....let

There are many types of monkeys that can be captured with nothing more than a hollow wooden ball and a few shiny stones. The wooden ball contains a hole just large enough for the open hand of the 

monkey to pass through. The shiny stones are placed inside the ball and the ball is then tied to a tree.

The curious monkey reaches into the hollow ball and grasps the stones but then finds his hand will no longer pass through the hole while he clings to his prize. The monkey fights to free his hand but will not drop the stones and is therefore easily captured.

This is a fun story - but I'm not sure it's true. Monkeys are probably much smarter than this illustration makes them appear. But I wonder how many of us are being trapped by similar tactics.

Jesus had chosen His twelve disciples and was giving them instructions as He sent them out to minister. He told them where to go and some of the hardships to expect. He also told them one of the great secrets of a successful journey.

"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."Matthew 10:39

Another translation of this same verse reads: "If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give it up for Me, you will find it." This is a truth the world doesn't want us to hear! The only way to find the freedom of true life is to let go and give God our complete trust.

We are saved only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ Ephesians 2:8; but a saving faith must be a faith in the complete Jesus, all He is and all He represents! He came as our Savior, the Lamb who was sacrificed for the forgiveness of our sin. But He also came as the Son of God, our Sovereign Lord. A saving faith cannot pick and choose what portion of Jesus to accept; we either let go and give Him our complete trust or we show we have rejected Him as we cling to self-control.

The world is packed full of "trappings" which lure us and keep us from surrendering to Jesus as Lord. We are continually enticed to follow "The Road to Happiness" with promises of pleasure and power; but if we look closely, we will see nothing but a handful of worthless stones which keep us from true freedom.

We can no longer cling to the empty values of the world; we must let go and present ourselves to God as a living sacrifice Romans 12:1. If we want to find the freedom of true life, we must have a faith which allows us to lose our life to the will of our Lord - we must be willing to let go of our shiny stones.

- steve troxell

.....foundation

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ 1 Corinthians 3:11 

We live in a culture where the church is under attack. Our values are mocked, laughed at, and, in some cases, even outlawed. Our belief about the family and about what matters in life is being challenged by an increasingly secular culture. And sometimes, we wonder whether evil will prevail. No, it won’t. Jesus said of His church, “All the powers of hell will not conquer it” Matthew 16:18. So, we keep marching forward.

Sometimes, however, people get upset with the church. They might say they’re bitter toward the church. They may have been mistreated. Or, maybe someone representing the church didn’t do a good job of it. They may even have done a horrible thing in the name of the church, and there is no excuse for that.

Then again, it could be that someone who is supposedly bitter toward the church feels that way because they lived in disobedience. They did something wrong. And then they faced the repercussions of it in the church. Maybe they were told to not do what they were doing any longer, so they’re angry at the church.

The church has its strengths, and the church has its weaknesses. But no matter what, Jesus Christ established it, and as Christians, we are a part of it. We need to love the church, support the church, and be a functioning part of the church.

If you are looking for a hypocrite-free church, then your search is over because there is no such thing as a hypocrite-free church. Every church has hypocrites because every church is made up of human beings who fall short. We all have our shortcomings. We all have our flaws. But Jesus established the church.

The church is built on Christ, “the Son of the living God” Matthew 16:16. The apostle Paul wrote, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ” 1 Corinthians 3:11. Acts 2:42–47 gives us the basis of the early church, the church that changed the world. Verse 42 says, “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals and to prayer.” Then the passage concludes, “And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved” verse 47.

Numerical growth is up to God. If a church takes care of its depth, then God will take care of its breadth. It doesn’t matter whether a church is the largest. What matters is having a strong church, a biblical church, and a church that is built on Christ Himself.

Is your life built on Jesus Christ? As that timeless hymn says, “On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.” If you have built your life on a church, it is the wrong foundation. If you have built your spiritual life on a person, that is a faulty foundation as well. Build your life on Christ Himself. 

- greg laurie

.....light

Each of us have been called to minister as we love Him and build up the body of Christ. Our specific roles in ministry may differ, but we have all been called and asked to be a part of His plan; we are all given the charge to tell others of the way to the Father through faith in Jesus. Paul calls this the ministry of reconciliation; "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us" 2 Corinthians 5:20.

But ministry (in any form) can be difficult. There is more work to be done in the field than we can possibly accomplish - our "job" is never complete. This has the potential for great stress (and what we call "burnout") if we don't maintain a sense of our true purpose and an understanding of Who is really in charge.

"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."Matthew 11:28-30

A yoke is a dual harness used to attach oxen and plow fields. Jesus said to take up His yoke and join Him in working His field. He is already pulling the load and wants us to attach ourselves to the other harness. As we do, we will discover a well-defined row in bad need of plowing. We will also find a load which is easy to bear.

But plowing can become tedious, so we often try to increase the pace. We look for ways to accomplish more and begin to see the many weeds scattered in other rows and other fields. In an attempt to pull as many weeds as possible, we begin to wander from our row and our load becomes increasingly heavy. We soon find we have unhitched from His yoke and are trying to pull the plow with our own strength - not a smart move!

More is not always better, and faster is not always the desired result. It's interesting that Jesus said our main task as we take up His yoke is to "learn from Him." It's as if walking by His side is really enough; as if walking by His side IS our ministry. The field will still get plowed, but in the process we will be blessed with a closer and deeper relationship with the Son of God.

If our burden has become heavy - if we are feeling weary and ready to quit - let's determine if we are properly "hitched" to His yoke and aligned to His row. A heavy burden requires some adjustments - maybe an adjustment in attitude, maybe an adjustment in priority. Let's ask our Heavenly Father for guidance and where to find rest for our soul. Let's take up His yoke and remember: His burden is light!

- steve troxell

.....sharp

Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that doesn't need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

A young man approached the foreman of a logging crew and asked for a job. "That depends," replied the foreman. "Let's see you fell this tree."  The young man stepped forward and skillfully felled a great tree. Impressed, the foreman exclaimed, "You can start Monday."

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday rolled by -- and Thursday afternoon the foreman approached the young man and said, "You can pick up your paycheck on the way out today." Startled, the young man replied, "I thought you paid on Friday."

"Normally we do," said the foreman. "But we're letting you go today because you've fallen behind. Our daily felling charts show that you've dropped from first place on Monday to last place today." "But I'm a hard worker," the young man objected. "I arrive first, leave last and even have worked through my coffee breaks!"

The foreman, sensing the young man's integrity, thought for a minute and then asked, "Have you been sharpening your axe?"

The young man replied, "No sir, I've been working too hard to take time for that!"

Our lives are like that. We sometimes get so busy that we don't take time to "sharpen the ax." In today's world, it seems that everyone is busier than ever but less happy than ever. Why is that? Could it be that we have forgotten how to stay sharp?

There's nothing wrong with activity and hard work. But God doesn't want us to get so busy that we neglect the truly important things in life, like taking time to pray, to read and study scripture or to listen to "the still small voice of God." We all need time to relax, to think and meditate, to learn and grow. If we don't take time to sharpen the axe, we will become dull and lose our effectiveness.

.....preparing

Jesus' ministry on earth lasted only three short years, but His message continues to be preached today and has spread to nearly every country and language of the world. When Jesus began His ministry, He 

knew His time would quickly pass; yet rather than trying to preach to the greatest number of people, Jesus focused the majority of His effort on a small group of twelve men.

Jesus taught His disciples about the Kingdom of God and how they must learn to truly love; "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another" John 13:35. He taught them about the forgiveness of sin through His sacrificial death, and about their true source of strength: "Remain in Me, and I will remain in you...apart from Me you can do nothing" John 15:4,5.

Jesus intensely taught His twelve closest followers with one overriding purpose - He taught so they would be prepared to serve in the Kingdom of God: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them...and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus provided a model for effective ministry which we ought to follow today.

"It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up."Ephesians 4:11-12

We are all called to be a disciple, a close and intimate follower of Jesus Christ. We are each given different gifts and different ministry opportunities, but the focus of a disciple is always to serve as we build up the body of Christ and love Him with all our heart. We help others become His disciple as we teach them to follow Jesus and provide the necessary tools which prepare them to serve.

We have been blessed in so many ways. By His grace we have been granted the forgiveness of all sin and given a place to worship Him for all eternity. As we better grasp this wonderful truth, we will be filled with an unshakable contentment and peace while we walk in the presence of God. But this blessing must never be selfishly held - it must be shared; "Freely you have received, freely give" Matthew 10:8.

I pray that every day brings us closer in our relationship with God through the forgiveness and love of His Son, Jesus. I pray we minister in our church, our work, our family, and among the friends God places in our path, with love and uncompromising truth. And I pray that each of us looks for ways to build up the body of Christ by preparing God's people to serve.

- steve troxell

.....criticism

In her book, "A Closer Walk", Catherine Marshall writes: "One morning last week He gave me an assignment - for one day I was to go on a 'fast' from criticism. I was not to criticize anybody about 

anything. For the first half of the day, I simply felt a void, almost as if I had been wiped out as a person.

This was especially true at lunch... I listened to the others and kept silent... In our talkative family no one seemed to notice. Bemused, I noticed that my comments were not missed.  The federal government, the judicial system, and the institutional church could apparently get along fine without my penetrating observations.

But still I didn't see what this fast on criticism was accomplishing until mid-afternoon. That afternoon, a specific, positive vision for this life was dropped into my mind with God's unmistakable hallmark on it - joy!  Ideas began to flow in a way I had not experienced in years. Now it was apparent what the Lord wanted me to see. My critical nature had not corrected a single one of the multitudinous things I found fault with. What it had done was to stifle my own creativity.

Criticism is a poison that infiltrates friendships, relationships in our businesses, and even our own families.  Like a wrecking ball to a condemned building, our criticism destroys the spirit of those who are scrutinized.  It has been said, "A statue has never been set up in honor of a critic." 

The apostle Paul recognized that criticism stings. He faced it throughout his ministry. Maybe it was after hearing criticism of others that he wrote: "Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister."  Romans 14:13

Why don't you join me in a 'fast' from criticizing others and let's see what our Father teaches us!" 

- dave langerfeld 

.....least

"We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters." 1 John 3:16

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

Professor Bruce Riggins of McCormick Theological Seminary met a very dedicated Christian woman working with underprivileged people in London. He asked what it was that inspired her faith and action. 

She told him this story: she was a Jew fleeing the Gestapo in France during World War II. 

She knew she was close to being caught and wanted to give up. She was hiding in a home in France and a widow came and said it was time to flee. "It's no use," she said, "They'll find me anyway. They are so close." This Christian widow replied, "Yes, they will find someone here, but it's time for you to leave. Go with these people to safety. I will keep your identification and wait here." 

She then understood the plan; the Gestapo would find the widow and think she was the fleeing Jew. When she asked why, the widow responded, "It's the least I can do, Christ has already done that and more for me." The widow was caught and imprisoned, allowing the Jewish lady to escape. Within six months she died in a concentration camp. The Jewish lady never forgot. She too became a follower of Jesus Christ and lived her life for others. She said she came to Christ through the greatest love a person can give – self-sacrifice.

This is exactly how Jesus purchased salvation for us.  He chose to die in our place so that we could have forgiveness through his blood and a personal relationship with Him. We can never repay what he has done for us, but we can live our lives in a way that honors Him. Jesus selflessly served others in love, so much that he gave his life. Let us, too, serve others faithfully and share the love and mercy we have received. 

Dear Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice and the forgiveness and unconditional love we have received because of it. I pray that I would honor and glorify you through the way I love and serve others. May others come to know you through the example I give. In Your name, Amen. 

- david langerfeld 

.....name

Jesus came to earth to be our necessary and absolutely sufficient sacrifice for sin. His death on the cross and resurrection from the tomb opened the door of grace for an eternally restored relationship 

with God for all who believe.

Prior to our salvation, the Holy Spirit draws us near by revealing truth to our heart. We are "born again" John 3:5-7 when we place our trust in the sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness of sin. At the moment of our new birth, we are changed - made a "new creation" 2 Corinthians 5:17 - by the power of the Holy Spirit; we also become "co-heirs with Christ" in God's Eternal Kingdom Romans 8:17.

As we begin our walk with Christ, we soon realize we are not who we once were; "the old has gone, the new has come" 2 Corinthians 5:17. The Spirit of God began a change in our heart that will continue all the rest of our days as we are "conformed to the likeness of His Son" Romans 8:29. Some aspects of this change are immediate as the bondage to sin is broken, but other portions of change will take a lifetime.

God has promised that our transformation will one day be complete; "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion" Philippians 1:6. He will continue to shape and mold us - to chip off the rough edges - until we stand before Him and hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" Matthew 25:21. On that day, God's glory will be fully revealed in us and we will understand our true identity in Him.

"To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it."Revelation 2:17

God knows exactly who we are; "I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind" Jeremiah 17:10. But He also knows exactly who we will become. When we stand before His throne, He will acknowledge our completed transformation by giving us a new name. But as we receive the name, we will also receive full understanding of who we are and how our life has fit into His perfect plan. We will see the purpose of every twist and turn in our path and see what it really means to live in Christ.

Until that day, we must trust Him with all our heart and allow every aspect of our life to bring Him glory and honor. We must seek a consistency with our new identity - with the life God desires us to live. We are not who we once were, nor who we will one day become. 

Let's live a transformed life with great expectations of the glory to be revealed when we stand in His presence and receive a new name. 

- steve troxell

.....down

 "The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer." Psalm 6:9

Sometimes it doesn't take much to get us down, does it? An unkind remark from a friend, bad news from the auto mechanic, a financial setback, or a misbehaving child can put a cloud of gloom over everything, even on the sunniest day. 

You know you should be joyful, but everything seems to be against you, making simple tasks a struggle.

David must have been feeling that way when he wrote Psalm 6. He felt weak and sickly (v. 2), troubled (v. 3), forsaken (v. 4), weary (v. 6), and grief-stricken (v. 7). But he knew what to do when he was down. He looked up and trusted God to take care of him and to see him through.

When we look up and focus on God, something good happens. We get our eyes off ourselves and gain a new appreciation of Him. 

When you are down, look up to God. 

   He is sovereign Psalm 47:8

   He loves you 1 John 4:9-10

   He considers you special Matthew 6:26

   He has a purpose for your trials James 1:2-4

Life can seem unbearable at times. But don't let it keep you down. Meditate on God's goodness, talk to Him, and know that He hears you Psalm 6:9. That will give you strength to get up when you're down. 

.....weakness

"He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.'" 2 Corinthians 12:9

I always enjoy talking with my old college friend Kajole and getting caught up on what the Lord has been teaching us since we last met.

One day Kajole began with a sheepish grin, "You know, I can't believe how many years it has taken me to learn my latest lesson - and I'm a Bible teacher!" He went on to list some of the trials and testings he and his family had been facing and how unworthy he felt teaching an adult Sabbath school class. "Week after week I felt like I was a total failure," he confided, "and kept wondering if this might be my last Saturday before announcing my resignation."

Then one Sabbath a young woman stayed after class to speak to Kajole. She was a friend of his family, so she  knew what they had been going through. "Kajole," she said, "I hope you won't take this the wrong way, but you're a much better teacher when you're going through tough times."

Kajole smiled as he told me, "Only then did I feel that I grasped the Lord's response to Paul's thorn in the flesh: 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness"' 2 Corinthians 12:9.

When we recognize how much we need God, He will strengthen us. That's the "Advantage of Weakness. 

.....humbly

Seven hundred years before Jesus walked the earth, the prophet Micah wrote words given to him by God, words that tell what God expects from His Children.

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."Micah 6:8

God loves us so much that He gave His Son so we may be restored to Him and receive the gift of eternal life John 3:16. When we begin to understand the fullness of His love and place our complete trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin, it's natural to ask: "What do You now require of me Lord?" But as we search the Scripture, we find no additional "requirements" for our Christian walk which are not summed up in the words of Micah.

As we live by faith, we must "act justly" by doing what is fair and right; "Anyone who does not do what is right is not a Child of God" 1 John 3:10. This means we live with integrity and "love your neighbor as yourself" Mark 12:31.

God requires that we "love mercy" by showing compassion and forgiveness for others; "judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful" James 2:13. It also means we live with a continual thankfulness for God's mercy toward us. An understanding of God's merciful forgiveness of our sins should compel us to forgive and show mercy to others. Without God's mercy, we would all be lost.

The final requirement is for us to "walk humbly" with our God. The word humble means to place a low value on "self." This is not a very popular concept in our "me-first" generation which seems to reward the individual who is prideful and confident in his own ability. We are trained to achieve, acquire, and rise higher than we believe possible; but God calls us to submit and walk with Christ continually exalted above all else in our life: "He must become greater; I must become less" John 3:30.

True humility is required for proper worship and thankfulness before God. We did NOTHING to deserve eternal life and yet we have received. We are made worthy and given value without having done anything to earn our Salvation. This heavenly gift ought to produce a never-ending stream of praise from our heart and cause us to focus less on ourselves and more on the needs of others.

All we have, and ALL we are, has been given to us by a loving God who created the Universe and accepted us into His Kingdom through faith in His Son. Let's glorify Him with every step we take; and with each step of faith, let's remember to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly. 

- steve troxell

.....basics

As we continue down God's path of sanctification, "being transformed into His likeness" 2 Corinthians 3:18, moving from milk to solid food Hebrews 5:12, and growing in grace and "all spiritual wisdom and understanding" Colossians 1:9, it's wise to return often to the basics of our faith. As we learn more of our Heavenly Father and ponder His "deeper truths," we must never forget that "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16. The truth of all scripture is that God loves us and is inviting us to join Him, to know Him and enjoy Him, for all eternity.

The Apostle Peter understood the importance of fundamentals. He wrote his second letter to warn us against false teaching and to remind us that, as we step out in faith, we have been given all the necessary tools to accomplish what God desires for our life; "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness" 2 Peter 1:3.

Peter taught that when we place our trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, we receive everything we need to live a victorious life; "so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires" 2 Peter 1:4. The real challenge of our Christian walk is not in acquiring new and "greater" gifts, but in learning how to best utilize what we have already received.

Peter also wanted us to remember that Salvation is not the end of our journey; rather, it is the beginning of a long and wonderful walk which begins in faith and continues by growing ever closer to Christ. Since we have been given such a wonderful gift, we should "make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love" 2 Peter 1:5-7. We must continue to grow such that the end result - the highest quality of our Christian life - is love!

Peter believed these to be fundamental truths, but truths which were necessary to often repeat!

2 Peter 1:12-13 "So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live."

To ensure we don't wander down side paths filled with self-effort and self-importance, or stumble in the world's temptation of corruption and evil desires, we must continually return to the starting point of our faith. We must never forget that God loves us and desires to walk with us each and every day. All that we do must be directed by God and accomplished with the tools He has provided. 

Let's dig deep at every opportunity, but let's remain lovingly close to His side and always remember the basics.

- steve troxell

.....energy

When the Apostle Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, his life was forever changed. Prior to meeting Jesus, Paul was "breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples" Acts 9:1. After 

the encounter with Jesus, and being filled with the Holy Spirit, Paul "began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God" Acts 9:20.

Paul had been given the task of preaching the gospel of God's grace through faith in Jesus, and he would do so for the remainder of his life. But Paul would endure many trials along the way. He faced those who desired to take his life and others who simply refused to listen to his message...but he continued on.

"To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me." Colossians 1:29

Paul "labored" and "struggled" with the task he had been given. But rather than relying on his own strength and abilities, Paul learned to labor with the energy of Christ.

The word Paul used for "energy" refers to the active working of God's power. Paul used this same word to describe the power all believers have received from God; "That power is like the working {energy} of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at the right hand in the Heavenly realms" Ephesians 1:19-20.

God has provided a power like the energy which flowed through Jesus and raised Him from the dead. This is a remarkable gift, yet one we seldom use. With His energy we can receive clear direction; we can be focused and accomplish all He desires. Without His energy we may wander from task to task, become exceedingly weary, and never accomplish anything of eternal value.

There will be times of overwhelming adversity when God simply takes charge and directly fights the enemy. But, for the majority of our journey, God directs us to continue struggling in the daily labor of accomplishing His work. Jesus said the burden of this work will be greatly eased as we learn to attach ourselves to Him and walk by His side; "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" Matthew 11:30.

We only fail in His work when we fail to trust; "I can do EVERYTHING through Him who gives me strength" Philippians 4:13. God's path can certainly change direction and become difficult from time to time, but His provision will always be sufficient and it is ALWAYS too soon to quit - we must continue! We can do all things and find great fulfillment as we attach ourselves to Christ and labor with all HIS energy.

- steve troxell

....died

Dwight L. Moody told about a story about a young man who was called to serve in Napoleon Bonaparte's army but didn't want to go. A friend volunteered to go in his place and was accepted as his 

substitute. Unfortunately, the friend was later killed in battle. 

However, because of a clerical error the same young man was called up to serve again. "You can't take me. I'm dead. I died on the battlefield," he told the astonished officers. 

After checking the records, the officers found documentation of his name and alongside it the name of the friend who died in his place. The case was presented to Napoleon who, after examining the evidence, said, "Through a surrogate, this man has not only fought, but has died in his country's service. No man can die more than once, therefore the law has no claim on him." 

And that's exactly what Jesus Christ, the Son of God, did for you and me. He died in our place to pay the penalty for all our sins so we could be freely forgiven and given the gift of eternal life. When we accept God's pardon, we will never have to pay the price for our sins because Jesus did that for us. He died in our place.  

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20  

.....thermal

Many of us have experienced that low spiritual valley where we thought the sun would never shine again. Some were sent quickly into the valley by a very specific event. Others drifted slowly to the 

bottom and can't say by what path they arrived. In either case, we wandered in this gloom until something began to lift us to new heights.

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

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

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

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

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

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

- steve troxell

.....childlike

We are called to grow and mature, but never to "grow" such that we are led away from the simple and unchanging truth: God loves us so much that He provided a way to restore a right relationship with Him through faith in His Son. Jesus died so we could live! Does this awesome act of love still amaze us, or have we "matured" to more "important" matters?

And He said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'Matthew 18:3

When my daughter was four years old, we read the Bible story about young Samuel. While discussing this story, my daughter showed me the excited faith God calls us to maintain. Perhaps her faith could teach us all...

As a young boy, Samuel was ministering with an old priest named Eli. One night God called to Samuel, but Samuel thought it was Eli's voice. Eli said he had not called and told Samuel to go back to bed. After God called a few more times, Samuel realized who was calling and answered: "Speak, for Your servant is listening" 1 Samuel 3:10. God then gave Samuel a message - but the message was all about Eli.

My daughter asked, "Why did God speak to Samuel if the message was really to Eli?" We talked about how we must be ready and willing to hear God. I said Eli may have had some problems or distractions in his life which kept him from hearing God, so God spoke His message through a child. I said little kids (like her) can often hear God better than older people (like me).

"But, I don't hear God talk to me," she said, with a little disappointment in her voice. I explained how God doesn't usually speak so we can hear Him with our ears; rather, His Spirit speaks to our heart and we hear Him as we listen to our heart. Her little eyes widened, "Like today when I was going to sit on one of the baby toys - Jesus told my heart I was too big and shouldn't do it so I listened to what He said."

I encouraged her that this is exactly how God speaks to us, we just need to learn how to listen and then obey. My daughter thought for a moment and then slowly shook her head in amazement: "Wow! That's sooooo cool!!"

Heavenly Father, I pray that Your Word never becomes just an interesting collection of stories. You created us, loved us, and will one day call us Home to be with You for all eternity - and Father, that's sooooo cool!! Help us to come into Your presence with a thankful and loving heart. Strengthen our faith every day and allow us to continually look on You and Your wonders with a childlike amazement. 

- steve troxell

.....spaces

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him 2 Corinthians 5:21

Christ traded spaces with us on the cross. He died in our place, for our sin. But if you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins, you only believe one-half of the Gospel. The other half of the Gospel is the fact that Christ fulfilled God's standard perfectly.  He was 100% righteous. So, had Christ been 90% righteous or 80% righteous, his sacrifice would not meet God's demands. He was 100% righteous.

So, once you bow the knee to Christ and ask him to come into your life to take residence, to come into the dwelling place of your heart, then the righteousness of Christ is imputed into your life. Thus, when God sees you, he sees Jesus and his perfect character. This is only able to take place because of the resurrection power.

That's the power that can renovate our minds and hearts today and that will one day completely renovate and restore our sin-torn bodies into glorified bodies that will live forever in heaven. The resurrection is the final hope of every Christ-follower. It is the "final reveal" of God's design and renovation: the perfection of our mind, body, and spirit. On the other side of the grave, when God says, "Okay, open your eyes and see your new space," you will open your eyes in a resurrected, recreated body, a completely new space that you will inhabit for eternity.

It will be the perfect "space",

     designed by the perfect Designer (God the Father),

     rebuilt by the perfect Carpenter (Jesus Christ) and

     purchased at the ultimate cost (Christ's precious blood).

But you've got to make the choice: Are you going to keep trying on your own to rebuild the rubble left by sin or are you going to let the Carpenter renovate your life into the perfect "space"?

- ed young

.....knowing

The Apostle Paul had a definite passion to serve God. Even before his conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul strictly observed God's law; "as for legalistic righteousness, faultless" Philippians 3:6. But after being confronted by Jesus, his focus forever changed; his passion remained, but his every desire now centered around faith in Jesus and the good news of His gospel message.

I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death Philippians 3:10

Paul pursued an intimate relationship with Jesus and sought to be identified with His death and resurrection. He knew the only way to experience the power of Jesus was to live as a new creation whose sinful nature had been crucified with Christ; and as a new creation, he continually desired to know his Creator.

Truly knowing Jesus Christ is much more than simply knowing "about" Him. We can fill our head with every possible biblical fact and still never know Christ. To know Him is to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength; to trust Him regardless of our circumstances, and to draw close to His side in our joy as well as our suffering. Nothing else in life has any real meaning; "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" Philippians 3:8.

Paul's passion for Jesus allowed him to loose his hold of all worldly attachments; "I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ" Philippians 3:8. This uncontested supremacy of Jesus allowed Paul to be "content in any and every situation" Philippians 4:12. By giving himself fully to knowing Christ, Paul gained true contentment and peace.

We have the same ability to know Christ today. We are also promised the same results! Peace and contentment will NEVER be achieved through more possessions, activities, or relationships - these are ALL temporary and will fade away with time. Our life will only be truly content when we give ourselves to Jesus and love Him without reservation; we will only be filled with His peace as we seek to know Him.

We may never be asked to give up much for the sake of the gospel; but then again, we may be asked to give up everything! Either way, our heart must always hold loosely to the things of this world. Anything which cannot be released has effectively become a god and crowds the throne which MUST be reserved for the King of Kings. Let's reconsider our priorities - where we spend our time and what commands our thoughts and consumes our energy. 

Let's give ourselves fully to Him and make sure nothing has become more important than knowing Christ.

- steve troxell

.....water

God promises to lift up those who hope and trust in Him. His promise of encouragement does not depend on the difficulty or darkness of our situation. No matter how hopeless our circumstances may 

appear, His promise remains and we must trust Him with all our heart - He WILL lift us high and send us soaring! We  are called to provide lifts of encouragement when others are drifting in the valley of despair. We are called to encourage even when we are unable to see or recognize the results.

The Corinthians believed in Jesus and were encouraged in their faith through the efforts of multiple people. But Paul reminded them that, although many may have provided influence and guidance, it was God who did the real work.

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 1 Corinthians 3:6

I've often pondered the idea of watering without being able to see growth. My grandparents were married for sixty-five years, lived most of their life in a small farm house, and died a few miles from where they were born. In my youth, their love for the Lord was the foundation upon which I could stand when all else was crumbling. God used their faithful and patient watering for many years to soften my rebellious heart and call me to His side. My grandparents died before my life produced much fruit, but they diligently continued to water.

When I began the ministry, I believed God's promise that if I would faithfully send out His Word it would "not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it" Isaiah 55:11. It gave me great comfort to know that God would use His Word to accomplish His purpose. The promise in this verse continues to be a comfort today; I am to plant and water, and trust God to grow exactly all He desires.

God's Word does not return empty! No matter what our current circumstances, we must obediently plant His message and continue to water with encouragement at every opportunity. Many people are walking in a spiritually dry land and we may be the only bit of Jesus they see or hear...or read. 

Some seeds take a long time to germinate, and some plants can take years to fully mature and bear fruit. Let's minister with our focus always on the glory of God. He will produce the growth in His timing and according to His perfect plan. 

Let's join His work by simply, and faithfully, continuing to plant and water.

- adapted from steve troxell

.....sow

We have to join God in His work by planting the seed of His truth and watering with encouragement at every opportunity. We were also reminded to keep our focus on God as we "work" since He is the One Who makes all things grow.

We see this same principle in the parable of the farmer who scatters seed onto four different types of soil. "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." Luke 8:5-8

Usually, this parable is considered from the aspect of the different types of soil. The farmer represents anyone who plants the seed of God's Word into someone's life, and the different soils represent the different types of people who hear the gospel message. There is encouragement in these verses for us to be well tilled soil, free of weeds and ready to receive the Word of God. However, let's consider this parable from the aspect of the farmer.

In the days of Christ, fields were planted by scattering or throwing out seed over all areas of a field. In this parable, the farmer is never criticized for waste as he throws seed on the path, in the weeds, or on the rocks. Planting day had arrived and it was the farmer's job to simply scatter the seed. He was not required to evaluate the soil, and there was no special technique required for planting. As long as the seed was scattered over a wide area, it would reach the good soil and produce a bountiful crop.

We have been sent out as farmers into the fields of this world with God's Word in our hand and written on our heart; "go and make disciples of all nations" Matthew 28:19. As we consider what to do with our seed, we must remember that the condition of the soil should never be our primary focus. God has entrusted us with a life changing message and it's His desire for this message to be "scattered" to all!

There is definitely a time for tilling soil, pulling weeds, and digging out the rocks that hinder our spiritual growth and the growth of those within our care; but in the field which God has placed us today, the time is always right for planting. Let's share His message of love and forgiveness, of Godly unity and peace. A new day has arrived! Regardless of our perception of the soil - regardless whether we believe they are ready - let's pick up our bag, put on our boots, and be determined to scatter the seed!

- steve troxell

.....search

Therefore, putting away lying, each one speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another Ephesians 4:25

I love this story which reportedly came from Sports Illustrated:  The game was played in Wellington, Florida.  In it, a seven-year-old first baseman, Tanner Munsey, fielded a ground ball and tried to tag a runner going from first to second base.

The umpire, Laura Benson, called the runner out, but young Tanner immediately ran to her side and said, "Ma'am, I didn't tag the runner."  Umpire Benson reversed herself, sent the runner to second base, and Tanner's coach gave him the game ball for his honesty.

Two weeks later, Laura Benson was again the umpire and Tanner was playing shortstop when a similar play occurred.  This time Benson ruled that Tanner had missed the tag on a runner going to third base, and she called the runner safe.  Tanner looked at Benson and without saying a word, tossed the ball to the catcher and returned to his position.

Benson sensed something was wrong.  "Did you tag the runner?"  She asked Tanner. His reply: "Yes."

Benson then called the runner out.  The opposing coaches protested until she explained what had happened two weeks earlier.  "If a kid is that honest," she said, "I have to give it to him."

It may be that no Christian characteristic has suffered more in our society than honesty.  It's lacking in the workplace, it's lacking in many of our marriages, it's lacking in our government, and sometimes it's even lacking in our churches.  Like Diogenes of ancient Greece, we sometimes feel the urge to take our lantern and begin our search for an honest man.

There is something about Christians that should stand out like a neon sign on a dark night.  Jesus wants his people to be known as a people of truth. We should establish a reputation, like Tanner, for speaking the truth even when it would benefit us to do otherwise.  Then, and only then, will those around us trust what we say without hesitation, without wondering whether we really mean what we say or not.

"Therefore, putting away lying, each one speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another." Ephesians 4:25

- alan smith

.....imperishable

When Jesus was talking with Nicodemus, He said, "no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again" John 3:3. He then said this second birth is not of the flesh but of the Spirit. When we 

believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sin, God's grace gives us a spiritual birth as a new creation; "The old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Peter wrote to those who already believed in Jesus. They had been "born again" and had become "new creations" in Christ, but they had come under great persecution for their faith. Peter encouraged them (and us) to remember the eternal nature of our second birth.

"For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God." 1 Peter 1:23

Our first birth resulted in our physical bodies - praise God! But, one day, these earthly vessels in which we live are guaranteed to run down and stop functioning - we were birthed of a perishable seed. In contrast, our second birth is of a seed which does not perish - a seed which results in eternal life.

We must never settle for a "good" life or allow our message to stop with good morals and "right" living. These are also perishable seeds which will fade away and lead to death. True life which is abundant and eternal is only found by His grace through faith in the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. Let's plant a true message of our need to be born again by ensuring we always scatter imperishable seed.

- adapted from steve troxell

.....repentance

 "When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" Luke 5:8

Are you playing Christianity or are you having an daily encounter with the living Christ? Peter was going about his work-day trying to earn a day’s wage in his fishing business. Jesus showed up on the shoreline after they’d had a bad day. They had caught no fish.

Jesus asked to use his boat by casting off the shoreline in order to teach the people. After Jesus used Peter’s business for His purposes, He turned to Peter and suggested he throw his nets out again. Peter, somewhat reluctant and argumentative, said in his hallmark attitude, "Been there, done that Master … " . How many times do you and I do the same thing? "Jesus doesn’t care about my work life. He only cares about the orphans and the poor," we say to ourselves.

When Peter’s nets are filled with fish — a strange awareness comes over him. "When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’" Peter was overwhelmed at the personal love and power that was directed specifically at his need at the moment — his ailing business. It was more than he could handle. "God even cares about the condition of my business," Peter must have thought.

Whenever we move from playing Christianity to having a genuine encounter with the living Christ, we are confronted with our own humanity and sin compared to the unmerited love and power of Jesus Christ that is personally directed to us. It should bring us to our knees. It is an awesome experience to transition from religion to relationship. Life is never the same when you have a personal encounter with our Savior.

How about you? Do you need a personal encounter with Jesus today? Ask Him to reveal His power in your life and work today.

- david jeremiah

.....unblemished

During the days of Moses, God established specific laws for sacrifices. He called for animal sacrifices to teach His people the seriousness of sin and to prepare the way for Jesus. God taught that when a 

sacrifice was offered, it was to be pure and without blemish: "If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer a male without defect. He must present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting so that it will be acceptable to the Lord" Leviticus 1:3.

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" Romans 12:1. 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 troxell

.....sow

We are encouraged not to sow the wind of unbelief, because a life without faith and the saving grace of Jesus will one day reap an eternal whirlwind. The message of sowing and reaping has critical 

application for the eternal destiny of many. We must guard against those who sow seeds of false teaching which lead away from the truth as it is revealed in Jesus Christ. This message also has direct application for our daily walk with our Lord.

We know there are times when we face severe trials which have nothing to do with what we have sown. Jesus made this clear when He said: "In this world you will have trouble" John 16:33. We live in a sinful world and often reap the consequences for what others have sown; and for these troubles, Jesus wants us to find our comfort in Him: "But take heart! I have overcome the world" John 16:33. But we must also understand that many of our trials, and the trials of those around us, are often the result of a multitude of small steps taken outside the will of God.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows Galatians 6:7

It's foolish to think we can continually walk outside God's will and not face consequences down the road. God dearly loves us and is patiently waiting for us to turn our heart to Him...but God cannot be mocked. Continuous deviation from His path can lead to a long and painful time of wandering.

We must learn this lesson and clearly teach it to others: Obedience in the little things is important! There is nothing too small to justify a lack of obedience. "Whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much" Luke 16:10. We must learn and teach, very early in life, the importance of honesty and truth, the value of submission and respect for authority. The wind of disobedience begins almost imperceptibly small with "innocent" lies and "harmless" acts of disrespect, but over time it grows until the whirlwind of consequences becomes inevitable.

If we are currently reaping a whirlwind which we know has been sown by our own hands, we must repent and seek His forgiveness, love Him and obediently trust Him with ALL our heart, and ask for the strength to endure. The whirlwind will end, but only in God's perfect timing. And if we know we have been sowing the wind of disobedience and yet see God's hand restraining the whirlwind, we also must repent and seek His forgiveness, love Him and obediently trust Him with ALL our heart...and thank Him for His mercy!

Let's honor Him by only sowing that which glorifies His name. 

Let's closely examine our life and the lives of those within our care, and be absolutely determined to stop sowing the wind.

- adapted from steve troxell

.....know

A life of a "born again" should be characterized by love; "we know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers" 1 John 3:14. Although loving others will not save us, John forcefully states that if we are truly saved we will love one another; "whoever does not love does not know God" 1 John 4:8.

It's interesting to note that in the five chapters of 1 John, the word love is used 46 times. If love is this important, we ought to understand what it means. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth 1 John 3:16-18

John is saying that Jesus set the example for love and that our love for others is a direct result of the love of God within us. As we love God and surrender our life to Jesus Christ, His love fills us and overflows into the lives of those around us. If love for others is lacking, we must lay down our life and increase our love for God; a truly increased love for God will certainly increase our love for others.

John also makes it clear that a Godly love for others is not simply an emotional feeling, or gentle and kind words. When we begin to understand God's love for us - when we catch even a glimpse of His mercy and love in giving us His Son - we will be compelled to express our love with meaningful action such as meeting physical needs, readily forgiving when wronged, and showing Godly compassion when others are hurting. God so desired to be with us for all eternity that He gave His Son and loved us all the way to the cross. We are to love others in this same manner, "because He first loved us" 1 John 4:19

Our love for God is demonstrated by our real love for others. Jesus made this clear when He said; "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me" Matthew 25:40. We are actually loving and serving God as we love and serve others: "I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me" Matthew 25:35-36

Love must be an integral part of our Christian walk. Love must be directed up; "love the Lord with ALL your heart" Mark 12:30, and love must be directed out; "love your neighbor as yourself" Mark 12:31. Let's love as Jesus loved us! 

Let's look for ways to love with more than words; let's love with an active love.

- steve troxell