difficult

I heard about an office whose answering machine was set up to instruct callers to leave their name and address, and to spell any difficult words.

Early one Monday, when the secretary was reviewing the weekend messages, she heard an enthusiastic young woman recite her name and address, and then confidently offer, "My difficult word is reconciliation. R-E-C-O-N-C-I-L-I-A-T-I-O-N."

Reconciliation can be a difficult word. It's not that it's difficult to understand. Webster defines the word "reconcile" as "to restore to friendship or harmony, to settle or resolve." The word can be used in a variety of ways, but when it's applied to people it basically means to get two separated people back together again. So we talk about a husband who wants to be reconciled to a wife who has left him. A father who wants to be reconciled to a wayward son. And a lost sinner who needs to be reconciled to God.

While not difficult to understand, reconciliation can be a difficult word to put into practice. It can be very difficult to get two family members who are at odds to be reconciled. And it can sometimes seem very difficult for us (or for others we know) to be made right with God.

A man once went to a preacher because he was having some family problems. He wasn't a very well-educated man and sometimes got his words confused. He said, "Me and my wife need a re-cancellation." What he meant to say was reconciliation, but the word re-cancellation wasn't a bad choice. Because there can be peace for those who have been separated only when sin has been canceled. As sinners before a righteous God, we need a "re-cancellation". And that's exactly what Jesus made available when he died on the cross.

"....by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight." (Col. 1:20-22)

Thanks be to God for making this difficult word a reality in our lives.

-alan smith

puzzles

Everything I Needed to Know About Life I Learned From a Jigsaw Puzzle:

1. Don't force a fit -- if something is meant to be, it will come together naturally.

2. When things aren't going so well, take a break. Everything will look different when you return.

3. Be sure to look at the big picture. Getting hung up on the little pieces only leads to frustration.

4. Perseverance pays off. Every important puzzle went together bit by bit, piece by piece.

5. When one spot stops working, move to another. But be sure to come back later (see #4).

6. The creator of the puzzle gave you the picture as a guidebook. Refer to the Creator's guidebook often.

7. Variety is the spice of life. It's the different colors and patterns that make the puzzle interesting.

8. Working together with friends and family makes any task fun.

9. Establish the border first. Boundaries give a sense of security and order.

10. Don't be afraid to try different combinations. Some matches are surprising.

11. Take time often to celebrate your successes (even little ones).

12. Anything worth doing takes time and effort. A great puzzle can't be rushed.

13. When you finally reach the last piece, don't be sad. Rejoice in the masterpiece you've made and enjoy a well-deserved rest. Copyright 2001 Jacquie Sewell (jsewell416@hotmail.com).Permission is granted to send this to others, but not for commercial purposes.

There's much good advice in there for Christian living. Take #7, for example. There is much variety in the Lord's church -- not only variety of color, but variety of background, and variety of temperament.

Some Christians would be happy if they were locked in a room filled with books totally isolated from society; other Christians would go crazy if they didn't have contact with people on a regular basis. Some Christians are fascinated by the theological arguments of the writer of Hebrews; other Christians are more moved by the depth of emotion expressed in the Psalms. Some Christians most enjoy expressing their love through doing things to help other people; other Christians get a great deal of satisfaction by writing notes of encouragement or giving hugs.

We sometimes wish that everybody else in the church was "just like me," but the things that make us different are actually a blessing. In I Corinthians 12, Paul compared the church to a human body. He wrote:

"If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be?" (1 Cor. 12:17-19)

Though it sometimes gets frustrating, be thankful for the differences between us. We need the things which other Christians have to offer. It is that variety which allows the church to function as a body. Those differences make us stronger. Thank God for the variety!

-alan smith

delights

“He brought me forth into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.” Psalm 18:19

I was blessed to grow up with parents who were positive, supportive, and encouraging. The words “I am proud of you” are one of their greatest legacies to me. I knew they loved me and showed it in a variety of very important ways. I knew they were very glad that I was their son.

If you did not grow up with that kind of advantage then the concepts of grace and unconditional love will be harder for you to accept. One of the reasons we send Biblical messages of encouragement is to help you hear God’s words and to help you trust in His boundless, joyful love and draw closer to Him. Psalm 18:19 is one such verse.

David wrote this psalm after escaping repeated attacks from Saul and his armies. A man who could have been a mentor and encourager for David became an implacable enemy. Other Psalms reflect David’s anguish during this very rough period in his life. David responded by seeking God even more and looking to Him for the support. God delivered Him.

The key phrase I want you to focus on concerns the reason God delivered David: “because He delighted in me.” This phrase is joyful and exuberant! God delighted in David!

And God delights in you. Let that sink in. "He delights in you!"  Even though you may not have been programmed from your childhood to hear and accept such truth, or perhaps because you have suffered rejection in adulthood at the hands of people who were once very close to you, you must trust and believe that God delights in you. He knows you deeply and individually as if you were the only person to know. He is capable of that kind of sustained regard and focus on you. His verdict: “I take delight in you.” And for that reason He will deliver you.

So whatever you face, or whatever handicap you have in life, accept God’s rich love for you. Trust in it. Rely on it.

adds-on

A local farmer had come to the conclusion that the local car dealer had profited greatly by all the add-on options that increased the price of cars sold to the hapless farmer. Then one day the car dealer informed the farmer that he was coming around to buy a cow. In the spirit of justice, the farmer attached the following price information to the cow:

Basic cow $500

Two-tone exterior $45

Extra stomach $75

Product storing compartment $60

Straw chopper $120

Four spigots at $10 each, $40

Cowhide upholstery $125

Dual horns $15

Automatic fly swatter $38

Fertilizer attachment $185

TOTAL: $1,233.00

Aren't you glad God doesn't charge us for all the extras He provides us in life? You know what I mean -- the beautiful sunrise and sunset, the changing color of the leaves in fall, the glory of the stars at night, the beautiful scenery ranging from the majestic mountains to the pounding surf of the ocean. How blessed we are! And not a single penny extra!

"Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever.

Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!

For His mercy endures forever.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!

For His mercy endures forever:

Him who alone does great wonders,

For His mercy endures forever;

To Him who by wisdom made the heavens,

For His mercy endures forever;

To Him who laid out the earth above the waters,

For His mercy endures forever;

To Him who made great lights,

For His mercy endures forever --

The sun to rule by day,

For His mercy endures forever;

The moon and stars to rule by night,

For His mercy endures forever." (Psalm 139:1-9)

As you go through this day, try to be mindful of each and every blessing you enjoy from the hand of God. It is so easy to take everything for granted. But, how richly God has blessed us! Praise and thanksgiving be to our Lord!

-alan smith

wisdom

Buffalos kill 7 people every year.
Lions kill 500 people every year.
Hippos kill 800 people every year.
Spiders kill 5000 people every year.
Scorpions kill 7000 people every year.
Snakes kill 10000 people every year.

And then, surprisingly,  Mosquitoes kill 2.7 million people every year. Yes, the smallest are the deadliest!

Small 'sins', hardly noticed by many, are the most deadly to your spiritual life.

Avoid excuses for not praying and allotting few moments of your day to your Creator.

Sins of omission are just as deadly as sins of commission.

Gossiping and small lies, are committed more frequently and are deadly.

Mind those little compromises that you do daily. They are the ones that will bring your downfall.

Successful people have two things on their lips, "Smile and silence".

Smile can solve problems, while silence can avoid problems.

Sugar and salt may be mixed together but ants reject the salt and carry away only the sugar.

Select the right people in life and make your life better and sweeter.

If you failed to achieve your dreams, change your ways not your Creator.

Remember, trees change their leaves, not their roots.

You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.

Haters will see you walking on water and say it's because you can't swim.

Even if you dance on water, Your enemies will accuse you of raising dust.

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your own hands.

Remember Don’t ever wrestle with a pig. You’ll both get dirty, but the pig will enjoy it.

thermals

Many of us have experienced that low Spiritual valley where we thought the sun would never shine again. Some were sent quickly into the valley by a very specific event; others drifted slowly to the bottom and can't say by what path they arrived. In either case, we wandered in this gloom until something began to lift us to new heights.

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:29-31)

An eagle seems to fly effortlessly through the air with only an occasional flap of the wings. These great birds are experts at finding areas of rising air called thermals which allow them to soar without using any of their own energy.

God uses Spiritual thermals to lift up those who hope and trust in Him. Those who believe the truth of His Word and diligently search for the rising currents through prayer and undeterred worship will be freed from the heavy baggage which prevents upward flight - they will be lifted up by the guidance and strength of God's Spirit.

If we find ourselves back in the valley today, we must continue to seek Him with all our heart and trust that our thermal is on the way. He has promised to strengthen us and cause us to soar once again! And if we're currently flying high in our communion with God, we must give praise and honor to our Heavenly Father; but we must also recognize there are many others in the valley who desperately need a lift - many who are searching and feeling overcome with darkness. As we soar, we must understand that we are never called to fly alone.

God has chosen to use people to accomplish much of His work on earth. He could have chosen other methods; "If they {the people} keep quiet, the stones will cry out" (Luke 19:40), but He chose us. We are to "encourage one another daily" (Hebrews 3:13). Why? Because there is a valley full of people waiting and hoping for that rising current to lift them up and set them free. We can be a rising current for others with simple words or acts of encouragement which show them God's love and gently lead them back toward His peace.

We have been adopted into the "Family" of God...and our Family needs each other very much! Let's dedicate ourselves to soaring high by worshipping God in absolutely every area of our life. Let's continue to rise to new heights and always look for others in need of God's thermal of encouragement!

-steve troxel

delete

 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17, NKJV)

 

Why don’t you start hitting the delete button, when negative thoughts try to stifle your potential? The experts may have told you that you have a virus, things are impossible or how it’s not going to work out, but those experts don’t know your God and what He has in store for you. He has the final say. He wouldn’t have placed that dream in your heart or given you that promise if He didn’t have a way to bring it to pass. It’s time to delete what the naysayers have told you. It’s time to delete the discouraging words. Delete the negative reports. Delete those negative friends. You’ve got to delete quickly before it’s saved automatically to your mind’s hard drive.

 

Remember, to keep deleting those negative thoughts and keep replacing them with the Word of God until you get God’s software to speak  and change your mind— until your faith is stronger than your doubts.

 

Today, who told you that you can’t be successful? Who told you you’re not spiritual enough, not smart enough, or that you’ve reached your limits? I can assure you that it did not come from your Creator. Don’t let others or circumstances set the limits for your life. Delete those wrong thoughts, believe God’s Word, and embrace the blessing and victory He has in store for you!

 

Pray With Me

Father, thank You for the software of Your word which has change my thinking and set me free. I choose to delete every negative mindset and replace it with Your truth. Give me Your joy which is strength as I am daily transformed by the renewing of my mind with Your word so that all my negative thinking go straight to trash, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

-dr c c chamba

 

worried

I heard about a ninety-five year old woman at the nursing home who received a visit from one of her fellow church members.   The visitor asked her, "How are you feeling?"

She said, "I'm worried sick!"

Her friend said, "What are you worried about?   You look like you're in good health.  They're taking good care of you, aren't they?"

She said, "Yes, they are taking very good care of me."

     "Well, then, what are you worried about?"

The elderly lady leaned back in her rocking chair and said, "Every close friend I ever had has already died and gone on to heaven.   I'm afraid they're all wondering where I went!" (while of a truth the dead don't go to heaven! 1Thees 4:13-18)

My guess is that most of you haven't started worrying about that yet, but my guess is that there's something in your life that worries you.   Maybe some of you are worrying about school.  Maybe you're worried about upcoming exams and papers that are due.

Or maybe you worry about financial matters (Is the stock market going to crash?   What if I reach retirement age and I don't have enough saved up?  Or maybe even, Can I afford to fill up my car with gas this month?).    Maybe you worry about your job (What if I get laid off?  What if I don't get the promotion I'm counting on?).

Maybe you worry about health issues.  Maybe you worry about computer viruses or the possibility of being audited by IRS or the embarrassment of having a credit card declined in public.   Maybe you worry about how your kids are gonna turn out.  I think it's safe to say that worry is one of those problems that we all struggle with from time to time, whether we want to admit it or not.

What is worry?  The Greek word comes from two root words meaning "divided" and "mind".  In other words, a person who worries suffers from a divided mind.  In Luke 10, Jesus used this word to describe a good friend of his.   When Martha asked Jesus to rebuke her sister for not helping with the dinner dishes, Jesus said, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.   But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42)

Jesus is saying, "Martha, you're trying to do too many things at once.  Focus on one thing."  We do the same thing -- we keep one eye on God and another eye on the problems we're facing, one eye on God and one eye on all the material things we want to collect.

Now, of course, we're not the first people to experience stress and anxiety.  Anxiety has been around for a long time. And in Jesus' day, folks worried just as much we do.  They had to deal with the problems of paying their bills, feeding their families, pleasing their employers, raising their children, paying their taxes and saving for the future just like we do.

So what did Jesus say to help them deal with the pressures of life?  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus deals honestly with the problem of worrying.

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?" (Matthew 6:25)

prayer

Today,

For what I am that I ought not to be,

Forgive me.

For what I am not that I ought to be,

Forgive me.

Be with my mouth in what it speaks

Be with my hands in what they do

Be with my mind in what it thinks

Be with my heart in what it feels

Work in me

...through me

...for me

...in spite of me

In the precious name of Jesus,

Amen

small

Two men went fishing. One man was an experienced fisherman, the other wasn't. Every time the experienced fisherman caught a big fish, he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the inexperienced fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back. The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing this man waste good fish. "Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?" he asked.

The inexperienced fisherman replied, "I only have a small frying pan." Sometimes, like that fisherman, we throw back the big plans, big dreams, big jobs, big opportunities that God gives us. Our faith is too small. We laugh at that fisherman who didn't figure out that all he needed was a bigger frying pan; yet how ready are we to increase the size of our faith?

Whether it's a problem or a possibility, God will never give you anything bigger than you can handle. 

That means we can confidently walk into anything God brings our way.

You can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13).

Nothing is too big for God. Stop telling God you've got big problems, but instead tell your problems to a big God! 

back

"In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of his wonders, they did not believe." (Psalm 78:32)

God miraculously delivered the Israelites after 430 years of slavery in Egypt. Time and time again God demonstrated His power and dominion over nature and mankind as He rescued and guided the Israelites to the land He had promised them. 

He split the Red Sea, making the water stand firm like a wall on either side of them and allowed the Israelites to escape the pursuing Egyptian army. (Psalm 78:13) 

He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night.(Psalm 78:14)

He split the rocks in the desert and gave them water (Psalm 78:15)

He rained down food (manna) from the sky for the people to eat (Psalm 78:24)

He rained meat (quail) down on them and they ate until they were filled (Psalm 78:27-29)

Miracle after miracle, and yet the Israelites continued to sin against God..."in spite of his wonders, they did not believe."  But, before we're too quick in pointing a finger of disgust at the Israelites, let's inspect our own lives.  

What kind of miracles has God done in your life? How about God's demonstration of his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Or the miracle of new life through believing in Jesus Christ (Romans 6:4). Our own relationship with God is nothing short of a miracle!

Take some time today and look back. . . look back at all that God has done in your life. Keep your eyes on Him so that it will not be said of you. . . "In spite of God's wonders, his or her heart was not loyal to God."

-marji kruger 

legacy

Sometime ago college football championship game made history. Alabama had already won more titles than any other team. By beating Clemson, which was ranked number one in the country, the Crimson Tide added another trophy to their remarkable collection.

We want to leave a legacy. We want to build something that outlives us to show the world that we were here and our lives mattered. The builders of Babel are in the Bible because their story is our story: "Let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth" (Genesis 11:4).

God dispersed them, not because he opposes our leaving a legacy, but because he wants to build it. In the next chapter we find his promise to Abram: "I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. . . . in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:2, 3). The people of Babel wanted to build a city—God wanted to build a nation.

And not just any nation, but a people through whom he could bring the Messiah who would bless "all the families of the earth." If you're a Christian, you're part of "Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise" (Galatians 3:29).

Clearly, the sovereign Lord can make more of us than we can make of ourselves.

When God called Nehemiah to build the walls of Jerusalem, he began with the man's natural leadership gifts, integrity, and courage. Then, as Nehemiah says, he "put into my heart" a vision for building the city. And the people rallied around this vision, constructing the Holy City for the glory of their holy God.

By contrast, when Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum rejected Jesus' ministry, he denounced them (Matthew 11:20–24). Today these once-thriving cities on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee are nothing but ruins visited by tourists.

I read this morning from C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity. When Lewis was preparing his "Broadcast Talks" for the BBC during World War II, he had no way to know that they would be turned into one of the best-selling Christian books of all time and would change my life fifteen years after his death. Paul didn't know he was writing half of what we call the New Testament. Lydia didn't know she was helping to build the first church in the Western world.

Their obedience illustrates advice I once received from a wise mentor: Always stay faithful to the last word you heard from God, and open to the next. Oswald Chambers: "We have simply to obey and to leave all consequences with him. Beware of the inclination to dictate to God as to what you will allow to happen if you obey him."

I don't know how long the world will remember Alabama's victory last night. But I know that your next act of faithful obedience will echo in heaven forever.

capacity

'Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.'Ephesians 3:20 NKJV

If you only have a thimble-worth of capacity and you’re standing on the edge of a vast ocean, you have access to a lot of water but you won’t get much of it because your capacity is so small. 

If you have the capacity of a bucket you’ll get more than a thimble, but once the bucket is full the ocean can do you no more good. If you have a barrel you’ll get more than a bucket, but once the barrel is full you will still only have taken advantage of a miniscule part of the ocean. 

The idea is to offer God the biggest container possible. Offer Him all of you so that He can accomplish what He wants to do in your life. And no matter how successful you may be, you still haven’t maximised all that God wants to do in you and through you.

Paul puts it this way: ‘Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.’ When you give your life to Christ, the Holy Spirit takes up residence within you. That means if your life has been a failure thus far, He can turn it into a success. And if your life has been successful thus far, He can take you to a higher level of success. That’s why you should begin each morning by praying: ‘Lord, I make myself totally available to You this day; work through me to accomplish Your will.’ 

That’s a prayer God will answer.

name

Someone has come up with the following "Rules For Choosing a Superhero Name":

1. Don't call yourself by your real name. (e.g., Ms. Jenny Pinchuck, The Amazing Stevie Foster).

2. Don't call yourself by someone else's real name. (e.g., Mr. Teddy Kennedy, Captain Tom Cruise).

3. Choose a name that suggests power, heroism and prowess. (e.g., Captain Power, Thunderman, Mr. Invincible, Justiceman).

4. Don't be too modest. (e.g., Mr. Pretty Good, Captain So-So, Fairly Incredibleman).

5. But don't labor the point. (e.g., Mr. So-Powerful-Don't-Even-Think-About-It-Buddy).

6. Don't choose a name detrimental to your crime fighting image. (e.g., Captain Spongecake, Mr. Silly, Yellow Streak, Captain Evil).

7. Don't choose the name of an existing Superhero unless you have lots of money and enjoy fighting litigation instead of supervillains.

8. It's no use calling yourself Captain Invincible if your only power is control over Hostess Twinkies and you suffer from a congenital hole-in-the-heart condition. It's just asking for trouble.

9. Don't call yourself the Invisible Boy if you're not.

10. Don't give away important information in your name. (e.g. The Glass Jaw, Captain Vulnerable To Strontium 90).

11. Don't call yourself The Green Avenger if you wear an orange costume. You'll confuse people.

Choosing a name is an important responsibility. Those of us who are parents can remember spending hours and hours reading books filled with baby names, discussing this name and that before deciding on just the right name. Even after much forethought, one of my children was named at birth and re-named a couple of hours later because the first name just didn't seem to fit her.

Not surprisingly, names in the Bible are regarded as important. Names that were chosen may tell us something about the child or his birth (Isaac -- "laughter", Benjamin -- "son of the right hand", Esau -- "hairy"). Some names were changed to signal a drastic change in one's life (Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel, Saul to Paul).

A name is important because it's not just a word -- it's who you are. Your name is your character, the essence of who you are and what you stand for.

You may not be able to change your given name (at least, not without a lot of expense and trouble), but you can change what people think about when they hear that name. That's why Solomon wrote:

"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches." (Prov. 22:1a)

You are choosing your name by how you live. Choose wisely!

-alan smith

?know

There's a Hasidic story about a rabbi who crossed a village square every morning on his way to the temple to pray. One morning, a large Russian Cossack soldier, who happened to be in a vile mood, accosted him, saying, "Hey, rabbi, where are you going?"

The rabbi simply said, "I don't know."

This infuriated the soldier. "What do you mean, you don't know? Every morning for twenty-five years you have crossed the village square and gone to the temple to pray. Don't fool with me. Why are you telling me you don't know?" He grabbed the old rabbi by the coat and dragged him off to jail.

Just as the Cossack was about to push him into the cell, the rabbi turned to him, and softly said, "You see, I didn't know."

James taught those of us who are Christians to live in such a way that "we don't know where we are going". He put it this way:

"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit'; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." (James 4:13-14)

There's nothing wrong with making plans, but we need to remember that there is much that may happen in the future that we don't know about right now, and things may happen that we don't have much control over. We have only to look back over our lives to see how things in the past often turned out very much different than we thought they would.

What James says is true -- death could come at any moment. Or Christ could return. Or any of a hundred other things -- good or bad -- could happen to us shortly. So where am I going? I don't know. But as long as God is with me, it doesn't really matter.

-alan smith