...team

Charles Osgood tells the story of two ladies who lived in a convalescent center. 

Both ladies had suffered serious strokes. Margaret's left side had been restricted, while Ruth's right side was affected. Both ladies had been accomplished pianists but had given up hope of ever playing again.

The director of the center suggested to the two ladies that they try playing the piano together. They did, and succeeded. They played excellent music and, better still, developed a beautiful friendship.

Three thousand years ago Solomon wrote, "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?" Ecclesiastes 4:9-11

...wysiwyg

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Matthew 5:6

In the computer world we're probably all aware of the initials, "WYSIWYG" (pronounced wissiwig) meaning "What You See Is What You Get."

In the real world it's pretty much the same; or it could be worded this way, "What you look for is what you find."

Steve Goodier in his book, Are You Living in the Past? Shared how both the vulture and hummingbird fly over the same desert. The vulture sees rotting flesh. The humming bird sees colorful desert plants. Each sees and finds what it's looking for.

We do the same thing. 

What we hunger for and thrive on is what we look for and find. 

As Frederick Langbrige put, "Two men look out the same prison bars, one sees mud, the other stars."

If we hunger for evil, that's what we'll find. 

If we hunger for material wealth and possessions, that's what we'll seek after. 

If we hunger for illicit love, that's what we'll look for, see, and find, etc., etc. 

But if we hunger for righteousness that's what we'll pursue, and if we hunger for God, we will find him.

Mary Norman summed it up very well: 

"I've never seen the face of God / To draw it in a book / But I have seen the hand of God / It's everywhere I look." It's true in that what we see is what we get and what we look for is what we find. It depends on what we hunger and thirst for.

...important

"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."1 Cor 12:27

You've probably seen the following article. I don't know who coined it, but it is a worthy reminder that every one of us who is a Christian has a vital role to play in God's work here on earth.

Xvxn though this typxwritxr is an old modxl, it works vxry wxll, xxcxpt for only onx kxy. You'd think that with all the othxr kxys working, onx kxy would hardly bx noticxd. But just onx kxy out of whack sxxms to ruin thx wholx xffort.

Havx you xvxr said to yoursxlf, "I'm only onx pxrson. No onx will noticx if I don't do my bxst." But it doxs makx a diffxrxncx, bxcausx to bx xffxctive, a family, an organization or a businxss nxxds complxtx participation by xvxryonx to the bxst of his or hxr ability.

So if You'rx having onx of thosx days whxn you think you just arxn't vxry important and you'rx txmptxd to slack off, rxmxmbxr this old typxwritxr. You arx a kxy pxrson, and whxn you don't do your bxst, nothing xlsx around you works out thx way it's supposxd to.

Can the "H" say to the "S" I have no need of you, or the "D" to the "E" I have no need of you?"

...enough

"According to your faith will it be done to you."Matthew 9:29

I read an interesting quote that said, "You can never get enough of what you don't want." I had to stop and think about this one. Why would I ever want what I don't want?

An over-simplification of what I believe this quote means is that if I have a craving for chocolate ice-cream, no matter how much vanilla ice-cream I get, it would never satisfy my hunger for chocolate ice-cream.

To apply this principle to a higher cause means that sometimes we settle for less than what is best for us because of the challenge to achieve what we truly want to achieve if we are determined to do so.

For the Christian, God wants the very best for us. The question for each of us is, Do we want what God wants for us?

God wants us not only to be members of his family, but growing members who are becoming more and more like Jesus Christ in every way, who don't settle for anything less than complete wholeness, complete recovery, a healthy lifestyle, a worthwhile work (either paid or voluntary) into which we can put our best efforts, loving relationships, and for us to discover and fulfill his divine purpose for our life.

It is no "chocolate ice-cream party” to achieve any of these goals let alone all of them. The half-hearted never make it. "Vanilla ice-cream living" is so much easier to achieve, but it has no “nutritional” (spiritual) value. 

Are you and I settling for "vanilla ice-cream" when we could have the gold of God's "chocolate ice-cream” life?

-dick innes

...successful

"Where there is no vision, the people perish."Proverbs 29:18

"David Levenson has written a book titled, The Seasons of a Man's Life. In examination of the factors that contribute to the development, growth, and success of people, he discovered three primary factors that seem to be essential to success. The first is a great vision; a driving dream that moves and motivates you to do something [worthwhile] with your life. Those who give themselves to the fulfillment of something worthwhile experience a great sense of accomplishment. 

"The second thing common to the successful people he studied was that they had each found a teacher who could instruct and help them along the way. Not only do we need a vision, we need some folks who have had visions before us, who can walk beside us and point the way. 

"There was another commonality among these successful people. They each had a deeply personal and significant relationship with at least one other person, someone who would support them in accomplishing their dreams. These were the folks who would walk with them through the difficult times, even when it seemed as though the dream would never come true. In short, they had a friend." 

We don't have to be famous to be successful ... all we need is a vision, a good teacher, and a faithful, supporting friend. To this I would add that our vision needs to be in harmony with and a vital part of our God-given life purpose. 

...again

Though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again." Proverbs 24:16

As M. Dunham wrote, "Sir Edmund Hilary was the first person to conquer Mt. Everest. The first time he tried, he failed. He was knighted by the Queen of England, and at the gala occasion, on the wall behind the head table, was a huge picture of Mt. Everest. The people gave him a standing ovation for even daring to attempt the climb. When they ceased applauding, Hilary turned his back to the audience, faced that picture and said, "Mt. Everest, you have defeated me once and you might defeat me again. But I'm coming back again and again, and I'm going to win because you can't get any bigger, Mt. Everest, and I can."*

Great attitude! What a difference it would make if we felt the same when we face the mountains in our lives. The reality of life is that we often learn more through our failures than we do through our successes. Successes are satisfying and they are important to keep us encouraged. However, failure is our greatest teacher. This is because in every failure there is the opportunity to learn, to grow, and to become stronger, better persons. And this is what God wants for each of us—not to beat ourselves up when we fail, but to grow stronger!

Whatever mountain you are facing at this time of your life—large or small—remember God is right there with you. If anything is his will for you, you know that with his help you, too, can say to your mountain, "You have defeated me once and you might defeat me again. But I'm coming back again and again, and I'm going to win because you can't get any bigger and I can. Plus God is on my side to help me."

-dick innes

...difference

"For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that causes me shame, but that I will always be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past, and that my life will always honor Christ, whether I live or I die. For to me, living is for Christ." Philippians 1:20-21 

I read about a group of nuns who were given a vacation trip through the Rocky Mountains where they had never been before. They were filled with awe as they marveled at the wonder of the many miles of majestic mountains. However, every time they stopped to enjoy the view, one particular nun would slip away by herself. So on one occasion the other nuns decided they would follow her to see what she was up to. "They watched her as she walked into the gully. She bent down and reached under a sizable rock, and then turned the rock upside down. She brushed her hands and turned around to walk back up the trail. When she looked up, the entire Order of nuns was watching her. 

"Margaret, what are you doing?" they asked. 

"I'm turning over a rock," she replied. 

"Why?" they asked. "Do you do that every time?" 

She answered, "Yes." 

"Why do you do that?" 

She replied: "Because I will never pass this way again, and it's my intent to have made a difference while I was here. So I turn some rocks over so that this place is different because I passed here."

A little amusing perhaps, but seriously, I want to make a difference—for time and eternity—as I pass through the journey of life! I don't think any of us want to have lived in vain. The best and ultimate way I know to make a difference is to make myself available for God to use every day of my life. 

We are not all called to be homemakers, doctors, bakers, dressmakers, preachers, communicators, or whatever—but we are all called to be faithful and when we make ourselves available to God every day, be assured, he will use us to make a big difference in the lives of the people he brings across our path. 

As Stephen Grellet so eloquently put it: "I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow human being let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."

...calling

Jesus Calling was written to help people connect not only with Jesus, the living Word, but also with the Bible-the only infallible, inerrant Word of God. “The devotions . . . are meant to be read slowly, preferably in a quiet place with your Bible open," writes author Sarah Young. Today we introduce you to Jesus Calling: 50 Devotions for Peace, a collection of devotions with relevant Scripture verses, focused on the peace only Jesus provides.

Bring Me your weakness, and receive My Peace. Accept yourself and your circumstances just as they are, remembering that I am sovereign over everything. Do not wear yourself out with analyzing and planning. Instead, let thankfulness and trust be your guides through this day; they will keep you close to Me. As you live in the radiance of My Presence, My Peace shines upon you. You will cease to notice how weak or strong you feel because you will be focusing on Me. The best way to get through this day is step by step with Me. Continue this intimate journey, trusting that the path you are following is headed for Heaven. 

Psalm 29:11; Numbers 6:24–26; Psalm 13:5 

The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace. — Psalm 29:11

Let Me bless you with My grace and Peace. Open your heart and mind to receive all that I have for you. Do not be ashamed of your emptiness. Instead, view it as the optimal condition for being filled with My Peace. 

It is easy to touch up your outward appearance, to look as if you have it all together. Your attempts to look good can fool most people. But I see straight through you, into the depths of your being. There is no place for pretense in your relationship with Me. Rejoice in the relief of being fully understood. Talk with Me about your struggles and feelings of inadequacy. Little by little, I will transform your weaknesses into strengths. Remember that your relationship with Me is saturated in grace. Therefore, nothing that you do or don’t do can separate you from My Presence. 

1 Samuel 16:7; Romans 8:38–39 

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider His appearance or his height, for I have rejected Him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” — 1 Samuel 16:7

I am above all things: your problems, your pain, and the swirling events in this ever-changing world. When you behold My Face, you rise above circumstances and rest with Me in heavenly realms. This is the way of Peace, living in the Light of My Presence. I guarantee that you will always have problems in this life, but they must not become your focus. When you feel yourself sinking in the sea of circumstances, say, “Help me, Jesus!” and I will draw you back to Me. If you have to say that thousands of times daily, don’t be discouraged. I know your weakness, and I meet you in that very place. 

Ephesians 2:6; Matthew 14:28–32; Isaiah 42:3 

A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out. In faithfulness He will bring forth justice. — Isaiah 42:3

-Sarah young

...heard

"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard from many sources about this man, and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.... But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.  (Acts 9:13,15)

How easy it is to judge another person on the basis of what we have "heard" about them - perhaps second or third hand.   We form an opinion.  Our minds are closed toward them, and they don't have a chance.

Perhaps it has been a misjudgment of our own.  
How would we feel toward this person if we took the time to get to know them?   
What if he or she is one of God's chosen instruments? 

What if Ananias had not gone to Paul because of what he had heard?

parenting

In our enthusiasm to celebrate children (a good thing), we are sometimes tempted to overlook the key Christian doctrine of original sin. A child can be raised by godly parents, yet still choose to live an ungodly life:

A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke. — Proverbs 13:1

Some sons can bring great honor to their home and their parents; others choose to bring shame:

He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.  — Proverbs 10:5

Some children will bring anguish rather than joy:

A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.  — Proverbs 15:20

At times children can even steal from their parents (Proverbs 28:24) or drive their mother from her own house (Proverbs 19:26). In this regard, the Bible is more honest than many contemporary Christians. In the Old Testament, God gives us accounts of children who do all sorts of heinous acts.

Abimelech, the son of Gideon, provides one such example. We don’t know a lot about Gideon and his parenting style, but we do know that God’s hand was with Gideon as He used him to free Israel from the control of the Midianites. After Gideon’s great exploits, the people tried to make Gideon king:

Rule over us  —you, your son and your grandson  — because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.  — Judges 8:22

Gideon refused, demonstrating a noble and humble character:

I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you.  — Judges 8:23

Gideon lived a post-military life of blessing and had many children. After Gideon’s death, one of his sons, Abimelech, burned with ambition to rule the nation. Desperate to establish himself as ruler and remove all pretenders, Abimelech murdered all his brothers, except for one. By the providential judgment of God, Abimelech died when a woman dropped a millstone on his head. The Bible tells us that God lay behind this attack:

Thus God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father by murdering his seventy brothers. — Judges 9:56

God apparently didn’t have a problem considering this child a curse. In His providential plan, He sought the death of this wickedly ambitious son.

Sometimes a wayward son or daughter results from a poor upbringing; the parents may indeed have to assume some of the blame (Proverbs 29:15). But a child can receive many spiritual advantages and still choose, with the freedom God gives him, to become a wayward son. Jesus loved Judas as a son, yet the betrayer still opted to turn against Him. Adam and Eve had a godly son (Abel) and a murderous son (Cain). Was their parenting the only factor leading Abel to offer worthy sacrifices and Cain to turn into a selfish, jealous, and bloodthirsty sibling?

President John Adams had one son  — John Quincy  — who followed him into the presidency and enjoyed a prosperous career. Two other sons had shameful lifestyles. Charles Adams became an alcoholic - his mother described him as a “poor, unhappy, wretched man.” One relative described Thomas Adams as “one of the most unpleasant characters in this world... a brute in manners and a bully to his family.” John and Abigail raised one remarkable son and two disgraceful ones. Was their parenting the only factor that determined each boy’s character?

I suspect I’ve probably raised more than a few eyebrows by now. I can even imagine some condemnations: “How dare you suggest children aren’t a blessing? I bet you also favor abortion, don’t you?”

No, I definitely do not. I am ardently, passionately, and unequivocally pro-life. But I’ve also had enough life experience to know that parenting - even sacred parenting - comes with no guarantees, and I grieve for the good, decent, and godly parents who get treated like pariahs because a kid of theirs goes bad. They weren’t “perfect” parents, of course, and in that sense they may share some of the blame. But tell me - just who is a perfect parent?

Show me one father or one mother who didn’t, at times, spoil their child, just a little. Who didn’t, out of fear or weariness or ignorance or overcommitment, fail to confront something that needed to be faced, at least one time? I’ll let that parent cast the first stone.

Some of us got away with it; some of us didn’t. In my travels I’ve met far too many godly parents who live with a gaping wound. Not only do they face the pain of watching their deeply loved child self- destruct, but they also live with a judgment that the child’s abhorrent way of life stems from their failure as parents.

Godly children are a tremendous blessing; this is a precious biblical truth. But Scripture is honest, and we should be as well. Wayward children can, at the very least, feel like a fierce curse.

How sobering to face the vulnerability that someone could make our lives absolutely miserable  — and yet we would lay down our lives on his or her behalf without thinking about it. Just such an amazing spiritual transformation takes place in the journey of parenting. Once again, Paul models our call to this ministry when he writes,

Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?  — 2 Corinthians 11:29

For many of us, however, the difficulty of parenting comes not in facing betrayal but in enduring a very tiring occupation. Today’s Christian usually prays for relief, for comfort, and for healing - but that’s not always what Scripture teaches us to do.

For example, the apostle Paul prayed that the Colossians would be...

...strengthened with all power according to [God’s] glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience. — Colossians 1:11

Instead of immediately asking for their deliverance, Paul prayed that the believers in Colosse would grow in maturity. If you think about it, how do we grow in endurance and patience? Only one path exists, which we’ve already mentioned: to have both our endurance and patience sorely tried, even past the breaking point, until we learn to rest in God’s “glorious might.” You’ll never develop your biceps if you lift just one-pound weights; you have to stress the muscle beyond its normal routine. The same principle holds true spiritually. If God gives us situations we already have the strength to handle, we won’t have to grow in order to deal with them.

The crux of the issue is this: Our first and natural inclination in any trial is to pray for God to remove the difficulty. But God’s first priority is often to strengthen us in the midst of the difficulty rather than to take us out of the difficulty. That’s because He can see the treasure that lies at the end of the trail.

Consider how many times you have broken your promises once offered fervently and earnestly to God. Consider on how many occasions you have said or thought or even done vile things in full sight of a holy and perfect God. Consider God’s eagerness to forgive you, the persistence of His grace, the limitless supply of His understanding and patience and mercy  — all offered without condition on your behalf.

Without difficult children, we might take this patience and mercy and forgiveness for granted. That’s where difficult children become a rare gift  — they show us a side of God we might otherwise miss.

Parenting may not be an easy journey, but in this it is truly a sacred one.

...clean

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean. 

— Ezekiel 36:25 KJV 

My Maggie is an artist; she likes to draw. Being the exuberant soul she is, she prefers larger surfaces. A big white wall is irresistible; tabletops are attractive too. In a pinch Maggie will draw on herself if indelible markers are available.  

Maggie’s fascination with drawing is unique in my parenting experience. When she executed her first large-scale masterpiece, I used the technique that had worked with my other children: I handed her a sponge and made her scrub the wall. It was a big job for a two-and-a-half-year-old, and Maggie didn’t like it at all. But the next day she rushed up to me eagerly and said, “I need a sponge, Mommy! I drawed on the floor!”  

Such persistence is not a matter of mere stubbornness. For Maggie, the joy of swirling a crayon in full-arm rotation is so immense that it has nothing to do with the idea that she’s only supposed to draw on paper. She doesn’t realize she’s being disobedient. Since she’s only two, I don’t find that particularly surprising. She has time to learn.  

I’m a long way from being two. I no longer draw on walls, and I manage to avoid a lot of bigger no-no’s. But there are still many times each day when I do what I feel like doing, without considering what God wants me to do. All too often it’s only when I’m in bed mentally reviewing the day that I even realize that I was disobedient.  

Unlike Maggie, I’m not always cheerful about saying I’m sorry. I’m never quite as willing to admit I’ve done wrong or as eager to get back to the drawing board. But maybe that will come with time.  

I’ve done it again, Lord. Come, wash me clean. ~ Julia Attaway  

Digging Deeper: Psalm 51:7; Isaiah 1:18; John 15:3  

It’s easy to race through the day and not even recognize when we’re straying from what God wants us to do, or even veering straight into what we know is wrong to do. As His kids, though, all we have to do is ask to be scrubbed clean. We’re already loved and already forgiven!

...purpose...

The Apostle Paul said, "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

"Stephen Covey once said, 'Be sure that, as you scramble up the ladder of success, it is leaning against the right building.' Many people work hard to achieve goals that they think they want only to find, at the end of the day, they get no joy or satisfaction from their accomplishments. They ask, 'Is this all there is?' This occurs when the outer accomplishment is not in harmony with your inner values. Don't let this happen to you."

Time and again I have asked classes I have taught, "How many of you believe that God has a purpose for your life?" Most of the hands are raised but then, when I ask them to spell out their God-given life purpose, very few have any idea what it is. This reminds me of an old ditty I heard as a teenager that said, "Blessed be he who aimeth at nothing for he shall surely hit it."

I don't know about you but when I stand face to face before God and have to give an account of my life I don't want to go into heaven empty-handed.

God does have a divine purpose for your life. Make sure that you know what it is and that you are, with God’s help, fulfilling it. God's purpose for you will have to do with discovering, developing, and serving God by using the natural and spiritual gifts God has already given to you. And remember that we serve God by serving people. Also make sure that your life-purpose is in harmony with God's will so that your ladder isn’t leaning against the wrong wall.

I have written out and/or stated my life-purpose probably thousands of times. I have done this pretty much daily for many years and plan on doing so for all the days of my life. Repetition with feeling helps program your life purpose into your unconscious mind and belief system. This helps to operate on automatic pilot. I encourage you to write out your God-given life purpose and repeat it at the beginning of every day as part of your daily devotions.

words

I recently read about a middle-aged man who has been struggling with chronic depression for many years. His counselor told him that he would need to be on antidepressant drugs for the rest of his life.  He told the counselor that his father, a self-made head of a large corporation, repeatedly said to him, "Son, when you inherit the family business, I expect you'll ruin it."

"These words stung more painfully each time he heard them. When his father died, the man felt driven to work unreasonably long hours to prove his dad's prediction wrong. The pressure to avoid failure that relentlessly gnawed at him was quieted only by alcohol. Soon a serious drinking problem developed.  His wife threatened to leave him. Finally he succumbed to ongoing depression for which he could find relief only in drugs. His life was devastated by the power of his father's tongue."

I was once told that I was physically ugly. It took me years to overcome that one sentence because, tragically, I believed it.  However, I have since learned that it had more to do with the person who spoke those words than it had to do with me.

With words we can bless or curse others; encourage or discourage; hearten or dishearten them. They can be powerful motivators or de-motivators. Let's always use them as an instrument of healing and encouragement-and never use them to hurt, demoralize or destroy another.

"With the tongue [words] we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be" (James 3:9-10).

-dick innes

encouragement

encouragement for you today!

Begin Again

No matter who you are or what your life has been like so far, the rest of your life’s journey can be different. With God’s help you can begin again.

-billy graham

Joy

When Christ is the center of our lives, when His glory is our goal, when we refuse to be intimidated by life’s obstacles, and when we live totally for Christ in obedience, we will find a joy that will carry us through the darkest of valleys.

-michael youssef

God's Arms

Wherever you are spiritually, whatever you have been through emotionally, you are already wrapped in the Lord’s embrace. Held by nail-scarred hands. Enfolded in the arms of One who believes in you, supports you, treasures you, and loves you.

-liz c higgs

today

The best way to help our culture value every person from conception to natural death is to value every person we know. Today.

None of us knew on Sunday January 26th, 2020 morning that Kobe Bryant and the other 8 passengers would not be alive on Monday morning. 

None of us knew on September 10, 2001 that September 11, 2001 would change our world.

Mordecai’s admonition to Esther is God’s word to us: “Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). 

It is by God’s providence that we are alive not just where we are but when we are. And that we will meet the mortal people we encounter this day.

Pastor Mark Dever has noted: “Today is what the Lord has prepared you for.”

For whom has he prepared you this day?

...calvary

In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. 

The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. 

The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. 

The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met. 

For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands. 

It is now that I must make a choice.

 

Because of Calvary, I’m free to choose. And so I choose.

I choose love. 

No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I choose joy. 

I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical... the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I choose peace. 

I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I choose patience. 

I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite Him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I choose kindness. 

I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I choose goodness. 

I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.

I choose faithfulness. 

Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.

I choose gentleness. 

Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice, may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I choose self-control. 

I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithful-ness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek His grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

-max lucado

Are you setting out on a new journey?  

Are you leaving one chapter behind and stepping out into another chapter? 

Are you looking for God’s best for you each day? 

go

“...Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah...”  (1 Samuel 22:5)

David and his fighting men had been hiding in the cave of Adullam. He was fleeing Saul. Many of life's down-and-out had come and joined David's army. David was content to stay in the stronghold of safety. Then, God's prophet came to David and told him that he must leave the stronghold and go into the land of Judah.

When life beats down on us and we get to the place where we want to hide in a cave, God often places people around us who prod us into moving in the right direction. He does not want us to remain in the place of discouragement. He wants us to move into the land of "praise." Judah means "praise."

I recall when I went through a very difficult time. It seemed to drag on and on with no change until finally I wanted to retreat to a cave and forget pressing on. It was a great time of discouragement. A Godly man came to me and said, "You must keep moving! There are too many who are depending on you in the Kingdom."

I didn't totally understand what he meant at the time. Now, I know.  He was saying that God is preparing each of us to be the vessel He wants to use in the life of another person, but we will never be that vessel if we give up and hide in our cave of discouragement. Not only must we keep moving, we must move into a new realm. Our attitude must move from discouragement to praise. It is when we move past discouragement to praise that we begin living above our problems. Make a decision today to "leave the stronghold" and "go into the land of Judah."

-os hillman

faithful

"Many a man will declare his own goodness, but a faithful man, who can find?"  Proverbs 20:6

I saw a photo of the excavations of Pompeii, the ancient Roman city that was buried, almost frozen in time, under tons of volcanic ash. The eruption was so sudden, so violent, that many people were doing the basic day-to-day things of life when they were instantly smothered. There was no warning. Death was virtually instantaneous.

One lone Roman soldier stood vigil facing the volcano. He saw the eruption and the deadly ash cloud headed for the city and could have tried to run. He chose to stand.  Roman soldiers DID NOT leave their posts unless they were relieved. They stood faithful to the task before them.

This lone soldier stood his ground and was buried alive facing the volcano. His assignment was to guard the city. He stands as a silent vigil over that doomed city today. He was faithful to the task.

God calls us to be faithful witnesses to the world and to each other of His goodness.  Your testimony of Christ to the world has little power if you are not loving your spouse, honoring your parents, raising godly children and walking out the life of Christ within you in this fallen world.

Jesus promised that when we appear before Him, those who walked close in obedience to him will hear these words - "Well done, thou good and FAITHFUL servant.  Enter into the joy of the Lord."   We cannot experience the Lord's joy unless we are faithful to His call on our lives.

Joy is an issue of the heart. You have to be close and intimate with someone to hear their heartbeat.  The One we desire calls himself "Faithful and True."

I have wrestled with standing faithful and, in spite of many obstacles that have tried to sway me, have elected to stay with the call of God on my life. I have chosen to run the race to its completion.

I once saw on a sports broadcast a long distance runner who won a grueling race. His trainer was waiting for him at the finish line. This victorious athlete ran past the trophy right into his coach's arms. The reward could wait.  I suspect he wanted to hear his coach's praise.

I want to finish my life like that  - running right into my Saviors' waiting arms.  His words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant", are what I am running to finally hear.  His rewards, wonderful are thy are, can wait.  I want  to hear His words  I want to see His smile.

"Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." Rev. 2:10.

Will you stand firm to the call of God?

Will you be found faithful?

-author unknown

...sorrow

The LORD blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first.  —  Job 42:12

Job found his legacy through the grief he experienced. He was tried that his godliness might be confirmed and validated. In the same way, my troubles are intended to deepen my character and to clothe me in gifts I had little of prior to my difficulties, for my ripest fruit grows against the roughest wall. I come to a place of glory only through my own humility, tears, and death, just as Job’s afflictions left him with a higher view of God and more humble thoughts of himself. At last he cried,

Now my eyes have seen You. — Job 42:5

If I experience the presence of God in His majesty through my pain and loss, so that I bow before Him and pray, “Your will be done”  (Matthew 6:10), then I have gained much indeed.

God gave Job glimpses of his future glory, for in those weary and difficult days and nights, he was allowed to penetrate God’s veil and could honestly say, “I know that my Redeemer lives”  (Job 19:25). So truly: “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first.” (from In the Hour of Silence)

Trouble never comes to someone unless it brings a nugget of gold in its hand.

Apparent adversity will ultimately become an advantage for those of us doing what is right, if we are willing to keep serving and to wait patiently. Think of the great victorious souls of the past who worked with steadfast faith and who were invincible and courageous!

There are many blessings we will never obtain if we are unwilling to accept and endure suffering.

There are certain joys that can come to us only through sorrow. There are revelations of God’s divine truth that we will receive only when the lights of earth have been extinguished. And there are harvests that will grow only once the plow has done its work.

It is from suffering that the strongest souls ever known have emerged; the world’s greatest display of character is seen in those who exhibit the scars of sorrow; the martyrs of the ages have worn their coronation robes that have glistened with fire, yet through their tears and sorrow have seen the gates of heaven.  (~Chapin)

I will know by the gleam and glitter

Of the golden chain you wear,

By your heart’s calm strength in loving,

Of the fire you have had to bear.

Beat on, true heart, forever;

Shine bright, strong golden chain;

And bless the cleansing fire

And the furnace of living pain!

~adelaide proctor

...feel

During Napoleon's invasion of Russia, his troops were battling in the middle of yet another small town in that endless wintry land, when he was accidentally separated from his men. A group of Russian Cossacks spotted him and began chasing him through the twisting streets. Napoleon ran for his life and ducked into a little furrier's shop on a side alley. As Napoleon entered the shop, gasping for breath, he saw the furrier and cried piteously, "Save me, save me! Where can I hide?" The furrier said, "Quick, under this big pile of furs in the corner," and he covered Napoleon up with many furs.

No sooner had he finished than the Russian Cossacks burst in the door shouting, "Where is he? We saw him come in." Despite the furrier's protests, they tore his shop apart trying to find Napoleon. They poked into the pile of furs with their swords but didn't find him. Soon, they gave up and left.

After some time, Napoleon crept out from under the furs, unharmed, just as Napoleon's personal guards came in the door. The furrier turned to Napoleon and said timidly, "Excuse me for asking this question of such a great man, but what was it like to be under those furs, knowing that the next moment would surely be your last?"

Napoleon drew himself up to his full height and said to the furrier indignantly, "How could you ask me, the Emperor Napoleon, such a question? Guards, take this impudent man out, blindfold him and execute him. I, myself, will personally give the command to fire!"

The guards grabbed the furrier, dragged him outside, stood him against a wall and blindfolded him. The furrier could see nothing, but he could hear the guards shuffle into line and prepare their rifles. Then he heard Napoleon clear his throat and call out, "Ready! Aim!" In that moment, a feeling he could not describe welled up within him; tears poured down his cheeks.

Suddenly the blindfold was stripped from his eyes. Although partially blinded by the sunlight he could see Napoleon's eyes looking intently into his own -- eyes that seemed to see every dusty corner of his soul.

Then Napoleon said, "Now you know."

There are some things that simply cannot be described to you. If you haven't experienced them for yourself, you can't begin to know the feeling. If you've never sat by the bed of your father while cancer eats away at his body, you can't begin to know what it feels like. If you've never had a spouse walk out the door knowing they will never return, you can't begin to know what it feels like. If you've never had to bury a daughter before she was old enough to ride a bicycle, you can't begin to know what it feels like.

The list could go on and on. Eventually, I would get to what weighs on your soul. You have friends who try to comfort you by saying, "I understand," but deep down you know they don't. They can't. Not without experiencing it for themselves, and you wouldn't wish that on them.

What that means, though, is that you are in a position to minister in a special way to people who are suffering the same thing that you have suffered in the past. God is able to use your past painful experiences to help others in a way that no one else can. 

• If you have had to deal with an alcoholic family member, you are in a position to minister to others in that situation. 
• If you have suffered the death of a young child, you are in a position to minister to others in that situation. 
• If you have raised a child as a single parent, you are able to minister to others in that situation.
• If you have suffered in the past. It was painful. It was tough to get through. 
• Having done so, be aware of the opportunities you now have to be of service to others. You know exactly how they feel. Let them know that.

The list could go on and on. 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2 Cor. 1:3-4)

-alan smith

forgiveness

Do you know what it means to truly Forgive?   It means "to release from accountability".  When you truly forgive someone, you no longer hold them responsible or accountable for their actions.  When Jesus Christ forgives you, He no longer holds you accountable for your sin.  (I will remember their sins no more.  Hebrews 8:12)

Corrie Ten Boom shares this incredible true story in her book, The Hiding Place:

It was a church service in Munich that I saw him, the former S.S. man who had stood guard at the shower room door in the processing center at Ravensbruck.  He was the first of our actual jailers that I had seen since that time.  And suddenly it was all there -- the roomful of mocking men, the heaps of clothing, Betsie's pain-blanched face.

He came up to me as the church was emptying, beaming and bowing. "How grateful I am for your message, Fraulein," he said.  "To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!"

His hand was thrust out to shake mine.  And I, who had preached so often to the people the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side.

Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them.  Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more?  Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him.

I tried to smile, I struggled to raise my hand.  I could not.  I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity.  And so again I breathed a silent prayer.  Jesus, I cannot forgive him.  Give me Your forgiveness.

As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened.  From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.

And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world's healing hinges, but on His.  When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself.