us." I saw those keys, I knew the bumpy route and wet weather we had traveled, I was astounded, I was humbled. I decided that giving credit to the Lord for things that bless you is never wrong, as suggested by James 1:17.

I just don't do it enough.

 

I wonder how many mini-miracles I've missed out on by being impatient, angry, or inattentive. In his book Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller imagines Moses telling those worshipping the golden calf, "Your problem is not that God is not fulfilling, your problem is that you are spoiled" (92). Romans  1:20 would seem to indicate that the Lord's hand is evident everywhere - "people can clearly see His invisible qualities." I like that verse very much, because I like to think of myself as on the lookout for God.

But that brings me to the other ways to miss miracles - by not accepting them or expecting them, by resenting them or wanting to earn them. I quote from Blue Like Jazz again, where Miller admits, "I love to give to charity, but I don't want to be charity. This is why I have so much trouble with grace" (84).

Can we get past the affront of accepting a free gift? If we can, we might see the Lord trying to say through the Feeding of the 5,000 and even today, "Here I Am, stay here, spend more time, no need to go away, please accept this, put yourself in My hands, keep your eyes open, I love you."

After all, says Matthew 7:11, "If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him?" Mini-miracles are the treats God brings home to His kids, those who seek him with childlike faith, those who consider themselves "the little things in life." Well, duh…

Intersecting Faith & Life: Try bringing something small home to a loved one today to remind yourself of how much joy the Lord gets from giving.

Choosing Friends

Proverbs 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Many parents have told their children to “choose your friends wisely”. In today's language they say “be careful who you hang out with”. Our verse today is saying the same thing. We need to be careful of whom we “walketh” with. They will effect our life for good or bad. We truly are known by the company we keep.

 

We should have a wide variety of acquaintances that we associate with to get a broad view of different ideas. BUT we don't need to “walketh” or live like them.

 

I have counciled wives that married a scoundrel with the idea of changing them. The only person changed was the wife.

I have learned thru time that the only person I can change is myself.

 

Christian friends, be careful of your friends; they do have an influence upon you.

 

God Bless;

Walter D. Hill D. Min.

Unloved Christians

Psalms 18:3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

Christian friends, there are some folks in this world that just don't like us. They hate us because of what we believe, what we have, and who we are. Yes, we have many enemies all about us. Some of our enemies we can recognize and be aware of. Others are concealed, and , sometimes those that we trust turn out to be enemies.

 

But, Christian friends, don't give up hope on others. Our LORD will save us from them. I have found that most folks who ,seemingly, hate Christians just don't understand us. Other people of pagan faiths hate us because of who we believe in. Those people hate Jesus and the name of JESUS. Be aware of those that have religion and deny the Deity of Jesus.

 

Jesus said He is the only way!

 

Which way are you headed? 

 

Call upon Jesus, He will help in this hour of need.

 

God Bless;Walter D. Hill D. Min.

The Power of Silence

"Be still, and know that I am God"(Ps. 46:10).

 

Is there any note of music in all the chorus as mighty as the emphatic pause? Is there any word in all the Psalter more eloquent than that one word, Selah (Pause)? Is there anything more thrilling and awful than the hush that comes before the bursting of the tempest and the strange quiet that seems to fall upon all nature before some preternatural phenomenon or convulsion? Is there anything that can touch our hearts as the power of stillness?

 

There is for the heart that will cease from itself, "the peace of God that passeth all understanding," a "quietness and confidence" which is the source of all strength, a sweet peace "which nothing can offend," a deep rest which the world can neither give nor take away. There is in the deepest center of the soul a chamber of peace where God dwells, and where, if we will only enter in and hush every other sound, we can hear His still, small voice.

 

There is in the swiftest wheel that revolves upon its axis a place in the very center, where there is no movement at all; and so in the busiest life there may be a place where we dwell alone with God, in eternal stillness, There is only one way to know God. "Be still, and know." "God is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him." --Selected

 

"All-loving Father, sometimes we have walked under starless skies that dripped darkness like drenching rain. We despaired of starshine or moonlight or sunrise. The sullen blackness gloomed above us as if it would last forever. And out of the dark there spoke no soothing voice to mend our broken hearts. We would gladly have welcomed some wild thunder peal to break the torturing stillness of that over-brooding night.

 

"But Thy winsome whisper of eternal love spoke more sweetly to our bruised and bleeding souls than any winds that breathe across Aeolian harps. It was Thy 'still small voice' that spoke to us. We were listening and we heard. We looked and saw Thy face radiant with the light of love. And when we heard Thy voice and saw Thy face, new life came back to us as life comes back to withered blooms that drink the summer rain."

A Method for Maturity

Read Psalm 131:1-3
Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. ² Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.  ³ Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and for ever.

One day King David was walking through the palace, and he heard a child crying. What was going on? The child was being weaned. The mother was saying, "Now, my child, you are growing up, and it is time for you to be weaned." The child was saying, "You don't love me; you hate me. If you loved me, you wouldn't do this." Then David went to his desk, got his pen and wrote Psalm 131.

The problem with too many of us is that we have grown old without growing up--we still need to be weaned. The weaning process is important. God's goal for your life is maturity, and His method for maturity is weaning. He has to wean us away from things we think are important.

How do you convince a child that he doesn't want to be attached to his mother for the rest of his life? Love him? Yes! But he must grow up, step out and be a man. And so it is with us. God has to wean us away from the things of the world, from the cheap toys that we hold on to. He wants to give us the best, and His desire in weaning is our submission. The weaned child of Psalm 131 was not losing; he was gaining. He was moving out into a larger life. Likewise, God has to take things away from our lives, not because they are bad, but because they are keeping us from the best.

The next time you whimper and cry because God takes something away from you, remember: He might be weaning you. He might be saying, "Get closer to me. Step out into a life of maturity and let's go together."

Tears filled my eyes as I listened to this video... 
Enjoy,
Richard

Mismatch

By Skip Heitzig

2 Corinthians 6:14 says, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” The illustration mirrors 

Deuteronomy 22:10  “You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together.” That mismatch would make a funny-looking team—and an ineffective one as well!

Paul is warning believers against forming binding relationships with unbelievers that would hinder them from maintaining godly values or a solid Christian witness. We could apply it to a variety of things today, from starting a business venture with an unbeliever, to marrying an unbeliever.

You’ve heard of missionary dating. The idea is, “Well, he’s not a believer, but as I witness to him and just love the Lord, he’ll become a Christian.” Maybe. It happens—but only rarely! What generally happens is the believer gets taken down to the level of the unbeliever. They try not to “force” anything on the unbeliever, or “turn him off,” and the result is their value system gets compromised. That’s why Scripture warns against it.

So in 1 Corinthians 7  Paul talks about marriage, divorce and remarriage, and says that we are to remarry “only in the Lord” (v. 39). In other words, if you’re a Christian woman, marry a Christian man. If you’re a Christian man, marry a Christian woman.

That’s not to say that if you’re already married to a non-Christian you can dump him or her, because that would contradict the Word. “If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him” (vv. 12-13).

The question here is about entering into that yoke of relationship. God knows that you won’t be happy in life pulling in two different directions. You’re trying to walk the straight path—to plow straight ahead, so to speak—and the unbeliever doesn’t want to go in that direction, to love God with all his or her heart. So you’ll be held back from having the freedom to serve the Lord, to love Him, and to influence people for His kingdom. God knows you won’t be happy doing that.

I have warned people against this, and I’ve heard too many of them say later, “You were right!” But it was God who was right; the warning is right there in Scripture. God wants you to be fulfilled. He doesn’t want you to be miserable! And yet so often I meet people who think God really has it in for them. “Why would God put that in there? He must not love me!” Why? “Well, because I’ve never met any Christians that are worth dating, so why would God say that?” Because God really does love you, that’s why!

If you think like that, it might be hard to understand…but God actually knows more than you do! God sees further down the road than you do. And He wants you to be able to “plow straight ahead” in your life, to be able to glorify Him, and be fulfilled and satisfied while you’re doing it.

This doesn’t mean you are to cut off all associations with any unbelievers. That would defy the very reason you’re left on the earth—to be salt and light.

But in marriage, the closest of relationships, you should bind yourself only to one who shares your Christian values. That mismatched team just won’t work!

But God ... He's Not Very Lovable Right Now

by Jill Savage

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)


My emotions swirled in frustration during a particularly difficult season of my marriage. My husband's disillusionment with life, God and our marriage had taken him to a place of rock-bottom depression. It was one of the darkest seasons I'd ever experienced.

"God, show me what you want me to do," I whispered in desperation.

"I want you to love him." I heard deep in my soul.

Immediately I responded, "But God ... he's not very lovable right now."

"I know, Jill. Sometimes you aren't either," God whispered back.

"Okay, Lord. I get that. You love me when I'm not very lovable. Show me how to do the same."

That conversation with God launched a much-needed lesson about what real love looks like in everyday life as a wife and a mom.

Love is a blend of affection, devotion and loyalty. It is part emotion and part commitment. Real love — unconditional love — is hope blended into the reality of life.

Two years after that hard season of marriage, I found myself in a difficult season of parenting. As a mother of five, we'd faced plenty of parenting trials, but none quite as challenging or long-suffering as this season with one of our children. I knew God needed me to respond in love to my child who was anything but lovable in this hard time.

Our imperfect family members need to know that our love is never in doubt. It always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres.

When God is the leader of our lives, He asks us to deny ourselves and follow Him. That means resisting the way we want to react and instead choosing to respond the way God wants us to respond.

There's a battle that happens inside of us between doing things our way and doing things God's way. When we let God win that battle, we take a step of maturity in our faith. We also get to experience a sense of joy when we experience the victory of handling things God's way instead of our way.

I opened my Bible to 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and began to perform a parenting love audit as it related to my child:

Love is patient. Am I patient with my child who is so different than I am?

Love is kind. Am I kind when it takes my child twice the amount of time to do something than I think it should?

Love does not envy. Do I wish my child were more like someone else's child?

Love does not boast. Am I quick to share what my child does well or hide areas when my child doesn't seem to measure up?

Love is not proud. Am I hesitant to share how I'm really doing or how my child is really doing out of a fear of what people will think?

Love does not dishonor others. Do I ever dishonor my child, demanding that he be someone other than the unique person God has made him to be?

Love is not self-seeking. Am I ever selfish in my interactions with my child?

Love is not easily angered. How much energy do I waste being angry at my child?

Love keeps no record of wrongs. Do I have an ongoing list in my head about everything my child has done wrong?

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. Do I keep my mind focused on God's truth about my child?

Love protects. Do I protect this unique human being God entrusted to me even when he challenges my authority?

Love trusts. Do I trust that God has a bigger picture in mind for this child's life?

Love hopes. Do I hope and believe the best for this child, or do I dread what tomorrow might bring?

Love perseveres. Do I keep my mind on the future possibilities rather than focusing on the difficulties and challenges I'm dealing with today?

Thank You, God, for loving me with all my faults. And thank You for the imperfect people I live with. I know You use their imperfections to help me mature and mold me to be more like You. I also know You use my imperfections in that process, too. Help me to keep Your Truth embedded in my heart, so I can love without stopping, even when they don't feel so loveable. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Parents Have to Live It

By Alan Smith

At one point during a game, the coach said to one of his young players, "Do you understand what cooperation is and what teamwork is all about?" The little boy nodded in the affirmative.

"Do you understand that what really matters is not whether we win or lose, but that we play together as a team?" The little boy nodded yes.

"Good," the coach continued. "And, when a strike is called, or you're thrown out at first, you don't argue, curse, attack the umpire with a bat, or throw dirt in the opposing team members' faces. Do you understand all that?"

Again the little boy nodded, "Well, sure, coach. That's what you taught us."

"Good," said the coach. "Now, please go over there and explain all that to your mother."

I've been to a few Little League games when the above conversation needed to take place! It's sad to see parents who act in an irresponsible manner because you know that they are teaching their children (and others' children) to behave in a similar manner.

God has given those of us who are parents an awesome responsibility -- not only to teach our children what is right, but to live in such a way that they can see that we are willing to practice what we've been teaching them to do.

Moses told the parents of Israel to take the laws which God had given them and "teach them diligently to your children...." (Deut. 6:7). But before telling parents to do that, he warned them: "Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it...." (Deut. 6:3).

Before we can teach a love of God and others to our children, it must be in our own hearts. May God bless those of you who are parents as you strive to do just that. May your life be so filled with a desire to follow God that your children will be open to hear all that you have to say to them.

Trusting

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Everybody wants to go to heaven, but, nobody wants to die. Everybody wants to go to heaven, their way. Folks want to work or pay their way to heaven. Some folks are just willing to wait until judgment and hope they will be good enough.

In our verse today, we are told we must be born of water( the natural birth) and of the Spirit( the rebirth of God’s Spirit) ,or, born again ,IE, saved.

A drowning person can not save their self. They must have help. We can not save our self, we must have help. Our help come from above. His name is Jesus and there is no other name given unto man that can save.

The only thing man can do is to “believe” upon Jesus. In believing, we receive faith to continue to follow Jesus.

Trust in Jesus, He will see you through any trial. Who do you believe and trust in?

God Bless;
Walter D. Hill D. Min.

Rooted and Established

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ." Ephesians 3:17-18 NIV

My husband and I have been working at digging out some small bushes that have formed a boundary down one side of our garden for many years. They’ve become old and woody and we want to replace them with some prettier shrubs. We had no idea when we began the job – just how hard it would be to get these little bushes out. Having chopped them down to just above soil level, we began trying to dig the first stump out, but the ground was hard and the roots went down a long way. We dug deep and pulled hard but there was no budging them. In the end my husband decided he’d have to tackle the job with an axe and a sledgehammer.
As he swung the axe and hammered and dug and pulled – the words ‘rooted and established’ came to mind. Those bushes were certainly rooted and established in that ground. Even with the axe and sledgehammer we still haven’t managed to completely remove them, and I’m very sure that after we’ve planted the new shrubs, one day we’ll see the old ones shooting up again from those remnants of the roots we didn’t manage to separate from the soil they were planted in.

It was such a picture of just how deeply rooted and established we are in the soil of God’s love. When I looked up Ephesians 3:17-18 I was reminded that Paul doesn’t pray for us to be rooted and established in God’s love. He bases his prayer on the fact that we already are rooted in the love of God, just like those bushes whose roots had gone down so deep, and that we are established in the love of God, like a house that stands on a broad and deep, solid and firm foundation. His love for us is so strong that it holds us absolutely securely and we can’t be pushed, pulled or plucked from that place. Paul’s prayer is that we would know (as much as we can) the truth of the richness, the splendour and the greatness of the soil of that amazing love we are held in.

Just as the roots of those bushes are utterly inseparable from the ground in which they’re planted, we’re held just as safely, just as securely in the rich soil of the love of God. And nothing can change that. Paul asks the question, ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?’ We could probably add to his list … things like: my fears, my insecurities, my doubts, my sin, my pain, my wounds. But then Paul answers the question for us, ‘For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Romans 8:35, 38-39)

In our heads we know this is truth. But because of life’s experiences our feelings can often tell us the opposite. We may feel insecure, we may doubt, we may feel unworthy or have deep-seated fears. Maybe you wonder how you can really know deep in your innermost being the deep peace and joy that comes from being held so securely in God’s heart of love.

Having come from a place of being absolutely adamant that God couldn’t possibly love me, I want to encourage you that, though it is a work of the Holy Spirit, there are vital steps we can take to actively enter into the prayer that Paul prayed. Spending time with God is important. It’s very difficult to develop a relationship with someone, and to know you’re loved by them, if you don’t spend time with them. And spending time with others who know Him and His love is important too, as well as developing a thankful heart attitude, feeding on His Word, taking it in, and allowing it to penetrate deep. These are the keys to coming into that place we all want to be – of truly knowing just how strongly and safely we’re held in His love.

Prayer: Father God, thank You for the truth that I’m rooted and established in Your love. I know it in my head, but I long to know it deep in my innermost being. Please help me not to be passive, but to actively yield to Your Holy Spirit as You draw me into that place of truly knowing just how securely I’m held – so securely, in fact, that nothing can pluck me from Your arms of love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Not Defined by the Size of Our Jeans

by Emily T. Wierenga

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NASB)

The moon was a slice of white in the night sky.

It looked like the rim of a coffee mug, the mug with a picture of a teddy bear saying "I love you beary, beary much" ... the mug my brother gave me when I was 13 and hospitalized for anorexia.

Here I was again, in a green hospital gown, only this time, I wasn't hypothermic and 60 pounds.

This time I was holding a baby doctors had said I'd never be able to have. He was 8 pounds, 2 ounces, his name was Aiden Grey and I couldn't stop crying. Because he couldn't stop hiccupping.

"Is he okay?" I touched the nurse's elbow as she straightened my sheets.

She smiled. "Yes," she said. "There's nothing that can be done for hiccupping — it just has to take its course," and I tucked Aiden close to my heart, because I couldn't tuck him back into my womb.

I have two sons now, and I've had two miscarriages too, and there's nothing harder than watching your body fail your baby. But God — He never fails.

He is always there. Even in the miscarriage.

He was there when I was a pastor's kid who began starving herself at age 9; when I was an 18-year-old hippie who ran away from home and traveled the world searching for faith. When I came home to a mother who was dying from brain cancer, who still sang Great is Thy Faithfulness from somewhere deep her in sleep.

In the midst of our pain, He is there, hanging from a cross, only to rise again.

When I was young I stopped eating to avoid feeling pain. Now, I'm learning to wait for the resurrection. I'm learning to trust God in the ache.

This past spring, I looked out my office window, saw snow on the ground, and my 2-year-old jumping on our trampoline.

Naked.

His clothes strewn around him, and he was singing.

I laughed even as I ran to cover him, but secretly, I was envious. I envied the freedom to sing naked, oblivious to the audience of a highway running perpendicular to our house.

Perhaps this is a picture of what God's Word invites us to do in 1 Peter 5:7, where it says cast "all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you."

It's not easy to truly cast our anxiety on Jesus in a world that tells us we are defined by the size of our jeans. It's a lot easier to hide, than trust Jesus with our pain, or our questions about who we are and if we matter.

And I think it's somewhere in there, in that quiet place of being loved — in the mother's embrace of her baby — that we find ourselves.

The other night in a rare moment of quiet in my house, I felt as if I had stepped straight into love. Like it had been waiting there for me the whole time.

I saw the real me: a passionate, scatter-brained 33-year-old woman who loves the world deeply and laughs loudly and needs alone time. Who gets paint on the kitchen table when she's making art, who would rather write than do housework, who has tattoos, who cries when her sons refuse to listen to her.

And suddenly I knew who I was. Right in the middle of that sacred moment surrounded by Legos and train tracks.

I was loved.

It's who we all are, friends.

We're not defined by the size of our jeans. We're not the sum of our Twitter followers or the square feet of our house.

We are God's daughters, tucked in His arms, where He aches over hiccups, where He longs to carry our worries, and where He would die for us.

He did die for us. Yes, this, friends.

We are loved.

Dear God, help me know You love me. Help me feel Your caring arms around me today, even in the dark. Help me hear Your voice singing over me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

The Not Afraid Of FEAR

Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.

The word “fear” in this verse does not mean “scared of, and, afraid to be close to”. Rather, this word “fear” used here gives the meaning of reverence, respect, and acknowledge of a superior being. In south Georgia English, I take it to mean, “its wise to respect our God”,and, to obey Him! The second lesson in this verse speaks about pride. Few people respect or honour a prideful person. Most of us look down upon, with criticism, those that brag about them selves all the time. Pride is a sin often addressed in the Bible.

Humility and pride is a state of mind. They expose our inner selves, and, who we really are. Do we think only of our selves, showing pride, or are we concerned about other folks before we are about our selves?

Humility is a virtue we should all strive to achieve.

God Bless;
Walter D. Hill D. Min.

Not a Default Destination

But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. - (Revelation 21:8) I believe there are people inside the church today who will be outside the gates of heaven. Being in a church does not mean you are getting into heaven. We, as individuals, must put our faith in Jesus Christ because one day we will stand before God all by ourselves. Heaven is not the default destination of every person. It is promised only to those who have believed in Jesus Christ. We have this warning in Revelation 21:8: “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” It takes courage to be a Christian. People will harass you and make fun of you. You may even be physically harmed. Some have lost their lives because they believed in Jesus. It takes courage to make your stand for Christ, especially in our culture today. The cowardly won’t make it into heaven. Some are afraid of what others think, which I have always found amazing. I don’t think we would be as concerned about what others think of us if we realized how rarely they do. If you are cowardly, meaning that you won’t stand up and follow Jesus, then you won’t have any value system. You won’t have any absolutes. You will pretty much do what you want. That leads to being abominable—being wholly caught up in wickedness and evil, pulling out all the stops and removing all restraints. It is going whole hog into evil. Revelation 21:8 is a warning that we need to heed. Some people may say, “Well, I don’t agree with that.” God makes the rules, and we can either follow them or reject them. But it is not for us to edit God. Copyright © 2013 by Harvest Ministries. from Pastor Greg Laurie

When Potholes Fill Your Path

Alicia Bruxvoort

"The path of the righteous is level; you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth." Isaiah 26:7 (NIV)

On the night before he began kindergarten, my youngest son, Joshua, announced he'd "rather go to jail" than go to school.

His big brother mumbled something sarcastic about the prison bars in the principal's office, while his sisters attempted to soothe Joshua's anxieties by pointing out the perks of being a kindergartener.

"Did you know that when you lose a tooth at school you get to bring it home in a tiny treasure box?" my daughter Hannah asked.

Joshua grinned and poked his finger in his mouth to check for loose teeth. But when it was time to brush those pearly whites and head to bed, his smile faded and fears returned.

What if my legs get cramped on my carpet square?

What if my ears hurt from listening all day?

What if I forget to raise my hand?

What if I'm the only one who can't read?

To be honest, Joshua's worries resonated with my own. I'd prayed unceasingly over the school year to come and was certain God had placed my son in the kindergarten classroom that would best meet his needs. Yet I just couldn't imagine my littlest boy thriving in any classroom at all. He loved piles of dirt more than stacks of books and preferred hammers over pencils.

Joshua's eyelids drooped and his breathing slowed. Then, before he surrendered to sleep, he voiced one last concern: "I can't go to kindergarten tomorrow, Mommy. I don't have even one wiggly tooth!"

I assured my son that loose teeth weren't a prerequisite for kindergarten, and I headed to the kitchen to pack lunches for morning. Minutes later my husband found me crying over the peanut butter, and I had to confess the angst preying on my mind. "I can't figure out how Joshua's going to make it through the school year."

"You don't have to figure it out," my husband gently replied as he wiped a smudge of peanut butter off my cheek. "That's God's job."

Have you been there before? Perhaps you've sought God's direction, followed His lead, only to find yourself walking a path marked by concerns that cause you to stumble.

Sometimes the potholes in our path make us wonder if we are really on the right road. Unanswered, difficult questions can make us doubt the direction we've been given.

However, today's key verse reminds us it's not our job to fix the chinks in our trail. If we let God lead, He will smooth the way: "The path of the righteous is level; you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth" (Isaiah 26:7).

Whatever the path looks like, God has a plan for every step (Jeremiah 29:11). We may be trekking toward a new school year or stepping into an empty nest; stumbling along a painful detour or skipping into a new job; but no matter where we're headed, God is aware of every gap in the road He's established for us.

Joshua's school year wasn't perfect, but God was faithful. And nine months later, as we waited for the big yellow bus to chug up our street on the last day of school, my son admitted he'd changed his mind. With a toothless grin, he conceded. Going to kindergarten was definitely better than going to jail!

The bus slowed to a stop, and Joshua climbed aboard. He pressed his face against the window and waved good-bye. That's when I noticed a splash of white hovering at the top of his gaping grin.

Soon a new tooth would inhabit that endearing hole in his smile. Because that's just how God works, faithfully filling every gap in His own way and in His perfect time.

Lord, I don't have every step figured out, but I'm thankful You do. Fill me with courage when my path is packed with potholes. Give me faith to follow Your lead and awaken me to see You at work as I travel along the road You've prepared for me. Thank You for providing direction and peace in Your perfect timing. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Healthy Hope

Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. KJV

by James Dobson

“Faith is being sure of what we hope for.” Hebrews 11:1

Hope based on the realistic expectation that something can or will change is a powerful, positive, driving force. It motivates us to do our best and helps us achieve what may seem impossible to others. But naive hope that’s grounded in wishful thinking can be deeply disappointing and even destructive. I (JCD) know a woman—I’ll call her Martha—who was hurt repeatedly by her father’s lack of interest in her. As long as Martha continued to hope he would change, she suffered a fresh wound whenever he missed an important family event or failed to consider her feelings. I urged Martha to realize that her father was emotionally blind—he was incapable of seeing her needs.

Once she began to accept his “handicap” as permanent, her pain lessened considerably. Your partner’s temperament or experiences may prevent him or her from fully comprehending your feelings and frustrations. My advice is that you change what can be altered, explain what can be understood, teach what can be learned, revise what can be improved, resolve what can be settled, and negotiate what is open to compromise.

Then determine to accept the rest. As you overlook these few “unresolvables” in your relationship, you’ll develop a perspective that brings realistic hope for an honest and satisfying marriage.

Just between us...

• What kinds of changes do we hope to see in each other? Are our hopes realistic?

• Would it help our relationship to accept our “unresolvables”?

• What in our marriage gives you the greatest sense of hope?

Father, thank You that You are “the God of all hope.” Tonight we look to You for help in bringing honest, healing hope to our marriage. Show us what we can change, show us what we should accept, and bless us with hope. Amen.

The Power of the Tongue

 Author Unknown

 
Have you thought lately about how powerful words are? A spoken word can change the course of history, alter a person's future, give someone a job, pass a law, or start a war. Words are powerful and may be used either for good or for evil purposes. Proverbs 12:18 says: "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."

Even though words can be destructive in relationships and hurt others, they can also be used for encouraging and blessing others. Warren Wiersbe said the following were words that dynamically changed the atmosphere of his home:

"Please"

"Thank You"

"I'm Sorry"

"I Love You"

"I'm Praying for You"

Of course, when you use these words, you need to make sure that you mean them! If you say "I'm Praying for you" make sure that you actually are...

Try using these powerful words this week in your home, at your job, or at school. Make notes of how the use of these words affects those around you. 

Thought for Today
 "If there was more true abiding in Christ, there would be less selfish abiding at home." - James Hudson Taylor
 

How God Views the Self-Directed Man

Luke 12:16-21 

16  And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17  And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18  And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

 

We've all heard jokes about men who refuse to stop and ask for directions. But in reality, there's probably a good bit of truth to the stereotype, and it isn't limited to males. Plenty of men and women in this world zoom along without slowing down to ask for guidance.

 

If you were to look at the situation from a spiritual perspective, you'd see a world of lost souls desperately trying to save themselves. They think  they can earn their way into heaven through hard work and the accumulation of good deeds. But they're wrong.

 

Today's passage from Luke describes a wealthy person who makes a lot of plans based only on his own thoughts, desires, and experience. Take the time to look at the passage again, and notice how many times he used the words "I" and "my." What you'll see is that his focus was squarely on himself. This parable is a sad picture of the self-directed man trying to make his own way and secure his own future with no help from anyone--including God.

 

The Lord didn't mince words: He called the man "fool" (v. 20). Worldly wisdom amounts to nothing in the eyes of our omniscient, all-wise Father (1 Cor. 1:20), and He expects His children to request and follow His guidance.

 

The message for us today is clear: When we figure out our own plans and take action with no thought about what God would advise, we are behaving like fools. The Lord has a plan for your life. He knows where you'll succeed and where you'll fail. Be wise and ask Him for directions.

Who Are You Working For?

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might."  Ecclesiastes 9:10
 
No matter whose employ we are in every one of us is working for him or herself. We delude ourselves if we think otherwise.

I have read that when former astronaut Frank Borman became head of Eastern Airlines, he was determined to make the service of his company the best in the industry. On one occasion he noticed an employee sitting with his feet perched on a desk ignoring the telephone which was ringing relentlessly.

"Aren't you going to answer the phone," Borman asked. "This isn't my department," the employee answered without any hint of concern. "I work in maintenance."

"Not anymore you don't," Borman barked.

It's the person who is faithful in the little things who gets entrusted with bigger and better responsibilities.

That is true in both man's economy and God's. As Christians in the hereafter we won't be judged for our sins as Christ took that judgment on himself at Calvary. But we will be rewarded according to our faithfulness in serving the Lord here on earth.

It pays to be faithful and dependable in all our responsibilities. As another has said, "The greatest ability is dependability." Of equal importance is response-ability!

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me today and always to be ever ready to serve and glorify You in everything I am and do. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. King Solomon, in Ecclesiastes 9:10, (NIV).

Be Vigilant—You Have an Enemy

 from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” - 1 Peter 5:8

Your adversary the devil is prowling about like a roaring lion. Don’t underestimate his power.

Satan is an enemy you need to respect like an electrician who has respect for the wires that carry deadly voltage. He knows where the insulation is and he knows how to handle electricity. If an electrician loses his respect for this power, he is going to be in serious trouble.

Everything may be going great for you right now. You’ve got money in the bank, a good job, good health. You’re dancing through the forest and picking wildflowers. But behind a bush is a lion so deadly, he can pounce on you and swallow you whole. You’ve got to be vigilant.

In The News:
Minnesota Town Sued after Refusing Muslim Worship Center  

by Carrie Dedrick

St. Anthony Village, a small town in Minnesota, is being sued by the U.S. government for refusing to allow a Muslim group the right to open a worship center.

According to Charisma News, St. Anthony Village council members voted in 2012 against the Abu Huraira Islamic Center. The Muslim grouped had requested to open the worship center in the basement of the St. Anthony Business Center.

The Muslim group claims that they were denied permission to open a place of worship because of their religious affiliation. The municipality maintains that a lack of space was the reason for the denial.

Molly Moran, acting assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division said, "Religious freedom is one of our most cherished rights, and there are few aspects of that right more central than the ability of communities to establish places for collective worship.”

According to the Justice Department, the town’s denial of the Muslim worship center was unlawful because the building’s zoning code states “assemblies, meeting lodges and convention halls” are permitted.

3 Things I've Learned about Work

by Debbie Holloway, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval” (John 6:27).

Since I've been old enough to babysit, I've always been working at something, whether a project for school, a part-time restaurant gig, or my current office job. And over the years I’ve come to learn many lessons about work. For example, work can become a joy and a passion if it’s something you truly love and you’re surrounded by like-minded partners. Or, on the other hand, even a job you like can become a drudge if you can’t see eye-to-eye with your co-workers.

As I prepare to celebrate a day off work this upcoming Labor Day, I've been pondering three things that God has been teaching me about work in the past year or so.

1. A Christian never clocks out

It's easy and refreshing to hop in the elevator at 5 p.m. and not worry about work until the next day. But as a follower of Christ, I recognize that I’m called to carry his banner 24/7. When I’m grumpy? Yep. When I’ve been out all day and come home to a messy house? Absolutely. When I'm on Facebook and somehow everything in my feed is making me frustrated and irritable? Even then. Perhaps that's why we call ourselves "soliders" in God's army. Everything's a battle… one we must remember to fight with love and peace!

2. God is the boss, not me

As easy as it is to judge another person's work (or seeming lack-therof) I've had to be reminded a lot lately that it's simply not my job to critique other people's lives. Just as my supervisor has given me tasks to complete, and that's between the two of us – so God has a personal relationship with every single one of us, and he hasn't asked us to poke our noses into each other’s to-do lists. And boy, don’t we all have plenty of thoughts on the matter?

Why do they go to THAT church? Why is that woman constantly panhandling on that same streetcorner? Why doesn't he just get a spine and break off that harmful relationship?

If only I ruled the world. But I don't – and thank God I don't. Someday we’ll all stand before The Boss and our choices will be evaluated. But for now, it’s my job to do MY job, to love people where they’re at, and to remember that life sometimes looks really different inside someone else's shoes.

3. Your work does make a difference

It’s common for me to feel small and powerless. Maybe you feel that way too. But when small people like us put our minds to something, amazing things truly do happen. Even something as small as a smile or a word of encouragement can make all the difference in someone’s day…maybe even in someone’s life. So whether you teach, write, or clean up trash; whether you sit in a cube crunching numbers or you bag groceries – God wants to use your work to not only bless others, but grow you closer to him.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Try reading a few passages about work in the Bible (I've linked to some below). What kind of worker does God want you to be?

Why Your Work Matters... and Why it Doesn't

1 Thessalonians 4:11

Luke 10

Deuteronomy 15:1-18

1 Corinthians 15:58

Matthew 25:14-30

Face to Face with a Giant

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. - (Philippians 4:13)

Years ago I came into close contact with a giant—an enormous whale. My friends and I were in one of those little inflatable boats, and we had gone out to do some whale watching. When we saw one breach some distance away, we went in for a closer look, still keeping our distance. Suddenly a young whale swam right under our boat. A couple of moments later, its submarine-sized mother came along and also glided right under our little craft. She was so close that we actually could see the barnacles on her body. And as fast as she and her calf had appeared, they disappeared.

In a sense, we all have giants that we encounter in life. By giants I mean those seemingly insurmountable problems and issues that we have tried to bring down but have only grown stronger with the passing of time. For some people, it may be the giant of fear. For others, it might be the giant of a personal sin. For still others, it might be the giant of addiction.

But no matter who we are, we all face giants: hardships, temptations, obstacles, and challenges. Yet 1 Corinthians 10:13 assures us, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.”

Know this: every giant can be defeated. There is no power you need to be under . . . no addiction that needs to control your life . . . no lifestyle you cannot break free from . . . no giant that should be overpowering you. You have everything you need in your relationship with Christ.

The Power Of Prayer

Kingdom Worker Ministries

Believe in the power of prayer. “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:24).

Did you know that this particular prayer is the most common prayer used by the average Christian? It is called “the prayer of faith or the petition prayer.” The petition prayer is when you pray for you and no one else. This prayer is just between God and you and does not involve anyone else. With this prayer, you are relaying on your faith, which is the substance of things hope for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). You are standing on the promises of God (Hebrews 8:6-13), where you are fully convinced that he is able to do all that he has promised (Romans 4:21).

 

When you pray this prayer, you believe that those things which you say will come to pass and you will have whatever you say, provided that there is no doubt in your heart. “Truly I say to you, Whoever says to this mountain, Be taken up and be put into the sea; and has no doubt in his heart, but has faith that what he says will come about, he will have his desire.

 

For this reason I say to you, Whatever you make a request for in prayer, have faith that it has been given to you, and you will have it” (Mark 11:23-24 BBE). “And all things, whatsoever you shall request for in prayer, having faith and believing, you will get” (Matthew 21:22). Simply put, if you do not believe that you already have it, then you will not be getting it. Believe in the power of prayer.

Have A Word Harvest

JOSHUA 1:8 NIV Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 

When God first gave anyone instructions for success, the first thing He said was to always keep His Word on their lips.
Jesus taught that God's Word was a seed (Luke 8:11). Seed produces a harvest — if used properly. 

The harvest that God's Word produces in your life is freedom (John 8:31-32). Here are three steps to seeing a harvest of freedom in your life:
1. Plant the seed of the Word by reading it, saying it, and hearing it. 

2. Water the seed by reading, speaking, and hearing the Word some more. 

3. Gather the harvest by speaking the Word (when you believe it and know it inwardly). 

Most people try to skip the first two steps. No wonder they have not had better results! You cannot reap the harvest without planting the seed and watering it. 

Feed your faith, in every area you desire to be strong in, by speaking God's Word that covers those subjects. 

Remember — if you want to harvest a continuous crop of freedom — you must plant the seed of God's Word continuously. 

SAY THIS: I will read, speak, and listen to God's Word.