Thanks and Praise

Scripture: “Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.”

As the holidays come swiftly upon us, and we prepare to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, I’d like to reflect on the fact that it is more than celebrating American history, when the pilgrims feasted with the Indians, (or Native Americans. Forgive my ignorance of what is politically correct.) But this day is more than just history, eating large amounts of food with friends and family, and shopping for great deals for Christmas. This is also a time to truly thank the Lord for His enduring love, provision and blessings upon us this year.

It’s been a difficult year, and we have all experienced our own personal and national trials and triumphs. But all through the ups and downs, God has always been right by our sides, ever faithful, ever true.

If nothing else this year, I hope to remember this scripture as I sit at the table with my close friends, “Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.” (1 Chronicles 29:13). Without Him – I am nothing. Without Him, my life would be a miserable, directionless abyss. Praise God for capturing my heart as a floundering 25 year old and drawing me into close fellowship with Him and with others who’ve been closely connected to Him for years longer than me! Praise God for my close circle of friends who constantly encourage me, guide me and make me accountable. I am a better Christian for them.

Tomorrow, I will give Him thanks and praise – not that I shouldn’t on a daily basis, but as a nation, we can all give Him thanks and praise together as brothers and sisters in the Lord.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever” 1 Chronicles 16:34

This is the first of many times this phrase shows up in the bible. (I’m so thankful for the wonderful resource, www.biblegateway.com)! If it’s repeated so much, it must be worth paying attention to. Thirteen little words that mean so much. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Amen!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Many blessings upon you and yours as we enter the holiday season!

Prayer request: For a blessed and safe holiday for everyone.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for being in our lives. Thank you for your blessings, Your provision and for Your enduring love. Help us to keep You in the center of the holidays despite the hustle and bustle that pulls our attention off of You. Amen

Keep Your Fork

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things 'in order,' she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly.

'What's that?' came the Pastor's reply.

'This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.'

The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.

That surprises you, doesn't it?' the young woman asked..

'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor.

The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say,
'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie; Something wonderful, and with substance!'
So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork, the best is yet to come.'

The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' And over and over he smiled.

During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that t hey probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us. Show your friends how much you care. Remember to always be there for them, even when you need them more. For you never know when it may be their time to 'Keep your fork.'

Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share. Being friends with someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility.

And keep your fork

submitted by Rhonda Currie

What's Right?

Do the right, love goodness, and walk humbly with your God (Mic. 6:8)

There's been a lot of discussion in the media lately about rights, especially here in California as regards the backlash against the passage of Proposition 8 which amends the state constitution to restore marriage as being between one man and one woman. The demonstrators, though the majority of voters said otherwise, insist that their civil rights have been violated and they are now rallying state supreme court judges to reinstitute what they feel is their "right."

"Rights" is an interesting notion. The Preamble to the Constitution says that "all men are created equal and they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights...." Yet, people here are screaming that they are being denied something - something not given to them by the Creator. If anything, they want to push the idea of a Creator entirely out of the picture. I think this is because when we are gifted by God with something, it brings with it a measure of responsibility. American society's sense of rugged individualism doesn't like that. We don't want anyone in our lives who might somehow limit what we want to do.

Funny how after the September 11 attacks, our churches were full of people asking God to do something, as though He is just a vending machine that we tap when we want something. I can understand how the Old Testament prophets must have felt, watching society slide further and further down the slippery slope as they warned of what would come from such disobedience to God's laws. To quote Yogi Berra, this is like deja vu all over again. God must be shaking His head much as he did during the time of the prophet Isaiah: Yet you have not called on Me, O Jacob; But you have become weary of Me, O Israel (Is. 43:22).

And yet, just as in Old Testament times, God is always waiting for us to return to Him. He wants that so much that He sent His Son to die for us. And, as in Old Testament times, we need to be prophets to those around us who are teetering on the precipice, who have bought the lie that we don't need God. Lest we think that's not really happening, consider an article that CNN ran last week about the American Humanist Association. They are currently running a huge campaign in Washingon, plastering busses and other places with ads proclaiming, "Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake."

Thanks, but I'd rather be good for Goodness' sake.

Wisdom

Scripture: "Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble." (Proverbs 4:10-12)


Wisdom. It is a very important attribute to God for each of us to have. I have a concordance at home, and the number of times the word "wisdom" shows up in the bible was more than I could count.


Someone once described wisdom to me as such: "Wisdom is the application of the knowledge you have learned." In other words - applying to your life what you have learned from the bible. Or, making use of the knowledge you have attained. This is wisdom.



According to http://www.dictionary.com/, wisdom is described, "The quality of being wise; knowledge, and the capacity to make due use of it; knowledge of the best ends and the best means; discernment and judgment; discretion; sagacity; skill; dexterity."


Wisdom is so important for us to have, that God places a high value on it. It's less a suggestion, and nearly a command for us to attain it in order to live long and prosperous lives. "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. (Prov 3:13-15 13)


We're not talking about wisdom in general or worldly wisdom. We are talking about wisdom bestowed on us by God Himself. If we apply God's teachings to our lives, it's really no wonder we can prosper, for the lessons taught through the experiences of so many bible characters teaches us how to live our own lives. And it goes without saying that Christ's teachings in the New Testament are extraordinarily important!! Unlike learning trigonometry in high school and then getting a job in data entry, where it is never used, we MUST seek God's wisdom in our day to day lives. Daily, we battle worldly values and desires, and we are constantly having to separate ourselves from where the world would lead us. And how are we to know the difference between worldly values and God's values if we don't read our bibles and apply His word to our lives?

As I did a word search on wisdom, it really hit home how desperately important God wants us to seek wisdom and to live by wisdom. Proverbs 4:6-7 reads, “Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.” There is such an urgency in those words. As much as we thirst for God, we must also thirst for His wisdom. It is part of our life blood. There is so much action placed behind the attainment of wisdom. Love wisdom. Get wisdom. Wisdom will watch over you, protect you. James 1:5 reads: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

So while we all continue to seek a closer relationship with God on a daily basis, we must also seek His wisdom with just as much fervor. At least three times in Proverbs alone, wisdom is valued higher than silver, gold and rubies. “Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.” (Proverbs 3:15)

“Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. (Prov 8:10-11)

“How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!” (Prov. 16:16)

If you think about it, if you knew you were guaranteed to find a whole lot of gold, rubies and silver, would you not do all you could do to attain such wealth? Wouldn't you do all the research you could, and enlist your trustworthy friends and go seek it out with relish?
Ask God for wisdom. Seek it out NOW and with urgency! Treat it like precious gold and rubies. And your rewards will be greater than you could ever imagine.

Prayer request: For guidance in our every day lives.

Prayer: Father, in Your holy name, we each ask You to give us wisdom – Your wisdom, so we can each have a deeper understanding of who You are and what You expect from us in every circumstance and situation in our lives. Just as it is written in James, please give each reader a generous portion of Your wisdom. Help us to continue to seek it out, passionately, in Your word every day, as we would seek out precious jewels. Amen

God's Voice

Scripture:
"Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." (John 12:28)

This past week we had to do something that was very hard to do. My wife's dog had cancer and we had to put him down. Now some of you may know that my grandson Seth live with us and on the evening when we went to take the dog to the vet, Seth said to me, "Grandpa, my heart is telling me I should go with you."

This verse makes it clear that it was a voice that the Father spoke in; however, there were different reports of the same event. Some people heard a voice and thought it was an angel who spoke. Others thought it was thunder.

This illustrates "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor. 2:14). A carnal man with a hardened heart will always find some natural explanation for the supernatural even if he heard an audible voice from God.

A hard heart keeps us from perceiving spiritual truths and stops us from understanding. When a person doesn't understand God's Word, Satan finds no resistance when he comes to steal it away. A hard heart keeps us from remembering. This isn't to say that facts or scriptures can't be recalled, it's the spiritual lessons learned that have been forgotten. Likewise, some people can quote scripture or remember what the sermon was about, but they can't perceive the spiritual life in it or retain what they did perceive, because of a hardened heart.

Jesus didn't need to hear this audible voice of God because he had a more sure word of prophecy than the audible voice of God from heaven (2 Pet. 1:18-20). Jesus knew the "voice" of the Old Testament scriptures that spoke of the Christ being glorified and He could also hear the Father's voice in His heart as He had on so many other occasions. This audible voice didn't come to reassure Jesus, but it came to those who had ears to hear, so that they might believe.

http://www.awmi.net/devotion/jesus/sep_05

Now I can't tell you for sure if the voice Seth heard in his heart was the Holy Spirit of God or not. But I can tell you that I am proud of him that he was able to heart that soft voice inside. we need to do more of the same.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit, who speaks to us to comfort us and teach your Ways. Forgive us for not listening and help to find the time where we can turn off everything else and listen to you. Amen

Holy Fire

Scriptures: “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.” (I Peter 2:24)

Last Saturday, my wife was supposed to go and teach in Chinese school. But we were waken up early in the morning and were informed that there was no Chinese school that day due to wildfire. So, we turned on the TV to find that not only was there wildfires burning, but also freeways were closed.

As we watched the news on TV, with pictures after pictures of the rampant fires burning across hills and planes, residential and commercial areas, we saw the destructive power of these wildfires changing the appearance of the landscape and the lives of those residents.

In the Bible, fire has often been used as an analogy of the coming judgment of God. John the Baptist, in his warnings to the people of Israel of his days, said, “…I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Luke 3:16)

D. L. Moody once told a story. He said, in his days, people who travelled in the west sometimes ran into wildfires. These wildfires burned wide and fast. So fast, he said, that people often found themselves incapable of running away from it. In such time, seeing the wildfires approaching, experienced travelers would lit up a fire and burned the area near themselves first. Once an area was burned and all fuels to fire was gone, they would move into this area and stood there. That burned area became their refuge and the wildfires would not come close to harm them.

Moody concluded that, in the same way, God’s fire of judgment had come upon our Lord Jesus on Calvary. On that cross on Calvary, Jesus has become that area that has been burned by the fire of God’s judgment. Anyone who chose to enter into it will be saved from the fire of God’s judgment on our sins and inequities.

How true! Apostle Peter said, in his teaching on the saving grace of our Lord Jesus, that “He Himself bore our sins in His body on that tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.” (I Peter 2:24) Our Lord bore our sins and was judged accordingly so we will not have to be judged again. But, more than this, He gave us an opportunity to be freed from the grip of sin and be subjects to the righteousness of God.

That holy fire of God will act as His instrument of grace that offers us a hiding place from the bondage of sins and from the wrath of God. More than a hiding place, it will be a place where we will be refined and purified so we may meet Him.

In the face of these devastating wildfires, we know as Christians that we need to reach out to those who suffered great loss materially, physically, and mentally to help restore them. Likewise, as children of God in this dark and wicked generation, we need to pray for the power of God to cleanse and purify us so we may be His instruments in taking down all barriers and obstacles that keep the lost souls outside of the grace of God.

REFINER’S FIRE

Purify my heart,
Let me be as gold and precious silver.
Purify my heart,
Let me be as gold, pure god.

(chorus)
Refiner’s fire,
My heart’s one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for you, Lord.
I choose to be holy,
Set apart for you, my Master,
Ready to do your will.

Purify my heart,
Cleanse me from within
And make me holy.
Purify my heart,
Cleanse me from my sin, deep within.

-- By Brian Doerksen

Prayer Request:
For victims of these recent wildfires

Prayers:
Abba Father, cleanse us from all unrighteousness and make us instruments after Your heart to bring comfort to the victims of the wildfires rampant in our community and to bring hope and salvation to the lost in our generation as we pray in the mighty name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, A-men!

No Greater Love

Scripture:
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends"
(John 15:13)

Today I got one of those prayer email chain laters. Usually I say a short prayer for whatever the request is and let everyone else do all the forwarding. Today I did something different. Today I prayed a good time looking at each of the pictures, for the service men who lost their lives, for the families and children who do not have a dad coming home to them, for those still fighting for their safety, to quick end to these wars and our Lord's return.

Jesus tells us in this world we will have all kinds of tribulations. Many times we apply this pasage of scripture to the difficulties we are personally having. This time I want us to see this from a global perspective understanding that ALL of the troubles of the world Jesus has overcome for us.

We also know that the last days will have many wars and rumors of wars and over the last century history tells us that there are an exponential amount of wars today compare to centuries ago.

Jesus already overcome the world and we are only waiting for the day when all will manifest. That day when we will be "caught up in the air" and we will "be like him and see Him as He is." Hallelujah.

I have included some of those pictures here. As you look at them, pray for the families and friends and loved ones and ask our Lord to bless them who gave their lives for us.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, This world is in such great turmoil and there are many wars going on right now. Many have given their lives to protect our country. Bless them Lord and their families and loved ones. Bring peace upon our world and come quickly. In Jesus name. Amen

Disappearance of Values

Scripture: "Say to them, 'This is what the LORD says: " 'When men fall down, do they not get up? When a man turns away, does he not return? Why then have these people turned away? Why does Jerusalem always turn away? They cling to deceit; they refuse to return. I have listened attentively, but they do not say what is right. No one repents of his wickedness, saying, "What have I done?" Each pursues his own course like a horse charging into battle. Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons, and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration. But my people do not know the requirements of the LORD. .....Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when they are punished, says the LORD. (Jeremiah 8:4-7 & 12)

Just about every morning, I read from a Chronological Bible out loud as my friend drives us to work. It's so interesting to read the books in chronological order as they happened. I'm going through Jeremiah these days, and I read the above scripture just this morning. This afternoon (Tuesday) at lunch, just before I began to write Wednesday's blog, I read Peter's sharing from Monday, and it seems that the Lord is leading the authors down similar paths of thinking.

The above scripture touched me because it sounds sooo much like America today. Every day I hear about how there are near violent protests against Proposition 8 that passed here in California, indicating that marriage should only be between a man and a woman, and not between same sexes. (Amen!!) But the sinful have gathered together and are trying to undermine what the voters have just unanimously voted on. This is only a small example of the chipping away of modern values that I am (and we all are) witnessing.

Let me be clear. I have nothing personal against the protesters. People are people, we can't all agree on all things, and I'm no better a person than they are, for I am a sinner too. But the difference is - I believe in what the bible has to say, and the path that the Lord has carved out for us as believers. We follow Christ, we live by His Spirit, even if it goes against the grain of society. But it doesn't break my heart any less to see how the world is changing around me, where people no longer even "know how to blush." (vs. 12)

I know I wrote along similar lines last Wednesday, but this scripture touched me, and makes me all the more aware that we Christians are all fast becoming a minority who believe in basic morals, values and ethics that seem to be dying quickly in a nation that wants desperately to follow their own sinful desires and wants.

In Exodus 32, when Aaron created a golden calf to worship, because the Israelites demanded him to do so, I am certain there were at least a handful who stood back and watched in horror, as the calf was raised up to "take the place" of God Almighty to worship. I feel like those few Israelites! I stand here with my mouth open in astonishment and my heart breaking for there is only One God to be worshipped - but it seems like fewer and fewer know Who He is, therefore, living their lives for themselves, their own desires and pleasures. They don't realize God's heart is breaking, for He never meant for His creatures to use and abuse each other as they do. We are created in His image. It is heartbreaking that so few know that, and would rather live sinful lives, entirely void of God.

I'm not talking just about the marriage issue. But it's hard to watch even our youth, the TV shows they are exposed to, the movies they attend, and sexuality gone rampant in ones so young. And often, how little they think of themselves because they have no one and no One to take them in and guide them towards what is emotionally, spiritually and physically good and healthy for them. They are our future, and I fear for what is ahead unless God intervenes in a big way.

As before, I encourage you all, as well as myself - to keep shining the Light of Christ in all you do. Share whenever you find an opportunity. Always with love and respect. But we must band together more so then ever. And most of all

Prayer request: For non-believers who know not what they are doing.

Prayer: Lord, we ask you to help us to make difference in this world for Your sake. Help us to shine Your light on an ever darkening world, in loving and respectful ways. Help our nation to turn back to you. Please place your hand of guidance on the judges that are now being asked to overturn Proposition 8 as "unconstitutional". Strengthen our minds and hearts to know Your Word better, to be able to defend our faith as well as to share our faith. Help each one of us to make time for You in ways we never have before. Amen

Itching Ears

Scriptures: “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministries.” (II Timothy 4:3-5)

Recently, a few friends whom I used to call brothers in Christ, have turned to liberal theology and have embraced such things like New Theology and Emerging Church. They have invited speakers of like mind to their meetings and have confused many of their faith in our Lord Jesus.

When confronted by church leadership team, they exalted their freedom to believe higher than the authority of church and of the orthodox interpretation of the Word of God. They went through the Bible and crossed out passages that recorded supernatural events and called them superstitions. They taught people that there’s no such thing as Trinity, calling it polytheism. They denied the divine nature of our Lord Jesus and called our Lord’s claim that there’s only one God as narrow-mindedness. As a result, tensions among members of the body of Christ became problematic and the unity of the church is under attack.

For many of us, it was simply shocking! It’s one thing to read about such things as recorded in the Bible, like the passage I used today. It’s a totally different thing to witness it personally. How can someone who grew up in the church and have been taught for years the truth of God be swayed away that easily? What is happening here?

This world is full of those false teachings, as Paul indicated in the book of Ephesians, “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.” (Ephesians 4:14)

These people come into our church as Christians. They speak all terminology we use. They go through the worship with us. They participate in our fellowship activities. They show great interest and enthusiasm in what we do and think. In a place where few are willing to devote their time to serve, these people are more than welcome. And, to be honest with you, I believe they did all these out of their sincere hearts.

It’s just that they embraced the false teachings. So, out of their sincerity and good intention, they accomplished just the opposite of what they thought they were striving for. Seeing them going astray make me realize how vulnerable we truly are. If it were not for the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, how are we going to be able to stand in the midst of such spiritually stormy generation?

We need to study and understand the Word of God and all His instructions so as to have the whole counsel of God. We need to be held accountable for what we believe so as to remain in truth. We need to humble ourselves before God and admit that there are things about God that we do not, and maybe will never, understand so as not to exalt ourselves higher than who we really are. We need to be active in the ministries of God so we will not leave room for the evil in His ministries.

We need to remember that, in the core of our belief, it is a living and loving relationship we have with God. It is this relationship that says Amen to the teachings and the revelation God has for us in the Bible about Himself and about us. It is also this relationship we have with God that makes His teachings true and powerful in our lives.

Most importantly, we need to ask for the Spirit of wisdom and enlightenment so we may discern what is truthful and what is not. Paul’s prayers for Ephesian saints should be ours, too, “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your hearts may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparable great power for us who believe.” (Ephesians 1:17-19)


Prayer Request:
For wayside brothers and sisters in Christ

Prayers:
Father God, as many of us are falling to the prey of human understanding and pride, we ask that You have mercy on us. Grant us faith where it’s lacking or fainting in us and shield us from all ungodly wind that attempts to sway us away. Help us to stand firmly in Your truth and in our fellowship with You as we pray in the name of our Redeemer Jesus, A-men!

Coming Home

Do not conform yourself to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect (Rom. 12:2).

This weekend, my church has its annual fall Fiesta. It’s a 3-day affair that always includes carnival rides, games and lots of food. I’ve always enjoyed watching people getting together and having fun. Working the various booths gives me an opportunity to chat with folks that I don’t often get to talk to on Sundays. My 19-year-old son and his elementary school buddies use the event as a way of reuniting, something that has become harder to do as they’ve gone off to various colleges. Many former parishioners attend just to see old friends. Our pastor always stresses that the main purpose of the Fiesta is not financial; rather, the primary goal is fellowship.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the Basics these days with regard to my spiritual life. Life gets so busy at times and before I know it, time gets away from me, and I have more tasks to cram into the same amount of time. It makes discernment all but impossible when there are so many voices vying for my attention. The day after the election, I found myself in an emotional and spiritual "funk," for lack of a better term. I felt something was out of kilter, but I couldn't shake it.

I decided to spend my lunch period that day in the quiet of a church near the office. During that hour, I felt myself being called back to the basics - prayer, fasting, worship, fellowship – a a much deeper level than I’d experienced before. 2nd Chronicles 7:14 tells us that if we humble ourselves and pray, and seek God’s presence and turn back to Him, He will hear us from heaven and pardon our sins and revive our land. The early Church took up this same theme. The Book of Acts tells us that the apostles devoted themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4), while others were summoned to serve the practical needs of the community.

Sometimes I need to be reminded that those Basics, and especially prayer, need to be the underpinning of everything I do. It's so important to not let worship and fellowship become mere social events. All must be rooted completely in Him. Every day when we go to that special place that we’ve set aside for ourselves, it is a homecoming with the Lord until we arrive at the ultimate and eternal homecoming in heaven. He is waiting for us whenever we want to be with Him, to recalibrate us and set us on the right path. Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, know my concerns. See if my way is crooked, then lead me in the ancient paths (Ps. 139:23-24).

What's Your Motivation

Scripture:
"Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 6:1)

The motive behind our gift is more important than the gift itself. Paul said if he gave all of his goods to feed the poor, or if he made the ultimate sacrifice of giving his own life for someone else, and wasn't motivated by love, his gift would profit him nothing (1 Cor. 13:3).

Many Christians give faithfully but never see the hundredfold return that the Lord promised because of wrong motives (Mk. 10:29-30). Paul said God loves a cheerful giver - not one who gives grudgingly or out of debt (2 Cor. 9:7).

Jesus gave us the key to purifying our motives in this same teaching. He said, "But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth" (Mt. 6:3). Giving in a manner in which you will not receive recognition for your gifts will guarantee that your motives are right and grant you the true joy that comes through selfless giving (Acts 20:24).

Ask the Lord to show you an opportunity today to give a kind word or a helping hand to someone who will not be able to repay you and others will never know about it. This could be a motorist in a traffic jam, a co-worker, a spouse, a child who won't even notice your kind deed, or any number of other people. Opportunities are all around us.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you give to us everyday and many times we forget to even thank you. Your Spirit will lead us to those in need if we let him. Thank you Lord for your life that you gave of us and for our lives as we live them by your Spirit. We surrender all and listen to your voice so we can be lead to love others by giving to them.

(http://www.awmi.net/devotion/jesus/mar_02)

Hold fast

Scripture: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again, there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9-10)

By the time you read this, the election will be over and the President of the United States will be decided. Whoever has been elected, whether you voted for him or not, just remember: God is in control. He knew the outcome long before we did. There is a powerful prayer that David prayed in I Chronicles that I memorized once. In part, it goes: “…for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; You are exalted over all. Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things.” (I Chronicles 29:11-12) Never forget the power of prayer, and what our Lord is capable of!
Though we fret over how our nation is turning further and further away from God, and how much our nation continues to plummet into darkness, what we mustn’t lose sight of is the fact that God hears our cries and our pleas. He knows what is happening and what will happen. But prophecies must be fulfilled, and I believe it is going to get much darker as time goes on. It is my own, personal opinion, that God is pulling his hand away from America as we, as a society in general; choose our own personal idols and pleasures before Him. We are suffering from the consequences of a sinful nation, and as believers, we’re stuck here, as in a ship in a fierce storm.

You would think we would have learned from the experiences of the Israelites in the Old Testament. They were rescued out of Egypt and at first, praised God. But after walking in the desert for so long, they began turning from God and began whining about wanting to return to Egypt! “In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” (Exodus 16:2-3)

Over and over again, they stop looking at the blessings and provisions given by God, and instead, begin to concentrate on their wants unfulfilled. Nothing is new under the sun. We can hardly blame the Israelites, because we do the exact same thing now; both individually, and as a nation. We tend to focus less on our provisions and start to concentrate more on what we don't have.

My encouragement to you, is this: Don’t lose sight of the blessings, even though the world seems to be getting darker. Do you have a job? Are you able to pay your bills? Are you and your family in general good health? Do you have a vehicle to drive to work? Do you go home to a roof over your head? Nothing is perfect, but don’t lose sight of all God IS doing for you.

Right now, we are living in a nation where society is fighting for things abominable to God, and we must hold out and hold on to each other. Don’t lose faith. Don’t stop praying. God is in control. He hears our cries. He fills our provisions. So even if we plummet more into darkness, never lose sight that He is standing beside you the whole time. “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 your have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist …” (Ephesians 6:13-14)

We are Christian Soldiers, each one of us. There is no such thing as an army of one. We must stand together until the end of the battle. Stand fast, keep praying, and know that no matter what happens God is with you.

“Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane,
but the church of Jesus constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never gainst that church prevail;
we have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail.

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
forward into battle see his banners go!"
(Onward Christian Soldiers, Arthur S. Sullivan)

Prayer request: That our faith increase in spite of adversity.

Prayer: Lord, we ask You to help us to hold fast to You no matter what the world throws at us. You are our Protector, Salvation, our High Tower. We rely on you for our very breath of life. As the world grows darker, increase our faith, and help us each to reach those that don't know You. Amen

Chosen Before Creation

Scripture:
"Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." (John 17:24)

God the Father had the plan of salvation worked out before He even created the world. Most of us would not have created the world and man if we knew the heartache and terrible sacrifice it would cost. But God is not man. In His judgment (which is the correct judgment) the prize was worth the cost.

We were chosen in Christ before the world began. The Lord did not choose us by our merit, but solely by our acceptance of Christ which His foreknowledge allowed Him to do before the foundation of the world. In the strictest sense, we were not personally chosen, but Christ was chosen and all those who are "in Christ" partake of His being chosen by His Father. Just as we are the beneficiaries of the covenant between God the Father and His Son Jesus, so we are chosen because we chose God's chosen, i.e. Christ. The Father would no more reject us than He would reject Jesus because we are accepted by the Father through Christ.

None of us can claim that we are without blame in the sight of men because man looks on the outward appearance (1 Sam. 16:7) and all of us have sinned (Rom. 3:23). But the Lord looks on our born-again spirit which has been regenerated in Christ and He sees us holy and without blame.

If you look at any color through a red glass, that color becomes red. The same thing would happen if you looked through a green glass. Everything would become green. In a similar way, God looks at us through Christ and everything in our life becomes covered by the blood of Jesus. We are holy and without blame before Him because of His love expressed through His Son.

Prayer:
Thank you Father for chosing us before the foundations of the world were created, for loving so much and planning for us an eternal salvation by sending your one and only Son to die on the Cross to pay for the sins of the entire world. We love you Lord and we surrender our lives to you because we were bought with this price. In Jesus Name.

(http://www.awmi.net/devotion/jesus/nov_05)

Who am I?

Scriptures: “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.” (Romans 1:1)

Many years ago, when I was still a student, I used to work in a restaurant. One day, an old couple came to eat in our restaurant. They were our old customers because they came often and, because of that, they had come to know many of us working there.

That particular evening, however, they came a little later than usual. They ordered their favorite dishes. Then, after they finished eating, they chatted with us. In our conversation, the husband all of a sudden said, “You know what? We’ve got a new business card.” Then he took out of his pocket a business card. When we all took a look at the card, we all burst into laughter. The business card, first of all, had his name and his wife’s name printed in the center. Then, there were four things printed on the four corners: No Money, No Job, No Friends, and No Estates.

It was a very unusual way of introducing themselves who they were. I think they printed that business card just for fun. Over the years, in many different occasions, I have heard different people introducing themselves. Some people would go in great length to talk about themselves and others would simply state their names. I suppose that all depend on what they want others to know about them.

Paul, the great apostle to gentiles, in the beginning of his letter to the churches in Rome, introduced himself as, first of all, “a servant of Christ Jesus.” (Romans 1:1) He had a name, Paul. But, he seemed to think that the name by itself could not explain who he was. He seemed to define who he was by the relationship he had with our Lord Jesus. Then he introduced himself by the work entrusted to him, “an apostle … set apart for the gospel of God.” (Romans 1:1)

Throughout his epistles, Paul kept his relationship with Lord Jesus and the commission given him in the center of all his ministries. It was his relationship with Christ Jesus that humbled and energized him. In a different epistle, he said, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:8) Christ was everything to him, including defining who he was. He saw in Christ, more than a Savior, the meaning of his very existence. When there’s meaning, there’s hope and there’s joy. The longer the meaning last, the longer the hope and joy last. Paul anchored his life in Christ, the everlasting cornerstone, and this made it possible for him to rejoice time and again in the darkest hours of his life.

Out of this relationship he had with Christ, it’s only natural that he considered the commission given him by God the top priority in life which empowered and guided him toward the goal set forth before him. In the same epistle to the church in Philippi, he said, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14) The goal of his life was not set by him or any other human being, but by God in Christ Jesus. So was the value and significance of his efforts toward his goal. His zeal in sharing with unbelievers the good news of God’s salvation and with people of God the truth of God’s heart is evident in every epistle he wrote, including the personal letter to Philemon. It’s like a blazing torch that ignites every heart that comes close to it.

When we marvel at what Paul was able to accomplish in life, I wonder if that all started from his view of who he was. If this is the way Apostle Paul viewed and presented himself, I wonder how we would view and present ourselves? Should I introduce myself as “Peter, the IT guy”? Or, should I introduce myself as “Peter, a Christian making a living in the IT business?” Is Christ the defining point of who I am? Of what I do?

Prayer Request:
For restaurant workers

Prayers:
The Creator of life, our Lord Almighty, as the winds of this world blow at us from all directions, we ask that You help us to, first of all, remember who we are in relation to You. We are Your children called to bear Your image in our lives. We are Your subjects ordained to do the work of Your Kingdom. Help us to be steadfast in Your teaching and guidance so we may be living examples of meaningful life in Christ Jesus. Hear our pray as we ask in the name of our Lord Jesus, A-men!