When Sin Doesn’t Cause You Shame

by shani4jc
 

"Were they ashamed when they had committed abominations?  No!  They were not at all ashamed, nor did they know how to blush." Jeremiah 8:12

I've been reading through the book of Jeremiah and although it tells of how Israel turned their back on God, it could easily be mistaken as a story about the United States at the present time.  We, as a nation, have been so richly blessed by the Lord, yet we have chosen to turn our back on Him and follow our own ways.  We have known God's protection and provision, yet we have chosen to go after gods that do not do anything except destroy us.  We have allowed our hearts to be won over by our own desires and have put God on the backburner of our lives.  Our sin has become so commonplace that we fail to even see it as sin anymore.  What would have once shocked most people doesn't even cause us to bat an eye.  Our hearts have grown cold and our consciences have grown so accustomed to our sin that it doesn't bother us in the least bit.  The Scripture above so accurately describes us...we are no longer ashamed of our sin and we are so comfortable with it that it doesn't even cause us to blush.  When I really stop and think about this, it scares me to death.  It scares me because I wonder how long God will let us go on like we are before He issues His wrath.  Even tempered with grace and mercy, His wrath will be fierce.  He will not be mocked.  He will not allow other gods to take His rightful place.  He will not remain silent forever.  Our only prayer is to do what God told the Israelites over and over...repent and turn back to Him with our whole hearts.  He is the only hope for our nation!

Can This Year Really Be Different?

by GLYNNIS WHITWER

"‘I’m going out to fish,’ Simon Peter told them, and they said, ‘We’ll go with you.’ So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing." John 21:3 (NIV)

 

 

Each year as I hang up the blank calendar in my kitchen, empty of appointments but full of promise, I think to myself, This year will be different!

This will be the year I finally finish that house project, exercise consistently, lose weight, pray faithfully, spend more time with friends and so on and so forth. This year has to be better than last year … right?

And yet, for so many years I’d get to March (if I lasted that long) and give up on my goals, feeling like a failure once again.

I got so frustrated because I knew how to do this stuff. I might not do it perfectly, but I can paint a wall, take a walk, put less food in my mouth, sit and pray and schedule time with friends. This isn’t rocket science!

But … for some confusing reason I either stopped trying or kept making the same choices as before, expecting a different result.

I wonder if that’s how the disciples felt the night they went fishing and caught nothing. The story is told in John 21, after Jesus’ death when the disciples had gone to Galilee to wait for His return (which He’d told them about in Matthew 26:32).

While in Galilee, at least on one night, the disciples returned to their old lives … to fishing. They knew how to fish, as they’d done it all their lives, but that night after hours sitting in wooden boats, floating in dark silence, they caught nothing.

The story takes an interesting turn as the sun starts to rise. Jesus stood on the edge of the lake (although they didn’t recognize Him at first). He asked if they’d caught anything, and when He learned they hadn’t, He gave them a simple instruction: "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some" (John 21:6a, NIV).

Scripture doesn’t record the disciples’ thoughts, but I imagine they were confused and a bit annoyed at this piece of advice. After all, they’d been doing everything they knew to do, why should they keep trying? The fish obviously weren’t there!

And yet, they threw their nets on the right side of the boat. This time, in obedience to Jesus, Scripture tells us they caught so many fish they were unable to haul in their nets.

This would have been a nonstory had the disciples ignored the suggestion to try again, but in a slightly different way. They could have insisted they knew how to fish, they knew the water, and they knew the behavior of the fish. Instead, they humbly listened and obeyed. The blessing of the fish was minor in comparison to seeing Jesus and His power at work in their lives again.

This passage encourages me to press pause at the start of the New Year. I’ve already proved I can’t do much in my strength. So before I go back to my old ways, forging ahead, certain I just need to try harder, I want to stop and seek Jesus’ direction and help.

As I look back on my life, those are the times I’ve seen the Lord work in the greatest ways. When I admit my natural strength isn’t enough, God’s supernatural strength is evident.

So maybe this year things can be different. Not because I’ve got a new game plan or brilliant strategy. I haven’t found a short-cut or an app to make things easier. Maybe the difference is simpler than that. Instead of looking to myself, I need to wait on Jesus. Not just in the big questions and problems, but in everyday, seemingly mundane choices.

As the disciples learned that morning, we are never far from success when we allow Jesus to direct our course.

Dear Lord, I’m so sorry I’ve lived much of my life guided by my own direction, while You have always been there offering wisdom and power. I want to become a woman who looks to You first before trying harder in my own strength. I need Your help. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
John 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (NIV)

Ecclesiastes 7:8, "Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride." (NLT)

When You Feel Inadequate

by Ann Spangler

I’ve been writing books for many years. Despite what you might think, it doesn’t get any easier as time goes on. What hampers me most is my lack of faith. Face-to-face with a blank computer screen, I have a mini crisis of faith each morning, certain that I haven’t got a thing to say that’s worth reading. I’ll send e-mails, make phone calls, walk the dog, pay bills, eat a banana—anything as long as I don’t have to start writing. Finally, when I can’t dodge it anymore, I’ll open up the latest file, see where I left off, and ask God to help me. After a while, the writing usually begins to flow.

For most of us, life is full of such miniature faith crises. We doubt we can do what God has called us to do—to show patience to our children, understanding to our husbands, skill in our work, wisdom in times of trouble. And we’re right. We don’t have enough of what we need. So we stall and make excuses and try to dodge our responsibility, which only increases our anxiety.

To be human is to be inadequate. It is to be limited. It is to be weak in many respects. When we look at our deficiencies, there’s ample cause for concern. But instead of training our eyes on our weakness, we need to train our eyes on God’s strength and on his promises to love and provide. So today, as always, we come before his throne, asking him to fill our emptiness with his fullness and to trade our weakness for his power. Today we take a small step of faith so God can give us his strength.  

Worrying Out Loud

Ann Spangler

Jen burst into the room, tears streaming down her face. “I can’t stand my life!” she exclaimed.
Wondering whether her daughter was suffering from hormone overload or something worse, her mother asked what on earth was wrong.
“You!” the daughter shot back.

Probing further, it became clear to my friend that her teenage daughter was in a state of high anxiety. Pouring out her fears, this young girl told her mother that she was worried about school, anxious about a grandparent in failing health, concerned about the family business, wondering whether there would be enough money for college and whether the economy might collapse. She just couldn’t handle it anymore.

“But, honey,” my friend said, “you don’t have to handle it. Don’t worry about Grandpa. Your dad and I are taking care of him. And our business is doing well. I promise there will be enough money for college. The economy isn’t great, but it’s getting better. What made you so upset about all these things?”

“You!” came the emphatic reply, once again. “You’re always complaining about the business, about Grandpa’s health, and about how terrible the economy is!”

My friend was stunned. She hadn’t realized that her words of complaint and concern had been driving a stake of anxiety into her daughter’s sensitive heart, causing her to worry about issues that no thirteen-year-old should have to deal with.

When it comes to complaints, none of us have a clean slate. But perhaps we can take this story to heart, realizing the power that words have to erode the peace of those we love. Today, let’s ask the Lord to place a guard on our lips, so that whatever comes out of them builds up rather than tears down.

Where Your Heart Is

by shani4jc

My daughter is currently on a mission trip to Uganda, Africa. The team she is with has been able to provide a Vacation Bible School for the children and a medical clinic for the people in one of the villages. We have been blessed to be able to talk to her every day on the phone or via text message. I have to admit that some of the stories she has shared have really opened my eyes to exactly how much I have to be thankful for. She told us that these people basically have nothing, yet they are some of the happiest people she has ever known. This one statement really made me stop and think of how much I have and how I can become so consumed with having "stuff", that I forget to be grateful for it all. I take for granted all of the conveniences in my life and sometimes, instead of thanking God for it all, I complain because someone else has something I don't have or I complain because I have to try and keep up with all of the possessions I do have, all the while wanting more possessions! It's so easy to set our hearts on things that are just temporary...things that one day will be gone instead of setting our hearts on the things that truly matter...eternal things.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

from https://shani4jc.wordpress.com/author/shani4jc/

Click on the link to read other Devotionals and/or get her emailed Devotional

Question: "What does the Bible say about procrastination?"

Answer: Procrastination is “the act of willfully delaying the doing of something that should be done,” and in some people it is a habitual way of handling any task. While the word itself is not found in the Bible, we can find some principles to help guide us.

Sometimes, procrastination is the result of laziness, and the Bible has plenty to say about that. The Bible commends hard work and industry (Proverbs 12:24; 13:4) and warns against sloth and slackness (Proverbs 15:19; 18:9). One cure for procrastination is more diligence, regardless of the task. The Christian should be supremely motivated to be diligent in his work, since he is ultimately serving the Lord. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” (Colossians 3:23). If we put our hearts into our work, as this verse says to do, we will probably find it difficult to procrastinate too much.

The Bible says that when it comes to some things, we should never delay. Jesus taught that reconciling with an offended brother should be done immediately upon our remembrance of the situation (Matthew 5:23-24). He also said to “settle matters quickly” with our adversaries (verse 25). However distasteful it may be to pursue peace with an enemy, we must avoid stalling. Similarly, we are instructed, “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” (Ephesians 4:26). Dealing appropriately with our anger is a matter of great importance, and we must not put it off until tomorrow, which will give the devil “a foothold” (verse 27).

Christians must not procrastinate when it comes to sharing the gospel with the lost. There is no time to waste. Jesus likened evangelistic efforts to a man inviting people to a great banquet. As he sent out his servants with the invitations, he said, “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame” (Luke 14:21). The most striking qualities of the invitation are its openness (anyone and everyone was invited) and its urgency (the call to the feast must go out “quickly”).

Some people, upon hearing the gospel and knowing their spiritual need, delay in making a response. This is the most dangerous type of procrastination. Life is short, and we do not know what will happen tomorrow (James 4:13-14). The Bible urges us to get right with God today. “See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. As has just been said: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion’” (Heb 3:12-13, 15). To procrastinate and put off getting right with God is to harden one’s own heart.

Jesus could return at any time; we do not know when (Luke 12:40). Our Lord illustrated the importance of being prepared for His coming in Matthew 25:1-13. In this parable, ten virgins await the arrival of the bridegroom and the commencement of the wedding feast. Five of the virgins were prepared for his arrival; five did not attempt to prepare until it was too late, and they were left behind. Jesus calls the unprepared virgins “foolish”; one reason they were unprepared may have been that they procrastinated.

So in the matter of our spiritual life, we dare not procrastinate. It is also unwise to delay healing a broken relationship or dealing with anger. And since our service to God motivates all we do, we have no reason to procrastinate. In short, procrastination is a bad habit that can have eternal effects.

Let’s Celebrate!

by Mary Southerland

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over(Psalm 23:5, NKJV).

Friend to Friend
The thought of hosting a large dinner party makes me want to lock the front door and run for the hills. It is just not “my thing.” But over the years, I have learned how to entertain small groups and now absolutely love doing it.
My friend, Michelle, is the consummate hostess. She makes entertaining look so easy. To her, a dinner party for 50 guests is a simple feat. Just shoot me now!
One of Michelle’s favorite preparations is the dinner table. When I’m expecting company, the first guests to arrive often have the honor of setting the table with whatever they can find in the way of tablecloths, silverware, glasses, and … you get the idea. Not Michelle. I’ve seen her table completely and beautifully arranged days before the anticipated dinner party or holiday meal. When I asked her why she went to such elaborate lengths her answer made me stop and think: “It is part of the celebration for me. I love having the table set early because every time I walk past it, I think of the people who will sit in those chairs and I pray for them. I think of their favorite dishes and look forward to preparing each one. I guess you could say that I enjoy the party long before it begins.” That is the idea behind praise.
Many life battles are lost because our confidence and faith in God are eroded under the persistent battering of daily stressful situations. We often fail to recognize and embrace the truth that God defines and refines us through each battle in life.
If the battle truly belongs to God, we win! We win before the first shot is fired. We win before one step of the battle plan is taken.
I would naturally assume that a victory banquet would be held after the victory was won. However, the Hebrew people blew that idea right out of the water when they held victory banquets before the battle even began.
If I had been there, I would have surmised that the Hebrews were either ridiculously arrogant or people of great faith. The truth is that there was an anointing on their lives, a sign of being chosen by God. And because they were a chosen people, their faith grew strong and freed them to stand on the undeniable truth that they could count on their God. Celebrating the battle’s outcome was simply a matter of celebrating God, acknowledging His power on their lives, and walking by faith in the victory provided before the battle was even fought.
We are a chosen people, created by the hand of God. We can sit down at the table of victory every moment of every day because no matter what happens, if God is for us – we win!
I believe our faith is measured by how we handle each battle that comes our way. It may be a skirmish to carry out God’s holy vision, a war against those who seek to undermine God’s calling, or the age-old conflict of good versus evil.

The battlefield is not nearly as important as our choice to align ourselves with God’s plan and step out in faith of the battle already won. That’s where praise comes in.

We can praise God for what He will do long before He does it. We can prepare a victory table before the battle begins, knowing that the battle belongs to our God.
And don’t you know that a pre-battle victory party irritates the fire out of the enemy? I love that!

It is said that in Africa a tree produces the “taste berry,” a unique fruit that literally alters taste buds so that everything that’s eaten after eating the berry tastes good and sweet. Praise is the “taste berry” of the Christian’s life.

When our hearts are filled with praise and when we choose to praise God, every fear and doubt fades into the background of a battle won before it begins.

Let’s Pray

Father, I come to You today, praising You for Your presence in my life. Right now, I celebrate the victory You have already won in every battle I am facing. I choose against my human fear and tendency to demand proof of Your presence in my life and Your power at work. I am stepping out in faith and praising You.

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

What battle are you facing in your life today? Set aside time to spend with God, praising Him for the victory He promises. Share that promised victory with at least one girlfriend today. Don’t wait until you feel like it. Step out in faith and praise Him!

Read Psalm 100:4-5 (NLT) and make it your prayer today. “Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and bless His name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and His faithfulness continues to each generation.”

More from the Girlfriends

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Using God’s GPS

by shani4jc

Today I had to travel somewhere I had never been for work. So, armed with my trusted GPS, I left my house confident that I would arrive at my destination without a hitch. The entire trip took about an hour and forty-five minutes, a great portion of which were back roads with only a small number of landmarks. The signs marking the roads were few and far between. Since I was traveling these roads before daylight, I only saw a handful of other cars on the road. So, basically, it was my GPS and me on this adventure together. As I drove, I thanked God for the gift of GPS because I would never been able to navigate all of the twists and turns on my own. As I thanked Him for my GPS, He reminded me that His Word is also a GPS of sorts. It directs us on our journey towards Him. It helps us navigate the path we are taking on this earth. Much like the GPS on my phone, the Bible can help us if we use it correctly. For example, the GPS on my phone does me absolutely no good if I don't use it. If I just sit my phone in the seat next to me, the GPS isn't going to give me directions to my destination. I must activate my GPS. In the same way, God's Word is not going to do us much good if our Bible is just sitting on the shelf. We must open it up and read what it has to say in order for it to give us direction. If the GPS on my phone tells me to turn left, but I choose to turn right, I'm not going to arrive at the correct location. The same is true for the directions given in God's Word. If His Word tells me to do one thing, but I choose to go on my own course, I am not going to have the desired results. This morning as I traveled through territory I had never before traveled, I felt confident in where I was going because I trusted in the ability of the GPS to get me there. How much more so can we be confident in God's Word's ability to lead us where we need to go...straight to Him!

from https://shani4jc.wordpress.com/author/shani4jc/

Click on the link to read other Devotionals and/or get her emailed Devotional

The Benefit of Believing

By Rick Warren

“I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish.” (John 11:25-26a TLB)

There are a lot of benefits to believing in Jesus and having a relationship with him, but even if there were nothing else, there would still be this, and it’s a pretty big deal: When you believe in Jesus Christ, you are guaranteed eternal life. Your eternity is sealed because of Jesus’ Resurrection.

You see, Jesus bringing himself back to life changed everything. It literally split history into A.D. and B.C. It’s the most important event. And, it proved three things.

First, it proved that Jesus is exactly who he claimed to be. He repeatedly said he was the Son of God who came to die for our sins. And he did just that.

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the most well documented events in history. It would stand up in any court of law. In fact it has many, many times throughout centuries.

The Resurrection also proved that Jesus keeps his promises. Jesus told his disciples that he was going to let the people kill him and that he would come back to life. If he kept that promise, then you know you can trust the other promises in the Word of God.

The third thing the Resurrection proves is that there is life after death. If Jesus Christ hadn’t resurrected, you would have no hope for the future.

Jesus said in John 11:25-26, “I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish” (TLB).

Where else are you going to get a promise like that? Nowhere! Who else can give that to you? No one! If you don’t get it from Jesus, you won’t have it. That is an amazing benefit, and it’s available to you today. What’s the qualification? You must believe.

If you want to make a decision to believe in Jesus Christ and follow him, just pray this prayer: “Dear Jesus, you have promised that if I believe in you, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, I will learn the purpose of my life, and you will accept me into your eternal home in Heaven one day. I confess my sin, and I believe that you are God, my Savior. I receive you into my life as my Lord. Today I’m turning over every part of my life to your management. You have the right to call the shots in my life. Jesus, I want to relax in your love. Thank you that I don’t have to earn it or deserve it or work for it. I want to use the rest of my life to serve you rather than serving myself. I humbly commit my life to you and ask you to save me and accept me into your family. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

Trust When You Make Mistakes

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. Psalms 62:5-6

To each one of us has been given the inestimable privilege of being a child of God. Why, then, should we be unhappy? We are all sinful, but we have a Saviour who can take away our sins, for in Him is no sin. We all have many difficulties to meet, many perplexing problems to solve. But we have an all-powerful Helper, who will listen to our requests as willingly and gladly as He listened to the requests of those who, when He was on this earth in person, came to Him for help. . . .

Do you make mistakes? Do not let this discourage you. The Lord may permit you to make small mistakes in order to save you from making larger mistakes. Go to Jesus, and ask Him to forgive you, and then believe that He does. 'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness' (1 John 1:9).

When discouragement presses heavily upon you, read the following scriptures: . . .

'Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? . . . Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God' (Ps. 42:7-11).

'God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.' 'For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death' (Ps. 46:1-3; 48:14).

Sufferings of Christ - Part #4

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

The angelic host beheld with wonder and with grief Him who had been the Majesty of heaven, and had worn the crown of glory, now crowned with thorns, a bleeding victim to the rage of an infuriated mob, who were fired to insane madness by the wrath of Satan.

Wonder, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth! Behold the oppressor and the oppressed! A multitude inclose the Saviour of the world. Mockings and jeerings are mingled with coarse oaths of blasphemy. His lowly birth and humble life are commented upon by the unfeeling mob. His claim to be the Son of God is ridiculed by chief priests and elders, and the vulgar jest and insulting sneer are passed from lip to lip. Satan controlled the minds of his servants. He imbued the chief priests and elders with religious frenzy. This they communicated to the mob until a corrupt harmony united all, from the hypocritical priests and elders down to the most debased.

God's Not Guilty By Andrew Wommack

Today I want to share one of the most important things God has ever done in my life. It seems people automatically believe everything that happens to them is from God, that He controls everything. The reason for this is that by definition, God is supreme and all-powerful, and they just assume He controls everything that happens in their lives. Even unbelievers believe it. 

There are many Christians who promote this doctrine, and it has become ingrained in their lives. I believe what Scripture teaches is contrary to this, and it's very important that you learn this lesson. James 1:13-17 says, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." 

These verses make it very clear that God is the author of the good things. Jesus said in John 10:10, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." If it's good, it's God; if it's bad, it's the devil. That's very simple theology. The reason this is so critical is because James 4:7 says, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." This says we have to submit, or yield control, to God and resist the devil. The word "resist" means to actively fight against. 

When people believe everything that happens in life is totally from God - for example, sickness, failure in business, losing a job, rebellious children, or divorce - that puts them in the position of being passive. If they really believe God is the author of a situation and is using it to punish them or change them, they would be fighting against Him if they resist. Yet, James 4:7 says to resist the devil and he will flee from you. You have to submit yourself to God. This shows that certain things are of God and certain things are of the devil. There is a force of evil in this world, and not everything that happens in your life comes from God. If you don't understand that, you will end up submitting to the devil, and actually empowering Satan. 

I want to bring out a passage in Romans because it is misused so often. I've actually been to funerals where people don't know anything about God, don't go to church, and know hardly any Scripture, but they know this one. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." This has been interpreted to say that whatever happens in your life, God does it and works it together for good in some way. I actually was at a funeral for a young boy and girl who had been mixing alcohol and drugs, got into a car, drove too fast on a slick road, slid around a corner, hit a telephone pole, and were both killed. The preacher quoted this Scripture, "We know all things work together for good," and said God must have a purpose in doing this. God didn't kill those teenagers, and in a sense, you can't even say the devil did it. It was the teenagers. I'm sure the devil enticed them to rebel against the standards their parents and others had taught them, but ultimately it was their choice. They're the ones who did the dope and alcohol; they're the ones that hit the telephone pole. That was a natural thing, and God wasn't the source of it. 

What does it mean when it says "we know that all things work together for good"? First of all, it didn't say we know all things come from God and work together for good. It says all things work together for good but puts qualifications on it: "to them that love God." This Scripture doesn't work for a person who doesn't love God. That is so obvious that it should go without saying, but it is amazing how people apply it toward instances like these young people who were doing drugs and alcohol and were in total rebellion against God and His principles. This says it only works together for good to those who love God, and to those that are the called according to his purpose. 

If God was a physical human being who did the things He is accused of, such as putting cancer, deformities, depression, sorrow, and grief on people, I guarantee there isn't a government on earth that wouldn't arrest, imprison, or try to stop Him. Yet we think God, who is much more merciful than any person we've met or imagined in our lives, is going around striking people and doing this. There are some things that are demonic attacks and some that are natural, and not all disasters are God ordained. 

We need to start discerning that God does not control everything in our lives. There is an enemy that comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but Jesus has come to give us life. We have to choose life and willfully recognize that God's not guilty of everything that comes into our lives.

Let's Leap Into The New Year 2016 Knowing That

One GOD IS ENOUGH!


Not God and…but GOD!  God is enough. God alone.
If I have all else my heart would desire, and have not Him, I have nothing.
If I have Him and nothing more, I have everything.
My heart must be convinced of this. Only then can I live in peace.

Otherwise, there will always be something else I need urgently, desperately.
And this lack, this urgent need of filling this lack,
will forever drive me to distraction and destroy my rightful peace and rest,
my quietness and confidence in the Lord.

This doesn't mean I don't recognize other things that might be considered needs.
It's only that, while I may see them as good or desirable if within
God's will and purpose for me, I won't see them as ultimate needs,
because God, and God alone, is my only ultimate need.

And what He gives me, in the way and time He gives it, is fine with me.
For He alone is ultimately enough.  Enough for me.

Yes, I have what humans view as responsibilities.
But only those that are God-given are truly mine.
And they are not so much responsibilities as opportunities.
Opportunities to serve and please and give pleasure to the One
who is Himself all I need, and is increasingly, by His grace, all I want.


'The man said when we say, 'I wish you enough,' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.'  Then turning toward me, he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory.

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear..
I  wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish  you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.
He then began to cry and walked away.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them; but then an entire life to forget them.
Share this with the people you will never forget.

TAKE  TIME TO LIVE.....
To  all my friends and loved ones,

I WISH YOU ENOUGH.
 

Sufferings of Christ - Part #3

Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. John 16:32

Though the murderous throng are surprised and awed by what they have seen and felt, their assurance and hardihood return as they witness the boldness of Judas in touching the person of Him whom so recently they have seen glorified.

When the disciples saw that He permitted Himself to be taken, they were offended, and forsook Him and fled, leaving their Master alone. Christ had foreseen this desertion, and in the upper chamber, before it took place, had told them of what they would do: 'Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.'

He was betrayed by a kiss into the hands of his enemies; He was hurried to the judgment hall of an earthly court, by sinful men to be derided and condemned to death. There the glorious Son of God 'was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities.' He bore insult, mockery, and shameful abuse, until his 'visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.' 

 

part 4 continues on Jan. 3, 2016

Sufferings of Christ - Part #2

Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. Psalms 41:9

The Roman soldiers start to their feet, and, with the priests and Judas, they gather about Christ as though ashamed of their weakness, and fearful that He will yet escape out of their hands. Again the question is asked by the Redeemer, 'Whom seek ye?' Again they answer, 'Jesus of Nazareth.' Jesus replies, 'I have told you that I am He. If therefore ye seek Me, let these go their way.' In this hour of humiliation, Christ's thoughts are not for Himself, but for his beloved disciples. He wishes to save them from any further trial.

Judas does not forget his part, but comes close to Jesus, and takes his hand as a familiar friend, and bestows the traitor's kiss. Jesus says to him, 'Friend, wherefore art thou come?' His voice trembled with sorrow as He addressed deluded Judas, 'Betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss.' This appeal should have aroused the conscience of Judas, and touched his stubborn heart; but honor, fidelity, and even human tenderness, seemed to have left him. He stood bold and defiant, showing no disposition to relent. He had given himself up to the control of Satan, to work wickedness, and he had no will to resist. Jesus did not refuse the traitor's kiss. In this He gives us an example of forbearance, love, and pity, that is without a parallel.

Sufferings of Christ - Part #1

Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Matthew 26:45

The fearful hour in Gethsemane is past. Our divine Saviour has accepted the cup to drain it to the dregs. In behalf of man He has conquered in the hour of temptation. Serenity and peace are now seen in the pale, blood-stained face. The third time He comes to his disciples, and finds them overcome with sleep. Sorrowfully and pityingly He looks upon them, and says, 'Sleep on now, and take your rest.' Even while these words were upon his lips, He heard the footsteps of the mob that was in search of Him. And He continued, 'Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; behold, he is at hand that doth betray Me.'

The countenance of Christ wore an expression of calm dignity. The traces of his recent agony were not visible as He went forth to meet his betrayer. Judas, closely followed by the priests, led the way. Standing in advance of his disciples, Jesus inquires, 'Whom seek ye?' They answer, 'Jesus of Nazareth.' The Saviour replies, 'I am He.' At these words the mob stagger backward, and the priests, the elders, the hardened soldiers, and even Judas, fall powerless to the ground, giving ample opportunity for Christ to release Himself if He so desires. But He stands as one glorified amid that coarse and hardened band.

GRIEVE NOT THE SPIRIT

by C. R. Stam

The first lesson each believer in Christ should learn is that immediately upon believing he is given everlasting life. Referring to this fact Ephesians 1:13,14 says:

"In whom ye also trusted, having heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also having believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise."

Mark well, the believer is not sealed by the Holy Spirit, but "with" the Holy Spirit. The Spirit Himself is the seal. Every sincere believer in Christ, then, should rejoice in an accomplished redemption and rest in the fact that the Holy Spirit will keep him eternally safe.

But while we cannot lose the Holy Spirit we can, and often do, grieve the Holy Spirit, as we read in Eph. 4:30. This is why we are told in Rom. 8:26 that the Spirit "helpeth our infirmities" and makes intercession for us, that we might live lives which please and honor God.

The wonderful fact is, however, that "nothing," not even an aggrieved Spirit shall "separate us from the love of God" (Rom. 8:38,39). Thus in the same breath with which the Apostle exhorts us not to grieve the Spirit he again reassures us that this same Spirit keeps us eternally safe:

"And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption" (Eph. 4:30).

Does this encourage careless living? Those who think so have missed the whole point of Paul’s appeal. The Apostle does not warn the believer that if he grieves the Spirit he will be lost. Rather, in grace he exhorts:

"Do not grieve the very Spirit who in mercy and love has sealed you as forever His own. Do not repay such love with such ingratitude."


2Co 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

 
"May God, Whose grace is irresistible and  all sufficient, be glorified!"

SAVED TO, SAVED FROM

By Pastor Bob Hanna

A doctrine known as "Annihilation" thrives among the members of a particular persuasion. The essence of this teaching is the claim that the death of an unregenerated individual is simply the end: no eternal punishment or after-life at all. This position acknowledges that the saved pass on to eternal life in heaven when they die, thus having been saved to something, but not from anything. Scripture does not support this conclusion. In the Book of the Revelation, chapter twenty, verse four, the first resurrection is described. This is the resurrection of the righteous dead, who are qualified to enter the kingdom and "reign with Christ a thousand years" (Revelation 20:6). "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished" (Revelation 20:5). The rest of the dead are those with whom we are concerned in considering the doctrine of annihilation.

"And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle the number of whom is as the sand of the sea" (Revelation 20:7,8). Satan attacks Jerusalem and is defeated. "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever" (Revelation 20:10).

"And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them ... and the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works ... and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:11,13,15).

Speaking from His throne, the Lord says, "The fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8).

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

He'll work in ways you may not recognize or understand. And He is big enough to do things you have labeled impossible. He has enough power.

*He has enough time. He is bigger than your problem. Believe in Him more than in what you may see. Trust in Him more than what you may feel.

You can question. He can handle your questions. God is highly confident in His own plans. He can do everything but fail.
Kathy Troccoli

How Do You Treat People Who Serve You?

by Rick Warren

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31 NIV)

One of the greatest tests of your character is how you treat people who are trying to serve you. Whether it’s a waitress, a waiter, a clerk, an employee, a secretary, your children, or your spouse, how you treat those who serve you tells me a great deal about you.

In fact, when I’ve been involved in hiring decisions of Saddleback staff, I often take people to restaurants to see how they interact with the server. Someone who is rude and demanding in those situations has a character flaw that I don’t want as part of our team.

Jesus tells us, “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31 NIV). That may be the simplest yet most important character test in the Bible.

The social psychologist Eric Hoffer once said, “Rudeness is the weak man’s imitation of strength.” It takes no intelligence at all to be rude.

The best place to practice this important character trait of respect is at home. More marriages are ruined by rudeness than anything else. When I used to do marriage counseling, I was amazed at how many marriages are buried by one little dig after another.

Often we’re the most disrespectful to the people we care about the most. I know people who treat their families in ways they would never treat a stranger.

I read a news story a few years back about a couple that got an annulment on the basis of the husband’s rudeness. The wife went to court and claimed her husband burped all the time. She filed for an annulment. The judge ruled in her favor and granted her an annulment on the basis that if the husband really loved his wife, he wouldn’t burp so much. If it annoyed her to that degree, he should be more considerate and refrain.

Courtesy is just love in the little things. It’s showing respect for people by being kind even in the smallest areas of our lives.

Let Us Worship

"Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."

—Matthew 2:2

The very word "Christmas" has been emptied of its meaning, drug through the gutter, and given back to us, minus its power. Some prefer to use the more politically correct terminology at this time of year, like "Happy Holidays," "Merry Xmas," or even "Happy Winter Solstice." But I actually think those things are not as bad as the person who says, "Merry Christmas" with no idea whatsoever of what Christmas really means.

I think we should cancel the version of Christmas that is filled with hype and endless activity leading to exhaustion, the version that gives little to any thought of Christ. We should cancel Christmas and instead celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. I still believe in Christmas, but not in the holiday as our culture celebrates it. I believe in the real message of Christmas, which is the birth of our Lord.

Maybe you are bracing yourself for a tough Christmas. Maybe you think Christmas won't be as good this year as it was before. But what if this Christmas were better than any Christmas you have ever experienced, because you have been freed from the pressure of having to get stuff? That could be a really good Christmas. It could actually be the most wonderful Christmas of your life.

The primary message of Christmas is this: God is with us. Isaiah 7:14 tells us, "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." Immanuel means, "God is with us."

So the message of the season is not, "Let it snow" or even, "Let us shop." The real message of Christmas is, "Let us worship." That is what the wise men came to do. And that is what we should be doing as well.

from Pastor Greg Laurie

"THE GIFT OF CHRIST"

By Pastor Ivan Burgener

"But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore He saith, 'When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.' (Now He that ascended, what is it but that He also descended first unto the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also That ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.) And He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints..." (Eph. 4:7-12).

While this wording might seem strange to the modem reader, the point is simple and must not be missed! The Lord Jesus Christ is the One Who came into this world [the lower parts] in humiliation and was "found in fashion as a man..." He was obedient unto death out of which He was raised, ascended, and seated on high, "far above all principality and power" in order that He might "fill all things."

>From that exalted position and place, He received gifts of ministry from God and in turn gave them to "the church which is His body." His "giving" is an expression of His grace with the stated purpose, "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." And all this is to continue until "we all come to the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect [mature] man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph. 4:12-13). Unity of the Spirit leads to unity of the Faith.

Rather than spiritual gifts given to individual men, these gifts are stated to be men with spiritual enablement being given to the church, the body of Christ. They must be seen as the means used by the risen Lord to continue to bless and guide this church in His absence. The apostles and prophets were men whose works were inspired and who laid the foundation by writing the scriptures. The works of evangelists and teaching pastors were not inspired but were of a continuing and subsequent nature ministering the scriptures. The latter were to continue until the stated goals are reached, evidently until this church is complete and rapture to heaven!

These apostles were not the twelve, chosen by the Lord on earth, but called from heaven and associated with Paul in His ministry. And while these have disappeared, evangelists, pastors and teachers continue "until we all come to...unto a perfect man, ...the fulness of Christ," the rapture!

Don't be a Christmas Jerk

Isaiah 9:6
One of my favorite Christmas stories is the classic Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Last year my wife and I enjoyed a fantastic stage production of this wonderful old story.
It seems every Christmas story has to have a Scrooge, from predictable Hallmark dramas to children's books. The reason we always write a jerk into our holiday stories is because it's true. It's real life. 

Today I want to encourage you not to be a Christmas jerk. Don't be the Scrooge. It's all too easy. Maybe you're expecting an Xbox and you get a sweater. Maybe your parents have to tighten the belt and you have fewer packages under the tree. Maybe Christmas is a tough time because you're reminded again of the fragility and dysfunction of your family. Perhaps you wish your family would be like the others who seem to have it all together. 

Or... maybe you're stressed out because you have a ton of stuff to do. Recitals, plays, people, parties. 

The circumstances and environment around the holidays make it all too easy to fall into jerk mode. And I'm saying, don't let it happen. Why? Because, of all people, it is Christians who should be full of joy on Christmas. Why? Becasuse this is the celebration of our story, how God moved dramatically to rescue His creation by sending Jesus to live, first as a baby, then as a growing boy, and then as a man. 

Christmas is good news. It is God's entrance into the world. God didn't stay in Heaven as a detached deity, he moved to become flesh. What a powerful story. 

How do you avoid becoming a Christmas jerk? First, meditate on the story. Go back to the chapters in Isaiah and Matthew and Luke. Remember why we celebrate. Second, go with the flow. What I mean is hold your Christmas plans loosely. Remember its about love, about giving, about peace. So if you get stiffed on the Xbox, let it go. Third, find ways to give back this Christmas. Is there a needy child, a program at your church, a community center that needs you're time and perhaps your money? Give. Fourth, don't get hung up on frivolous stuff. Don't be a Christian who whines about commercialization, about the "War on Christmas." Just fight against those with genuine, Holy-Spirit-led Christmas cheer. 

Strive this year, to be part of the good at Christmas. And leave the jerkiness to Dickens, Hallmark Channel, and others.

Check out our Christmas Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LuvChristmas.

The Spirit of Christmas is Generosity

By Rick Warren

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV)

During this Christmas season, you’ll hear one word more than any other. It’s not “merry,” “tree,” “Santa,” or even — unfortunately — “Jesus.”

It’s “gift.” Starting on Black Friday (and sometimes even before then), we begin a month-long dash to find the right gift for everyone on our list. The word “gift” consumes us for a month.

Many people think that gift giving at Christmas was started by the Wise Men when they brought gifts to the baby Jesus. But it was God who gave the first Christmas gift.

God so loved that he gave. The Bible says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV). On the first Christmas, God gave the greatest gift of all — he gave his Son. He gave his Son to die on the cross so you can have your past forgiven, a purpose for living, and a home in Heaven. Jesus is the original Christmas gift.

We only give because God gave to us first.

Christmas is about generosity. It’s not just about compassion. The spirit of Christmas is the spirit of generosity. Acts 15:11 says it like this: “We are saved because the Master Jesus amazingly and out of sheer generosity moved to save us” (MSG).

If it weren’t for God’s generosity, we would have nothing. The air we breathe is a gift of God’s generosity. The blood coursing through our veins is a gift of God’s generosity. The fact that our hearts are beating is a gift of God’s generosity. Every good thing in your life — including your life — is a gift of God’s generosity.

But God’s greatest act of generosity came on the very first Christmas when he gave us Jesus.