Submitting to God

"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."
-Acts 10:14-15

Do you feel comfortable saying "no" to God? We might not have the ability to admit it but we each say "no" to God in some way. Sometimes we say "no" by choosing to not witness. Sometimes we say "no" by refusing to volunteer. Sometimes we say "no" by ignoring the prompting of our heart. But most of the time we say "no" because we refuse to accept His will for our lives.

In Matthew 16:13, Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" The disciples answered His question by stating what others think about Him. "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter is the only one who answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus acknowledges to Peter that God, Himself, has revealed this to him. I am sure that Peter had a large smile in his heart after that compliment. A few passages later, Jesus begins explaining that He will have to suffer. Peter again is the only one who speaks up as he disagrees with God's plan, taking the liberty to rebuke the Lord. Matthew 16:22-23 says, 'Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." Peter has gone from a place of esteem to a place of rebuke. In Acts 10, we find Peter disagreeing with God again as he says, "Surely not, Lord."

We are flesh and our natural born nature rebels against the Lord at times. God can handle whatever position we take and He wants to reason with us on our position. Talk to Him and be honest. The problem comes when we place our thoughts and desires over God's, to a point of rebuking the Lord. We may not have the boldness to tell Him we think He is wrong, but our actions show the thoughts and intents of our hearts as we choose not to submit or yield or even listen to what He is trying to say. God's ways do not make sense to us and His thoughts are not our thoughts. That is why it is so important to have an open, honest relationship with Him based on His words. Peter was a man who had an honest relationship with God. His rebukes may not seem respectful but he kept himself in a position to keep listening until his will lined up with God's will.

• What is the Lord trying to tell you today?
  
• Are you going through a set of circumstances that you refuse to acknowledge is God's will for your life?
  
• Are you fighting or submitting?
  
• Are you willing to listen or are you running?
  

Let us all pray that we are on God's side. When it comes down to it, He is going to win. Don't you want to be on His team?

Don't Lose Sight of the Goal

This devotional was written by Jim Liebelt.

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

Numerous sources have told the story of Florence Chadwick, who on one foggy morning in July of 1952 waded into the waters off Catalina Island, intent on swimming across the channel to the Southern California mainland. This challenge was not too difficult for Chadwick as she had been the first woman ever to swim the English Channel in both directions.

However, on this day, having lost sight of the land because of the fog, Chadwick decided to give up. As it turned out, she had only been one-half mile from reaching her goal. She was not exhausted or cold. Rather the fog, having obscured her vision from the goal, was the reason she quit. Still, some two months later, on a clear day, Florence Chadwick attempted the same challenge – and this time succeeded, setting a new speed record, because she was able to keep her eye upon the goal.

As Christians, we have a goal: to follow Jesus, to become like Him, to love and serve Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. But, we often encounter the world’s fog, which can obscure our vision and keep us from seeing the goal clearly. I’m afraid too many of us have chosen to give up pursuing the goal because we become distracted by fog – the fog of busyness, of career, of material pursuits, of self-interest. We will all experience foggy days, spiritually speaking. Don’t quit. Persevere. Do your best to keep your eyes focused on Jesus who awaits with reward in hand, at the finish line.

I love the words of that old hymn written by H.H. Lemmel:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face;
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.

Today, let the fresh breeze of the Holy Spirit’s presence in your life blow away the world’s fog. Fix your eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

GOING DEEPER:

1. What “fog” exists in your life that obscures your vision and hinders you from following Christ?
   
2. What actions can you take to regain your clear vision in order to pursue the goal of following Christ? Will you commit those actions to the Lord today?
   

FURTHER READING: Hebrews 12:2; 2 Timothy 4:7-8; Hebrews 10:36; James 1:12

Committed to Learn

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. —2 Timothy 2:15

Have you ever had one of those golden opportunities in life to share the gospel, and you found that you just weren’t prepared? Or have you had someone fire some really hard questions at you, and you were rendered speechless?

After I had been a Christian for two weeks, I felt I needed to get out and do something with my faith. I was walking down the street and who did I run into but my very close friend from elementary school. I started witnessing to him. He was listening, and he was open. It seemed as though I was making some progress. I was getting excited.

I didn’t notice, however, that someone else was eavesdropping on our conversation. He walked up to me and said, “I have a few questions for you.”

I thought, No problem. I have been a Christian for two weeks. I think I can grapple with most theological issues at this point. Fire away.

So he fired four or five pretty tough questions at me. I can’t even remember today what they were. All I remember is that I was dumbfounded. I didn’t even have a clue. I was ashamed. I was embarrassed. But worst of all, I felt that I had let the Lord down.

I made a commitment that day—a commitment to study the Bible so I would not be caught in that position again. I can’t say that I have the answer to every question now. Nor am I suggesting that I can resolve any difficulty any person has, because I can’t. But I did realize that I needed

For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org

Working Wholeheartedly

2 Chronicles 31:21 In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.

Hezekiah was a godly king. He was also a very talented businessman and builder. He was responsible for many noteworthy projects that are described in detail in the Old Testament. We discover from the passage above that King Hezekiah had two major attributes that contributed to his success and prosperity: He sought God, and he worked wholeheartedly upholding God's laws.

Godly success involves a partnership between you and God. Success in God's economy means achieving the purpose for which God made you. That purpose can never be discovered without seeking Him with a whole heart. You may achieve great things without seeking God, but you will never achieve the things God set out for you to achieve without seeking Him. Unless you seek Him, you may find yourself one day climbing to the top of the ladder only to find it leaning against the wrong wall.

What does it mean to seek God? It means creating time to sit before His throne in quiet places. It means reading His Word in order to know Him more intimately. It means developing an ear to hear His voice so that we know when to turn to the right or to the left. God desires to know you.

Are you willing to take the time to know Him? If so, you can be sure He will guide you into those things that will bring success to every aspect of your life.

The Source of Guilt

2 Corinthians 7:9-10 - 9 Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. 10 For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

I once read a survey that asked 500 people what emotions they felt when experiencing guilt. The answers were heartbreaking. People reported feeling punished, depressed, worthless, rejected, and isolated. A general sense of low self-esteem overwhelmed the respondents. There was no joy, no hope, and no vitality. In a sense, it is as though the feelings of guilt had completely blotted out everything else in their lives.

This seems like such a sad way to exist, and yet it’s safe to assume that all of us—even those of us who are believers—have gone through these exact same emotions. In fact, you may be dealing with intense guilt right now. If so, let’s consider one simple question: Where does your guilt come from?

In 2 Corinthians 7:10, we see two forms of guilt. One is a sorrow that comes from God. This call to repentance is a tool the Lord uses to draw unbelievers to Himself through salvation in Christ. It also motivates believers to confess any wrongs causing “interference” in their fellowship with Him.

A second form of guilt is the dark emotion that plagues people with remorse and the reactions mentioned on the survey. Such sorrow isn’t from God at all, but from the world.

If you’ve received Jesus’ free gift of salvation but still struggle under the assault of guilt, let Scripture assure you: these feelings didn’t come from God. He is not attacking you. Rather, He holds the keys to your freedom. Don’t fall victim to the Enemy’s lies. In Christ, you are forgiven and free. Lay down your chains today.

No Fear

Today's Scripture
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 NIV

Thoughts for Today
No Fear printed across tee-shirts. Bumper stickers that read Question Authority. Television programs flaunting rebellion. Movies that trivialize God. ... Sadly, these are all signs of our times.

Respect, reverence and fear have become distasteful words in our society. A lack of concern or respect for each other or for anyone in authority has led to rebellion, hatred and even bloodshed.
A lack of respect for mankind and other distorted attitudes can be traced to a lack of reverence toward God. To reverence the Lord means to treat God and his message with awe.

Consider this…
What are some ways we can show our respect and reverence to God? Noah did it by persevering in obedience even in very difficult circumstances. We too need to put God first in our lives ... to strive to please him in all we do ... to have regular devotional times with him ... to live our day-to-day lives in a way that honors him.

People who don't know Jesus often judge him by what they see in his followers. What do they learn about Jesus from your life?

Prayer
Father, help me to consistently live in such a way that others will sense your love and will honor you and want to know you. In Jesus name ...

WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT

by Charles R. Swindoll

Read Job 1:1-12

Without Job's knowing it, a dialogue took place in the invisible world. As the Lord and Satan had their strange encounter, the subject quickly turned to this well-known earthly man. The Lord calls Satan's attention to Job's exemplary life, and Satan responds with a sinister sneer. "Of course, who wouldn't serve You, the way You've prospered and protected him. Take away all the perks and watch what happens; the man will turn on You in a flash." God agrees to let the Adversary unload on Job.

And so, in today's terms, the Lord bet Satan that Job would never turn on Him. Philip Yancey refers to that agreement as the "divine wager." Satan instigates a sudden and hostile removal of all the man's possessions, leaving him bankrupt. Within a matter of minutes, everything he owned was gone.

This brings us to the first lesson worth remembering: we never know ahead of time the plans God has for us. Job had no prior knowledge or warning. That morning dawned like every other morning. The night had passed like any other night. There was no great angelic manifestation---not even a tap on his window or a note left on the kitchen table.

In one calamity after another, all the buildings on his land are gone, and nothing but lumber and bodies litter the landscape. It occurred so fast, Job's mind swirled in disbelief. Everything hit broadside . . . his world instantly changed.

You and I must learn from this! We never know what a day will bring, whether good or ill. Our heavenly Father's plan unfolds apart from our awareness. Ours is a walk of faith, not sight. Trust, not touch. Leaning long and hard, not running away. No one knows ahead of time what the Father's plan includes. It's best that way. It may be a treasured blessing; it could be a test that drops us to our knees. He knows ahead of time, but He is not obligated to warn us about it or to remind us it's on the horizon. We can be certain of this: our God knows what is best.

Ike, Neighbors, and Christ

Hey Men,
Please pray as we begin cleaning up after Ike. A man from FEMA called me regarding staging benevolence out of the church (I kindly passed him off to a real person who could actually do something at our church). We will be "all hands on deck" beginning Thursday. My family moved back to Houston tonight and are surveying the damage right now (Pray that All-State will actually honor their insurance. They are perhaps the worst company to deal with.). We are fortunately with electricity and water now...that is the only reason we journeyed back. Please pray for the Body of Christ to engage and serve the needs around us. I believe that this is such a chance to carry out the Great Commandment at a time of great need.
Thanks those of you who have been praying for us (and the families effected by Ike).
May God be glorified even now.
Blessings,
er

The Body.

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.

--1 Corinthians 12:14,18

You have a job to do in the body of Christ. Every member is a minister. You don’t have to resign from your job for God to have a ministry for you.

And when we work together, cooperating in God’s church among God’s people, the impact is amazing.

Now, Nehemiah leaves a very sad commentary in Nehemiah chapter 3 when he talks about a group of people called the Tekoites. These people were farmers who helped repair the wall of Jerusalem. In Nehemiah 3:5, Nehemiah says, “And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.”

The nobles thought they were too good! They wouldn’t stoop down. They didn’t want to get their hands dirty. They thought they were above working on a wall, just shoving bricks around. So what did they do? They sat out while others worked!

It’s always been an amazing thing to me that some believers watch while others work. How some believers sit while others serve! To me, a non-serving Christian is a contradiction in terms.

Perhaps today, you’d admit that you’ve been sitting on the sidelines, watching while others get their hands dirty doing the work of the Lord. And who knows, maybe you have a list a mile long as to why you’re not involved in some kind of ministry in your church or elsewhere. Or maybe you don’t think there’s a place of ministry for you.

If so, I want to ask you to perform an experiment this week. I want you to call your church and ask them if they need help in any area of ministry. Whether it’s ushering, parking cars, working with children, or sweeping floors, just ask if there’s some place where they need help. If you do this, I can promise you that God will use you in a mighty way… a way you never thought possible!

In addition to that, I’m confident that God will bless your life as you make yourself available in service to Him.

Parenting

Hey Guys,

We recently started a series at church on called "Swimming Upstream: Parenting in today's culture" and I thought some of you might find it interesting. The first 2 in a series of 6 are already posted and available by streaming audio or download.

http://visitchristcommunity.com/message_library

Enjoy,
cas

Living with Passion

I want to focus your attention today on two passages. The first is Ecclesiastes 9:10,

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

The second passage is Colossians 3:23,

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.

Do you see the common theme? God desires us to live our lives full out, with passion. Whether you are a preacher, a writer, a teacher, or a singer, whatever you do, you are to do it with passion. You are to throw yourself into it.

People are attracted to passion. They want to see someone who is burning with a fiery zeal for whatever they do!

In my opinion, the greatest example of a passionate person is Jesus. Remember the story when Jesus threw the money changers out of the temple? That was a passionate act. In fact, the end of that passage says, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”

Zeal is just another word for passion. “Passion for Your house has eaten Me up!” Have you ever tried to imagine Jesus doing that? I have a very clear image of what that must have been like.

He is whipping these guys and they are running, covering their heads. He is throwing over these big tables and the disciples are watching with their mouths wide open, when they remember the verse, “Zeal (passion) for Your house has eaten Me up.”

Let me ask you a question: When is the last time you were eaten up with zeal for anything? When is the last time you were utterly passionate about anything?

Don’t just sleepwalk through life. You need to decide you are going to live!

Ike's Aftermath

Hey Men,
Please continue to pray for the millions effected by Ike. We were able to get out early, but there are millions that weren't as blessed.
Thanks,
er

911 Prayer

This was a prayer I wrote and delivered underneath our American flag at work on the first anniversary of the 911 tragedy. I share it with you today so that we may remember.

Almighty God, we come in honor and praise to you today. We thank you for this moment of unity in our company and in our world. We lift up many today in remembrance and we seek Your mercy and protection in the days to come. Keep us in Your heart.

Please bless those families who have suffered indescribable loss and bring them peace. Psalm 91:1 tells us that we can find rest in the shadow of the Almighty – that You alone are our refuge and safety. Keep us safe today.

Grant wisdom and guidance to our nation’s leaders and the leaders of our allies around the world. I pray that they might seek Your will at times of decision. Give us that same wisdom as parents, Lord, so that we can provide comfort and hope for our children. Keep close to them today.

Finally, God, we pray that the day would be remembered not only with honor for the past, but with hope for the future. We know that Your mercies are fresh each day and that our hope lies in You. Keep us mindful of that hope today.

The Enemy sought to bring us to our knees and succeeded. He had no idea, however, that we would kneel before You. And he has no idea what You can do.

Your will be done, Lord, and we pray these things in Your name. Amen.

What is the Gospel?

Key Scripture(s): Romans 1:16, 8:18-25; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8-10; Revelation 21:1-5.

The Gospel is the foundational message of Christianity. It is more than the first step in a staircase of truths. It is better likened to the hub of a wheel, the central reality around which all else is centered. It is not a basic truth from which we move on to deeper truths, but is the deep and central truth out of which all other truth flows. This is why the title “Gospel U.” has been selected for this book. Whether we are just beginning to investigate Christianity, or are life-long followers of Christ, the Gospel is the one, single thing we must grasp if our lives are going to reach their fullest, God-given potential. Without the Gospel, life becomes distorted in countless ways. With the Gospel, life is set on a trajectory toward beauty and wholeness.
Basic definition of the Gospel
The basic definition of the Gospel includes good news and bad news. The bad news is that the universe and everything in it is wearing down all the time, and people are more sinful and wounded than they even realize. The good news is that God, through the person and work of Jesus, intends to restore both the universe and his people to their original beauty and glory. The focus of this teaching is in recognizing three primary “big truths” of the Gospel—truths that are foundational for all other teaching about faith and life.

THE FIRST TRUTH—God purposes to restore all things that are broken
The Gospel at its essence is the good news that through Jesus, the love and power of God have entered history to make all things new. This renewal includes the hearts of people, but also much more. God’s present purpose is to renew the entire universe. It is his vision to make everything beautiful as it was originally designed to be. The Bible teaches that the world as it is now, particularly as pertains to the broken things in life and in creation, is not the way it is supposed to be. Because of this, people and creation both “groan” in anticipation of all things being made new again—as they were in the Garden of Eden before sin entered the world (Romans 8:18-25; Revelation 21:1-5).
Life as it is now is both beautiful and broken. We experience seasons of joy and splendor—a good marriage, a new car, straight A’s, an athletic victory, a delicious steak, beautiful music, etc. But we also see experience much brokenness in the world—frustration in work, pain in relationships, financial strain, sickness, death. The second law of thermodynamics confirms that all things are breaking down, all of the time. Yet believers in the Gospel, even in the most dire circumstances, can live with hope in the present world (2 Corinthians 4:7-18, 12:7-10). Though things aren’t perfect now, it will all be made right when God renews all things.

There is value in disappointment because it points us toward what our hearts are ultimately crying out for. Think of the last improvement project you set out to complete (remodeling a living space, dusting off furniture, weeding a garden, strengthening a relationship, healing an illness, getting a haircut, editing an essay, etc.). Both the frustration you felt before the work was done (“This isn’t how it’s supposed to be…it should be so much better!”), and the sense of satisfaction you felt when the project was completed—these are glimpses into the image of God in you—the God who eagerly desires, as the rock band U2 sings, to “make beauty from ugly things.”[1]
THE SECOND TRUTH—God purposes to rescue a people, by grace and through faith
The central teaching or “crux” of the Gospel is not a list of ideas, rules, commands or propositions, but a Person. That Person is Jesus Christ, who, being in his very nature God (Philippians 2:6; 1 John 5:20), took on human flesh to bridge the enormous gap between a holy God and a sinful humanity (Isaiah 6:1-7). Religion focuses on behavior, declaring that we cannot be acceptable unless we perform and keep rules. Irreligion focuses on “personal freedom,” declaring that we are able to find happiness without God’s rule in our lives. But the Gospel focuses on personal trust in God’s heroic rescue. The average person believes that a Christian is someone who follows Christ’s teaching. But the Bible is much more realistic than this. The Bible says that following Christ’s teaching is impossible. You don’t rescue or “save” people unless they are in a perishing condition and with no hope for self-recovery (How many times have you seen a corpse do CPR on itself?). Jesus, knowing the helplessness of the human condition (Genesis 6:5; Ephesians 2:1-10) gave himself as a sacrifice for those who would place their faith (or trust) in his gracious gift, unmerited and unearned by us, of himself. Jesus came, lived a perfect life, and died a sacrificial death, not to buy us a second chance but to be our substitute. Everything we needed to do to achieve peace with God, Jesus did for us—in our place and on our behalf. He died the death we should have died so that we would never be condemned (Romans 3:23-26), and he lived the life we should have lived so that God would regard us as blameless in his own sight (2 Corinthians 5:21). Because of what Jesus did as substitute, those who trust in and receive his free gift can truly say, “As far as God is concerned, everything that’s true about Jesus is true about me. God regards me as blameless and beautiful. He loves me as much as he loves Jesus. He gives me credit for the good that Jesus did, and he puts all the blame on Jesus for the wrongs I have done and will do.”In short, Christianity is not something that we do as much as it is a Person we trust—the doing merely flows out of the trust. Jesus lived the life we should have lived, and Jesus died the death we should have died. It is on this basis alone that anyone can stand blameless and fully accepted in the sight of God (Ephesians 2:8-10). The Reformer Martin Luther likened all people to a caterpillar caught in the middle of a ring of fire. Similar to the caterpillar, for a human being the only hope for deliverance is a rescue “that comes from above.”
THE THIRD TRUTH—God will make his people beautiful, every last one of them
Returning back to the first point above, it is not merely God’s plan to rescue his people, but to completely restore them to their original beauty, to reflect his image in all of its radiance, perfection, and glory. Believers in Jesus and the Gospel will one day actually be like God in their character, way of life, and deepest, most fundamental desires (1 Corinthians 13:8-12; Ephesians 4:24). The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) will be completely and perfectly true of each Christ-follower.
Life in the Gospel, in other words, is a healing path. It leads us to a beautiful destination. It is in essence a journey we take with others who also believe and embrace it—and we help each other along toward the destination of knowing and becoming like Jesus. In this life, God’s ultimate purpose for us is to shape us, to renew us, to re-make us into Christ-like people. This should therefore be our goal and vision for our own lives. When it is, we are given the eyes to see everything that happens to us, even suffering, as a tool in the hands of God to artistically mold us into the beautiful workmanship he intends for us to be and to become (Ephesians 2:10).

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU PROCESS THIS TEACHING:
· How does this teaching affirm what you already believe to be true?
· What wrong behaviors, harmful emotions, and/or destructive attitudes result when we are not embracing this teaching?
· In what ways does current experience confirm that Romans 8:18-25 is true?
· Read Ephesians 2:8-10. The word “workmanship” literally means poetry or art. In what ways does the “artwork in progress” metaphor relate to this teaching? To the story of your own life? To your relationships? To your city?
· How, practically, will you respond to this teaching to remember and apply it?
· Additional question(s) based on this teaching:
[1] U2, “Grace” (Album, date, other required info)

He Wants to Comfort You

My child’s feelings are hurt. I tell her she’s special. My child is injured. I do whatever it takes to make her feel better.

My child is afraid. I won’t go to sleep until she is secure.

I’m not a hero. I’m not a superstar. I’m not unusual. I’m a parent. When a child hurts, a parent does what comes naturally. He helps.

And after I help, I don’t charge a fee. I don’t ask for a favor in return. When my child cries, I don’t tell her to buck up, act tough, and keep a stiff upper lip. Nor do I consult a list and ask her why she is still scraping the same elbow or waking me up again.

I’m not a prophet, nor the son of one, but something tells me that in the whole scheme of things the tender moments described above are infinitely more valuable than anything I do in front of a computer screen or congregation. Something tells me that the moments of comfort I give my child are a small price to pay for the joy of someday seeing my daughter do for her daughter what her dad did for her.

Moments of comfort from a parent. As a father, I can tell you they are the sweetest moments in my day. They come naturally. They come willingly. They come joyfully.

If all of that is true, if I know that one of the privileges of fatherhood is to comfort a child, then why am I so reluctant to let my heavenly Father comfort me?

Why do I think he wouldn’t want to hear about my problems? (“They are puny compared to people starving in India.”)

Why do I think he is too busy for me? (“He’s got a whole universe to worry about.”)

Why do I think he’s tired of hearing the same old stuff?

Why do I think he groans when he sees me coming?

Why do I think he consults his list when I ask for forgiveness and asks, “Don’t you think you’re going to the well a few too many times on this one?”

Why do I think I have to speak a holy language around him that I don’t speak with anyone else?
Why do I not take him seriously when he questions, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11)

Why don’t I let my Father do for me what I am more than willing to do for my own children?
I’m learning, though. Being a parent is better than a course on theology. Being a father is teaching me that when I am criticized, injured, or afraid, there is a Father who is ready to comfort me. There is a Father who will hold me until I’m better, help me until I can live with the hurt, and who won’t go to sleep when I’m afraid of waking up and seeing the dark.

Ever. And that’s enough.

by Max Lucado

Thankful in All Things

1st Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”

In her book “The Hiding Place”, Corrie ten Boom relates an awesome story about the importance of always being thankful, even in the most hellish circumstances. Corrie and her sister Betsy were held in a concentration camp known as Ravensbruk, where they lived in barracks that were plagued with lice. Lice were everywhere---in their hair and on their bodies.

One day, Betsy said to her, “Corrie, we need to give thanks to God for the lice.”
Corrie said, “Betsy you have gone too far this time. I am not going to thank God for the lice!”
Betsy said, “Oh, but Carrie, the Bible tells us, In everything give thanks.”

Still Corrie did not want to thank God for the lice. As it turns out, Corrie and Betsey were trying to reach the other women in their barracks with the message of Christ, and they had been holding Bible studies. Corrie later found out that because of the lice, the guards would not go into those barracks, and therefore, they were able to have their Bible studies. As a result, they led many of the women to the Lord. So it turn out that God can even use lice!

It is not our job to decide what we are to give thanks for in this world. Our job is to simply, “Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done” 1 Chronicles 16:8. It is important to remember, especially during the tough times, to “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever”1 Chronicles 16:34.
David certainly went through his own trials but he learned of God’s faithfulness, and chose to remain thankful, even during times of running for his very life! “The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving” Psalm 28:6-8. “Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him” Psalm 95:2. “Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done” Psalm 105:1. “I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord” Psalm 116:17.

The verse this devotion began with, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, doesn’t say that we should give thanks for everything as much as it says in everything. In everything give thanks, which is not an easy thing to do! In my own life, there have certainly many painful and hurtful times. But I when I am engrafted and remaining in Christ, I find that I am more apt to be thankful for the fact that God is still on the throne and that He is using the tough times in my life, in order to transform my character more into the image of Christ. The moments and circumstances still are painful, but in Christ and through His strength, I survive and realize that God is still in control of all circumstances that surround my life.

It is so important to remember as Paul said, “But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ” 1 Corinthians 15:57. Again, it is much easier when I stay engrafted in Christ and eternally focused and not so focused on this world.

I believe the following 2 verses sum this being thankful up very well, as Paul said, “Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:5-7. “Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe” Hebrews 12:28.

Let’s all learn to love and trust in the Lord with all of our heart, mind and soul. Let’s learn to rely on Him to glorify Himself through us and finish the work that He began in each of us!

Lord, please cause us all to seek You daily and learn to trust more and more in Your faithfulness and purpose for each of our lives. Thank You for your faithfulness to us. In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Have another powerful and prosperous day of being thankful in the workplace and at home!

Thanks to gsiano for this one from Daily Dose.

Stinging Questions

    Last week I enjoyed the fruits of a revived hobby of mine.  I had taken a season or two off from beekeeping after a not-so-glorious first attempt several years back.  It wasn't a great year for honey since the summer's first heavy rain came just as the long-awaited sourwood blooms appeared.  However, I was blessed with more honey than some, and I remembered the lessons I had learned the last time I robbed the hives.  Some of you may remember my story about taking the honey and putting it in my garage, not realizing how good bees were at finding what they had worked so hard to produce.  I'll never forget the sight of that swarm and having to walk right into the middle of it to get the bee suit I needed to start the whole process over again.  I didn't make that mistake again, and there were new lessons to be learned this year.  Thanks to the folks who sold me the hives, I learned how to spot the queen, how check to see how she was laying, even how to raise a new queen and start a new colony.  And, as the summer wore on, I learned what would be a no-brainer to most of us: you don't mess with the hives unless you're wearing your bee-suit, especially when you're young in the hobby and the bees can detect your nerves.  It actually took a couple of times of getting stung during what I thought would be simple, non-disturbing procedures, before I vowed to alway work fully clothed with protection.

     It might not take too many bee stings before making such a vow, but what would it take for us to vow to face each day's challenges of life fully clothed with the armor of God?  Do we wake up each day with the awareness that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" as Paul explains in Ephesians 6?  I mean, really?  Is that our conscious reality?  Do our lives reflect that we have taken Peter's warning seriously when he said, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour"?  Satan's mind is not set on tempting us.  He wants to kill us! To "steal, kill and destroy" is the way Jesus put it in John 10.  Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God so that we may take our stand against the devil's schemes.  I'm pretty sure if we were fully aware of what he is scheming to do we would be much more motivated to suit up.

     Here's my take on the pieces of the armor Paul mentions.  The "belt of truth" that holds the pieces together and on which the weapons hang is remembering the truth of our new identity in Christ.  By faith in Christ's death and resurrection for us, we become, not slaves, but sons and daughters of God and blood-brothers with Jesus Christ.  We are no longer just sinners saved by grace, but now are saints being formed in the image of Christ.  We are no longer slaves to sin, but are free.  We are co-heirs with Christ and we have access to all that He earned on our behalf. He is our life (at least He wants to be) and in him is the abundant life.

     The "breastplate of righteousness" that we put on was earned by Jesus' perfect performance.  Because of it, the enemy has no power to condemn us any more with those foul words, "Look at you!  You're nothing but a ________!  You might as well give up and give in to who you "really are" because you'll never be good enough!"  By putting on the breastplate of Christ's righteousness, we protect our hearts from the attacks on our true identity in Christ that come from Satan and often through the one's in our lives that we love the most.  He was and is "good enough" in our place.  And, when we act in obedience and our lives are consistent with this righteousness, we don't give the devil "a foothold."  If we realized how much power we give the enemy over us when we sin, we would be much more motivated to fight and not give in to temptation.

      The "shoes of the gospel of peace" that we are encouraged to wear each day remind us of our new purpose and calling.  A Christian's life is not his own any more, but he now shares Christ's mission of reconciling people with God through the good news of the peace Jesus made available to us.  By focusing on what we are now about, we are not as vulnerable to the enemy's efforts to distract and derail us into making life about us and our own comfort again.

     The "shield of faith" combats the original lies of Satan:  You can't trust God and you're on your own to make sure your needs are met.  If you think about it, every temptation to sin is just an attempt to entice us to look to something besides God to meet our needs and desires.  In a time of great economic challenges, the world needs to see us putting our faith in God and not allowing Satan to rob us of our peace and our purpose of living to bring God glory.

      The "helmet of Salvation" protects our minds and the control center of our bodies as we remember what Jesus has done and what it cost him.  It took one sin to corrupt the entire human race and to require Jesus' death on the cross.  Would we give in to Satan's lie that sin is no big deal, that it's inevitable, that "it's covered anyway so enjoy it" if we were aware of what our salvation cost Jesus or how our sin breaks the heart of God?  We are saved, and the truth is we have His Spirit in us that is willing and able to resist every effort of the enemy to lead us into life-sucking, glory of God diminishing sin.  And the helmet of salvation reminds us that WE ARE LOVED!

       The "Sword of the Spirit, the word of God" is the weapon in hand that Paul tells us to wield against the enemy.  Satan, the father of lies, flees whenever truth is swung at him.  He knows his power is in his deception.  He constantly throws out, "You're alone and on your own."  "You're not lovable."  "You'll never be good enough." Or, "You could be good enough if you would just try harder."  "You need this or that to feel complete."  The truth is we are not alone and never forsaken.  God has proven how much he loves us, that "while we were still sinners Christ died for us."  We will never be good enough, but Christ is good enough for us.  And we are complete in Christ, and all we need is what He supplies!  You and I need to know scripture so we can "remind" Satan of the the truth and that he has been defeated.

     And last, Paul tells us to "pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests."  If you and I ever want to know that our prayers are powerful and effective, we will need to grasp what Paul is talking about when he says to "pray in the Spirit." (That phrase would be something great to study or even "google"!) When we agree with what the Spirit that lives in us is already praying, and allow our voices to speak it out, something powerful happens in the effort to bring the kingdom of God to earth. Satan's schemes will again be thwarted.

     So may you and I live in reality as God's word describes, with an awareness of what we are facing as we go about each day.  And may we vow to suit up each day so that we take our stand against the devil's schemes.

 (Men, if you would like to grow in understanding the reality of the story you were born into, who you are in Christ, and how to fight against what the enemy is up to as he schemes against you, your wife and your children, you may want to read "Wild at Heart" and "Waking the Dead" by John Eldredge and check out a retreat opportunity at the end of October at www.bandofbrothersweekend.org.)

Belief or Unbelief

Romans 4:3 ..."Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

Each morning we awake and go about our day based on one of two beliefs: Either we believe in God and our every action is motivated by this central value, or we do not really believe and our actions reflect so.

You can be a believer yet act as though there is no God. Whenever you fret over life circumstances, you immediately demonstrate unbelief. Whenever you move out of fear or anxiety, you believe a lie about God's nature.

Each day your actions affirm or convict you of your belief system. It reveals who the central focus of your life really is-you or God. It reveals who you place your ultimate trust in-you or God. It is one of the great paradoxes for believers. One day we can believe Him to move mountains. The next day we can question His very existence.

• Peter believed God and walked on water.
• A sick woman touched the hem of His garment and was healed.
• A Canaanite woman believed and freed her daughter from demon-possession.
  

In what circumstances do you act as an "unbeliever"? Ask God to increase your level of trust so that your actions match up with one who believes every day.