.....hands

Prior to crossing into the promised land, Moses told the people of Israel: "Do not be afraid, for the Lord goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you" Deuteronomy 31:6. This is one of the many promises which remain with us today. As we walk with God into the land of promise - the land of contentment and peace - we must learn to truly apply these promises and consistently live by them. He is RIGHT THERE! And He wants us to live with the contentment of knowing He is going with us.

But full trust is difficult! Every day we are bombarded with things which attempt to pull us away from God and steal our joy. Though He is walking right beside us, and absolutely nothing catches Him by surprise, we seldom even think of Him during our day. This should not be! If we are truly His child, we are being called to trust Him with ALL and allow Him to live in and through us - this is the life He desires for us to live.

We must continually believe the truth of His Word and allow our faith to mature by taking steps which lead us closer to God, even if our steps of faith seem small. With each new step, we will more clearly see the truth of God's promises. We will begin to see past the visible garbage of this world and begin to gaze with wonder on "Him who is invisible" Hebrews 11:27. The life of contentment and peace is the life of total commitment and surrender.

"Into Your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth." Psalm 31:5

What part of our life are we holding back from God? If we really believe He created the Universe and sent His Son to die for the forgiveness of our sin so we can spend eternity with Him, isn't it foolish for us to think we can do a better job of controlling ANYTHING? 

If we trust Him for our eternal destiny, shouldn't we trust Him for the much more common matters of our daily life? Our God is VERY capable and He CAN be trusted to never let us go!

Though it may not seem as dramatic a step as Peter's, we are all being called out of the boat. We are being called to believe and trust with all our heart. Let's not allow another day to go by without fully committing our body, soul, mind and spirit, our absolute all and EVERY area of our life, into His hands

- steve troxel

.....new

"Then God brought Abram outside beneath the nighttime sky and told him, 'Look up into the heavens and count the stars if you can. Your descendants will be like that-too many to count!' And Abram believed God; then God considered him righteous on account of his faith." Genesis 15:5-6

After the creation account in the Bible, we are privy to the story of Adam and Eve, their fall from grace, their oldest son Cain's murder of his brother Abel, and their expulsion from paradise. We are only four chapters into Genesis at this point, and already, we could easily become discouraged.

But, wait. You don't have to go far to become hopeful, because a few chapters later, we are introduced to Abraham. At age seventy-five, God called this wealthy landowner to leave his home in Haran, and journey to Canaan. To do this, Abraham had to give up his home, possessions, and ties to his people. It would have been much simpler to stay put, remain wealthy, and live a life without challenges, but Abraham trusted God to give him a new and wondrous beginning.

And what did God give to Abraham, as a result of his trust and faith? God made him the father of Israel; his descendants were like the stars in the sky; at the ripe old age of 100, he and his 90 year old wife, Sarah, celebrated the arrival of their first child, Isaac, and Abraham accomplished all that God asked him to do.

We, like Abraham, are called. God has a purpose for each of us. And when we obey that call, He equips us with everything we need, and sends us on a journey of new and wondrous beginnings. 

....grasshoppers

The twelve "spies" traveled through the entire length of Canaan and brought back their report. All twelve traveled the same path, but only Joshua and Caleb saw the land and its inhabitants through the promises of God: "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, He will lead us into that land" Numbers 14:7-8. The other ten saw great danger and an enemy who was too big to be defeated.

"We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are. The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."Numbers 13:31-33

The promised land was truly a land flowing with milk and honey, but it was also a land with many enemies. Joshua and Caleb saw the same enemy as the other ten spies, but they had a much clearer view and understanding of God. They knew if God was on their side, the size and strength of the enemy didn't matter; God would provide the victory.

We often face the same fear as the other ten. God wants us to enter into His promised land, take possession, and reside there for the rest of our days; but there are often enemies which fill us with fear and make us feel small and insignificant. 

Enemies may come in the form of addictions, choices of entertainment, finances, or worldly priorities. We may even face more tangible enemies who threaten to cause us physical or emotional pain. All these enemies keep us out of the promised land, all appear to be undefeatable giants. But with God on our side, ALL can be overcome!

Without a clear understanding of who we are in Christ, every enemy appears to tower over us; "apart from Me you can do nothing" John 15:5. Apart from Him we ARE but grasshoppers. But when we place our trust in God and allow Him to work through us, our posture before the enemy is greatly strengthened; "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" Romans 8:37.

God's land of promise - the contentment of His presence - is waiting for us to enter in and take possession. God did not create us to be fearful insects, but an image of the Most High! Let's know the One who gives us strength and victory in battle. Let's better understand that when God leads, we are much more than grasshoppers!

- steve troxel

......?going

In January 2000, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, invited their favorite son, Dr. Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor.  Dr. Graham initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggled with Parkinson's disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, "We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you." So he agreed.

After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, "I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century.

Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of each passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his other pocket. It wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase, but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat by him. He couldn't find it.

The conductor said, 'Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.' Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket.

The conductor rushed back and said, 'Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry. I know who you are. No problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.' Einstein looked at him and said, 'Young man, I too know who I am. What I don't know, is where I'm going.'"

Having said that Billy Graham continued, "See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My wife, my children, and my grandchildren have been telling me that I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So, I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion.

Do you know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am, I also know where I'm going."

Do you know where you're going?  

If you've trusted in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and by faith you've asked him to forgive you of your sins and to save you, and to come into your heart and live there forever, then you know exactly where you're going!!!  John 14:2    

.....endurance

But as we encourage, we must do so from a position of Biblical truth. 

We must continually direct each other toward Christ and the life He calls us to live. It is never true encouragement to simply lend our agreement and "comfort" to a complaining or selfish attitude. This actually keeps someone down and threatens to pull us down in the process. Forgiveness, and victory, is only found in Jesus Christ.

Jesus endured ridicule and humiliation from His accusers, and overwhelming pain on the cross, simply because He dearly loved us. The joy of seeing our restored relationship with the Father allowed Him to persevere through unbelievable hardship. His sacrifice brought us the gift of Salvation. His perseverance should bring us the gift of strength and a renewed hope.

Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:3

There are going to be days when the burden seems extra heavy - days when the attacks come fast and furious and feel like they will never end. It may bring temporary relief for someone to sympathize and confirm the difficulty of our situation, but the only way to truly ease the load is to focus our heart back to Christ and pray to receive His strength; "May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance" 2 Thessalonians 3:5. We must persevere...because He first persevered for us!

There is definitely a place within the Body for compassion and the sharing of one another's sorrows; but when our burdens become seemingly unbearable, we must also encourage one another to simply put one foot in front of the other and boldly continue down His path. 

His grace and His strength WILL be sufficient! We will not lose heart if we focus on His love. We will persevere and not grow weary if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and consider Him who endured.

- steve troxel

.....one

While two visitors were visiting Annapolis, they noticed several students on their hands and knees assessing the courtyard with pencils and clipboards in hand. "What are they doing?" one of them asked their tour guide.

"Each year," he replied with a grin, "The upperclassmen ask the freshmen how many bricks it took to finish paving this courtyard.""So what's the answer?" one of the visitors asked the tour guide when they were out of earshot of the freshmen.

The guide replied, "One."

That brings up an interesting theological question. How many sacrifices did it take to finish paying for our sins? The Pharasees would have needed lots of pencils and clipboards to make the calculation. "Let's see, let's take all the sin offerings, all the guilt offerings, the bulls, the goats, the lambs, the turtledoves......"

So what's the answer? How many sacrifices did it take to finish paying for our sins? Only one.

"And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered the sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God." Heb. 10:11-12.

After thousands and thousands of sacrificial animals had been sacrificed, Jesus Christ gave his own life on the cross. Only then could it be said, "It is finished." John 19:30

- alan smith

......once

"For every activity there is a right time and procedure, even though a person’s troubles are heavy on him."  Ecclesiastes 8:6

If you were to point your car southwest of Cortez, Colorado, drive exactly 38 miles along Highway 160 and then hang a right on Four Corners Monument Road, in about a half mile you'd run into the only spot in America where you can be in four states at the same time: the intersection of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. It's out in the middle of an empty desert, surrounded by dust, rocks and boulders.

But that doesn't stop upwards of 2,000 people a day from visiting Four Corners and waiting in line just for the thrill of having their picture taken standing in four states at once. Truly the American way -- trying to be four places at one time!

Truth be told, it's a picture of the way many of us elect to live our lives. We are constantly pulled in several different directions. Our pressure-filled, rush-rush, hurried lifestyle has a way of leaving us winded, dazed and addicted to the next item on our activity list.

It leaves us little time for serious spiritual reflection. Little time for anything more than snap judgments. Little time to share our dreams with each other as a couple. Little sense of where we've been and where we're going.

What's more, I fear that by crowding out any room for meaningful communication, original thoughts or spiritual insights in our family schedules, we're fueling in our children a raw addiction to activity, constant motion, continuous noise and endless sensory stimulation.

I urge you to stop and check the speed limit on this road you're on. Imagine a life that allows for real living . . . the kind you'll never find at Four Corners.

“Be still, and know that I am God."  Psalm 46:10

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."  Matthew 6:24 

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

.....defeat

In the book of 1 Samuel, we read of young David and the Philistine "Giant" named Goliath. Goliath was much larger than other people of his day; "he was over nine feet tall" 1 Samuel 17:4. For forty days he tormented the Israelites by challenging them to a battle, but no one would accept his challenge.

David was not a soldier but his father sent him to the Israelite camp to deliver bread to his older brothers. When David heard the challenge by Goliath, he told King Saul, "Your servant will go and fight him" 1 Samuel 17:32.

Though David had never been in this type of battle, he had still witnessed the mighty power of God. As a shepherd, David defended the flock when a lion and a bear had come to carry away his sheep. David rescued the sheep by killing the lion and the bear. By witnessing God's hand in these past battles, David gained the necessary confidence to go into battle against Goliath.

"Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear - this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."1 Samuel 17:36-37

As we find ourselves battling our own Goliaths, we must remember how God has defended us in the past. And as members together in the Family of God, we must share past victories with one another. God is faithful, and we need to remind one another of this simple truth. 

Our "Giant" circumstances may seem impossible to resolve, but the God who stood by our side during past battles (and stood by the side of many others) is the same God who stands with us today: "God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.' So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid'" Hebrews 13:5-6.

God wants to draw us near and walk with us through each battle. We must trust He is working all things together for good...even when we can't see the good or understand His timing. 

Let's be encouraged by God's victories in our past and look for opportunities to share these victories as an encouragement to others. As each of us face our Goliaths today, let's go out with a thankful and trusting heart, and always remember the defeated lions and bears.

-steve troxel

......one

"How many showed up?" I asked, referring to the Bible study.  "Just a few," he replied. 

"But you've prepared so much material. Kind of wasted," I suggested. "You didn't have to work so hard!" 

"Well! I did prepare for 20. But, I would have prepared it the same way for an audience of one."

All too often, we forget there is always someone who is watching our performance. One person in the Bible was keenly aware that he was always in the presence of the audience of One. His boss's wife made advances to Joseph day after day.

One day Joseph went into the house to do his work as usual and was the only man in the house at that time. His master's wife grabbed his coat and said to him, "Come and have sexual relations with me."  But Joseph left his coat in her hand and ran out of the house. Genesis 39:10-12

True integrity of character does not change whether one is alone or in public. Joseph's conviction and desire to please the “Audience of One” was there long before he entered into her house.

Does the intensity of our effort and the degree of our faithfulness and commitment fluctuate because we know we are being observed?  Is our level of excitement and participation tied to the size of the attendance?

To the "Audience of One", there are only two kinds of faithfulness - "total" and "lack of".  To our Savior, to our “audience of One”, however, only one of those choices is acceptable - "absolute, total faithfulness".  

Today, may we be faithful in every circumstance of our lives - whether there is an audience of many, or an "Audience of One".

-jeff lee

.....cords

As we look at the many believers scattered around the world, we notice the ways we are different as well as the many ways we are the same. We have different colors of skin and styles of clothes, different tastes in food and accents of speech; but we all have similar dreams, and all face the same kinds of trials and temptations. 

And we ALL need the same Savior!

God has taken a diverse group of people and formed us into the Body of Christ; "Though all its parts are many, they form one body" 1 Corinthians 12:12. But I'm afraid the focus of satisfying our own needs and fulfilling our own desires has left this body crippled and deformed. We must understand that as "one body" we desperately need each other; "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it" 1 Corinthians 12:26.

We will never achieve our full potential in Christ until each member of the body is encouraged and being guided by the Spirit of God. When we see a Brother or Sister who is down, we must do all we can to help them up, dust them off, and point them to the Father. For the sake of our own spiritual health we must return to a deeper understanding and commitment to His Family; this is how we were created!

Let's look with new and excited eyes at the Body of Christ. There are people all around who need encouragement, and there are also those who have the ability to encourage us. Let's identify the strands which God has placed in our life and then spend the necessary time to weave them into something strong and beautiful. Let's strengthen His Body today by building unbreakable cords of encouragement

- gwamaka alinanine

....reconciliation

Malachi served as a prophet to Israel about four hundred years before the birth of Jesus. He brought a message from God which reminded the people of His love, and rebuked them for their disrespectful worship. But through Malachi, God ended the Old Testament with a prophesy about future restoration.

"I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse." Malachi 4:5-6

Just over four hundred years later, John the Baptist, "the Elijah who was to come" Matthew 11:14, began to preach a message of repentance, preparing hearts for the coming of Jesus; "Prepare the way for the Lord" Matthew 3:3. He also caused the hearts of fathers and children to turn toward one another.

The moment we lost the ability to walk in perfect harmony with God, we also became filled with self-importance and pride, and lost the ability to truly love one another; "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have {true} fellowship with one another" 1 John 1:7. Walking close to God, through faith in Jesus, allows us to walk close with others; "We love because He first loved us" 1 John 4:19.

God created us to be in fellowship with other people - even imperfect, hard to love people. Our quiet and peaceful times of study and prayer are essential for our Christian walk, but some of God's most important truths can only be learned as we stumble through difficult situations with others. Only there can we learn the difficulty of true grace and forgiveness; only there can some of our own deep sin (like pride, jealousy, and anger) be revealed.

Many relationships are filled with past pain - particularly the relationships between husband and wife, and parent and child - but God's Word still stands as truth. He has provided the path to restoration, a path which begins with repentance, requires the cleansing of sinful pride, and leads to true love and forgiveness.

Full restoration requires the cooperation of both parties; Jesus died as a sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins in order that we may be reconciled with our Heavenly Father. He crossed ALL the way and completely mended our shattered heart! Let's walk in the light of His love and take the necessary steps to cross over and humbly reconcile with one another.

- steve troxel

 

.....He

In the book of Job, we read of a man who came under severe attack by Satan. Within a short amount of time, Job went from a man of wealth, health, and large family, to a man who lost all his possessions, was near death, and childless.

In the early stage of his trials, Job demonstrated a deep commitment to God's sovereignty; "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised" Job 1:20-21. Then, when his wife told him to curse God and die, Job responded with, "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" Job 2:10.

Job seemed to have a deep understanding of what we often quote in times of trial; "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him" Romans 8:28. But at the same time, Job struggled with understanding why God would allow these things to happen. Yes, God is in control...but why!? When Job couldn't find an answer he began to feel terribly alone and abandoned.

"If only I knew where to find Him; if only I could go to His dwelling! I would state my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would find out what He would answer me, and consider what He would say."Job 23:3-5

Our trials often cause similar concerns. We find ourselves asking where God has gone and why He is allowing such hardship. Even though we may believe God is "working all things for our good," we often search in vain to find something positive in our situation. And when we fail to see any possible good, we become frustrated and assume God has forgotten us, abandoned us in our time of need.

Finally, God responded to Job's cry for answers: "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!" Job 38:4-5. God's response continued for almost four chapters: "Who has a claim against Me that I must repay? Everything under heaven belongs to Me" Job 41:11. The Creator of the Universe - the One who formed every intricate detail of what we see and cannot see - the One who lifted us out of the slimy pit and set our feet on solid ground, spoke to Job and simply said, "I am God!"

Our Heavenly Father loves us so very much! He truly desires for us to know Him better and walk by His side with complete trust. But there are times, often in the middle of our trials, when our trust is challenged. And though we may not understand, we must desperately cling to His promises and KNOW He will never leave us nor forsake us! Let's be at total peace and restore our hope by always remembering that He is there, and He is God.

-steve troxel

....prosperity

In the middle of a very long list of genealogies, recorded in the book of 1 Chronicles, there are a few short verses about a man named Jabez who was a descendant of Judah. We never read about him again, but it appears Jabez was included in this list because of his bold request...and God's gracious response.

"Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, 'Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let Your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.' And God granted his request." 1 Chronicles 4:10

Passages on asking and receiving can be difficult to teach. For example: "How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!" Matthew 7:11. These passages are full of truth, but those who preach a message of assured prosperity for Christians have abused the scriptures to say God wants everyone to be financially rich and all we must do is ask or repeat a special prayer. Although this type of prosperity teaching receives a wide following, it is far from God's truth.

But God DOES want us to prosper: "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future'" Jeremiah 29:11. And, He wants us to ask! "You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives" James 4:2-3. 

God has a plan to prosper us, but we often do not receive His blessings because we are asking to satisfy our own selfish desires or cover worldly fears. We ask with the wrong motives!

We also fail to prosper because we don't understand God's definition of prosperity. A Godly prosperity has little to do with finances or possessions, and a great deal to do with peace and contentment. 

A prosperous life is also one which bears much fruit and completes the work God has asked us to accomplish; "I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do" John 17:4. How petty [small thinking] to believe that God's prosperity only involves the riches of this world which rust and fade away.

A truly prosperous life begins by drawing and remaining near to the presence of God. Without first abiding in His presence, we won't even know what will allow us to prosper; "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart" Psalm 37:4.

As we draw near to God, He places the desires on our heart which lead to true prosperity - then we must ask. It's in the asking, in the expectation of the answer, and in the process of waiting, that we exercise our faith and prove it to be real.

Let's ask God to increase our territory - to increase our realm of influence in His Kingdom. Let's ask Him to keep us in His protective arms, give us His abundance of peace, and accomplish great things in us and through us. 

Let's draw near to God and boldly request a prosperous life.

- steve troxel

.....stay

When Cecil B. DeMille began working on the movie "Ben Hur", he talked to Charlton Heston - the star of the movie - about the all-important chariot race at the end. He decided that Heston should actually learn to drive the chariot himself, rather than just using a stunt double. Heston agreed to take chariot-driving lessons to make the movie as authentic as possible.

Learning to drive a chariot with horses four abreast, however, was no small matter. After extensive work and days of practice, Heston returned to the movie set and reported to DeMille.

"I think I can drive the chariot all right, Cecil," said Heston, "but I'm not sure I can actually win the race."

Smiling slightly, DeMille said, "Heston, you just stay in the race, and I'll make sure you win."

Those are the words of God to everyone going through a time of struggle in their lives...  "My child, you just stay in the race, and I'll make sure you win."  Look for God's hand. If you cannot see it in the event itself, look for it in the aftermath when you are putting your life back together. I promise you, God's hand will be there.

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." 2 Timothy 4:7-8  

- dave langerfeld

.....do

"Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does." James 1:22-25

We will never know the true meaning of faith until we step out and put our faith into practice. We cannot possibly know the peace of trusting God to work for the good in all things Romans 8:28 until we love Him with all our heart, surrender our life, and allow Him to actually begin His work. 

Without allowing His words to cause action in our life, we become as the godless who are "always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth" 2 Timothy 3:7. Do we really believe His Word is true? True enough to trust and follow?

God has a message for each of us today, a specific truth He wants us to understand and apply. His message may be delivered through something we hear or something we read, but His words will never change our life and draw us closer until we put them into practice. We will never see the wonder of His truth until we apply His truth in our everyday life!

God is calling us today - He is calling us to know Him and walk with Him in love. The study of His entire Word should never cease, but we MUST take the next step. We must study with the great expectation of hearing His direction for our life. Then as we hear His Word, we must embrace it, step out in faith, and do what it says.

-steve troxel

....turn

Tim and his uncle Al were on their way to Bonny Lake. They had heard the fishing there was great.

"Thanks for inviting me to go to church with you next Sunday, Uncle Al.  I... I don't want to hurt your feelings, but...  well...  I'm not sure I want to get into this religious stuff. Besides, Mom and Dad don't think it's a good idea." 

"Oh?" said Uncle Al in surprise. "I thought you said that your parents wouldn't mind if you went with me. You sounded quite interested last week. You even said the Gospel was beginning to make sense to you." 

"Yeah, but since then I've done a lot of thinking," Tim said slowly.  "I don't think I feel like getting 'saved' right now. The crowd I hang around with at school wouldn't understand, and I like being with them. Someday I'll start going to church, but I think I'll just go on the way I am for a while. I know I'm not perfect, but I'm not so bad, either." 

Tim's uncle drove on silently for a few minutes. "Oh, no!" he exclaimed as they passed a road sign. "I was so intent on our conversation that I missed the turnoff! We should have gotten off this road five miles back!  

“I guess we'll have to turn around and go back now, huh?" asked Tim. But Uncle Al shook his head. "I don't feel like turning around right now," he said. "I guess we'll just keep going this way. I kind of like this road, and the scenery is nice." 

Tim looked at his uncle in amazement. "But we have to turn around to get to Bonny Lake," he protested, "and the longer we keep going this way, the longer it will take to get back. If we wait too long to turn around, we might not even get there in time to fish." 

Uncle Al smiled at Tim as he slowed down for the next turn. "You're right," he said, "and what you said just now is exactly what I've been trying to tell you about spiritual life... that when you're traveling down the wrong road, the sooner you turn around, the better. If you wait too long, you might never get to your spiritual goal." 

"In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."  2 Corinthians 6:2

-dave langerfeld

.....communication

When we receive the gift of Salvation through faith in Jesus, we begin a lifelong relationship of love - a relationship which must be nurtured through fellowship and prayer.

Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray. In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation. Psalm 5:1-3

David states that the morning is his dedicated time for prayer, his time to be alone with God, to share his heart and expectantly await God's direction. But God has not specified a preferred time. In fact, Paul encourages us to maintain a constant state of communion with God when he says to "pray continuously" 1 Thessalonians 5:17. We ought to strive for communication which is regular and frequent; any time is the right time for prayer; any time is the right time to commune with the one you love!

Prayer must originate from a sincere heart, anything less becomes a ritual of meaningless words. We should be motivated by a desire to strengthen our relationship, to praise Him for His blessings and earnestly ask for His guidance, and to deepen the commitment of our love. We ought to value our time with God above anything else this world has to offer; "One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life" Psalm 27:4.

Let's make sure our love doesn't fade. Let's set aside time each day to be alone with God, quiet time where we can hear His voice and begin to understand His character. Then, let's continue to commune and fellowship with Him throughout our times of busyness. Let's learn to dwell in His house all the rest of our days by maintaining continual and loving communication.

- steve troxel

....promises

 "So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."  Isaiah 55:11

In other words, God always keeps his word and His promises.  

As a school child I was taught the importance of keeping my word and my promises. "It is a mark of character," my teacher emphasized. Unfortunately, the following story which I read some time ago, typifies far too many people in today's society and, pathetically, far too many business people.

According to the story, "There was a rich young man who became critically ill and was taken to the hospital. His condition worsened, and his doctor told him that he wasn't sure if he'd recover, but that they would do all they could for him. The man was terrified and said to the doctor, 'Please, doctor, do everything you can, I don't want to die, I have so much to do yet in life, and if you can help me get better, I'll even donate $1,000,000 to the fund for the new hospital.' The young man happily began to improve and recovered, and a few weeks later was released and went home.

"Several months later, he ran into the doctor who asked him how he was doing. The young man said, 'Doc, I haven't felt better any time in my life.' The doctor said, 'that's great, because I wanted to ask you about the money you said you would donate to the new hospital fund. You remember you said if you got well, you'd like to donate $1,000,000. We could really use that now.' The young man said, 'Man, if I said that, I must have been really sick.'"

Keeping one's word and his/her promises is indeed a mark of character. May it be said of you and me, "He/She is a man of his/her word," and/or "If he says he'll do it, you can count on him to do it." And what about our promises to God? May we always keep them.

-dick innes

.....one

Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.

Did you ever stop to think how very important you are in God's economy and his plans?  Pretty much throughout the entire Bible, when God had a work to be done, he chose and called an individual to lead. True, He chose the nation of Israel to be his special people, but He chose individuals to lead this nation to do His work. God also has a place for you and me in his plan. It may not be a gigantic role, but it is an IMPORTANT one.

Think of the twelve disciples, for example, who were all a vital part of God's mission. Half of them never said anything that is recorded in the New Testament. And if I remember correctly, three of them said only a word or two that was recorded. And Andrew, who didn't have much to say, brought Peter, who became the early church leader and great evangelist, to Jesus. 

Andrew was also the one who brought the boy with the two loaves and fishes to Jesus that Jesus used to feed the multitude. It was only Peter, James, Matthew and John that we heard much from, but every one of Jesus' disciples had an equally important role to play in God's program.

Whether your task is great or small, God wants to use you to be a part of his plan in what he is doing in your world today.  In the words of Edward Everett Hale: 

     "I am only one. But still I am one. I cannot do everything, But still I can do something. 

     And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the Something that I can do." 

Don't ever forget how very important you are, not only to your loved ones, your work, and your church, but most importantly, to God. 

....famine

Amos was chosen by God to deliver a message of repentance and judgment; "Seek the Lord and live, or He will sweep through the house of Joseph like a fire" Amos 5:6. God was calling His people to return, but they had wandered far from His presence and showed no interest in a life of worship. The economy of their day was thriving and the people had few needs which went unfulfilled; they were content and saw little need for God.

"'The days are coming,' declares the Sovereign Lord, 'when I will send a famine through the land - not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.'"Amos 8:11-12

When we hear the Word of God, the door is open and we are in the middle of a God-directed opportunity. At that moment we have the opportunity to respond to the truth and draw closer to our Heavenly Father. But when we reject His Word, we begin to close the door and harden our heart - the opportunity begins to fade: "So, as the Holy Spirit says: 'Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart'" Hebrews 3:7-8.

We have been blessed to live during this time in history. Yes, we face the unrelenting pressures of an over-indulgent, self-consumed society, but we have also been blessed with a wonderful abundance of the Word of God. In most parts of the world we have the freedom to worship with other believers and full access to truth-filled teaching. In fact, God's Word has become so readily available that many of us take it for granted.

In the midst of our overflowing blessings, we are becoming complacent and no longer treasure His precious gift. But what would happen if His Word was taken away? What would the world be like if no one was allowed to speak or hear the Word of God? What if we searched for His Word and it could not be found?

Our Heavenly Father loves us dearly. He "wants ALL men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" 1 Timothy 2:4; and He wants those who believe to be "conformed to the likeness of His Son" Romans 8:29. 

Our Father continues to call us to know Him with a greater and more intimate love. Let's make the most of this awesome opportunity by receiving the Word of God, in all its forms, with a hungry anticipation, and then by obediently responding to His call. Let's shake off ALL forms of complacency and rejoice that we do not yet live during a famine of hearing. 

- steve troxel

....alphabet

A little shepherd boy was watching his sheep one Saturday[Sabbath] morning and he heard the bells of the church ringing. As he watched the people walk along the pasture where he was, he happened to think to himself, "I would like to communicate with God! But, what can I say to God?" He had never learned a prayer.

So, on bended knee, he began to recite the alphabet. Repeating this prayer several times, a man passing by, heard the boy's voice and peaked through the bushes. He saw the young boy kneeling with folded hands, eyes closed, repeating the alphabet.

He interrupted the boy. "What are you doing, my little one?" he asked. The boy replied, "I was praying sir." The man seemed surprised and said, "But why are you reciting the alphabet?" The boy explained, "I don't know any prayers, sir. But I want God to take care of me, and to help me care for my sheep. And so I thought, if I said all I knew, He could put the letters together into words, and He would know all that I want and should say!"

The man smiled and said, "Bless your heart, God will!" And he went on to church knowing full well that he had heard the finest sermon he could possibly hear that day.

The Lord doesn't look for eloquence of speech or a life of consistent church attendance in order to hear our prayers, but rather He looks at the intent of the heart that is seeking Him. We are to come before Him humbly seeking His guidance and direction for our life and asking the Lord to forgive us of our iniquities and cleanse us from our unrighteousness. He is a loving and merciful God and will hear the heart's cry of His children.

Be encouraged to seek the Lord daily in prayer, sharing with Him your trials, your tribulations, your desires, your questions, your triumphs and anything else that comes to mind. 

He is your Father and desires to be in communion with you. 1 Samuel 16:7, Isaiah 26:9  

....light

 

In the spiritual world, darkness represents the evil of the enemy and light represents the holiness of God. Though neither can be truly measured, the concept is the same: the darkness of evil only exists when there is an absence of the light of holiness. Dark and light cannot exist at the same time; when light is increased, darkness must fade.

"This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth." 1 John 1:5-6

Salvation is by the grace of God through faith in Jesus and not through anything we do Ephesians 2:8-9. But the purpose of Salvation is to bring glory to God as we walk in intimate fellowship with Jesus, the true and eternal Light. 

It is not possible to have fellowship with the Light of Christ and still live a life filled with the darkness of sin. Jesus purifies us from all sin (past, present, and future) in the sense of judgment before the Father, but He also illuminates the dark sin in our life and gives us the strength to gradually push it aside.

A life without the Light is in darkness and cannot even recognize true sin. If we attempt to remove sin without first shining the Light, we are simply pushing around the darkness; we clean the outside but leave a heart which is dark and dead. Some outsides are dirtier than others, but no matter how filthy an outside may appear, we ALL need the Light of Christ in our heart before we can be clean; "First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean" Matthew 23:26, the grace of His Light is able to cleanse what no amount of self-effort can ever accomplish.

When our own spiritual life becomes "dim," it usually means our time with the Light has begun to suffer - our discipline of prayer and reading His Word has been replaced with competing distractions. Where we once walked with clear vision, we now bump into walls and continually stub our toes. But God desires to light our path once again. He has "saved us and called us to a holy life" 2 Timothy 1:9, to a life filled with Light, a life of bold clarity in Him.

Let's share the true and eternal Light of Jesus Christ at every opportunity and refocus our priorities on the only sure way to restore our vision. Let's commune with Him in prayer and immerse ourselves in His Word. His path will once again be made clear and darkness will surely fade as we increase the Light.

- steve troxel

......wrong

 Everyone suffers an occasional rejection. 

     A high school senior doesn't get into the college of her choice. 

     A college graduate doesn't get the dream job he had counted on. 

     An employee doesn't get the promotion he obviously deserved. 

     A man is turned down when asking for a date. 

     A good friend is defriended on social media.

     A long-time friend is not invited to her best friend's party.   

Some people so internalize the rejections they encounter that they become paralyzed by life. They abandon their dreams. They settle for less than God intended with their lives. They give up and resign themselves to mediocrity. They allow the judgments other people pass on them to define them. What a shame!

Imagine the difference that would have been made in our world if certain people had accepted others' rejection of them as the final word on their worth. 

     Beethoven's music teacher said he was "hopeless" at composing.

     The Wright brothers were ridiculed for their dream of a flying machine.  

     Albert Einstein was told he had no ability by a teacher. 

     Michael Jordan was replaced for a taller player by his high school coach.  

     Walt Disney was fired from his job at a newspaper because he lacked "creativity" and "originality". 

You've no doubt seen pictures of Michelangelo's David. Maybe you've stood in front of it and marveled at its flawless lines. Many judge it to be the world's most perfect piece of sculpture. The torso of the biblical hero who went from shepherd boy to King of Israel is rendered in exquisite detail. Down to the muscle contraction etched on his forehead, it seems almost ready to come alive.

The masterpiece that is David was carved from a single block of marble that two other artists had already discarded for its imperfections! And so it might have been with the Biblical figure himself. When God sent his prophet to anoint the next king for Israel, neither Samuel nor the family patriarch to whom God had sent him considered David to be in the running. He wasn't even invited in from the fields to meet the visiting holy man. He was, after all, just a boy tending sheep.

The David story contains this marvelous line: "The Lord does not see as man see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart". Just as Michelangelo would later see possibilities for a flawed block of marble others had discarded, God saw possibilities for a raw young man for whom others appear not to have forecast greatness.

A rejected marble block in Michelangelo's hands yielded artistic brilliance. 

A slighted youth in God's hands became the legendary King of Israel. 

So why should you let life's slights and rejections define you? In the hands of The Master, you still have infinite possibilities before you to prove the critics wrong. 

"May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us - yes, establish the work of our hands." Psalm 90:17

....ordinary

When God was ready to judge the world with a flood, He came to Noah.

When He desired to build a nation for Himself, He turned to Abraham.

When He heard His children groaning under Egyptian bondage, He appeared in a burning bush to Moses.

They were three of the most ordinary of men. But God had work to do, and He knew just who to do it with. God has always given His people assignments that are too big for them to handle alone, so that a watching world can see "not what we can do", but what God can do!

- henry blackaby 

.....die

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds  John 12:24

Jesus spoke these words in reference to His sacrifice on the cross which would occur in a few short days, but His message of death was also intended for us today. Obviously Jesus is not saying we should all be physically crucified, but He IS saying we must experience a death; "whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it" Matthew 16:25. Paul explains this even more directly; "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature" Colossians 3:5.

Our earthly nature is home to all our sinful desires, but it is also the source of all the ambitions and dreams not formed by God. When we tightly hold to our dreams and are driven (or drive others) by our own ambitions, we choke what God desires to accomplish and never see the full potential of Christ - never see the abundant life God desires us to live.

We have a tendency to dream and make plans, and then spend our time and energy pursuing the dream rather than truly pursuing Christ. Our dream may even appear very Godly - we may strive for a dynamic ministry or children who love and follow God - but until we allow EVERYTHING within us to die and be replaced by the love of God, we will never experience His very best or witness His most beautiful fruit; "and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" Galatians 2:20.

Let's allow the plans of Christ to reign absolutely supreme. We were created for so much more than we can imagine! Let's cast off all sin and leave ALL we hold dear at His feet. He will raise up what He desires to use for the glory of His name, but first we must resolve to let it die.

- steve troxel

.....precious

Several years ago in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, George and Vera Bajenksi’s lives were changed forever. February 16, 1989. A very normal Thursday morning. The phone rang at 9:15 a.m. "There’s been an accident..." It involved their son Ben.

As they approached the intersection of Adelaide and Simcoe Streets near the high school, they could see the flashing lights of the police cars and ambulance units. Vera noticed a photographer and followed the direction of his camera lens to the largest pool of blood she had ever seen.

All she could say was, "George, Ben is no more!"  Her first reaction was to jump out of the car, somehow collect the blood and put it back into her son. "That blood, for me, at that moment, became the most precious thing in the world, because it was life. It was life-giving blood and it belonged in my son, my only son, the one I loved so much."

The road was dirty and the blood just didn’t belong there. George noticed that cars were driving right through the intersection - right through the blood. His heart was smitten. He wanted to cover the blood with his coat and cry, "You will not drive over the blood of my son!"

Then Vera understood, for the first time in her life, one of God’s greatest and most beautiful truths... why blood? Because it was the strongest language God could have used. It was the most precious thing He could give - the highest price He could pay.

Through God’s amazing love we were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ 1 Peter 1:18-19. May we never treat lightly the blood of God’s Son Hebrews 10:29. 

"Amazing love! How can it be? That thou, My God, shouldst die for me!" - Charles Wesley. 

- victor knowles

....commandment

When Jesus was asked what is the greatest commandment, He said; "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" Mark 12:30. 

The greatest commandment ought to be our greatest priority and the foundation on which we build our life, our family, and our ministry. Though other things may be enjoyable, important, or even necessary, they must never be allowed to occupy the throne of our life.

Many of us feel like we are falling behind because of our decision to follow Christ. We see others prosper and start to believe we must compromise in order to keep pace...but the rules of the game have changed! God has a different plan - an eternal plan!! 

The world around us has the wrong uniform, wrong equipment, and wrong play book. The great deceiver would like to fill us with doubt, but we must not be swayed.

No matter how loud the competition yells that we are going the wrong way, we must boldly continue on the path of truth. The final victory has already been won...and we are on the winning team! When God gave His Son and told us to believe, He turned the rules of the world system upside down. 

Let's forever follow our Coach, thank Him for every single breath, and steadily run according to His plan!

- steve troxel

.....sacrifice

Approximately 900 years after the sacrificial law was given to Moses, God used the prophet Malachi to call the people back to a true heart of worship. Since the time of Moses, the people of Israel had gone through many highs and lows in their worship and were currently on another downward spiral. The priests had become very casual with the sacrifices; they had lost all sense of reverence and had ceased to offer God their absolute best.

"You place defiled food on My altar. But you ask, `How have we defiled You?' By saying that the Lord's table is contemptible. When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong?" Malachi 1:7-8

With the perfect and acceptable sacrifice of Jesus, the need for animal sacrifice has ended; "He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood" Hebrews 9:12. Through faith in Jesus, our sins are completely forgiven; "By one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy" Hebrews 10:14. Faith in the sacrifice of Jesus has become our final sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin; we have been perfected by His blood.

However, each of us who have experienced God's mercy and grace are now urged "to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God". We are to offer this sacrifice not to earn or even maintain our Salvation, but because "this is our spiritual act of worship" Romans 12:1. A true understanding of God's grace in granting us eternal life ought to compel us to a life of thanksgiving and sacrificial worship.

But when we leave His presence for the pleasures of this world, we create blemishes on our heart; and when we practice or give approval to sin, we become spiritually crippled and diseased. We must present ourselves to God and allow Him to use us for His glory. He deserves our very best! We should offer ourselves with a pure heart, without selfish ambition or pride, and free of worldly compromise.

God has given us all we have, made us all we are, and is leading us to all we will become. Let's worship and serve Him with the best we have to offer; let's present our lives to Him as an unblemished sacrifice.

- steve troxel

.....aim

 "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness." Matthew 25:21

Somebody has facetiously said, "Blessed be he who aimeth at nothing for he shall surely hit it!"

On the same theme, Bill Bernbach made the following insightful comment: "If you stand for something, you will always find some people for you and some against you. If you stand for nothing, you will find nobody against you and nobody for you!"

It is true, if we aim for and stand for right, for justice, for integrity, for truth, and are committed to doing the will of God, there will always be opposition. Chances are the more worthy our cause, the greater will be the opposition - and the temptation to discouragement.

However, when we Jesus comes, how rewarding it will be to have the Savior welcome us to Heaven with the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord!" What Jesus will say to us when we meet him face to face will totally depend on what we are doing and how we are living today. We have that opportunity now. As a favorite one-liner puts it, "It is choice, not chance, that determines our destiny."

- dick innes

....responsibility

God has always set aside a select group to carry forth His Word and to help guide His people. In the Old Testament times God designated the descendants of Levi to be priests. The priests were to perform the various sacrifices, give instruction regarding God's Law, and be the general interface between God and man. Since the priests were accountable to God for maintaining His standard, this great privilege also carried an enormous responsibility.

Malachi served as a prophet of God approximately 900 years after the Levitical priesthood had been established. The priests had once held a deep reverence for God, but they now ceased to teach the truth and lost all sense of their calling. Through Malachi, God sent the priests a sharp rebuke.

"The lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction - because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty. But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble...you have not followed My ways." Malachi 2:7-9

In one regard, this speaks directly to those called into Church leadership - those who are given the responsibility for leading a congregation in the way of truth. But it also speaks to ALL who now believe in Jesus Christ and are committed to following His ways. We must not cause others to stumble by failing to follow the ways of God!

When Jesus came to earth and gave Himself as a sacrifice for our sins, a new covenant was established. No longer is there only a select group of priests who have access to God; rather, all believers are now declared "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God" 1 Peter 2:9.

The primary duty of a priest in the Old Testament was to seek God's will and effectively communicate the truth of God's Word to those placed within his care. And as members of God's New Covenant royal priesthood, we all have this same responsibility - this same privilege! We must seek His will and speak truth to whoever God places in our path. 

We do not have the option of watching others wander from God. Allowing someone to destroy their life and their intimate relationship with God through a life of unbelief and sin is neither gracious nor loving - it's cruel and irresponsible!

We are never held accountable for the response of others, only for our presentation of the truth. We must now become faithful to our calling. We must become a priest within our family, at our work, among our friends, and even within our church. 

We must diligently seek His will and not stray. We must learn His truths and live by them...and speak His truth with grace and compassionate love. Let's give thanks for the opportunity to serve and for being allowed to lead others to a closer relationship with our Heavenly Father. Let's praise Him and faithfully accept our privileged responsibility.

- steve troxel