.....understanding

We pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father.  Colossians 1:10-12

Though God's gracious gift of Salvation is free, the cost is high. We can do nothing to earn or maintain this gift besides believe in His Son; but the faith through which His grace flows is a faith committed to Him without reservation, prepared to follow anywhere He leads, and willing to honor Him in all we do. 

A saving faith transforms our life and propels us to action.

Paul did not pray for the details of an honoring life; rather, he prayed for what truly produces change: "the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding." We never please God by focusing on specific activities, we please Him by drawing near and allowing His blessings to flow in and through our life. This is a life which results in deeds that bear fruit and is filled with endurance, patience, and thankfulness.

The God honoring life is available for us today...regardless of our circumstances. But we must draw nearer to our Heavenly Father and hunger for a better understanding of His will. We must long for His presence and continue to grow in love and faith. God has infinitely more to give and will pour His blessings upon those who continue to seek Him with all their heart.

-steve troxel

.....end

 

In the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico, John Stephen Ahkwari of Tanzania was excited. He was about to run the marathon with runners from around the world.

The starter’s pistol fired and the race began. A little over 2 hours later, the first runner crossed the finish line. Other runners finished the race shortly afterwards, but John was not among them. Over an hour after the winner had crossed the finish line, with only a few spectators remaining in the stands, John Stephen Ahkwari finally entered the stadium.

Bandaged and bloody, John finally crossed the finish line. Bud Greenspan, the renown sports reporter, asked John why he didn't just quit. He answered, "My country did not send me 5000 miles to Mexico City to start the race. They sent me here to finish.

John Stephen Akhwari did not receive a prize or a medal, but he did endure. He didn't just start the race, he finished it. God did not call us just to start the Christian race, he called us to finish it!

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Tim 4:7

"But this one thing I do: 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 3:13-14

....mark

Barnabas went with Paul on his first missionary journey where they jointly proclaimed the name of Jesus wherever they went. Another young man, named Mark, began this first missionary journey with Paul but then turned back Acts 13:13. This apparent lack of perseverance bothered Paul so much that when he began his second missionary trip he refused to take Mark along.

Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus Acts 15:37-39

Barnabas saw the Christ-given potential in young Mark and encouraged him as he had done with Paul many years before. As a result, Mark matured in his ministry and faithfully continued in his service to Jesus. He ministered alongside the Apostle Peter 1 Peter 5:13, was reunited with Paul Colossians 4:10, Philemon 24, and later wrote an account of the life of Jesus - the Gospel of Mark.

The early church faced many difficulties - many opportunities for discouragement - but God used Barnabas to strengthen those who had been called to the front lines of battle. We can't all stand up and preach in front of large crowds or travel as missionaries to foreign lands, but we ALL have the ability to encourage those whom God places in our path.

The world is full of people crying out for someone to care for and believe in them. Individual lives can be changed, families can be restored, entire communities and even nations can be turned toward God, if each of us will encourage others to draw closer to our Heavenly Father, to love Him more, and to trust Him with all their heart. Let's share the love of Jesus and effectively minister by seeing others, and then taking action, as a Son of Encouragement.

-steve troxel

....time

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth Psalm 46:10

I wonder when we stand before God if He will ask us about what we did with our time. People waste so much time every day. And they waste a lot of it on their cell phones.

Kids spend eight to twelve hours each day on a cell phone, teenagers spend about nine hours a day, and adults spend around four-and-a half hours per day. It’s a big waste of life in many ways. I think we need to make a conscious effort to put down our devices and spend time with each other, talking to each other and listening to each other.

Most importantly, we need to spend time with the Lord.

Interestingly, when someone asked Billy Graham if he had any regrets in life, he said yes. He wished he had spent more time praying, more time studying the Bible, and less time traveling and taking speaking engagements. He also said that he wished he had spent more time telling the Lord how much he loved Him.

One day we will be held accountable for what we did with our time and even for the opportunities we missed.When we stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ, He will want to know what we did with our opportunities. 

Did we leverage them? 

Did we use the influence God gave us and reach out to people we know with the gospel? 

How did we use our resources? 

How did we spend our money?

These things all will be reviewed at the Judgment Seat of Christ 2 Corinthians 5:10. But this judgment won’t be about success as we like to define success, it will be about our faithfulness to the Lord.

- gregory laurie

....silent

My grandfather would tuck his Bible under his arm and walk through the small town where he lived to Sabbath School and church services. For the last five years of his life, he could not hear, and he never heard a word of any sermon.  

Yet, he continued to go.

One day I asked him,"Grampa, why do you keep on going to Sunday School and church when you can't hear a word that the preacher says?"

"I keep on going." he replied, "even if I don't hear, because I want people to know whose side I'm on."

Do people know whose side you're on?  Do you want them to know?  It's time for Christians to take a stand for Christ.  We must be different from the world if we are to help it. Until we make it clear who it is we serve, no one will ever pay attention to us.  Make sure the world knows whose side you're on.

"...as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."  Joshua 24:15 

....walk

The average person will walk about 65,000 miles in his or her lifetime—that’s three times around the earth!

Caleb Smith is a dedicated walker. When he moved to the Big Apple, he was so enamored by the little-known places that he decided to purchase a map and walk on all the roads, avenues, and streets on the entire island. He eventually covered about 700 miles. He was inspired by Thomas Keane, a man who did the same walk in 1954. Caleb finished his walk on December 19, 2004, the 50th anniversary of Keane meeting his goal. 

I think we underestimate the health benefits of simply walking. For instance, Duke University Medical Center found that a brisk 30-minute walk three times a week was just as effective as antidepressant medication in relieving the symptoms of major depression. A study in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that older women who walked regularly were less likely to develop memory loss. And the Mayo Clinic uncovered evidence that walking positively affects the levels of certain mood-enhancing neurotransmitters in the brain. 

You don’t read about the health benefits of walking in the Bible. People didn’t read books and articles on getting this form of exercise because their feet were the standard mode of transportation. Jesus and His disciples didn’t take the bus from Jericho to Jerusalem. They didn’t ride the train from Galilee to Bethany. They walked everywhere they went! 

What made the walking excursions of the disciples so beneficial was not just the fresh, unpolluted air in Palestine. They walked with Jesus, their Master and Teacher. Christ was the wisest of all people who ever walked the face of the earth, much wiser than even Solomon. It was common for ancient sages to have a group of students to teach. Many of them shared their wisdom with their disciples while walking. As they passed through villages and trekked the countryside, these teachers would point to the things around them as a means of illustrating their wisdom. 

We also may walk with Christ. We may walk with the wisest Teacher and, as our proverb this evening states, become wise. The knowledge of Scripture, given to us by the Lord, will lead us to someday walk streets of gold. 

That’s a trek we should not miss! 

He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. Proverbs 13:20

-douglas batchelor

....grace

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 2:1

This verse means we must continue to trust in His grace and in His grace alone. We did nothing to earn our Salvation, and we can do nothing to maintain our right standing before God - nothing besides belief in His Son; "Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" Galatians 3:3. Our goal of a life which is honoring to God cannot be accomplished through our own effort!

We are saved by the grace of God and we must continue to live by this same grace: "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught" Colossians 2:6. 

Our Heavenly Father will determine our path to holiness, purpose, contentment, and trust - and His grace will equip us with all we need for the journey.

Let's completely trust in the saving grace of Jesus! 

Let's apply the strength of His grace today in every trial and temptation. 

Let's live a life of pure and holy devotion by always remaining strong in His grace.

....odour

Years ago, I bought what was then a new product on the laundry aisle of the grocery store which has become a helpful commodity in our household. The liquid in this spray bottle removes odors from fabrics when applied. You just spray it on, and the invisible odor droplets are consumed and obliterated.

It is quite amazing the way it works! Just soaking up those smells. I don't understand how this happens, but I know it gets the job done! I have tried it... and, sure enough, odor is gone!

God is willing to do the same for you and for me. Each of us was born with our own stench of sin, and only God can remove it. He can just soak up the smell of our wrongdoing and remove it from our lives. He does this through the shed blood of Jesus, who died on the cross for us. Just as I don't understand how Febreeze works, neither do I understand how Jesus sacrifices work, but I know - by faith - that it does!

How thankful I am that my distance from God can be removed - once and for all soaked up and dissolved into nothingness by the shed blood of Jesus.   How thankful I am.

-marion smith  

.....power

Then he told John’s disciples, ‘Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor’"— Luke 7:22

You are loved by God, you are cherished by God, and your prayers are welcomed by God. We approach God by grace through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus” Hebrews 10:19

Years ago, I was I having a meal with Billy Graham. I was a young man at that time, so I said to him, “If an older Billy could speak to a younger Billy, what would you say to yourself? What would you say to a younger Billy that he should be preaching on more than he is now?”

Without missing a beat, he said, “I would preach more on the cross and the blood of Christ, because that’s where the power is.”

It’s through the blood of Jesus that we can approach God. Ephesians 2:13 says, “Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ”. And 1 John 1:7 tells us, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin”.

As Christians, we can sometimes get into a works-righteousness mindset, where we think that if we do a certain number of good things, then God will be happy with us and hear our prayers. But God doesn’t hear our prayers based on what we’ve done. He hears our prayers because He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place.

There’s nothing we need to do to earn the favor of God. The blood of Jesus purchased that for us.

-adapted from greg laurie's article Lets talk about Jesus 

....challenges

Maybe you have seen the Great Barrier Reef, stretching some 1,800 miles from New Guinea to Australia. Tour guides regularly take visitors to view the reef. 

 

On one tour, the guide was asked an interesting question. "I notice that the lagoon side of the reef looks pale and lifeless, while the ocean side is vibrant and colorful," a traveler observed. "Why is this?" 

The guide gave an interesting answer: "The coral around the lagoon side is in still water, with no challenge for its survival. It dies early. The coral on the ocean side is constantly being tested by the wind, waves and storms.   It has to fight for survival every day of it's life. As it is challenged and tested, it changes and adapts. It grows healthy. It grows strong. And it reproduces." 

Then he added this telling note: "That's the way it is with every living organism." 

That is how it is with people! 

Challenged and tested, we come alive! Like coral pounded by the sea, we grow!

Physical demands can cause us to grow stronger.  Mental and emotional stress can produce tough-mindedness and resiliency. Spiritual testing can produce strength of character and faithfulness. So, you have problems -- no problem! Just tell yourself, "There I grow again!" 

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. James 1:2-3

....fires

Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods. Daniel 3:25

As they were facing the fire, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego saw no chance of escape, but they placed their complete trust in God - a trust which would not falter even if they were burned. But rather than being burned by the fire, these three men were freed from their binding ropes and walked with "a son of the gods," who many believe is an Old Testament reference to Jesus Christ! (The KJV renders this verse "...like the Son of God.") In their time of greatest need, God comforted these young men and set them free.

The fires in our life WILL come. The heat will seem intense! But we must not fear, or abandon what we know to be true. Our faith is ALWAYS refined and made stronger by fire; "the testing of your faith develops perseverance" James 1:3. 

Fire will always teach us to trust more deeply and worship more sincerely. When we really believe this truth, it will become possible to actually rejoice in the face of fire. We can rejoice because we KNOW He will walk beside us, no matter how hot the flames - this is true freedom! Let's walk with a bold faith, knowing our Father is there to comfort and protect us, knowing He will strengthen us and set us free in the fire.

- steve troxel

.....heights

An Air Force pilot climbed into his jet and off he flew, leaving the earth far behind as he soared above the clouds. His new jet was equipped with the latest stealth technology and weaponry and the ability to fly at supersonic speeds.

 

After he reached cruising altitude, the pilot heard a strange noise.  It sounded like something gnawing on rubber or plastic. Peering down below the instrument panel, to his horror the pilot saw a rat, out of his reach and gnawing on the main electrical wire between the jet's controls and its engine. If the rat were to cut through that line, the jet would careen out of control, and crash immediately.

The pilot's first instinct was to descend - an emergency landing. But he had flown so far that there was not enough time to land. So he decided to ascend - maybe the rat couldn't survive at a higher altitude. The pilot put on his oxygen mask, boosted power to the jet's engine, and quickly climbed as high as he could go. Soon the gnawing sound ended. When the pilot landed safely, he found the rat - dead.

How does his apply to our lives?

The pilot was highly trained, at the top of his profession. His equipment was the best that technology could provide. But his safety was threatened by the appetite of one of the most primitive of animals - a rat.

Like the jet pilot, we live in a world of high technology. Robots make our clothes, microwaves cook our food, smart phones carry our voices, and computers analyze our cars. And yet our lives are also affected by many things that people faced centuries ago. Hate, jealousy, and dishonesty continue to exist. We are still plagued by temptations to strike out in anger, cut corners to get ahead, and toy with the truth.

And something else has not changed: most people say they want to be delivered from temptations, but really would like to keep in touch with them. You see, we know certain things are wrong, yet we still flirt with them. As our power of resistance weakens, we think that one small compromise of our principles won't matter. But it does. Lying down with dogs has unhealthy results, and so does compromising with wrong.

Take care to avoid being lured into moral and ethical trouble. Build a wall of protection around your life by shunning anything that promotes or gives credibility to unwholesome attitudes. Read Scripture, meditate upon its truths, and pray to  live by them by His grace.  Those steps will lead you to new spiritual altitudes.  

Just as the hungry rat could not survive at high altitudes, sinful appetites cannot survive at such spiritual heights.

"The righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger." Job 17:9

-rich mclawhorn

.....guard

When God called the children of Israel, He knew they would face the same difficulties we face today: "Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them" Deuteronomy 11:16. He said the values of the world must never distract from our primary duty to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" Deuteronomy 6:5.

God told His chosen people that the best way to remain near to Him was to remain near to His Word through disciplined reading, teaching, discussing, and applying. When our lives are completely immersed in His Word, the "enticements" of the world lose their power and no longer pull us from God's path.

But His desire was never for us to stop with outward disciplines. While disciplines are somewhat useful in themselves, the desired end is always for His Word to be written on our heart and for our thoughts to remain with Him all through our day! 

Only as He is allowed to truly live through us will our lives become a complete sacrifice of worship.

If this is the life we desire, then we must begin with a disciplined approach to God's Word. We must become immersed in His Word such that His truth becomes a part of every portion of our day. God will soon reward us with a more intimate relationship as His Word becomes written on our heart and our thoughts turn more toward Christ. 

......?is

Alan Redpath once formed a "mutual encouragement" fellowship at a time of stress in one of his pastorates.  The members subscribed to a simple formula applied before speaking of any person or subject that was perhaps controversial.

T - Is it true?

H - Is it helpful?

I - Is it inspiring?

N - Is it necessary?

K - Is it kind?

Paul wrote, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."  Philippians 4:8

.....deposit

Every so often on our Christian walk, there comes a time of special closeness with God. This closeness may come as the result of a new understanding of His Word where we see His character like never before. It may come during a solitary time of prayer or while worshiping with many other believers, through a powerful speaker or inspirational writing. Each time this occurs, God is depositing a little truth into our life which says: I am the way, draw nearer and follow Me more.

We must establish disciplines which enable us to hear God's message and then help us keep His message at the forefront of our thoughts all through the day. These disciplines will vary for different people. Some may need to wake up earlier to have a time which is quiet, others may need to change their work habits or the condition of their work environment, most need to simply turn off the television or put down our phone! But regardless of our pace, we ALL need to talk with God more and worship more at His feet. This must become our highest priority.

His call to draw near is a precious deposit, a gift which we must not allow to be destroyed or forgotten. We should never allow the frustrations of the past, the pulls of the present or the desires of the future, to steal the gift entrusted to us today. Let's make the necessary changes and boldly draw near without hesitation. Let's praise Him for His gift, and, "with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us," guard the good deposit.

-steve troxel

.....humility

 A man's pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor Proverbs 29:23.

"Tony Campolo tells of preaching a really good sermon in his preaching class in seminary. Campolo felt pretty proud of his outline, his arguments, and his delivery. He felt pretty proud of himself--until he read his professor's comments at the bottom of the page: 'You can't convince people that Jesus is wonderful and you're wonderful in the same sermon.'"

I recall hearing a somewhat heated discussion between a church member and his minister. I couldn't help but overhear the member all but shouting, "I tell you, I AM humble!" The trouble is if I have to tell you how humble I am, already I've lost it. 

Humility, however, is not degrading or putting yourself down or hanging your head in a false kind of shame. That's insecurity. True humility is having a realistic evaluation of your self, recognizing your gifts, abilities, and strengths and being grateful to God for them. Humility also recognizes and accepts your weaknesses.

On the other hand, pride is a cover-up of one's weaknesses and a blowing up of one's strengths. This, too, like false humility, is a symptom of insecurity. 

True humility recognizes that all of our gifts and blessings are from God and is the fruit of Christian growth and maturity. 

- dick innes

.....seek

The process of spiritual birth is relatively easy to explain: God reaches down and transforms our heart by the power of His Spirit. However, the exact events which lead to the spiritual birth (and when the birth actually occurs) remain somewhat a mystery. On one hand, God's Word is very simple and clear; "Whoever believes will be saved." 

But understanding what it means to really believe can be difficult. We can talk about submission, obedience, sacrifice, love, or the basic faith of a child, but these will always fall short of an adequate definition of belief.

Only God can save: only He is fit to judge, and He alone can look into the innermost part of our heart and determine true belief. All we can do is seek Him with all our heart...and trust He will be found.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

Our Salvation was initiated by God when Jesus came to earth and died as a perfect sacrifice for our sin. He chose us for an intimate and eternal relationship when His Holy Spirit began to call us near. And, if we will but answer the call and begin to seek His face, He will be found. In an instant, which He alone determines according to His perfect timing, He will transform our heart and adopt us as His Child.

We may not be able to explain or even fully understand true belief, but if there is any call of God on our heart, we CAN ask, seek, and knock. God never hides or runs away; "He is not far from each one of us" Acts 17:27. 

He is waiting for us to reach out and call on His Name. Today, let's trust He will be found as we give Him all our heart and continue to seek.

-steve troxel

......paco

There's a Spanish story of a father and son who had become estranged. The son ran away, and the father set off to find him. He searched for months to no avail. Finally, in a last desperate effort to find him, the father put an ad in a Madrid newspaper. 

The ad read: "Dear Paco, meet me in front of this newspaper office at noon on Saturday. All is forgiven. I love you. Your Father."  

On Saturday, 800 men named Paco showed up, looking for forgiveness and love from their fathers.

"If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost."  Matthew  18:12-13

.....covenant

They entered into a covenant to seek the Lord with all their heart and soul. All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and He was found by them. 2 Chronicles 15:12,15

Every child of God has a deep hunger for a more committed life. Once we have answered God's call and begun our journey with Him, we will not truly be at peace until His praise fills every area of our life. But this requires we establish priorities which allow us to actually spend time getting to know Him, His ways and His love.

Our Heavenly Father longs for us to abide in His presence; He rejoices when He is found by those who seek Him in a committed life of worship. He even promises to help those who begin down a committed path; "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him" 2 Chronicles 16:9.

Our time on this earth is very, very short. Let's not waste another day by aimlessly wandering through life, allowing the concerns of this world to choke off our relationship with God. Let's live with purpose and eagerly commit to seek Him with all our heart and soul - to seek Him "wholeheartedly." 

Let's make the decision today to enter into an eternal covenant of worship.

-steve troxel 

.....unknown

Today, many of us go through our life worshipping such gods as Pleasure, Leisure, Entertainment, Security, Power, and Wealth. Then, usually with much less intensity and commitment, we "worship" the Creator of the Universe. 

It's not surprising that our worship often becomes something we schedule and not something we live. We take part in religious activity, but have no idea how to make the Almighty God an integral part of our everyday life. We attend church services, but never give a thought to actually loving God or asking Him for guidance and direction. We may go through the motions of worship, but our hearts are cold and far from the One True God.

We ALL must examine what we believe, and then live a life consistent with that belief. Many people profess belief in God - even the God of the Bible - but have no idea what this belief means or Who they really believe. They believe and then attempt to worship a God they do not know. 

If Christ died for the forgiveness of our sins, was resurrected, and now sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession on our behalf, if He will one day return and take us to be with Him for all eternity, then He certainly deserves more than our casual worship and the leftovers of our time.

Our Heavenly Father has been calling us back to an intimate fellowship ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, and His message has remained the same: "Enjoy My creation, but give Me ALL of your heart." He must be given sole possession, without any competition. The true Creator of the Universe will never accept just being one of our many "gods."

Let's proclaim the absolute and unchanging truth, and encourage one another to "wholeheartedly obey the form of teaching to which you were entrusted" Romans 6:17. Let's resolve to live a consistent life - a life of sincere love and faithful service 

-steve troxel

....walk

Not everyone's circumstances are what they might prefer, but each of us are on a wonderful journey which began when God sent His Spirit to open our eyes to the truth and called us to be with Him for all eternity through faith in His Son. The beginning of our journey ought to be a clear indication of God's miraculous grace and Guiding Hand.

 

And as we look back on the path we have traveled, we ought to recognize the many miracles which brought us to where we are today; but, unfortunately, there are many miracles we fail to acknowledge or understand...and most we simply forget.

God's children have always had a hard time with recognizing and remembering. The northern kingdom of Israel was in rebellion for almost two hundred years when God called Hosea to be a prophet. The people had created their own form of worship and had long forgotten how much God loved them and how much He had already done to guide and protect.

"It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them." Hosea 11:3-4. Whether we see His Hand or not, God has been at work guiding us in many different ways.

None of us are at our final destination, but each of us are on a journey with a God who loves us dearly and wants to draw us ever closer to Himself. Let's not create our own form of worship where we give Him the leftovers of our heart. He created us, saved us, and brought us to where we are today - He deserves our ALL.

We must turn our eyes back to God and praise Him for His continuous provision and His loving promise to finish the work He began in our life; "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion" Philippians 1:6. Let's praise Him for His Guiding Hand, and, as we run, let's always remember it was God who taught us to walk.

-steve troxel

....grenade

Melvin McDonald served in the Canadian navy during World War II. There are certain mementos he values from that season of his life. It turns out that one of them created quite a ruckus several years ago at police headquarters in Winnipeg. 

Early one Monday the 79-year-old McDonald and his wife showed up at the front desk. His opening line to the police officer who offered to assist him was, "I got a grenade." He wasn't making a threat, mind you – just stating a fact. With that he took a hand grenade out of a brown paper bag and gave it to the officer. 

The shocked constable kept his head. He did, however, call the bomb squad immediately. Then things really started to happen. Most of the main floor of the Public Safety Building was evacuated, the fire department was put on alert, and the bomb squad showed up with all its sophisticated paraphernalia. 

The grenade was still primed with explosive, and its fuse was intact. "I've had it in the house all these years," the veteran said. "I used to have it on a stand." His nephew had suggested it ought to be turned over to the police. An embarrassed McDonald apologized for all the commotion he caused. It was only a keepsake from a training exercise in Scotland in the early 1940s. 

It makes me think of the stuff some of us have kept around far too long – things that still could do a lot of harm. We bear grudges from old offenses. The resentment lingers from months, years, or decades ago. There is bad blood between departments in your company, families in the neighborhood, or people who are members of your church. Maybe your heart is seething with anger.

If something isn't done to deactivate those feelings, there could be a major explosion. There will be casualties. A business could be ruined. A marriage might be destroyed. A church could die. Innocent souls will suffer for someone's folly. 

The Apostle Paul wrote: "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice" Ephesians 4:31. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why he gave that counsel. Explosions maim and kill! 

Winnipeg police discouraged anyone else with such items from trying to deliver such devices to the authorities. "Please call the police," said a spokesman, "and we will arrange for a pickup. Don't drop it off on our front counter." 

You need to call on God to handle some bad – and potentially deadly – feelings tormenting you. He can supply the balm of compassion and pardon. 

-rubel shelly 

....ahead

Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose his own soul?"' Luke 9:23-25

One night, my wife and I were in the mall needing to make some returns to a couple of stores.  It was near closing time when we left the first store and the other store was on the other end of the mall.  As we began to walk to the next store, my wife said, “Tim, go ahead of me to the store because you can get there faster and I will come behind you.”  Knowing that my legs are longer and that I could get there faster, she left it up to me to do what needed to be done while she followed close behind.

There are times in our lives in which following God can be difficult for a variety of reasons.  Not knowing exactly what He is doing makes following difficult.  Not knowing why He is asking us to do something makes following difficult.  Being unaware of the future of something makes following difficult.  

The list of times when following God is sometimes difficult can be endless.  During these times, we sometimes want to walk ahead of God and do things "our way".  However, we must recognize that God’s legs, heart, and love for us are longer and greater than what we could ever have.  Knowing this and that God knows exactly what He is doing and exactly where we are, we must have the courage to let Him walk ahead of us and do what needs to be done while we follow close behind.  

- timothy jackson

.....race

We were all created for the same purpose as Paul - we were created to bring glory and honor to God! Our specific tasks may differ and change from time to time, but we each have the same unchanging purpose. 

Everything we do, say, and think should bring glory and honor to our Heavenly Father!

God's race is run in the deepest part of our heart, not in the flurry of activity. Running well is not defined by doing more; rather, we run a "successful" race as we do every little task we are given with the complete and absolute devotion of our heart.

His race is long and often difficult. There are many distractions which seek to slow us down and even pull us from the track, and at times we may even wonder why we are running. But being a participant in God's eternal race is infinitely more rewarding than standing on the sidelines and simply watching! He has called us to run - and to run well!!

We must run the path God places before us with all the strength He provides, and within the sure and calming protection of His grace. Let's run with the motivation of bringing Him glory and honor by loving Him with ALL our heart, soul, mind, and strength. 

Let's continue to run well, and with a burning desire to finish the race.

.....heat

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans.

She let them sit and boil without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me, what do you see?"   

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft and mushy. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hardened egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee.

The daughter smiled as she tasted its deep flavor and inhaled its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What's the point, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity - the boiling water - but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin, outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they were not changed by the water, but they, in turn, had changed the water. "Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

....dark

Continual and unrepented sin causes us to lose the ability to recognize our sin. It becomes a cancer which causes our heart to turn cold and dark, unable to even hear the conviction of the Holy Spirit; "For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened" Romans 1:21. 

Sin clouds our vision and causes us to drift further and further from God's path.

The people of Jerusalem could no longer recognize their sin - they stood before God in their wickedness and boldly asked: "What wrong have we done?" Today, we are at risk of becoming equally darkened anytime we fail to address the sin which continues to push into our lives. 

What activities have we begun to tolerate? 

What behaviors have we begun to accept? 

What "teachings" from the modern media have we begun to receive? 

What sin has begun to fill our heart?

If our eyes were truly opened, would we be surprised to see how far we have compromised and strayed? Let's recommit our lives to holiness, purity, worship, and absolute love for God. Let's allow His light to indwell EVERY area of our life. 

Let's repent of our sin and refuse to live with a darkened heart.

- steve troxel  

...will

We were created to be in fellowship with God - to glorify Him and enjoy His presence for all eternity. We may spend a lifetime chasing what we believe will bring us a sense of fulfillment, but we will never be truly content until we rest in His arms, submit to His ways, and walk with Him wherever He leads.

What cup have we been given to drink? What seemingly unbearable burden have we been given to carry? Have we been asking, even demanding, that the burdens be taken from us, or are we yielding to the Father's will and being determined to glorify Him in all we do? 

Let's come to His table ready and willing to serve, but let's also come with complete submission to His perfect plan of intimate fellowship. Only in this can we fulfill the purpose for which we were created. Heavenly Father, we give our life fully into Your hands; let it unfold, not by our plans, goals or desires, but according to Your will.

....see

Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

Here's a test.  See if you can read the following:

"Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deosn't raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?"

 

The mind does a similar thing in other areas of life. That is, we see things not the way they are, but the way we are. For instance, if I am a negative person, I will see negative things in what others do - things that may not even be there - and be critical about them. If I am a supersensitive person, I will read into what others say or do and overreact - not on the basis of what they have said or done, but on the basis of who and what I am. 

On the other hand, if I am a loving person, I will overlook the petty faults in others and be accepting and forgiving of them, for love does "cover a multitude of sins."

Indeed, what we see is who we are or who we are is what we will see.

-dick innes

.....neighbour

The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.  Galatians 5:14

God wants us to love others primarily because He loves them and desires His love to be expressed through us! He encouraged this love by creating us with a natural capacity for love. When we are hungry we feed ourselves; when we are hurt we care for ourselves; and when we are down, we pray to be lifted up. These are natural expressions of self-love - the same love God desires we show to ALL.

Let's evaluate our thoughts, words, and actions in terms of their effect on others. Are we encouraging or adding burdens? Are we building up or tearing down? Are we bringing others closer to Jesus or pushing them further away? Are we as loving to others as we are to ourselves? Let's be His hands, feet, and voice of love in the world around us. 

Let's begin to see others as through His eyes; and remember, we are ALL precious in His sight.

-steve troxel

....reaction

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people Luke 1:68

Look at how Mary and Zechariah reacted to God's work in their lives, they immediately praised God. You may think that was the natural thing to do, but take a closer look.

Mary knew she would be ridiculed for being pregnant and unmarried. . . she faced the reality that her fiance, Joseph, could break their engagement. . . and she understood that the penalty if she was found guilty of adultery was death. And yet in the midst of that, out of her heart came praises to her Lord Luke 1:46!

Zechariah had just regained his ability to speak after being mute for over 9 months. He didn't express bitterness against God. . . nor did he question God's methods. . . he immediately began praising His Lord, the God of Israel Luke 1:68.

What is your reaction to difficult situations? Do you complain? Question God? Become bitter? Withdraw from people? Try to escape from your problems? The next time you're in a predicament, try following Mary and Zechariah's example. . . turn your eyes toward God and praise Him for who He is!