.....ground

Our Christian walk of growing closer to God and becoming more like His Son involves a process of "renewing our mind" Romans 12:2. Our mind is renewed as we begin to consider things of eternal value rather than the fading things of the world. But no matter how far we mature in our walk, distractions attempt to consume our thoughts and distance us from God.

Distractions always come in some form of temptation. There is a wide range of self-indulging, flesh-filled desires and power hungry ambitions which tempt us at every turn; but there are also the more deceptive temptations like laziness, worry, pride, overfilled schedules, and, the sin which tops my personal list, selfishness. Each of these are common tools of the enemy used to separate us from an intimate relationship with God. But God is not surprised by temptation. He understands and has promised a way out.

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

In our fight against temptation, we must first understand that being tempted does not mean we have been singled out. Temptations are not an issue of Salvation, and they do not diminish God's love - our temptations are "common to man." Though we don't seem very good at talking about our struggles, we ALL face forms of temptation. We are a Family and have much more in common than we realize.

Since we know we will face temptation as part of our daily battle, let's start our day by getting prepared. No soldier enters war without the proper equipment. Neither should we enter a clearly hostile environment without making sure to get properly dressed; "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground" Ephesians 6:13.

The middle of a tempting situation is not the time to make decisions on how to react. Temptation decisions must be solidified in our heart long before the enemy attempts to pull us off God's path. Conquering temptation is only possible by growing deep roots of commitment and Godly character through studying and pondering His Word, praying for strength, and trusting in the Holy Spirit to guide our steps; we can stand only by putting on the "FULL armor of God." To stand under my temptation of selfishness, I must start each day asking God for the patience and strength to give myself away.

Our Heavenly Father has given us the tools, and He desires for us to live a victorious life. The attacks are going to come (and they will keep coming!) but our way out is to be prepared. If we will begin each day by getting fully dressed for battle, we WILL bear the temptation - we WILL stand our ground.

- steve troxel

 

....manual

So Jacob settled again in the land of Canaan, where his father had lived as a foreigner.

This is the account of Jacob and his family. 

• When Joseph was seventeen years old, he often tended his father's flocks. He worked for his half brothers, the sons of his father's wives Bilhah and Zilpah. But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing.
• Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe. But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn't say a kind word to him. Genesis 37:1–4

Before we get better acquainted with Joseph, whose biography falls neatly into three distinct segments.

• Birth to Seventeen Years Genesis 30:24–37:2. During this time Joseph's family was in transition—everyone was unsettled, on the move. A low-level antagonism was brewing as his family clashed and argued in jealousy and hatred.
• Seventeen to Thirty Years Genesis 37:2–41:46. This second segment occurs as Joseph reaches young manhood. It seems as though his life becomes out of control. Enslavement, unfair accusation, and imprisonment assault him.
• Thirty Years to Death Genesis 41:46–50:26. Joseph's last eighty years are years of prosperity and reward under God's blessing. He had the classic opportunity to get even with his brothers, to ruin them forever, but he refused. Instead he blessed, protected, and forgave.

God constantly uses the lives of Bible characters to teach us, to encourage us, to warn us. Who can forget the impact of the truths lived out in the lives of David and Esther, of Moses and Elijah, of Peter and Paul? It's impossible to leave truth in the theoretical realm when you see it revealed in the lives of real-life men and women. That is what these divinely inspired biographies do; they distill truth and weave it into the fabric of everyday living. 

God's training manual is full of lives that inspire and instruct. Romans 15:4 states, "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope". This reference to "earlier times" encompasses all the truths written in the Old Testament. There are two basic reasons God has allowed us to have the Old Testament available for study and application: 

1. for present instruction,  
2. for future hope. 

God has given us this information so that our minds can learn the truth about Him and about life, and so that we will be encouraged to persevere in the future.

- charles swindoll

.....signal

One lesson which is becoming more and more clear has to do with priorities and the busyness of life. We need to examine our priorities and see if they are aligned with the priorities of God, which means more than just a listing of first, second, and third.

Before getting on the path of full-time ministry I spent many years training to be an electrical engineer. One of the concepts an engineer must learn is that of signal to noise ratio. All signals contain an inescapable amount of noise. However, a signal can be fully recovered as long as the signal to noise ratio is high. It's not enough for the signal to just be larger; it must be much larger or we say it has become buried in the noise.

The busyness of life can make it impossible to hear from God. Jesus came to give life, "and have it to the full" John 10:10. But we will never have this life - the life which brings true glory and honor to God - unless our life in Christ is far above the noise of this world.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33. When Jesus said "first" He did not simply mean to seek His kingdom slightly more than the things of this world. Jesus consistently talked in terms of a dramatic difference; "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters - yes, even his own life - he cannot be My disciple" Luke 14:26. In engineering terms we would say Jesus was speaking about a high signal to noise ratio, where our love for God is so great that all other loves appear as hate; "No one can serve two masters" Matthew 6:24.

We are called to serve God and love Him with ALL our heart. This love can never be something we simply add to our other loves, it must be a love beyond compare! Let's truly examine our priorities and determine to give God the absolute fullness of our heart. Let's reduce the worldly clutter and forever live above the noise.

- steve troxel

....grace

So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:33

The more the grace of God is awakened in a marriage, the less husbands will attempt to control and restrict and the less wives will feel the need to "please no matter what." It makes marriage easier to manage.

Grace releases and affirms. It doesn't smother. 

Grace values the dignity of individuals. It doesn't destroy. 

Grace supports and encourages. It isn't jealous or suspicious.

I know whereof I speak. For more years than I care to remember, I was consumed with jealousy. I was so insecure and fearful it wasn't uncommon for me to drill Cynthia with questions—petty, probing questions that were little more than veiled accusations. It is amazing she endured it. Finally, we had one of those famous showdown confrontations every married couple has had. No need to repeat it, but she made it painfully clear that I was smothering her; I was imagining things she never even thought of doing . . . and it had to stop. Her words hurt, but she did the right thing. I took her seriously.

I went to work on this ugly side of my life. I confessed my jealousy to Cynthia. I assured her I would never again treat her with such a lack of trust. I asked God for grace to help, for relief from the destructive habit I had formed, for the ability to love and give myself to this woman without all the choking conditions. 

I distinctly recall how much an understanding of grace helped. It was as if grace was finally "awake" in my life, and I could appropriate its power for the first time. It seemed to free me, first in small ways, and finally in major areas. I can honestly say today that I do not entertain a single jealous thought. Grace literally wiped the slate clean. 

- charles swindoll

....wired

Everything is meaningless,’ says the Teacher, ‘completely meaningless!’ Ecclesiastes 1:2

Solomon had tried it all. He was the hedonist extraordinaire, seeking pleasure at all costs. He went on unbelievable drinking binges and chased after women like there was no tomorrow. At the same time, he was highly educated. An architectural genius, he masterminded the building of incredible structures. And by today’s standards, he was worth billions of dollars. Yet Solomon asked the same questions that many people are asking today.

Solomon wrote the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, and the first few verses introduce its theme: “These are the words of the Teacher, King David’s son, who ruled in Jerusalem. ‘Everything is meaningless,’ says the Teacher, ‘completely meaningless!’ What do people get for all their hard work under the sun?” 1:1–3.

Right away we know the writer is Solomon because he identified himself as “King David’s son.” Solomon was raised in a godly home. And though David’s sins were infamous, the Bible also describes him as a man after God’s own heart 1 Samuel 13:14.

Despite his failures, David indeed was a man of God, and he wanted his son to walk with the Lord. Yet Solomon, like many young people, went on a search for himself. He went on a quest for the meaning of life.However, we don’t have to wait for the last chapter of Solomon’s book to find out what his answer was. He brought it front and center in the beginning and went on to explain why and how he came to his conclusion.

In Ecclesiastes 1:2 he basically summed up what he discovered on his great search: “Everything is meaningless, . . . completely meaningless!” The searcher is telling us there is nothing on this earth that will satisfy us completely. That is because God has designed us, has wired us, to know Him. 

- greg laurie

....glory

Joseph had some difficult times in his early years. His brothers tried to kill him and then sold him to the Midianites. The Midianites, in turn, sold him as a slave to Potiphar who was one of Pharaoh's officials. Joseph was then falsely accused by Potiphar's wife and thrown in prison where he sat for several years - things were definitely not going well.

Then one day Joseph got his opportunity to make a change. Pharaoh had some dreams which bothered him greatly, but when he sent for the wise men of Egypt, no one could help; "Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him" Genesis 41:8. Pharaoh was told of a young Hebrew slave who had demonstrated a unique ability to interpret dreams while in prison.

Pharaoh quickly summoned Joseph from the dungeon; "I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it" Genesis 41:15. Wow! This was Joseph's big chance, his opportunity to take matters into his own hands and shape his circumstances. He certainly deserved a break. And after all, doesn't God help those who help themselves?

Unfortunately, this is one of the biggest misquotes of the Bible, and a shameful misrepresentation of God. It is much more accurate to say God will faithfully work our circumstances to the good (as seen through His eyes) as we diligently seek Him and love Him with all our heart, and faithfully follow where He leads.

Joseph could have used this opportunity to bring glory and honor to himself. But He had learned the important lesson that ALL things come from God and should be used to glorify His name.

"'I cannot do it,' Joseph replied to Pharaoh, 'but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.'"Genesis 41:16 Joseph had been given a wonderful gift, but this gift would only produce fruit as God worked through Joseph's life. This was the same lesson Paul tried to teach the Church in Corinth: "What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?" 1 Corinthians 4:7.

It is by God's grace we accomplish anything; "apart from Me you can do nothing" John 15:5. 

It is by His grace we have talents and abilities, by His grace we obtain direction and motivation. 

In fact, it is by His grace we take our next breath! If God provides all the tools, He certainly deserves ALL the praise. Let's never miss an opportunity to use the gifts God has provided. 

And when our lives produce fruit, let's never miss an opportunity to give Him all the glory! 

- steve troxel

.....ivy

Jesus said 'I am the true vine'  John 15:1

The other day I brushed against some poison ivy leaves, and being very allergic to this plant, I checked my skin carefully. I looked for the droplets of moisture that spread the annoying toxin of the plant. I then noticed a large mass of the plant's foliage around the base of a tree. There was a thick vine of it growing up the tree trunk. Having my small ax handy, I decided to cut that vine at the base of the tree.  When I did this, to my surprise, an amazing amount of liquid substance squirted everywhere.

I remember Jesus said," I am the vine, you are the branches," and I began to consider what had transpired with the poison ivy plant. When I touched the leaves, some of the residue rubbed off on me. When I cut the vine, the fluid abundantly spewed forth. 

The leaves represented the branches: Christians. 

The vine, of course, was Jesus. 

Having contact with other Christians is beneficial and pleasing to God. However, it is so much better to go directly to the source, to Jesus, and to tap into His love, care, goodness and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thank you, Jesus, that you can use poison ivy to remind me of the mighty and powerful reserve You make available to me, and to all those who believe You were sent by God to save and redeem mankind.

- marion smith

....provide

And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. Matthew 14:19

The story of how Jesus fed the 5,000 is one that we have been hearing since we were children in Sunday School. However, reading it as an adult has opened my eyes to things I hadn't seen before. 

Jesus was actually grieving the death of his cousin, John the Baptist, when this event happened. Jesus withdrew himself from the crowd, like many of us would do, and went to a solitary place privately. After all that had taken place, I am sure he had a lot on His mind and needed time to process it all. However, as soon as the crowds heard of this, they went walking all the way to where Jesus was. 

Jesus could have very well asked them to leave or come back another day, but the Bible says that "he had compassion on them and healed their sick". He put his own feelings aside and tended to the work God had set before him. 

Since the place Jesus had gone to was away from the town, the disciples encouraged him to send the people away, as it was getting late, and people were going to be hungry. Instead, Jesus chose to feed them right then and there. As we all know, there were only five loaves of bread and two fish, but Jesus never doubted that His Father would provide what was needed. He gave thanks for the food, trusting that it was already enough.  In fact, there was actually food left over after all had eaten! 

God will always meet our needs. We may not see it yet, but He will do it. Many times our faith is what lacks! We struggle to believe what we don't see, so unless the provision is in front of us immediately, we doubt. But we can be sure that when we ask God to meet our needs according to His will, we can thank Him in advance because he will provide. 

- steve blair

.....richest

A rich landowner named Carl often rode around his vast estate so he could congratulate himself on his great wealth. One day, while riding around his estate on his favorite horse, he saw Hans, an old tenant farmer. Hans was sitting under a tree when Carl rode by. Hans said, "I was just thanking God for my food." 

Carl protested, "If that is all I had to eat I wouldn't feel like giving thanks." Hans replied, "God has given me everything I need, and I am thankful for it."

The old farmer added, "It is strange you should come by today because I had a dream last night. In my dream a voice told me, 'The richest man in the valley will die tonight.' I don't know what it means, but I thought I ought to tell you."

Carl snorted, "Dreams are nonsense," and galloped away, but he could not forget Hans' words: "The richest man in the valley will die tonight."  He was obviously the richest man in the valley, so he invited his doctor to his house that evening. Carl told the doctor what Hans had said. After a thorough examination, the doctor told the wealthy landowner, "Carl, you are as strong and healthy as a horse. There is no way you are going to die tonight."

Nevertheless, for assurance, the doctor stayed with Carl, and they played cards through the night. The doctor left the next morning and Carl apologized for becoming so upset over the old man's dream.

At about nine o'clock, a messenger arrived at Carl's door. "What is it?"  Carl demanded. The messenger explained, "It's about old Hans. He died last night in his sleep."

Like Hans, believers are the richest people on earth. Paul understood that when he wrote, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ." Eph. 1:3   

Be sure to give God thanks for the wealth He has given you - for you are the richest person in the valley. 

- dave langerfeld

....know

When a child is born into a family, there is almost an instant bond of love. The parent and child spend LOTS of time together and truly begin to know each other. The parent knows the needs of the child, and the child knows the parent as the provider of comfort and security.

But as the child grows, other activities and friends can begin to limit time together. In the search for independence, there can often be rebellion toward parental instruction and counsel. In many families all around the world, the parent and child drift apart and no longer communicate as they once had - they sadly cease to know one another.

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better Ephesians 1:16-17

Notice this is Paul's continuous prayer, that we be given revelation and wisdom. Revelation is the unveiling of God's truth, and wisdom is the application of His truth in our lives. Both of these are necessary and serve the single purpose of knowing Him better.

As we continue in our relationship with Jesus Christ, there is a tendency to hit those spiritual teenage years where we have things pretty well figured out - or so we think. We begin to gain "self" confidence and trust in our own ability. We get more involved in activities and with friends, but one day we wake and find we have drifted. We did not intentionally walk away, but there is a definite loss of passion; the relationship is strained and we no longer really know God.

As a loving father longs to hold his children, our Heavenly Father longs for us to draw near and know Him; "Let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows Me" Jeremiah 9:24. The Bible always speaks about knowing someone as a very personal and loving relationship; "Adam knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain" Genesis 4:1. Jesus even defined eternal life as a state of knowing; "Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" John 17:3. Knowing God certainly means more than knowing things about God; knowing involves a passionate identification with Jesus as the one who was sent. Through Christ we are allowed to truly know God!

The road back to a restored relationship begins with spending time together. No matter how busy we get we must continue to humbly come into the presence of God, confess the sin which causes separation, fellowship with Him in prayer and the quiet study of His Word, and listen intently for His direction. Let's commit to loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Let's be determined to take the necessary steps to draw near to God and know Him better.

- steve troxel

.....23

My Shepherd will supply my need—Jehovah is His name;

In pastures fresh He makes me feed, beside the living stream.

He brings my wand’ring spirit back when I forsake His name;

He leads me, for His mercy’s sake, in paths of truth and grace.

When I walk through the shades of death, Thy presence is my stay;

One word of Thy supporting breath drives all my fears away.

Thy hand, in sight of all my foes, doth still my table spread;

My cup with blessing overflows, Thine oil anoints my head.

The sure provisions of my God attend me all my days;

O may Thy house be my abode and all my work be praise.

There would I find a settled rest while others go and come;

No more a stranger or a guest, but like a child at home.

— isaac watts (1674-1748)

.....all

In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; he saved me from all my troubles.  Psalm 34:6 

A fisherman who was a backslidden Christian went out in a boat with some of his buddies. Suddenly a storm came, and it was getting worse and worse. It was so bad, in fact, they thought they were going to drown.So, the men turned to their Christian friend and said, “You’ve got to talk to God right now! Pray and get us out of this mess!”

He said, “Guys, I haven’t prayed in years. I haven’t been to church in a long time. I don’t want to pray.”They kept pressing him, and eventually he agreed to do it. Reluctantly he prayed, “Oh Lord, I haven’t asked anything of You for fifteen years. But if You will help us now and bring us safely to land, I promise that I won’t bother You for another fifteen.”

At least he was honest. 

We should never be hesitant to pray. We should see it for the privilege that it really is.

The apostle Paul said, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere” Ephesians 6:18.

Notice Paul’s use of the words “all,” “every,” and “everywhere.” He told us important things about prayer, but he didn’t address the things people tend to focus on, like the best posture for prayer or whether to pray with our eyes open or closed.

We should pray when we are young, when we are old, when we are in trouble, and when things are going well. We should pray in any posture, in any place, at any time, and under all circumstances. Someone has described prayer as the breath of the soul. 

Prayer is good and needed in the life of a Christian.

- greg laurie

......examined

One of the benefits of our trials is that they allow us the opportunity to examine our life, and as it is said: the unexamined life is not worth living. If we flow through life without evaluating who we are and what we believe, we have not really lived; we have certainly not lived according to a consistent set of beliefs. This evaluation requires a boldness to explore beneath the surface of our beliefs, into our very soul! Without this boldness we may give the appearance of living, and may even fool ourselves for a number of years, but there will always be an emptiness until we look deep within and deal with what we find.

God knows every detail of our heart; "Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" Hebrews 4:13. But our Heavenly Father desires for us to know our own heart as we are being transformed; "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves" 2 Corinthians 13:5.

As we seek to understand who we are - with all our hidden motives, pride, and selfishness - we find we are somewhat difficult to understand. Without the spiritual help which God freely gives, there will be parts of our life which remain covered and dark. There may also be portions of our heart we would rather not face.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."Psalm 139:23-24

It is foolish to think we can hide anything from God! It is equally foolish to intentionally close areas of our heart from examination when we know those areas are keeping us separated from God. What do we really believe? And are we living consistent with that belief?

We have been given God's Word as a guide, "a lamp to my feet" Psalm 119:105. And as we dig deeper into His Word, we find the same lamp which guides our steps also reveals our heart: "The lamp of the Lord searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inmost being" Proverbs 20:27. Using God's Word to truly examine our heart can be painful. It seems we strip back one layer only to expose additional layers of sin we didn't even know we had, but this process must continue without fear!

If we desire to live in His presence and bring Him glory and honor in all we do, we must determine today to know ourselves. We must know what we believe, with all our strengths and weaknesses, and know our level of resolve to follow where He leads. Let's open our heart and allow His Spirit to search and wash us with His Word. 

Let's follow according to a consistent belief and commit to living the examined life.

- steve troxel

.....stop

 Never stop praying. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 

One of the most important practices of the Christian life is prayer. It’s as essential to knowing God and growing spiritually as breathing is to living.

Prayer isn’t something that we offer to some force out there. Nor is it some type of energy that can heal us in and of itself. Rather, prayer is the means of communication whereby we hear from and speak to God Almighty.

That’s why it’s important to understand what prayer is and what it is not.

Some would assert, even within the church, that we can speak things into existence through prayer. For instance, teachers of the Faith Movement advocate that you can pray and speak things into existence because they claim you are a little god. They say you can speak and it will happen, but you must speak by faith. And if you don’t, it won’t happen.

It is wrong to believe that we can order God around as though He were a celestial butler. It is also wrong to think that we cannot bring a specific request before God because He is merely a force.

Prayer is communicating with and hearing from God. True prayer is aligning our wills with the will of God and praying accordingly. We want to keep the lines open to Heaven to both speak to God and hear from Him.

Yet many of us are reluctant to pray. 

We don’t really know how to pray, and we’re embarrassed about praying.

However, prayer is something that we all need to be doing. In fact, it’s something the Bible commands us to do. First Thessalonians 5:17 tells us, “Never stop praying”.

Prayer is not an option in the Christian’s life. It’s both a privilege and an adventure. And it’s something that we need to keep learning about for the rest of our lives.

- greg laurie

....way

As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him - 2 Samuel 22:31

There seems to be special rewards for those who can say, "I did it my way!" But the truth is, my way will always fall short of God's desire. Our biggest struggle is often finding the balance which keeps us on His path and traveling at His pace. Lack of faith causes us to lag behind, and our pride and desire to control cause us to try and push ahead. Whether we lag behind or push ahead, the result of either is a drift from God's path.

Several times in his life David ventured out to do things his own way. Yet time after time he found that walking down God's path was not only the best way, it was the perfect way. We must learn this same lesson. We are given many options - many roads to travel as we seek a better way - but His narrow road is the only way to true life...the only road to peace and true contentment.

Living by God's way requires constant renewal of faith and trust. It first requires faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin, and then complete trust as we continue down His path. While God's way is definitely perfect, it's not always easy to understand. His way will often conflict with what we just "know" is best. "The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know" 1 Corinthians 8:2. 

These times of apparent conflict are times to humbly increase our faith and better learn how to trust.

The world's way will continually do battle against this trust. Jesus said, "do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear" Matthew 6:25. The world's way says we will soon be hungry and naked, but God's way says that as we trust Him with all our heart, we will soon find rest and peace; "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" Matthew 6:33. God's way is to follow Him, walking side by side, no matter how great the burden.

God has given each of us unique and wonderful gifts. But our gifts must be used along His path, and for His glory, or they become nothing but "filthy rags" Isaiah 64:6. Let's stop seeking our way, with our goals and our desires. Instead, let's daily release to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and boldly follow where He leads. Let's trust and walk each and every step according to His perfect way.

- steve troxel

.....tongue

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit Proverbs 18:21

None of us could go back and count the number of words we have said to people throughout our lives. That would be impossible to remember. We have all said words that are very encouraging to others, but we have also said words that have been callous, discouraging, unkind, or hurtful. I don't know about you, but I know that I've said some things to people in my lifetime that I would go back in a minute to take back or rephrase. 

We are human beings. Many times, we don't realize what we're saying to people or how our tone is coming across. It's not always "what" we say, sometimes it's more of "how" we say it. I had to learn this growing up and will probably be learning it for the rest of my life! This is a topic that each of us can relate to.  The Bible says no one is exempt.

Communication is such an important part of life. Certainly in marriage, but not just in marriage.  We all use communication in our various relationships with others. Sometimes, we end up verbally hurting the ones we love the most. I might be in a cranky mood and I get snappy. Or there are just times when the enemy uses a situation to bring hurtful words to my mouth and they don't need to be uttered at all, but I fail to keep them back. Once they're out, that's it! No getting them back!

The power of our tongues can either build others up or tear them apart and create permanent damage. By God's grace, we all need to work harder at controlling what we say and knowing how to say things - and when not to say things. We will be learning this lesson throughout our lives, but we can become better as we come to love Christ more and carefully use uplifting words toward each other. Especially during the times of frustration and discouragement.

- adapted from zach wood's

....help

There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. Acts 9:36

Dorcas, or Tabitha, was a woman who showed her love for God by serving others. She made her community a better place by doing kind things for others and making clothing for those in need. We are told in James 1:27 that the religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is to look after the orphans and widows in their distress, and this was exactly the religion that Dorcas practiced. She was deeply loved by those around her. 

In the midst of this great ministry Dorcas had of serving those in need, she became ill and died. However, the believers had heard that Peter was in a nearby city, so they sent messengers to beg him to come as soon as possible! Perhaps they were hopeful for a miracle or simply longed to receive words of comfort.

When Peter arrived at Dorcas' house, he was taken to the upstairs room where they had laid her in preparation to be buried. The room was filled with widows mourning the loss of this amazing woman, and they showed Peter the coats and other clothing items that Dorcas had made for them. Her impact on the life of those around her was evident, which is perhaps why Peter prayed and raised her from the dead! People had already been greatly touched by her love and generosity, but even more came to know Christ through her being resurrected from the dead. 

As Christian's, we are all called to serve others. This shouldn't be an occasional event, but rather something that is displayed in everything we do. Whether it be helping a work colleague complete a task, making dinner for our families, helping a neighbor with school pickups, or serving as a volunteer at church, we have countless opportunities to show God's love through service. May we, like Dorcas, love others so evidently that everything we do will bring them closer to God. 

....times

 "Don't be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present your requests unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

It makes me anxious to read this passage. It makes me even more anxious to think of how many times I have written about and talked about this passage. It makes me even more nervous than that to think about how many times I have reminded someone that the Apostle Paul, guided by the Holy Spirit, said, “Do not be anxious about anything.” And yet, here I am writing about not being anxious again.

Why? Because we live in anxious times.

Relationships create anxiety. If you have children, you will have times of intense stress about their welfare. If your parents are aging, there are times when you are anxious. You have anxiety if you are married, planning to get married, or once married. Finally, you will have tense times if you date or commit to a single life.

Engaging in the world creates anxiety. You stand a good chance of getting anxious by watching the news (local, national, international). You’ll have some stress if you watch sports. If you drive an automobile, there is a real possibility of a few anxious moments in your week.

Anxiety is real. The examples I’ve shared above are the natural consequences of living in an anxiety-filled world. But there are others: sick children, family problems, addiction, accidents, poor decisions, chronic pain, church dysfunction, loneliness, and financial difficulties.

I believe the Holy Spirit guided Paul to write those words because He knew we would live in a world as we do and wants us to know that when anxiety hits, we have a healthy and effective way to deal with it. We have the response. “In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The promise is not that anxious times will disappear, but that God’s peace will protect you as you go through them. Go in peace.

....sanctuary

Our Heavenly Father desires our life to be FILLED with praise and worship. When we gather together with other believers for church services, we generally begin with songs of praise. We praise God for His love and faithfulness, and for the gift of His Son. We worship Him for His awesome majesty as we prepare our hearts to receive His Word. These are wonderful times, but they are only a small part of God's true desire for our life.

"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."Ephesians 5:19-20 As Paul wrote these instructions to the Ephesians he never said, "give thanks only during your worship service," or, "make music in your heart only when you gather together with other believers." He clearly instructed "always" and "for everything." The "music" of praise and worship to God should always reside in our heart.

This can be a real challenge without a shift in the way we view our life - a shift from the way we have been "trained" by the world. We absolutely must learn to "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5. Though the world teaches us to "take charge of your own destiny," we are called to release control to our Lord and patiently trust. For it is only through faith and trust that we can praise in ALL situations, even through our confusion and pain.

There can be no greater ambition for the Child of God. With a proper understanding of eternity and the saving grace of Jesus, our life only has real purpose as we live each day to bring Him glory and honor - as we live each moment in praise and worship, no matter what circumstances our day may bring. The way we walk through our trials, as well as how we accomplish our daily tasks, ministry activities, or times of prayer and study, should all be done through a heart devoted to worship.

Let's allow the music of our heart to sing out with praise and worship, not just for a few set hours each week, but every day with every word, thought, and deed. Let's patiently trust in all areas of our life and ask our Father to teach us to live as a living sanctuary. 

- steve troxel

.....thanksgiving

Silas had joined Paul on his second missionary journey. Early in the journey, the two men were seized and brought before the authorities; "These men are Jews and are throwing our city into an uproar" Acts 16:20. For this act they were stripped, beaten, and thrown in prison with chains around their feet. However, their hearts continued to praise God and give Him thanks in spite of their conditions.

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them."Acts 16:25

Giving thanks in the form of prayer, praise, song, celebration, or simply as an attitude of thankfulness is mentioned well over one thousand times in the Bible. It's no surprise that having a heart filled with thanksgiving should be an integral part of the Christian walk. We need to see this world, and the entirety of our life, with new eyes - eyes that see God's hand at work in every moment of every day.

If we believe in the One True God as the Creator of the Universe and accept the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, we should be compelled to give thanks...regardless of our circumstances. We should begin to see the evidence of God all around and praise Him even for the air we breathe.

A heart without praise and thanksgiving is empty and does not yet understand a sovereign God or His plan. If our surroundings are continually dictating the thankfulness of our heart, perhaps we ought to ask God to reveal His loving plan in even greater clarity. Yes, God wants to see us live a life of true peace and contentment; but first and foremost, He desires for us to surrender our life to Him and bring Him glory and honor in ALL we do. Only then, and only with the power of His Spirit, will we be able to "give thanks in all circumstances" 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Thankfulness does NOT depend on our particular situation!

We cannot produce thanksgiving by simply trying to be more thankful. We only become thankful by taking our heart back to the very origin of our new nature - back to the saving grace of Jesus. Let's return to the point where our life was made new and once again learn to rejoice; once again learn to absolutely trust; once again learn to live with a true heart of thanksgiving.

- steve troxel