THE WORD IS ------ CHOOSE

I read that several people plan to forgo the traditional making of resolutions and instead opt to embrace one word, and have that word steer the way they live for the next year. Words like hope, joy, persevere, serve, peace, renew, kindness, and excellence were listed just to name a few. This caused me to think about past resolutions I’ve made and how I failed miserably at most of them. So the adoption of a single word to be applied to my daily walk spurred great interest. After many days of asking God to impress upon my heart the word He would have me use, His whisper was very clear: the word is CHOOSE.

Every day throws new choices at us, from what to wear and what to eat, to checking off a list of priorities. Most of the time we aren’t even consciously aware of the choices we make. If we were, I believe some of those choices would be made more prayerfully. The privilege of making our own choices is very freeing on the surface, unless one first weighs the consequences of the choice.

Joshua 24:14 says, “Choose you this day whom you will serve…” So my choices will reflect my devotion either to God or to myself. In the book of Luke, chapter ten, Jesus was visiting with his good friends. While He sat and spoke, one of the sisters, Mary, sat at His feet and soaked up His teaching while her sister Martha scurried around the kitchen, cooking and serving. When she complained to Jesus, He said to her: “Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part…” Luke 10:42. Yes, we have obligations we must meet, but if we choose the serving over the worship, the choice is flawed.

Jesus set the example for us. In the gospel of John, as He often did, He illustrated His point by first telling His disciples the difference between a servant and a friend—a friend being one who knows the mind and heart of another friend. By this illustration, He encourages us to know His heart and His will. “You did not choose Me, but I chose you…” John 15:16. His choice was determined for the purpose of teaching His disciples to bear fruit. Jesus made a choice, and by doing so He showed us not only how to choose, but also the spirit in which the choices should be made.

An exhaustive word study seeking the word choose and its derivatives brings to light a list of scriptures to contemplate. I expect it will require most of the year to study them all.

What choices will I make this year? I can choose to be forgiving or choose to cling to anger. I can choose to be cheerful or choose to be sullen. I can choose to be a servant or choose to be selfish. In whatever decisions I make, I must first choose to be in God’s will.

Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room

At this time of year, our "To Do" list can be longer than some of the lines we find ourselves standing in. So many things to do, gifts to buy and wrap, boxes to ship, decorations to hang, events to attend, special dishes to make, menus to plan, and envelopes to address, our fear (and many times our focus) is trying not to forget anyone or anything. At night we collapse in our bed, exhausted, only to lie awake thinking of all we still need to do.

If this is an accurate description of you, don't feel guilty. Our fast-paced, 21st century lives have done this to us. We've simply been sucked up into the rush by virtue of the fact that we have families and friends, and we're involved in church. Those are all good things. But if we aren't careful, they can be the very things to exhaust us in the midst of a time when we should be quietly examining our hearts, clearing out the clutter to ensure Jesus has center stage.

I'm certainly not advocating foregoing family celebrations or church events. No, we need that corporate worship time together, bonding as one in grateful praise for the Baby who came to die for us. Taking time to focus on the coming of Jesus in our family celebrations can teach our children to understand that Jesus is more important than Santa Claus. I am reminded of the Christmas story we read every year. The words are so familiar, we sometimes blur over them without stopping to study their full meaning or consider the depth of the circumstances.

Take, for instance, the innkeeper in the 2nd chapter of Luke. Nothing is actually said about him. We assume he was a gruff sort who waved Mary and Joseph away, growling that there was "No room in the inn". I've often wondered if that man ever knew who he turned away. He had no way of knowing Mary carried the very Savior who could save him from his sins. Did he ever find out later? Did he regret not making room for them? Could he have given up his own bed?

Now, put on the garb of the innkeeper. The city is all a-bustle with people coming for the census. Crowds are pressing, tired children are cranky, people are weary and their feet hurt from standing in line, they're hungry and trying to find a place to eat, and they all have an agenda. Sound familiar? And here you are, the innkeeper. Your stress level is at the breaking point, you're exhausted from serving these demanding people, and late at night you hear another knock on your door. You heave a sigh. No, go away, there's no more room.

Fast forward to the 21st century. You have more shopping to do, if you don't get this box shipped today you're going to have to pay through the nose to get it delivered on time, your Sunday School class is having a party and you have to bring two dishes, your in-laws are coming for dinner and you still haven't cleaned the house, you have to run to a different store because your regular store was out of an ingredient that you must have, one of the strings of lights on the tree has quit working, you just found out you're supposed to bring an exchange gift to that Sunday School party, the Toys For Tots commercial on TV pinches you with guilt, the Salvation Army guy ringing the bell looks at you expectantly and you don't have any cash, you just remembered you forgot to get a gift for a certain person who will be offended if you don't give them anything...and there's a knock at the door. Not the front door of your home, the door of your heart.

Joy to the world, the LORD has come, let earth (us) receive her KING.
LET EVERY HEART PREPARE HIM ROOM...

Will you clear a space? Will you find room? Will you give up your own place? Is Jesus more important than Santa Claus, menus, shopping, or agendas? Maybe the innkeeper didn't know who he was turning away, but we do.

                                         Being Judgmental

Romans 16:17-18 ESV

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

Matthew 7:1-5 ESV

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
Many times we are all judgemental.  I think it’s human nature.
And yet, while it is in our nature to be judgmental, I don’t think it’s always useful to us. We look down on others, as if we are so much better … and that creates division between people.
Think about it for a second: we see someone, and based on their looks or actions, we pass judgment on them. Not good judgment, either. Usually without even knowing the person. And that’s it — that’s usually the extent of our interaction with that person. We don’t make an effort to get to know the person, or understand them, or see whether our judgment was right or not.
And let’s consider what happens when we pass judgment on people we do know. We see something they do, and get angry at it, or disappointed in the person, or think worse of them. We judge, without understanding. And that’s the end of it — we don’t try to find out more, and through communication begin to understand, and through understanding begin to build a bridge between two human beings.
Can you build a bridge with every single person you meet? Probably not. That takes time and effort, two things we’re usually short on anyway. But I’ve found that taking that extra time, even just once a day, can make a huge difference.
Avoid passing judgment and instead build a bridge between two human beings.
If you’re interested in that, let’s take a look at one method I’ve been using. I call it the “DUAL” method. I know, acronyms for methods are corny, but so what? :) This method is corny already, but sometimes corny is a good thing.
Here’s the DUAL method:
Don’t pass judgment. If you find yourself being judgmental, stop yourself. This takes a greater awareness than we usually have, so the first step (and an important one) is to observe your thoughts for a few days, trying to notice when you’re being judgmental. This can be a difficult step. Remind yourself to observe.
Once you’re more aware, you can then stop yourself when you feel yourself being judgmental. Then move to the next step.
Understand. Instead of judging someone for what he’s done or how he looks, try instead to understand the person. Put yourself in their shoes. Try to imagine their background. If possible, talk to them. Find out their back story. Everyone has one. If not, try to imagine the circumstances that might have led to the person acting or looking like they do.
Accept. Once you begin to understand, or at least think you kind of understand, try to accept. Accept that person for who he is, without trying to change him. Accept that he will act the way he does, without wanting him to change. The world is what it is, and as much as you try, you can only change a little bit of it. It will continue to be as it is long after you’re gone. Accept that, because otherwise, you’re in for a world of frustration.
Love. Once you’ve accepted someone for who he is, try to love him. Even if you don’t know him. Even if you’ve hated him in the past. Love him as a brother, or love her as a sister, no matter who they are, old or young, light skinned or dark, male or female, rich or poor.
What good will loving someone do? Your love will likely only be limited. But it could have an effect on two people: yourself, and possibly on the person you’ve found love for. Loving others will serve to make yourself happier. Trust me on this one. And loving others can change the lives of others, if you choose to express that love and take action on it. I can’t guarantee what will happen, but it can be life-changing.

 

He Knows Me By Name

Have you ever been confronted with a task or a mission of such enormity, all you could do was quake in your shoes and gasp, "What??" What if a situation fell into your lap that you had to deal with, and you had no clue what to do?

Moses had a close relationship with God. Exodus 33:11 states that the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. If you read the preceding verses, God had quite a lot to tell Moses, and while the Lord asked a great deal of His servant, He also promised Moses He would send His angel before him to drive out their enemies. But Moses didn't know the way. God was asking him to lead the children of Israel into a land where they'd never been. What do you suppose Moses's answer was?

Moses didn't exactly beat around the bush. He told God,"See, You're telling me to bring these people up to the promised land, but You haven't told me who You're sending with me. You've said You know me by name and I've found grace in Your sight. So, now I'm asking this of You: If I have found grace in Your sight, show me Your way that I might know You." Bold? Perhaps, but also very wise. The smartest thing Moses did was ask God to show him the way, because Moses wanted to know God better. Then Moses added, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here."

21st century translation? God, if You aren't going, I don't want to go either.

God promised His Presence because He knew Moses by name (Ex 33:17). I find that exceedingly comforting. When God asks something staggering of me, He doesn't expect me to do it alone. He promises His presence because He knows me by name. It doesn't matter if I don't have a clue about where to go or how to perform the task, or even the purpose of the mission. God is going with me, so it's safe for me to go. He knows me by name, He knows who I am, He knows my weaknesses. Therefore, He will equip me with whatever I need for the journey.

When God knows your name, you can rest in the promise of His Presence.

They said to Him, We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish. He said, Bring them her to Me. Then He ordered the crowds to recline on the grass; and He took the five loaves and the two fish, and, looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and blessed and broke the loaves and handed the pieces to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people             MATTHEW 14: 17-19

One of the biggest mistakes we can make in life is to focus on what we don't have or have lost and fail to take an inventory on what we do have. When Jesus desired to feed five thousand men --- plus women and children--- the disciples said all they had was a little boy's lunch, which consisted of five small loaves of bread and two fish. They assured Him it was not enough for a crowd the size they had. However, Jesus took the lunch and multiplied it. He fed thousands of men, women, and children and had twelve baskets of leftovers. (Matthew 14:15-21).

If we will just give God what we have, He will use it and give us back more than we had to begin with. The Bible ways that God created everything we see out of "things that are unseen," so I have decided that if He can do that, surely He can do something with my little bit---no matter how unimpressive it is.

What do you have to give God? It is enough!

Lord, thank You for all You have given me. I ask You to use it for Your glory and to provide all that I need. Amen. 

RUNNING ON EMPTY                                                                          

We’ve all been there. Bumper to bumper traffic, we’re running late, and the gas gauge needle is hovering dangerously close to the E. We tighten our grip on the steering wheel and pray that we can make it to the next available gas station and not be stranded on the side of the road. The engine sputters. Why didn’t we take time to stop and fill up earlier? Why didn’t we pay closer attention to the gauge? Other motorists are honking at us to get out of their way as we steer toward the shoulder as the engine dies all together. Now we’re at the mercy of whomever might stop to “rescue” us. Not a fun place to be.

Have you ever read those scriptures that describe being filled with God’s Spirit or filled with joy, and thought, “Wow! That’s the way I want to be.” One of my favorite scriptures is Ephesians 3:17-19. When I first read and pondered those words – “…that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” my mind staggered. How can we be filled with all of God’s fullness here on earth where we are bombarded with distractions and carnal influences? Trading worldly chaff for the treasure of God’s presence is the desire of most Christians. So why is it that we find it such a struggle?

Emptiness is traditionally associated with despair. Humanly speaking, we tend to think that being empty carries the connotation of being poor, broke, hopeless, unloved, forgotten, and alone. Emptiness indicates weakness and vulnerability. But in God’s eyes, being empty is an optimal condition.

Carrying around emotional baggage means our hands and hearts are too full to receive. A vessel that is already full of some substance can’t be used to contain anything else—it’s already full. In the book of 2nd Kings, the prophet Elisha encountered a widow in despair. All she had left in the house was a small jar of oil. Elisha’s instructions probably raised the widow’s eyebrows. Elisha directed her to gather all the vessels she could find—EMPTY vessels—and he admonished her, “Do not gather just a few.” Then he told her to take that small amount of oil that she had left and begin pouring it out into all the empty vessels she had collected. What? That doesn’t make any sense. But she complied and began pouring out all that she had and God filled every single vessel. But the blessing didn’t happen until she was willing to pour out what she had.

If we desire to be filled with joy, filled with the Spirit, and filled with all the fullness of God, we must first be emptied. Pour out the worthless things—your strength, your pride, your position, your status, your pretense—and offer up your emptiness to God. Being empty isn’t a shameful thing. Emptiness means availability,
for if we are emptied of ourselves, only then can we be filled to overflowing with those things that God desires to pour out for us. His blessings can never be contained. So as you empty yourself, gather all the vessels you can, and don’t gather just a few. God is waiting to fill you with all the fullness of Himself.

Overcoming

Sometimes as Christians, we get the idea that everything in our world should be well-ordered and smooth, and when circumstances arise that create turmoil, this somehow surprises us. It shouldn’t. The Bible states repeatedly that this world is not our home and the people around us are humanly flawed.

When Jesus was preparing His disciples for the time He would be taken from them, He spoke clearly of the dangers of seeking comfort and peace from things of this world. This preparation is for the purpose of creating a longing within us for heaven as much as it is a warning against putting our trust in things that are temporal.

“These things I have spoken to you that you should not be made to stumble.” John 16:1

“Most assuredly I say to you that you will weep and lament . . . you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.” John 16:20

“Therefore you now have sorrow, but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice and your joy no one will take from you.” John 16:22

Mark it down: people will disappoint you. People you thought you could trust will let you down. Circumstances will shift. Places you once felt at home will become strange and uncomfortable. Why? Because those people, circumstances, and places are not our source of peace.

Currently there is a situation that is grieving my heart. My spirit has groaned, my heart aches, and I’ve shed more than a few tears. I suppose that in my humanness, I want everything within my comfort zone to remain the same, and when things occur that cause upheaval, I am somehow taken by surprise. But God is never taken by surprise. He isn’t standing up there in heaven wringing His hands and agonizing over what to do. He knows the end from the beginning, which is why He gave us these scriptures. He knows about the hurtful things people will speak and the uncaring attitudes they will display. He knows about the rejection and feelings of betrayal. So He reminds us: your sorrow will be turned into joy.

Do not fool yourself into thinking people or places on this earth make up your comfort zone. Sharpen your awareness of the presence of God in you and your earthly attachments dim. Our joy and peace are in Jesus, and remembering that He is closer than our own breath washes that peace over us again.

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world." John 16:33

What Legacy Of Faith?

I heard something recently that gave me pause.

>This moment will never come again.<

Not exactly earth-shaking. It's a fact of science. You can never reclaim lost time. Parents, teachers and preachers have used this statement for generations to encourage and motivate others to greater achievement. But then I heard something else not long ago that, when coupled with the above truth, can define the very shape of our faith.

>We pray that God will use us until He takes us Home, because after that, it's too late.<

I had to disagree with that to some degree. Whether or not God uses us is really up to us. We can allow God to use us, or not. But if our life is given over to Him as a vessel for Him to fill and pour out, He can continue to refill that vessel long after we leave this earth. Once God takes us Home, we no longer have the opportunity to commit acts of service or obedience, but that doesn't mean God won't continue to use our testimony.

Think of some godly person who's already gone, who left a legacy of faith behind for others to follow. Every time we remember that person, we remember their faith, their depth of trust, their degree of hope and their faithfulness. We remember how much they loved God, and their testimony becomes a roadmap for us to follow, encouragement to persevere in the midst of adversity, and a pattern to trace when we falter. God can continue to use our testimony even after He's taken us to heaven. But it all depends on what we choose to do with this moment that will never come again.

When the sun shines on an object, its shadow is cast in the same shape. Looking at the shadow, we know what the object is without looking at the actual object itself. After God takes one of His children home, the legacy left behind is much like a shadow. There's no need to see the person to understand their testimony. We can trace the shape of their faith by simply remembering how they loved God and how they served Him.

Every day is a new opportunity to do something for God. But one doesn't need to stand in the pulpit and preach to thousands, or go to the mission field and suffer hardship to reach the lost in order to be used of God. As wonderful as those callings are, an act of service or a tiny step of obedience can also be something as small as smiling at a child, comforting a grieving friend, responding in kindness to someone who lashed out at us, or giving the proverbial cup of cold water to a thirsty soul. Allowing Jesus to live through us, those fleeting moments become part of our shadow.

What legacy of faith am I leaving behind? While it may be the desire of my heart for God to use whatever feeble efforts I give as an offering in this finite body, what I leave behind is far more important. If my family and loved ones are going to know what defined my faith after I'm gone, it is vital that I leave a roadmap--a shadow shaped like Jesus--for them to follow. In that way, God can continue to use me after He's taken me home to heaven. Oh how I pray I don't squander the moments.

STAY IN YOUR LANE

Hebrews 12:1 "therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."


We are all in the "race" of life. Imagine we are all on a track, and each person has his/her own lane. Each lane is specifically marked with boundary lines so that you know the path that your specific lane takes as the road curves and changes. The person to the right of your lane and the person to your left are each in the race with you, as are the others on either side of them, etc. You have one focus, one goal: run the race, in your lane, learning and doing your specific purpose that is unique and specifically designed for you. That lane was made for YOU, and YOU for the purpose in it. When you begin to have feelings of jealousy, envy, coveting, INSECURITIES of any kind, you have crossed over into someone else's lane. You are trying to do the purpose specifically designed for SOMEONE ELSE. STAY IN YOUR LANE. When you cross over into someone else's lane, not only do you attempt a purpose that was NOT designed for you, but you also take your focus off the task that has been gifted specifically to YOU. And if YOU aren't running the race in your lane (because you're trying to be in someone else's), there is NO ONE ELSE to run in your lane for you, so YOUR purpose and design isn't being fulfilled and completed, because you're wasting time trying to be someone else. STAY IN YOUR LANE. Allow God to be the one to show you your pace, and how to deal with obstacles (be they distractions, literally something blocking your way, or a pot hole that catches you off guard) in the road when they appear. When we all stay in our respective lanes, we create a bigger picture of God's purpose and plan and how it is designed to work together. When we don't, we are trying to recreate a plan that we don't have the blueprints for.

Matthew 18: 21-35 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (NIV)
It is one thing to “say” that we forgive someone, it is quite another to actually do it. Forgiveness is not a state of mind; it is a state of the heart. Being able to forgive someone from a heart level is not something that comes to us naturally. If it did, God wouldn’t have mentioned it so many times in the Bible. The challenge that we face is in getting our hearts to a point where we can accomplish this.

It Takes Faith
Luke 17:3-5 “So watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him.” The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.” (NIV)
Have you ever thought you understood what God wanted from you only to realize that His expectation was much higher than you thought? Jesus’ disciples thought they knew what it took to forgive. When their eyes were opened to the depth of forgiveness Jesus was really expecting them to have, they were challenged to the core of their being. That’s why they cried, “Increase our faith!”
Faith is an essential part of forgiveness. We must first believe that it is possible to forgive someone, no matter what the circumstances. Many times I have said to myself, “I just can’t forgive.” “I am too hurt.” In essence what I am saying is that I don’t believe that God can change my heart so that I can forgive.
Jesus shows us that with only a little faith we can make big things happen. Do you believe that God will help you to forgive?

 It Takes Prayer
Matthew 7:8-11 “For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (NIV)
God loves His children and wants only the very best for them. He wants us to have the refreshing and revitalizing freedom that forgiving others can bring to us. He doesn’t want us to go around weighed down with sorrow or anger. He is always eager to help. All we need to do is ask.

It Takes Trust
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (NIV)
Knowing that God always has our best in mind through every situation is a great comfort. Even though it may not feel like God loves us at the time, there is always a reason behind even the bad things that happen to us. Though we may not be able to see the good in a bad situation, we can be assured that God has promised that he will work all things out for our best. We just need to be patient and wait for God’s plan for our lives to unfold.
Take the life of Joseph for example. At 17 he was sold into slavery by his brothers, was falsely accused of rape and spent three years living in the inhumane conditions of an Egyptian prison. You would think his heart would have been very hard and unforgiving when he met up with his brothers 13 years later. Yet, he not only forgave them, but he gave glory to God when he testified how God had used the whole situation to accomplish a greater good.
Genesis 45: -8 “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.”

Joseph put his trust in God through every hurt and injustice that he endured. His trust in God protected his heart from getting hard and allowed him to be able to forgive his brothers.

It Takes Remembering
Ephesians 4: 31-32 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (NIV)
In order to forgive we need to remember how much God has forgiven us. When we grasp the depth and breadth of God’s incredible love and forgiveness toward us, we are motivated to forgive others. We understand who we really are before God; that we are just as wretched as everyone else. Only our pride and self-righteousness will cause us think otherwise. Taking a serious inventory of our own sins will usually help put things into perspective. God is kind, compassionate and abounding in love. He does not treat us as our sins deserve. This is the heart that He calls us to imitate in Him.

It Takes Love
Romans 12:21 “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (NIV)
Another key to changing our heart is by overcoming evil with good. In my own struggle to forgive I have put this principle into practice and I can attest to the fact that it does change one’s heart. When someone hurts you, especially if they have done something terrible, the last thing they expect is for you to show them kindness. But, by responding in love you can overcome the evil that has been done. So often those who hurt us are hurting themselves. Love has a power the world does not understand. It is the way of the cross; that opposite way of responding to evil that flies in the face of the way the world would have us deal with people.

Something that helps me to be able to do this is to remember that Jesus understands my suffering. He shared in our humanity (Hebrews 2:5-18) and knows what it is like to be mistreated. When I think about all the things that people did to him and how he did not retaliate but overcame evil with good, I know that this is the heart I need to strive to have.

As you put these principals into practice it may seem awkward at first. You may wonder if it is really going to work. You may ask yourself, “How do I know when I have truly forgiven someone from my heart?” You will know that you have completely forgiven the person, from your heart, when the anger and hurt is replaced by peace. When your heart is at rest, then you will know that you have forgiven them completely.

Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in
Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus
from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the
driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.

As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, 'You'd better give the
quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.' Then he thought, 'Oh, forget it,
it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus
company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from
God' and keep quiet.'

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the
quarter to the driver and said, 'Here, you gave me too much change.'

 
The driver, with a smile, replied, 'Aren't you the new preacher in town?'
 
'Yes' he replied.
 
'Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I
just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you
at church on Sunday.'

When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light
pole, held on, and said, 'Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.'

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary
example of how much people watch us a Christians, and will put us to the test!
Always be on guard - and remember - You carry the name of Christ on your
shoulders when you call yourself a 'Christian.'  

Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your thoughts; they become words. 

                                              BURNT BISQUITS
 
When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work.
 
On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!
 
When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he
said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits."
 
Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"
 
Life is full of imperfect things......and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other’s faults - and choosing to celebrate each others differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.
 
And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God.
Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!
 
We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!
 
So please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burnt one will do just fine!!!

Broken Mug

One of my favorite coffee mugs was broken this week. Not sure how it happened. Just found it sitting there on the counter with the handle broken off. A friend had given it to me because it has one of my favorite Bible verses on it. “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God” (Philippians 3:14).
As I stood there looking with disappointment at my handle-less cup I realized that now the mug actually illustrates the verse. Before it was a very nice coffee cup with a really meaningful verse on it. Now it may represent what Paul had in mind when he penned the words.

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected, but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brothers, I do not count myself to have apprehended. But one thing I do: Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14).

Coffee mugs are made with a purpose. Mugs are made for drinking coffee, for drinking hot chocolate, for holding pens, for collecting change. They are not made to simply sit on a shelf and gather dust. When you use a mug there is the possibility that it will get damaged or broken.

Like the coffee mug we were created with a purpose. We were created for life. We were not created to sit and watch life go by. We were created to embrace life. Jesus said it this way,

“I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).
Paul said we were created to do “good works” (Ephesians 2:10).
The abundant life does not happen without risks. Doing good works is not without dangers. Life is for living. When you live life, there are risks. When you live you may get hurt. When you live you may experience disappointments. When you live you may get damaged. When you live you may get broken.

When that happened to Paul, he chose to press on. He did not allow his life to end with a broken handle. He kept pushing forward. He continued to move forward toward the prize God had called him to.
My mug with no handle will most likely be reassigned to be a penholder or a change cup. It has served me well. Many good cups of coffee have been consumed from that mug. But it is time for this mug to move on to a new goal, a new purpose for being.
What about you? Has life been unkind to you lately? Have you considered retiring, sitting out the fight, being shelved? Please don’t.
Take a lesson from my mug. Even if your handle gets broken . . . press on. Move forward.
Your handle is broken, but you are not dead. Keep living. God has something in store for you.

REALIZE GOD HAS A GOAL FOR YOUR LIFE.

RECOGNIZE THAT YOU HAVE NOT YET ARRIVED AT YOUR GOAL.

The Scrap Heap

You perhaps recall the story of the blacksmith who gave his heart to Jesus.
Though living a more Godly life, still he was not prospering materially. In fact, it seems that from the time of his conversion more trouble, affliction and loss were sustained than ever before. Everything seemed to be going wrong.

One day a friend who was not a Christian stopped by to talk to him awhile. Sympathizing with him in some of his trials, the friend said

"It seems strange to me that so much affliction should pass over you just at the time when you have become an earnest Christian. Of course, I don't want to weaken your faith in God or anything like that. But here you are, with God's help and guidance, and yet things seem to be getting steadily worse. I can't help wondering why that is."

The blacksmith did not answer immediately, and it was evident that he had thought the same question before. But finally, he said,

"You see here the raw iron which I have to make into horse's shoes. You know what I do with it? I take a piece and heat it in the fire until it is red, almost white with the heat. Then I hammer it unmercifully to shape it as I know it should be shaped. Then I plunge it into a pail of cold water to temper it. Then I heat it again and hammer it some more. And this I do until it is finished."

"But sometimes I find a piece of iron that won't stand up under this treatment. The heat and the hammering and the cold water are too much for it. I don't know why it fails in the process, but I know it will never make a good horse's shoe."

He pointed to a heap of scrap iron that was near the door of his shop.
"When I get a piece that cannot take the shape and temper, I throw it out on the scrap heap. It will never be good for anything."
He went on,
"I know that God has been holding me in the fires of affliction and I have felt His hammer upon me. But I don't mind, if only He can bring me to what I should be. And so, in all these hard things my prayer is simply this:  "Try me in any way you wish, Lord, only don't throw me on the scrap heap."

Is Your Hut Burning?
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the weather, and to store his few possessions.

But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky.   The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.   It is easy to get discouraged when things are going badly. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. 

Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground---it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.

Follower of Christ
I had a dear friend, John, who was a member of my bible study some years ago and was just a joy to be around.  He was legally blind had diabetes and a number of other medical issues but always lifted up those that came in close contact with him.  Medically he was told he would never reach 30 years old.  When I first met him he was already in his 50’s.

For a number of reasons and also to be close to his family, he and his wife moved to Alaska.  I was asked to keep a number of his personal possessions for him that he could not move at the time.  He came back for a visit after a while to pick up his things at my house and we were able to reconnect and catch up. 

They had found a wonderful church in Alaska, on fire for GOD, and were reaching out to the community.  We both had been through “Forty Days Of Purpose” at First Baptist Church in  Canton Texas prior to their leaving and felt there was more to being a Christian than going to church on Sunday to sit and listen to a message.  Not that parting the word of GOD is not good, it is and we need more of it, more often.  There just had to be more.  He had found it in his new church in Alaska and I at Round’em Up Cowboy Church, Wills Point Texas.  A Holy Spirit led church that responds to the guidance of our Lord and Savior.

During our visit he told me he considered himself a “Recovering Baptist”.  We had both been raised in the Baptist Church and were long time Christians.  What he meant was that with all the tradition associated with the Baptist Church (as well as with all other religions) we seem to fall into a comfortable mode of not following Christ’s leadership in our lives. We are just there.   There is no action to what some if not most of us do. John and I decided we needed to call ourselves “Followers of Christ”. 

I was told once the word Christian, used in a sentence, is a noun (Person, Place, and Thing).  Being a “Follower of Christ” turns our relationship with Jesus Christ into a verb (Action).
So here are ten things that we need to know as followers of Christ.

Ten Things a Follower of Christ Should Remember

1. Faith is the ability to not panic.
2. If you worry, you didn’t pray.  If you prayed, don’t worry.
3. As a child of GOD, prayer is kinda like calling home, it should be done every day.
4. Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
5. When we get tangled up in our problems, Be Still, so GOD can untangle the knot.
6. Do the math.  Count your blessings.
7. GOD wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.
8. Dear GOD: I have a problem, IT’S ME.
9. Silence is often misinterpreted, but never misquoted.
10.  Laugh every day – it’s like inner jogging.

God's Gifts

What has GOD given you? 
There are Spiritual gifts:
Romans 12:6-8

• Prophecy
• Ministry
• Teaching
• Exhortation
• Giving
• Leading
• Showing mercy (compassion)

1 Corinthians 12:1-14

• Wisdom
• Knowledge
• Discerning of spirits (human, angelic, demonic)
• Speaking in tongues
• Interpretation of tongues
• Prophecy
• Faith
• Working of miracles
• Healing

There are physical gifts:

• Car/truck we drive
• Trailer you pull
• Animals we care for
• Clothes we wear
• House we live in
• Our children
• This church
• The building we are sitting in
• The breath we breath
• Our work
• The money we have to spend, our resources

There are our personal gifts:

• An eye for decorating
• Running a Ranch Rodeo
• Radio Ministry
• Construction

These lists could be endless.

From a book on Cowboy Poetry given to me by some friends I want to read a story from Kim Stafford one of the contributors to the book.  She was talking about “Making Something Fine” and thinking about how things get done well as she traveled across the desert of Utah.
She said:

• The desert does silence very well.
• The moon does a nice soft light on sage very well.

She continued on and after a bit she thought, what do we do well as humans?  It’s the gifts we give that set us apart, and she shared this story.
I was up in Idaho one time and at the end of a program we had a fellow came up with a little package. He said, “When I was a kid, I lived up around Lapwai in that Lawyer Canyon.  I was always the one in the family who had to go sit with Grandma in the evenings, because she got lonely and she lived up in this little side canyon where she couldn’t get TV or even radio reception.  She got lonely in the evenings so I’d go sit with her. I got kind of mad about it at the time, because my brothers and sisters always got to watch TV and all, but she told me stories, and over the years I was glad it worked out that way.
“Then when I came to graduate from high school she gave me this beaded belt buckle, made by an old Nez Perce woman named Viola Morris up there.  Grandma said, ‘Now Dan, I’m going to give this buckle on one condition.  In your life when you meet someone who deserves this beautiful thing, you will give it away without hesitation.”
At that point Dan handed me this little bundle.  I opened it, and it was that buckle.  He said, “I’ve met the person who should have this now, and on the same condition.  When you meet someone who deserves this beautiful thing, you’ll give it away without hesitation.”
“Dan,” I said, “how am I going to recognize that person?”
“Well, he said, “I did.”
Dan had taught her how we get through this life; by sharing the unique and beautiful gifts and talents GOD has given us that are indeed priceless.  What we share can be from ourselves or from the resources he has seen fit to allow us to have for a season.  God expects us to be good stewards in every area of our life.  You are a unique priceless individual made in the image of God, made for God’s service.  Let GOD be your guide to know where your bountiful gifts need to go.

 

In Gods Love

ONE COLD EVENING during the Christmas season, a little boy was standing out in front of a store window. The little child had no shoes and his clothes were mere rags. A young woman passing by saw the little boy and could read the longing in his pale blue eyes. She took the child by the hand and led him into the store. There she bought him some new shoes and a complete suit of warm clothing.

They came back outside into the street and the woman said to the child, “Now you can go home and have a very happy holiday.”

  The little boy looked up at her and asked, “Are you God, ma’am?”
  She smiled down at him and replied, “No, son. I’m just one of His children.”
  The little boy then said, “I knew you had to be some relation.”

As we go throughout our busy days, we are continually met with opportunities to impact others with the words we speak.  Yes, our words influence family, friends, and fellow believers. But it is the man in front of us in line at the grocery store, the woman at the checkout counter, the waiter in the restaurant, the fellow passenger on the airplane, the neighbor across the street who might be your special assignment for the day. Those are the people God brings across our paths who may need a work of encouragement most of all.

Jesus was a very busy man. And yet He was never too busy to offer a kind word to the men and women who crossed His path on a daily basis. He stopped and spoke to the diminutive Zacchaeus perched in a tree to get a better look at the parade of followers. He took a break from His travels to engage in one of His longest recorded conversations with a weary woman at a well with a sullied reputation. He interrupted His schedule to comfort a mother in the funeral procession of her only son. He took time to deliver a demon-possessed man who stood in His way on the shore. He noticed a lame man among many who crowded around the pools of Bethesda waiting for the healing waters to stir. He encouraged the distraught Peter after his denial. He comforted His crying mother as she stood at the foot of the cross. He instructed the frustrated fisherman as He stood watching from the shore.

Jesus noticed…and then He offered words and deeds of comfort and concern.

It appears that each of these incidents in Jesus’ life was an interruption in His packed schedule, but they were not interruptions at all. Each encounter was a divine appointment from His heavenly Father, who controlled the moments of Jesus’ days. Could it be that God is sending us out on special assignment each time we cross the thresholds of our homes? I believe so.

Sharon Jaynes
'The Power of a Women's Words'

A member of the church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going.  After two weeks, the preacher decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening. The preacher found the man at home alone, sittin before a blazing fire.
 
Guessing the reason for his preachers visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.  The preacher made himself at home but said nothing.  In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs.  After some minutes, the preacher took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone then he sat back in his chair, still Silent.

The host watched all this in quiet contemplation.  As the one lone ember's' flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more.  Soon it was cold and dead.
Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting...  The preacher glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire.  Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.
 
As the preacher reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, ' Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon.  I'll be back in church next Sunday.'
 
We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little.  Consequently, few listen. Sometimes the best sermons are the ones left unspoken.
 
  The Lord is my Shepherd       [ that's a Relationship!]
  I shall not want                          [ that's Supply!]
  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures   [ that's Rest! ]
  He leadeth me beside the still waters   [ that's Refreshment! ]
  He restoreth my soul                [  that's Healing! ]
  He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness   [ that's Guidance! ]
  For His name sake                   [ that's Purpose! ]
  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death                            [ that's testing! ]
  I will fear no evil                          [  that's Protection! ]
  For Thou art with me                 [ that's Faithfulness! ]
  Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me                [ that's Discipline! ]
  Thou preparest a table before me in the
presence of mine enemies        [ that's Hope! ]
  Thou annointest my head with oil                    [ that's Consecration! ]
  My cup runneth over                   [ that's Abundance! ]
  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all
the days of my Life                        [ that's Blessing! ]
  And I will dwell in the house of the Lord            [ that's Security! ]
  Forever                                          [ that's Eternity! ]  

Luke 9:23
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  NIV

     How many of us would catch our horse and get him ready to go do some work and forget to saddle him up? How’s that going to work for you?  Probably not very well.  Say you do catch something, where ya gonna dally?  Why would you leave home without your saddle?  The day wouldn’t prove to be very productive.

     Everyday we awake we can either take the cross of Christ with us or we can choose not to. If we are to be effective witnesses and servants for Jesus we must always take Him with us. 

     This reminds me of a time when a friend of mine was telling me of a situation where he was telling someone about Jesus and how his life had changed.  The man claimed he still liked going to the bars and hanging out.  My friend said to him, will you be willing to take Jesus with you when you go in?  At that time he handed him a cross and told him everyday to put it in his pocket so he could always be reminded that he was to carry his cross wherever he went.

     That’s the point…  Will you take his cross anywhere you go?  Are you truly following him?  We can live daily, traveling blinded and lost, or we can decide to pass up a day to follow Christ. 

     I’m reminded of the commercial back some years ago, “American Express, don’t leave home without it.”

     Here’s a commercial idea,
“Jesus Christ, don’t leave home without Him.”

I often wonder, “Is my faith where it needs to be?” Yes, even I at times have a lack of faith.  Is this abnormal?  No.  These emotions are very normal and natural and everyone experiences these at different times in our lives.  Remember, the Devil is alive and well on planet earth and his primary objective is to steal, kill and destroy.  If he can convince us that whatever is bugging us is impossible, we have allowed him a foothold in our heart that lacks of faith.  Anytime there is an opening of a lack of anything in our lives, this leaves an area for the Devil to tempt. Remember, he lays in waiting to pounce at the right opportunity.  

     As we begin our new building, surely there are many questions many have.  Are we able to have this building?  Can we pay for this project?  Where will the money come from?  Will this cause a division within the Church?   Will the utilities and insurance increase?  The questions could go on and on?

     Therefore, God knew many of us would run into this problem and he is not abandoning us in our dire time of need.  The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 2:13 LB “Even when we are too weak to have any faith left, He remains faithful to us and will help us, for He cannot disown us who are part of Himself, and He will always carry out His promises to us.”  The good news is, when we are weak; He is faithful and will help us through our lack of faith.   Why?  You are a part of Him and He loves you and has given you His promise.  With God a promise is serious and He sticks with it.

     God knew many of us would run into these problems and the Bible tells us a wonderful story in Mark 9.  A man came to Jesus with a very serious problem and Jesus said to him, “if you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes,” and the man cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe…and then realized part of him didn’t believe, and he didn’t try to fool himself or to pretend to be “spiritual” in front of the crowd…he decided to be honest and cried out, “Help my unbelief!”  Once the man admitted his need, Jesus blessed his honesty and gave him the faith he asked for!

Even the apostles had issues with their faith and it was so serious that they asked Jesus in Luke 17:5 “The apostles said to the Lord, increase our faith.”  Don’t let it be an embarrassment and deny the one that can help, but call to the one with promise, ask Jesus, “increase my faith.”

     As an old preacher told me one time, “Faith believes something is so before it is so, so that it can be so.”  Matthew 17:20 reminds us of having faith of a mustard seed.  True faith, even a very small quantity, leads to an action of incredible faith.  Continue to live a life based on faith and God’s Word so our faith may be so great that we shall not be so moved by any lack of faith. Great Is Thy Faithfulness. 

Top Hands for Christ
Benny

Not to long ago I was going to pick up my horse from a friend of mine where he had been in training.  As I went to get ole Dollar to load him in the trailer, he balked when I walked him up to it, so I just walked on in and he followed.  When I tied him in the trailer and was about to leave he went haywire and started backing up and making a total fool of himself and broke the rope halter I had on him.  He was easy to catch as always, but wouldn’t go near the trailer again.  I worked with him several times until I was about to run out of breath.  I was becoming restless and he was too when the trainer called on my cell phone.  He reminded me that Dollar does know how to load but that it has been about a month since he was able to work with him.  So work him through the basics and use patience and above all don’t get angry. He will load.  Well, that hit me like a ton of bricks. He told me to use patience. I preach patience but now I have to use it.  So, I took Dollar out and worked him in the round pen and up against the fence then to the trailer where we repeatedly worked on loading and unloading until he was comfortable by freely going into the trailer and standing.  Wow!  What a little patience will do!

     Psalms 27:14 from the Living Bible says, “Don’t be impatient.  Wait for the Lord, and He will come and save you!  Be brave, stouthearted and courageous.  Yes, wait and He will help you.”  I found myself being very impatient that day. I wanted Dollar to load and load right then.  I found myself getting angry.  I forgot that the horse had broken his halter and was freighted and confused.  As I remember the words of the trainer, “use patience and don’t get angry”,  I’m reminded of James 1:19 LB “Don’t ever forget that it is best to listen much, speak little, and not become angry.”  Galatians 6:9 LB, “And let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up.”  My anger and impatience was not going to accomplish anything constructive, in fact I probably would have been left horseless if not for the words of a man with patience and understanding.  I ran into a problem that day, in fact James 5: 3-4 speaks about that, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials for we know that they are good for us, they help us learn to be patient.  And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady.”  God allowed this to happen. We pray for patience and then He sends it to us in such strange ways.   No matter how old we are or how much we think we know we never stop learning. That day God taught me a lesson I will never forget, “What a little patience will do.” 

     By the way, Dollar is loading and unloading fine and I am still learning patience everyday.

 

Pastor Benny

Cheer Up and Look up
Some years ago I made a mess of things and hurt a lot of people. Because of my guilt, I ended a happy, simple relationship with my heavenly Father.  I forgot that I could ask Him to fix what I had broken and seek His advice. Therefore I became very depressed.  Haven’t we all at sometime experienced some form of depression?  Yes, certainly we have. Everyone has felt down, depressed, and lonely.
There is great help in the Bible that we don’t want to overlook.  We have depended upon ourselves to try to solve with no avail.  So let us look at the one who made us and created us.  In Psalms 145:14, we are reminded, “The Lord lifts the fallen and those bent beneath their loads.”  Our loads are to heavy for us to bear alone. We need help from the one who knows us best and what our needs are.  Hebrews 12: 3-4 reminds us that someone else went through a lot more than what we could ever imagine. “If you want to keep from becoming fainthearted and weary, think about His patience as sinful men did such terrible things to Him.  After all, you have never yet struggled against sin and temptation until you sweat great drops of blood.”  The good news is He did that for you.  Let us look at Psalms 147:3, “He heals the brokenhearted, binding up their wounds.”  So when you are down, brokenhearted, and lonely tell the Lord and let Him be the mender. Psalm 62:8, “Pour out your longings before Him for He can help.” 
A lot of folks who live in a constant state of depression have come to a place where they think about no one except themselves.  Getting our mind off of ourselves and unselfishly doing something for someone else is a good cure. Keep the faith that we have in Christ Jesus and remember Rom 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.”  There is nothing to great or to small for God. So place all your cares (anxiety) upon him.  God loves you and we at Round’Em Up Cowboy Church do too. So cheer up and look up.  Psalms 94:19, “Lord, when doubts fill my mind, when my heart is in turmoil, quiet me and give me renewed hope and cheer.” 

May the Lord bless you and keep you,

Don’t Let a Knockdown be your Knockout

Many a cowboy or cowgirl wonders when they become a Christian why they seem to have no victory in their lives and they stay defeated.  It seems they are not aware that the “Living Word of God” is one of their main weapons to use against any assault from Satan.  We as Christians need to have certain scriptures set in our minds so that when troubles, trails, doubts, worries, fears, or troubled waters of any kind come, we can claim God’s Word.

     The Bible is God’s very breath upon you.  John tells us “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. Jesus resisted Satan with the Word. The Bible tells us in James “Resist Satan and he will flee from you.”  How do we come back at Satan?  With the WORD!

     It has been through the Word that Christ has proven to be our help, strength, comforter, and encourager.  The Psalmist tells us, “This is my comfort in my affliction, for thy Word has given me life.”

     No one is immune to troubles, all of us have them.  There is no Lone Ranger Christians immune to anything.  Job said, “Man that is born of a woman is of a few days, and full of trouble.”  The Bible also says, “The good man does not escape all troubles.  But the Lord helps him in each and every one.”  How do you respond when those troubles come?

     Proverbs tells us, “You are a poor specimen if you can’t stand the pressure of adversity.”  It also says, “Don’t you know that the good man, though you trip him up seven times, will each time rise again?  Don’t let a knockdown be your knockout!

     God’s Word is wonderful!  The Psalmist tells us to “wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in His Word do I hope”.

     Again he tells us, “Happy are those who are strong in the Lord, who want above all else to follow your steps.  When they walk through the Valley of Weeping it will become a place of springs where pools of blessing and refreshment collect after rains!  They will grow constantly in strength”.

     God has so may promises and words of encouragement for His children to claim.  For every problem you may face or every need you may have.  God has an answer, it is a special word for you.  Remember the words of Psalms 138:2-3 LB, “For your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.  When I pray, you answer me, and encourage me by giving me the strength I need”.  Titus 1:2 says “God cannot lie”.

     These scriptures are some that have strengthened me through the years.  It is my prayer that they will be a source of strength to you and your family.  I leave you with two more verses that also bring help and encouragement, Ps 118:14 “The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation”. NIV—Ps 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path”.  NIV