........quit.........

One day I decided to quit... I wanted to quit my job, my relationships, my spirituality.. I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"

His answer surprised me.

"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

In the second year the fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.


In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. The same in year four.  

 

Then in the fifth year, a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.  Compared to the fern, it was seemingly small and insignificant.  But just six months later, the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.

It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle.

Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots? I would not quit on the bamboo.. I will never quit on you."

"Don't compare yourself to others." He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful."

"Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high"

"How high should I rise?" I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can?" I questioned

"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

I left the forest, realizing that God will never give up on me. And He will never give up on you.
 

"I will never leave you nor forsake you!" (Hebrews 13:5)

 - author unknown

 

beware

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 2 Corinthians 2:11. 

Satan’s plans and devices are soliciting us on every hand. We should ever remember that he comes to us in disguise, covering his motives and the character of his temptations. He comes in garments of light, clad apparently in pure angel robes, that we may not discern that it is he. We need to use great caution, to closely investigate his devices, lest we be deceived.

Satan has his evil angels around us; and though they cannot read men’s thoughts, they closely watch their words and actions. Satan takes advantage of the weaknesses and defects of character that are thus revealed, and presses his temptations where there is the least power of resistance. He makes evil suggestions, and inspires worldly thoughts, knowing that he can thus bring the soul into condemnation and bondage. To those who are selfish, worldly, avaricious, proud, faultfinding, or given to detraction—to all who are cherishing errors and defects of character—Satan presents the indulgence of self, and leads the soul off upon a track that the Bible condemns.... 

For every class of temptations there is a remedy. We are not left to ourselves to fight the battle against self and our sinful natures in our own finite strength. Jesus is a mighty helper, a never-failing support.... None need fail or become discouraged, when such ample provision has been made for us. 

The mind must be restrained, and not allowed to wander. It should be trained to dwell upon the Scriptures, and upon noble, elevating themes. Portions of Scripture, even whole chapters, may be committed to memory, to be repeated when Satan comes in with his temptations. The fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah is a profitable one for this purpose. Wall the soul in with the restrictions and instructions given by inspiration of the Spirit of God. When Satan would lead the mind to dwell upon earthly and sensual things, he is most effectually resisted with “It is written.”

-e g white - our high calling pg 88

........saved........

Let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. Galatians 6:4.

No one can serve God by proxy. There are so many who seem to think that there is someone in this world stronger than Christ, upon whom they can lean. And instead of coming right to Christ, just as they are, giving themselves unreservedly to Him, they reach out for human help. God wants us to have an individual experience.... I cannot work out a character for you, and you cannot work out a character for me.

The gospel deals with individuals. Every human being has a soul to save or to lose. Each has an individuality separate and distinct from all others. Each must be convicted for himself, converted for himself. He must receive the truth, repent, believe, and obey for himself. He must exercise his will for himself.... Each must surrender to God by his own act. 

The Lord does not desire that our individuality shall be destroyed; it is not His purpose that any two persons shall be exactly alike in tastes and dispositions. All have characteristics peculiar to themselves, and these are not to be destroyed, but to be trained, molded, fashioned, after the similitude of Christ. The Lord turns the natural aptitudes and capabilities into profitable channels. In the improvement of the faculties God has given, talent and ability are developed if the human agent will recognize the fact that all his powers are an endowment from God, to be used, not for selfish purposes, ... but for the glory of God and the good of our fellow men. 

 

To every man God—not man—has given his work. This is an individual work—the formation of a character after the divine similitude. The lily is not to strive to be like the rose. There are distinctions in the formation of the flowers and in the fruits, but all derive their peculiar variance from God.... So it is God’s design that even the best of men shall not all be of the same character. A life consecrated to the service of God will be developed and beautified in its individuality

-e g white - our high calling,pg 90

.........fog

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24.

Even Christians of long experience are often assaulted with the most terrible doubts and waverings.... You must not consider that for these temptations your case is hopeless.... Hope in God, trust in Him and rest in His promises. 

When the devil comes with his doubts and unbeliefs, shut the door of your heart. Shut your eyes so that you will not dwell upon his hellish shadow. Lift them up where they can behold the things which are eternal, and you will have strength every hour. The trial of your faith is much more precious than gold.... It makes you valiant to fight the battle of the Lord....

Satan connects with everyone that will connect with him. If he can get those that have had an experience in religion, they are his most effectual agents to reach just such men and compass their souls with unbelief. You cannot afford to let any doubts come into your mind. Do not please the devil enough to tell about the terrible burdens you are carrying. Every time you do it, Satan laughs that his soul can control you and that you have lost sight of Jesus Christ your Redeemer.... 

We are to show forth Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. It is by living faith that we rest in that light. It is by living faith that we rejoice in that light every day. We are not to talk our doubts and trials, because they grow bigger every time we talk them. Every time we talk them, Satan has gained the victory; but when we say, “I will commit the keeping of my soul unto Him, as unto a faithful witness,” then we testify that we have given ourselves to Jesus Christ without any reservation, and then God gives us light and we rejoice in Him. 

The soul that loves God, rises above the fog of doubt; he gains a bright, broad, deep, living experience, and becomes meek and Christ-like. 

His soul is committed to God, hid with Christ in God.

-e g white, our high calling pg86

grasshoppers

I was reading in the Bible recently, going over the story of the Children of Israel as the traveled through the wilderness (Numbers 13). They had reached a point where God basically says, "It's time for you to stop wandering and head to the land I promised you."

You're probably familiar with the story. Moses sends 12 spies into the land of Canaan to check it out. Actually the word translated as "spies" could literally be translated as those who would survey the land in preparation for dividing it between the Israelite tribes.

But as you probably also know, things didn't work out so well with those spies. They returned after 40 days and 10 of them were scared to death. While they carried back wonderful proclamations and examples of what a wonderful land it was, they forgot God. They said, "There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak which come from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight" (Numbers13:33).

Another translation puts it this way, "We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. We felt like grasshoppers next to them, and that's what we looked like to them!" (NLT)

That statement may not sound earth-shattering to you, but these men swayed the thinking of a million people by those few words. The people of Israel rebelled and refused to accept this great opportunity God had given them. Their fear caused them to forget God.

They forgot the plagues He brought upon Egypt.

They forgot God's preservation of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

In short they forgot their family history.

They forgot the parting of the Red Sea,

They forgot the Manna and quail, and most importantly,

They forgot their relationship with the creator of the Universe

What is it that you fear?  Is it enough to cause you to forget the power of the creator?  To forget some of the most powerful words ever written!  Is it enough to cause you to stop trusting the one who gives you life eternal?  I wonder how far we could travel, how many enemies we could conquer, if we would only put fear aside?

Our problem is often that of the Israelite spies, "We feel like grasshoppers next to them." We need to go ahead in spite of the pounding in our heart that says, "Turn Back!"

Let me encourage you to reach down into your soul and find the faith and trust in God to face your next challenge, knowing that God is by your side. The apostle Paul gives us some of the most powerful words ever written regarding God being on our side!  Notice just some of what he says:  "Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." (Romans 8:33-37).

We are "more than conquerors through him who loved us!"  Let's not cave in to fear, but step out and claim the promise!

-russ lawson

created.........

"We are all the work of Your hand" (Isaiah 64:8)

We are the clay being molded by the loving hands of the Potter.  

Our Father is shaping us to the likeness of His Son; but what is our purpose during this shaping process?

Our transformation begins the moment we trust in Jesus, and we soon learn that our Salvation is never earned by "doing" anything; "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith" (Ephesians 2:8).  But we also learn that eternal life is for those who do God's will; following Him is not an optional part of the Christian walk.  We cannot truly accept Jesus as Savior without also beginning a journey of trust while walking in His steps.  Faith means trusting Him enough to follow!

"The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." (1 John 2:17)

We generally like the idea of "new birth" when we think of being born into God's Kingdom as His child.  But we become uncomfortable when we hear, "You are not your own; you were bought at a price" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).  We get uneasy when we read, "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God."  (Romans 6:22).  There is no Salvation without a willful transfer of ownership; and we need to face the difficult truth that this means a transfer of control.

Giving up control is never easy.  It can be extra scary to face the unknown from the passenger seat; and it can be an offense to our pride to allow someone else (even God!) to take the lead.  The roots of "self" go very deep!  But as we learn to completely trust, God brings us to that wonderful place of peace where we can say, "Whom have I in Heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You"  (Psalm 73:25).  Though sometimes difficult, there is great joy in a complete surrender to the will of our Heavenly Father.

As we give Him control over every area of our life, He will show us how to use ALL for His glory; "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works" (Ephesians 2:10).  He will give us the tools to accomplish His will, and in the process meet every need and fulfill our deepest desires.

He is the Potter and we are the clay.  He is the Creator and we are definitely "the created."  But we have been created with an awesome purpose. We have been given gifts, talents, and abilities, which when given back to God are used to bring Him glory and honor.  This IS our purpose!  We have been created to glorify His Name as we love Him and trust Him with all our heart.  Let's bring Him glory and honor as we walk in the understanding that we have been created to do His will.

-steve troxel

..........hope

1. God is truly in control.

If God is God, then nothing happens apart from His knowledge and permission. While it is difficult to imagine why God allows some painful things to happen, His character, revealed in the Bible and through the testing of generations, leads us to the conclusion that He is willing and able to sustain you during the worst of times. "We were crushed and completely overwhelmed, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we learned not to rely on ourselves, but on God who can raise the dead." (2 Corinthians 1:8,9)

2. There is an eternal life to come.

"Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the Glory He will give us later." (Romans 8:18) "He will keep you strong right up to the end, and He will keep you free from all blame on the great day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns." (1 Corinthians 1:8)

3. The story isn't finished yet.

Time after time, the Bible records hopeless situations that ultimately ended in victory. Think of Job's sickness, Joseph's betrayal by his brothers, David's adultery and the many who were healed in mind, body and spirit. "But Joseph told them, 'Don't be afraid of me. Am I God, to judge and punish you? As far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil. He brought me to the high position I have today so I could save the lives of many people.'" (Genesis 50:19,20)

4. God has not given up on you! Don't give up on him.

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

5. There is likely purpose in your pain.

Ask God to reveal His purpose in allowing this difficulty in your life. That's a legitimate question to ask. Often, the answer comes in the process of dealing with your circumstance. "Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when Your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything." (James 1:2-4)

6. You are loved!

Even the most unlovable person in the world is actually loved so much by God, that He let His Son die a terrible death to restore their relationship. God does love you! He sees your pain and weeps with you. "He has sent Me to comfort the brokenhearted and to announce that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent Me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord's favor has come, and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, He will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the Lord has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for His own glory." (Isaiah 61:1-3)

7. Your prayers are heard.

"You parents - if your children ask you for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him?" (Matt. 7:9,10)

8. You are not facing this alone.

"For God himself has said, 'I will never fail you. I will never forsake you.' That is why we can say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper, so I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:5,6)

9. Others have made it through - you can too.

Try to connect with others who have gone through similar situations. You will find hope, strength and encouragement. "A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

10. Reach out to someone else who's struggling.

Place your focus on someone else and invest your life in him or her. You may discover that your peace of mind is found in being a source of hope for another. "All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." (2 Corinthians 1:3,4)

-Steve Arterburn and Mike Marino

halitosis

One thing television has done for us - it's made us all more self-conscious about our breath. The commercials keep coming. Years ago it was, "Don't broadcast bad breath." More recent commercials talk about your "wake-up breath." You run from people who want to kiss you because you have to gargle first. You got to get rid of that morning mouth. Well, these kinds of commercials sell a lot of mouthwash, toothpaste, breath mints and breath Drops. I just wish there was a mouthwash for the really gross mouth problem.

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Ephesians 4:29  "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

This word unwholesome is interesting, "don't let any unwholesome talk come out."  It means decay. It means rotten. It talks about rotten fruit. It talks about spoiled fish. Don't let any rotten apples or spoiled fish come out of your mouth. It's a strong word. It's not just unwholesome. We're talking here about verbal halitosis.

What if we taped your conversations over the last few days and played them all back? Telephone conversations, what you said to your family members, your angry moments, your stress moments. Is there any talk there that would tear a person down? Critical, negative, complaining, some put-down there, a little sarcasm here, maybe you had the last word that ended the argument, but it wounded someone you love.

Listen to this: "Do not let (That means, stop it. Don't let it) come out of your mouth" - that kind of hurting talk. The Bible says "the tongue has the power of life and death." Proverbs 12:18 says, "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

You've got to ask the Lord to help you hear those spiritual alarms that go off before you're about to say something that's really hurtful. We've already done it enough for a lifetime. Stop it before it comes out. It's like a bullet coming out of a gun. You can't stop it. You have to stop it by not pulling the trigger. Once it's sent to its target, it's just going to do its damage.

Interestingly enough, God provides a "do" here for the "don't." He says, "Don't let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth." He says, "...but talk building-up talk" - things that build up other people. You need to look at that other person as a person who's under construction - a person you're building. So ask yourself, when I talk to that person, did I build them or did I bulldoze them. It's a strong follow-up here in Ephesians 4:30 "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."

In other words, you make God cry when you tear down a person He's trying to build. So look out for that rotten, spoiled garbage that so easily spills out of your mouth.

It doesn't take long for the words to come out, but the damage can last a lifetime. We never forget the insults. We never forget the names we're called. We never forget the criticism long after the person who has spoken them can't remember them.

Spiritual halitosis - it's not just dangerous because it smells bad, sometimes it can even leave life-long scars. Let's follow what the Bible says: "Guard your mouth."

-ron hutchraft

hut

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. 

But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground ---- it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.

...new

     Someone has come up with the following list of words which don't exist, but should:

AQUADEXTROUS (ak wa deks' trus) adj. Possessing the ability to turn the bathtub faucet on and off with your toes.

CARPERPETUATION (kar' pur pet u a shun) n. The act, when vacuuming, of running over a string or a piece of lint at least a dozen times, reaching over and picking it up, examining it, then putting it back down to give the vacuum one more chance.

DISCONFECT (dis kon fekt') v. To sterilize the piece of candy you dropped on the floor by blowing on it, assuming this will somehow 'remove' all the germs.

LACTOMANGULATION (lak' to man gyu lay' shun) n. Manhandling the "open here" spout on a milk container so badly that one has to resort to the 'illegal' side.

PEPPIER (pehp ee ay') n. The waiter at a fancy restaurant whose sole purpose seems to be walking around asking diners if they want ground pepper.

PHONESIA (fo nee' zhuh) n. The affliction of dialing a phone number and forgetting whom you were calling just as they answer.

PUPKUS (pup' kus) n. The moist residue left on a window after a dog presses its nose to it.

TELECRASTINATION (tel e kras tin ay' shun) n. The act of always letting the phone ring at least twice before you pick it up, even when you're only six inches away.

     Some of those words could possibly be useful, but there is another word which doesn't yet exist that I'm even more excited about.  Jesus wrote to the church in Pergamos (one of the seven churches of Asia Minor):

     "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it." (Rev. 2:17)

     What will that new name be?  We can only speculate.  All I know is that it is a word reserved for God's children who faithfully persevere the trials that this life has to offer.  Eternal fellowship with God and His family, the tree of life, worship with the redeemed of all ages, AND a new name to go with your new life!  What more could we ask?  What more could we want?  There are wonderful things that lie ahead for God's children.  Keep that in mind the next time you are struggling to get through the difficulties that this life has brought your way.

-alan smith

!!--------go

If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to......
    LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to past hurts and pains .......
    LET IT GO!!!

If someone doesn't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth......
    LET IT GO!!!

If someone has angered you....
    LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge.....
    LET IT GO!!!

If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction......
    LET IT GO!!!

If you! u have a bad attitude......
    LET IT GO!!!

If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better......
    LET IT GO!!!

If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him.........
    LET IT GO!!!

If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship.....
    LET IT GO!!!

If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves......
    LET IT GO!!!

If you're feeling depressed and stressed ............
    LET IT GO!!!

If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying 'take your hands off of it,' then you need to......
    LET IT GO!!!

"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 3:13b-14)

 

"The Battle is the Lord's!"

-t d jakes

! harvesters

John 1:40-46, 4:28-30; Luke 24:4-53; Acts 1:6-8; Matthew 9:36-38; Luke 15

Lost. Flight 370 that took off from Malaysia for China with 239 passengers on board is lost. The scenario that began on March 8 is being called the most puzzling aviation mystery in history.

About 40 minutes after takeoff, as the plane was leaving Malaysian airspace and entering Vietnamese airspace, someone in the cockpit communicated with air-traffic controllers. “All right, good night” were his final words. Controllers are familiar with these words when pilots leave one airspace and enter another. So all seemed well.

But then, just one minute later, the transponder that sends signals to radar systems regarding the plane’s flight number, altitude, airspeed, and course, was apparently switched off. Air-traffic controllers then lost all contact with the plane. It is now known that even before the verbal signoff, the ACARS—Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System—ended communication. Only someone who knew the aircraft well could have handled this procedure. Approximately 45 minutes later, military radar tracked the plane that was now hundreds of miles off course.¹

How can a Boeing 777 get lost? Terrorism, hijacking, and the possibility of pilot suicide are all being considered.

According to Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Najib Razak, 26 countries are now involved in the search for Flight 370. But it’s like searching for “a needle in a haystack.” Data gathered from satellites suggest that the plane, which had enough fuel to fly for eight hours, did in fact fly for over seven hours after takeoff. So the search must cover an enormous area that encompasses 11 countries and two corridors, stretching thousands of miles. Ships, planes, and satellites are meticulously combing the vast area.²

After studying this week’s Sabbath school lesson, we can’t help but think about the “lost” people of this generation. Imagine the impact if we as a church came together with the same intensity as the searchers for Flight 370 to search for the spiritually lost. The lost that have never known Jesus, as well as the lost that have left the church. What if we made it our passion, our mission, to discover where they are, and then make a plan to rescue them?

Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 9:37 and 38: “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (NIV). There are a variety of ways to reach out to those who are lost: public evangelistic meetings, community outreach programs, vacation Bible schools, small group home Bible studies, or simply befriending them, are a few ways. It depends on the individual. But whatever method we use, we must be sincere.

“The harvest is plentiful.” That’s not the problem. The problem is that “the workers are few.” Jesus wants us to be “finders.” Not sitters, and not sleepers, but a people who will actively search and rescue.

unashamed

I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed."

I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I've stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. 

I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking , chintzy giving and dwarfed goals!

 

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. 

I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by presence, learn by faith, love by patience, live by prayer, and labor by power.

 

My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my guide reliable, and my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed.

 

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up, back up, let up, slow up or shut up until I've preached up, prayed up, paid up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Christ. 

I am a disciple of Jesus.

I must go until He returns, give till I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me... my colors will be clear. 

 For "I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. (Romans 1:16)

-Author:  These words (with multiple variations) have been quoted and adapted many times by various preachers, teachers, authors and websites.  They serve as the motto or mission statement for several ministries. The words have been attributed to many people in many countries, but the original author seems to remain unknown.  It is believed by many sources that these words are the last words of a young pastor in Zimbabwe who was martyred for his faith in Jesus Christ and that these words were found in his study.

secret

Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Psalm 31:20.

When men and women are in the busy activities of life and are pressed with numerous cares, they cannot live upon their knees. But even in the market place there is a watcher constantly present to witness every transaction, and the books of heaven record every penny of unlawful gain as fraud. While men cannot live upon their knees in the market place, yet the silent heart’s earnest desire presented to heaven finds access to the Father through the watchers. The way to the throne of God is open, and all who have the fear of God before them and desire to walk in His counsel will seek His strength to do His will in crowded companies as well as in the chapel....

There is a chance for every man who loves and fears God, with every temptation that shall come in the business transactions of life, to know how to retreat into the secret place of the Most High’s pavilion, so that he can remain there and be safe. Then he will honor God because he feels the strength and fullness of power of Him who is back of the promises. He communes with God where no eye sees and no ear hears but His.

All the Lord requires is a willing mind to walk in the way of the Lord. If there be a pure heart he shall see God and will feel His keeping power even in the busiest, most excitable crowd, if duty requires him to be there.... In such places every true, genuine receiver of Christ... carries the lamp of life....

We must not have a religion that is retained only in favorable circumstances. A religion dependent on circumstances will surely fail when it is most needed, in the most difficult surroundings. The religion of the Bible will require the gospel lamp to be kept burning brightly in unfavorable surroundings—in the market place, in the workshop—just as verily as in the place where prayer is wont to be made. Purest Christian principles May be preserved in every place. Loving and believing in Christ as our personal Saviour, we can claim His grace and His guardian care wherever we May be.

 -e.g.white, in heavenly places

remember

""And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven." (Nehemiah 1:4)

Nehemiah's name means "the Lord's Comfort." He was a prayer-warrior in every sense of the word. Whenever a situation arose, Nehemiah went straight to the Lord. We don't see him faltering or wavering. What we see is constant open communication with God.

Nehemiah spent most of his prayer time praying for others. In the first chapter of Nehemiah, we hear his heartfelt cry for Israel. It isn't until the end of his prayer that he asks for the privilege of being used by God.

Nehemiah trusted in the Lord. He knew God would make a way for the protective wall around Jerusalem to be rebuilt. Was it easy? No! Nehemiah and his people were taunted, attacked and burdened with an economic crisis almost to the point of failure. They endured the verbal and physical scorns from their opposition. "From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other," (Nehemiah 4:17)

But, Nehemiah always reminded them that God would fight their battles. He kept encouraging them.

With the wall completed Nehemiah gathered the people and had Ezra the priest, read the "Book of The Law." Israel realized the error of their ways, confessed their sins and repented. Nehemiah once again had pointed the people to God.

Intercessory prayer is so important in our life. It takes the focus off of our self and places it on God. Are your prayers more focused on your own requests or those of others? Who do you consistently pray for? If your intercessory prayer life needs help, why not start today by making a commitment to pray for others around you? And like Nehemiah you will find favor in God's eyes!

-david langerfield

anger

“A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” – Proverbs 29:11

The workplace can be a pressure-packed world. The demands that are often put on us can bring out things that we never knew were there. Sometimes we begin to think that the source of that pressure is to blame for our response to the pressure. It could be an event, a spouse, a boss, a client, a child, or even a driver who cuts us off in traffic.

I recall responding to a close friend one time, “If you had not done that, I would never have responded that way.” Later I learned that this response had little truth to it. We all choose to get angry. No one else is to blame for our anger.

“The circumstances of life, the events of life, and the people around me in life, do not make me the way I am, but reveal the way I am” [Dr. Sam Peeples].

This simple quote has had a profound impact on how I view my anger now. Anger only reveals what is inside of me. I can’t blame anyone but me for my response to a situation. I have learned that anger is only the symptom of something else that is going on inside of me. This quote now resides on my refrigerator door as a daily reminder of the truth about my response to life’s situations.

It has been said that anger is like the warning panel on the dash of your car. It is the light that tells us something is going on under the hood and we need to find out what is the source of the problem. I discovered that the source of anger is often unmet expectations or personal rights. We believe we are entitled to a particular outcome to a situation. When this doesn’t happen, it triggers something in us. At the core of this is fear, often a fear of failure or rejection, fear of what others think, fear of the unknown.

If you struggle with anger, ask God to reveal the source of that anger. Ask Him to heal you of any fears that may be the root of your anger. Ask God to help you take responsibility for your response to difficult situations.

-adapted from june kiwia

? Jump

     In the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," Butch and Sundance, running from the law, run up to a cliff hundreds of feet high overlooking a river.  They are outnumbered by lawmen who have taken up their positions and there is no way out.  They get ready to shoot it out, but they know it's a suicide mission.  Then Butch looks out over the cliff and sees the river below and says, "I know, we'll jump!"  Sundance thinks he's crazy.  Butch tells him it's their only hope. Sundance is still reluctant.  Butch assures Sundance that the lawmen would never follow them, saying, "Would you make a jump like that you didn't have to?"  Sundance says, "I have to, and I'm still not going to."  Finally, Sundance gives the reason for his reluctance.  He says, "I can't swim."  Butch just laughs and says, "Are you kidding?  The fall will probably kill you!"  But Sundance, because of the predicament, knows he's out of options, and though he can't swim, he jumps.

     I think there are times that the Lord leads us into predicaments where the only reasonable thing to do is to jump and trust the Lord.  And we know that he'll never let us down.  Over and over, the Bible stresses that one of the primary attributes of God is his faithfulness.  God is always dependable.  You can count on him.  He makes his word good.  When he tells you he'll do something, you can believe that he will do it.  When he makes a promise, you know he's going to keep it.  Because God is faithful.

     It's interesting to notice how the Bible connects stability in the lives of Christians to the faithfulness of God.  Thus, we find statements like this:  "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23).  The reason a Christian is able to stand when life's storms come against him is that his faith is grounded in a God whose promises to him will always be honored.

     In Hebrews 11, Sarah is praised with these words:  "By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged him faithful who had promised." (Hebrews 11:11).  Here were two people who shared the disappointment over the years of being childless.  They had no tangible reason to think anything had changed.  Yet, God gave his word to them.  And they knew that God was faithful.  He wouldn't let them down.

     It is essential that we understand this very important truth:  God keeps his promises.  

And it doesn't matter whether it was made to Abraham, David, Paul or you, God has never given a promise that he failed to honor.  He is faithful.

     All you need to do is to jump.

prayer

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Matthew 7:7.

Why is it that we do not receive more from Him who is the source of light and power? We expect too little....

We do not value as we should the power and efficacy of prayer. “The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26). God desires us to come to Him in prayer, that He May enlighten our minds. He alone can give clear conceptions of truth. He alone can soften and subdue the heart. He can quicken the understanding to discern truth from error. He can establish the wavering mind and give it a knowledge and a faith that will endure the test. Pray, then; pray without ceasing. The Lord who heard Daniel’s prayer will hear yours if you will approach Him as Daniel did.

Let us live in close communion with God. The joy of the Christian arises from a sense of God’s love and care for His children and the assurance that He will not leave them alone in their weakness.

We need to know how to pray. It is not tame, spiritless prayers that take hold of the divine attributes. Prayer is heard by God when it comes from a heart broken by a sense of unworthiness. Prayer was instituted for our comfort and salvation, that through faith and hope we May lay hold on the rich promises of God. Prayer is the expression of the desires of a soul hungering and thirsting for righteousness.

Prayer is a heaven-ordained means of success. Appeals, petitions, entreaties, between man and man, move men and act a part in controlling the affairs of nations. But prayer moves heaven. That power alone that comes in answer to prayer will make men wise in the wisdom of heaven and enable them to work in the unity of the Spirit, joined together by the bonds of peace. Prayer, faith, confidence in God, bring a divine power that sets human calculations at their real worth—nothingness.... He who places himself where God can enlighten him, advances, as it were, from the partial obscurity of dawn to the full radiance of noonday.

-in heavenly places, e g white

wait

Waiting is the bane of my existence.  If there are two lines at the movie theater, the one I choose will grind to a halt while the other glides by.  Don't get behind me at a toll booth; the driver in front of me will be searching his seat cushions for quarters while the other lines whiz through. Bank tellers go on break when I get near the front of their line; supermarket checkout computers go on strike when I draw near.

Someone said that life is what happens to you while you're making other plans.  Slowly I'm learning that there is redemption in every moment, as God uses each minute for his glory and our good.  It's hard to think of a biblical hero who didn't take a detour on the way to his or her destination...

Noah spent 100 years building his ark before the rains finally came; Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for Isaac; Joseph journeyed through Potiphar's prison on the way to Pharaoh's palace.

Moses spent decades running from Pharaoh before the Lord sent him back to free his people.  God told David he would be king long before Saul gave up the throne.  John had to go to Patmos to meet his glorified Friend and Lord.

Are you waiting on God this morning?

Perhaps you're praying without seeing answers, or waiting on a job that hasn't come or health the Lord has not restored.  You need direction or provision from God, but he doesn't seem to be working on your timeline.  One of the most frustrating reminders in Scripture is this statement from God: "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).

God redeems all he allows.  If you're waiting on him this morning, there's a reason.  He wants to use this delay to draw you closer to him, or prepare you for what comes next, or help you trust him in hard times.  Remember that your Father never makes a mistake.  His will is "good, pleasing and perfect"  (Romans 12:2).  His timing is always right.

-Dr. James C. Denison

drink

     "My husband and I were cleaning the church building one evening and our three-year-old son was 'helping' us.  We walked up to the baptistry to make sure nothing was in the water that shouldn't be and our son said, 'You can't drink that water.'  I asked him, 'Why can't we drink the water?' and he replied, 'Because it has sins in it.'" 

     It does seem to make sense, doesn't it?  If all our sins are washed away at the point of baptism (Acts 22:16), it's easy to see how a child could mistakenly think they just collect there in the water.  If that were really true, it would be important to drain the baptistry frequently!

     I'm thankful, though, that those sins don't collect in the bottom of a pool of water.  They don't get piled up in a closet somewhere ready to be pulled out at a later time like a load of dirty laundry.  They don't get stored on a hard drive in case a "search" needs to be made to find them.  No!  Thank God, they are removed, blotted out, wiped clean by the blood of Jesus Christ, and we are able to rise from the water a new creature!

     "As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:12)
-(taken from "A Sunday Afternoon With the Preachers' Wives")