MY CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

It isn’t often that I have Christmas Dinner with my husband’s side of the family, but when we do, all 23 were expected this year at my house. The excitement and joy of having loved ones you haven’t seen for a while and those nearby makes Christmas a special day. But on Christmas morning I became ill. I didn’t know if what I had was the flu or something like it. All I knew was that in a few hours people would be knocking at my front door and there was still much to do. My husband and children try to get the preparations going as best as they could.

This was a day we usually take our traditional Christmas home picture on the stairs of our home. We normally do this on Christmas morning, but seeing how sick I was they refused. At my insistence, they went ahead and took the picture. Afterwards, I went straight to bed. My sick body was still taking its toll. As I lay in bed I lifted my Lord in prayer and praised Him, I knew I was not alone. I didn’t complain to the Lord of my misery, but said to him ‘may your will be done’. I closed my eyes for a few seconds and the most wonderful thing happened. It was in those seconds that something miraculous happened. All I know is when I opened my eyes I WAS HEALED! Yes, it was a miracle. Only Jesus could heal me from what was ailing me, and only He could turn my sadness into Joy. It was Jesus’ birthday and he gave me his gift, the miracle of healing me – what a merciful and compassionate God we serve. Praise His Name!

When I went downstairs and saw my husband and my children - they were amazed at the transformation. I was jumping with joy, and told them Christ had healed me. I had witnessed to them the miracle my Savior had performed. We celebrated Christmas with a spirit of humbleness and thanksgiving, because my God is an awesome God, he is Jehovajirah “God can see” (literal translation), but means “God will provide” and he met my need providing me with a Christmas miracle.

May you and loved ones have a blessed New Year and continue to uphold our Lord and King who is coming soon. God Bless!

THE TRUE LIGHT

“The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.” (John 1:9)

This true light the Scripture refers to in the book of John is Jesus Christ. He came into this world to bring us light, but it says that the world did not receive him. (v. 12) Here we have a glorious God sending his son Jesus into this world of darkness and yet he was not greeted with honor, or sounding trumpets, or a parade. Yet instead, he was hounded like a criminal by king Herod, who ordered the death of all children in Jerusalem. And was born in a stable where animals were kept – not a four star hotel – not a pretty picture. In spite all of this; Jesus’ birth symbolizes incomparable gifts of love, humbleness, peace and joy that are grasped in this story of one night’s miracle gift to all humanity.

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:12)

It is in Jesus that we find hope of becoming a new person – yes in him we can surrender all our faults and know that we can find forgiveness. He came to this world with grace and truth (v.17), only found in Jesus Christ. It is by his grace that we are saved. Therefore, once we are justified through faith, we have peace with God and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2) Those gifts of peace and joy represent Jesus and are enfold in the Christmas story as we read it from the bible to our children.

Jesus is stretching out his arms telling you to come. There are no strings attached, but to love him with all your heart and soul. He wants you to become his child, so just come to Him and partake of his gifts of love, humility, peace and joy. WON’T YOU BECOME A CHILD OF GOD?

KNOWING HIS PEACE

“Peace I leave with you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do
Not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27

The Lord Jesus knew how easy the human spirit could become unrest in this world. It’s easy to get frazzled when things don’t go our way or when we anxiously await hearing from the family member who is in Iraq or of the missionary in a distant land. I know as a veteran when I was in the midst of the Vietnam War how my concerns were not for myself as such, because I knew my Lord was my shield and protection from the explosions I heard nearby. But not knowing how my family back home was arose concerns, but God kept telling me to let it go and be at peace, because He was going to take care of my concerns. My friend, Jesus knows our needs, especially of unsaved loved ones, or of the sickness that’s crept into your body. He tells us not to be alarmed, but to have faith that He will take care of our needs. Remember he is our Savior, healer, comforter, provider, and he listens to our prayers.

When king David’s enemies sought to defeat him David called on the Lord (2 Samuel 5:19); when he sinned he had no peace and David confessed to the Lord (2 Samuel 12:13); Mary and Martha sought comfort in Jesus who were grieved by their brother’s death (John 11: 1-25); the angels announced Jesus birth proclaiming his peace to all of mankind (Luke 2:14). If those who knew our Lord recognized him as a peacemaker, then think of the peace that only is found in Jesus Christ who is our peace. When we have Christ in us his spirit will give us peace – it is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:22) His peace is there for you. It is one of the gifts he has for you -but all you have to do is come, know Him and he will give you Peace, Peace, glorious Peace!

THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST
“He that shall come will come””
(Habakkuk 2 & Hebrews 10 v 35-39)

The only hope for a troubled world is Jesus Christ “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) My friend, we are now living in “troublous times.” Nationally and internationally, politically, socially, and morally, a decline has taken place without precedence in history. These conditions surely testify that not all is well and there is a failure in religion, and how far present “Christianity” has gone astray from the Biblical standards. Where then do we find true hope?
True hope can only be found in Jesus Christ and his return at the “appointed time” as the Messiah, as promised, ~ to raise many from the grave, ~ to give the reward of Immortality, ~to rule the world in righteousness from Jerusalem, ~ to cause all corruption, wars and violence to cease to the ends of the earth, and to establish a universal PEACE, as Lord of a Sabbath of 1000 years, and for ever. (See II Samuel 7, Psalm 2; Ps 46 v 9; Ps 72; Isaiah, 2; Isaiah 32; Jeremiah chs 30; 31; 33; Ezekiel; Daniel; Zech. 9 v 9-10; Matt. 12 v 8; Acts. 17 v 31; Revelation 5 & 20)

This has been, though now Almost Forgotten, The Hope of early believers, as foretold by all the Bible prophets, 2500 years ago, and by Jesus Christ in the parable of the Fig Tree, in Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 17 & 21, etc.

Many signs in World affairs and particularly in the Middle East indicate that the ‘appointed time’ for the return of Jesus Christ to this earth, is near, ~ to fulfill his promise, “I will come again: (John 14 v 3), ~ and to fulfill the promises made to Abraham and David, and their Seed ~ and to Mary.

My friend, think this day, this moment if Christ were to come, would you be ready?
“I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2
BE READY, BELIEVE!

OVERCOMING FEAR THAT LEADS TO ANGER

At the heart of problems that many people including Christians are experiencing is fear along with anger. It seems that the more we grasp the negative problems we are confronting in our society with finances, marital relationships, the environment, and the world situation there are growing concern that the level of fear and anger are increasing. It seems that the world is growing smaller and each problem becomes a bigger risk for peace in the home, in relationship with others, and in the world. I have noticed that the word used a lot these days is “fear” and so this feeling is causing many to escape from the realities that our society and world are facing by committing suicides and violence. But as a Christian, I know “God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of love and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7) We must outweigh with our faith in Christ these negative feelings of fear and anger, because these are evil driven force. We should look to Jesus Christ who can calm the storm and bring peace.

Fear is like a growing cancer that spreads and tends to take away people’s dignity and hope. I remember the words found in John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” My friend, we are going through tough times and we don’t know when things will be right again, but we must not let fear get in the way of our hope. I recently heard a young woman call a talk show host and told her how angry she felt, but could not explain why? She considered herself a good Christian, but lately she felt like all the bad news she was hearing in the news and reading in the papers was making her angry. She was allowing herself to be influenced by the trash that is played over and over in our media. Are we to let the enemy steal our joy, kill our hope and destroy our faith in Christ? No! We are to be victorious – how? When negative thoughts and feelings embrace you, fall on your knees and pray. Ask Jesus to take away your anger and then take a good dose of God’s word. Along with that medicine “Sing for joy to the Lord, shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.” (Psalm 95:1-2) Keep in mind that “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”(Proverbs 17:22)

In conclusion, whenever you are being swayed by fear or anger do like the hymn says ‘Take it to the Lord in prayer’ and as we pray about issues of concern or worry, let’s give those anxious thoughts to the Lord. Yet, we cannot stop there. We must practice mental discipline and begin to control those things on which our mind dwells. Think about these things: true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable and excellent and praiseworthy. (Philippians 4:8) Let us take Paul’s advise given to Timothy, that is, to be a good workman to “watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16)

FLAVORING SWEETNESS, CLOTHED IN GRACE

Whenever I get to hear or read God’s word, it is like flavoring sweetness unto my soul. It brings joy and puts a smile on my face, because it is the real substance that will last forever and much better than candy. Sometimes, there are moments when we do need someone’s gracious gesture to pull us up from our problems and worries. I know that God uses believers to help other believers, but there have been in my life people who don’t necessarily agree with my beliefs – yet they are very gracious towards me. I’m thankful to the Lord for putting them in my path. I’ve learned not to judge them, but to love them.

In Genesis 3:21 we read that God made coats of skins to clothe Adam and Eve even after they had sinned. God was being gracious towards sinners. He did not abandon, them, but instead he cared for them by dressing them with coats from the blood of an innocent animal. This is parallel to the innocent blood that Jesus Christ shared for sinners so that we may be clothed in Christ’s righteousness. “For he hath made home be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor. 5:21) We are clothed in his righteousness, because of his Grace and that is enough to make us joyful and show the world our clothing of grace.

Think about those who are kind towards you by saying something nice like “good morning”, or simply walking by and smiling at them. Let’s not hide our sweetness in the Lord, but respond back with a nice word or kind act whether it is a smile or even holding the door for someone feeble, or just sending a card of encouragement. I often remember my sister who is a special needs person, how she would always go to church with a quarter in her purse, because that was all she had to give. She would tell my mother she didn’t need anything else but twenty-five cents. In her eyes that was a lot and she would give it with joy. This was big in her mind and I’m sure the Lord saw it that way. Therefore, let us take what small act we can do and Glorify His Name!

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:37-40)

A HOUSE OF WORSHIP AND PRAYER

“My house will be called a house of prayer, ‘but you are making it a den of robbers.’”
(Matthew 21:13)

When Jesus entered the temple in Jerusalem he drove out all those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the benches of those who were selling doves. (Matthew 21:12) Jesus was so indignant about the way the temple was being used that his actions led him to rebuke and drive out those using the house of God for their selfish ambitions. This display of disrespect and dishonor to our Lord in his church is sinful and has continued throughout centuries. For example, Antiochus IV (175-163 B.C.) a Syrian ruler committed to Hellenism used the temple funds for his own demise and ordered the erection of a statue of Olympian Zeus in the temple and even had a sow sacrificed on the sacred altar. The Roman Senator Caligula demanded worship of himself as deity and instructed his representative in Syria to erect his statue in the Jerusalem temple. All these were actions taken by men in favor of pleasing themselves with disregard to God’s holiness and his house of worship.

I would like to think that in the 21st century such acts would have been banned or condemned by most Christians. But seeing how complacency and self-indulgence seem to be endured in our society, I can only conclude that we are closer to the end times. Men’s heart is open to selfish ambitions then pleasing God. It says: “because of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold…” Matthew 24:12

Recently I watched on television a religious annual event, that is, a numbers of animals being taken to the Catholic Church and priests performing blessings on these animals. My friend, do not be deceived. The Bible does not recognize such acts as being acceptable in God’s eyes? In the Old Testament animals were used for specific purposes such as sacrificial offerings, bartering, for substance or safekeeping. God’s house has always been a house for worship and prayer. It is never mentioned in the bible that animals were to be blessed but only people and children (Mark 3:10; 10: 14-16).

My friends, let us be girded with the truth of the word, so that when we see all manner of deceit and evil taking place, we will be full of the holy spirit to be able to discern good from wrong. God’s word says, “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:13)

“Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. (v.4) He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”
(2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)

STRETCH OUT YOUR HAND


Have you ever experienced being under water for a brief period of time and suddenly you feel like you need to come up for air? Sometimes life’s struggles seem that way to us. You may be going through a situation where you raise your hands and say, “it’s hopeless”. But my friend, it isn’t -trust in the Lord for it is he who “will supply all of your needs. (Phil. 4:19) I know it sounds simple, but it is the truth. Even in Jesus’ time there were those who doubted Jesus and therefore weren’t able to fully understand what he was accomplishing. It says in Mark chapter three:

“Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.” (Verse 1)

These men were ready to put Jesus away in prison if he didn’t conform to their legalities. But Jesus had a different agenda. He was not concerned over what they were thinking or their threats; his concern was for the man with the shriveled hand.
He knew the physical need this man had and Jesus was willing to cure him.

“He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.” (Mark 3: 5-6)

Many thought in their minds, what kind of a man is this Jesus? He was humble; he loved the poor, the sick, and sinners. He did not do things for personal interest, but instead for the sake of others. It was this attraction that brought people to him. Jesus proved to be more than just the son of a carpenter – he was the Son of God filled with power of the holy Sprit. And to show to those who had a stubborn heart the power of God – Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand “Stretch out your hand.” (Mark 3:1-6)

A LEADER’S CHARACTER

Getting ready for another presidential election has never been an easy task for me, especially trying to make a decision on the right candidate to hold the most important office in the land. But I’m thankful for the guidance the Bible gives us when it comes to examining the character of leaders running a nation. The Holy Scriptures is a great source of guide. If we look close, we see the victory of those servants who put God first and the people’s needs. I would like to use as an example to this theme King David.

Courage: David known as a warrior. He displays courage in the Valley of Elah while the other Israelites ran with great fear (1Samuel 16: 24) David is a man of action that while others ran from their enemies he did not, he confronted his enemy. (1 Samuel 17:35; 36; 17: 45, 48) He defended God’s name. (1 Samuel 17: 26)

Integrity: David led the troops in their campaigns (1 Samuel 18: 13, 14) He showed loyalty to those he serves and those who lay down their life (1 Samuel 22:14; 23; 23:5)

Kindness: David showed kindness towards his friends, enemies and those less fortunate. (1 Sam.20: 14, 15; 23; 20; 23; 24:6-7; 25:32-35; 30:11-12))

Humility: David did not make exception of persons. He shared with his friends and neighbors the plunder of his successes. (1 Sam.30: 23-31)

Faithful: David showed faithfulness to God before and after being named king of Israel and to the people. (1 Samuel 17:45-47; 18:16; 22:22, 23; 24:6, 7; 26:9, 11, 22; 30:17-20; 2 Samuel. 2: 5, 6; 5:10, 12, 17)

These qualities of courage, integrity, kindness, humility and faithfulness made King David a successful and loyal king to God and his nation of Israel. May we look to see these same qualities in those running for the presidential office this fall and may these men place God first in their lives and make decisions that are for the betterment of the people of our nation. Let us keep our leaders in prayer.

GIVING GOD THE BEST

Watching the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing was an event of impending excitement and hopeful enthusiasm for the athletes. For Christian athletes it was a lifetime opportunity not only to compete, but making an impact as believers of the gospel of Jesus Christ amongst the Chinese people. I recently read in a Christian magazine about athletes like: Allyson Felix, Ryan Hall, Michael Redd and Jennifer Barringer attribute their motivation of success to their faith. Felix gives glory to God for her achievement on the track. Hall, age 25, committed his heart to Jesus as teenager. He struggled with the search for significance, but found his identity in Christ.

It is wonderful to see how God has a place in the lives of these athletes not only as achievers of the gifts they have, but as witnesses for God’s glory. A comment made by Olympian Barringer who quotes 1 Timothy 4:12 – her favorite verse-to heart: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”(NIV)

Many young Christians need to believe that they can do something that’s impossible. Like the athletes you need to do everything you physically can do to break the mental barriers of “can’t do”. Having God’s word in my mind has always helped me in hard challenges, but one of my favorite bible verses is “I can do all things through Christ who is my strength,” (Phi.4: 13) giving God my best of what he’s given me and all for his glory.

THE LORD’S INSTRUMENTS (PART 2)
“DOING WHAT’S RIGHT IN GOD’S EYES”

The postexilic period (538-400 B.C.) is both the end of Old Testament history and the beginning of the Intertestamental Era. During this time Hebrews were allowed to return to their homeland and rebuilt the temple. Four distinct trips to Judah are mentioned in the Bible: The first was led by Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:1-8) and Seshbazzar (Ezra 5:1-16), the second by Ezra the scribe (Ezra 7:1-7), and then 100 years later after the return of the first exiles Nehemiah leads the people in repairing the walls of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 2:17-18). We can see how God uses different people to accomplish the task of rebuilding his place of worship. These men did not quibble nor complained as to how big this job would be or how long it would take to accomplish. Despite the opposition and threat to their lives they loved God more and wanted to do what was right in God’s eyes.

When we place ourselves in God’s hands and pray for the Lord’s guidance in what we do, things fall into place. It says “And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.” (Nehemiah 2:8) The work got started by Zerubbabel and Seshbazzar then halted, but God raised two more men to finish the project. Ezra and Nehemiah are these two men. These men are examples of being instruments of honor in God’s hands. Ezra provided leadership for his people. He taught the people the law and brought about reforms of their religious lifestyle. He wanted other nations to know that they were God’s chosen people. It says “Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.” (Ezra 7:28) Sometimes, what God wants us to do seems in our eyes BIG, but God is there if you call upon him – He will give you strength and give you courage. (Neh.8: 10) Nehemiah was also a man of prayer, in the midst of opposition and insults thrown at him and the workers who were rebuilding, he stopped and prayed and told the people: “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, yours sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” (Neh.4: 14) Both Ezra and Nehemiah remained faithful to God’s demands despite the deceptive pressures of Hellenism and the later faithlessness of the priesthood; they did what was right in God’s eyes. My prayer for us is to learn from these examples and do what is pleasing to the LORD. It says in Romans 12: 2 “Let us not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)

THE LORD’S INSTRUMENTS (PART 1)

The Old Testament gives us examples of men and women God used as instruments to fulfill his promise. But one person that stands out because of his character and having the right attitude is the priest Ezra. Not many people study Ezra or even spend time learning about his accomplishments, because he didn’t do great things like Moses, Joshua or David. I give him credit for having the right attitude when it came to serving God. Here is a man that comes back with a second group of Babylonian exiles to Jerusalem and while God is using Zerubbabel to be leader on the rebuilding of God’s temple; Ezra is teaching about the Law. So here you have one person leading the rebuilding, another teaching God’s word. But just when things couldn’t get better, trouble arises. It says, “despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation…” (Ezra 3:3) Doesn’t this sound familiar, especially when we try to serve the Lord, there’s always opposition, and sometimes it comes from those closest us?

The people who lived around Jerusalem were pagan; they worshipped other God’s and did not know the God of Israel. All they knew was that these new neighbors are here and they are doing something we don’t understand, they are worshipping their God and we don’t like it! Could it be that they were acting out of fear, because they knew the power of Israel’s God? But this was not going to deter the Jews from accomplishing their goal that is, to rebuild a place of worship for their God. Ezra and the Jews were determined to get the job done. Their hearts were in the right place; they were not focused in themselves, but in giving honor to the Lord. When we have the right attitude and character, when we put God ahead and not behind, he will be gracious unto us.

Today, as we discover the ministry God has given to us, let us walk with the right attitude bringing honor and glory to what we do and accomplish, Ezra was an instrument of honor that God used to teach the Law to Israel in a time when they needed to be reminded of what their God had done for them. The times may be different, but the message is the same – let us continue to serve and worship a most gracious God who has done so much for us.

GOD’S REFLECTION ON US

It says in Genesis 5:1 that when God created man, he made him in the likeness of God.
To fully understand this concept, I grasped on God’s word in the book of Genesis to appreciate what this meant. My awareness of this has broadened, and I truly respect what these words mean. First, one of the insights I gained from this - is that I should have a respect for my Creator. He is above all other gods that are manmade or even resemble to be like him. His creation of man gave us value and worth. He placed man in a great place called Garden of Eden. It was the best place on earth with all that man could possibly fathom to have and need. Everything was at his disposable. His authority over animals and every creature on land and sea were at his domain. If this isn’t giving value to someone then what is!

Secondly, man had a personal relationship with God and communicated with him. Adam was to be God’s representative with fullness of holiness and worth, because he bore God’s image. But as you continue reading the story in Genesis – man’s fall to sin separated us from a holy God. God is so merciful that he did not erase mankind from the earth. He gave us another chance through his son Jesus Christ who died for all of mankind’s sins, so that our relationship with God would be restored. God’s part was fulfilled, but ours remains to be done.

Finally, God still loves us, he cares for us and we are still held at precious value and worth in his eyes. When sin enters our lives it blinds us from seeing the worth God has placed on us – his creation. He has made a way for man to reconcile with Him. It is by accepting Jesus his son into our lives. When we become saved, the veil that separated us between God and sin is no longer dividing us from our Creator. We look at Jesus as our mediator; our redeemer from sin. And in our acceptance of Christ, God’s grace fills us again with his holiness. The holiness and fellowship with God has been restored. I can say: “I am now a representative of God, I have worth and value, and I am a holy vessel for God.” Therefore, I am reminded from God in 1 Peter 1:16 to “Be holy, because I am holy.” Only my godly behavior and faith will show others God’s reflection in my life. We owe it to God to have His reflection in us.

"I CRY FOR THEM" BY MARY VANSHER

This poem is dedicated to the men and women who fought, and are fighting in Iraq. May the Lord bless them and their families.

I cry for them
That is at war
Seeing the battling
soldier torn.
Amidst the blazing fire of night,
Calling the brother to his side.

As day approaches
All is clear,
But the remains of parts to drear
For as they clamor
To the falling site,
‘God speed my day till dawn appears’.

I cry for them, I cry for them,
Let Heaven hear my voice a near.

GOD IS OUR STRENGTH

“Thou will keep him in perfect peace
Whose mind is stayed on thee, because he
trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever:
for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting
strength” Isaiah 26:3-4 (KJV)

Just recently, my son Billy lost his license during his visit home. It was upsetting for me, because as a mom we don’t like seeing our children go through troubles. But a scriptural verse came to mind:

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

It carried a message that lifted my Spirit when I repeatedly quoted it in my mind. It tells me that we can take cover from the darted flames that Satan throws at us. That God will shield us and protect us. (Psalm 91:4) He will provide for us victory when we are discouraged, in troubles, in sickness, or any problems we face. It says to me that we are more than conquerors and nothing is impossible when we call on His name.

It is the Lord’s strength that made a little boy named David battle the Philistine giant Goliath. David proved to his brothers, King Saul and soldiers, that in the name of Lord there is victory. It was God’s strength David trusted. God’s spirit was working in David. It is that spirit of strength working in us today, and will bring victory against all troubles.
God shows his Sovereignty, his control over situations. He simply wants our trust in Him. He wants us to ask him. Jesus said: “Ask and it shall be given to you…”(Matt. 7:7)

My peace, was trusting God to take charge of my son’s problem. But how many of us take the time to pray in a given situation? Sometimes, our problems defeat us because we think “Stinking Thinking”. We say: “If I don’t do it, it won’t get done.” When we think this way, we are saying to God that we don’t need Him. He is not big enough to control the situation. It is ungodly to think this way. I say: “God Is Our Strength, therefore he will take charge over my trouble.” God uses people or things to turn around a situation.
My son’s story ended in victory. God used an unidentified person who mailed his license. The envelope had no return address. The person wanted to keep it anonymous. God gets the glory. He answered our prayers and he gets the praise. What a magnificent God we serve! HE IS OUR STRENGTH!

A GENTLE SPIRIT

When we commit ourselves in Christ’s ways and walk in godliness, that is, in fear of God (reverential), love, and a desire for Him; we discover that the quality of a gentle spirit is an attribute, which God finds of great value to all of us, both men and women. In James 3:17 the trait of being gentle is evidenced by Heavenly wisdom. That means that our conduct should be wise and he continues saying that we have a mature relationship in our walk with the Lord, because of this. Gentleness will be manifested in our lives (it will show) everywhere we go. It is a fruit of the Spirit (gentleness) as stated in Galatians 5:22, 23. This is a result of our walk with God.

God values gentleness in men and women for it is not a visible adornment like: clothes, jewelry, or the latest fashionable hairstyle. Christ himself exemplifies the gift of gentleness. Many men find this trait not “manly” enough. But if Christ himself - a man sets the example, then the message is for all mankind. It is inappropriate to make exceptions to this truth. Gentleness is to be manifested in our Christian walk, our testimony, and speech; and in the way we treat others. To understand the meaning of the term “gentle” it is helpful to know the opposite or antonym of this word. Here are some opposites according to Webster’s Dictionary: harsh; rough; fierce; irritating; forceful; unpleasant, or non agreeable. Now, if I were to know anyone with these traits, I would find them to be very unfriendly. On the other hand, a gentle person is one who possesses an inward grace of the soul. It is one who demonstrates: moderation; patience; cooperation; humbleness; consideration towards others; fair, and a giver. Wouldn’t you’d rather be with such a person?

My friend, gentleness is not a weakness, but strength under control. It emphasizes the active way we should treat others. “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12) Jesus said to his disciples that the second most important commandment is “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But the first is, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” If we are to obey his command, then we need to walk in Him and reflect his love in us to others. Some argue we don’t have the personality type conducive to the behavior God desires for us to manifest. (Hog wash!) All of us have strength and weaknesses, but all of God’s word applies to all of us.

If we lack gentleness, the Lord will display his power, and change us, in the areas of our greatest weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10) “The Lord says to you: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” If you need this precious quality of a gentle spirit to be more visible in our daily walk, then ask our heavenly Father for He promises to give: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks find; and to him who knocks the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8) BE GENTLE MEANS POWER UNDER CONTROL!

STANDING UP FOR JESUS

“For God has not given me a Spirit of fear, but of power
of love and of self-discipline.” 1 Timothy 1:7

It is time to stand up for Jesus. Jesus sat upon the Mount of Olives and his disciples came to him privately saying: “Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of the coming, and of the end of the world? (Matthew 24:3) It is not unusual to ask ourselves, as believers the same question the disciples asked Jesus when we are seeing these signs happening in our times. We would be blind not to admit that truly what is in the Holy Scriptures is coming to pass. We know these things are to happen as signs of Jesus’ return. But like Noah, are we getting ready? When looking closely at this story in Genesis 6:5 that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and much of evil imagination of thoughts was on his mind, does that present a picture of our times? But God sent his servant Noah to warn the people to repent, but they did not listen to him. Instead they mocked him. There are many servants of God preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ today with the same message Noah brought to his generation. The same is preached in our churches, but few are coming to the calling. Why? Because the hearts of many have been harden by what they see around them instead of placing their hope on the only one that gives life everlasting- Jesus Christ. Here are some examples of when we allow our feelings to dictate our actions:

When the apostle Paul was on a ship headed towards Italy, he looked at the dangerous surroundings caused by the winds and waves. He warned to the men that the voyage was going to be disastrous to the ship and their lives. His discernment was not entirely correct. What was going to happen and what actually happen were two different things. (Acts 27:10 & 24) Sometimes our feelings get in the way of facts and of what God is trying to tell us. In Paul’s case, what he saw clouded his judgment. One reason people feel “disappointed in God” is because they rely on their feelings to dictate their actions. Sometimes, fear becomes a factor in not allowing us to seek God’s will. In Paul’s case, he saw the dangers involved and allowed it to lose perspective on God’s promise. Today, we see signs around us that clearly are biblically described as end times. Our stand should not be one of fear or of vagueness to accept His word. We should harness onto our Faith and hope in Jesus Christ who is the only salvation. God’s Word is always true; God always keeps His promises.

Just recently a young boy named Damare was crucified to a chair. His knees and feet were nailed down just because he attended a church service. But when asked how he felt about his abusers, he simply said that he forgave them, because Jesus forgave us.

“But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by hour and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true: as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” (2 Corinthians 6: 4-10) KJV

Jesus is telling us today like he did his disciples, to follow him. Our journey is not one of riches or pleasures on earth, but rather one of sacrifice, and carrying a cross no matter how painful it becomes. Our reward is one that is eternal. Let us stand boldly like Damare, for what we belief is the Truth.

PUTTING ON DILIGENCE

INTRODUCTION:
I want to start by asking you if you like to wear hats? Pause. I’m glad I’m not alone! I like wearing hats and I have at home about a dozen different hats. My favorite hat is a straw hat that can fold and I can put it in my suitcase folded. I wear my hat practically everywhere, except to church.
Like I said before, I do have other hats I wear but I always come back to my favorite hat.
The Bible tells us in Galatians 6:22: “ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Which one of these do you need the most?
I need all of them but the one I need the most is love.
How can I make myself to love others? Being kind and patient? To have the self-control when your child is screaming in the grocery store and everyone is staring at you wondering how you will react? Can you relate as a parent? I know I can, because it happened to me. But when it happened, I dealt with the situation as calmly as possible. You see, I would quietly surrender it to the Lord in prayer asking for his peace, patience and a soft word to take the anger away (Proverbs 15:1)
The flesh wants to do the opposite. It wants to yell and strike at what is provoking our peace. But

WHEN TO PUT ON DILIGENCE:
By putting an effort to what God has given me. We find in 1Timothy 4:7 “…discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness”. The New Testament Greek word for discipline is gymnazo, which means “to exercise or to train.” In other words, it means do it over and over until you get it right. How godly we become depends on how hard we work at it. Old habits of sinful thought do not disappear. They have to be replaced with new, godly ways of thinking and responding. To be… “Transformed by the renewing of their minds” (Romans 12:2) as we work to be a kinder, patient and loving person, the Holy Spirit supernaturally enables us. Eventually the godliness response becomes the automatic response. This process is called in Ephesians and Colossians as the process of change.

EXAMPLE
When we buy a new car it comes with everything we want: oil, brakes, air conditioning, seat belts, alarm, lights, defogger, windshield wipers, etc. It is well equipped. Why do we want a car that is well equipped? It gives us good transportation. But in order to maintain the car, we need to change the oil, get it serviced every 6 months and change brakes when needed. We do all this for our new car in order to keep it running. The same way, God gave us a wonderful body that we need to maintain in order to keep it healthy because this body grows older each year. We need to keep diligence with keeping ourselves healthy so that our anatomy will live longer.
The same way we are diligent trying to keep this outer shell healthy, we also need to be diligent with our spirituality. How do we do this? Prayer, Reading the Word, Time for Worship and Fellowship with the saints.
When do I do this? Well, we need to take time to be diligent.
It’s easy to be distracted when we want to be diligent for the Lord! Let me say it again: It’s easy to be distracted when we want to be diligent for the Lord! (Read: Galatians 6:8)
“For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
Do I want to feed my spirit with the right things, like God’s word, His worship and doing things that glorify our Savior? Yes, indeed. God’s word tells us in Matthew 6:33 to “let us therefore seek His kingdom (God first) and his righteousness; all these things (what you will wear, what you will eat) shall be added unto you.” In other words, when we put him first he is going to take care of your needs. What a great God!
In conclusion, we can be diligent in seeking God by putting Him first in our lives. When we do this, we can trust Him to fulfill His promises to us.

GIVEN THREE WISHES

STOP! This is not what you think. My message is not about astrology, nor divinations, not at all. It is a message that comes directly from the gospel and is suitable for this week, because it is National Prayer Week. But first let me ask you: What would you do if you found a genie in a bottle and were given three wishes? I’m sure you’re thinking by now what your answer would be. Would it be materialistic things, such as: a big home, brand new car, a trip anywhere in the world, and the list is endless. It sounds ambitious and selfish doesn’t it? But the truth is we don’t need a genie to fulfill our needs – we have a sovereign God who controls everything. He dresses the lilies of the fields, He feeds the birds from the air; he gives us rain to produce crops; he gives us the sun to give us warmth; and again the list is endless.
This is the God who provides opportunities for us when we are in need of a job, when we call upon His name to restore our health when we are sick, or brings peace to our spirit when we have lost someone dear to us. The God of HOPE is my God! It is He who tells me in Ephesians 4:19 “My God shall supply all of my needs, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” So then, what should I ask when I pray? Should it be the material things of this world? Before answering, let’s consider the following:
1 Kings 3:3 “And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statues of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.” There are three attributes of Solomon, which indicates his relationship with God: loved the Lord, walked in the statues of his father David and offered sacrifices. It appears that Solomon during this period was in good standing with God. When he went to Gibeon, there the Lord appeared to him in a dream by night and God said to him in verse 5: “Ask what I shall give thee.”
Imagine God asking you “what do you want?”
Solomon acknowledges to God with expressions of humility and inadequacy because he was too young, not smart enough, overwhelmed by the number of people (verses 7 & 8). The end result of his response is wanting for an understanding heart, ability to distinguish good and evil, and for strength to deal with so many people. It sounds like the request of a true leader! God commended Solomon for not asking for life, riches, and victories over enemies, but instead God granted him with three extra things he did not ask for, i.e.riches, honor, and long life.

The unselfish nature of Solomon’s request and the abundant grace God showered him as a result is apparent. I hope when we come to pray to our sovereign Father that we come with a humble heart and ask for the right things. Keep in mind that the Lord already knows what things we are in need of even before we ask.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Sprit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” Romans 8:26.

When we live with passion, we honor God powerfully because He created us with passion and loves us with a passion. If we are to reflect the image of our Creator, we ought to be passionate people. This is all about a basic mindset, a heart attitude for embracing life positively, energetically and full on. It is about valuing every moment of everyday and seeing life itself as a gift from God. I am not talking about being passionate only about spiritual things, but we are to have a Christianity that embraces all of life.

If we are to live a passionate life, we must first understand the difference between passion and obligation. You do what you want from passion, but you do what you have to from a sense of obligation. We see this principle displayed in the life of an Olympic athlete. There is an inner force of passion that drives and athlete to sacrifice, stay focused and stay committed. What do athletes like Christy Yamaguchi, Tiger Woods, Steve Young and others who have succeeded in their field of sports have in common? Discipline. It is a passion that motivates them to get out of bed and train when everyone else is asleep, to forgo late nights and an unhealthy lifestyle. Passion drives them to a disciplined life.

Things in life often start out as a passion but end up becoming a boring obligation.
Is there an area of your life that began with passion, but it has ended up becoming a boring obligation? Take for instance Faith. It starts with passion, but it can become just a ritual, or Marriage begins with passion, but can become a boring routine. Ministry starts with passion and ends up as an obligation. We need to have a regular heart-check to determine if our life has become one big, boring obligation, or if we are still infused with a passion for God and life.

Another reason why some people lose their passion is because they think it is not spiritual to be passionate about things that aren’t sacred. However, Paul writes in Colossians 3:23, Whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men…(NKJV). This shows us that God does not want us to divide our passion. Some of us are only passionate about spiritual matters, like church, Bible study or Christian events, but not about our family, marriage, work, leisure or hobbies. I find myself being guilty in this area. I love my family, but I wish I could spend more time in fellowship with them. It is wonderful to be passionate about our spiritual life, but something is wrong if that is the only area where passion is applied.

We should not separate the sacred and the secular because Paul wrote, whatever you do, do it heartily. I feel the Spirit is speaking not just to me, but also to some of you as I write this message. Yes, Paul’s words apply to every area of our lives, including those things we must do, those things we choose to do, those things we are gifted to do, those things we are commanded to do, and those things we are called to do.

Let us allow the Holy Spirit to embrace our entire lives including the details of our normal, seemingly boring everyday life – I believe we can turn any situation into a part of the adventure of being a Christian.

My prayer for you today is for us not to settle for a mere existence, but to pursue the passionate, abundant life that Jesus came to give you. Give Him the glory!

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10 (KJV)

I REST ASSURED

"For all who enter God's rest will rest from their labors just as God rested after creating the world." (Hebrews 4:10)

Have you ever been in a situation where you needed to be somewhere at a certain time. I know as a mom, we are always on a time schedule. It could be taking the kids to school, check-up appointments,dental, or other. It's true a lot is demanded of our time whether you're in the mom schedule or professional scheme of work. Some demands take priority over others, but when our time is allotted for certain things and becomes interrupted with other things - we become frustrated. Our frustration is taken out on someone else, perhaps an innocent person who had no idea what we have been through. However, my friend if you have been in such a situation - STOP! TAKE A DEEP BREATH! I have the solution, talk to the LORD about it. You see, there has been time when I felt demands were asked of me, when other things interrupted my plans, and I just gave it to the Lord to handle. His words calmed my anxiety, but also gave me insight about what I was to do. "Don't be anxious, " God spoke to my spirit. "You have done all you can do. This is a good time to rest." I trusted God in taking control over my situation. I trusted God's plan, so I was able to enter into God's rest while He took care of those things that were affecting me.

Jesus gives everyone a personal invitation to come to His place of rest. "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." (Matthew 11:28-30, NLT)

When we face anxious situations or strive through a family, health, or financial problems, taking Jesus' yoke upon us doesn't sound like a viable rescue plan to our natural mind. However, getting into the yoke with Jesus places us in the spiritual position to learn of His love and remedy for our situation. God's rest is a spiritual place where we learn to hear His word for us and lean on Him in trust. Unbelief, disobedience and strife through human labor prevent us from entering. While the enemy seeks to arrest us in fear and unbelief, all of heaven is waiting to defend us and join forces with the only action that takes us into His rest - the action of faith and trust.

This Week:
Pull away from commotion. Read the fourth chapter of Hebrews and let your soul acquiesce as you settle into His rest.

LIVING TO PLEASE GOD

Instructions for holiness

The apostle Paul started the church of Thessalonica on his second missionary journey. But then had to leave because the Jews were opposing him. On hearing from Timothy about the conditions of Thessalonica, Paul wrote a letter of encouragement to the Thessalonians and teaches them about Christianity. One of his letters talks about living to please God. We should affirm our way of living in holiness by carrying out the same advice that Paul gave the church. Here are some of the things Paul advised:
“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3) Then in verse 7 Paul reminds us that God has called us to live a pure life. Therefore, the person who rejects this instruction will be rejecting God whose Holy Spirit is in us.

How possible is it to live in God’s holiness? It isn’t easy, but it is possible. In a world where everything seems sexually oriented in our schools, television, the media, the most damaging scenario seems to be within the family. The testimonies of persons being abused by one or both parents, or by siblings; is growing and is damaging the lives of families. Even though this disease of sexual immorality keeps peeking, there is HOPE. Yes, as fellow believers God has given us a Spirit of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7). God calls us to stop it! He has given us the helmet of hope not to brew over “stinking thinking” or negative thoughts. Let us replace ungodly thinking with holy thinking: “…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think of such things.” (Philippians 4:8) He has given us his word to equip ourselves so that when those feelings, desires and ungodly thoughts cross our mind we can rebuke them in Jesus’ name. We can use bible versus to override the “stinking thinking”.
“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13). Then Paul said, “God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8) Here Paul connects the giving of the holy Spirit with our living a holy life. We have been given the Holy Spirit to help us live the holy life and not to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (Galatians 5:16)

The Holy Spirit strengthens us to holiness, enabling us to see our need of holiness. When the Holy Spirit shows us our sinfulness, he does not do this to lead us to despair but to lead us to holiness. The habits of our old nature and the attacks of Satan are too strong for us to persevere unless the Holy Spirit is at work in us to create a desire for holiness. Not only by showing us our sins, but also by showing us God’s standard of a life that is pleasing to Him. Let us uphold in our mind and heart these instructions for it is God’s word speaking to you.
Holiness is also necessary for effective service to God. Paul wrote to Timothy,

SELF WORTH IN CHRIST

We all like to strive for best, or at least we like others to pat us on the back and say to us “well done!” We want to be known for doing something. Some want to leave legacies that will carry their names by building mega churches, stadiums, or just placing a name on a brick. Even King Solomon was commended by queen Sheba for all his wisdom and the wonders of his works established in the house he had built, described in 2 Chronicles 9:3-5. Then she said to the king “It was a true report.” She said to the king she no longer had to hear from someone else, but had seen it with her own eyes. WOW what a compliment!

Today, the worldview of self-worth seems to center on the visible appearance of things and less on the actions of people. The courts of the land seem to be less critical of gay marriages and more punitive about prayers in schools. But what is the proper view of “self” in light of God’s Word? God’s Word tells us the truth. We cannot rely on feelings to validate the truth. It is a fact that God loves us individually and places great value in us.

Through knowledge of the Word, I understand that my self-worth is not in what I do – it’s in what Jesus did. As a Christian, my who-who I am-is not based on my behavior or what I do: my identity is in Christ. When we are born again, God looks at us and sees the righteousness of Christ, not everything we’ve done wrong.
“For our sake He made Christ to be sin who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) In Jeremiah 1:5 God says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew and approved of you…” If God approves of us, knowing all the wrong we will ever do, then you and I have no right to disapprove of ourselves.

I believe that God wants our mind and mouth in agreement with his Word. Psalm 119:11 says, “Your word have I laid up in my heart that I might not sin against you.” In Luke 6:45 Jesus said: “out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart (the) mouth speaks.” Satan is always busy trying to keep us out of God’s word. He wants us to think and talk about all our faults, failures and weaknesses. He wants us to go around from daylight till dark saying how awful we are WHY? Because he knows we believe what we think and say about ourselves more than what anybody else says about us. If we accept the condemning thoughts of the enemy we cannot walk in the confidence of who we are in Christ. We cannot place our confidence in anything else but Christ alone.
Philippians 3:3 says, “For we (Christians)…exult and glory and pride ourselves in Jesus Christ, and put no confidence or dependence (on what we are) in the flesh and on outward privileges and physical advantages and external appearances.”

God doesn’t want us to trust or have our value in our physical appearance, talents, education, job, children, friends, religion or anything else. He wants us to find our worth and place our confidence in Christ alone. “Apart from Him, we can do nothing” (15:5) but we “Can do all things through Christ which strengthens us.” (Philippians 4:13)

I encourage you to accept yourself in spite of your weaknesses – God does. Make the decision to get your mind and your mouth in line with His Word. Start proclaiming the positive promises of Scripture over your life, and you’ll discover that His grace is all you need to succeed.

EMBRACING HOPE
(The Homeless Mom by Mary PerezVansher)

She scavenged for food to feed her little ones
Picking out of the rubble something to eat.
Oft she dared to dream of one fresh speckle of bread,
Or a piece of raw meat to sustain her physical strength.
Yet in the plight of her disparity the sun glowed,
It showed a radiance of light that meant hope.
She had nothing to lose for she had lost it all,
But only to trust the ray of light that was calling to her.

Uncertain and fearful she asked this new hope
“Why look upon me now, for I am destitute?”
A gentle voice was heard, it said:
“My child I never forgot you, I was there at your birth.”
Her life transpired quickly through her window of memories
Seeing the little girl she once new, one full of life and hope.
How sorry she was for the wrong turn in life.
She opened her heart with tears in her eyes
Embracing Hope that was once lost but now found.

There are times when we fail to recognize the call of the holy spirit telling us to yield to the path that will bring us a better way of life; one of peace, joy and fulfillment. But even when we stray from that path that God has purposed for us, he still does not forsake his children. He is still there trying to get our attention.

“He will not abandon me or leave me as an orphan in the storm – He will come to me.” (John 14:18 KJV)

This homeless mom had come to the edge of her desperation with no food, or shelter to keep her children warm at night. Everything she had -vanished instantly, because she had decided to gamble it all during a poker game. Her addiction had taken over her life to the point of not thinking about her family, nor what the consequences of a one more game would do to her. It took one more gamble, her last, and the one that would break her spirit, joy, peace and her relationship with her God.

There are many today that are addicted to things like drugs, prostitution and other such vices. In a moment of thrills it too can snap away the blessings you once had. But for those whose souls are downcast without hope –God is calling you! “In the day of trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.” Psalm 86:7 like the homeless mom, open your heart to Him and embrace hope. Remember this “God is our refuge and strength and ever present help in time of trouble.” Psalm 46:1

“Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? My hope is in God and I wait expectantly for him, for I shall yet praise him, my Help and my God.” Psalm 42:3

WHAT EASTER MEANS TO ME

It was on a Sunday evening service that the message of Jesus Christ’s resurrection was preached just like other services around the world, except this one was special. It was that night when the call to the alter was made and I came out of darkness into the light by accepting Christ as my Lord and Savior.

The journey for me had just begun that day. It was a night of victory; one that couldn’t be explained with words. My life had been drenched with the blood of the Lamb, cleansed and released from the sting of death – FREEDOM had been calling to me from the heaviness of sin that dwelt in my body and mind.

I was in my youth, but not into drugs; heavy drinking; or any other vice that entice some youth today. But yet I had lied, disobeyed, and acted selfishly. I felt the heaviness of sin in my life and a battle going on in my soul, wanting to be good but couldn’t. The weakness of my flesh was too strong.

It was through a neighbor’s invitation, someone who cared enough to knock on my front door and say: “Jesus Loves You. Come see for yourself!” Those words, those words were like Jesus himself speaking to me and I felt it. I don’t know if my conviction had happened before I came to church that night, but when I heard the calling of the Pastor for those to come and surrender it all to Jesus. He said: “Don’t wait for later nor tomorrow, because God is calling you now." I felt so humbled and with teary eyes I asked Jesus to forgive me.

“For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee; behold now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2) KJV

I felt Jesus had delivered me from sin and I was a new person. In my heart I knew I belonged to Jesus and the heaviness of sin was gone. I began to Praise the Lord! Victory from death, and freedom from sin was embraced that Easter service 1967.

I still remember like it was yesterday, singing “He lives within my heart.” Does he live in your heart?

Come, feel the power of Jesus in your life, accept Him today and claim the victory of His resurrection in you!

Pray with me: “Thank you, Jesus for your precious blood on Calvary. Lord Jesus, today I surrender all to you. Forgive me of my sins and let the victory over death be mine today. Amen

THE HEART OF WORSHIP

When the music fades, all is stripped away,
And I simply come.
Longing just to bring something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart.

I'll bring You more than a song,
For a song in itself is not what You have required.
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear;
You're looking into my heart.

I'm coming back to the heart of worship,
And it's all about You, all about You, Jesus.
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it,
When it's all about you; it's all about You, Jesus.

- Matt Redman -

Here's my version of how this song speaks to my heart about how it is all about Jesus.
Marie couldn't believe it. Her birthday party had been a total failure. A few girls came bearing brightly wrapped presents. They gathered around the birthday girl and sang happy birthday while holding on to their gifts. When the song was over, as quickly as they had come, the girls were gone. And they didn't even leave the presents.

As unthinkable as this scenario is, sometimes that's how we approach the Lord's Day. We show up at His house looking a little nicer than we ordinarily do. We come prepared to give Him our hearts. At first everything seems to be on track. We follow the lead of the praise team and sing a medley of worship choruses with feeling and expression. But when the singing stops, it's as if we've disconnected.

It's good to remind ourselves that even though we sometimes refer to "praise singing" as worship, what we do the entire time we are at church is worship. The essence of worship is relating to the one whose day it is. It's all about Him, not just the songs.

" Serve the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs." Psalm 100:2

Every day should be about our worship to Jesus for every moment is given to us by God's grace. And if we have an opportunity to worship God daily, then every moment is all about Him. Whatever fills our days, whatever God calls us to do in any moment, we can remember that whatever job we do, we are doing it for Him because it's all about Him.

It's not about us; it's about Him.
1 Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

TRUE BEAUTY

In our culture today the visible outer appearance seems to be the focal point of attractiveness. External physical attributes and personal adornments such as clothing, make-up, jewelry and hairstyles constitute the notion of beauty. For women these things are reasons for getting jobs, better pay, promotions, status, and winning a man. There is no question that the emphasis on beauty is embedded in society today. It has been commercialized so much that just driving down the freeway you are bound to see an Ad made by a beautiful woman. While the Lord does not condemn physical attractiveness, he does say in 1 Peter 3 that women should take care to adorn ourselves with true beauty; the inner person, the hidden person of our heart.

In 1 Samuel 16:7 the Lord makes this point about how man focuses on the outward appearance:
“It was time for Samuel to choose one of Jesse’s boys to be the next king of Israel, because God had taken away Saul’s kingdom from him. When he arrived, he saw Eliab thinking he would be the one God had chosen. In verse 7: “Do not consider his appearance or his height for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at what man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

It is clear from these verses that God isn’t interested in beauty pageants when it comes to the definition of beauty. He’s not looking at your height, skin color, attractiveness, nor status; but he is interested in the person you are inside: your thoughts, your feelings and actions. He seeks out the person who loves and serves him.

Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”
The biblical definition of beauty can be summed up as “tranquil or of a quiet spirit.” Unlike clothes or physical attractiveness, a quiet spirit is a quality that does not perish. A gentle and quiet spirit is truly what makes a woman beautiful. Some women assume that a quiet spirit means, wearing only gray clothing, sitting in the back of the room, and never speaking. This is not what constitutes a quiet spirit. It is a tranquility rising from within; one who is calm, not anxious, and does not worry. It is the confidant woman who waits on the Lord and is not easily agitated or disturbed by daily cares or uncomfortable circumstances. Are You That Person?

Remember God has given us three things to provide us with victory: a spirit of power, a spirit of love, and self-discipline. As women desiring to be seen by God as having inner beauty, we must make a decision to be obedient in this area in our lives. Relying on the Holy Spirit to empower us to discipline ourselves in this area. Let us adorn ourselves with a quiet spirit that God considers as “a precious attribute.”

THE WAVE OF FEAR

The first thing I think about when I hear the phrase “the wave” is baseball. Many of us associate the term with sports due to the excitement and the thrill of the moment that is carried out by the music in a sports stadium. But there is another side that isn’t as thrilling, one that is created by the overwhelming fear.

The wave of fear may come suddenly in life. It can be sickness, break-ups, financial loss, and even death. This fear does not discriminate, it is real. Can you relate? Like a tornado, it hits us unexpectedly; and it can beat us to the point of anxiety and desperate solutions.

Jesus’ disciples became threatened when the waves came upon them:

“And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship,
so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow; and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? (Mark 4:37) (KJV)

The waves were beating on this little boat to such an extent that it was shaking and little by little it was filling up with water. It must have been a frightening experience for Jesus’ disciples, and perhaps they may have been a little annoyed that Jesus was not helping them. They knew well that the Master was asleep not too far from them. The same person whom they had seen change the water into wine, heal the leper and the paralytic was in the same boat. Their only hope to survive the waves that were beating furiously against the boat was JESUS. The disciples took action and awakened Jesus because they were in a desperate situation.

Do you call to Him when you are in need? Even if you know Jesus as your Savior, are there times when you question his sovereignty, or his love for you? The disciples asked Jesus if he cared for them, but he instead of answering them, he showed them by solving the problem.

“He arose, and rebuked the wind and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.”
(Mark 4:39)

He didn’t have to answer their question, because he knew what was on their minds and in their hearts. When our fears lead to doubt and we have exhausted our human efforts trying to make things work, when troubles keep beating on us like a wave that’s when he takes control. It is then that he lifts us up and says: “Peace be still”
He brings results to our problems. You may even see it through a brother, a friend or even the least person you would ever imagine. He knows our needs, but all we have to do is call upon Him.

“And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked form Him.” (1 John 5:15)

The disciples asked Jesus if he cared? He answered them with another question:

“Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (Mark 4:40)

Perhaps we need to ponder this question and learn that with faith we can do anything. Faith is a builder of hope, solutions, and giver of victories. When we have faith in Jesus, all things are possible.

MESSAGE OF CHANGE

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Matthew 6:33


Jesus began his ministry when he was 33 years of age. The message he conveyed to the Jews and Gentiles; poor, rich and the intellectuals of his time was a message of change. His message was not political, but it stirred up those who knew the Laws and were very educated in Scriptures of The Old Testament.

Much like those who run in presidential elections, he caused people to notice Him, because of the message he was bringing. He wasn’t well received by those who knew the Law, because it meant change from the old ways and traditions.
Jesus’ message was about hope for mankind. – To believe in God and for man to change their ways in order to have a relationship with the Father. But in order for this change to take place it must first start in man’s heart. This is what must take place first in order for any people, or nation to have change.

Just before Jesus had said to seek his kingdom first, he was telling his disciples not to worry about life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. (Matthew 6:25) The importance to all of this is that you first must seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, in other words, reconcile your relationship with God. Come to Jesus and ask forgiveness of all your sins, because he is merciful and a compassionate God. He says in John 14:7 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, but through me.” He was talking to his disciples about believing in Him in order to be reconcile with his Father. But also that we should not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. (Matthew 6:34) Once your heart is cleaned from sin, leave it up to Him and he will take care of your needs.

Today, as we listen to political promises of hope and change, it seems that the words spun a repetitive quote from another time. But the delivery of such powerful words can only be attributed to the One who made his words right and true. Only Jesus had the right to say, “I am the way, the truth and the life” because in order to be change, it must begin in man’s heart.

Remember, my friend, brother, and sister that in order to have true hope, or change, it must begin with you. Listen to His voice and that old hymn: Stand only on the promises of God, our Savior.

JESUS OUR INSPIRATION

I would like to tell you the story of a little girl whom I will call “Katie”. This little girl was walking along her mother’s side and stopped abruptly to pick-up a penny on the sidewalk. She said: “Mommy, with this penny, I want to feed the poor children.” That day, our little Katie was killed in an accident. Her mother wanted to keep her daughter’s memory and honor her by collecting pennies and giving them to a charity that would help feed and provide help to children in Dar Fur. Yes, this is a true story.

When I first read this story, I was touched by this little girl’s unselfishness to help children. Her words were an inspiration to her parents to get involved and honor her memory.

It brings to memory the role that God played by sending his son Jesus to be nailed on a cross for my sins and yours, so that we could make peace with Him. It was through his sacrifice that we have been reconciled from sin. It says in Romans 3:23 “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Because of our sin, we are separated from a holy relationship with God the Father. In Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”, it mentions a gift that is given to us when we come to the cross and ask forgiveness. This gift is eternal life. We are not only forgiven, but have eternal life. Isn’t it wonderful!

God provided a way for us to be forgiven when Jesus, who was without sin, took our punishment on Himself at the cross. But if you are wondering how this all parallels to our story about Katie, it’s simple. Her death made a difference to others, likewise Jesus makes a difference in our lives when we accept Him to be Lord and as Christians we commit to live in obedience to his word. He is our inspiration.

It’s not enough to know about Christ intellectually, we must put our trust in Him, to be Lord of our lives. Then we will be reconciled with God. The death of Jesus was not in vain, because it brought hope to mankind and continues to change people’s lives. Katie’s story inspired her parents, because it was Jesus that was in their daughter’s heart and only Him can bring that kind of hope to mankind. The same hope that was given to Katie and shared with others is the one being offered to you. BELIEVE!

Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

IS YOUR SEED IN GOOD SOIL?

Jesus told a parable about a farmer who went out to sow his seed:
“As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path: it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on rocks, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

Jesus explained this parable to his disciples as follows:
“The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.
The seed that fell among thorns, stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”( Luke 8:1-8)

As I read this passage from Luke, it clearly speaks to the listeners, those who hear the word of God. They may be hearing God’s message at church, on television, read it, or even study it; but because of the cares of life they don’t grasp it in depth. It is like building a castle on sand. When the waves touch the sand, the castle disappears. Many worry about their finances, how much money they can make on the stock market; others worry about paying bills, and the mortgage payment on their house. All are legitimate concerns, but Jesus tells us to be calm, not to be anxious about anything, but by prayer and supplication he tells us to bring our request to the Father. (Ephesians 4:6)
He adds, “My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”(Ephesians 4:19)

Remember the story of Mary and Martha? (Luke 10:39-42, John 11:1-44, and John 12:1-11). The Bible tells us little about these two different personalities. But from this brief account we learn how life was in their house in Bethany-and what life is often for us. Mary was the calm one, the one who didn’t care about what went on in her surroundings, immovable from the spot where she was, hearing Jesus speak. Martha was the opposite. She was more concerned about the chores that needed to be done. Making sure the house was clean, the cooking done, the chairs and table arranged. Sounds familiar? This is not to say one is right and the other is wrong. We are all different, and that is just as God made us to be. When Jesus corrected Martha, he didn’t say, “Why can’t you be more like your sister, Mary?” he knew Martha would never be Mary, and Mary would never be Martha. But when the two were faced with the same choice-to work or to worship-Jesus said, “Mary has chosen the better part.”

You see Mary’s seed was planted in good soil. She had a heart that was in the right place. To me, the choice was available to both Mary and Martha. And it’s available to each one of us, regardless of our personality. It may have been easier for Mary because of the mellow nature she displayed, while Martha was caught up in the “dos” of the day. Jesus was our supreme example. He was never in a hurry. He knew who he was and where he was going. He wasn’t held hostage to the world’s demands.

Today, many have lost that intimacy that Jesus invites us to share. Just as he welcomed Mary to sit at his feet in the living room, and as he invited Martha to come, leave the kitchen for a while and share the blessings. In obedience to Christ’s invitation for you, you’ll find the secret to living beyond the pressures that would tear you apart and take away God’s word. When the seed is planted in your heart, then you’ll begin to grow in faith and trust. You’ll begin to have a change only when you spend time at Jesus’ feet.
Jesus was that farmer that spread the seed (his word), but how it grows in our hearts depends on how we use our time to be one on one with Him. LET IT BE IN GOOD SOIL!

NO COMPROMISE

A Weekly Devotional

NO COMPROMISE

by Vanessa

God does not want us to compromise according to the Holy Scriptures. He wants those who have been saved to live by biblical standards and not the standards of the world. By this I mean, following the truths of Jesus and his teaching. Jesus came to give us life and to have it in abundance (John 10:10). When we accept Christ as our savior, his righteousness comes to dwell in us, we are cleansed from sin. There is no room for sinfulness because our flesh is in a battle with our spirit. We yield to God’s word and it strengthens us each day to overcome the desires and temptations that come before us. Our friends and families that don’t have Christ begin to see this change. They say we are different. They see in us the peace, confidence and power of the spirit, because we continue to feast ourselves in God’s word and in prayer.

If we are new believers, the test of our faith becomes more prominent. And if we are not careful, that is, if we are not seeking God’s holy word everyday and praying everyday, we can stumble. Just like a newborn needs feeding and instruction to grow in learning right from wrong, the new believer needs God’s word (the Bible). In John 14:7 we find Jesus saying to his disciples that he is.." the way, the truth and the life…" Therefore, if we have any doubts about which way to go, or where we can find the truth- it is in Jesus. Your conviction in Jesus and his standard of living is the Truth. There is no compromise when it comes to having a different way of life.

When you compromise to sin, you are asked to do something that’s all not really bad till the next time. Take for instance, the believer who goes into a store and looks around making sure no one sees and gets a lotto ticket, fills it out and with his eyes down gives it to the cashier. The next time he comes back he is a little boulder until the next time he goes straight to the cashier and looks him in the eye. What has happened? The person has become resistant to the holy spirit. They have become sensitized by sin and are not listening to God’s word. In Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” God tells us that he will take care of our needs if we ask. It seems simple, but it is that simple. We need to trust God and wait on his answer, because he knows when it is the right time and day for Him to fulfill your request. Nothing is impossible for him, no matter how difficult it may seem in our eyes. Our God is an awesome God! Keep this verse in mind found in Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Post it on your refrigerator, keep it in your wallet. BELIEVE IT, TRUST IN HIM, HE IS FAITHFUL!