.....forget

After wandering through the desert for forty years, Joshua led the nation of Israel across the Jordan River and set out to conquer the land of Canaan. Joshua had seen God lead the nation out of slavery in Egypt. He had witnessed the parting of the Red Sea and God's provision of food while in the desert. As the Israelites were led into the promised land, Joshua and the entire nation saw God answer their prayers and give them many victories in battle.

During this time of conquest, the nation was relatively united as they worshiped and served God. This generation had first hand experience of His majesty and power, of His love and concern for His children. However, when Joshua and the current generation died, things quickly changed.

"After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what He had done for Israel."Judges 2:10

In a single generation, the people forgot! In a single generation, the people lost their respect for God, their desire to worship, and their belief that the Lord was the one true God. 

• How could a generation who walked in fellowship with God fail to transfer the message of truth? 
• How could parents who knew God with such intimacy fail to teach their children who He was and how to love Him? 
• How could an entire nation forget that their purpose for existence was to honor God and be a light to the world?

We who have been brought into the Light of Christ must diligently share our faith with others; "Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation" Joel 1:3. Our children and our friends will never receive the gift of eternal life because of OUR faith; rather, they must be told of God's love and come to Him through a deep and personal faith in Jesus.

We all know specific individuals who desperately need to know of His saving grace. We all know fellow believers who need to be encouraged in their faith; "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds" Hebrews 10:24. Our churches are often gatherings for the depressed and troubled who have forgotten or never heard of the miraculous and loving works of God. May we never become silent about what He has done and continues to do!

We must never lose the awe of the incredible gift we have been given in Jesus. His sacrifice radically changed our eternity! An understanding of this gift ought to so fill our heart that we are compelled to share His ongoing gift with those we love and those God places in our path. We who have begun our walk with Christ should continually share our walk with others. 

We serve an AWESOME God! Let's be a light to the world and never let them forget.

- adapted from steve troxell

.....enough

Like most people in the US, I've spent the last week being reminded of and expressing gratitude for all the ways I have been blessed.

I have expressed my gratitude for the abundance of really good food that I have enjoyed. 

I have expressed my gratitude for having a warm, dry place to sleep, to eat, and to watch television.  

I have expressed my gratitude for having clean water to drink and hot water to shave and bathe with.

I have expressed my gratitude for cars that run, mechanics that keep them running, good streets, highways to travel and gas that has dropped significantly in price. 

I have expressed my gratitude for having a closet full of clothes... some of which are too small for me to wear because of all the good food that I have enjoyed. 

I have expressed my gratitude that I have an attic to store stuff that I use one time a year and some stuff that I don't use at all.

I have expressed my gratitude for a loving wife who cooks all the good food that I have eaten which has caused me to have clothes in my closet that I cannot wear, for being a Dad, and for having a rich heritage of extended family that knows how to laugh, how to cry, and how to love, and for having friends. 

I have expressed my gratitude for being entrusted with the privilege of studying God's Word and the opportunity to share what I have learned.

I have expressed my gratitude for good medical care, and for the freedoms, rights and responsibilities of being a citizen of this country. 

I have expressed my gratitude for the Savior who was willing to die for my sins.

I acknowledge that I have been blessed, that I am blessed, and I have every reason to believe that I will continue to be blessed. Yet, something is not right. Something is still missing. I am not where I want to be. I want to be more like Christ. I want to be a better follower of Jesus, a better leader of His people, and a better example to my neighbors.

I want to be a better husband. 

I want to be a better Dad. 

I want to be a better preacher, teacher, and counselor. 

I want to be better friend. 

Though real, my discontent is not unique. Paul expressed his desire like this:    "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, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.  Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 3:10-14

Father, You have blessed me beyond my wildest imagination, but it's still not enough. I still want more. I long for more of You in me.

- tom norvell 

.....net

Very early in life we are trained to be successful according to the world's definition of success. We are driven by goals and accomplishments from the day we take our first steps and ride our first bike. As we grow older, we are pressured to accumulate knowledge and "things" in order to prove our success. In our Christian walk, Jesus calls us to a new definition of success - one determined not by what we accomplish, acquire or understand, but by our simple yet complete obedience.

The disciples walked and talked with Jesus, but they still faced many challenges with faith and obedience. One morning after fishing all night without a catch, Jesus called from the shore. "He said, 'Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.' When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish." John 21:6

The disciples were successful that morning. But we must understand that the large number of fish did not define their success. They would have been successful even if the net remained empty. The disciples were successful the moment they were obedient and cast the net on the right side of the boat, the moment they walked in step - walked in relationship - with Jesus.

One thousand years earlier, King Saul was told to "attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them" 1 Samuel 15:3. But Saul allowed the Amalekite king and the best livestock to survive. He tried to hide his disobedience by telling the prophet Samuel that the animals were for a sacrifice to God. "But Samuel replied: 'Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams'" 1 Samuel 15:22.

In any task we undertake for God, it's easy to become discouraged by our apparent lack of success. We often feel inadequate, and those feelings increase when our goals seem to be elusive. But we must remember that the outcome of the task is minor compared to our obediently walking by His side. We have almost no ability to determine how our efforts fit into God's plan. 

God doesn't need our fish! He can accomplish His plan with the rocks if He chooses, but He desires our willful obedience and loving trust, though He knows our obedience will never be perfect and our trust will never be complete. Our Father desires a people who will bring Him glory as they love Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Let's take our eyes off the accomplishment of the "catch" and what we can produce. Rather, let's focus on walking each step according to His leading. Let's love Him with an uncluttered heart and concentrate all our effort on obeying His call to cast out the net.

- adapted from steve troxell

.....send

In the beginning of Isaiah's ministry, he was allowed to see a vision of God seated on the throne in Heaven. He was allowed to witness the full majesty of God and hear His Heavenly praise; "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory" Isaiah 6:3. The vision of God was so pure and so holy that Isaiah was immediately confronted with his own sinful condition; "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips" Isaiah 6:5.

But God comforted Isaiah by letting him know his sin had been removed; "Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for" Isaiah 6:7. God had a purpose for revealing Himself to Isaiah. He was looking for a messenger to deliver His Word to the people of Israel: "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" Isaiah 6:8.

If we were asked such a question, we might be tempted to request a few details before answering. We might like to know where we would be sent and what we would be doing. But Isaiah had just experienced the full glory of the Lord. He had seen absolute perfection, recognized his utter sinful condition, and received complete forgiveness from a loving Father. With this understanding of the One who was asking, Isaiah had only one reply. "..., 'Here am I. Send me!'"Isaiah 6:8

Isaiah had no way of knowing his reply would be the start of sixty years of ministry. He had no way of knowing the many hardships his answer would cause, nor the many joys he would experience through walking in the presence of God. But Isaiah knew the One who was calling...and that was enough!

As a child of God who has seen and understands His glory, there should be only one response when our Father calls. There is no need for lengthy questions regarding the how, why, or what. When the Creator of the Universe calls, we can assume He has made a wise and perfect choice. And that should be enough!

God never makes mistakes and will never call us without also providing the tools to accomplish everything in His plan: "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work" 2 Corinthians 9:8. We have received His forgiveness and are seeking to abide in the glory of His presence. We must now learn to trust Him more and follow wherever He leads.

God always calls the right person for the job and always provides all we need to fulfill the calling. 

When God calls, let's trust Him and boldly answer: Here am I - send me!

- steve troxel

.....written

The Bible is a precious gift; a gift we call, The Word of God. The words of the Bible tell of the creation of the Universe and God's first "breath of life" into man Genesis 2:7. They tell of man's first sin, his separation from God, and the long process of being brought back into a right and loving relationship with the Father; a process made complete through faith in Jesus Christ. These are the lasting words which reveal God's nature and eternal plan, the words of truth which provide "everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us" 2 Peter 1:3.

We can carry His Word as an offensive weapon used to battle the enemy; "the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" Ephesians 6:17. But His Word is also used as a fine surgical tool; "Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" Hebrews 4:12. His Word can purify and refine by cutting away all which is offensive and unclean.

But for God's Word to have its intended purpose in our life we must accept it as absolute truth, "not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the Word of God" 1 Thessalonians 2:13. The Bible is not just a collection of interesting stories and somewhat profound writings, it is God's Word! We are to receive His Word in faith and apply it with power and authority.

Jesus began His ministry on earth when He was thirty years old. He was baptized by John in the Jordan River and then led into the desert and tempted by the devil. Each time the devil tried to tempt Jesus away from the path which God established, Jesus resisted by directly applying the Word of God.

"Jesus answered, 'It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"Matthew 4:4

Three times the devil tempted, and three times Jesus answered, "It is written!" When Jesus spoke these words, with complete faith and as absolute truth, there was no room for debate; "The devil left Him, and angels came and attended Him" Matthew 4:11.

We have been given a precious gift. We have the words which are able to prepare our heart for the gift of eternal life. We have the words which can yield a life of contentment and peace, a life with purpose. But this gift is only for those who believe and obey. Let's fully accept and apply God's Word today. 

Let's answer this world with a bold confidence by KNOWING that it is written!!

.....thanks

Lord Jesus:
I want to thank You for what you have already done.
I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards,
I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better,
I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me,
I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears,
I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves,
I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet,
I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job,
I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief,
I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed.
I am thanking you right now.
I am thanking you because I am alive.
I am thanking you because I made it through the day's difficulties.
I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles.
I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better.
I'm thanking you because Father, you haven't given up on me.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me" Philippians 4:13

- david langerfeld 

.....confidence

Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel 1 Chronicles 21:1

God always requires total trust in Him alone for our victories in life.  Throughout Scripture we are cautioned not to place our trust in the strength of horses, other men or our own abilities. In 1 Chronicles, David's decision to take a census was a failure to keep his trust totally upon the Lord.

David's purpose in counting his population was to assess his military strength, much like the second census taken under Moses Numbers 1:2-3.  David found 800,000 men eligible for military service in Israel, and 500,000 men in Judah 2 Samuel 24:9, more than double the previous head count.

David's commander evidently recognized the grave error that his king was about to make. "But Joab replied, 'May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord's subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?'" 1 Chronicles 21:3.

Joab was right - the census displeased the Lord. David was falling into the temptation of trusting in the size of his army rather than in the Lord. In consequence, God punished David and reduced his forces by bringing a plague that killed 70,000 men.

How do you avoid placing your trust in God today? Do you trust your bank accounts, your skills, your abilities, your resources, your own wisdom or your own strength?  When you begin to place your faith in these things instead of in the Provider of these things you get into trouble with God.

What a lesson this is for each of us. Today, place your total trust in the Lord for all of your needs.

- os hillman

.....sandbox

A little boy was spending his Sunday morning playing in his sandbox. He had with him his box of cars and trucks, his plastic pail, and a shiny, red plastic shovel. In the process of creating roads and tunnels in the soft sand, he discovered a large rock in the middle of the sandbox.

 

The lad dug around the rock, managing to dislodge it from the dirt. With no little bit of struggle, he pushed and nudged the rock across the sandbox by using his feet. (He was a very small boy and the rock was very huge.) When the boy got the rock to the edge of the sandbox, however, he found that he couldn't roll it up and over the little wall. 

Determined, the little boy shoved, push and pried, but every time he thought he had made some progress, the rock tipped and then fell back into the sandbox. The little boy grunted, struggled, pushed, shoved but his only reward was to have the rock roll back, smashing his chubby fingers. Finally he burst into tears of frustration. 

All this time the boy's father watched from his living room window as the drama unfolded. At the moment the tears fell, a large shadow fell across the boy and the sandbox. It was the boy's father. 

Gently but firmly he said, "Son, why didn't you use all the strength that you had available? 

Defeated, the boy sobbed back, "But I did, Daddy, I did! I used all the strength that I had!" 

"No, son," corrected the father kindly. "You didn't use all the strength you had. You didn't ask me." With that the father reached down, picked up the rock, and removed it from the sandbox. 

Sound familiar??? We all have rocks to move, sometimes we need to go directly to our Father to get the job done!!! "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil 4:13

- david langerfeld

.....will

We are reminded that God is the Creator and we are the clay being molded by the loving hands of the Potter; "We are all the work of Your hand" Isaiah 64:8. Our Father is shaping us into the likeness of His Son, but what is our purpose during this shaping process?

Our transformation begins the moment we trust in Jesus, and we soon learn that our Salvation is never earned by "doing" anything; "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith" Ephesians 2:8. But we also learn that eternal life is for those who do God's will; following Him is not an optional part of the Christian walk. We cannot truly accept Jesus as Savior without also beginning a journey of trust while walking in His steps. Faith means trusting Him enough to follow!

"The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:17

We generally like the idea of "new birth" when we think of being born into God's Kingdom as His child. But we become uncomfortable when we hear, "You are not your own; you were bought at a price" 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. We get uneasy when we read, "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God" Romans 6:22. There is no Salvation without a willful transfer of ownership, and we need to face the difficult truth that this means a transfer of control.

Giving up control is never easy. It can be extra scary to face the unknown from the passenger seat, and it can be an offense to our pride to allow someone else (even God!) to take the lead. The roots of "self" go very deep! But as we learn to completely trust, God brings us to that wonderful place of peace where we can say, "Whom have I in Heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You" Psalm 73:25. Though sometimes difficult, there is great joy in a complete surrender to the will of our Heavenly Father.

As we give Him control over every area of our life, He will show us how to use ALL for His glory; "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works" Ephesians 2:10. He will give us the tools to accomplish His will and, in the process, meet every need and fulfill our deepest desires.

He is the Potter and we are the clay. He is the Creator and we are definitely "the created." But we have been created with an awesome purpose. We have been given gifts, talents, and abilities, which when given back to God are used to bring Him glory and honor. This IS our purpose! We have been created to glorify His Name as we love Him and trust Him with all our heart. 

Let's bring Him glory and honor as we walk in the understanding that we have been created to do His will.

- adapted from steve troxel

.....after

Today, you may not think it's possible, but I can predict with 100% accuracy what will happen tomorrow, ....  

1. God will still be on the throne Psalm 103:19

2. Jesus Christ will still save sinners who trust in Him for salvation John 3:16  

3. The Holy Spirit will still convict people of sin, righteousness, and judgment John 16:8

4. Believers will still have the joy of the Lord and a peace that passes all understanding Philippians 4:4, 7

5. Lost people, those without Christ, will still need to repent and believe the Gospel of Christ Luke 19:10

6. The Church will still focus on worship, fellowship, evangelism, discipleship, and ministry Matthew 28:19-20

7. Those who seek God will still find Him Jeremiah 29:13

8. Those who confess their sins to God will still receive forgiveness and cleansing 1 John 1:9

9. Jesus will still be the only way to salvation John 14:6; Acts 4:12

10. God will still inhabit the praise of His people Psalm 22:3

- david langerfeld

.....created

We spend a great deal of our time and energy attempting to create various areas of our life. We strive to create the ideal work environment in order to provide the necessary resources to create the ideal social and home life. We plan the details of our free time in hopes of creating the ideal leisure. We even go so far as working hard to create the ideal "religious" experience.

Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture Psalm 100:3

No amount of our own effort will ever create the "ideal." For if we are striving to create, we are chasing after the world's elusive, ever changing, false definition of what is really ideal and fulfilling. Our only hope at finding the true ideal is in understanding we are the created, not the Creator. The absolute best in life begins with knowing whose life we really live; "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" Galatians 2:20. Our life belongs to Christ, and it must be left with Him to create the life He desires.

Jesus is the only One who has ever truly been in the creation business; "All things were created by Him and for Him" Colossians 1:16. We were created by Jesus for His sovereign purpose; "We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand" Isaiah 64:8. Somehow, we have begun to consider ourselves as the work of our own hands. 

We try to create a life according to the world's system and fulfill "needs" and "rights" based on this false world view. Not only is this self-centered world view wrong - not only does this value system pull our heart away from God and grieve the Holy Spirit as we fail to follow His leading - but it can also send us into bondage as we chase a lie which will never satisfy.

The truth that will set us free is that our needs are extremely small, and we actually have NO rights - at least not in this world; "You are not your own; you were bought at a price" 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. We have been purchased with the blood of Jesus and given eternal life as joint heirs with Christ in God's Kingdom. We have the right, the privilege, and the great honor of praising Him for all eternity. We need and deserve nothing more.

If we truly want the ideal, we will stop trying to create our life and place every area in the Hands of a loving Creator. God defines and shapes the ideal, and His ideal is ours for the asking. The ideal job, home, marriage, ministry, fun, and friends are all ours; but only through releasing our rights, redefining our needs, and humbly understanding that we are the created.

- steve troxel 

 

.....forget

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us Romans 5:7-8

I have read that, back in the 19th century, when many people from Ireland were seeking passage to move to the New World, a young boy who didn't have the fare secretly boarded a ship as a stowaway. At sea the ship ran into an iceberg and began to sink. When the boy realized what was happening, he came out of hiding and rushed to the deck only to see the captain taking the last seat in the last lifeboat. In the tradition of the sea the captain got out of the lifeboat and gave his seat to the boy. The last thing the captain said to him was, "Never forget what's been done for you."

In the years ahead the boy grew up to be a very successful man. When asked what was the secret of his motivation, he said, "Whenever I begin to doubt myself or let up from what I ought to be doing, I always remember a captain standing on a deck and saying, 'Never forget what's been done for you.'"

May you and I never forget what Jesus Christ has done for us in giving his life on the cross in your place and mine to pay the penalty for all our sins, to grant us a full and free pardon, and to give us the gift of eternal life. May our manner of life and how we live for God and others be evidence of our heartfelt gratitude.

Dear God, how can I ever thank you enough for giving your Son, Jesus, to give his life in my place so that I could be totally forgiven and receive your gift of eternal life in Heaven forever. Help me never to forget this in the way that I live, in what I do, and how I serve you and help others. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer

- dick innes

.....stake

Then they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves' Genesis 11:4 

 

These were the words of men who planned to build the Tower of Babel.  There was every reason why their plans should succeed.  They had the know-how.  They were all of one mind and they had a common purpose - to accomplish something lasting in life, something that would outlive them.

There was a strange old man named Noah.  He built an enormous ark while people laughed at him for years.  But he didn't care.  He was working under orders - and he was not concerned that he might have looked ridiculous. 

The Tower of Babel was a failure. 

The Ark became an instrument of success.

Perhaps the difference in accomplishment stemmed from the difference in incentive - 

"Whose name was at stake?"

"Kings and Kingdoms will all pass away, but there's something about that name"

- david langerfeld

.....prayer

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God Romans 8:26-27

Has it happened to you that when you decide to dedicate more time to prayer, you kneel, prepare to talk to the Lord and go blank? Sure, you can mention a few words about what you need Him to do for you and your family, but you should pray for more than that, right?

Yes, you should! The needs of the believer are in fact the Father's concern, nothing escapes him. However, he tells his children to "not only look out for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too." Philippians 2:4

Selfless prayer may not come naturally to us, but thank God He has provided us with a Helper, the Holy Spirit, who is willing and able to pray effectively, interceding for us Romans 8:26

How should we cooperate with the Holy Spirit? 

• We must recognize God's authority, holiness, and glory. 
• We need to submit to His direction. 
• We must entrust our future to Him, believing that He will turn both negative and positive events in our lives into great good.

In submission to the Holy Spirit, we will discover peace and joy. And as we present petitions inspired by the Holy Spirit, we will also find new words to pray to the Father.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You left us the Helper, Your Holy Spirit. Thank You, Lord, that when I don't know what to say in prayer, Your Spirit intercedes for me. Lord, I acknowledge Your authority, Your holiness, and Your glory. Help me to submit daily to Your Spirit, and to be aware of Your presence in me 

- david langerfeld

.....another

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works… encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25

Recently, my family went on a camping trip with my sister and her family before the kids went back to school. We went on beautiful hikes and enjoyed the quiet time of being in God's wonderful creation.

One of these hikes, however, turned out to be a real challenge, especially with our small children in tow! It was about a 4-mile hike, with varying elevations, and uneven ground. It was hot and humid that day, so it made breathing a little more difficult. 

Although the description of this hike said it was "family friendly", the person describing it must have not been thinking about a parent carrying a 13Kg toddler in a hiking backpack and the other parent carrying 13Kg worth of snacks and water! Needless to say, the hike felt a lot longer than 4 miles. At one point I leaned over to my sister and said, "Now I know why the Israelites complained so much!" 

 

However, there was one thing we had that perhaps the Israelites didn't. As we were walking towards our destination, there were people coming back. They had seen what lied ahead and gave us words of encouragement such as, "You're almost there!" "Just a little longer!" "It is beautiful up there!" Every time these words were spoken to us, it gave us the strength and motivation to keep going. 

And sure enough, it really was a beautiful place once we arrived. There were several cascades, and the view of the lake was breathtaking! The kids played in the water, we all rested, and replenished our energy supply before heading back. On the way back, we made sure to offer words of encouragement to the folks we passed along the way because we knew the difference that had made for us.

Life is very similar to a hike. There are ups and downs, and several rough patches along the way. However, the life experiences God allows us to face can be used to provide encouragement to others who encounter those same difficulties. 

Take full advantage of every opportunity that God gives you to be a motivation to others to keep going, especially when it comes to doing God's work here on earth. Disappointment will sneak in but let us use that to be more aware and intentional on how we can support others. 

Dear Lord, use me to be an encouragement to others with my words and actions. And may I receive the same encouragement when needed as well. Thank you for the community of faith you have placed me in to work together in spreading Your Good News to others. 

- crystal  

.....little

In 1858, a Sunday School teacher named Mr. Kimball led a Boston shoe clerk to give his life to Jesus Christ. The clerk, Dwight L. Moody, became an evangelist. In England in 1879, he awakened evangelistic zeal in the heart of Frederick B. Meyer, the pastor of a small church. 

F. B. Meyer, preaching to an American college campus, brought to Christ a student named J. Wilbur Chapman. Chapman, who worked with the YMCA, employed a former baseball player named Billy Sunday, to do evangelistic work. 

Billy Sunday held a revival in Charlotte, NC. A group of local men were so enthusiastic about the revival that, afterward, they planned another evangelistic campaign and brought in a preacher named Mordecai Hamm. During Hamm's revival, a young man named Billy Graham heard the gospel and yielded his life to Christ. 

Only eternity will reveal the tremendous impact of that one Sunday School teacher, Mr. Kimball, who invested his life in the lives of others. 

When you feel as though you are only one person and wondering what only one person can do, or you feel worthless and unimportant - STOP!!!  One person, doing what God has called them to do, can make a huge difference!  You may the first person in a chain of God-given events that produces the next Billy Graham. 

No one is unimportant to God.  The person who led Billy Graham to Jesus Christ is just as important in God's kingdom as Billy Graham himself. 

 

God loves you and has a special plan for your life.  Starting today, ask God to use you for His Glory and to do His will.  He will amaze you with what He will do in your life!  But more importantly, He will amaze you with what He can do to change the whole world through just one person who is fully committed to Him.

- david langerfeld

.....much

Gideon lived during a time when Israel was ruled by judges. This was the period after the death of Joshua and before Saul was anointed king - a period lasting approximately 325 years. During this time, the people continually wandered away from God and were oppressed by various groups. But God always rose up a judge who would deliver the people and lead them back to Himself...at least for a short while.

The oppression by the Midianites was so severe that many Israelites lived in caves and harvested their crops in secret. When the people cried to God for help, He chose to use Gideon; "'But Lord,' Gideon asked, 'how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family'" Judges 6:15. God wanted His Children to know that true deliverance is only through His strength and by His grace. By using Gideon to save the people, God taught a valuable lesson of trust.

Gideon gathered an army of 32,000.

"The Lord said to Gideon, 'You have too many men for Me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against Me that her own strength has saved her, announce now to the people, "Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead."' So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained." Judges 7:2-3

God's message of grace and power would not be obvious if the army had any hope of victory by their own strength: "But the Lord said to Gideon, 'There are still too many men'" Judges 7:4. Gideon's army started with 32,000 but he was not sent into battle until the army was reduced to only three hundred. These were impossible odds! But God always reigns supreme in the impossible: the battle was completely victorious!!

God is never interested in the "wonderful" things we can do for Him. He is pleased only by our obedience and our trust. In fact, God allows many of our great endeavors to fail simply because they are being pursued without giving Him absolute control. 

We are never to rest in our own strength and ability; rather, we are to continually walk by faith. Several hundred years after Gideon, the prophet Isaiah gave this same message: "Woe to those who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel" Isaiah 31:1.

God will lead us into victory, but we must give Him our total trust. When we walk in His victory, we will have the joy of witnessing His mighty hand and find true fulfillment in bringing Him glory and honor. His victory is never by our strength, savvy, cunning, or intelligence. It is only as we trust Him to work in and through the empty vessel of our life. True victory will only be won as we go into battle with ALL of Him and without too much of us.

- steve troxel

 

.....unfinished

I have not had the opportunity to travel much, but several years ago my dad won a trip to Italy through his business and he asked me to go along. A highlight of the trip was visiting Florence, the great city of the Renaissance. 

One afternoon out of curiosity I went to a museum where the some works of Michelangelo were displayed. As we viewed the half-finished sculpture of St. Matthew the tour guide explained that this unfinished work was a prime example of Michelangelo’s philosophy of art. He believed that in a stone there was a figure or statue waiting to be released. 

The work of the artist was to free the statue from the stone. The statute was so lifelike that I thought any minute St. Matthew might just step out of that huge stone. As I looked at the half-finished statute, I could see that the artist had begun to free the statue but had not been able to complete it. The tour guide went on to explain that Michelangelo had numerous works he never finished.

As I thought about God’s work in us, I realized that God has begun a work in us to conform us to the image of Christ. However, unlike Michelangelo, God does not stop working in our lives until he finishes what he intends to accomplish. According to Philippians 1:6, God will finish what He has started.  Ultimately, God has no unfinished works of grace. 

"Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" Philippians 1:6

- ron meeks 

.....sow

A farmer prepares the soil, plants the seed, and waits several days for the first signs of life. Many weeks pass before a few inches of growth occur and several months go by before it's time to harvest. Much hard work and patience go into reaping a bountiful crop.

The soil of our spiritual field is rich, full of nutrients and moisture; and whether we realize it or not, we are working hard and planting in our field every single day. Every day as we go out into the world we are planting into our spiritual field. Anything we plant is going to grow and produce a harvest according to what we have planted.

A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up Galatians 6:7-9

Every day we are given the opportunity to go into the field and plant new seed; "His compassions never fail; they are new every morning" Lamentations 3:22-23. We are also given the choice of which seed to plant. Seeds of faith and forgiveness are essential for our eternal survival. Seeds of hope and trust are necessary for a life of peace and contentment. And seeds of love, purity, worship, and praise are the seeds which will make our fields beautiful - a fragrant offering to the Lord.

But there are other types of seed - the seeds of lies and deception, of worldly passions and self-exaltation, once these seeds are planted, they can grow faster and stronger than all competing plants. If allowed to grow, these sinful seeds will rise up to dominate the field and choke everything which draws us closer to God; "The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature" Luke 8:14.

Today is a new day with a new opportunity to plant. We must not grow weary of planting that which draws us closer to God; "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think of such things" Philippians 4:8. Today, we WILL plant - so let's plant wisely!

Let's sow seed which glorifies our Heavenly Father and honors Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and let's nurture our field with an unending love. Let's sow the seeds of a bountiful harvest which is free of weeds as we daily abandon the sinful nature and sow to please the Spirit by God's grace.

 

.....evidence

There are many people who remain just outside the gate of eternal life. They have heard the gospel message but are still not convinced of its absolute truth. They may concede that religion is "good," but they need much more evidence before being willing or able to commit their life.

Many of us in the church can relate to those standing outside the gate, refusing to commit. We are inside, but most are not following Christ as we should. We say that if God would give us signs like He gave Abraham and Moses, then all doubt would be removed and we would follow in true obedience. But I'm not sure we would! Jesus said we must obediently follow before we will truly know; "If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether My teaching comes from God or whether I speak on My own" John 7:17. God has revealed Himself. He has called us to follow - to step out in faith - and to THEN receive a wonderful confirmation of His truth.

I have never seen the Red Sea part nor audibly heard God's voice in a burning bush. I have never seen water changed to wine, a blind man made able to see, or a lame man made able to walk. But when I look back at the "mud and mire" Psalm 40:2 from which I have been saved, I see an absolutely clear miracle. And as I continue to try and walk with Jesus day in and day out, I have come to the place where I KNOW!

Indeed, following leads to confirmation. Paul reminds us that all the wonders of creation are a sign of God's Hand.

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse Romans 1:20

There are signs of God all around. Yet sadly, our senses are too often closed. We cry out for evidence, yet we see, hear, smell, touch, and taste evidence every day; He is with us, all around us, in infinite detail.

Let's begin to worship Him every moment of every day as we see His glory in the flowers, trees, and stars; as we hear His beauty in the songs of a bird and the cry of a baby. Let's step through the gate with full commitment and continue our walk in humble submission. Let's live to glorify His name and open our senses to the true evidence of God. 

- adapted from steve troxel

.....joy

When Jesus came to earth, He took on human form and accepted many human limitations. He knew His purpose long before He was crucified: "He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and after three days rise again" Mark 8:31. But He also knew the pain He must endure...and the pain would be very real!

In the hours before His death, Jesus was beaten, whipped, spit on, laughed at, yelled at, and made to wear a crown of thorns. The Creator of the Universe was required to lay bloodied and disfigured as nails were hammered through His hands and feet. His chosen people had turned against Him and demanded His death, and those He loved the most had deserted Him.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God Hebrews 12:2

Jesus endured more humiliation, disappointment, and pain than we can imagine. But the "joy" that allowed Him to endure the cross was the very reason He came to the world. He came to bring God's children back into a relationship with their Heavenly Father. The sacrifice of His death allowed a bridge from death to life. His joy was knowing that God's children would be able to come to Him and truly know Him; that they could talk with Him and worship Him; that they could sit in His presence and be comforted in His loving arms.

We are those children. We are the joy that allowed Him to "endure the cross." How much love is wrapped up in this deep sustaining joy? Enough love to walk with us through the hottest fires, enough love to carry us when we are weak, and enough love to NEVER let us go! "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" Hebrews 13:5.

We all face various kinds of trials, but the One who "endured" continues to walk by our side today. He has given us Himself - a true joy which allows us to endure even as He endured. He has given us the joy of an eternity to worship in His throne room, an eternity to be comforted and praise His Holy Name! He has given us the joy of a love and an unequaled strength which this world cannot begin to understand! We too can face our "cross" with great hope. We WILL endure any and all trials. We can and will endure because He is our joy 

.....step

When Moses died, God assigned Joshua to the position of leadership. The people of Israel needed to know God approved of Joshua and would continue to direct them as they entered the land of Canaan. God was aware of this need and chose to work through Joshua as the people prepared to cross the Jordan river; "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses" Joshua 3:7.

God told Joshua to have the priests carry the ark of the covenant directly into the Jordan river, which was flowing at flood level during the harvest season. He promised that when the priests stepped into the water, He would cause the riverbed to dry and the waters to be "cut off and stand up in a heap" Joshua 3:13.

With all the Israelites waiting in great anticipation, the priests picked up the ark - their most honored possession - and took their greatest step of faith.

As soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away Joshua 3:15-16

God always teaches us about faith and trust by directing us down a path we think is too hard to travel, into circumstances we do not understand. After all, if we could clearly see and understand, there would not be a need for faith. But we often miss the opportunity to experience the true glory of God because we fail to obey and take the first step.

By working through Joshua, God gave the people confidence in their new leader. By requiring an initial action - the first step, He taught a valuable lesson of obedience and trust. The river did not gradually pull back as the priests approached. Nothing happened to the river until the priests left the safety of the shore and stepped into the water. God patiently waited for a full commitment before revealing His mighty hand.

I often hear from people who are hesitant about giving their life to God. Mostly, they are scared by what they can't see or understand, so they remain frozen where they are. They desire to have a more fulfilling life but are paralyzed by the fear of what they may lose in the process. Oh, if we could only see the life we would gain by giving Him our all!

God is waiting. He is ready to pull back the flood waters and lead us into a new land, a land filled with His peace and true contentment. But we MUST commit. Let's trust Him with every area of our life. Let's take a firm hold of His hand and boldly step off the shore.

- steve troxel

.....tested

The longer and closer we walk with God, the more we realize how He uses every opportunity to shape and mold us - to chip, file, and sand the rough edges - as we are gradually "conformed to the likeness of His Son" Romans 8:29. This is His desire for everyone who trusts in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin.

We often learn through personal experience how our trials are used to teach us valuable lessons and refine us into Children of God with the character of Christ; "the testing of your faith develops perseverance" James 1:3. Our trials teach us to persevere in the faith and to trust God with all our heart. But a more subtle refinement of our character occurs as we receive praise for who we are or for what we've accomplished.

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives Proverbs 27:21

This isn't simply referring to how we verbally respond to a compliment; rather, it is the response of our heart which reveals our true belief and submission. God is the sovereign Creator and Lord of ALL! All our abilities and gifts were given by Him. He deserves ALL the praise and maintains the right to redirect us as He chooses. Our motivation must be our love for God and our desire to serve Him through all we do - it must never be driven by the praises of man.

The praise we receive from others is not an indication of God's approval nor a valid measure of success. We take far too much ownership of accomplishments, and most often we simply forget the basic truths: "For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive?" 1 Corinthians 4:7. All we are is from God!

Every step of our journey must be established by God and accomplished in His strength. Every day there are those who refuse to turn to God because they fear the loss of status and praise; "they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God" John 12:42-43. And every day there are those who are diverted in their walk because of a gluttonous desire to feed their pride-filled ego. Unrestrained pride will always choke our relationship with Jesus.

As we are transformed, we WILL begin to accomplish His work; "we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works" Ephesians 2:10. But as praises come for the work we accomplish, we must present them to God for His approval and guidance. He may return the praise as a Heavenly blessing, but He may also dismiss it as an unnecessary distraction and ask us to walk in a new direction. Either way, we must continue to serve with an obedient and loving heart. Let's continue to be transformed in every situation. Let's be determined to never lose our focus as a result of being refined and tested by praise.

- steve troxel 

.....victory

All over the world, there are people facing situations which threaten to send everything they hold dear crashing to the ground. It may be the result of bad decisions or circumstances out of their control; but either way, they awoke in the middle of a whirlwind and cannot determine which direction to turn. There are many others who awoke tired and discouraged, and don't even know why. Today is much the same as any other, but they are questioning the usefulness of continuing.

We live in an imperfect world filled with imperfect people. The result is a bunch of imperfect circumstances! Even when we begin to walk with Jesus, we struggle with these imperfections which distract us and steal our joy.

We need to understand we are not alone. Many more people are struggling than we can possibly imagine. The need for encouragement is huge and will increase as the time of our Lord's return draws near. We also need to know how we can live a life of peace and how we can pass this peace to others.

When we place our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we don't receive the promise of a trouble free life; we receive the promise of life eternal in the presence of God. Many of our troubles here on earth will remain. But an understanding of our eternal promise should encourage us as we shift our focus from life in terms of days and years, to life in terms of eternity; "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" 2 Corinthians 4:17.

Jesus saw these same struggles in His disciples. He wanted them to live a life of peace and contentment, but He also knew they would face many difficulties. After a night of teaching His disciples about their relationship with the Father through faith in His Son, Jesus gave these words of encouragement: I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world John 16:33

Jesus came to conquer sin and death through His sacrifice on the cross: the battle with the true enemy has already been won! If we have come to God in faith and received the transforming gift of His Spirit, we ought to keep this victorious truth at the front of ALL our thoughts. 

As we live day after day - even as we grow weary, lose a few targets and want to quit - let's always remember that through our risen Lord we have an eternal hope. Let's continue with the peace and assurance that in Christ we have been granted the final victory.

- adapted from steve troxel

.....eyes

Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law Psalm 119:18

There is a difference between seeing physically and seeing spiritually. Most people can see physically with their eyes, but not all can see spiritually with their heart. God pronounced the closing of Israel’s spiritual eyes due to their sin Isaiah 6:9-10, and Jesus confirmed the problem remained in His day Matthew 13:13-15. The psalmist was aware of this problem, causing him to ask God to “open [his] eyes, that [he] may see wondrous things from [God’s] law.”

Even as a Christian, we may approach God’s Word with biases, prejudices, and preconceived notions—failing to see what God needs us to see. Hebrews 4:12 explains that God’s Word is “living and powerful...and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” If we truly want God to search our heart Psalm 139:23, we should imitate the psalmist’s prayer when we read the Bible: “Open my eyes.”

We will change over time as we imitate the psalmist’s practice of meditating on God’s Word “day and night” Psalm 1:2 and take to heart what God shows us. It is the only way we can become “complete, thoroughly equipped” to please God 2 Timothy 3:17.

"It is no advantage to be near the light if the eyes are closed." (Augustine)

- david jeremiah

.....walk

God's desire is that we walk down the path He lays before us. This path begins with the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus; "For My Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life" John 6:40. The path continues with living a life of holiness; "But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do" 1 Peter 1:15.

We walk further down His path as we learn contentment "in any and every situation" Philippians 4:12, as we are filled with joy, prayer and thanksgiving 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, and as we begin to truly rest in the peace which only He provides; "Peace I leave you; My peace I give you" John 14:27. It's important to remember that each step down God's path is for the purpose of being "conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He may be the firstborn of many brothers" Romans 8:29. Every step, no matter how difficult, brings us closer to God and shapes us to be more like Jesus.

Have we entered onto God's path through faith in Jesus Christ? Are we now continuing down the path God desires for us to walk? When confronted with choices, is it obvious which direction we should go?

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'"Isaiah 30:21

When we trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, we are adopted into God's Family and begin a journey which lasts the rest of our days. At the moment of Salvation, God gives us His Spirit to guide us along His path; but many times when His Spirit calls, we're too busy to listen...or we choose not to respond.

If we have entered onto God's path and now desire to follow where He leads, we MUST make time to simply slow down and listen; "In repentance and rest is your Salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength" Isaiah 30:15. Our eternal Salvation is a transformation which occurs in an instant, but the earthly joy of our Salvation is found in our daily repentance and quiet guidance from God; His presence is our only place of true peace.

The guiding voice of His Spirit still calls every day, but the competing noise is often so great that we stray from the path and become entangled in the weeds; and there is definitely no peace or contentment in the weeds! Let's get out of the weeds and continue on His path. Let's set aside quiet time to listen for guidance - to hear which way to turn - and to simply rest in His loving arms. 

Let's be determined to boldly follow when we hear His gentle voice calling, "This is the way, walk in it!"

- adapted from steve troxel