---God's Calling Us to....

SHARE OUR FAITH ~~

My decision to follow Christ occured when I was in college. I was a sophomore at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. One of the things that had held me back from making a commitment to Christ sooner was the old excuse that people who say they're Christians don't always act like it. I figured that when and if I became a Christian, I was going to take it seriously.

I was in Rio DeJanero, Brazil, for five years, from 1983 to 1988. The big challenge was trying to figure out what we in our church had to offer the Brazilians. Though Brazil is primarily Catholic, the real religion there is spiritism, a mystical, very emotional religion. The question we had to wrestle with was this: What do we have to offer them that spiritism does not? We came to the conclusion that we offered forgiveness of sins and victory over death, which is the heart of the Gospel. That clarified for us what our message was. My theology and my message was distilled down to those two things : forgiveness and eternal life. --

-----
God's Calling...FOR ME--

God wants us to be sharers of the faith, sharers of the offer of God's forgiveness and eternal life. He has given so much freely to us, we will be even more blessed when we share our faith with others, and we'll have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

Max Lucado/God's Calling --Searching for your Purpose in Life

--God's Calling us to...

BE WHERE THERE IS FAITH ~~

A man in Dallas came up to me. He had been at the end of his rope and had decided to end it all. He had a bottle of sleeping pills and just swallowed the whole bottle. He was going to turn on his radio to get his mind off of what was about to happen to him. He found a station and had turned it to the Christian station there in Dallas and, "Where There is Faith" came on the radio. He said that as he began to listen to the words, he began to cough up the pills to the point that it wasn't lethal anymore. He found someone who he knew was a Christian, and that person lead him to the Lord that night.

It was neat for him to come and share. He said, "You guys are the reason I'm alive because of what you sang in your music." You can't put a price tag on that. When God uses you in those ways it's incredibly humbling.---

------God's Calling...FOR ME ~

One of the greatest things we will ever experience is seeing a life changed through our telling another about Jesus. Pray for the sensitivity to see others in need, then show His love in word and deed. God has wonderfully saved us from our sins and destruction.
~~~~
--4HIM's Andy Chrisman/ God's Calling...Searching for your Purpose in Life...

God's Calling Us to...

PEACE IN A PEACELESS WORLD --

WHEN you go through something that's your worst personal nightmare, when you pray at night that you won't wake up in the morning--I've felt that. I never considered taking my life, but there were times I did not want to wake up in the morning. I remember praying, "God, if there is any mercy left in Your heart for me, please take me home." Since I went through my hospitalization I've had dark moments, but I've never felt hopeless.

We have this bizarre idea that if you love God enough and live a fairly decent life, life will be easy. There's nothing in Scripture to support that. Christ said, "In this world you will have tribulations. But don't worry, because I've overcome what is in this world" (John 16:33). I still have dark days; in fact, yesterday was one of them. I felt sad all day for no particular reason. So I went out to my car, put on some music, and I began to sing to the Lord.

That's what I love about the Psalms of David. They were not supposed to be something we read for five minutes at night, then we close the book and go to bed. Those were the songs of the church that the people sang together, and they sang them out loud. They sang out their pain, and they sang out their joy, and that's what I do, too. That's what I encourage people to do who struggle as I have with depression. Get your Bible, open to Psalms, and pray them out loud. Pray them on days when tears are rolling down your face, and pray them on the days when you are laughing.

--SHEILA WALSH

God's Calling
FOR ME....

One of God's greatest gifts is peace, the stillnes of the soul resting in His Presence. Our confidence is that He is complete and is completely in charge. In the quiet of prayer, in the reading of the Scriptures. He meets with us and gives us His peace.

CALLING OUT...TO GOD---
'Thank You for overcoming the world. My confidence in You is sure because of who You are.'

Sheila Walsh/ God's Calling..... Searching for your purpose in life

God's Calling us to....

BE ONE WHO LOVES ---

According to Paul, the person who is most Christ-like is not the one who spends the most time in prayer, or who has the best mastery of chapter and verse in the Bible, or who has the most Ph.D's ,or who has the most important positition of responsibility. No, the one who is most Christ-like is the one who loves the most. That's not my opinion; that's the Word that will just us in Matthew 25: "Come, you blessed of My Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world" (v.34).

Wow! I'm beloved, l'm blessed, pleasing in the eyes of my Heavenly Father to the extent that I have become a beneficiary of the kingdom of heaven. Why? Jesus says, "I was hungry, and you gave me food; thirsty, and you gave me drink; naked, and you clothed me; sick, and you comforted me; in prison, and you came to visit me" (vs.35,36).

On that day a lot of us are going to protest and say, "Just a moment, Sir. I never saw You in my entire life. I lived out most of my days surrounded by ordinary, dull, uninspired, and uninspiring people. How can You say I was ever kind or unkind to You when I never met You? Then will come the revelation of revelations, the end of the greatest story ever told. Jesus will look into your eyes and mine, and say, "What you did to them, you did to Me. As often as you did it for the least of My brothers and sisters, you did it for Me" (vs. 40).
~~~~~~
BRENNAN MANNING

God's CAlling...
FOR ME--

An instrument finely tuned is ready to play the world's greatest music. The Christian finely tuned is ready to act on the Lord's greatesst Commandments; to love God and to love others. Jesus says that when we show love to others, we're loving Him. This is God's Calling, to take our energies and direct them towards others in love.

Calling Out
--TO GOD --

'May I learn to love as Christ loves, learn to care as He does, and put into practice what I have learned.' AMEN ~

BRENNAN MANNING/ God's Calling --Searching For Purpose in Life

---God's Calling Us to.....

LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS

"Love the LORD your God with
all your heart, all your soul,
all your mind, and all your
strength. The second
command is this: 'Love your
neighbor as you love yourself'
There are no commands more
important than these.' "

MARK 12:30-31 NCV

~~~YOU need to look at people as ones who bear the image of God, who are profoundly valuable. Your message is not to judge them, to get them to stop smoking, to get the rings out of their ears, or even to get them to stop having affairs. That isn't the message. God is not looking to moralize the world; God is looking to restore the world to Himself, and the result will be morality.

People are so desperately hungry for someone who cares, for someone who's interested. When's the last time you told a story and people listened to you all the way through? I mean, who cares when you tell somebody that you've been to the hospital? Nobody's interested in hearing the details for half an hour. I'm convinced that if we learn to appreciate people and take them seriously, our success in personal evangelism will double.

--LARRY CRABB

God's Calling...
FOR ME --

God's calling us to do that which He does, to care deeply for others. Our world needs almost nothing more than it needs us to genuinely care for one another. Not everyone will adopt this example, the question is will you or I?

Calling Out--
~~TO GOD ...

'Lord, set a passion in my heart to care for people. Shape my heart into one that cares deeply for others.'

God's Calling Us to ....

REACH OUT TO THE HURTING

"When Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick."
Matthew 14:14 NKJV

---I had known for two days I was going to get to see Mother Teresa. She walked out in the humblest of ways, no pretense whatsoever, from one of the humblest of buildings, just cement flooring. It was obvious that she's there for the people. They said, "Mama Teresa, this is Greg Long from the United States. He works with us over at the mission raising awareness and help for the children." She said, "That's fantastic! Do it for the glory of God, Greg. Do it for the glory of God!"

I'm like, "Hey, yes ma'am." I said, "I just want to tell you what an example you are to myself and everyone in the world of what a Christian should be. Thank you for being an example." She said, "Oh, it's my privilege to do it. For the glory of God and the good of man we do it all."

I left there with a sense of awe and humility, and a kind of warning to be careful how I treat people. I realized it's all done for the glory of God. If we stacked up all I've done in my life and compared it next to Mother Teresa, it's mountain and molehill, if even that. None of us have the right to get puffy about what we do, because she's done it all and doesn't take anything for it.

The biggest thing to learn from her is that Christ came for the hurting. If I'll reach out to those who are hurting, God will take care of it. Because you know what? Everybody's going to be hurting at one time or another. If we'll just give to the hurting, we'll always have someone to minister to, and God will bring them in at that time as we are showing love to them. That's what I learned from Mother Teresa.

--GREG LONG

God's Calling...
FOR ME

We might not ever serve Christ in India, feeding and healing the poorest of the poor. Still, the needy can be the person sitting across the aisle in a classroom, in the next cubicle at work, or sitting at the dinner table each night. When we identify people in need, that's God Calling our hearts to action. God's children work in their Father's business, serving others in love.

Calling Out
--TO GOD

'Lord, fill me with Your compassion for people. Open my ears and my eyes to the needs around me. Use me to give Your love to the world.'

God's Calling Us to...

BE KINGDOM PEOPLE ~

"Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10 KJV

WHEN we pray the Lord's Prayer, we pray, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth" (Mathew 6:10). We evangelicals have a tendency to ignore that phrase. We often posit the kingdom of God in another world. But the kingdom of God is something we are supposed to see happen on earth! That's why we must be committed to social justice, to changing the world into the kind of world that God wants it to be, knowing all the while that we can never complete the task. That's what the Second Coming is all about. "The good work that He begins in us," says the Apostle Paul, "He will complete in the day of His coming" (Philippians 1:6).

We are to be a kingdom people working for justice; trying to eliminate poverty; transforming social institutions, like the family, into what they ought to be; and winning people to Christ, which is the most important thing. We do these things with the assurance that the good work that we have begun, what the Holy Spirit has initiated in us, will be brought to fruition, completeness, and fulfillment when the Second Coming of Christ occurs.

---TONY CAMPOLO

God's Calling...
FOR ME

We feel deeply the clarity of the Gospel when we show love and practical care to others in need. For in love all things are made right. His love heals us. Our love for others mends their wounds, teaching us all the while why Jesus said it is better to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).

Calling Out
---TO GOD

'May I remember the poor and marginalized today. Teach me how to show mercy and love to others.'

---God's Calling Us to....

INVEST WISELY OUR TIME

"There is a time to cry and a time to laugh. There is a time to be sad and a time to dance." Eccl. 3:4

EVERY moment is a gift. Like a present wrapped in colorful paper, we are about to open something of great value, hidden in the moment.

We stand on the precipice of doing that which is presented to us in every occasion--utilizing the moment for its best use, seeing the moment become its best gem. The moment is entrusted to us for use. To bury it in the dry sands of our boredome, to tarnish it by the stains of our sin, or to infuse it with the power and love of Christ. To make the moment great. ~~

--CHRIS COPPERNOLL

God's Calling...
--FOR ME

Time is money, so they say, a precious commodity. Why not think of the time we're given as a currency to invest in a good stock option? God has given us a great stock tip on where we should invest. He said "store your treasures in heaven where they cannot be destroyed by moths or rust" (Matthew 6:20). Let's invest our time in eternity, in Christ, and in others.

Calling Out
--TO GOD....

'Father, help me make the most of every opportunity, not to waste time, but to harness and use it for Your glory.' AMEN~

---God's Calling Us to....

RELINQUISH, TRUST & SERVE ~

"Obey the LORD your God and follow His commands and decrees that I give you today." Deuteronomy 27:10 NIV

GOD only gives you grace one day at a time. He doesn't give it to you for a month or for the whole trip. Yesterday is a canceled check, tommorrow is a promissory note, but you've got today to live. You need to get up in the morning and say: "This is my day to serve the Lord. I've got one day, twenty four hours, to serve Him." You can do anything one day at a time.

I've learned to say, "Whatever, Lord." which has been like a magic phrase for me. No matter what comes into my life, "Though He slay me," as Job said, "yet will I trust in Him" (Job 13:15). It's a prayer of relinquishment: "Whatever, Lord. Whatever comes through Your filter, I know Your grace will get me through it."

---BARBARA JOHNSON

God's Calling...
FOR ME -

'Relinquishing, trusting, and serving God. Is it for His sake, or for ours? We can feel like our service to God is burdensome, when in fact it's for our protection and a refuge for His blessing. Our obedience helps preserve us from the devastating consequences of sin. Like a cargo ship docking in a favorable harbor, God's blessings seem to come more readily to those who obey His commandments in love.

Calling Out
--TO GOD ...

'Lord, my part is to obey. Everything else is Yours. Help me to stay close to You throughout this day, in Jesus Name.'Amen!

God's Calling Us to..

TRUST HIM FOR
OUR TOMORROWS ---

"The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations." Psalm 33:11 (NKJV)

~~WE never know what twelve months will hold. We never know the joys, we never know the challenges. I don't know if people who are important to me will be handed diagnoses that are not good. I don't know if there will be born another Mother Teresa or another Billy Graham or John Wesley. We just don't know.

But what we do know is that a long time ago God knew what the twelve months would hold. He knew the good and the bad and the challenges and the sorrows and the joys, and He won't be surprised by any of it. Whether it's walking over a grassy knoll in a family cemetery or whether it's holding this brand new creature that has your eyes or your jaw line, He won't be surprised by it.

The older I get, the more comforting it is to me. As you get older you realize that there are things that you cannot change. When you're young everything seems possible, and then you get older and a lot of truths settle in. For me, that's when it's been so comforting to say: "He is a lot smarter than I am, He knows me better than I know myself, and He cares so much about the ins and outs of my today, and my tomorrow, and my next week. I have to trust Him for that."

--JANET PASCHAL

God's Calling..
FOR ME

When we try to be God, it only brings frustration. In surrender is peace. Just as children play while adults provide a home, so the Lord cares for His children, not requiring us to "lift" beyond our design, but simply to be recipients of His riches, to obey His instructions, and thrive.

Calling Out
---TO GOD -

There is peace in knowing "the LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him" (Nahum 1:7 NKJV).

" Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them"
-----Isaiah 42:9

"the LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him" (Nahum 1:7 NKJV).

I really enjoyed reading this one that you posted on the board.
This one here.. (((( Smiles ))))


IF YOU ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN/ "WHY NOT??"

Is it because you are afraid of what others may say of you?

Luke 9:26 "For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him whall the Son of man be ashamed,
when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels."

Is it because you are unwilling to confess and forsake your sins?

Isaiah 55:7 "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the LORD,
and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

Is it because of the crooked walk of professing Christians?

2 Corinthians 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive
the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."

Is it because you are not willing to give up all for Christ?

Luke 14:33 "So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."

Is it because you fear that you are too great a sinner?

1 Timothy 1:15 "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners;
of whom I am chief."

Is it because you are afraid you will not be accepted?

John 6:37 "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

Is it because you are putting off a decision?

James 4:14 "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life?
It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

Is it because you behave rather well compared to most people and you think God should be satisfied with that?

James 2:10 "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

Acts 16:31 "...believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved..."

JESUS LOVES YOU! He died that you might live, through Him. He will accept you just as you are.
If you are ready to receive Him and believe Him, tell Him.
Pray something like this:

"Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. I believe that you died to pay for them and arose from the dead.
Please come into my heart." Amen

"SEEK THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND; CALL ON HIM WHILE HE IS NEAR." Isaiah 55:6

God's Calling Us to...

EVERY OPPORTUNITY --

"When we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it. But we should give special attention to those who are in the family of believers." Galatians 6:10 NCV ~

--------
WHEN it comes to interacting with people, I think of some of the best things have happened on airplanes. I remember getting on a plane one time and seeing a little girl get on after me who evidently was being flown from one parent to another. She was very sorrowful, her face was exceedingly sad, and she also looked angry. She was probably about eight years old. They sat her next to a mother who had a child with her, and that child was immediately very friendly and warm and tried to draw the little girl into conversation. But the girl would have no part of it. Then the mother tried to talk to the girl, but the girl refused to respond. She didn't want to look at them, much less speak to them. Her lips were tight, her little arms were folded across her chest, and she seemed determined to be miserable.

I began praying for her. I was seated in a way that when she looked up, she was looking right at me. I reached in my purse, found a piece of gum, and began praying that somehow I could communicate without words and break through to this little girl. She looked up at me and I looked at her, and I let a little smile slip across my lips as I lifted up that piece of gum. She looked at me for a moment, then nodded her head to indicate whe would receive it. So with her permission, I entered her little circle of reference, gave her that piece of gum, and watched as she totally relaxed and opened up. She began talking with the child next to her, then to the child's mother, all the while looking over and smiling at me. She had had a breakthrough! I really believe it was the Lord's assignment for me that day to pray for that little girl, to help bring her out of a very dark little spot.

I think that many times we deny ourselves an opportunity to be used by God and to be blessed by God because we don't like what we have to walk through. I was blessed by the opportunity to pray for that little girl. I saw God change not only her countenance, but her whole sense of security. It was very sweet to my soul, and it has stayed with me.

---PATSY CLAIRMONT

God's Calling...
--FOR ME

What power we in the Church have, because of His indwelling Spirit, to give out encouragement, interest, and care, just as easily as we would give a stick of gum. The army of God doesn't carry munitions. We're armed to the teeth with His Spirit, ever ready to mend the torn and tattered, knowing that when we give love away it only leaves us richer.

Calling Out..
--TO GOD--
'Thank You for Your care toward the poor and the poor of spirit. May Your example move us into action toward others, dear Lord.'

God's Calling Us to...

HOPE IN HIS HIGHEST WAYS ~

"Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." JOB 13:15 -

-----
SOMETIMES our lives are so mundane. Each and every day mimics the day before. Though each day is filled with particulars, when a friend asks, "What's new," you struggle to answer with something fresh. My life was much like that. Though in different areas of marriage, career, and parenthood I had struggles, nothing had touched my life with as many life experiences as the day my daughter went into liver failure and cystic fibroses. Since that day, we have had God literally redefine what a family is about, rediscover our heart motivations and what is important and the things that really don't matter.

After two long years of life-threatening struggle in the hospital, we moved to a new city to be close to Olivia's doctors. The wonderful thing was we were closer to my mom, Olivia's Nana. My husband started a different career, and I became a stay-at-home mom. Financially it was a very hard struggle with the economy so down, but we survived. It was more important to us to be together as a family. Unfortunately, after six months of being in our new city, my mother was diagnosed with a rare lymphoma cancer. The next year has been one long hospital stay for her with very aggressive chemo treatment and three bone marrow transplants. We are still awaiting an outcome for her as she struggles to keep her strength and we surround her with our love to give her support.

Through so many struggles, we have learned that God ultimately has our best in mind. It is very hard to watch your child and your mother struggle to survive, but if you can imagine...we have seen so much good through it as well. Our family is so strong! Before, the little things were tearing at the very fabric of our marriage; now it just doesn't matter. We have learned the true meaning of unconditional love. So, "Though He slay me, yet I will trust Him"- means just that. Because every trial, every hurt, every broken heart has the opportunity to give a glimpse of who we are and the chance to hand it over to God and heal.

--BARBARA KING

God's Calling...
FOR ME

'Life brings with it a lot of difficulty. Can we trust Him when things are at their lowest? When we are at our weakest? God can do anything He wants to do with us. But His love for us means a never-ending Friendship ready to call upon in our darkest hour.

Calling Out
--TO GOD ~~

You are Emmanuel, God with us. We cry out and You hear us. 'We praise You because we are fearfully and wonderfully made.' Thank you, Lord that you will NEVER leave us.

God's Calling Us to...

CALL ON JESUS ~

"The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the LORD: "O LORD, SAVE ME!" -

-----
My mom would always teach us, "If you ever get in trouble call on Jesus." I used to think, "Yeah, yeah, alright" until I was walking home from school one day and this man mugged me. He jumped out in front of me, and I looked at him like, "this is not happening!" We lived off a busy street, but every car had stopped--there was nothing. He went to grab at a necklace I had on and grabbed so hard that he knocked me to the ground. Then he straddled on top of me with his legs and bent down. I thought, "Oh my God, I'm about to be raped, killed, and there's no one around!"

I was looking around, "Where'd all the cars go!?" Under my breath I kept saying, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus." He said,"What'd you say?" and I said, "Jesus?" He was like,"Don't say that!"

I said, "Oh Jesus!" because I saw this thing worked. I started saying, "the blood of Jesus" remembering my mother say, "Call on the blood of Jesus" so I said, "the blood of Jesus!" and the man got up and ran! He was so mad at me for calling that Name, but he ran.

After that, I went into my house because it had really disturbed me. I thought, "This is deep." I was looking for cars and they weren't coming. I have seven brothers and no one was home. They all could have beat him up, but they weren't there.

So I realized, "Jesus did it. I called His Name and the man ran." The spirit that was leading that man was like, "Don't call that Name!" When I realized that Name was as powerful as it was, I said, "I've got to know who He is."

Ever since that day, I stopped going to church just because I had to. I started going because I wanted to know who in the world He is. Who is Jesus that people could get scared just by hearing His Name? I went to the concordance. I got all the things that He did, and then I read the stories about Him. I've just been fascinated with Him ever since because the Name is powerful, JESUS!

--DEBBIE WINANS

God's Calling...
FOR ME

In times of danger, call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus. The Bible says "From everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear Him, and his righteousness with their children's children" (Psalm 103:17).

Calling Out
---TO GOD --

Yesterday, today, and forever You are with me. I will trust in Your Holy Name.

God's Calling Us to...

BELIEVE AND
BE SAVED ~~

"You have been saved by grace through believing. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God, not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9--
---
This is what the Gospel is: God is not mad at His people, and if other people will go to Him, He will not be mad at them either because of the cross.

We hate that. We want to pay, so off to work we go; it's really important that we not owe. The sign of man's fall is this tendency to be drawn into an "I can earn it" mentality. We have to fight that all the time. If we allow God's spirit to speak to us, the most dangerous thing we can say is," Lord, show me myself," because He will do it.

I think fallen nature is manifested for the Christian not so much in terms of the sins we commit, but in terms of the purity we commit. The danger is that we can become pharisaical.

You've never met a man who wants to be obedient more than I do, and I'm better at it than I used to be. But Jesus didn't die to make me nice; He died to make me His. And out of that flows any obedience that I have.~~

---STEVE BROWN

God's Calling...
FOR ME -

God has already done the work of our salvation. We could never save ourselves, could never get it right or even come close. The good news is we don't have to. Jesus has paid the ultimate, and perfect, sacrifice for all our sins and all the sins of the whole world. We just have to believe [have faith].

Calling Out..
TO GOD--

"Help me to rest in Your work on the cross. You have already done what we could never do for ourselves. Thank you, our Lord and Saviour Jesus."

God's Calling Us to...

CONSIDER
THE CROSS ~

"The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18 ~
---
You know, we glorify this cross to the point that we think it wasn't such a big deal. We talk about it in terms of it being just some little happening. When, in fact, this was the most cruel, the most inhumane way to be put to death. When we begin to think of what that was really like, that those nails were real spikes through real honest-to-goodness flesh. It was real bleeding and torture.

I don't think we know what that's about enough to grasp the concerpt today, because we really don't understand what God's love is all about yet. The fact is that He really cares for us. I wrote a song called, "I Don't Know Why You Love Me" because that's true in my own life. Songs like "He Loved Me With a Cross" and others are written and recorded because I'm still trying to understand what that was about.

How could someone love someone so much that they would go to the cross and die for them? I understand that it should have been me on the cross, my good friends, my wife and kids. But it wasn't. It was Jesus Himself, God in the flesh, and that breaks my heart. I'm still trying to understand that, and I'm certain that I'm not the only one.

I want to sing about the cross. Do you know why? Because it is at that crossroad that people must decide. It is in the light of the cross that mankind must decide which direction to go. It is at that juncture that John 3:16 begins to make any semblance of sense to us.

"For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that whosoever would believe in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life."

---LARNELLE HARRIS

God's Calling...
FOR ME--

The cross, where Christ was crucified, tells us about man's sinfulness and about God's love that came to save us. After Christ's suffering on the cross, never again will we, the created, wonder how the Creator feels about us or the lengths He is willing to go in order to save us.

Calling Out..
TO GOD --

"Thank You, Lord, for dying on the cross for me. You did what we could not do. Your death tells us just how deeply You truly love the world."

TIME TO
GROW UP !

1 Corinthians 3:1-17
---
I, Brethren, could not
speak to you as to
spiritual people but
as to carnal, as to
babes in Christ.
--1 Corinthians 3:1
~~~~
We all know that perpetual immaturity, is not only inappropriate, it's also unacceptable. For the Christian, it's vital that we mature. After we are born again and become followers of Christ, we are not expected to stay spiritual babies. The Scriptures challenge us to grow to be more like Him, JESUS.

When writing to the church at Corinth--a church with many problems--Paul said that their issues were rooted in a lack of spiritual development. In 1 Corinthians 3:1, he said, "I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ."

How do we grow beyond being just spiritual babes? Peter urged, "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). We do this by meditating on the Word of God and devoting ourselves to prayer (Ps. 119:97-104; Acts 1:14). Like the troubled church of Corinth, it may be time for us to grow up.

More like the Master I would live and grow,
More of His love to others I would show;
More self-denial, like His in Galilee,
More like the Master I long to ever be. --
--------------
Spiritual growth occurs when faith is cultivated.
ODB/BC

COME BACK ~

Hosea 14
---
I will heal their
backsliding.
---Hosea 14:4
~~~
THE people of Israel had backslidden, and God wanted Hosea to show them how much that hurt Him. So, in the first few chapters of Hosea, we read a bizarre story: God commanded the prophet to marry a prostitite named Gomer. Put on display as the faithful husband of an unfaithful spouse, Hosea experienced a pain similar to what God felt when Israel was spiritually unfaithful.

As Hosea wrote the ending of his book, he made it clear that despite the pain the people of Israel caused the living God, He still promised healing, forgiveness, and fruitfulness if they would return to Him: "I will heal their backsliding," He said. "I will love them freely....Those who dwell under his shadow shall return" (Hos. 14:4-7).

Life for the person who turns his back on God is often characterized by guilt and dissatisfaction. The truly born-again believer who has fallen into a lifestyle of sin knows deep down that spiritual unfaithfulness to God takes a toll.

Just as the God of grace offered Israel forgiveness and fruitfulness, even so today He offers restoration to the truly repentant (1 John 1:9). Have you made poor choices that have caused you to slip away? Come back. Repent and seek restored fellowship with the Lord today.
___________________
It's not too late to make a fresh start with God.
ODB/DF

PURSUING
HOSPITALITY ~

Romans 12:3-13
-----
Be hospitable to
one another without
grumbling.
--1 Peter 4:9 -
~~~~~
IN the New Testament, hospitality is a hallmark of Christian living. It is listed as a characteristic of church leaders (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:8) and is commanded for every follower of Jesus as an expression of love (Rom.12:13; 1 Peter 4:9). But its meaning goes deeper than being a gracious host or opening our homes to guests.

The Greek word translated "hospitality" means "love of strangers." When Paul speaks of being "given to hospitality" (Rom. 12:13), he is calling us to pursue relationships with people who are in need. It is not an easy task.

Writer Henri Nouwen likens it to reaching out to those we meet on our way through life--people who may be estranged from their culture, country, friends, family, or even from God. Nouwen writes: "Hospitality, therefore, means primarily the creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place."

Whether we inhabit a home, a college dorm, a prison cell, or a military barracks, we can welcome others as a way of showing our love for them and for Christ. Hospitality is making room for people in need. ~

Reaching out to needy people,
Showing them our love and care,
Is one way that God can use us
To bring hope to their despair.-
------------
Hospitality can fill the emptiness of a lonely heart.
ODB/DM

--ADVANCED
SCHOOL ~~

Psalm 27
~~~~
The LORD is the
strength of my life.
--Psalm 27:1
--- --
WE tend to compartmentalize our lives. We fill our days with activities such as work, errands, caring for children. And then we try to carve out time for "spiritual" activities such as church, small groups, personal devotions.

I don't see that separation in the Psalms. Somehow David and the other poets managed to make God the gravitational center of their lives so that everything was related to God. To them, worship was the central activity in life, not something to get through so other activities could be resumed. The process of letting God in on every detail of life is one we need.

For me, the Psalms have become a step in the process of recognizing God's true place at the center. The psalmists have an urgency, a desire, and a hunger for God that makes my own look anemic by contrast. They panted for God, as an exhausted deer pants for water (42:1-2). They lay awake at night dreaming of "the beauty of the LORD" (27:4). They would rather spend one day in God's presence than a thousand years elsewhere (84:10).

It was "the advanced school of faith" that these poets were enrolled in. Maybe as we read the Psalms, some of it will rub off on us~~
-----
To have a heart for God,
give your heart totally to God.

ODB/PY

In Jesus' Name We Press On! -

God's Calling Us to....

TRUST HIM WHEN
LIFE'S TOUGH ~ --

"And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed." (Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV)

We've been through some tough, tough times in our family. My wife almost died, and my daughter had cancer. I had a son who decided not to walk closely with the Lord. We've had times when finances were scarce. I've been in the middle of things that were way beyond me. But I've never found myself discouraged in the sense that most people use the term. I've always felt it would be very difficult to stand in the presence of a Holy God who is everything He says He is, look into His face, know what He's like and be discouraged.

All the way through the Bible, the people God chose were put into situations that were way beyond themselves. For instance, Moses with Pharaoh. But Moses knew that once he heard from God, it didn't matter what Pharaoh said or how Pharaoh threatened. Pharaoh could not cancel what God had said. I look at Abraham, who went out with just a handful of men and a few allies to defeat the kings who had just defeated five other kings. But Abraham knew God would bring the victory, so he didn't get discouraged. When Daniel was thrown in the lion's den, he didn't get discouraged because he knew God.

One biblical hero who was broken over what he knew from God was Jeremigh. His heart cried out because he knew that God was about to destroy His own people. He knew that if they didn't turn back to God, judgment would come, and it would be thorough. That broke Jeremiah's heart. I don't think he was discouraged in the sense that he thought the situation was hopeless. He did want to get out of the assignment, but he couldn't because God's Word burned in him. He couldn't not do the will of God.

I've been in many, many situations where I've faced opposition. I didn't know what was coming next. I didn't know the future of some things. But it never crossed my mind to leave the ministry. I always thought of those moments as my greatest opportunities to experience God. I always said: "Lord, put me in the most difficult, impossible situation, because whatever happens next, it will have to be You. I want to know You, and if I can handle it on my own, I probably won't be calling on You. But if I can't handle it, You're going to have to intervene, and then I'll come to a great experience with You."

I stay in the Scriptures and the Spirit of God, knowing that I'm going to encounter those tough times. God already has put in place the truths about Himself that are going to be important for me to know and to adjust to when those times come. When I hit those discouraging moments, I know that God has already gotten everything in place that I need to face those moments. Though I've never faced them before, they're not a surprise to God. If I can keep my faith and trust in Him and not look at circumstances, then I can go through any situation.

--Henry Blackaby

God's Calling...
FOR ME --

It's easy to lose heart when our problems seem insurmountable, but one of life's great lessons is learning that nothing is impossible to God. In fact, when we face confusion and crisis in life, they can be God's opportunity for us to recognize our own limitations and His own limitlessness. In any circumstance, He is able to turn situations around. Nothing is impossible to God.

Calling Out...
TO GOD --

'Whether the day is sunny and bright, or cold and rainy, I know You are with me. No matter what confronts me, You are there. Thank you, Lord, that you will never leave me nor forsake me.' Amen..

This Video/ Song "Press On" had expired in an earlier post, and since it is so powerful...

We will try again with a different video/song.

When the Valley is deep.....

WE PRESS ON / SELAH ~

Evangelism: Every Believer's Calling
-Acts 1:6-8
--
One Sunday, a man approached me between services to share his story. He'd been addicted to drugs and was leading a hopeless life when he heard a Scripture verse in a sermon. He said that one passage led him to place his trust in Jesus. The man was saved, and God transformed his life.

Every believer has a story. Oftentimes, the more we surrender to God, the greater our ability to see His hand in our life. And the more we watch Him work, the stronger our desire to share with others all that He has done.

The same was true of the early disciples. A small crowd gathered around Jesus before His ascension. They heard His command to spread the gospel around the globe, making disciples and baptizing people from all nations. Surely this seemed like an overwhelming task for a handful of followers, but they obeyed. Their personal experiences with Christ undoubtedly motivated them to share the good news, and they also must have gained confidence from Jesus' promise of His presence and power.

We, too, should be taking Christ's command seriously. One of our highest callings as believers is to tell others about Him. As was true for the early Christians, our own experience with the Savior is the most exciting and convincing story to tell.

Are you passionately telling others about Christ? Loving God involves not just having a personal relationship with Jesus but also sharing Him with others. The world around you needs the power of Christ. Let the Holy Spirit guide and enable you to share effectively with those around you.
--
In Touch ~

--GLORY
--
'God is looking for men in whose hands his glory is safe.'

--A W Tozer

'Resolved: that all men should live for the glory of God. Resolved second: that whether others do or not, I will.'

--Jonathan Edwards

~~~~~~~~~~~
"For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels." Luke 9:26

Have a Servants Heart for Jesus ~~
Pastor Jack Graham

'Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This isa desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves." But Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me."

Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.'

-- Matthew 14:15-20 -

One question I often hear when I talk about Jesus feeding the 5000 is why there were 12 baskets full of food left over. And you know, there are so many ideas out there because 12 is such a common recurring number throughout the Scriptures. There are 12 tribes of Israel and 12 disciples, both of which could explain why there were 12 baskets left.

But I really believe that the 12 baskets of food were left so that each one of those disciples who participated could take one! You see, those who serve the Lord get to enjoy the fruit of the abundant supply that Jesus gives.

Now, you don't have to be in full-time ministry to enjoy the
blessings that come along with serving. God's rewards are for anyone who commits themselves to his kingdom work.
Do you know who gets the most out of any message that I preach? I do!

And the reason I enjoy it the most is because I put the most time into it. Without a doubt, the best way to grow in Christ is to serve him and to give yourself to his purposes.

If you want love, then give love! If you want friends, then be a friend! When servants share in God's service, they share in God's supply.
-
SERVE THE LORD WITH YOUR LIFE AND YOU WILL ENJOY THE BLESSINGS THAT COME ALONG WITH FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE.

-AN OPEN
BOOK ~~

Jeremiah 31:31-34
---
You are an epistle
of Christ.
--2 Corinthians 3:3
--- -
Because I'm a writer, occasionally a friend will say to me,"I want to write a book someday."

"That's a worthy goal," I reply, "and I hope you do write a book. But it's better to be one than to write one."

I'm thinking of the apostle Paul's words: "Clearly you are an epistle of Christ...written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart" (2 Cor. 3:3).

In his book 'The Practice of Piety', Lewis Bayly, chaplain to England's King James I, said that "one who hopes to effect any good by his writings" will find that he will "instruct very few...The most powerful means, therefore, of promoting what is good is by example...One man in a thousand can write a book to instruct his neighbors...But every man can be a pattern of living excellence to those around him."

The work that Christ is doing in believers can result in an influence far greater than any book. Through God's Word, written "on their hearts" (Jer. 31:33), the Lord is displaying His love and goodness for all to see.

You may never write a book, but by living for God you will be an "epistle of Christ" for all to read.
-----
If someone were to read your life like a book,
would they find Jesus in its pages?

ODB/DR

--Live a Holy Life to God
Pastor Jack Graham ~

"Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them,
says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty."
-- 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 -

When you pick up a Bible and a read passage like Isaiah 6:3 that says, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" what do you think the
word "holy" means?

Well, in both the Old and New Testaments, whether we're talking
about God's holiness or ours, the word "holy" doesn't just mean good behavior. No, it means completely set apart and distinct from the status quo!

It's unfortunate that today we don't hear a great deal of
preaching about being set apart because there are so many Christians today that are like chameleons, changing colors with every crowd they're in. They're just like the world rather than being different from the world.

But Christ calls us to a higher standard. And when you live a life that's noticeably different from the world around you,
you'll experience the joy that God wants you to have. He
doesn't want you to be separated so you'll miss out on all
the fun. He wants you to find true fulfillment in him!

Some people today have just enough religion to make them miserable. They've got the world with one hand and Jesus with the other hand. They get the least of both worlds and the best of neither! But if you'll let go of this world and with both hands cling to the Lord Jesus Christ, you'll find the
unspeakable joy that can only be attained through unhindered fellowship with God. -

THE SCRIPTURE CALLS YOU TO LIVE NOTICEABLY DIFFERENT FROM THE WORLD AROUND YOU. WHEN YOU DO, YOU'LL FIND UNSPEAKABLE JOY IN FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD!

Matthew 4:19 / "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."~~JESUS

--
FISHING WHERE
THEY AIN'T

Luke 7:34-48
~~~
One of the Pharisees
asked [Jesus] to eat
with him. And He
went to the Pharisee's
house,and sat down
to eat. --Luke 7:36
---
I have a good friend I fish with now and then. After climbing into his waders and boots and gathering up his gear, he sits on the tailgate of his truck and scans the river for 15 minutes or more, looking for rising fish. "No use fishing where they ain't," he says.

This makes me think of another question: "Do I fish for souls where they ain't?"

It was said of Jesus that He was "a friend of tax collectors and sinners" (Luke 7:34). As Christians, we are to be unlike the world in our behavior, but squarely in it as He was. So we have to ask ourselves: Do I, like Jesus, have friends who are sinners? If I have only Christian friends, I may be fishing for souls "where they ain't."

Being with nonbelievers is the first step in "fishing." Then comes love--a heart-kindness that sees beneath the surface and listens for the deeper cry of the soul. It asks, "Can you tell me more about that?" and follows up with compassion. "There is much preaching in this friendliness," pastor George Herbert (1593-1633) said.

Such love is not a natural instinct. It comes solely from God. And so we pray: "Lord, when I am with nonbeleivers today, may I become aware of the cheerless voice, the weary countenance, or the downcast eyes that I, in my natural self-peoccupation, could easily overlook. May I have a love that springs from and is rooted in Your love. May I listen to others, show Your compassion, and speak Your truth today."
---
We are to be channels of God's truth--
not reservoirs.

--ODB/DR

A Hunger for God
PSALM 63:1-5

The Lord has given us a variety of appetites, which are essential for our physical survival. But He has also created within our hearts a hunger that is spiritual. David was a man who recognized and felt this yearning for the Lord. Throughout the Psalms, we find him meditating, offering praise, or crying out to God. His greatest joy was to be with his heavenly Father in intimate communion.

Hungering for the Lord is a desire to know and draw closer to Him. Sadly, this yearning lies dormant in many believers' lives. They're saved but have very little desire for more. One of the problems is that our society is filled with all sorts of things that grab and hold our interest and affections. These pleasures and pursuits compete with God for our attention, claiming our time and effort.

The good news is that the longing for God can be awakened if we are willing to change our priorities and pursuits. Although cultivating a desire for the Lord takes time, the joy we'll experience is lasting—and the rewards are eternal. You'll always get more out of a relationship with God than you put in. In fact, as your hunger for Him comes to life, He will open your heart and mind to understand and desire Him even more.

When we yearn for the Lord, He will satisfy us with contentment and a sense of completeness, while awakening an even deeper longing in our soul. Unlike physical hunger, a craving for Him is filled but paradoxically leaves us hungry. The more we are satisfied in Christ, the more we want of Him.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled."/ JESUS ~~ MATT.5:6

--In Touch

-SHARING
THE WORD ~~

Psalm 19:7-14
---
More to be desired
are they than gold,
yea, than much fine
gold.--Psalm 19:10
--

Many people enjoy introducing others to the writings that have shaped their lives. It's not surprising, then, that followers of Christ enjoy sharing God's Word with others. Some support Bible translation and distribution while others invite friends to study the Word with them. There are many ways to pass along God's truth to people hungering for encouragement and help.

Believers should make it their goal to enable others to experience the great benefit they've found in knowing Christ and being guided by His Word.

The psalmist said, "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple" (19:7).

The Word of God, which guards our hearts and guides our steps, is worth sharing with others. With our great technology today, we can share the Word via internet, email, postal mail, etc.

As we read Your Word, O Lord,
Our spirit will be fed;
We then can share with others
That precious living bread.
---
The Bible: Know it in your head, stow it in your heart,
show it in your life, sow it in the world.

ODB/DM

God's Calling us to .....
Whatever situation I am in, BE CONTENT ~

... I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I
know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger,abundance and need.
-(Philippians 4:11-12)

There's a popular prayer that I've heard known as the Serenity Prayer. My father-in-law used to love this prayer. In fact,
even many of the more secular support groups use this prayer. It goes like this:

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change; courage to change the things that I can; and wisdom to know the difference."

This is exactly the sentiment that the apostle Paul expressed in today's passage. It's the attitude that, no matter what
happens, you can fully trust in the stability, the security, and the sufficiency of our God who gives strength for every situation.

Now, anybody can have peace and satisfaction when things are going well. But what about when all hell breaks loose in your life? That's the time to lean on a faithful God who can hold you up.

I think it's about time that many in the church today learned to lean on the Lord and say "God, take the pressure off of me.
I'm not strong enough to bear it, but You are."So whatever your circumstance, give your cares to God and say,
"Lord, I trust You! You are more powerful than my pressures! You are mightier than my mountains! I give my cares to You."

When you do that, He'll give you a peace greater than you could ever imagine!

FIND REAL CONTENTMENT BY GIVING YOUR PRESSURES TO GOD AND ASKING HIM TO BEAR YOUR BURDENS.

-How You Can Be a Great Leader (right where you are)-

"Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?"
--2 Chronicles 1:10

There is a great leadership crisis in the world today. I think a big part of the problem is that there are some who serve in leadership who obviously are not qualified. But an even bigger problem is there are some people who are qualified but are not willing to pay the price and make the commitment to be a leader.

That's why I love King Solomon's response to God in today's passage. The Lord said, "I'll give you anything you want." And forsaking any material blessing he could've imagined, Solomon simply asked for wisdom to lead God's people. He was committed to his cause.

What does it take to be a good leader today? It takes commitment. It takes putting others before you. It takes devotion to a higher ideal than yourself. And wouldn't you know it, those are characteristics exemplified by Jesus!

If you want to be a good leader, follow Jesus. Lead how He led by putting others first and devoting yourself to God's purpose and plan. When you do that, you'll have no problem finding others who want to follow!

LEAD OTHERS WELL BY FOLLOWING CHRIST'S EXAMPLE OF PUTTING OTHERS FIRST AND TAKING DIRECTION FROM GOD!

--Jack Graham

Making Your Way Clean and Pure

BIBLE MEDITATION:

"I will meditate in Thy precepts, and have respect unto Thy ways." Psalm 119:15 [size:11pt]+[/size]

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Psalm 119:9 says, "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to Thy word." That word "way" really means a "rut" like a chariot wheel would make in the road.

Have you ever heard of a one-track mind? The devil plants a thought in our minds, and over time it becomes a belief. Before we know it, he has captured a stronghold. Thank God there is a way of deliverance.

ACTION POINT:
God's Word will cleanse you (see John 15:3 and Ephesians 5:26). Picture the Lord Jesus walking through your mind, filling up a wheelbarrow full of filth, and carting it out. Hallelujah! God's cleansing powers can sweep over your soul today. And fresh winds of the Holy Spirit can blow through the temple of your body and make you clean and pure.

Ask the Lord to give you a clean and pure heart for His glory!

-"ME FIRST"

-James 4:1-10
---
Put off, concerning
your former conduct,
the old man which
grows corrupt
according to the
deceitful lusts.
--Ephesians 4:22
---
A man once asked me, "What is your biggest problem?" I replied, "I see my biggest problem every day in the mirror." I am referring to those "me first" desires that lurk in my heart.

In James 4:1 we read: "Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?" The words "desires for pleasure" refer to our self-serving desires. That's why in James 1:14 we are told: "Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed." James warns that such "me first" desires will destroy our friendship with God (4:4) and cause division (vv.1-2).

Therefore, we are told to put off "me first" thinking. How do we do this? First, "Submit to God" (4:7). We need to get our ranking right--God is God and His will must always be first. Second: "Draw near to God"' (v.8). Deal with those desires that lead to sin by going to God for cleansing. Don't be double-minded, desiring both evil and good. But rather desire to please God alone. Third, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord" (v.10). Then "He will lift you up."

Remember, "me first" living is not the key to success. Put God first.
---
-When you forget yourself, you usually start doing
something others will remember.
--ODB/AL

-SHINE ANYWAY

Ephesians 5:1-10
---
You are light in
the Lord. Walk as
children of light.
--Ephesians 5:8
--
To be honest, I wasn't happy to be making another trip to the store. For the previous 4 weeks, my wife and I had been trying to get a refund for a bad refrigerator. As I spoke with the manager--again--it seemed that we were heading down another dead-end road. As we talked I wondered if we would ever get our money back, but I tried to be gracious.

At one point the manager said, "By now, customers are usually yelling at me, but you've been so patient." Then he
said, "Let's try something else." He asked me some questions and punched some numbers into a cash register. After a short delay--and some stories about irate customers--the machine spit out a receipt showing a refund! Our appliance nightmare was over. "Thanks for being so good to work with," he said as we parted ways.

While I think being nice when I didn't feel nice helped in this process, getting refunds is not why we should be kind. The real reason is that as Christians we are to reflect the light of Jesus (Eph. 5:8) on everyone--whether it's an irate neighbor, a bumbling waiter, or a department store manager. Our speech and behavior are to be a positive witness (Eph. 4:29-32; Col. 4:6). Are you facing a conflict? Let Jesus' light shine through.

As people of the Lord we're called
To follow in His way;
And then all those who watch our lives
Will see Him on display.
----
People are attracted to Christ when
you shine His light from your life.

--ODB/DB

-Rejoice!

"Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." (Philippians 4:4)

This encouraging command has been used in many generations of Sunday school teachings and sermons to challenge the saints. The apostle Paul uses nearly half of the 74 appearances of the word in the New Testament in his epistles.

This simple statement in Philippians 4:4 seems to summarize all of the other passages: "Rejoice -in the Lord (the qualifier, or the 'way' to rejoice)--always (in every circumstance and condition)." Joy is a godly thing.

Because of our sinful condition, we cannot easily "rejoice in the Lord." We can have fleeting moments of happiness and experiences that fill our hearts with delight and pleasure, but true joy--the ability to "rejoice"--only comes "in the Lord."

A quick review from the "Songs" of Israel can help us grasp how the righteous rejoice:

• "Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart." (Psalm 32:11)

• "Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright." (Psalm 33:1)

• "Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified." (Psalm 40:16)

• "My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed." (Psalm 71:23)

• "Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness." (Psalm 97:12)

Joy and rejoicing from born-again believers produce emotion (gladness, cheering, praise, singing, thanks, etc.), but the object of the emotion is always the source of our joy--the Lord Jesus our Savior, King, and Creator.

--ICR/ HMM III

-God's Calling Us to....WORSHIP!

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.”
--Revelation 19:6

I heard about a man who visited one of those old dead, dry churches where they never said “Amen!” or “Hallelujah!” As he sat down on about the second row, the minister began reading his sermon from a piece of paper. And right in the middle of that sermon, he said something that made that man yell out, “Amen!”

That was the first time anybody had ever heard anything like that in this church. It angered everyone. So an usher came all the way from the back, tapped that man on the shoulder, and said, “Sir, you’re disturbing our congregation. You’ve got to cut that out!” The visitor replied, “But I’ve got Jesus!”

And that usher said, "Well you didn't get him here....so be quiet!"

Now, there are many churches just like that today, but let me tell you one thing: heaven’s not going to be like that. Heaven is going to be a place full of hallelujahs and praises to God. It will be a place where worship pours out from every heart… where men and women sing out with everything in them to the King of kings.

Is your worship heavenly, or is it earthly? Are you worried about what others think around you? Or do you truly worship and sing to your audience of one? Don’t let what people think determine the passion behind your worship. Sing out and give praises to God with everything in you!

-INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT WHAT OTHERS THINK, WORSHIP GOD WITH ALL THAT IS IN YOU BECAUSE HE IS YOUR AUDIENCE OF ONE!

--BLESSED BE YOUR NAME!/ Matt Redman
---- --

-A CALL TO
COMMITMENT

Luke 9:57-62
---
No one, having put
his hand to the plow
and looking back, is
fit for the kingdom
of God. --Luke 9:62
---
Many health and fitness centers expect a flood of people to join every January who will come only a few times. They don't mind if people pay the fee and never return. But fitness trainer Jesse Jones takes the opposite approach. If you sign up and don't show up, he will terminate your membership. Jones says, "Save your money. Come see me in a few months when you're serious. My passion is not for another three-month payment...we're making people accountable to reach their goals."

In Luke 9:57-62, we encounter three people who told Jesus they wanted to follow Him, and all received what seem to be harsh replies from the Lord: "The Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head" (v.58). "Let the dead bury their own dead" (v.60). "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (v.62). For each person, Jesus stated the sacrifice and commitment required to become His disciple.

A man I admire as a dedicated and sensitive follower of Christ says that Christians need to be "ready for radical commitment and change." The Lord calls us not only to leave the status quo, but also to take that calling seriously by following Him.

'Lord, I want to be sold out for You. I want
to love You with my whole heart, soul,mind,
and strength. Give me the power to be who You
want me to be, and to walk in Your ways.'

-FOLLOWING JESUS DEMANDS OUR ALL. (He gave His life for us.)

--ODB/DM

-God's Calling Us to...
-PERSEVERANCE

"We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us." (Romans 5:3-5 NIV)

I read a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt in which she said, "You must do the things you are afraid of, because it's only in facing your fears that you will ever be free." I've found that to be absolutely true in my own life. If you had asked me as a teenager to name my greatest fear, I would have said, "That I would end up like my dad." He ended up in a psychiatric hospital when he was thirty-four. Well, I ended up in a psychiatric hospital when I was thirty-five or thirty-six. It is one of the greatest things to face your greatest fears. When you walk through them, stumbling at times, you come out with bloody knees, but you come out on the other side with a greater understanding not only of the grace and love of God, but of the fact that He can take you through anything.

After I got out of the psychiatric hospital, I met with a counselor, a very godly man, three times a week for three years. One of the most profound things he said to me was, "Sheila, Jesus has not come to get you through this; He's come to live in you through this."

That is why, when I stand up in front of fifteen thousand women on any given weekend, I know that what I say from that platform is true: "God will sustain you, whether you've just been diagnosed with breast cancer, or your husband just left you for another woman, or your child did not come home from the hospital." I understand Romans chapter five more than I ever did before: "Therefore, we rejoice in our sufferings, because suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope; and hope does not disappoint us."

--SHEILA WALSH

God's Calling....
FOR ME...
Phobias and fears can debilitate us from the freedom of life that God intends. Jesus' presence has the power to tear down the strongholds of fear we face. No matter what we struggle with, God is greater and He is mighty to save.

--Calling Out
-TO GOD....
'When I am afraid, I know You're there, Lord. You are my protector, my sanctuary, and my peace. Nothing is greater than You.' --
---

-Follow Me

"And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him." (Matthew 4:19-20)

It was not unusual for a man with a political cause or message to develop a following in the Israel of Jesus' day (see Acts 5:35-37, for example). It was even common for a Jew to follow a religious "master," calling him Rabbi and becoming his disciple.

But what made the disciples leave the lives they knew and follow Christ? Perhaps they hoped He would lead a successful rebellion against Rome, but He had done nothing to make them think so. Nor had He promised them a life of luxury and ease, but rather hardship and hard work in their new occupation as "fishers of men."

However, John the Baptist had prepared the way for the Lord. He had trained at least most, possibly all, of the men who would eventually become Jesus' disciples. "John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus" (John 1:35-37). Training by John even became a requirement for a potential replacement for Judas (Acts 1:20-22).

But a credible witness in John was not their only reason to follow, for they had a great body of compelling evidence. For example, Luke records in Peter's case, Christ had already gained local recognition (Luke 4:14-15). Jesus had been to Peter's house for dinner where his mother-in-law had been healed (4:38-39). Christ had used his boat for teaching (5:3) and had miraculously directed them to an overwhelming catch of fish (5:6). In response, Peter and his partners "forsook all, and followed him" (5:11).

We have a much surer testimony and much more evidence. Should we not do likewise?

-ICR/JDM

-TAKING RISKS

-Acts 15:7-26
---
Barnabas and Paul
...have risked their
lives for the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
--Acts 15:25-26
---
Paul and Barnabas were "men who have risked their lives" (text). Their goal was to exalt Christ through the preaching of the gospel. As a missionary in the Roman Empire, Paul faced hazards that resulted in shipwrecks, beatings, persecution, and imprisonment (2 Cor. 11:22-30). But Paul was more than willing to take these risks to make Christ known.

Many believers take risks to spread Jesus' good news. But fear of rejection causes others to remain silent. Have you been passively sitting on the sidelines ignoring opportunities to share the gospel? God has provided His Spirit to empower you (Acts 1:8) and His Word to make the message clear (Rom. 1:16). Ask God for the courage to speak up and witness for the Savior. Taking the risk will be well worth it.

Will you be bold in your witness
By giving lost sinners God's Word?
Jesus will honor your service,
And sinners will surely be stirred.
---
-The rewards of witnessing are well worth the risks.
--ODB/DF

-A COMMITMENT
TO CARE --

-Galatians 5:14-6:2
---
Bear one another's
burdens, and so fulfill
the law of Christ.
--Galatians 6:2-
---
Paul's words "Bear one another burdens,..(text)", come as an exclamation point to his description of life in the Spirit. In contrast to the destructive, self-centered acts of the sinful nature (Gal. 5:19-21), the fruit of the Holy Spirit in and through us is "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (vv.22-23). The great freedom we have in Christ allows us to serve each other in love (v.13).

A word of encouragement to a hurting friend can come like a refreshing rain. When we continue to care in tangible ways, it grows into a life-giving stream of healing and love.

Love is giving for the world's needs,
Love is sharing as the Spirit leads,
Love is caring when the world cries,
Love is compassion with Christlike eyes.
---
Compassion is the capacity to put Christlike love into action!
--ODB/DM

-Are We Listening For the Lord to Speak?

-THE LURE OF
A MESSAGE ~-

1 Samuel 3:1-10
---
-Speak, for Your
servant hears.
--1 Samuel 3:10

You're sitting in a darkened theater enjoying a concert, a play, or a film, when suddenly a smartphone screen lights up as a person reads an incoming text and perhaps takes time to reply. In his book 'The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains,' Nicolas Carr says that in our connected world, "The sense that there might be a message out there for us" is increasingly difficult to resist.

Samuel was a young boy when he heard a voice call his name and thought it was Eli the priest in the tabernacle where he served the Lord (1 Sam. 3:1-7). When Eli realized that God was calling Samuel, he told the boy how to respond. When God called his name a third time, "Samuel answered, 'Speak, for Your servant hears'" (v.10). This attentiveness to God's voice became the pattern of Samuel's life as "the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD" (v.21).

Are we listening for God's voice in our lives today? Are we more drawn by the vibration of a smartphone than the still, small voice of the Lord through His Word and His Spirit?

May we, like Samuel, learn to discern God's voice and say, "Speak, Lord I'm listening."
-----
-Don't let the noise of the world keep you from hearing the voice of the LORD. ~

--ODB/DM

--Pure Religion

Pure religion, and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
--- James 1:27

-We too often neglect the afflicted, the sorrowing, and choose to visit those who need not our sympathy and assistance. Do we live out our religion? Do we carry out our profession in our acts, in our works? Is there not a lack with some of bearing burdens? Is the duty all done when we hand of our abundance to relieve the pressing wants of others? The afflicted need words of comfort and tenderness. Then let your voice be often heard in prayer for the Lord to give strength and courage to the sick and afflicted, and that his light may cheer them in their suffering loneliness. Let every one of us think that we can do something to make the burden a little lighter for our brother or sister, who has more to bear and suffer than ourselves. Young and old, let your life be made up of good deeds and of kind acts.

When we visit the afflicted we are not in so much danger of talking to no profit. But many of the young choose to be where there is no sorrow, no affliction, that with a light and trifling spirit they may indulge in speaking unrestrained, without care or forethought. Says the True Witness, "I know thy works." I would say to our young friends, You must have an experience in these things. You must bear burdens; encourage and cherish tender, pitiful feelings towards the suffering; study how you may be of use to others--do them good and make them happy. Do not be wrapt up in self and think merely of your own enjoyment. If there are poor, sick, and afflicted among you, do not wait to be invited to see them and have a care for them. Go to them at once.

If there is an afternoon visit anticipated, deny your self the pleasure of joining your young friends in a social visit or chit chat, and go to the house of affliction. Set your young friends an example. They may be persuaded to follow you; and hours spent with the poor, the afflicted and distressed, are precious. Angels keep a faithful record of it all, and your own conscience will commend you. Right doing will not go unrewarded. Think of the self-denying, self-sacrificing life of Jesus our pattern, who went about doing good. Who imitates his example? It is time we were awake to our duty, and that we realized that it takes more than a name to make a Christian. It is to be Christ-like.

We are to be judged according to the deeds done in the body. Reader, What kind of an account will be opened of your case? If you have cared only for yourself, God notices it if others pass it by. That which you sow, you will also reap. Embrace every opportunity that presents itself for doing good. Have your life dotted all through with bright spots where self has been denied, and others benefitted.

Let your experience be interwoven with acts of benevolence, and you cannot fail to be happy while you are making others happy; and you will finally receive the reward to be given to those who have finished the race well, "Well done my good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord."

-HOLD ON TO HOPE, IN JESUS!

-Looking Back, Looking Forward
--Hebrews 6

"Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far has the Lord helped us.'" (1 Samuel 7:12)

--NOW THAT WE ARE a month into the New Year, it's good to look back and recall God's mercy and faithfulness to us in the past. With insight we see where God removed an obstacle or built a way over it.

Joshua instructed one man from each tribe of Israel to bring a stone from the Jordan River to set up as a memorial in the place where they camped on their first night in the land God had promised His people. We, too, ought to remember the victories won thus far along our way. Those experiences are the 'memorial stones' that remind us to press forward knowing everything we need has already been prepared for the next segment of the journey. We are given fresh strength, peace and joy to tackle each new day and week and month.

Paul's writings encourage us to hold on to hope because our hope is in the Rock of our salvation: JESUS. Never will He fail you; and always will His strong arm be sufficient to carry you through. Truly, you can move forward with assurance of an amazing future with Christ.
---
-'Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by thy great help I've come;
And I hope, by thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.'
--(Robert Robinson, 1758)

--Haven Today

--When to Pray

"Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving." (Colossians 4:2)

There is no set time to pray, for it is always appropriate. Our text tells us to "continue" in prayer, and this is the same word as in Romans 12:12, which urges us to be "instant in" prayer. In fact, the admonition of 1 Thessalonians 5:17 is to "pray without ceasing."
Children should pray, as did little Samuel. When the Lord called him, he could answer: "Speak; for thy servant heareth" (1 Samuel 3:10). Young people should pray, as Timothy, who was exhorted by Paul to make "supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks . . . for all men" (1 Timothy 2:1).

Adult men should pray, as did Paul himself, who could say to the Christians of Philippi that he was "always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy" (Philippians 1:4). Old men should pray, like Simeon, and old women, like Anna, who "served God with fastings and prayers night and day" (Luke 2:25, 36-37). And even dying men should pray, as did Stephen who, as he was being stoned to death, was also "calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" (Acts 7:59).

We can pray at dawn like David, who said: "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up" (Psalm 5:3). In a Philippian prison, "at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God" (Acts 16:25). Daniel "kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed" (Daniel 6:10). There is no time that is not a good time for prayer. One should pray in times of sorrow and also in times of joy, as did Hannah in both circumstances (1 Samuel 1:15; 2:1).

It is a most marvelous privilege that we have through Christ, that we are able to speak to the infinite God in prayer, and to know that He hears, and cares! Therefore, pray!

--ICR/ HMM

--Confession

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

The Bible book in which this glorious promise is given was written entirely to the saint of God,not to the unbelieving sinner.

Confession is what saints do when they sin.
Repentance is what sinners do before they become saints.
Confession is agreement (identity) with the sin against God.
Repentance is reversal (changed mind) to trust (from me to God).

Psalm 51 is a classic prayer of confession. King David poured out his heart of sorrow for the terrible affair with Bathsheba and yearned for God to "wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin" (v. 2). David acknowledged that "against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight" (v. 4). He confessed his sin, and asked God, "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation" (v. 12).

Three of the gospels record the declaration of Jesus that "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Mark 2:17). Repentance is not an apology for specific sins, it is a heart-mind-soul turning from self-righteous sufficiency to God's holiness. It is the lost that repent, not the saved: "Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance" (Luke 15:7).

One day, however, "every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:11). Far better to repent in sorrow today than confess in terror at the Judgment.

--ICR/ HMM III

--PREACH THE WORD!

-"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
-- 2 Timothy 4:2

Christ neglected no opportunity of proclaiming the gospel of salvation. Listen to His wonderful words to that one woman of Samaria. He was sitting by Jacob's well, as the woman came to draw water. To her surprise He asked a favor of her. "Give Me to drink," He said. He wanted a cool draft, and He wished also to open the way whereby He might give to her the water of life. "How is it," said the woman, "that Thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans." Jesus answered, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water.... Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:7-14.

How much interest Christ manifested in this one woman! How earnest and eloquent were His words! When the woman heard them, she left her waterpot, and went into the city, saying to her friends, "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?" We read that "many of the Samaritans of that city believed on Him." Verses 29, 39. And who can estimate the influence which these words have exerted for the saving of souls in the years that have passed since then?

Wherever hearts are open to receive the truth, Christ is ready to instruct them. He reveals to them the Father, and the service acceptable to Him who reads the heart. For such He uses no parables. To them, as to the woman at the well, He says, "I that speak unto thee am He."~~~

--God's Calling Us to.....
--Prayer in Times of Inadequacy
---[God does Grant Favor to His People]
--Nehemiah 2:1-10 (recommended reading)

After Nehemiah heard about the desperate condition of the Jews who had returned from exile to Jerusalem, his heart was burdened (Neh. 1:3-4).
By getting his attention in this way, the Lord could reveal what He wanted Nehemiah to do. Scripture doesn't spell out the man's reaction on realizing that he was to be a part of the solution, but we can imagine a sense of inadequacy probably engulfed him. How could he possibly help? He wasn't even near Jerusalem, and as a servant of the king, he didn't have the freedom to pack up and leave.

But whenever God puts a burden on our hearts, He will open a door to accomplish His will. In this case, the Lord used Nehemiah's sad expression and desperate prayer to prepare a pagan king to send him on his mission.

How do you respond when you sense the Lord is calling you to a task that seems beyond your abilities? Do you list all the reasons you can't possibly do it? God already knows everything about you and the situation. He's not asking your permission to proceed; rather, He is calling you to move forward with faith and obedience. He didn't make an error in choosing you for the task, but you will make a huge mistake if you refuse to do it.

God will equip you for whatever He calls you to do. Because the Holy Spirit dwells within every believer, we have all we need to fulfill the Lord's mission. Instead of letting inadequacy hinder you from obeying, let it drive you to your knees so you can arise with renewed insight and power.

--In Touch

---THE BLESSING OF
----GIVING ~~

--Mark 12:38-44
------
It is more blessed to
give than to receive.
----ACTS 20:35
-------
IT MADE NO SENSE for a widow to donate her last few coins to a corrupt institution in Jerusalem, where scribes who were dependent on those gifts "devour[ed] widows' houses" (Mark 12:40). But in that woman's act, Jesus saw a moving display of the proper attitude toward money (vv.41-44).

Gordon Cosby, while serving as pastor in Washington, DC, tells of a widow whose income was barely adequate to feed and clothe her six children. Yet every week she faithfully placed $4 in the offering plate. A deacon suggested that Cosby go to her and assure her that she could use the money instead for her family's benefit.

Cosby followed the deacon's advice--to his regret, "You are trying to take away the last thing that gives me dignity and meaning," she said. She had learned a key to giving: It can benefit the giver more than the receiver. Yes, those in poverty need financial help. But the need to give may be as important as the need to receive.

The act of giving reminds us that we live by God's grace--like the birds and the flowers. They don't worry; neither should we. Giving offers us a way to express our confidence that God will care for us just as He cares for the sparrow and the lily (Matt. 6:25-34).

-Whatever, Lord, we lend to Thee,
Repaid a thousand-fold will be;
Then gladly will we give to Thee,
Who givest all--who givest all.
------
---THE LORD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER. HE OWNS THE CATTLE ON A THOUSAND HILLS. WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO OUTGIVE GOD, YET WE OBEY TO 'BRING ALL THE TITHES INTO THE STOREHOUSE.' (MALACHI 3:10) ~~~

---ODB/PY

--DISCERNING SPIRITS-/KNOW THE WORD OF GOD BY READING AND STUDYING IT FOR YOURSELF!

“Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
----Matthew 4:4

-There was a minister a few years ago who had a huge falling out when some very dark sins came to light. He was fired from his job, and it shook the foundations of the church where he was the pastor.

I heard him talk about his experience recently, and he recounted a time when he realized how serious his problem was. He started quoting Romans 6, memorized the chapter, and recited it every time he faced temptation. But in the midst of that, his problems only got worse as he fell deeper and deeper into his sin.

I hear people all the time say, “When the devil comes against you, just quote Scripture.” But quoting the Scriptures alone isn’t enough… you have to live by it! You can go right down the tubes quoting the Bible the whole way! Satan knows the Bible, he quoted it to Jesus when he tempted Him in the desert. (See:Matthew 4:1-11)

So don’t just quote the Bible… submit your life to the Bible. That doesn’t mean you won’t face temptation. But it does mean that when temptation comes, you’ll be poised to face it head-on and win because of the spiritual strength and stamina that comes from living by the Word of God!

--LIVE BY THE WORD OF GOD, AND YOU’LL HAVE THE SPIRITUAL STRENGTH AND STAMINA TO OVERCOME ANY TEMPTATION!

--DISCERNING SPIRITS / KNOW THE BIBLE BY READING IT AND STUDYING IT FOR YOURSELF!

--SPIRITUAL UGLINESS!

"Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness." (Matthew 23:27)-

"BEAUTY is only skin deep" seems to be the modern secular equivalent of the "woe" in Matthew 23. The corresponding Old Testament statement is probably this: "As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion" (Proverbs 11:22). This principle has lasted for millennia simply because it is easily observed in all cultures. Our Lord's application to the Scribes and Pharisees was particularly pointed: "Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity" (Matthew 23:28).

God is not interested in the "pretty outside" but in what's on the inside. "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).

Hypocrisy and iniquity are the two attributes of "uncleanness" identified by Christ. The core of hypocrisy is the intent to deceive others, either with actions or words. And the core of the biblical teaching about deception is the false teacher--those who look like and talk like God's people, "but inwardly they are ravening wolves" (Matthew 7:15).

Iniquity is the biblical term for "without law." Such a person has no desire to submit to biblical term for "without law." Such a person has no desire to submit to authority, and is both willing to do evil and is dangerous to be around. Cain murdered Abel, the Bible insists, "because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous" (1John 3:12).

Such a condition should never plague us, Christ followers. Jesus "gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14).

--ICR/HMM

--God's Call to Repentance
--Luke 15:11-24 -(recommended reading)

In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the younger brother asked to receive his inheritance early so he might live as he chose. Once the father gave him his share, he made many unwise choices that led to hunger and destitution. What happened next illustrates the principles of godly repentance.

After squandering all his money, the young man found work feeding pigs, a bottom-of-the-barrel kind of job. One day he came to his senses and recognized his terrible plight. His repentance began with an awareness of his wrong choices and the fact that his bad situation was due to them.

Knowing that his difficulties came from his sinful behavior, the prodigal grieved over his mistakes and acknowledged that he had sinned against the Lord (v. 18). He declared he was no longer worthy to be his father's son. Godly sorrow and confession led the young man to leave that place and go home. His repentance was made complete when he turned away from his old ways and returned to his father. The Lord likewise calls us to repent and return to Him.

What a welcome the prodigal son received. Upon seeing him, the father was filled with compassion and ran to embrace him. Forgiveness and acceptance were extended to the son. Both are blessings that God freely offers to whoever asks Him.

The prodigal son did not clean himself up before returning home. He simply left his old life, turned toward home, and trusted in his father's mercy.
The heavenly Father calls us to repent and offers us forgiveness when we turn away from our self-centered ways and move toward godliness (1 John 1:9).

--IN TOUCH

--How to Make Your Life Matter~

"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."
--2 Corinthians 5:20 --

~~THE greatest joy anyone can have in life is the thrill of seeing people come to Jesus Christ. Yet, so many people just get up in the morning, fight traffic, get to work, drink their coffee, do their job, go home, take an aspirin, watch the news, go to bed, and do the same thing over and over again without ever investing their lives in those things which are eternal.

Now, I'm not saying there's anything wrong in having a job and going to work every day. I'm just saying there ought to be something about your life that has eternal significance. And the way to live your life for the things that are eternal is to invest in the lives of others!

Think of it! You can win souls to Jesus Christ! You can take men and women from darkness to light, out of Hell and into Heaven to be a partner with God, an ambassador of the King. The highest and the noblest cause you have in life is to be an ambassador for Jesus Christ.

Our lives are filled with so much ordinary. But in Christ, you can transform it into the eternal. So as you live your life, look for other people you can invest in and love them. Show them who Christ is and make a real difference for eternity!

--In Christ, that which seems ordinary can have a real impact on eternity. So wherever you are in life, be an ambassador for Christ and lead people to Him!

--PP/JG

--God's Calling Us to 'Be an epistle of Christ..written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God.'
--2 Corinthians 3:3

--LIVING LETTERS~

-2 Corinthians 3:-=11
----
Clearly you are an
epistle of Christ...
written not with ink
but by the Spirit of
the living God.
--2 Corinthians 3:3
-----
IN November 1963, the same day that President John F. Kennedy was shot, another leader died--Clive Staples Lewis-(C.S. Lewis). This Oxford scholar, who had converted from atheism to Christianity, was a prolific writer. Intellectual books, science fiction, children's fantasies, and other works flowed from his pen with a strong Christian message. His books have been used by God in the conversion of many, including a politician and a Nobel Prize-winning scientist. [I have personally read on another forum that a few other men were won to Christ by reading C.S. Lewis' book, 'Mere Christianity'.]

Some are called to tell others about Christ through their writing , but all believers are called to be "epistles," or letter of Christ, in the way we live. The apostle Paul tells us, "Clearly you are an epistle of Christ...written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God" (2 Cor. 3:3).

Certainly Paul does not mean we are actually pieces of paper upon which God's message has been written. But as living "letters' we can illustrate how Jesus Christ makes a difference in how we treat others and strive to live with integrity.

Few will have the influence that C.S. Lewis did, but we are all called to bring glory to the One who loves us and has redeemed us!
---------
-WE ARE CHRIST'S "LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION" TO ALL WHO READ OUR LIVES. Let's be sure to be 'salt and light' to those we come in contact with. A sweet smelling savor for our Lord Jesus.

--ODB/DF /LIVING FOR YOUR GLORY/ by: Tim Hughes
<http://youtu.be/LdGR0vmribI>

--INTEGRITY LEAGUE~

--Psalm 26
----
-He who walks with
integrity walks
securely.
--Proverbs 10:9
-----
WE CALL it the 'Integrity League', but it's really just a bunch of guys who get together at lunchtime to play basketball. We call fouls on ourselves, attempt to avoid angry outbursts, and simply try to keep everything fair and enjoyable. We are competitive and we don't like to lose--but we all agree that integrity and honesty should control the atmosphere.

Integrity. Scripture clearly indicates the importance of this trait. And we honor the God of our lives when we practice it.

Through His Word, God has given us clear reasons to "walk in...integrity" (Ps. 26:11). A person who has integrity has the security of a quiet life unknown to the one who "perverts his ways" (Proverbs 10:9). The follower of God who lives with integrity is preserved by his confidence in God, for that person waits for God's intervention in his life instead of running ahead of Him (Psm. 25:21). And the one who practices integrity will be given guidance and clear direction (Prov. 11:3).

Why should we care about life's "Integrity League"? Because obeying God this way shows that we trust Him with our lives and that we want to shine His great love on others.
-----
-Integrity is Christlike character in workclothes.~~

--ODB/Dave Brannon

--How to Stay on the Path to Christ-like Living~~

"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
--1 Peter 1:13-16

A story is told about a sailor hundreds of years ago who was given charge of a ship overnight while the captain slept. It was his first time to have full command of the ship, and the only directive he was given was to sail due north, toward the North Star.

“Okay, Captain,” the young sailor said. “So should I just come wake you when we sail past that star?” The captain looked at him and said, “Son, we will never sail past the North Star. It will always be our guide to true north. It never changes.”

In much the same way, the statutes and ways of God are our true north. They’re our guide in life as we pursue holy living. And while we’ll never pass them, we can look to them and know the direction to go that will lead us down the path of godly living.

Never forget your true north…. it’s the very character of Christ Himself. Pursue godly living by following your North Start: the Word of God and the Spirit of God. As long as you are heading in the right direction, you can be sure you’ll stay on the path toward Christ-like living!

-STAY ON THE PATH TO LIVING A LIFE LIKE JESUS BY KEEPING YOUR FOCUS ON THE HOLY CHARACTER OF GOD.

--PP/JG

-Stop Wasting So Much Time...

It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
---Psalm 127:2

I have a good friend who was sitting at a red light one day, and he began to contemplate how much time we spend sitting at red lights in our lifetime. The thought occurred to him that one of these days, after sitting at so many red lights, he’s going to die. They’ll put him in a box and drive his body down the street in a hearse, running every red light along the way.

So he thought, “How ironic. I’ll have to die to run red lights!”

I was thinking about that little thought not long ago, and I started to thank God for the “red lights” I hit in my daily life. Sometimes, they’re literally red lights. Other times, they’re people who stop me in the hallway because they need to talk. It’s those red lights that tell me I still have breath in my lungs, and I still have a mission to live for God’s purposes.

It’s easy to want to push-push-push our way through life, checking boxes only to make more lists. But what if we take more little blessing breaks in our lives and slow down a bit? Our lives would be much less stressful, and our relationships so much deeper. You’re never wasting time when you’re doing what God wants you to do.

-STOP WASTING TIME BY STOPPING AND LETTING GOD GUIDE YOUR STEPS, NOT YOUR TASK LIST.

--PP/JG

--LIVE A GENUINE LIFE~~

'But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”
--1 Samuel 16:7

A little boy was out in the backyard one day just passing the afternoon away. Suddenly, he saw a huge rat. Knowing his mom and dad didn’t want rats around the house, he grabbed a baseball bat and took care of that rat fairly quickly. He was so excited that he wanted to tell his parents right away.

So he went inside and yelled, “Mom, Dad… you’re not going to believe it! I found a rat, hit him in the head with my baseball bat five times, and them I stomped on it!” Just then, the boy noticed the pastor of the church was in the living room visiting with his parents. So he finished his story, “And then the Lord called him home.”

It’s funny how many people change who they are when the pastor’s around. Every now and then, I’ll get hooked up to play golf with some guys who curse like sailors. So at about the 9th hole, they’ll find out I’m a pastor, and they play the rest of the day like a bunch of saints!

People with true character are those who live authentically in every area of their life. They’re the same people on Saturday night that they are on Sunday morning. So don’t put on a morality show for the religious crowd. Live a genuine life every day of the week!

-LIVE EVERY DAY GENUINELY BEFORE THE LORD, NOT PUTTING ON A SHOW FOR THE RELIGIOUS CROWD.

--PP/JG

---The Message the World Needs to Hear
---Mark 16:15-20

Suppose I asked what the mission of the church is—how would you answer? Although the church accomplishes many tasks, its only message to the world is the gospel of Christ. Everything else we do is merely an extension of that primary goal. The gospel we offer the lost is superior to every worldly philosophy. Never outdated or in need of correction, it is always sufficient to meet humanity's greatest need: reconciliation with the Creator.

Although the message is always the same, methods of making it known are many—including the spoken word, music, printed material, and electronic media. But all these avenues of communication require the individual involvement of God's people. It is every Christian's responsibility to use his or her spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities to help fulfill the Great Commission.

Some Christians think that this role is given only to pastors, missionaries, or other people with an "up-front ministry." But all of us have the responsibility to be involved in whatever way we are able and in whatever opportunity God gives us. Not everybody is called to go abroad as a missionary, but we all can give, pray, and tell friends and family what the Lord has done for us.

When you're truly committed to getting the gospel out, God will reveal what work He is calling you to do. He has a place for every one of us—nobody is insignificant or unusable. The limiting factor is not the Lord's ability to use us but our availability to His call.

--The Saints -/ - Believers

“Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you. All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household.” (Philippians 4:21-22)

-The apostle Paul typically began and ended most of his church epistles with greetings to and from “the saints.” The context in each case shows that this term was applied to all those who were “in Christ Jesus”—that is, all true Christians. The Greek word 'hagios' meant essentially those people or things that are set aside or consecrated to the Lord. It is frequently translated “holy” and can be applied to objects dedicated to the Lord, as in Hebrews 9:24 (“holy places made with hands”).

The term is applied also to Old Testament believers. At the time of Christ’s resurrection, we are told that “many bodies of the saints which slept arose” (Matthew 27:52).

Although “saints” should be altogether godly and righteous as well as set aside to the Lord, that is not necessarily always how they act. Thus, special men have been called by God (i.e., pastors, teachers, etc.) “for the perfecting of the saints” (Ephesians 4:12).

Some of these latter have been given the supposedly exclusive right to be called saints by the Catholic church. Other than “St. Mary” and “St. Peter,” the best known of these may be “St. Patrick,” the so-called “patron saint” of Ireland. Patrick was certainly a very zealous missionary, largely responsible for the conversion of the Irish from paganism back in the early fifth century, and all we know about him would confirm that he was indeed a “saint” in the true biblical sense.

Since the sole biblical criterion to be classed as “His saints” is “them that believe,” that includes us! That being the case, should we not be zealous to see that our lives are such as “becometh saints” (Ephesians 5:3)?
--ICR/HMM

--The Fruit-Bearing Christian

“Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.” (Philippians 4:17)

The apostle Paul here was commending the Christians at Philippi as the only church that had sent an offering to help defray his expenses on his missionary trips. He calls such gifts “fruit” that would abound to their “account” (Greek logos, probably better rendered as “testimony”). Thus God considers gifts of money to scriptural ministries to be like life-giving fruits on a healthy vine.

There are other types of fruits which a Christian life can produce. Paul regarded those he had helped lead to Christ as fruits. He wrote to the Christians at Rome: “I purposed to come unto you . . . that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles” (Romans 1:13).

Genuine traits of godly character are also called fruits. “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5:9). The classic passage, outlining the nine-fold fruit produced by the Holy Spirit in the life of a willing Christian, is Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” It is significant that all these attributes constitute one fruit, not nine fruits.

The tremendous importance of fruit-bearing in the Christian life was especially brought out by Christ in His famous discourse on the vine and the branches in John 15:1-16. In these verses, the word “fruit” occurs eight times. First, there is the warning: “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away” (John 15:2).
If there is no fruit (or if the fruit is “corrupt fruit”) in the life, there is no assurance of any life at all.

“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit” (John 15:8). To bring forth much fruit, we must abide (that is, “continue steadfastly”) in Christ (John 15:5).
--ICR/HMM
<http://youtu.be/gn5CMSSAx_c>
--------------

--Invest Your Time-Don't Just Spend It
--Ephesians 5:15-17

--Time is a most valuable commodity. Since it's irreversible and irreplaceable,we ought to give careful consideration to how we spend our days-and even our minutes. Time is a gift from God. That means we are not owners but stewards and will one day be held accountable for how we used what was entrusted to us. According to verse 15, there are only two possible ways to live: wisely or foolishly.

Let's first consider what is involved in using our time wisely. Those who realize that their days belong to God are careful how they live. Their goal is to understand the Lord's will and align their schedules and activities with His purposes. As they seek guidance each day through intimate fellowship with Him in the Word and prayer, their spiritual eyes are opened to discern which opportunities are from the Father and which are not a part of His plans for them.

But those who are foolish do not give adequate thought to the way they live. Some become unproductive and lazy, living for their own pleasures while missing out on God's purpose for their lives. However, others may be very busy and extremely successful by worldly standards, but if their days are occupied with activities that aren't God's will for them, they're wasting their time.

To make the most of your opportunities, begin each day with the Lord, submitting to His will and asking that He direct your activities. After all, none of us want to get to heaven and discover that even though we've been busy spending our time, we have failed to invest it for eternity.
--IN TOUCH =/ LORD, I OFFER MY LIFE TO YOU~~
<http://youtu.be/FTLGBfv4xaM>
--------

--God's Calling Us to...

---The Call to Serve

-Galatians 5:13

--"Serve One another in Love"
Jesus commanded that we serve one another, but obeying this mandate in humility is not natural for us. Sure, there are times we like to help others.. But service that involves self-sacrifice--especially for someone we deem undeserving--much more difficult to do.

What does it mean to serve? Consider Christ's example. He gave up everything in heaven to live among us, subjecting Himself to dishonor and human frailty. And He loved even those who rejected Him. Think about how He humbled Himself and washed the disciples' feet at Passover. This was a disgusting, lowly task that a slave might be assigned--far from anything a king should do. He even knew these men were about to abandon Him but served them anyway.

Ultimately, Christ gave His life for us. And He did so while we were still sinners (Rom. 5:8). Serving others was His lifestyle--part of who He was and what He did. As His followers, we should strive to be like Him.

Therefore, service involves first dying to our selfish attitudes and motives. Only then can we live to glorify Christ. Jesus said that the greatest commandments are to love God wholeheartedly and to love others (Matt. 22:37-39). Ironically, it is only when we humbly serve others that we experience God's fullness in our own lives.

Many try to achieve happiness by striving after their own desires. The result? Tired, unsatisfied people. True contentment happens only when we walk closely with Jesus. He shows where we can humble ourselves and take care of others. These actions, done through His strength, will be blessed.

--IN TOUCH=/ FROM THE INSIDE OUT~~ HILLSONG
<http://youtu.be/YLwHElK29MA>
------------

--God's Calling Us to .....
-"Wait upon the Lord and He will strengthen
your heart. Wait I say, upon the Lord."

-MORE THAN
WAITING ~~

--Read: Acts 1:1-11
----
'A little while, and you
will not see Me; and
again a little while,
and you will see Me,
because I go to the
Father.' --John 16:16
----
--JESUS told His followers that He would soon be leaving them and they would need to wait for His return in "a little while" (John 16:16). After His resurrection, they saw Him again and they hoped He would be establishing His kingdom on earth at that time. But He told them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority" (Acts 1:7). They would have to wait even longer.

But they were to do more than wait. Jesus told His followers that they were to "be witnesses to [Him] in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (v.8). And He gave them the Holy Spirit to empower them to do this.

We still wait for Jesus' return. And while we do, it's our delight, in the Holy Spirit's power to tell and show others who He is, what He has done for all of us through His death, burial, and resurrection, and that He has promised to return.
---
-WAIT AND WITNESS TILL JESUS RETURNS! HE SAID HE WILL RETURN 'WHEN THE GOSPEL HAS BEEN PREACHED TO ALL NATIONS.' (Mark 13:10)~~
--ODB/AC -/ JESUS IS COMING SOON=Oak Ridge Boys
<http://youtu.be/3l_LfGjXShg>
-------------

--Your Heavenly Calling and Privilege~~

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
---Matthew 28:19-20

--The great Christian writer and pastor Andrew Murray used to say that there were two kinds of Christians: soul-winners and backsliders. Now, I know we don’t all carry out the Great Commission in the same way – we’re gifted differently. But as believers, it’s our job to find the way God has planned for us to share Christ and get to it!

Now, I know some people who say, “God didn’t call me to win souls. He called me to make disciples.” And it’s true that the main command of the Great Commission is to “make disciples.” However, the first step in making disciples is sharing Christ. You can’t have spiritual growth if there’s no presence of the Holy Spirit!

So what’s my response to the Christian who doesn’t believe he or she is called to evangelism? I would invite them to carefully and seriously seek the Lord’s will through the Scriptures. When you look into the Word of God, you’ll never once find a person who God says is exempt from inviting others to faith.

Sharing the good news of Jesus is a privilege each of us is given in order to help rescue men and women from a Christ-less eternity. Don’t neglect so great a privilege. Fulfill your heavenly calling by sharing Christ however God has gifted you!

-FULFILL YOUR HEAVENLY CALLING TO SHARE CHRIST BY INVITING OTHERS TO EXPERIENCE LIFE WITH HIM.

--PP/JG
[Technology has come so far, that 'anybody' who is truly born again, can write a letter, send an email, telephone calling, post on a website. You can share your faith in person, maybe while out shopping, or taking a walk. Just do it! Time is growing short.
Jesus tells us, "And this gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14)]
<http://youtu.be/m_e4RXHF6Yk>
-----------

---Are You a Powerful Witness for Jesus?

'There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.'
--John 1:6-8
-----------
--As believers, you and I can learn so much from God’s man, John the Baptist.

He was sent from God to introduce Christ to the world. And in just the same way, you and I are to be witnesses… to introduce men, women, boys, and girls to faith in Jesus Christ before He comes again.

Now, a witness is someone who steps aside, someone who gets out of the spotlight, someone who removes themselves from the scene. And a witness for Christ is someone does nothing but point others to Christ. That’s what John the Baptizer did. He was willing for his great life to be eclipsed by the greater life of Christ. He was willing to say, “I’m not the light, but Jesus Christ is the light.”

John the Baptist was a passionate and powerful witness for Jesus Christ.

Now let me ask you, are you a passionate and powerful witness for Jesus Christ? If not, why not?

Today, it’s my prayer that you would understand God’s call on your life to be a witness in this generation for Jesus Christ… like John the Baptist was for his generation.

Live your life in such a way that you point people to the one true Savior… Jesus!

--ARE YOU A POWERFUL WITNESS FOR JESUS CHRIST?
-IF NOT, WHY NOT?
--PP/JG =/ RESCUE THE PERISHING~~
<http://youtu.be/m_e4RXHF6Yk>
-----------

---Uprooting Toxic Bitterness

--BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14

--DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Bitterness is an emotional cancer that consumes many a person who once had the bloom of eternal springtime in his heart. Where does it come from? Usually from being hurt. Perhaps you were abused as a child, rejected by someone, fired from a job, or even bypassed at church. Bitterness sets in when the hurt goes unresolved. There is a solution. If you’ve been wronged and bitterness has become so strong that you can almost taste its bile within your mouth, then it’s time to pursue it with a holy vengeance. With the Spirit’s spade, root it out. Draw a circle that takes in those who have wronged you. It may even be another employee working beside you. Forgive them for Christ’s sake!

--ACTION POINT:
Bow before the Lord this morning and ask for grace and power to uproot the bitterness that has taken hold in your heart and is robbing you of the joy you desire.
--Adrian Rogers

--God is Calling us to Peace~~

---Jesus the Source of Peace
--Colossians 1:15-20

-Before we knew Jesus Christ, our life was full of godlessness and wickedness—we had self-seeking ways and stubborn, unrepentant hearts (Rom. 1:18; 2:5, 8). Like our strife-filled world, we clamored for peace and tried to find it, but our efforts failed.

When we came to faith in the Savior, all of that changed. We were rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into Christ’s kingdom (Col 1:13). Every one of our sins—past, present, and future—was forgiven. Divine justice was satisfied by Christ’s sacrifice, and God’s wrath upon us was removed. We became a new creation, washed clean by Jesus’ blood (2 Cor. 5:17).

Now that sin’s power over us has been broken, we can live in accord with God. He sent His Holy Spirit to be our personal guide in this new life, helping each of us experience Christ’s peace (Rom. 8:6). We also can look forward to an eternity spent in heaven, where righteousness, tranquility, and joy abound (Rom. 14:17).

The story of the prodigal son’s return is a picture of our reconciliation with the Lord (Luke 15:11-24). The son had chosen to leave his father, living instead to please himself. Repentant, he eventually returned home; his father joyfully greeted him and forgave him, and there was harmony between them. God has done all this for us.

Our unity with the heavenly Father came at a great price—the sacrifice of His only Son. Christ gave His life for us so that we could be reconciled to God (Col. 1:20). Christian lives are to testify that Jesus is the source of our peace. Does your life communicate this message?

--IN TOUCH~~