Before You Say "Yes" to One More Thing

by Lysa Terkeurst

"Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety." Proverbs 29:25 (NLT)

I want people to like me. I want to please others and pretend I can do all things for all people.

But I can get myself and my schedule into a mess because of it.

And in an effort to please others, it's those closest to me who get the worst of me when I'm overscheduled.

When my oldest daughter, Hope, was about 4 years old she decided it was too boring to take her afternoon nap. Instead, while I was downstairs preparing for guests, she was busy doing something else.

Please understand I'm not very talented in the kitchen. I do okay with preparing simple food for my people. But I get completely twisted up in a knot when preparing food for other people.

My timing is off. The veggies are stone cold by the time the meat is done. I forget the bread that's still frozen in the oven. And I also forget that making the salad the day before is a bad idea when you mix the dressing and croutons in it. Which, I've learned, turns it all into one big, soggy mess.

My emotions are also off. The pressure of my timing issues mixed with my desire to have everything just so with the house, isn't a pretty combination.

But when my Bible study leader asked for someone to host the year-end dinner and my friends all looked at me, I said, "Oh yes, of course. I'd love to do it."

Visions of home décor magazine covers started dancing in my head. Recipes and flower arrangements and perfectly set tables swirled about, intoxicating me with the thrill of seriously impressing my friends. Then some greatly deceived part of me quipped, "And no need for y'all to bring anything. I'd love to prepare a really nice meal for us."

Would somebody get a wooden spoon and knock some sense into me?

My inner people-pleaser blinded me ... until the day of the dinner party. Then the full-on reality of what I'd committed to made me want to crawl in a hole and hide. I was overwhelmed and underprepared.

I desperately needed my little people to give me full cooperation with naptime that day.

But Hope had no intention of fully cooperating. So when I saw puffs of something white coming through the air vents downstairs, my heart sank.

I dashed upstairs to find that Hope had emptied a large container of baby powder all over her room, herself and every air vent she could find. And now, that powder was filling the downstairs with a layer of white residue that made it look like I hadn't dusted in decades.

Fury rose from some deep, unbridled part of my already-pushed-to-the-max-self. Every bit of my frustration about the dinner party was now also Hope's fault. I screamed, "What were you thinking? Why do you always mess stuff up?!"

Instantly, I felt a cloud of shame descend on me thicker than the baby powder ever could.

And then the strangling effects of condemnation gripped me when her little voice replied back, "I was trying to make it look like heaven, Mommy. I thought you would love it."

Ouch.

The jarring reality of this incident started me on a journey of realizing that the ill effects of people pleasing spread. And make me the opposite of the kind of woman God made me to be.

Saying yes all the time won't make me Wonder Woman. It will make me a worn out woman. This isn't pleasing to anyone. Not my family. Not my friends. Not the people I'm trying to impress. And certainly not God.

If I know this, I can start to see people pleasing for what it really is ... a trap. Even the Bible calls it this in our key verse, Proverbs 29:25, "Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety." (NLT)

Yes, being so focused on pleasing people is a vicious trap that ensnares us and those who do life with us.

So, here's what we need to do today:
• Look for the trap.
• Unlock the trap.

To unlock the trap, we must use the word "no." This should be handled delicately and appropriately, but it should be used.

Back to the baby powder situation. I wound up apologizing to Hope after I had a good cry about my poor reaction. We took pictures of her "heaven." (Pictures that now, 16 years later, are complete treasures to me.)

I also served pizza to my Bible study group that night. In the midst of baby powder dust. And ... we all lived to tell about it.

Dear Lord, help me identify and overcome the traps of people pleasing today. I fully place my trust in You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

The Story of the Running Father

by Sherri Gragg

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 (NIV)

Everything was quiet. I sat very still with my Bible and journal on my lap by my front window in a picture of perfect peace. But my heart was heavy with familiar grief.

I had been in church my whole life. "Amazing Grace" was as familiar to me as the lullabies my mother sang over my crib, yet somehow my image of God was less of a kind and gracious Father and more of an angry, distant judge. How could a holy God ever accept me, one so flawed?

I bowed my head and began to weep and pray with the kind of honesty that only comes when we are at the end of all our strength.

I know the Bible says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, but I just can't seem to believe it. Every time I turn to You, my first impulse is fear!

I give up. I can't do this on my own. Will You please heal my heart?

Over the next year, God did for me what I had been utterly helpless to do on my own. He revolutionized my image of Him.

One of the stories that meant the most to me on my journey was the story many of us know by the title, The Prodigal Son, found in Luke 15:11-32. I discovered that in the Middle Eastern Church the story goes by another name: The Story of the Running Father. The difference in the title reflects important cultural knowledge that the people to whom Jesus spoke would have known.

In the biblical story, the son demands his share of the family's wealth, leaves home and breaks his father's heart in the process. Eventually the young man finds himself destitute in a foreign land and determines to return to his father's house with the hope of working as a servant.

Scripture tells us the father sees his son a long way off and runs to him. It's the image of this running father that was so powerful to the hearers of Jesus' story.

First, it was considered extremely undignified for a Middle Eastern man to run anywhere. Running was for children. Also, running required men to hike up their robes and expose their legs, which was considered humiliating and disgraceful.

The reason he was running was even more significant. It was a very serious matter for a Jewish young man to lose his family's inheritance in a foreign land. If he did, and he had the gall to actually return to his village, his entire community would then bring him to justice through a custom called the Kezazah. Once the community discovered the money was lost, they would surround him and break a pot at his feet. Then they would announce that from that moment on he was cut off from his family and community ... as if he were dead.

But this young man's father had been watching, and even though his son had broken his heart, he had been hoping for his return. He knew all too well what would happen when the villagers saw his boy. His son would be shamed and then the pot would fall, break, and his son would be lost. So, the father did what no first-century Middle Eastern man would do: he hiked up his robe and ran.

He ran through the village streets as his neighbors stared in horror. He ran as young boys began running along behind, shouting and mocking him in his shame. He ran ahead of the crowd as they moved toward his guilty, filthy son. He ran ahead of all that was reasonable and fair. He ran ahead of justice, taking his boy's shame upon himself.

When he reached the boy, the father quickly gathered his son into his arms, kissed him on each cheek and called for a banquet in his honor.

This, Jesus tells us, is what God is like.

For too long my image of God was one of a tyrant, or a cold and callous judge. But now whenever I think of God, I see Him running toward me, gathering up my shame in His wake, to redeem me with His costly love.

My Father, thank You so much for running toward me. Help me rest in Your grace and trust Your great love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

The Popularity Trap

by Author Unknown, Provided by Student Discipleship Ministries, TX

A man who lives in a wooded area found that his home was overrun with mice. Since there was no way he could kill all of them with traps, he bought several boxes of D-Con and spread the poison around the house, including under his bed. That night he couldn't believe his ears. Below him was a feeding frenzy as the mice fed on the deadly granules. In the morning he checked the box and found it had been licked clean. Just to make sure his plan worked, he bought another box and once again placed the poison under his bed. That night the mice again went for the stuff like they hadn't eaten in a week! In the days that followed, the house grew quiet at night - the poison had done its work.

Just because something is popular doesn't mean it's good for us. On the contrary, something may be very popular and at the same time very deadly.

Proverbs 1:8-19 says:

"Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them. If they say, "Come along with us; let's lie in wait for someone's blood, let's waylay some harmless soul; let's swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; throw in your lot with us, and we will share a common purse"--my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; for their feet rush into sin, they are swift to shed blood. How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds! These men lie in wait for their own blood; they waylay only themselves! Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it."

How can you apply this passage to temptations you may face this week? How should you respond to those who want you to do something that may be popular but in God's eyes is wrong and harmful.

Thought for Today

"The world didn't creep into the church, the church flung the doors wide open and invited the world in!" - Unknown

Have You Been Using Fig Leaves?

by Rev. Eric McGrath

    The story of the fall in the Garden of Eden is pretty well known by most people. Most people know how Satan tempted Eve and she and Adam sinned by disobeying God.

    There is one little portion of the story that is often overlooked and it is unfortunate because it is really very important.

    Genesis 3:8-21, we read of how Adam and Eve hid from God initially, but then later appeared before God when He called for them. They had sewn fig leaves together to try make themselves acceptable before God.

    In the end, God provided them with coats of skin for them to wear.

    Now what is the significance of these verses? This is very important because it sets a standard that is consistent all the way through the Bible. The leaves sewn together were Adam and Eve's attempt to appear acceptable before God - in other words to appear righteous before God. They thought they could do something to be made acceptable in God's sight.

    But God established the principle that is carried all the way through the Bible at this point. That principle is this "Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin". Man tried to make himself acceptable with fig leaves, but they needed to be made acceptable through the provision that God gave them, which involved the shedding of blood - the animal's blood in this case.

    In verse 15 of Genesis 3, we are first introduced to the fact that God was going to provide a Saviour through the seed of the woman - that was the first reference to Jesus Christ. The big word for this is protoevangelium. Jesus Christ would come to earth and shed His blood and he would once and for all be the sacrifice for man's sin. Only through personal and explicit faith in Jesus Christ as our Saviour, will we find right standing or righteousness before God.

    And yet today men still try and appear acceptable to God by putting together their fig leaves. They try through the fig leaves of being religious - fig leaves of being moral - fig leaves of being a good person - fig leaves of "church-ianity" - fig leaves of denominationalism, and so on. All of these amount to fig leaves of self-righteousness.

    It is interesting that in Isaiah 64:6, God says that all of these "fig leaves" that we can produce, thinking they will be found acceptable with God - are seen only as "dirty rags" by God.

    And all they end of doing is seeking to cover sinful hearts - hearts, like Adam and Eve's which would not and will not submit to and be obedient to God's will.

    "Garments of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:10) can only be provided by God Himself, just as He provided coats of skins for Adam and Eve.

    And this He has accomplished through Jesus Christ and His death at Calvary, where He shed His blood for us.

    What kinds of "fig leaves" are you sewing together to cover your sinful heart?

    Why not accept the "clothing of righteousness" that God makes available to you in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ?

    "The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23).

    Our "fig leaves" fall short of the righteousness required by God. Jesus Christ is the only sufficient "skin" we can wear. When we accept Him as our Saviour, His righteousness is transferred to us and then we are found acceptable in God's sight.

    Are you accepted in the beloved, my friend? You can be with certainty. 

Thoughts for Today
 "Our failure is that preachers ignore the Cross, and veil Christ with sapless sermons and superfine language." - D. L. Moody

"O Lord, save us from 'sapless sermons and superfine language,' and help us to focus only on Christ, and Him crucified!" - Rocky Henriques
 

Eternal Life

Titus 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

The concept of “eternal life”, or never dying, has been around forever. Many people have searched for the “fountain of youth” and never found it. Women today try to find that special cream that will keep them looking younger. 

 

I have news for you neighbor. We all have eternal life. We all will live some where forever. GOD created man to live forever, and ,we will.

 

WHERE we live forever is our free choice.

 

Do nothing and you will spend eternity with the Devil and his demons.

 

Accept the finished work of Jesus who died on the cross for your sin, and, you can live with Jesus and other saved folks.

Look at this verse close. First, we see grace, then heirs,and, then hope. PRAISE GOD!!! 

 

Will you Preachers take this and run with it??

 

God Bless;
Walter D. Hill D. Min.

Tired of Trying to Measure Up

by Alicia Bruxvoort

" ... The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7b (NLT)

When my youngest son was a toddler, he accessorized every outfit with a bulky silver tape measure. Clipped to his waistband or hooked through a belt loop, the tool was handy for appraising just about anything — toy tractors, popsicles or skateboards.

Although the calculations were useless to a 3-year-old with no grasp of numbers, Joshua spent much of his day wielding that tape measure.

"Would you like cereal for breakfast?" I'd ask my little boy when he awoke.

"Maybe, if it's seventy-seven," he'd reply as he aligned his ruler along the side of a Cheerios box.

"Milk or juice?"

"The one that's fifty-sixteen," my boy would answer.

Eventually, Joshua's quirky obsession tried my patience. One night after he'd insisted on measuring every blanket on his bed before lights out, I complained to God: Could You make him forget about that silly measuring tape, Lord?

The next morning when I frowned at myself in the mirror and harrumphed over my daunting to-do list, my Heavenly Father finally responded: Maybe your little boy will drop his measuring tape when you get rid of yours.

At first, I ignored the conviction I felt when Joshua reached for his silver ruler. But in time, I realized I carried my own measuring systems. Only mine didn't decorate my belt loop; they adorned my mind.

Here are a few of the faulty rulers I found:

The ruler of productivity. This measuring stick assesses my value by my accomplishments: Did I read to my preschooler, fold the laundry or clean the fridge? It assigns value to completed tasks but fails to calculate the worth of immeasurable investments like cuddling my children or listening to a friend. When I rely on the ruler of productivity to establish my worth, time becomes a slave master rather than a gift.

The beauty barometer. This gauge creates comparison and self-scrutiny. It makes me worry about the extra skin around my middle and the faded highlights in my hair. It changes the way I view the woman in the mirror. Do I look more put-together than I feel? Where did those wrinkles come from? Will anyone notice the dark circles under my eyes? The beauty barometer appraises external appearance but fails to calculate the value of inner loveliness.

The happy homemaker meter. This measure prompts late-night baking sprees and glue-gun marathons. It propels me to create handmade Valentine's cards even though my daughter just wants store-bought Barbie cards. It produces guilt when I bring chips to the potluck instead of a hot casserole. The happy homemaker meter can twist fantastic ideas into exhausting must-dos and leaves me feeling more tired than inspired.

Tape measures may be entertaining in the hands of curious toddlers, but they stunt the growth of women like you and me.

Perhaps it's time to give up our mental measures, and let God grow us into the women He's dreamed us to be. His vision for us is refreshing and life-giving. Our key verse reminds us that, "The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7b).

Eventually, Joshua traded his shiny measuring stick for a plastic transparent tape dispenser. With a giggle, he applied tape to his favorite book, his baby sister's bruised forehead and his broken Matchbox car.

Rather than measuring, my son turned to mending. And that's just what God longs to do for us. He wants to destroy our tape measures and heal the wounded places in our hearts from constant comparisons and the failure to meet unreasonable expectations.

In fact, when we exchange our faulty rulers for Christ's timeless rule, we may discover that our Savior's measuring stick is actually a wooden cross ... that functions like a roll of cellophane tape.

So I'm abandoning my ridiculous rulers and metrics, in exchange for God's immeasurable grace and healing. Want to join me?

Sweet Savior, I am tired of carrying my own cache of faulty measures. I want to trade my ridiculous rulers for Your timeless stick of grace. Remind me that my worth is immeasurable in You. Restore my joy and increase my faith. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

When Prayer Seems Impractical

by Leslie Ludy

"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:5 (NASB)

A busy mom of six once told me, "I'm too busy NOT to pray!" Therein lies the secret to a life that really works.

Putting Jesus first and making prayer a priority is the key to finding the peace, strength and joy we all long for. And yet, many of us might admit we've got our thinking regarding busyness and prayer backward.

Let's be honest. As busy women, prayer often becomes that one project we'll "get to eventually," like cleaning the cobwebs from the ceiling or writing a cookbook.

With so many demands on our time and energy, most of us conclude the only real prayer life we can have are those short bursts of heavenly appeal (Help, Lord!) during the stressful moments of our day.

I've been there ... many times. The busier I am, the less practical prayer seems.

But I have come to realize when prayer seems the most unrealistic, that's when I need it the most. In fact, the "Too busy NOT to pray" principle has revolutionized my life.

Just a few years ago, our four children were all ages 4 and under. Three were in diapers, and the typical noise level in our house rivaled the Whos in Whoville on Christmas morning. Spending quality time with Christ each day felt next to impossible.

I reasoned, Surely Jesus understands how many important things I need to get done. He won't mind if I just whisper a few hurried prayers here and there as I'm scurrying around!

Yet in the busyness of my days, I continued to hear Jesus' gentle whisper, inviting me to come away from my hustle and bustle and be with Him.

So finally, I began to make room in my life for true prayer, even though it was far from convenient. I asked God to show me pockets of time during my day when I could steal away to be with Him. Such as when the children were napping or when my husband could take charge of things.

I asked God to equip me with the discipline to get up earlier and make my time with Christ a far higher priority than temporal distractions like social media and movies.

As I began to live by the "Too busy NOT to pray" principle, I was amazed at what happened. Suddenly, life became fruitful instead of frustrating. My responsibilities and demands didn't change. But instead of rushing around in a stressful frenzy, I had a supernatural strength to tackle my daily challenges calmly and joyfully. My defeated and overwhelmed perspective was replaced with a victorious, conquering one.

I was learning the truth of today's key verse, "... apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5b). I have come to realize that I cannot truly thrive in any area of my life unless I'm spending purposeful time in God's presence on a regular basis.

I still have a tendency to put tasks above prayer. But now, when I start coming up with reasons why I cannot spend quality time with Christ, I remind myself that actually, I'm too busy NOT to pray. Nothing on my task list could ever be more important than making time with Jesus. He alone has everything I need for the battles I'm called to fight.

The busier our days are, the more important prayer is. So when prayer seems impractical, let's remember that the very best solution is to get on our knees.

Lord, help me never forget that spending time in Your presence is what will give me strength for everything else I'm called to do. Teach me to not just fit You into my life when it's convenient, but to truly build my life around You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Convicted but not Condemned

by Renee Swope

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:17 (NIV)

Sometimes I wonder how I can go from being in such a good place with God ... feeling peaceful, loving and patient ... then something happens that sends me into an orbit of aggravation!

It happened just the other day. Things were going well. I'd had a lovely afternoon working from home, alone. Life was peachy.

Then school got out and my kids came home. Within 15 minutes, one of my boys did something and said something that was not so peachy. Then he did NOT do something I asked him to do, and let's just say ... I lost all my peace and patience right there in the middle of my kitchen.

I was not happy at all. And I told my precious boy in a not-so-nice kind of way. Then, I felt guilty and like the worst mom on the planet!

For a few minutes, I was pretty sure that was exactly how God wanted me to feel. But before I convinced myself I was the worst mom who had no business serving in ministry, I remembered a pastor sharing about the difference between conviction and condemnation.

He explained that condemnation sweeps across our thoughts with generalized statements such as: You're such a failure. You're so hypocritical. You can never be counted on. That is the accuser. His tone is condemning, questioning and confusing. His accusations lead to guilt and shame.

In contrast, the Holy Spirit's conviction will be specific. He will reveal a sinful action or attitude and instruct us with a solution for what we need to do to right the wrong, such as restoring a broken relationship or returning something that isn't ours. He'll give us steps we need to take to change our behaviors or attitudes.

Instead of the lie: "You're such a failure as a [wife, mom, daughter, friend]," the Holy Spirit might say, "You were really critical the way you talked to So-and-so. You need to say you're sorry and ask for forgiveness. Then say something to build them up instead of tearing them down."

Instead of the accusing label: "You're so hypocritical!" The Holy Spirit might say, "You judge others for gossiping, but you're doing the same thing when you talk about your neighbor at work. Apologize for what you said today, and share a few things that are positive about her."

Instead of shaming words: "You can never be counted on!" The Holy Spirit might say, "You didn't keep your promise to go visit your mom. Call her to say you're sorry, and ask her out to lunch this weekend."

satan condemns us accusingly, to make us feel guilty. God convicts us lovingly, to lead our hearts to repentance.

Conviction draws us away from destructive behavior that hinders our relationship with God and others. Jesus' goal is to bring us out of a condemning place of sin and usher us into the freedom of forgiveness with the assurance of His love.

The next time we blow it, or lose our peace and patience right there in the middle of the kitchen or the office or 5 o'clock traffic, let's guard our hearts from condemnation and instead, listen only to God's conviction.

Then let's follow His lead toward restoration as we live in the security of today's truth: Jesus didn't come into the world — or into our lives — to condemn us, but to rescue us with His redeeming grace.

Lord, sometimes condemning thoughts become so familiar I don't realize how they contradict Your Word and Your ways. Please give me discernment to recognize the difference between conviction and condemnation, and courage to replace my mindset with Yours. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Turning Attitude Into Gratitude

by Liz Curtis Higgs

"They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD." Psalm 112:7 (NIV)

Trusting God when good news arrives? No problem. I see His hand at work, His unconditional love in action and gratitude fills my heart.

But when bad news comes knocking, my gratitude can easily turn into attitude.

After a busy morning speaking at a weekend women's conference, I made my way back to the book table, glad to find two kind souls willing to handle all the details while I signed books.

When lunchtime arrived and the book table was quickly abandoned in favor of chicken salad and fudge brownies, one of my helpers touched my shoulder.

"Liz?" Her anguished expression should have warned me. "I don't know how to tell you this, but ... I lost your bank bag."

My heart sank. "With all the money in it?"

She nodded, chin trembling. "I carried it with me into the ladies' room for safekeeping. When I put it down to wash my hands, I started talking to someone, then forgot what I was doing and left without the bag." Her voice was strained to the breaking point. "I ran back in, but it was gone. I'm so sorry, Liz ..."

My first instinct? (Get ready: this is ugly.) I wanted to stomp my foot and say, "That was a lot of money! How could you be so careless?"

By God's grace, I didn't go there. The woman simply had made a mistake. Hadn't I made one or two (or 10 or 20) myself?

My second instinct was to flip my hand as if it didn't matter and say, "Whatever." I couldn't go that route, either. We were both concerned, and for good reason; it was foolish to pretend otherwise.

So, I took a deep breath, prayed for God's peace, then said, "Let's trust the Lord on this one and not worry about the money." Wait. Not worry about money, lots of which needed to go back to my publisher to pay for those sold books?! Clearly that easygoing attitude didn't come from me.

God alone managed to override the unkind words I might have said. He also tempered my anxious thoughts and toned down my conflicted emotions. The only thing on my mind at that moment was helping ease the woman's obvious distress.

Trust me, this was not Liz being a good girl. This was God being a great God.

With an utter sense of peace, I hugged her, then whispered, "Let it go." I felt her slowly relax. Then I surprised us both by announcing, "I believe the bag will turn up. How about we go to lunch and let God take care of things?"

Not worry? Not fret? Not obsess? So not my style. But that Saturday, by the power of His Spirit, I really did trust God with my whole heart. In fact, I couldn't wait to see what He might do to solve our problem.

Thirty minutes later the woman in charge came running up to our lunch table, her face shining. "We found your bank bag! Someone left it in the sanctuary."

Yes. I smiled broadly. Someone did.

Was I grateful to have the money back? Sure. But the lessons I learned about letting go and trusting God were far more valuable.

On the drive home I thanked Him over and over for stilling my tongue and calming my spirit. For keeping me from wounding a sister in Christ. For nudging whoever picked up the bag to do the right thing and leave it where it might be found. For changing my negative attitude into heartfelt gratitude.

Heavenly Father, even bad news is bearable with You by my side. When I'm tempted to worry, fret or obsess, remind me to pray, trust and let go. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place?

by Micca Campbell

"When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep." Genesis 28:11 (NIV)

I sat in disbelief as my doctor explained the results of my ultrasound. "There's a large cyst with tentacles that has consumed your left ovary," she explained. "We need to schedule surgery as soon as possible. In my expert opinion, there's a 70% chance you may have ovarian cancer."

While my body felt numb, my mind raced with unanswered questions: What does this mean for me and my family? How will I get through this?

I felt completely alone and helpless. With no good choice in sight, I was between a rock and a hard place, with no way out.

Have you ever found yourself there, stuck without options? Maybe you're there now. It's a difficult, lonely, hurting place. For me, it's a familiar place. I was there when my first husband died, when finances were insufficient and as my health faltered.

During that time of waiting for surgery, I found comfort in Jacob's story. Tucked in the book of Genesis, Jacob found himself in a difficult place. He had stolen the family's inheritance from his brother, Esau. Once Esau realized what Jacob had done, he was out to get him. Literally. So Jacob had no choice but to leave home.

Our key verse explains that Jacob had a full day of travel, and "When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep" (Genesis 28:11).

I find it remarkable that Jacob was able to lay his head on a stone and go to sleep after he had been uprooted and was running for his life. Jacob was out of his comfort zone. He was in a hard, cold place instead of his warm, comfortable bed.

When cancer was likely, I had a restless night of tossing and turning. It was challenging for me to lay my concerns down on a soft pillow and go to sleep, but not for Jacob. He took a stone and put it under his head and slept. How? How could Jacob sleep unless his security was found in something other than his ability to outrun his pursuers?

Perhaps Jacob knew a Rock that was more than a solid mineral. Maybe Jacob saw his rock as the Rock of Ages. How else could he lay his head and all his fears on a rock if it were not God the Rock as described in Psalm 18:2?

"The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." (NIV)

What an amazing truth: God is our Rock!

This means when you and I find ourselves "between a rock and a hard place," we can transform that experience from being stuck between a rock to resting on the Rock.

After reading about Jacob, I decided to change my perspective. Instead of viewing my position as being between a rock and a hard place, I envisioned myself resting on Christ the Rock and leaving all my cares there.

On the day of my surgery, I was at peace. The nurses noticed my calm disposition. I was resting on my Rock.

When the surgery was over, I awoke to good news. The cyst was benign! I'm thankful it turned out well. But even if it hadn't, I would still find peace and rest in my Rock.

Friend, I hope when you feel yourself stuck between a rock and a hard place, you'll see it as Christ the Rock. Then you can lay down your head and find rest in that hard place.

Dear Lord, thank You for being my Rock, my shield, safety and salvation in troubled times. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

What You Don't See Coming

Lynn Cowell

"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT)

It seemed harmless enough. A song playing on her iPod. The dinging of an incoming text. It was anything but.

The next thing I knew, my daughter was weeping in her room, a torrent of twisted emotions consuming her tender heart.

What happened?

Minutes ago, we were laughing together! Now, as her heart oozed with rejection, loneliness and self-doubt, I felt helpless to comfort her.

From the surface, hearing that specific song and receiving the text at the same time seemed like a coincidence. I've been learning, however, it isn't always chance.

In our key verse, Peter the Apostle tells us: "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).

Just waiting.

For the chance.

The truth is we have an enemy. And he is always looking for the chance to trip us up.

Looking, scheming, scouting, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to:

• Bring back the hurt through a familiar song.
• Remind us of a past mistake.
• See pictures on social media to rub in the rejection.

satan will hold back nothing to get at our hearts and into our minds, whatever it takes to drag us down. It's his purpose, his goal. And he knows your daughter will believe it was the boy, the friend or the crowd who made her feel that way.

As women, we can learn to stay alert so we are less likely to get caught unaware and fall into the trap of an emotional spiral. For us to be on guard, we need to daily pour in the truth that we are unconditionally loved, adored and pursued by the One, our Love, Jesus.

Then we can teach our kids how to watch for what they don't see coming. Whether we're 16 or 46, we can learn to be on guard.

If we will consistently do this, when the disappointments and hurts in life inevitably come, they'll find our heart full of perfect love and less vulnerable to rejection and offense.

But what about our daughters?

How can a girl, just years away from playing with dolls, learn to fight emotions that seem too powerful? Deal with mood swings that try to take her peace away? And avoid the daily surfacing "girl drama"?

From you. She learns from you.

After the hugs and listening, you can teach her to see what she doesn't see coming. To be on guard by being selective to the music she hears, whom she follows on social media and to whom she entrusts her heart. And be intentional to pour God's truth into her heart each and every day.

Not only will her life be more peaceful, yours will too!

Lord, by reading Your Word and spending time in prayer, help me to first learn to be on guard for the enemy's tactics to trip me up. Empower me, as I learn to share this truth with my children and those I have an opportunity to influence. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Not every one

by Jimmy DeYoung

Matthew 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

For further study - Matthew 7:15-23

 Chapter 7 of Matthew's Gospel is the last of the "Sermon on the Mount", Matthew 5, 6 & 7, which is a sermon to the Jews who were expecting the Kingdom to be set up on the earth by the Messiah, Jews who reject the fact that Jesus Christ was the long awaited Messiah.

The Lord Jesus Christ was rejected by the Jews; however, His sermon given on the slopes of the mountains at the northern end of the Sea of Galilee was a warning that is applicable to the Jews during the time leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus and has "spiritual application" for all of us today.

 Verse 15 is a warning for today and into the future, "be aware of false prophets". In the Gospels and the Epistles, in the New Testament, over and over again we are warned of false prophets, false teachers.

In fact, Jesus, in His Olivet Discourse, a message given during "Passion Week", the week leading up to His crucifixion, Jesus said that "deception" was the most important indication of His Second Coming, Matthew 24:4,5,11 & 24.

In His Sermon on the Mount, the Lord even warned that the "false prophets" could come disguised in "sheep's clothing". These "false teachers" would be posing as believers and even as ministers, II Corinthians 11:13-15.

Notice verse 22 where Jesus reveals that these "false teachers" will preach, prophesy, in His name and do miracles, cast out devils, demons, all in the Lord's name.

The truth be known, we see what Jesus warned us of, happening today. We have a proliferation of "false teachers" and "false prophets" doing "miracles" in the name of Jesus, many of them on so-called "Christian television".

Make sure what you listen to and see happening is truly the Lord's work. Jesus says, verse 23, that these "false prophets" and "miracle workers" He does not know and He tells them to depart from Him.

This portion of the Lord's Sermon on the Mount is so important for us today as we quickly approach the time of the return of the Messiah Jesus Christ.

What we see today, that which Jesus warned us would be the case before He returned, is evidence that the Rapture, Jesus calling Christians into the heavenlies, at least seven years before His Second Coming, could happen today.


Prayer Thot: Lord, help me to use Your word of warning about "false prophets" to recognize the times in which we are living today.

ITCHING EARS!

II Timothy 4:3-4

“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”

 

The time has come! What Paul warned Timothy to be aware of, was that there would come a time when people would refuse to hear the Word of God. We are certainly living in a day and age when people want to be entertained rather than taught. The word doctrine in the Greek is: didaskalia. It means to instruct or teach.

 

Have you noticed that in the past several years there has been a dramatic increase in books and movies that deal with mythical creatures and even present them as being real.

 

Isn’t it strange that the very people that deny the Bible as being the Word of God are the very ones who support the myths as being true. These people often accuse Christians of being out of step with reality and reject our teachings.

 

What do we do a situation like this? I think Paul makes it very clear that our task as believers is to be faithful in proclaiming the truth. Yes, there are many who will reject it and reject us as well, but we are to stay at the task until Jesus Comes!   

 

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

 

- - - Pastor Cecil

NET WORTH!

Matthew 16:25-26

"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”  

 

Joyce and I were watching the Antiques Roadshow recently. A woman had brought in an item (I cannot recall what it was) that looked like a piece of trash. (I guess I never did have good taste). She had purchased this item for a few dollars at a yard sale. The appraised value was something like $30,000. WOW!

 

I have tried to imagine what a different ride it was going home that coming to the Roadshow. I am sure that the appraised item which would have been treated with little concern going there, would receive special care on the way home.

 

The things of this world have a strange way of being valued. We have heard that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Look around your own dwelling and see what you consider the most precious items. In our home it is our family!

 

The things of this world are very fleeting. Objects and even loved ones can disappear in a moment of time. There is one eternal treasure that can never be taken away. That is our salvation. In Christ we have the assurance of a mansion that is prepared just for us. Our net worth here may be small but in eternity it will be priceless!

 

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

- - - Pastor Cecil

He who waits on God wastes no time

The eighteenth chapter of First Kings sets before us in application the road to revival. In the seventeenth chapter, Elijah, that solitary, rugged prophet of GOD, broke suddenly upon the scene to announce before King Ahab a three-year drought.

Then he hid himself at GOD's command by the brook Cherith. In the eighteenth chapter he shows himself at GOD's command before Ahab again. It would be well if every preacher hid first at Cherith before appearing at Carmel. Then there would be fewer failures and more fire, falling Fire from above.

Elijah's second appearance before Ahab finds famine in Samaria. We are living in a spiritual famine nowadays, and there is need of a prophet from GOD's hiding place. There can be such a man in any age if he will pay the price. Elijah was no superman, he was subject to like passions as we are, but he prayed earnestly and in that he outstrips us. He could pray down both fire and water and we need both today, fire of power and showers of blessing. But we are all so busy hurrying hither and thither in a great fever about nothing that we would never dream of staying awhile at Cherith. "A waste of time," we efficient, quantity-producing Americans would call it. So we hustle around trying to do things for GOD before we have allowed Him to do things for us. "He who waits on GOD loses no time"; Elijah needed Cherith and Paul needed Arabia and you and I had better "come apart," lest we do come apart and go to pieces!

--Vance Havner (Road to Revival)

Off The Throne

Let's relinquish control and get our pride-filled self off the throne.

After the birth of Jesus, Magi (wise men) came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews?" (Matthew 2:2). When King Herod heard about this he became greatly disturbed. Herod had been appointed King of the Jews by the Roman government; but he was only partially Jewish and not well accepted by the people.

King Herod knew of the Jewish scriptures and how the people were waiting for the Messiah; "The government will be on His shoulders" (Isaiah 9:6). He heard the words of the prophet which told where the new ruler would be born; "Out of you {Bethlehem} will come for Me one who will be ruler over Israel" (Micah 5:2). Herod viewed the news of this new ruler as a great threat. How would this affect his right to be king? Would he lose power? prestige? control? ...comfort!? The potential harm was unbearable so Herod decided to take action.

Matthew 2:16 "He gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under."

Many people today are not much different than Herod. Even when they recognize Jesus and clearly see their need, they fear losing the ability to direct their own path. They may not actually take steps to destroy Christ, but the thought of releasing control seems unbearable. Somehow, they've been taught that submission equates to failure. But the reality is that true "success" is only found in Christ, and true comfort is only obtained by being set free from the power of sin and the entanglement of this world.

Jesus was, and always will be, very threatening to those who insist on sitting on a throne. It's foolishness to think Jesus will accept the position of Co-King. Those who attempt to enter a relationship with Jesus while trying to maintain their "right to rule" will never really know Him, and certainly never experience His peace.

Jesus will give Himself to "whoever believes in Him" (John 3:13). But in return, He asks for our total devotion: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30). We give Him proper worship - the worship He deserves - only as we submit and exalt Him above all else; "He must become greater, I must become less" (John 3:30).

As we begin this new year, let's ensure our relationship with Jesus is aligned with God's plan. He is the rightful Ruler and King - the Savior and Lord! Let's trust and worship Him with all our heart, and refuse to be threatened by His right to lead. Let's decide once and for all to relinquish control and get our pride-filled self off the throne.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God's Daily Word Ministries

TOTAL FORGIVENESS

By late Pastor Bob Hanna

Scripture Reading: Colossians 2: 13

"You, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses" (Colossians 2:13). "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:12-14).

What greater comfort can we experience than the assurance of these words of unqualified release from the bondage of iniquity! Unregenerate man suffers constant fear in his state of guilt and shame. His hope lies only in the one "in whom we [who are saved] have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7). "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9). "Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift" (2 Corinthians 9:15).

Once possessed, one's salvation can never be lost. The apostle explains the process of judgment when the departed saints appear at the judgment seat of Christ. "If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon [the foundation, Jesus Christ], he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire" (I Corinthians 3: 14,15).

We can neither earn nor deserve salvation. "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us" (Titus 3:5).

INFALLIBILITY

All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

 Psalm 119:160 

FROM THE FATHER'S HEART My child, you can never add or subtract anything from My words. They are infallible, as am I. Others may try to change the rules in midstream, reinventing codes and creeds that fit their lifestyles and pleasures. But My Word and My principles still stand. Test them, My child. See if I will not pour out a blessing upon you and the ones for whom you pray. Trust My decisions and My infallible character. You will see one day how the puzzle of your life fits together.

A GRATEFUL RESPONSE You are the only One who ever lived that has infallibility. Human error abounds, but You are the perfect rose, the spotless lamb, the purest gold. Though You make allowance for my errors, You never make mistakes.

SIMPLE TRUTH

Our perfectionism will drive us to failure, but our dependency will lead us to God.

For more from Rebecca, please visit www.rebeccabarlowjordan.com

Obedience or Preference

Matthew 26:36-42

Every believer must choose whether he will live by the principle of obedience or follow his preferences. When a person commits to doing the Lord’s will, then every situation and decision is sifted through the standard of "God said it, so I’m going to do it—and that’s the end of it." He may complain, weep, or try to argue. But in the end he will be obedient, no matter what.

I recall being invited years ago to interview with a church in Atlanta. During the entire road trip, I told the Lord that I didn’t want to move. I fussed and carried on a good while, but I knew Atlanta would be my new home. I didn’t like the idea, but the alternative was unimaginable: there are few things more unpleasant than living with the nagging anxiety that you missed out on something good.

The Lord certainly understands our need to question, cry out, and petition Him for the strength to do what He asks. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that we have a high priest who can sympathize with us. Jesus wasn’t excited or happy about the cross. He grieved over the coming separation from His Father. Nevertheless, He was committed to following God’s will (Matt. 26:39). No one took Christ’s life from Him; He laid it down (John 10:18).

Our lives are about fulfilling God’s purpose. Many people miss His awesome plan for them because they choose to follow their preferences. Obedience is sometimes hard, but the struggle and sacrifice are worth it. There is joy and peace for the believer who pleases the Lord and lives by His principles.

from Dr. Charles Stanley