come

“Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-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

What is the invitation to the laboring and heavy laden? Jesus says, "Come unto me." 

 

I love that word "Come."  To me it seems full of grace, mercy and encouragement. "Come now," says the Lord in Isaiah, "and let us reason together: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow."

 

Come is the last word in the Bible to sinners. "The Spirit and the Bride say, Come."

 

Jesus does not say, "Go and get ready."  - This is the word of the Pharisee and self-righteous.

Jesus does not say "Go and work out a righteousness. Do this and that and you will be saved."  - Jesus says, Come.

Come is a word of merciful invitation.

It seems to say, "I want you to escape the wrath to come. I am not willing that any should perish. I have no pleasure in death. I would gladly have all men saved, and I offer all the water of life freely. So come to Me."

Come is a word of gracious expectation.

It seems to say, "I am here waiting for you. I sit on my mercy-seat expecting you to come. I wait to be gracious. I wait for more sinners to come in before I close the door. I want more names written down in the book of life before it is closed forever. So come to Me."

 

Come is a word of kind encouragement.

It seems to say, I have treasures to give to you if you will only receive them. I have that to give which makes it worth while to come: a free pardon, a robe of righteousness, a new heart.  So come to Me.

Come and be reconciled to God. 

Come with all your sins, however many they may be. If you come to Him they will be taken away.

Come just as you are. You feel unfit; you say you are not good enough. The worse you think of yourself, the better prepared you are.

 

Christ is not a Savior of those who think they are righteous - but of sinners. I ask you to come now. No other time is your own. Come now to Christ.

 

 

 

fresh

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  Psalm 51:10

Showered and pressed, I felt fresh as a crisp spring morning. I arrived at the airport early. With few people in line at that hour, getting through check-in and the scanners was smooth and quick.

I stepped into a newsstand to buy a paperback suspense mystery and a candy bar, then headed down the concourse. Soon the smell of grease was strong, hanging heavy in the stale airport air. Looking around, I spotted a fast-food place preparing to open for the day. The poorly ventilated restaurant was the culprit.

My gate was just across the aisle. As I sat there I could sense that odor permeating my clothes and hair. I had started out clean, but it wasn’t going to last long. I’d need another shower by the time I arrived at the conference hotel.

I thought of how, spiritually, I can be determined, purposed, cleaned up and refreshed, and how it doesn’t last that long. Daily I have to renew my determination, cleansing, etc.

The Bible has great wisdom and wonderful practical advice on this subject. Yes, I want to choose spiritual refreshing, so I’ll stay as fresh as a crisp spring morning, from the inside out.

-sally kennedy

remove

Jesus has finally arrived, but it was too late; Lazarus was dead! If only He had arrived earlier. Jesus made His way to the tomb with the grieving crowd following. He stood in front of Lazarus’ tomb weeping, revealing His heart to the crowd (John 11).

Then suddenly He instructed the people to remove the stone from grave’s entrance. They couldn’t believe their ears. Martha blurted out in her surprise, "But Lord, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been dead four days."

The people obeyed. Jesus calls out to Lazarus and behold the creator of life gave new life to Lazarus.  Lazarus waddled out of the tomb still wrapped in His grave clothes alive! Jesus directed the people to remove the grave clothes.

This miracle catches us by surprise in several ways. We dare not miss the sign - the miracle of raising a person from the dead is primary. Yet we are surprised by other elements as well. Why did Jesus have the people remove the stone? Was He challenging their faith? Why did He have the people remove the grave clothes? This request seems more obvious.

Lazarus couldn't do it for himself. Whatever the reasons, one thing is abundantly clear – Jesus chose to involve the people in His work. Amazingly, astoundingly He involved His people in His work.

There are many obstacles that hinder people from coming out of their sin – their graves. There is the sin itself biding them. We cannot remove the sin. Only Jesus can do that. But we can work to remove stones. They cannot even hear the voice of God calling because these "stones" are so thick that they muffle His voice.

Though it is impossible for the church, for you and me, to remove all these stones, Jesus is instructing us, His people, to "remove the stone." Stones of ignorance; stones of apathy; stones of physical need; stones of misunderstanding; these are just a few of the stones we can address and help remove.

And the grave clothes; when people find new life in Christ Jesus they bring with them habits, experiences, hurts – grave clothes. They need to be discipled – to have their grave-clothes removed. It is our responsibility in partnership with the Holy Spirit to help them remove the excess baggage that they carried with them from their life in sin. This takes time, effort, patience, persistence, diligence and an extra amount of God's love, which He provides. But it Jesus is looking at us and telling us – "remove the grave clothes."

Let's not neglect our responsibilities. Let’s draw upon God’s limitless resources and accept the glorious gracious privilege of being involved in His work. He calls us and people's eternal lives depend on it!

every

A number of years ago, I heard a sermon on the topic of wants versus needs. The woman in the minister's opening story did not get one thing that she had always planned on having, but she had everything she needed.

She had planned on marrying a young man in her career area, but she married an older man who was wise, good, and kind to her in marriage. She wanted a girl but had a boy, who grew to be a fine young man. She wanted a large plantation-style home, but enjoyed her comfortable bungalow home. And so it went.

Even though the Bible promises that God will give us the desires of our heart if we believe in Him, the Bible also makes it clear that God meets our needs, our true and genuine needs, not our unrealistic or picky desires that lack wisdom and insight. He knows better than we do what we really need and can use to our benefit.

We should all take a moment today to look back over the course of our lives and smile we you see God's loving guidance in the shaping of our lives and choices. Our unrealistic dreams and desires gave place to the solid needs and the wise choices. Where we have erred and suffered, God has been with us giving us hope for better days and better situations. He has supported us through the difficult days and rejoiced with our joy and success.

As we watch our children and their children dream and grow, we can smile as we see their desires turn to genuine delight as the Lord guides their way. We see the hardship that produces character and growth. We can nod in agreement as we see God's wisdom guide them in the ways they should go. We can trust in the love and goodness of God, always and ever.

-mary-ellen grisham

...others

TEN WAYS TO LOVE OTHERS

1.  Listen without interrupting  (Prov 18)
2.  Speak without accusing   (James 1:19)
3.  Give without sparing   (Prov 21:26)
4.  Pray without ceasing   (Col 1:9)
5.  Answer without arguing   (Prov 17:11)
6.  Share without pretending   (Eph 4:15)
7   Enjoy without complaining   (Phil 2:14)
8.  Trust without wavering    (Cor 13:7)
9.  Forgive without punishing   (Col 3:13)
10. Promise without forgetting   (Prov 13:12) 
-author unknown

......killers

Psalm 16:7-11

The birth of a baby, graduation day, the marriage of a child, the visit of a long-distance loved one –  all provide excellent opportunities for JOY to abound…or for worry to creep in and steal the joy.  Will the baby be healthy?  Will the graduate be able to find a good job?  Will the new spouse treat my child well?  When will I be able to see my loved one again?  The enemy loves to have worry lurking around the most joyous of occasions because he is all about stealing, killing and destroying.

Worry is one of the leading killers of JOY.  And who doesn’t have a family member about whom they are worried - a child, a parent, a spouse, a sibling?  Funny how their choices can rob us of our joy unless we recognize that worrying about them is rooted in our desire to control their choices, their responses, their future.  

So, if a lack of joy can be traced to our own control issues, fullness of JOY may be found in relinquishing control and recognizing that we have a Savior who is sovereign, who hears, knows, loves, and desires for us to spend time in His presence.  

As we begin to view worried thoughts as red flags, warning us that we are attempting to take control over someone else, we can choose to thank God that He is in control and at work, even when we can’t see what He is doing.  Thanking God is evidence that we truly trust Him.  Worry and trust cannot coexist.  Trusting God and thanking Him lead to JOY even when a difficult situation may remain unresolved. So the next time worrisome thoughts attempt to crowd joy out of your life, open your hands to the Father, leaving your loved one in His care. Read Psalm 16:7-11 and let the JOY flow in.

Prayer: Father, you know how I have worried and how worry can stamp out every last shred of joy in my life.  But thank You, God, that today is a new day.  I repent of trying to do Your job and acknowledge Your sovereignty and Your control.  Please forgive me for being impatient.  I know You will show me the path of life, for in Your presence is fullness of joy.  I trust You to work out the details.  Thank You, God. I am placing my family ALL IN Your hands.

-alison tomes

faith

Wow, life gets busy in a hurry. In the last six years of my life, I have gone from the college bachelor to a married man with two children. As a young parent, I often stop and think about what has caused me to make some of the decisions that I make. Do I make decisions because I am stepping out in faith, or are my decisions formed from habit? As a new dad, I have come to realize my children will follow my example, and I want them to see me as a man of faith.

Every day, I get to wake up and experience the lives that God has entrusted to me. I am entrusted with raising my children to be servants of Christ and, in all things, have faith. Romans 5:2 says, "Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of underserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory." Sometimes I just stop in awe because I realize the absolute JOY that having my little family brings to me.

Having kids can be scary, intimidating, and overwhelming, but because of my role as a dad and living life with kids, my faith in God has grown stronger. Every day I am reminded through my children to have faith in Jesus. When we have faith in Jesus, we are able to go out each day knowing that no matter what may come, we can handle it because God can handle it.

One great verse I challenge you to remember is Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength." All things! Now that’s faith!!!  Romans 5:1-3

Prayer: Lord, let my trust in you guide my thoughts and actions today. Help me to be a light in your world and show love to your children. Father, lead me to understand your ways. In Christ alone, I pray.

-corey bolen

confession

David, the son of Jesse, is a man from the Old Testament that led a very interesting life. He started from humble beginnings, being born the youngest of eight brothers from a small town. From his youth David was red-haired and handsome, courageous and strong. He was the shepherd boy of the family, and as a shepherd he fought a bear and a lion that sought to prey on his flocks. His physical skill and experience later proved valuable when facing the famous giant of Philistine. On top of these youthful experiences, it is said that David was also a skilled harpist and singer. David was so special he was known as a man after God’s own heart. 

In the Valley of Elah, the battle lines were drawn between a giant called Goliath of Gath and the Israelite army. Goliath verbally challenged and defied the Israelite army. David’s brothers were fighting in Israel’s army. David arrived at the scene delivering grain and bread for his brothers. After hearing Goliath’s words, David,  was willing to fight a giant man who was over 9 feet tall.  With only a sling, five stones and God, David made history by killing this giant.  

Later in life David became the King of Israel. While King, he committed a sin with another, and the one sin led to another and a domino effect took place.  Instead of confessing his sin to God, David tried to cover up his sin, which made the situation worse.  The Bible says God gives grace to the humble.  In Psalm 51, we read about a man seeking genuine repentance who needs forgiveness. We see someone who is sorrowful about his sin. As you read this scripture, I pray you will confess your sins to God, allowing a loving Savior to restore unto you the joy of salvation. 

Prayer:  Lord, we confess our sins, knowing you are faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. We thank you for David’s story and what it teaches us about repentance.  Psalm 51:1-12

-tim alexander

sacrifice

Jesus calls His disciples to sacrificial living – denying self, taking up the cross daily, and following Him. To deny ourselves in various ways each day helps us develop and display sacrificial living. The cross was God’s will for Jesus and meant sacrificial death for Him. Taking up one’s cross means sacrificial death to our "old selves" as we follow God’s will. Families of believers, are we ALL IN? Do we live sacrificially as Christ followers, obeying God’s will, and denying ourselves?

Romans 12:1-2 calls us to live sacrificially, pleasing God by Holy living, being in The Word, and not conforming to worldly patterns. When we are renewed daily through scripture study, we discover God’s will. Paul continues this theme in Ephesians 5:15: to live wisely, understanding God’s will. Spirit-filled, wise lives are shown by our speech and songs, bringing harmony to those around us. Is that how your house sounds? Are melodies and thankfulness displayed through sacrificial living in your home?

Very early in history, God gave us a pattern for families to be "ALL IN". Deuteronomy 6:4-7 instructs believers to make learning God’s Word a natural part of living life. Living in this century requires sacrifice to cut off technology, television, and "game time" in order to teach patterns of spiritual living in our homes.

The "ALL IN" harmony continues in Ephesians 5:21, giving us a key to sacrificial living in our homes: "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." Utilizing this verse as a foundation, families can be "ALL IN" as they sacrifice pride for the purpose of sacrificial living.

In essence Ephesians 5:21 tells us to see who can "out serve" the other in honor of Jesus. Look for ways today to live sacrificially in your house. Before anyone asks… put up the dishes, hang up clothes, clean out the car, or walk the dog. Maybe today you will turn off the tech a little more and sing a song of praise or thanksgiving before a meal or at bedtime.

PRAYER: LORD, you call us to holiness and harmony in our homes. Help us to make the most of every opportunity to live wisely and worshipfully in our homes. May we follow Jesus’ example and the Father’s plan to live sacrificially. May our family be "ALL IN" to out-serve one another sacrificially. In Jesus Name.

Deuteronomy 6:4-7, Ephesians 5:15-6:4, Romans 12:1-2, Luke 9:23

-sue mcalister

repentance

Romans 7:7 - 8:17; John 3:30

I always describe repentance to kids with the example of a skateboarder doing tricks. If you stand on your skateboard and turn it all the way around in a complete circle, what is that trick called? (The boys ALWAYS know.) It’s a “360.” And if you stand on the skateboard and turn it to face the opposite direction, what is that called? It’s a “180”.  And there you have the full extent of my knowledge of skateboard lingo; I have never done a 360 or 180 on a skateboard. My only memory of ever putting BOTH of my feet on a skateboard ends with me flat on my back with an instant headache. 

To repent is to do a 180, to turn and go in the opposite direction of our sin. In Greek, it literally means “to change your mind.” It’s not easy; many of us would rather perfect a skateboard trick than practice the act of repentance. All too often we end up turning in a full circle and going back to our sin, or we end up flat on the ground wondering what just happened. 

No one understood this better than Paul. When I read Romans 7, I am right there with him, grieving and frustrated over my constant failure to get it right. I want to do a 180 and go the other way! But, sometimes, I don’t. 

Thankfully, there is chapter 8! And God through his grace has offered us a way to live that’s not based on our flesh (our ability), but through His spirit within us. Read John 3:30 again and look for ways the Holy Spirit is working in your heart for Him to increase while you decrease. Set your mind on Him more and yourself less. Base your actions on His leading and not your desires. It won’t be easy, but it will change your mind, your heart, and your actions. Quit trying to “land the trick” on your own.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for loving me enough to allow me to ask for repentance. I know I am powerless to see real change in my life without you and I ask that you direct me into the paths of righteousness. 

-shelley farmer

joy

I love joy. Several years ago I performed a word study on the word "joy" and it reshaped my understanding of the word and deepened my faith in Christ. The biggest change in my understanding happened when the words "happiness" and "joy" were compared.

Happiness depends on happenstance, or the moment. You can be happy one minute and sad, mad, or ambivalent the next. I once heard a story about a hunter who happened upon a bear. He was so shocked, he dropped his gun, and began to run away. As he was running, he began to pray, "Lord, please make this bear a Christian." All of a sudden, the bear stopped, dropped to its knees, and began to pray. The hunter was filled with happiness until he heard the bear pray, "Thank you Lord, for this food I am about to receive." The hunter’s happiness quickly left him as his situation changed.

Happiness is fleeting. Joy has a permanence. It literally permeates a believer’s spirit. Whether things are great, or the worst, you can have joy. I have seen people display joy when finding out about a terminal illness, and in the midst of a heart-breaking parenting moment, and even at funerals. Granted joy wasn’t the only emotion being displayed, but it was obvious and powerful. These sobering moments bring clarity to the power and source of a believer’s joy, Jesus himself. I define joy as the exuberance or overflow of our confidence in Christ. A confidence in Christ transcends our hurts and keeps our eyes on the prize.

As a church, it is our job to communicate joy to a community living for happiness. Unbelievers , or worse, the spiritually immature, ride an emotional roller coaster seeking out one happy moment after another. As a church, we have an opportunity to minister to a community through our confidence in Jesus and His plan for our lives even when such plans take us down difficult roads.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, give me the ability to discern between my desire for happiness and my opportunity to shine with joy. Help me to rejoice in the confidence we may have in Christ.

James 1:2-3, Proverbs 15:23

-michael kelly

repentance

Acts 3:19

Last week we celebrated the greatest series of events in human history—Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.  And now what is our appropriate response?  How does one respond to such a passionate demonstration of love and mercy by the God of the universe?

The only worthy response is for us to follow Him with the same passion with which He pursued us.  To love Him, to seek Him, to clear our thoughts and actions of anything that would hinder our relationship with Him.

Daily repentance is a crucial part of our walk with Christ.  The word used in the New Testament for "repent" is metanoeo.  It means to “change one's mind.” In order to receive God’s salvation from sin, we must repent—change our minds and our actions regarding sin.  Repentance is a daily, sometimes hourly, action for believers in order to keep the relationship with God open and clear.

As Christians, we still experience temptations and can sometimes fall into sin, but we are no longer slaves to sin. Romans 6:6 declares, “We know that our old self was crucified…that we should no longer be slaves to sin...” Believers have God’s Holy Spirit within them to help them say “no” to temptation and to convict our conscience of wrongdoing when we do sin.

The Bible says, "Seek the Lord while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts: Let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon" (Isaiah 55:6-7). 

Take a few moments and confess every sin God brings into your thoughts.  Repent by changing your mind and your actions regarding those sins.  Thank the Lord for His forgiveness.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, I repent today and place my trust in You.  I want to be “all in” with You.  Remind me daily to confess my sins and turn from all unrighteousness.  Thank you for your amazing grace and tender mercies toward me.  All praise to You!

-aaron tomes

joy

I Peter 1:8-9

Everyone is looking for joy, and marketers know this.  Every commercial promises the same product: joy.  Want some joy?  Buy our hand cream. Want some joy? Eat at this restaurant, drive this car, and wear this dress. Every commercial portrays the image of a joy-filled person.

Joy.  Everyone wants it.  Everyone promises it, but can anyone deliver it?  Does it surprise you to know that joy is a big topic in the Bible?  The word joy is used 165 times in the Bible? Simply put: God wants his children to be joy-filled.  Just like a father wants his baby to laugh with glee, God longs for us to experience a deeply rooted joy.

The joy offered by God is different from the one promised at an auto dealership or local department store.  God is not interested in putting a temporary smile on your face.  He wants to deposit a resilient hope in your heart.  He has no interest in giving you a shallow happiness that fades when the wind is not at your back.  He offers you joy, a sincere, deep-seated, heartfelt sense of joy, guaranteed to weather the storms.

In 1 Peter, Peter writes to persecuted Christians. Their rights and property have been taken.  Their possessions and futures have been taken, but their joy had not been taken. Why? 1 Peter 1:8 says, “Though you have never seen Jesus, you love Him;  and even though you do not see him now, you still love him and have faith in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,."  The source of their joy was Jesus!  And since no one could take their Jesus, no one could take their joy.

Prayer: God, help me experience true joy, a joy that can only come from you through your son Jesus. Thank you for Peter’s encouragement to us to go beyond a limited view of joy.

-mike mcgraw

...Hope

In the world we live in today, it can be hard to find hope.  If you turn on the news, you can become discouraged by one hopeless situation after another.  It seems the world would have us believe that all hope is lost.  But, thanks be to God, that is not true for those who believe and trust in Jesus!  

In truth, we never have to experience hopelessness.  That is not to say that we will never feel hopeless, or discouraged, or lonely, but we do not have to stay in those lowly positions.  If we allow ourselves to focus on negative circumstances rather than on Jesus, we may feel hopeless, but if we focus on Jesus and hope in Him, we “may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).  

Our family has learned through difficult times that Jesus is our true hope.  He is our strong tower and refuge.  Colossians 1:27 tells us that we have Christ in us, “the hope of glory.”  We, as believers in Jesus, have the best hope there is – the hope of His glory – the hope of getting to spend eternity in His Presence.  Isn’t it wonderful to have this hope?

One of my favorite hymns begins, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.”  I pray that if my children have learned anything from us, it is that they always have hope in Christ.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you that in you we have hope.  Help us to remember, regardless of what happens in this temporary place we live in, You have promised to be with us always.  We are never alone.  Our hope is in You, Lord.  Help us to live out that hope today.   

-angela mitchell

...faith

On June 30, 1859, one of the greatest tightrope walkers in history, Charles Blondin, became the first man in history to walk across Niagara Falls on a tightrope. Approximately 25,000 people watched him walk a 1,000-foot line suspended above the raging falls without any safety nets. When he safely reached the Canadian side, the crowd cheered with thunderous applause.

On another occasion, he attempted to cross The Falls once again - this time, however, with a wheelbarrow. The crowd gasped as he carefully loaded the front wheel of the wheelbarrow on the tightrope. He turned to the crowd and asked if they believed he could do it using the wheelbarrow. Everyone cheered in approval. They all believed he could.

He turned to a reporter who was covering the event. He looked straight at him and asked the question, "Do you believe I can do this?" The reporter responded with a big smile, "Yes! I believe you can do it."

"Good", the tightrope walker responded. "Get in the wheelbarrow!"

If we are going to be a church that truly is "all in" for Jesus, we need "wheelbarrow faith." We must have faith that doesn’t just "say" we believe; we have to truly believe. We have to live out our faith in our daily lives. We have to "get in the wheelbarrow."

Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive me when I just "talk the talk" and don’t "walk the walk." Make me a person of genuine faith. Help me relinquish total control of my life and fully place my trust in you. Lead me to encourage others in our church to have "wheelbarrow faith."

2 Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 11:6; Matthew 17:20

-david langerfeld

sting

A vacationing family drives along in their car, windows rolled down, enjoying the warm summer breeze of the sunny day.  All of a sudden a big black bee darts in the window and starts buzzing around inside the car.  A little girl, highly allergic to bee stings, cringes in the back seat.

If she is stung, she could die within an hour.

"Oh, Daddy, " she squeals in terror, "it's a bee!  It's going to sting me!"

The father pulls the car over to a stop, and reaches back to try to catch the bee.  Buzzing towards him, the bee bumps against the front windshield where the father traps it in his fist.  Holding it in his closed hand, the father waits for the inevitable sting.  The bee stings the father's hand and in pain, the father lets go of the bee.

The bee is loose in the car again.  The little girl again panics, "Daddy,it's going to sting me!"

The father gently says, "No honey, he's not going to sting you now.  Look at my hand."

The bee's stinger is there in his hand.

"Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?" (1 Cor. 15:55)

Jesus says to us, "Look at my hands."

He has Satan's sting,
the sting of death,
the sting of sin,
the sting of deceit,
the sting of feeling worthless.

Jesus has all of those stingers in His hands.

When you see that nail-scarred hand, realize that, on your behalf, Jesus took the sting and all the pain that Satan could throw at Him.  That's the victory that Jesus won for you!
-author unknown

...out...

Unfortunately, a lot of people are like mummies, "all wrapped up in themselves".  And they don't want to become unwrapped. All they do is come "unwound" at the thought of coming out of their safe tomb or stepping out in faith. But Jesus calls us out of the tomb, sets us free and calls us to move beyond ourselves into a life of faith, commitment, obedience and service.

On the old Merv Griffin Show. There was a time when he was interviewing some body builders. As he was standing there looking at these guys with all these muscles, he asked a powerful question: "What do you use these muscles for?"

One guy answered by flexing his muscles in one of those body builder stances. But Merv said, "No, you don't understand. What do you USE all those muscles for?" The guy said, "I'll show you." And he flexed again in another stance.

Again Merv said, "No. You still don't understand my question. Read my lips. What do you USE them FOR?" The guy posed again.

Jesus calls us out of the tomb, sets us free and calls us to move beyond ourselves into a life of faith, commitment, obedience and service. When we just come to Church and sometimes read our Bibles and just enjoy the fellowship but nothing else, then we're like those body building guests. We're like mummies, still wrapped up in ourselves. Jesus calls us to move beyond ourselves to a life of faith and committed service.

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23

-billy d. strayhorn

his

There is a story that comes out of the Bedouin culture. "Bedouin" is the Aramaic name for "desert dwellers." These people live much as the characters of the Old Testament did. During a heated argument, according to this story, a young Bedouin struck and killed a friend of his. Knowing the ancient, inflexible customs of his people, the young man fled, running across the desert under the cover of darkness, seeking safety.

He went to the black tent of the tribal chief in order to seek his protection. The old chief took the young Arab in. The chief assured him that he would be safe until the matter could be settled legally.

The next day, the young man's pursuers arrived, demanding the murderer be turned over to them. They would see that justice would prevail in their own way.

"But I have given my word," protested the chief.

"But you don't know whom he killed!" they countered.

"I have given my word," the chief repeated.

"He killed your son!" one of them blurted out. The chief was deeply and visibly shaken with his news. He stood speechless with his head bowed for a long time. The accused and the accusers as well as curious onlookers waited breathlessly. What would happen to the young man? Finally the old man raised his head. "Then he shall become my son," he informed them, "and everything I have will one day be his."

The young man certainly didn't deserve such generosity. And that, of course, is the point. Love in its purest form is beyond comprehension. No one can merit it. It is freely given. It is agape, the love of God. Look to the cross. At the cross we encounter love in its purest form.

-king duncan

trees

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods.  They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, 

"Someday I hope to be a treasure chest.  I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems.  I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."

 

Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship.  I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world.  Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull." 

Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees.   When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree,  I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.

At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong  tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard."  The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true.

One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it down."

 

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a  feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay.  This was not at all what he had prayed for.

The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.

Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree.

The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but  this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep.   While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe.  The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said  "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it.

When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill.

When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you.  If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined.

We don't always know what God's plans are for us.  We just know  that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.

-author unknown

....reaction...

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

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

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

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

-mike kruger