He Is Waiting in the Midst of the Storm

He is Waiting in the Midst of the Storm

by Max Lucado

Peter knows he is in trouble.

The winds roar down onto the Sea of Galilee like a hawk on a rat. Lightning zigzags across the black sky. The clouds vibrate with thunder. The rain taps, then pops, then slaps against the deck of the boat until everyone aboard is soaked and shaking. Ten-foot waves pick them up and slam them down again with bonejarring force.

These drenched men don’t look like a team of apostles who are only a decade away from changing the world. And you can be sure of one thing. The one with the widest eyes is the one with the biggest biceps—Peter. He’s seen these storms before. He’s seen the wreckage and bloated bodies float to shore. He knows what the fury of wind and wave can do. And he knows that times like this are not times to make a name for yourself; they’re times to get some help.
That is why, when he sees Jesus walking on the water toward the boat, he is the first to say,

“Lord, if it’s you … tell me to come to you on the water.” (Matthew 14:28)

He is aware of two facts: He’s going down, and Jesus is staying up. And it doesn’t take him too long to decide where he would rather be.

Perhaps a better interpretation of his request would be, “Jeeeeeeeesus. If that is you, then get me out of here!”

“Come on” is the invitation.

And Peter doesn’t have to be told twice. It’s not every day that you walk on water through waves that are taller than you are. But when faced with the alternative of sure death or possible life, Peter knows which one he wants.

The first few steps go well. But a few strides out onto the water, and he forgets to look to the One who got him there in the first place, and down he plunges.

Peter’s response may lack class—it probably wouldn’t get him on the cover of Gentleman’s Quarterly or even Sports Illustrated—but it gets him out of some deep water:

“Help me!”

And since Peter would rather swallow pride than water, a hand comes through the rain and pulls him up.

The message is clear.

As long as Jesus is one of many options, he is no option. As long as you can carry your burdens alone, you don’t need a burden bearer. As long as your situation brings you no grief, you will receive no comfort. And as long as you can take him or leave him, you might as well leave him, because he won’t be taken half-heartedly.

But when you mourn, when you get to the point of sorrow for your sins, when you admit that you have no other option but to cast all your cares on him, and when there is truly no other name that you can call, then cast all your cares on him, for he is waiting in the midst of the storm.

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From The Applause of Heaven©

(Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999) Max Lucado

He Can Heal The Hurt

He Can Heal the Hurt

by Max Lucado

Grudge is one of those words that defines itself. Its very sound betrays its meaning.

Say it slowly: “Grr-uuuud-ge.”

It starts with a growl. “Grr …” Like a bear with bad breath coming out of hibernation or a mangy mongrel defending his bone in an alley. “Grrr …”

Remove a GR from the word grudge and replace it with SL and you have the junk that grudge bearers trudge through. Sludge. Black, thick, ankle-deep resentment that steals the bounce from the step. No joyful skips through the meadows. No healthy hikes up the mountain. Just day after day of walking into the storm, shoulders bent against the wind, and feet dragging through all the muck life has delivered.

Is this the way you are coping with your hurts? Are you allowing your hurts to turn into hates? If so, ask yourself: Is it working? Has your hatred done you any good? Has your resentment brought you any relief, any peace? Has it granted you any joy?

Let’s say you get even. Let’s say you get him back. Let’s say she gets what she deserves. Let’s say your fantasy of fury runs its ferocious course and you return all your pain with interest. Imagine yourself standing over the corpse of the one you have hated. Will you now be free?

The writer of the following letter thought she would be. She thought her revenge would bring release. But she learned otherwise.

I caught my husband making love to another woman. He swore it would never happen again. He begged me to forgive him, but I could not—would not. I was so bitter and so incapable of swallowing my pride that I could think of nothing but revenge. I was going to make him pay and pay dearly. I’d have my pound of flesh.

I filed for divorce, even though my children begged me not to.

Even after the divorce, my husband tried for two years to win me back. I refused to have anything to do with him. He had struck first; now I was striking back. All I wanted was to make him pay.

Finally he gave up and married a lovely young widow with a couple of small children. He began rebuilding his life—without me.

I see them occasionally, and he looks so happy. They all do. And here I am—a lonely, old, miserable woman who allowed her selfish pride and foolish stubbornness to ruin her life.

Unfaithfulness is wrong. Revenge is bad. But the worst part of all is that, without forgiveness, bitterness is all that is left.

The state of your heart dictates whether you harbor a grudge or give grace, seek self-pity or seek Christ, drink human misery or taste God’s mercy.

No wonder, then, the wise man begs, “Above all else, guard your heart.”

David’s prayer should be ours: “Create in me a pure heart, O God.”

From The Applause of Heaven©
(Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999) Max Lucado

I Never Lost My Praise

"Theirs is an endless road, a hopeless maze, who seek for goods before they seek God." St. Bernard of Clairvaux

"Take care! Be on guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." Luke 12:15

"When a man suffers himself, it is called misery; when he suffers in the suffering of another it is called pity." St. Augustine of Hippo

"Sell your possessions and give to those in need. Get yourself purses that do not wear out, treasures that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth can destroy it." Luke 12:33

"Hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances which we know to be desperate. " Gilbert Keith (G.K.) Chesterton

"Other men see only a hopeless end, but the Christian rejoices in an endless hope!" Gilbert Brenken



I Never Lost My Praise by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
Music video by kimberly1x

Life is a Jungle

"The Lord saves good people;

he is their strength in times of trouble.

The Lord helps them and saves them;

he saves them from the wicked,

because they trust in him for protection."

Psalm 37:39-40

READ Psalm 38:1-39:13

SITUATION David prayed when he suffered. He knew only God could bring forgiveness and healing.

OBSERVATION In the midst of our loneliness, despair, and confusion, we find hope in God alone.

INSPIRATION For many people life is --well, life is a jungle. Not a jungle of trees and beasts. Would that it were so simple. Would that our jungle could be cut with a machete or our adversaries trapped in a cage. But our jungles are comprised of thicker thickets of failing health, broken hearts, and empty wallets. Our forests are framed with hospital walls and divorce courts. We don't hear the screeching of the birds or the roaring of lions, but we do hear the complaints of neighbors and the demands of bosses. Our predators are our creditors, and the brush that surrounds us is the rush that exhausts us.

It's a jungle out there.

And for some, even for many, hope is in short supply. Hopelessness is an odd bag. Unlike the others, it isn't full. It's empty, and its emptiness creates the burden. Unzip the top and examine all the pockets. Turn it upside down and shake hard. The bag of hopelessness is painfully empty.

Not a very pretty picture is it? Let's see if we can brighten it up. We've imagined the emotions of being lost; you think we can do the same with being rescued? What would it take to restore your hope? What would you need to reenergize your journey?

Though the answers are abundant, three come quickly to mind.

The first would be a person. Not just any person. You don't need someone equally confused. You need someone who knows the way out.

And from him you need some vision. You need someone to life your spirits. You need someone to look you in the face and say, "This isn't the end. Don't give up. There is a better place than this. And I'll lead you there."

And perhaps most important, you need direction. If you have only a person but no renewed vision all you have is company. If he has a vision but no direction, you have a dreamer for company. But if you have a person with a direction --who can take you from this place to the right place--ah, then you have one who can restore your hope.

Or, to use David's words, "He restores my soul."

Our Shepherd majors in restoring hope to the soul. Whether you are a lamb lost on a craggy ledge or a city slicker alone in a deep jungle, everything changes when your rescuer appears.

Your loneliness diminishes, because you have fellowship.

Your despair decreases, because you have vision.

Your confusion begins to lift, because you have direction. (From Traveling Light by Max Lucado)

APPLICATION Do you feel hopeful or hopeless about the future? What kind of hope does the world provide? What kind of hope does your Shepherd provide? Ask God to diminish your loneliness, decrease your despair, and lift your confusion.

EXPLORATION Hope- Job 13:15; Psalm 62:5; Romans 12:12; 1 Corinthians 13:13; Hebrews 6:19.

The Devotional Bible - Experiencing the Heart of Jesus - Max Lucado General Editor, New Century Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers

Remember, God loves you just the way you are,

but he refuses to leave you that way.

He wants you to have a hope-filled heart...just like Jesus.

--Max Lucado (Just like Jesus)

The Aroma of Happiness

The Aroma of Happiness

Martha Meister Keily

"The house was filled with fragrance of the ointment." John 12:3

The odor of a home tells much about the people who live there. Step inside one door and you are greeted with the incense of baking cookies or baby talcum. Step inside another and your mind is soon dulled by the stuffy smell of clothes worn too long or dirt too long neglected. Enter a third and you may recognize the musty stink of stale beer and dead cigarette butts.

Henry Drummond said, "Half the world is on the wrong scent in pursuit of happiness. They think it consists in having and getting, and in being served by others. It consists in giving and serving others."

Happiness, like the odor of a home, is not deliberately manufactured, but evolves and rises out of day-by-day living. As Emerson said, "Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself."

Today stop searching for happiness and start looking for ways to give your possessions to others.

SCRIPTURE: "When he finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and sat down again. He asked, "Do you understand what I have just done for you? "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and you are right, because that is what I am. If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash each other's feet. I did this as an example so that you should do a I have done for you. I tell you the truth, a servant is not greater then his master. A messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you will be HAPPY if you do them. John 13: 12-17

PRAY: O Lord, I pray not for happiness, but for the courage to give myself away. It is easy for me to speak of giving instead of giving, but I find it difficult to let go. Break my grip, O Lord. Amen.

Devotions for Women at Home, Martha Meister Kiely, page 62; Abingdon Press, ISBN #0-687-10679-6

The Voice of the Savior

Music Video by klimkosz who writes:

Voice of a Saviour from Mandisa's "True Beauty"

"I believe so many people will resonate with Voice of a Saviour because we have all turned to different things to fill that void in our soul", Mandisa explains. "This song talks about how we all really want the same thing; to hear that voice that says I love you."

Her faith plays a major role in her life, a role that was evident to Mandisa's fellow Idol contestants, the judges and viewers. And even though it didn't always come with positive results, Mandisa never shied away from being true to herself.

"My faith certainly went through some tests of fire", she shares, "but it's stronger because of that and it's also made me want to know more about it and how to articulate it. I think I came out of that whole experience understanding Jesus better. I'd been a little sheltered in Christian circles for a while and it helped me realize the kind of impact that Christians can make when they actually step out of their boxes and get involved in the world around them. More than just a career, I really want to have a ministry that has an impact on people. I just want to follow through with what is in my heart."

(from sweetslyrics.com)

Forgiveness: The Cure for Resentment

"I can forgive, but I cannot forget," is only

another way of saying, "I cannot forgive."

Henry Ward Beecher
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Forgiveness: The Cure for Resentment

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READ Ezekiel 33:1-36:38

SITUATION Ezekiel acted as a watchman and preached about hope, comfort, and restoration. The people felt bad about their sins and refused to quit sinning. They treated Ezekiel's message as entertainment.

OBSERVATION God promised to forgive and restore if we turn to him in repentance.

INSPIRATION Without any question, forgiveness is the key relational issue in the Bible. It is essential to our relationship with God, with others and even with ourselves. Forgiveness is central to emotional and spiritual growth.

Scripture teaches us that grace and salvation are unconditional. This is absolutely true in the sense that there is no way we can earn God's grace or love; there's nothing we can do in order to achieve it; there are no conditions of merit we must meet in order to receive it. Our salvation is given to us freely as the gift of God's love. But when we read Scripture carefully we discover that before God forgives us, he expects us to forgive others. It seems as if God has made us psychologically so that we are not able to receive his forgiveness unless we first forgive.

In Luke 6:37, Jesus states this principle: "Forgive, and you will be forgiven." Again and again he stresses this. In what we call the Lord's Prayer he said, "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). A couple of verses later, he explains, "If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father, will not forgive your sins." (vv.14-15).

...Again and again we get this message that Jesus expects us to be as willing to forgive others as he is to forgive us. This ....points to a basic biblical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual principle--if we want to receive forgiveness without giving forgiveness we're asking God to violate his own moral nature. We're asking him to violate principles he has built into us.

If you find it hard to believe that forgiveness is a need God has built into us, look at the opposite of forgiveness--resentment. When we resent someone, we destroy our relationship with that person, of course. We also destroy our own physical health. Any doctor (will) tell you about diseases and physical disorders that are closely tied to resentment. It literally eats holes in us, and that's a living metaphor of what is does to our relationships.

God's laws are a given of existence. They are built into our muscles, brains, personalities, and social interactions. His highest law, love, is what brought the world into being, and love is nourished by forgiveness. The opposite of love is hate, and hate is kept alive through resentment.

So if we're looking for emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being, forgiveness is central. (From "Forgiveness: The Cure for Resentment" by David Seamands in Practical Christianity)

APPLICATION The tough part of forgiveness is actually doing it. Merely thinking about forgiving someone accomplishes nothing. Forgiveness requires action. Ask God to help you forgive someone. Show you have forgiven that person by your actions. God will bless you.

EXPLORATION Forgiveness--- Leviticus 26:13; 1 Chronicles 21:8; Matthew 6:14-15; John 20:23; Romans 12: 17-21, Hebrews 9:22

The Devotional Bible - Experiencing the Heart of Jesus; Max Lucado General Editor, New Century Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers

Obedient Faith Equals Salvation

"I, the Lord,

have give you messages again and again, but you did not obey me.

I sent all my servants the prophet to you again and again, saying

"Each of you must stop doing evil.

You must change and be good.

Do not follow other gods to serve them.

If you obey me,

you will live in the land I have given to you and your ancestors."

Jeremiah 35: 14-15

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Obedient Faith Equals Salvation

READ Jeremiah 34:1-35:19

SITUATION Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem with a huge army, King Zedekiah of Judah fought for survival.

OBSERVATION In chapter 35 the author contrasted faithless Judah and the faithful Racabites. The obedience of the latter would be rewarded.

INSPIRATION Did you know it's not faith plus obedience that equals salvation, but obedient faith that equals salvation? True faith is verified in your obedience to God.

Because Jesus is Lord, He demands obedience. There is no faith without obedience. Paul said to the Roman Christians, "I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world" (Romans 1:8). And why was their faith spoken of throughout the world? Romans 16:19 explains, "Your obedience has become know to all." In the beginning, it is your faith that is spread abroad, but in the end it is your obedience.

Faith that excludes obedience won't save anyone. The delusion that it will causes many people to take the broad road that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:21-29). Build your life in obedience to Christ. Then you'll know that you belong to Him. (From Truth for Today by John MacArthur)

APPLICATION Have you ever promised to do something for the Lord if he would grant your request? Then you're making a demand on God; he doesn't work that way. He wants us to be loyal and obedient constantly. His answers to our prayers reflects his perfect will for us.

EXPLORATION Obedience -- Genesis 2:16-17; Exodus 8:25-29; Joshua 11:15; 1 Samuel 15;1-3, 9; Matthew 23:23-24; Romans 6:17.

The Devotional Bible - Experiencing the Heart of Jesus, Max Lucado General Editor, New Century Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers

20 Things To Treasure In Autumn

"Happiness depends on what happens; joy does not."

Oswald Chambers

20 Things To Treasure In Autumn

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Melissa over at The Inspired Room recently listed her top 20 things to treasure in Autumn. I thought it was such a wonderful idea that I would add my own list to her post. So here it is...

1. Acorns, pine cones and the brilliant colors of fall leaves, especially the Maple trees

2. The sound of geese flying overhead as they are headed south for the winter

3. Planting daffodils for next spring and praying that the squirrels don't dig them up.

4. Carving pumpkins and decorating my front porch

5. Eating turkey & dressing more than once

6. Watching the kids playing in the leaves after school

7. Chocolate bread pudding

8. Sleeping on warm Flannel Sheets
9. Trick-or-Treaters

10. Making Soups and trying new recipes!
11. Scarecrows, hayrides and dried flower arrangements

12. Reading a good book while wrapped in my favorite comforter

13. Enjoying the happy faces of pansies planted near my front door
14. Candy Apples, Funnel Cakes & Hot Air Balloons
15. Planning Thanksgiving meals for my family
16. Weekend dinners with Family and Friends

17. Gold Rush Days Craft Fair
18. Warm fuzzy socks, sweats and flannel shirts
19. The smell of wood burning in someones fireplace

20. Going to the Library on cool crisp Saturday mornings

What Are Your Favorite 20 Things That You LOVE About Fall?

Word of God Speak

"The just shall live by HIS faith." Habakkuk 2:4 KJV

"The first mark of the gift of faith is the love of TRUTH." Fr. andrew

"Often we assume that God is unable to work in spite of our weakness, mistakes, and sins. We forget that God is a specialist; he is well able to work our failures into his plans." Edwin W. Lutzer

"To choose what is difficult all one's days as if it were easy; that is faith." W.H. Auden

"He who hath heard the Word of God can bear his silence." St. Ignatius of Loyola

"Let the Word of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom." Colossians 3:16 NJB



"Word of God Speak" by MercyMe
Music Video by jkstar09

The Greatest Words Ever Spoken

WORD OF LIFE

WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL

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The Greatest Words Ever Spoken

with Steven Scott

“He who does not love Me does not keep My words;and the word which you hear is not Mine,but the Father’s who sent Me.” (John 14:24)

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How could such an audacious claim be made about any collection of statements made by anyone?

To qualify as the greatest words ever spoken, they would have to reveal incredible truths that would otherwise go undiscovered. They would have to bring extraordinary, perhaps near-miraculous, benefits to hearts, minds and lives of those who hear or read them. Certainly, to be the greatest words ever spoken, they would have to produce life-altering changes -- not just for a few people, but in the lives of millions. They would have to impart hope to those who have no hope, joy to those whose hearts have been broken, and peace that subdues even the greatest fears.

These words would have to be powerful enough to transform a hateful heart into a loving one, a mind driven by greed into one overflowing with generosity, and an arrogant life into one that is driven by a servant’s heart. If they were truly the greatest words ever spoken, they would have the power to give sight to the blind, strength to the lame, healing to the sick, deliverance to the captive, forgiveness to the sinner, and new life to the dead.

Jesus of Nazareth, who claimed to be the Son of the Living God, spoke such words.

If Jesus is who He claimed to be then everything He said is absolute truth. He would not error in any statement He makes. His words are the standard of truth by which all other purported truths must be measured.

Jesus is the Word of God, through whom we receive the right to become children of God (John 1:9-14). Everything Jesus said about you, your life, your present circumstances and your future is absolutely true.

Jesus made a number of incredible promises to men and women who learn, embrace, and follow His words.

Consider Jesus’ promise in John 8:31-32, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” There are three things contained in this promise: intimacy with the Lord, the discovery and knowledge of perfect and eternal truth, and liberation from our own selfish, sinful nature.

In Matthew 7:24-25, Jesus’ analogy of the man who built his house on the rock promises a level of wisdom and security that cannot be shaken by even the most powerful external and internal forces. What an incredible principle to build our lives on!

We all have a lot of notions about God, and what we think He wants or offers us. In John 14:9, Jesus stated, “He who has seen me, has seen the Father.” By making this claim, Jesus tells us that not only do His words reveal truths about God, but Jesus’ own life and works give us a perfect revelation of God. Through Jesus’ words, we can know the Creator of all life!

In Mark 12:30-31, Jesus tells us that the greatest of all God’s commandments is to love God with everything in us and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Too often we love ourselves more than we love anyone or anything else. The tragic side to our basic nature is revealed when Jesus said that men love darkness more than light because their deeds are evil (John 3:19). If left unchecked our self-centeredness can evolve into a conscienceless existence. But when we abide in His word, we can have eternal life.

Jesus provides both the revelation and the power to break free of our nature and receive His blessings. What may start as an act of blind obedience, simply doing what He tells us to do can become a way of life that exalts Christ, produces amazing results and touches the lives of everyone around us. These are not nice suggestions or words of wisdom, these are the greatest words ever spoken.

This Week Ask the Lord to direct you as you study what He says. Repent of studying the scriptures for any other reason than to become is true disciple.

Prayer Jesus, forgive me for studying the scriptures for reasons other than simply to know You. Please direct me as I learn what You say about Yourself, about me and about everything else.

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Hear Steve Scott talk about the impact of The Greatest Words Ever Spoken on LIFE Today this Thursday, September 25.

A House Divided Against Itself

"A kingdom that is divided cannot continue,

and a family that is divided cannot continue."

Mark 3: 24 NCV

A HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF

Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."

And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons."

So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. In fact, no one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."

He said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit."

Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you."

"Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother." Mark 3: 20-35 NIV


Life Application Bible Study Notes

With the crowds pressing in on him, Jesus didn't even take time to eat. Because of this, his friends and family came to take charge of him (3:31,32), thinking he had gone "over the edge" as a religious fanatic. They were concerned for him, but they missed the point of his ministry. Even those closest to his Jesus were slow to understand who he was and what he had come to do.

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law could not deny the reality of Jesus' miracles and supernatural power. They refused to believe that his power was from God, however, because then they would have had to accept him, at the Messiah. Their pride would not let them do that. So in an attempt to destroy Jesus popularity among the people, the teachers of the law accused him of having power from Satan. Jesus' reply showed that their argument didn't make sense. (Beelzebub refers to Satan.)

Although God permits Satan to work in our world. God is still in control. Jesus, because he is god, he has power over Satan; Jesus is able to drive out demons and end their terrible work in people's lives. One day Satan will be bound forever (Revelation 20:10).

Christians sometimes wonder if they have committed this sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Christians need not worry about this sin, because this sin is attributing to the devil what is the word of the Holy Spirit. It reveals a heart-attitude of unbelief and unrepentance. Deliberate, on going rejection of the work of the Holy Spirit is blasphemy because it is rejecting God himself. The religious leaders accused Jesus of blasphemy, but ironically they were the guilty ones when they looked Jesus in the face and accused him of being possessed by Satan.

Our God Saves

"He will change our weak mortal bodies and make them like his own glorious body, using that power by which he is able to bring all things under his rule." Philippians 3:21

"Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live." John 11:24-25

"The edges of God are tragedy; the depths of God are joy, beauty, resurrection, life. Resurrection answers crucifixion; life answers death." Majorie Hewitt Suchocki

"Every revelation of God is a demand, and the way of knowledge of God is by obedience." William Temple

"Human salvation demands the divine disclosure of truths surpassing reason." St. Thomas Aquinas



Our God Saves - Paul Baloche
Music Video givelaughlearn

If I Stand

"We are not made to rest in this world. It is not our true native land." Fr. Andrew

"There is only one way I can get ready for immortality, and that is love this live, and live it bravely and cheerfully and as faithfully as I can." Henry Van Dyke

"You can't die, for you are linked to the permanent life of God through Jesus Christ." John Bertram (J.B.) Phillips

"The wicked have a never-dying worm and the godly a never-fading crown." Thomas Watson

If I Stand - Jars of Clay
Music Video by COOLSTExCHICK

There Is a Price to Pay

There Is a Price to Pay

Dr. Jack Van Impe

Salvation does not cost any person anything, because salvation is freely bestowed upon those who believe. Don't let anyone rob you of this blessed truth. Ephesians 2:8, 9 states, For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Romans 6:23 says, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Our Saviour shed His precious blood upon the cross over 2,000 years ago to redeem sinners. To be saved, one must receive this precious gift, the Lord Jesus Christ, for the remission of sin. When the transaction occurs God immediately gives eternal life to the receiver of His gift.

Friend, it is free. Because of it one can exuberantly say with Paul, Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift (2 Corinthians 9:15).

The Price Paid by Christ

A. His home

God's gift cost the Saviour everything. This included the relinquishing of His heavenly home for a period of 33 years. Philippians 2:5-8 beautifully pictures the sacrifice: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Yes, He loved you and left the beauty of the "Holy City" to die an agonizing death upon Calvary. He said, I came down from heaven (John 6:38). Again, I am the living bread which came down from heaven (John 6:51). He loved you and gave himself for you (see Galatians 2:20).

B. His reputation

God's gift also cost the Lord Jesus Christ His reputation. Philippians 2:7: [He] made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. His enemies tried to drag His holy name into the depths of degradation. Listen to them: He casteth out devils through the prince of devils (Matthew 9:34). He hath an unclean spirit (Mark 3:30). He hath a devil and is mad (John 10:20). "He is an illegitimate child." They said even that? Absolutely. His sermon so convicted the sinners of His day that they, in retaliation, shouted, We be not born of fornication (John 8:41). Christ bore all of this abusive language because of His great love for the lost including you.

C. His happiness

God's gift also cost Christ great sorrow. He could say in Matthew 26:28, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. He beheld the city, and wept over it (Luke 19:41). Again in Luke 22:44: And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Medical men state that blood is held in one's body by capillaries. When they burst, blood seeps through the skin. Jesus prayed so agonizingly over the souls of men that His capillaries shattered, His blood seeped through His skin, and beads of blood and water ran from His brow to the ground. Oh, how Jesus loved the lost.

Hebrews 12:2 looks ahead to the joy anticipated because of the sorrow endured: Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him [seeing the redeemed in His presence] endured the cross.

D. His life

God's gift also cost Christ His life. Psalm 22 prophetically depicts the event. Listen to the Saviour as He hangs, fastened by spikes, to the cross: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? Verse 6: But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. Verses 13-16: They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. Do you hear the agonizing groans of the Lord as he pays the price of salvation for you?

Isaiah, the prophet, also portrays the ignominious scene in chapter 53:1-5: Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Paul says, Christ died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3). John adds, He loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood (Revelation).

Multitudes more of the "saved by grace without cost" crowd never win lost souls to Christ. Million slip into hell forever and forever and forever while believers fill their daily schedules with temporal earthly pursuits. They fail to witness because their exalted image could become tarnished by the taunts of those Christ-haters who belittle them. They might be called fanatics, fools, idiots, imbeciles, or Jesus freaks. Are we better than Christ who was called demented and mad in John 10:20? Are we better than Paul who said in 1 Corinthians 4:10, We are fools for Christ? God forgive us for not paying the cost of discipleship.

Let's investigate the price some of God's people paid as they followed Jesus.

Stephen, the first deacon, paid all he had by giving his life. In Acts 7:51 we find him preaching a strong, bombastic message naming sin. This kind of preaching is never popular. And [they] ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him (Acts 7:57,58).

The New Testament writers, with the exception of John, laid down their lives for the Saviour. Matthew died from the wounds of a halberd. Mark was dragged through the streets by a team of wild horses until death ensued. Luke was hanged. John was thrown into boiling oil. Though he lived, he was disfigured for life. Peter and Jude were crucified, and James was smashed to death by a club. Paul, last but not least, suffered more than the others combined.

He could say in 1 Corinthians 4:10-13, We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted [beaten], and have no certain dwelling place; And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off- of all things unto this day. In 1 Corinthians 15:31, he says, I die daily.

In 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 he continues, We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed: Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus.

Again, 2 Corinthians 11:23-28: In labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, and fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

Think of it. Five times they scourged Paul with the forerunner of the Roman cat-o-nine-tails. Three times they used clubs on his body and once they crushed his head with rocks. Thinking he was dead, they discarded his body at the garbage dump of Lystra (see Acts 14:19).
Salvation is free, but it is not cheap. Discipleship that brings crowns and rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ is costly. Those who do not sacrifice here will have nothing in that day. They shall stand in Christ's presence ashamed (see 1 John 2:28). They shall suffer loss of all rewards (see 1 Corinthians 3:15).

One who is a disciple, a follower of Christ throughout this earthly, pilgrimage, has no regrets as eternity approaches. Listen to Paul again in 2 Timothy 4:6-8. He is about to have his life ended by decapitation beheading. His head will soon roll from his body as the sword severs it. Is he remorseful, regretful, and sorry? Would he like to relive life without all of the sorrow experienced as Christ's follower? You be the judge. He says, For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course. I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. There are no regrets-he is going home to be with Jesus forever.

Christian, get a copy of Fox's Book of Martyrs. It will revolutionize your life as you see the price Christians have paid throughout history. They were grateful for free salvation and gave their all out of gratitude. Let me share two illustrations from this volume:

In the year 258 AD, three hundred Christians jumped into fires at Utica rather than renounce the Lord Jesus Christ.

In 304 AD, Timothy and Mara heard a knock at the door. A voice said, "Give us your Scripture portions that we may burn them."

They replied, "Never. We would rather have you burn us."

They took Timothy, removed his eyes, threw him in front of his wife, and said, "Now let him read his Bible."

Six weeks later, the agents returned saying, "Will you renounce Jesus today?"

"Never!"

They then took this godly couple, and hanged them in trees in view of their little children. All this because they loved Jesus.

Salvation is free, but it is not cheap. Some of you have been treating it cheaply. Why not dedicate your life anew today. Get rid of habits, coldness, lukewarmness, and the spirit of unconcern that has hindered your growth in the Lord.

Jack Van Impe Ministries

Box 7004

Troy MI 48007 U.S.A.

You can view past issues of the JVIM Weekly Newsletter by going to:

jvim.com

Should I Tell Them

"Where there is peace, God is." Walt Whitman

"Before Pentecost the disciples found it hard to do easy things, after Pentecost they found it easy to do hard things." Adoniram Judson (A.J.) Gordon

"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48 NIV


"Christian perfection is loving God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. This implies that no wrong frame of mind, nothing contrary to love, remains in the soul; and that all the thoughts, words, and actions, are governed by pure love." John Wesley

"Should I Tell Them" by Shaun Groves
Music Video by njesusname

Knowledge of the Holy

My people, listen to my teaching;

listen to what I say.

I will speak using stories;

I will tell secret things from long ago.

We have heard them and known them

by what our ancestors have told us.

We will not keep them from our children;

we will tell those who come later

about the praises of the Lord.

We will tell about his power

and the miracles he has done.

c

The Lord made an agreement with Jacob

and gave the teachings to Israel,

which he commanded our ancestors

to teach to their children.

Then their children would know them,

even their children not yet born.

And they would tell their children.

So they would all trust God

and would not forget what he had done

but would obey his commands.

They would not be like their ancestors

who were stubborn and disobedient.

Their hearts were not loyal to God,

and they were not true to him.

c

The men of Ephraim had bows for weapons,

but they ran away on the day of battle.

They didn't keep their agreement with God

and refused to live by his teachings.

They forgot what he had done

and the miracles he had shown them.

He did miracles while their ancestors watched,

in the fields of Zoan in Egypt.

He divided the Red Sea and led them through.

He made the water stand up like a wall.

He led them with a cloud by day

and by the light of a fire by night.

He split the rocks in the desert

and gave them more than enough water,

as if from the deep ocean.

He brought streams out of the rock

and caused water to flow down like rivers.

b

But the people continued to sin against him;

in the desert they turned against God Most High.

They decided to test God

by asking for the food they wanted.

Then they spoke against God, saying,

"Can God prepare food in the desert?

When he hit the rock, water poured out

and rivers flowed down.

But can he give us bread also?

Will he provide his people with meat?"

When the Lord heard them, he was very angry.

His anger was like fire to the people of Jacob;

his anger grew against the people of Israel.

They had not believed God

and had not trusted him to save them.

But he gave a command to the clouds above

and opened the doors of heaven.

He rained manna down on them to eat;

he gave them grain from heaven.

So they ate the bread of angels.

He sent them all the food they could eat.

He sent the east wind from heaven

and led the south wind by his power.

He rained meat on them like dust.

The birds were as many as the sand of the sea.

He made the birds fall inside the camp,

all around the tents.

So the people ate and became very full.

God had given them what they wanted.

While they were still eating,

and while the food was still in their mouths,

God became angry with them.

He killed some of the healthiest of them;

he struck down the best young men of Israel.

d

But they kept on sinning;

they did not believe even with the miracles.

So he ended their days without meaning

and their years in terror.

Anytime he killed them,

they would look to him for help;

they would come back to God and follow him.

They would remember that God was their Rock,

that God Most High had saved them.

But their words were false,

and their tongues lied to him.

Their hearts were not really loyal to God;

they did not keep his agreement.

Still God was merciful.

He forgave their sins

and did not destroy them.

Many times he held back his anger

and did not stir up all his anger.

He remembered that they were only human,

like a wind that blows and does not come back

Psalm 78: 1-39

READ Psalm 78: 1-72

SITUATION Asaph recounted Israel's history from slavery in Egypt until the reign of King David. He retold the story in order that the Jewish people would remember their past and be reminded of the mercy that God had shown them.

OBSERVATION While the Israelites continually complained and were unfaithful, God faithfully blessed them. God cared for his people even as they dishonored him.

INSPIRATION We should banish from our minds forever the common but erroneous notion that justice and judgment characterize the God of Israel, while mercy and grace belong to the Lord of the Church. Actually there is in principle no difference between the Old Testament and the New. In the New Testament Scriptures there is a fuller development of redemptive truth, but one God speaks in both dispensation, and what He speaks agrees with what He is. Wherever and whenever God appears to men, He acts like Himself. Whether in the garden of Eden or the Garden of Gethsemane. God is merciful as well as just. He has always dealt in justice when His mercy is despised. Thus He did in antediluvian times; thus when Christ walked among men; thus He is doing today and will continue always to do for no other reason than that He is God....

As judgment is God's justice confronting moral inequity, so mercy is the goodness of God confronting human suffering and guilt. Were there no guilt in the world, no pain and no tears, God would yet be infinitely merciful; but His mercy might well remain hidden in His heart, unknown to the created universe. No voice would be raised to celebrate the mercy of which none felt the need. It is human misery and sin that call forth the divine mercy. (From Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer)

APPLICATION Don't forget to praise God and thank him for what he has done. Prayerfully remember the stepping-stones in your life. Thank God for molding you as he has seen fit throughout the years.

EXPLORATION God's Unfailing Mercy - 2 Samuel 24:14; Nehemiah 9:31; Psalm 25:6; 57:1; Isaiah 63:9; Ephesians 2:4-7; Hebrews 4:16; 1 Peter 1:3.

It's Never Too Late

"The will to perseverance

is often the diffence between failure and success."

David Sarnoff

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE

Today is the seven year anniversary of 9/11. Here's a look back to the past and a gentle reminder that "It's Never Too Late," for each one of us to make an eternal difference!

September 19, 2001

Dear friends,

Yesterday I received a e-mail from a friend. She challenged me to have make an eternal difference and I challenge you to do the same. Below is a copy of a e-mail that she sent to me titled: "It's Never Too Late" it is from one of the pastors at North Point Community Church here in Atlanta.

Jon writes:

"It seems that most Americans have changed perspective on what is important to them since last Tuesday. In light of the sudden, painful and unnecessary death of thousands of people, most of us have a little more patience, understanding and love for your friends, family and loved ones....

In a book by George Verwer, titled "God's Great Ambition" he writes that 7,000 people die each HOUR without knowing Christ as their Savior. This is more that all of those who died on Tuesday, and this happens every hour. And as horrible as the tragedy of Tuesday was, it is nothing compared to the millions of people each year that pass away peacefully in their sleep to spend an eternity separated from God. "

Why then am I so gripped by the images of planes crashing, buildings tumbling, people falling out of the building and sad testimony from loved ones? Its is because I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, and I (like you) can relate to those who went though this tragedy.

It is hard for me to imagine sitting for one hour and watching 7,000 people die; I wonder what my reaction would be if I could see their faces as they come to the sudden reality that they have wasted their brief time here on earth only to find that the "rest of eternity" will be spent in hell and torment."


Are you up for this eternal challenge? If you are I encourage you to witness and to make a difference, even if its only one lost soul that you bring to Christ. This is our task, just like giving blood, or removing rubble, or flying a flag in front of our houses, or lighting a candle.



TAKE AWAY POINTS TO CONSIDER:

"Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us." Hebrews 12:1

Often God has to shut a door in our face, so that He can subsequently open the door through which He wants us to go." - Catherine Marshall

The disciples did not have the power to forgive sins (only God can forgive sins), but Jesus gave us the privilege of telling new believers that their sins have been forgiven because they have accepted Jesus' message. We can announce the forgiveness of sin with certainty when WE ourselves find repentance and faith." NIV note John 20:23

The Lampstand Project

"The Lampstand Project"


Churches Become Safe Haven for Women Facing Unplanned Pregnancy

SIOUX FALLS, SD, Sept. 9 / -- Church leaders across South Dakota are organizing "The Lampstand Project" to mobilize a coalition of churches who pledge to support women and families facing unplanned pregnancy. The churches want to reach out to those who choose alternatives other than abortion when faced with the difficult decision.

A press conference will be held Wednesday, September 10th at 10 a.m. at the Ramada Airport Center (1301 West Russell). The Lampstand Project hopes to identify and mobilize at least 800 churches in the state that are willing to be a light in their community and encourage women to choose life for their unborn child. The coalition boldly supports Initiated Measure 11, which will be on the ballot November 4th. Measure 11 stops abortion as birth control, preventing up to 97 percent of all abortions in South Dakota.

The Lampstand Project represents the entire spectrum on Christian faith traditions. The group wants to demonstrate love and compassion for women facing an unplanned pregnancy by offering support throughout pregnancy and after the baby is born. Lampstand churches will place emblems in their windows helping women easily identify them as a safe and welcoming place they can go for support.

"We believe it is not enough to just be pro-life and preach a sermon once a year on Sanctity or Respect Life Sunday. Our affirmations go beyond words and include specific actions and commitments to women and unborn children," said Steve Hickey, Pastor at Church of the Gate in Sioux Falls.

d

"Spiritual leaders are stepping up to care for women and children, something the Bible calls 'pure religion.' It is not true South Dakota women only have Planned Parenthood to turn to in a time of crisis. In every remote corner of this state are churches ready to tangibly help provide safe places for women and children, born and unborn."

d

Churches, individuals and businesses can help in many ways, from simply posting a yard sign to volunteering at the VoteYesForLife.com office. For more information, please contact VoteYesForLife.com at 605.271.7581.

d

Source: South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Data, Statistics, and Vital Records

d

In the United States there are 1.3 million abortions a year...Why not make a difference and organize a lampstand project in your city, church or state?

The Second Sailor

READ 2 Chronicles 32:24-33:25

SITUATION Hezekiah's son Manasseh succeeded him. Manasseh worshiped false gods as his ancestors had done. But God caused him to turn from his sin.

OBSERVATION It was out of his great need that Manasseh turned to God. The Lord hears our prayers and shows great mercy.

INSPIRATION You know the story of Peter, the first sailor. Let me tell you about the second, whose name was John.

He had served on the seas since he was eleven years old. His father, an English ship-master in the Mediterranean, took him abroad and trained him well for a life in the Royal Navy.

Yet what John gained in experience, he lacked in discipline. He mocked authority. Ran with the wrong crowd. Indulged in the sinful ways of a sailor. Although his training would have qualified him to serve as an officer, his behavior caused him to be flogged and demoted.

In his early twenties, he made his way back to Africa, where he became intrigued with the lucrative salve trade. At age twenty-one, he made his living on the Greyhound, a slave ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

John ridiculed the moral and poked fun at the religious. He even made jokes about a book that would eventually help reshape his life: The Imitation of Christ. In fact, he was degrading that book a few hours before his ship sailed into an angry storm.

That night the waves pummeled the Greyhound, spinning the ship one minute on the top of a wave. Plunging her the next into a watery valley.

John awakened to find his cabin filled with water. A side of the Greyhound had collapsed. Ordinarily such damage would have sent a ship to the bottom in a matter of minutes. The Greyhound, however, was carrying buoyant cargo and remained afloat.

John worked at the pumps all night. For nine hours, he and the other sailors struggled to keep the ship from sinking. But he knew that it was a losing cause. Finally, when his hopes were more battered than the vessel, he threw himself on the salt-water-soaked deck and pleaded, "If this will not do, then Lord have mercy on us all."

John didn't deserve mercy, but he received it. The Greyhound and her crew survived.

John never forgot God's mercy show on that tempestuous day in the roaring Atlantic. He returned to England where he became a prolific composer. You've sung his songs, like this one:

Amazing grace! how sweet the sound.

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found,

was blind, but now I see.

This slave-trader-turned songwriter was John Newton.

Along with his hymn writing, he also became a powerful pulpiteer. For nearly fifty years, he filled pulpits and churches with the story of the Savor who meets you and me in the storm. (From In the Eye of the Storm by Max Lucado)

APPLICATION Take your troubles you face today--disease, alcohol, kids in trouble, cash flow--and wrap them in a prayer: "Lord, have mercy, and teach me to see your way through the storm."

EXPLORATION God hears Us-- Psalm 18:6; Isaiah 41:10; Hebrews 13:6

The Devotional Bible - Experiencing the Heart of Jesus; Max Lucado General Editor, New Century version, Thomas Nelson Publishers

How You Live

"We are shaped and fashioned by what we love." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"A man's spiritual health is exactly proportional to his love for God." Clive Staples (C.S.) Lewis

"Love of the creature toward the Creator must include obedience or it is meaningless." Francis August Schaeffer

"Charity means nothing else but to love God for himself above all creatures, and to love one's fellowmen for God's sake as one loves oneself." The Cloud of Unknowing


"How You Live" by Point of Grace
Music Video from HaitiMissionary

Like the Dew of Mount Hermon

The Love of God's People

A song for going up to worship. Of David.

PSALM 133

c

It is good and pleasant

when God's people live together in peace!

It is like perfumed oil poured on the priest's head

and running down his beard,

and on to the collar of his robes.

It is like the dew of Mount Hermon

falling on the hills of Jerusalem.

There the Lord gives his blessing

of life forever.

s

s

Matthew Henry Concise Commentary

Psalm 133
The excellency of brotherly love.

- We cannot say too much, it were well if enough could be said, to persuade people to live together in peace. It is good for us, for our honour and comfort; and brings constant delight to those who live in unity. The pleasantness of this is likened to the holy anointing oil.

d

This is the fruit of the Spirit, the proof of our union with Christ, and adorns his gospel. It is profitable as well as pleasing; it brings blessings numerous as the drops of dew. It cools the scorching heat of men's passions, as the dews cool the air and refresh the earth. It moistens the heart, and makes it fit to receive the good seed of the word, and to make it fruitful.

d

See the proof of the excellency of brotherly love: where brethren dwell together in unity, the Lord commands the blessing. God commands the blessing; man can but beg a blessing. Believers that live in love and peace, shall have the God of love and peace with them now, and they shall shortly be with him for ever, in the world of endless love and peace.

d

May all who love the Lord forbear and forgive one another, as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven them.

Ineffable Love Everlasting

"He (Jesus) saith unto him (Simon Peter), Feed my lambs." John 21:15 KJV

"Brothers, if someone is caught in sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you may also be tempted." Galatians 6:1

"Pastoring is finding out where somebody is in the process of Christian maturity; and leading them to the next phase." John Richard Wimber

"All of heaven is waiting to help those who will discover the will of God and do it." J. Robert Ashcroft

"To have found God is not an end in itself but a beginning." Franz Rosenzweig

Ineffable Love Everlasting
Video from Ahav -- Tribute video with some image-illustrations to the Esteem of our saviour, MESSIAH & KING YAHUSHUA ha'MASHIACH

Santification

His people will be called the Holy People,

the Saved People of the Lord,

and Jerusalem will be called the City God Wants

the City God Has Not Rejected.

Isaiah 62:12

READ Isaiah 62:1-64:12

SITUATION Isaiah prophesied that God would one day be proud of his people--a day to long for, prepare for, and pray for. Recollecting God's past favors and faithfulness, Isaiah passionately pleaded for God's compassion and mercy. He asked that Israel's enemies be punished.

OBSERVATION When Jesus Christ came and provided a way for salvation. God would exalt his people. God would see his children as people without sin because Jesus paid their penalty.

INSPIRATION The holiness we are to exhibit is not our own, but the holiness of Christ in us. We are not holy, and we will not become holy humans. Christ in us can manifest His holiness if we will yield our flesh to Him. This is not a human operation; it is a spiritual one. Jesus installs His holiness in us by grace. Not a once-for-all-time transaction, this is a daily, moment-by-moment striving to live more by the Spirit and less by the flesh.

...A friend bought his daughter a new car, but it must sit in the garage until she reaches the legal driving age. Until her sixteenth birthday she only has partial use of the car, when accompanied by an adult. Similarly, holiness is like a gift already purchased for us (by the blood of Christ), but we can not have full use of it until a certain date in the future (our glorification).

Becoming holy is a process which includes God's part and our part. On one hand, our part is to say out of the God's part--to yield, to surrender, to stop seeking God on our own terms. But our part also is to obey. It is to enter His rehabilitation program.

When you put yourself under a doctor's care, he cannot help you if you don't follow his instructions. As the patient surrenders his own good ideas and obeys the doctor's instruction, he becomes well. The same is true in sanctification. If you and I want to be made holy, then we must willingly surrender ourselves to His care, and we must also actively obey His instructions.

We have no more power to make ourselves holy than a dying man has to save himself. We are weak and tired, and we cannot offer much help. However, we can submit to His rehabilitation program--sanctification. The key to our part is faith--to seek Him in obedience. (From Walking with Christ in the Details of Life by Patrick Morley)

APPLICATION Are you working for God's kingdom? Are you active in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you tell others what God has done for you? All these things are done by those who desire to see God's kingdom come. Be an active member of God's kingdom.

EXPLORATION Holiness -- Exodus 20:8-11; Leviticus 11:44-45; Psalm 93:5; Isaiah 4:2-4; Hebrews 10: 14; 1 Peter 1:14-16.

The Devotional Bible - Experiencing the Heart of Jesus; Max Lucado General Editor, New Century Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers

Revelation Knowledge of God's Word (Will)

"It is only the continual seeking

after (with our whole heart) a "REVELATION"

of the Father's word (will)

that will cause us to be continually conformed to His will

in our thoughts, our words, and our actions...

d

Where with shall a young man cleanse His way?

d

By taking heed

and keeping watch on himself

according to Your Word,

conforming his life to it.

With my whole heart

have I sought You,

inquiring for and of You,

and yearning for You;

d

O let me not wander

or step aside either in ignorance

or wilfully from Your commandments.

Your Word I have laid up in my heart,

that I might not sin against You.

d

Blessed are You, O Lord;

teach me Your statutes.

With my lips I have declared

and recounted all the ordinances of Your mouth.

d

I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,

as much as in all riches.

I will meditate on Your precepts

and have respect to Your ways,

the paths of life marked out by Your laws.

I will delight myself in Your statutes;

I will not forget Your Word"....

Psalm 119:9-16 Amplified Translation

d

d

Revelation Knowlege of God's Word (WILL)

Glenn H. Jackson

d

There is only one way to live the life that we are called to live in Christ - and that is according to the revealed knowledge of God's Word [Will].

d

It is only the continual "seeking" of the revelation of that Word [Will] with our whole heart that will cause us to be conformed to the will of the Father in our thoughts, our words and our actions.

d

Every child of God needs to have a deep and reverent fear of "wandering away" from the commandments [Will] of God. There are many believers who plead ignorance of God's will in order to continue on in their own selfish desires, but the time has come wherein ignorance of God's Word - wilful or otherwise - will leave the child of God "open" to extreme satanic attack in this most critical hour.

d

To the degree one hardens their heart towards the Father and His Word, it is to that degree that they will prevent the entrance of that Word into their heart and, thus, they will "allow" themselves to be steered by Satan into ever increasing darkness and confusion.

d

Every child of God must come to the place wherein they rejoice in doing the will of God more than anything else! At any given time we are going to be found doing either our own will [as the result of self-desire] or the will of God as a result of our perfect heart-agreement with Him. There are no other alternatives!

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As we make God's Word our delight on a daily basis we will be kept by the Holy Spirit on the narrow path of perfect obedience, and the Father's ways will become our ways and our ways His ways. And, by the power of His Word, we shall be continually transformed and renewed in our hearts and minds - and our every "motivation" shall seek only to glorify and exalt His holy Name to the greatest degree - in any given moment. (Glenn H. Jackson, The Life & Faith of the Glorious Church Newsletter, September 5, 2008)

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Related Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 1:30; Matthew 12:34-37; Matthew 4:4; Psalm 119:129-130; John 15:7; Romans 12:2;

Only Grace

"In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets." Matthew 7:12

"It is easier to love humanity as a whole than to love one's neighbor." Eric Hoffer

"The Golden Rule would reconcile capital and labor, all political contention and uproar, all selfishness and greed." Joseph Parker

"We should always have great peace if we did not busy ourselves with what others say and do." Thomas a Kempis

"Believe nothing against another, but upon good authority; nor report what may hurt another, unless it be a greater hurt to others to conceal it." William Penn

"Rumor is a loud liar, like a snowball that gathers as it goeth." John Trapp

"He who shall introduce into public affairs the principles of primitive Chrisitanity will revolutionize the world." Benjamin Franklin

Only Grace by Matthew West
Music Video from givelaughlearn

Turn The Other Cheek

"Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,

and let him be filled with disgrace."

Lamentations 3:30

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Jesus Teaches about Retaliation and Loving Enemies

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You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5: 38-48)

Life Application Bible Study Notes:

When we are wronged often our first reaction is to get even. Instead Jesus said we should do good to those who have wronged us! Out desire should not be to keep score, but to love and forgive. This is not natural --it is supernatural. Only God can give us the strength to love as he does. Instead of planning vengeance, pray for those who hurt you.

To many Jews of Jesus' day, these statements were offensive. Any Messiah who would turn the other cheek was not the military leader they wanted to lead a revolt against Rome. Since they were under Roman oppression, they wanted retaliation against their enemies, whom they hated. But Jesus suggested a new, radical response to injustice: instead of demanding rights, give them up freely! According to Jesus, it is more important to give justice and mercy than to receive it.

By telling us not to retaliate, Jesus keeps us from taking the law into our own hands. By loving and praying for our enemies, we can overcome evil with good.

The Pharisees interpreted Leviticus 19:18 as teaching that they should love ONLY those who loved in return, and Psalm 139:19-22 and 140:9-11 as meaning that they should hate their enemies. But Jesus says we are to love our enemies. If you love your enemies and treat them well, you will truly show that Jesus is Lord of your life. This is possible only for those who give themselves fully to God, because only he can deliver people from natural selfishness. We must trust the Holy Spirit to help us show love to those for whom we may not feel love.

How can we be perfect? (1) In character. In this life we can not be flawless, but we can aspire to be as much like Christ as possible. (2) In holiness. Like the Pharisees, we are to separate ourselves from the world's sinful values. But unlike the Pharisees, we are to be devoted to God's desires rather than our own, and carry his love and mercy into the world. (3) In maturity. We can't achieve Christlike character and holy living all at once, but we must grow toward maturity and wholeness. Just as we expect different behavior from a baby, a child, a teenager, and an adult, so God expects different behavior from us, depending on our stage of spiritual development. (4) In love. We can see to love others as completely as God loves us.

We can be perfect if our behavior is appropriate for our maturity level--perfect, yet with much room to grow. Our tendency to sin must never deter us from striving to be more like Christ. Christ calls all his disciples to excel, to rise above mediocrity, and to mature in every area, becoming like him. Those who strive to become perfect will one day be perfect, even as Christ is perfect (1 John 3:2,3).