laws

“Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.”Romans 8:1-3

In the chapter that precedes this Scripture, Paul shared his confession about the sin that is a constant source of conflict in his life. He wants to do what is right and godly, but his old sinful nature rises up and tries to control him. 

He feels like he is in the middle of a great battle between good and evil. Have you ever felt that way?

I want you to know that when I was growing up, I was a good boy. I always tried to be good, but it often did not work out that way. You may think that I am making this up, but I can remember lying in bed in the morning trying to imagine what I would get a spanking for that day.

That was back in the day when spanking was not considered child abuse. It was simply applying the board of knowledge to the seat of learning! It was a painful lesson—but effective. The old saying; “Spare the rod and spoil the child,” has certainly been proven true in our day and age. We are paying the price for our neglect to discipline.

Paul closes chapter seven with this shout of victory in verse 25: “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin and death.”

Isn’t it satisfying to know that God has provided our deliverence? He knew that we would never be able to be good enough to merit salvation. Blood was required for the atonement for sin, but there was a catch—it had to be the blood of a spotless lamb.

Year by year Israel sacrificed a lamb as a substitute, but it still was not enough. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, the totally innocent Lamb of God to be slain for the sins of the people. Our salvation comes as we confess our sin and need to the Lord. We invite Him into our heart and immediately become “born again” children of God! Praise the Lord! I think that is why Paul shouted—“Thanks be to God”.

If you are dealing with sin in your life, confess it. I do not mean a half-hearted—“I’m sorry”, but a deep seated sorrow for your sin. According to I John 1:9, we have assurance that our confession will be heard: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

-cecil thompson

?looking

One blustery winter day a few years ago Lois and I were purring along in our car. We were listening to Christmas music on our way to do some shopping. It was a few days before Christmas. We were thinking about how good God had been to us. We were in good health. We had eight children who love us. We had fulfilling ministry. So many blessings. Our hearts were full and happy. Things were close but we had all we need and much of what we want.

Passing an area where there were some poor children playing, Lois said, "Turn around and go back. Let's find a little child who could use some money."

After some mild objections I turned around and we went back and drove into the dirt road between the modest houses. I rolled the window down and drove slowly looking toward the little groups of children.  Most of them stood back and looked at our slow-moving car suspiciously. Finally one little boy ran out to the car and said, "Hi, can I help you?"

"Yes," I said. "I'm looking for a young man that could use an extra twenty dollars for Christmas. Do you know anybody like that?"

"Sure," he said, "I can." Grinning, he reached out and took the money.   "Wow, thanks!" He ran toward the house shouting, "Hey mom, dad..."

We drove away.

We weren't looking for a boy who was talented or gifted or handsome or impressive in any way. We were just looking for a boy who was willing to admit that he could use an extra twenty dollars at Christmastime.

When Jesus came to this sin-poor world He was not looking for sharp people for his team.

   He was not looking for funding for His cause.

   He was not looking for moral support.

   He was looking for some good honest sinners...

   He was looking for sinners who knew they were sinners...

The heart of the Christmas story came out once when one of Jesus' disciples was irritated that Jesus had been rejected by Samaritans. He said, "shall we call down fire out of heaven and consume them?"  Jesus' answer revealed His heart for the world. He said, "The Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." (Luke 9:56)

Later in the book of Luke Jesus said to Zacchaeus, "The son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."  (Luke 19:10). Jesus came looking for people who were sinners. According to the gospels sinners are sick, lost, wounded, dead, weak and ungodly. That is the kind of people Jesus came looking for at Christmas time.

The God of Eternity is looking to pour out the riches of his salvation to anyone willing to admit his spiritual poverty. He is willing to heal anyone who is willing to admit that he is spiritually wounded. He is seeking to find anyone who is willing to admit he is lost. He is eager to heal those who are broken and sick. He came looking for people who were needy and willing to admit it. These are his favorite kind of people.

Christmas is for good, honest sinners. The people who have not been deceived into believing that they don't need Jesus. Christmas is for good honest sinners who live in a deep and continual awareness of their need. Christmas is for when Jesus came to show people whose idols have failed them that Jesus is all their hearts ever craved.

It's Christmas, when Jesus came looking for some good honest sinners. Anyone interested? Who wants to be first to say, "I need you, Jesus." Jesus is looking for broken people to bless. He is looking for hurting people to help. He is looking for sinners to save. Let him know you qualify.

-kenneth l. pierpont

?defeat

It was June 18, 1815, the Battle of Waterloo. 

The French under the command of Napoleon were fighting the Allies (British, Dutch, and Germans) under the command of Wellington. The people of England depended on a system of semaphore signals to find out how the battle was going. One of these signal stations was on the tower of Winchester Cathedral.

Late in the day it flashed the signal: "W-E-L-L-I-N-G-T-O-N---D-E-F-E-A-T-E-D- -." Just at that moment one of those sudden English fog clouds made it impossible to read the message. The news of defeat quickly spread throughout the city. The whole countryside was sad and gloomy when they heard the news that their country had lost the war.

Suddenly the fog lifted, and the remainder of the message could be read. The message had four words, not two. The complete message was: "W-E-L-L-I-N-G-T-O-N- --DE-F-E-A- T-E-D- - -T-H-E- - -E-N- E-M-Y!" It took only a few minutes for the good news to spread. Sorrow was turned into joy, defeat was turned into victory!

So it was when Jesus was laid in the tomb on the first Good Friday afternoon. Hope had died even in the hearts of Jesus' most loyal friends. After the frightful crucifixion, the fog of disappointment and misunderstanding had crept in on the friends of Jesus.

They had "read" only part of the divine message. "Christ defeated" was all that they knew. But then on the third day--early Sunday morning --the fog of disappointment and misunderstanding lifted, and the world received the complete message: 

"Christ defeated death!" 

Defeat was turned into victory; death was turned to life!

-james s. hewett

?light

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 2 Corinthians 3:18.  Paul says,"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."  Now as followers of Jesus Christ we are supposed to light our world.  God has positioned you where you work, or live, or go to school, or where you shop, to make a difference, a Jesus-difference there.  By your love, your joy, your Jesus-treatment of people, you're supposed to light up what would otherwise be a much

darker environment.

But we are like the moon; we have no glory of our own.  This verse says we reflect Jesus' glory!  He says it in another way in chapter 4, verse 7. "We have this treasure in jars of clay so that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."  You see, anything we do for the Lord, it's all God.  Now we should be a lot brighter, I think, than we are.  There are a lot of important things He wants to do through you, but maybe you're not making nearly the difference you should be making.  It's probably because of one basic spiritual misunderstanding about who's the "sun" and who's the "moon."  Maybe these are things you've been asked to do for the Lord, but you're afraid to say "yes" because you feel inadequate.  

You want people you're around to hear about Jesus, but you just haven't said anything because you're afraid you'll mess it up.  God is putting before you some ways that He wants you to make a difference, but you keep shrinking back.  But see, you're missing something.  You're not the "sun."  You don't have to produce the power, or the words, or the strength, or the light to pull it off. 

It's Jesus who does the work.

He's only asking for you to be available.  He knows you and I can't produce the light; that's His job!  He just wants you to be in a position to reflect His light onto the people around you.  That takes a lot of pressure off.  That means you can help somebody be in heaven with you someday.

In chapter 3, verse 5 in 2 Corinthians He says, "Not that we are competent in our-selves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.  He has made us competent."  See, you can dare to step up to responsibility that would be impossible if it depended on you.  It doesn't.  It depends on the Son of God!

This "reflected" glory neutralizes our feelings of inadequacy and pride.  Maybe you've begun to feel a little prouder of the kind of Christian you've been, or some of the things you've done for the Lord.  Hey, news flash! You haven't done them!

You're only a glowing piece of rock." It's all Jesus, reflecting His glory through you.  What are you doing taking any credit for any of it?  If the sun were to go out some full-moon night, we would immediately know where the light's been coming from all along and how little the moon has to do with it. 

The light of the Son of God never goes out, and He chooses to reflect in on your valley, through your life, your personality, your abilities, even your weaknesses.  Isn't that amazing?  You can light up your world with light that does not come from you, but from the very Son of God himself!

-ron hutchcraft

control

The prayer has been prayed in times of decision and indecision. 

The prayer has been prayed during times of turmoil and frustration and confusion. 

The prayer has been prayed in hospital rooms, intensive care units, in business meetings, before, during and after surgery, in times of fear, and times of great confidence. 

The prayer has been prayed while standing next to a crib, while standing next to a hospital bed, and while standing next to a casket.

There have been many times after praying the prayer that I have experienced a sense of peace and quiet comfort has washed over me. 

There have been other times after praying the prayer that I have been consumed with fear and overcome with panic. 

There have been times when I felt that He really took control. 

There have been times when I wondered why He did not take control. And there have been times when I did not feel or sense anything.

So what makes the difference?

The difference seems to be found not in the prayer, whether prayed one time or a dozen times. 

The difference seems to be found in whether or not I have also incorporated an attitude of submission and surrender. Not only is it essential that I pray, "Lord, take control!" I must also pray, "I surrender" or "I am in submission to You."

I can pray, "Lord, take control!" all night and all day, but unless I submit to His control it is futile. I can beg and plead, "Lord, take control!" with all the sincerity and emotion I can muster, but it is not until I truly submit that I will experience the power of God at work in my life.

Job said it this way, 

"Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you"  (Job 22:21).

James said this, 

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

I must yield to His control. 

I must surrender to His will. 

I must give up my control and allow Him to take control. 

I must defer to His leadership. 

I must give in to His plans.

Lord, take control. I surrender!

-june kiwia

anvil

Hope you have had every reason to be grateful for the blessings each Sabbath brings.

I need to remind you of the value God attaches to your person,

On God's anvil. Perhaps you've been there.

Melted down. Formless. Undone. Placed on the anvil for…reshaping? (A few rough edges too many.) Discipline? (A good father disciplines.) Testing? (Buy why so hard?)

I know. 

I've been on it. 

It's rough. 

It's a spiritual slump, a famine.

The fire goes out. Although the fire may flame for a moment, it soon disappears. We drift downward. Downward into the foggy valley of question, the misty lowland of discouragement. Motivation wanes. Desire is distant. Responsibilities are depressing.

It can be caused by a death, a breakup, going broke, going prayerless. The light switch is flipped off and the room darkens. "All the thoughtful words of help and hope have all been nicely said. But I'm still hurting, wondering….."

On the anvil.

Brought face to face with God out of the utter realization that we have nowhere else to go. Jesus in the garden. Peter with a tear-streaked face. David after Bathsheba. Elijah and the "still, small voice." Paul, blind in Damascus.

Pound, pound, pound.

I hope you're not on the anvil. (Unless you need to be, and if so, I hope you are.) Anvil time is not to be avoided; it's to be experienced. Although the tunnel is dark, it does go through the mountain. Anvil time reminds us of who we are and who God is. We shouldn't try to escape it. To escape it could be to escape God.

God sees our life from beginning to end. He may lead us through a storm at age thirty so we can endure a hurricane at age sixty. An instrument is useful only if it's in the right shape. A dull ax or

bent screwdriver needs attention, and so do we. A good blacksmith keeps his tools in shape. 

So does God.

Should God place you on his anvil, be thankful. It means he thinks you're still worth reshaping.

-max lucado

...me

Mandy was determined to make my life miserable.  Unfortunately, our relationship didn't start  out very well.  We both applied for the same supervisory position, which I was offered in the end.   Not only did I get her promotion, I became her new boss.  Her response was to take it out on me.

I had enough to worry about: increased responsibilities, a different office, and a new staff. I needed Mandy's knowledge and experience to keep things running smoothly.  But she did  everything she could to trip me up.  We worked near each other, but Mandy rarely offered help, even when she saw me struggling.  In fact, she whispered behind my back and complained to other staff about me. Despite all that, I tried to smile when she walked toward me. Eventually  though, my smiles melted under the tension I felt when she entered the room. 

   

About a month into my new job, I fumed to God on the way to work.  I informed Him how urgent  it was that He fix Mandy, and now!  I filled Him in on how rude, disrespectful, maligning and  destructive she was. My complaining prayers when on and on.  

But somewhere between my ranting and raging, God whispered into my ear, Pray for her.  I caught my breath, confused. I told God how absurd it was to pray for her and proceeded to explain how, based on her behavior, she didn't deserve my prayers. Anyway, I couldn't think of a single thing to pray about..

  

Still, I couldn't get that phrase, Pray for her,  out of my head. 

God kept nudging me to pray for Mandy, but I resisted.  However, I managed to complain about  her to my husband and anyone else who would listen. Eventually my stomach tied in knots when  I was around her.  I was beginning to dread my new job.  Finally, with no affection whatsoever, I gave in and prayed.  It was hard to know quite where to start, so I began by praying about her temper, then her attitude, and then her work ethic.  After I got all that behind me, something  surprising happened.  Instead of feeling justified, I felt warmer to her.

I kept praying for Mandy and my prayers seemed to lift my shield of resentment toward her. I also   saw her with new eyes.  I saw how lonely she looked after a phone call from her mom and how  insecure she appeared when learning a new task.  I observed how loyal she was to our customers  and how much they enjoyed her jokes.  I notice how tired she looked in the mornings and that her   hands trembled while talking with me.  With these new observations, I became more aware of how

to pray for her. and my prayers increased.

Eventually my payers spilled out into how I treated her.  I affirmed her good customer service and   gave her a flower one day to thank her. It became easier to smile sincerely when she entered the   room.  I even cross-trained Mandy in my job.  She grew more indispensable and confident.

Months later, after a particularly good day, I thanked God for all the work He had done in Mandy. Obviously, my prayers had made a big difference in her, because things were going so well. But as

soon as I said it, I heard that now familiar whisper, Mandy wasn't the only one who changed!

Phillippians 2:13: "For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."

God not only shows us what we should do but works to give us the desire to do it as well.

Romans 8:28: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

-deborah genskow

?mean

The lion was proud of his mastery of the animal kingdom...

One day he decided to make sure all the other animals knew he was the king of the jungle. He was so confident that he bypassed the smaller animals and went straight to the bear. "Who is the king of the jungle?" the lion asked. The bear replied, "Why, you are, of course." The lion gave a mighty roar of approval.

Next he asked the tiger, "Who is the king of the jungle?" The tiger quickly responded, "Everyone knows that you are, O mighty lion."

Next on the list was the elephant. The lion faced the elephant and addressed his question: "Who is the king of the jungle?" The elephant immediately grabbed the lion with his trunk, whirled him around in the air five or six times, and slammed him into a tree. Then he pounded him onto the ground several times, dunked him under water in a nearby lake, and finally threw him up on the shore. The lion--beaten, bruised, and battered--struggled to his feet.

He looked at the elephant through sad and bloody eyes and said, "Look, just because you don't know the answer is no reason for you to get mean about it!"

 "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall"

(Prov. 16:18).

-gerald flurly

compromise

After you read this you will have a better understanding of what it means to compromise.

Some years ago when I was a pastor, I walked into my church office after a Saturday morning  service to find a sandwich bag on my desk containing three chocolate brownies. Some thoughtful and anonymous saint who knew my love for chocolate had placed them there, along with a piece of paper that had a short story written on it. I immediately sat down and began eating the first brownie as I read the following story:

Two teenagers asked their father if they could go the theater to watch a movie that all their friends had seen. After reading some reviews about the movie on the internet, he denied their request.

'Aw dad, why not?' they complained. 'It's rated PG-13, and we're both older than thirteen!'  Dad replied: 'Because that movie contains nudity and portrays immorality, which is something that God hates, as being normal and acceptable behavior.'

'But dad, those are just very small parts of the movie! That's what our friends who've seen it have told us. The movie is two hours long and those scenes are just a few minutes of the total film! It's based on a true story, and good triumphs over evil, and there are other redeeming themes like courage and self-sacrifice. Even the Christian movie review websites say that!'

'My answer is 'no,' and that is my final answer. You are welcome to stay home tonight, invite some of your friends over, and watch one of the good videos we have in our home collection. But you will not go and watch that film. End of discussion.'

The two teenagers walked dejectedly into the family room and slumped down on the couch. As they sulked, they were surprised to hear the sounds of their father preparing some-thing in the kitchen. They soon recognized the wonderful aroma of brownies baking in the oven, and one of the teenagers said to the other, 'Dad must be feeling guilty, and now he's going to try to make it up to us with some fresh brownies. Maybe we can soften him with lots of praise when he brings them out to us and persuade him to let us go to that movie after all.'

About that time I began eating the second brownie from the sandwich bag and wondered if there was some connection to the brownies I was eating and the brownies in the story. I kept reading...

The teens were not disappointed. Soon their father appeared with a plate of warm brownies  which he offered to his kids. They each took one. Then their father said, 'Before you eat,  I want to tell you something: I love you both so much.'

The teenagers smiled at each other with knowing glances. Dad was softening. 'That is why I've made these brownies with the very best ingredients. I've made them from scratch. Most of the ingredients are even organic. The best organic flour. The best free-range eggs. The best organic sugar. Premium vanilla and chocolate.' The brownies looked mouth-watering, and the teens began to become a little impatient with their dad's long speech.

'But I want to be perectly honest with you. There is one ingredient I added that is not usually found in brownies. I got that ingredient from our own back yard. But you needn't worry, because I only added the tiniest bit of that ingredient to your brownies. The amount of the portion is practically insignificant. So go ahead, take a bite and let me know what you think.' 

'Dad, would you mind telling us what that mystery ingredient is before we eat?' 'Why? The portion I added was so small. Just a teaspoonful. You won't even taste it.' 'Come on, dad, just tell us what that ingredient is.' 'Don't worry! It is organic, just like the other ingredients.' 'Dad!' 'Well, OK, if you insist. That secret ingredient is organic...dog poop.'

I immediately stopped chewing that second brownie and I spit it out into the waste basket by my desk I continued reading, now fearful of the paragraphs that still remained.

Both teens instantly dropped their brownies back on the plate and began inspecting their fingers with horror. 'DAD!Why did you do that? You've tortured us by making us smell those brownies cooking for the last half hour, and now you tell us that you added dog poop! We can't eat these brownies!' 'Why not? The amount of dog poop is very small compared to the rest of the ingredients. It won't hurt you. It's been cooked right along with the other ingredients. You won't even taste it. It has the same consistency as the brownies. Go ahead and eat!' 'No, Dad...NEVER!'

'And that is the same reason I won't allow you to go watch that movie. You won't tolerate a little dog poop in your brownies, so why should you tolerate a little immorality in your movies? We pray that God will not lead us into temptation, so how can we in good conscience entertain ourselves with something that will imprint a sinful image in our minds that will lead us into temptation long after we first see it?'

I discarded what remained of the second brownie as well as the entire untouched third brownie. What had been irresistible a minute ao had become detestable. And only because of the very slim chance that what I was eating was slightly polluted.

What a good lesson about purity! Why do we tolerate any sin? On the day of the Passover, the Israelites were commanded to remove every bit of leaven from their homes. Sin is like leaven - a little bit leavens the whole lump (1 Cor. 5:6).

Jesus, 'our Passover' (1 Cor. 5:7), and sin, don't mix.

'Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps if you are not willing to move your feet.'

-anonymous

risk

To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do 

nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. Luke 19:26 (NLT)

Jesus once told the story of a master who asked three servants to handle his money while he was away. He gave each of them a sum of money, and when he returned, the first servant told the master he'd doubled the money through investments, and the second servant said he'd made the master a 50-percent profit on the money. But the third servant said he'd been afraid the master would punish him for making mistakes -- so he hid the money in the cellar until the master's return.

The master rewarded the first two servants, saying those who handle a little well will be given even more. But he rebuked the third servant, saying, "... Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of. Play it safe and end up holding the bag." (Luke 19:26, Msg)

Jesus requires his disciples to take risks because those risks are the substance of our faith. They stretch us to live by faith instead of living by sight. They stretch us from an independent, self-directed life to one dependent and directed by God.

If we don't take the risks required to follow Jesus, then we can't do many of the things Jesus commands us to do. 

If we don't take steps of faith, then we're living faithlessly.

What Now?

* Risk great things for God -- You take a faith-filled risk when you attempt to do tasks that are impossible unless God gives you his strength.

* Risk loving others -- You take a faith-filled risk when you love other believers so deeply and richly that you catch the world's attention by thee way you reflect God's love.

* Risk telling others -- You take a faith-filled risk when you change the priorities of your life, making telling others about Jesus among the most important things you do.

* Risk obeying God -- You take a faith-filled risk when you abandon yourself to God, loving him with your whole heart, soul, strength, and mind.

-john walker

checklist

“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law My servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Joshua 1:6-8

I am fascinated by the space program. It is a delight to watch flights of the Space Shuttle from the time of its lift-off until touchdown. But throughout the mission there is a function that might completely by-pass most people, but it is of particular interest to me—the checklist!

In my colorful past, I once was a missile launch control officer for the Minuteman Missile program. Each of our capsules controlled ten missiles. Our control centers were located deep underground and over ten miles from even the closest missile.

Before we were ever allowed to serve as a missile crew member, we had to go through a considerable amount of training. We also had to spend time in a training capsule that simulated the real thing. Through all of this training we had to learn to follow the checklist. Each crew member carried a large briefcase with our checklist notebooks. We were never allowed to do things on our own, but always did things in sequence and checked them off the list.

As I watch the space crew on the shuttle and the space station, I notice that they are always following their own checklists. Many times you will hear the controllers on ground calling out pages and numbers for them to take actions in the correct order.

In the Scripture above, God is speaking directly to Joshua about his new position as leader of the Israelites. He is not to rely upon his experience of serving as an assistant to Moses, but rather rely upon the law which Moses wrote down and left for Joshua. It was not simply Moses’ words, but the inspired words which God gave for him to write.

The Lord is saying to Joshua—Follow the checklist! Let’s take a little visit to the list God gave Joshua: 

1. “Be strong and very courageous.” Things may seem to be threatening and overwhelming, but we read the checklist and see that we are to react with His strength and our courage to believe what God says, not simply what we see.
2. “Be careful to obey all the law My servant Moses gave you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left.” Not part of God’s law, but all of His law. It is not a selective process, a pick and choose which of His laws we will obey. We are to have a totally obedient heart.
3. “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth.” Not only are we to read God’s Word and obey it, we are to make it a part of our conversation.
4. “Meditate on it day and night.” It is impossible to meditate upon God’s Word if we have not spent time reading and studying it.

How many of them can you check off on a daily basis? As a motivation, look at what God promises for following His checklist: “That you may be successful wherever you go… then you will be prosperous and successful.”

God has provided us with checklists throughout His Word. 

May we be careful to obey and check them off!

-cecil thompson

...home

“So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:6

Back in 1966 I was away from family and home as I served an unaccompanied tour with the US Air Force in St. Anthony, Newfoundland. Even though it wasn’t home, I did make many wonderful friends and had a comfortably warm and secure room.

One Sunday evening a few days before Christmas, I was invited to the home of the administrator of the mission hospital in St. Anthony. The other guests that night included doctors and nurses from all over the world. We spent the evening sharing testimonies and singing Christmas carols.

When we sang “Silent Night” someone suggested that those from other nations sing it in their own language. As they sang in their native tongue, tears would flow freely down their cheeks. There was joy in the room, but something vital was missing—we were all far from home.

People may have the most luxurious house, but that does not make a home. It is not the location of a house or even its luxury that brings joy—it is what is on the inside. 

The same can be said of the true believer.  As the words of the old gospel song say, “This world is not my home, I’m just passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue...”

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

–cecil thompson

...wilderness

"The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him" (Mark 1:12-13).

Mark's record of the Spirit's compelling Jesus into the wilderness immediately following his baptism has always intrigued me. The original language is so forceful as to imply that the Spirit literally expelled Jesus into this land of wild beasts and satanic attack.

It is even more striking when compared to Matthew and Luke's gospels which both suggest that Jesus was "led by the Spirit" into the wilderness (Matthew 4:1; Luke 4:1). Despite Matthew and Luke's gentler version, the force is still the same--the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tested, nay, tormented by the devil. Why would the Spirit compel Jesus into the land of testing?

To understand this question, we must go back to the exodus of Israel from their Egyptian oppressors. After 400 years of oppression and enslavement, God sent Moses to deliver the people and to lead them into the Promised Land. A great drama ensues between the "gods" of the Egyptians and the God of Israel. Ten plagues fall, the Red Sea is parted, and the Egyptian army is swallowed up by the raging waters. And then we read, "Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water....and the whole congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness" (Exodus 15:22; 16:2). Israel would spend the next forty years, the text tells us, wandering in that wilderness of lament and bitterness. A great beginning stalls in the deserts of Sinai.

Like Israel before him, Jesus's story as recorded by Mark begins with great drama. John the Baptist announces the Deliverer; Israel's exile was over for the Messiah had come. The Deliverer is baptized by John and in front of the crowds declared "the beloved Son" of God. What a tremendous beginning to his earthly ministry. And yet, like Israel, Jesus begins that earthly ministry not with healings and miracles, or with fanfare and great teachings, but by being "immediately cast out into the wilderness." Jesus, many commentators have suggested, was re-enacting the great history of Israel in his own life and ministry. He was Israel's Messiah, their deliverer, just as Moses had been.

Yet, like Israel, Jesus would be tested and his test had to precede entry into the Promised Land. But unlike Israel, Jesus would pass the test and his deliverance of his people would be his gift and offering to God for all eternity.

I am mindful during these days and weeks leading up to Easter morning that before we can enjoy the promised land of resurrection life, we too must go through the wilderness. I do not go through a single day without hearing many stories about the wilderness spaces people dwell in through suffering, disappointment, doubt, or sin.

Often, we want to rush through the wilderness to get to the other side. But, like Jesus, we too must travel through wilderness places. Like Jesus, we will be compelled into that wilderness where there are deaths and deprivations. The wilderness is a place of testing trust. In the wilderness of unmet needs, what do we do? Who will we turn to? In what or in whom do we place our trust? When the Israelites faced lack of food and water, they wanted to return to the enslavement of Egypt; at least there they had food and drink. Jesus, on the other hand, took nothing with him into that desiccated place. He was hungry and enticed to turn stones into bread to meet his legitimate need. Instead, Jesus trusted solely in God's provision for his needs, in God's time and manner.

Often, we ask God "why" we are compelled into the wilderness. We grumble and complain in our lament, and try to hurry our way into the Promised Land by forcing our own way, or else we seek to return to Egypt to meet our needs in our time and through our own methods. The journey of all Christ's followers is a journey through the wilderness towards the Cross. We cannot escape it, nor can we go around it. And yet, the wilderness, the Cross, and the ultimate resurrection of Jesus all demonstrate that no matter the wilderness we find ourselves in, God will bring us through to life on the other side. We will not be removed from the suffering of the wilderness, but with God's help we can be transformed by it.

-margaret manning

?is

Something is awry—we feel disconnected. We connect with a career, find meaning in family, yet long for something more.

We feel the frustration I felt on Christmas morning, 1964. I assembled a nine-year-old's dream gift: a genuine Santa Fe Railroad miniature train set, complete with battery-powered engine and flashing crossing lights. I placed the locomotive on the tracks and watched in sheer glee as three pounds of pure steel wound its way across my bedroom floor. Around and around and around and . . . around . . . and around . . . After some time I picked it up and turned it the other direction. It went around and around and around . . .

"Mom, what else did you get me for Christmas?"

Similarly, our lives chug in long ovals, one lap after another.

First job. Promotion. Wedding day. Nursery beds. Kids. Grandkids. Around and around . . . Is there anything else? Our dissatisfaction mates with disappointment and gives birth to some unruly children: drunkenness, power plays, eighty-hour workweeks, nosedives into sexual perversions—all nothing more than poorly disguised longings for Eden. We long to restore what Adam lost. As someone once said, "The man who knocks on the door of a brothel is seeking God."

Where and when the brothel fails, Jesus steps forth with a reconnection invitation. Though we be "dead in [our] transgressions and sins (Eph. 2:1) and separated from the life of God (Eph. 4:18), whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God (I John 5:1). Reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God." (John 1:13.)

Don't miss the invisible, inward miracle triggered by belief. God reinstates us to Garden-of-Eden status. What Adam and Eve did, we now do! The flagship family walked with God; we can too. They heard his voice; so can we. They were naked and unashamed; we can be transparent and unafraid. No more running or hiding.

"Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now!" (1 Pet. 1:3–4 MSG)
-max lucado

...us

On February 15, 1921, there was a doctor who performed an appendectomy. The doctor performing the surgery was Dr. Evan Kane who over his 37-year medical career had performed nearly 4,000 appendectomies, so this surgery was not at all unusual except for two things.

First of all, this was the first time that local anesthesia had ever been used in major surgery. Dr. Kane believed that local anesthesia was safer than putting a patient completely to sleep. Most of his colleagues agreed with him in principle, but they wanted to see first if it would actually work.

So Dr. Kane searched for a volunteer, a patient who would be willing to undergo surgery while under local anesthesia. It wasn't easy to find one. Most people are squeamish at the thought of being awake during their own surgery. Others are fearful that the anesthesia might wear off too soon.

Finally, though, Dr. Kane found a volunteer, and on Tuesday morning, February 15th, the operation began. The patient was prepped and wheeled into the operating room. A local anesthetic was applied. And as Dr. Kane had done thousands of times before, he cut open the tissues and removed the appendix. The patient had only minor discomfort and recovered quickly, dismissed two days later.

Dr. Kane had proven his theory. Thanks to the willingness of a brave volunteer, Dr. Kane demonstrated that local anesthesia was an alternative, even a preferred alternative.

But I said there were two facts that made this surgery unusual. I've told you the first: the use of local anesthesia. The second unusual thing was the patient -- the patient was Dr. Kane. You see, in order to prove his point, Dr. Kane operated on himself. The doctor became a patient in order to convince the patients to trust the doctor.

As unbelievable as that may seem, it is insignificant compared with what Jesus Christ did for us. The Great Physician voluntarily became one of us. He placed himself in our shoes. He left the glories of heaven to live on this earth as one of us -- to suffer our pains and feel our fears. Why? So that when you hurt, you will know that you have someone who understands -- your Great Physician -- and you will have confidence to go to him for healing.

"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of graceand truth." (John 1:14)

...love

Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. I had cut back on nonessential obligations - extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending. Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of Christmas.

My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six year old. For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his school's "Winter Pageant." I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the production.

Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She assured me there would be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then. Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise.

So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in 10 minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down. Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats. As I waited, the students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song.

Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as "Christmas", I didn't expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment - songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer. So, when my son's class rose to sing, "Christmas Love", I was slightly taken aback by its bold title.

Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads. Those in the front row - center stage - held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song.

As the class would sing "C is for Christmas", a child would hold up the letter C. Then, "H is for Happy", and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, "Christmas Love".

The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her - a small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down - totally unaware her letter "M" appeared as a "W". Fidgeting from side to side, she soon moved entirely away from her mark.

The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one's mistake. But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her "W".

Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together. A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen. 

In that instant, we understood - the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities.

For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear: CHRIST WAS LOVE.

And, He still is.

-candy chand