Author: sharinHislove

Never

The Lord said, “I have loved you.” 

Malachi 1:2

Father, your love never ceases.  Never.

Though we spurn you, ignore you, disobey you, you will not change. 

Our evil cannot diminish your love. 

Our goodness cannot increase it. 

Our faith does not earn it anymore than our stupidity jeopardizes it. 

You don’t love us less if we fail. 

You don’t love us more if we succeed.

Your love never ceases.

~ Max Lucado

Verse of the Day – Let’s support one another in our faith

VERSE:
They preached the good news in that city and won a large number
of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch,
strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to
the faith.
— Acts 14:21-22
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Acts+14:21-22

THOUGHT:
Do you know a new Christian? Paul and Barnabas remind us that it
is difficult becoming a Christian; there are hard times for new
Christians! So let’s make sure we don’t just share the Gospel with
them. Let’s also stand by them, check on them, strengthen them, and
encourage them.

PRAYER:
Loving Father, please be with the new Christians in our church.
Use me to be a source of encouragement to them and strength for
them. May my life always be a positive influence on them and other
new Christians as well. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111030

Daily Promise – October 30 – May we be reminded of who we are and who we belong to

Hebrews 12:28 KJV

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace,
whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

Hebrews 12:28

New King James Version (NKJV)

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we mayserve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

Promise #303: I am giving you a kingdom that can never be shaken.
Even the most rock solid mountains on this planet can be shaken. The highest mountain can crumble at the blast of our Father’s nostrils. Wars, rumors of wars, economic recessions, global strife, and many other things can cause even the strongest of men to tremble. Such is the kingdom of this world. It is here today and gone tomorrow.

But the author of Hebrews is speaking of another kingdom that cannot be moved that is our inheritance. It is a kingdom that cannot be shaken. It is a kingdom that is safe and secure and beyond the influence of fallen men. It is a kingdom where the greatest will be the servant of all and its citizens, little children.

We are receiving a kingdom right now that cannot be shaken. Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord’s prayer (Matthew 6:9-11) …your kingdom come, your will be done as it is in heaven. May we never take this kingdom lightly. May the fear of the Lord fill us with an ever increasing awareness of this unshakeable kingdom that we are receiving NOW!

May we be reminded of who we are and who we belong to as we read this Scripture passage that just precedes today’s promise in Hebrews 12: 22-23 (a)… But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. NIV   ~ Barry Adams

God speaks

“Speak, Lord.  I am your servant and I am listening.” 

I Samuel 3:9

We expect God to speak through peace,

but sometimes he speaks through pain…

We think we hear him in the sunrise,

but he is also heard in the darkness.

We listen for him in triumph,

but he speaks even more distinctly through tragedy.

~ Max Lucado

God will conquer death (What is real?)

(My note: What a perfectly timed message that ministers to my heart, and hopefully yours, especially as we celebrate the life of our beloved friend, Lori.)

What is real?

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

1 Corinthians 15:55 NLT

Redemptive Reality

“Roberto Benigni, who wrote, directed, and starred in Life is Beautiful, is a comic genius who has been called the Italian Charlie Chaplin. But the subject of his 1997 film, the Holocaust, is anything but funny.

Benigni’s character, a sad-sack waiter named Guido, courts the affections of a local schoolteacher and through various hilarious adventures wins her heart. They marry and have a son.

Then things take a dark turn: Father and son, who are Jewish, are sent to a concentration camp. To shield his son from the horrors they’re going through, Guido concocts a wild story, telling the boy that the whole experience is really just an elaborate game.

How did Benigni dare to use humor in a film about a great moral evil? He did it by expressing the Christian idea that there’s more to life than what we see. In the scene in which the father is being led away to be killed, he spots his son and makes a funny face. The message is that there is something that triumphs over even death, some transcendent reality that, even in this ultimate moment of gravity, enables Guido to make his son laugh.

Most of our cultural leaders operate from a purely naturalistic perspective, but Scripture teaches that there are eternal things. Life is Beautiful is not the gospel story, but it does point to the gospel because it’s about how God’s redemptive reality trumps the very worst this world has to offer.”

adapted from How Now Shall We Live? Devotional by Charles Colson (Tyndale) pp 581-82

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

Update regarding our friend, Lori Kennedy

Thank you all for your wonderful sentiments, prayers, and love.

Here is the latest update:

The service for our friend, Lori Kennedy, will be at 3:00 pm Thursday at the Parent-Sorenson Mortuary, 850 Keokuk St, Petaluma, CA. Phone number is (707) 763-4131 in case you want more specific information. The service will be in the Chapel, with a non-denominational pastor saying a few words, with a total of +/- 30minutes. Her friends and neighbors here at her apartment complex at The Commons on Enterprise Dr in Rohnert Park will have an additional gathering in honor of Lori at a later date to be announced. The coroner is supposed to do the autopsy tonight. If it is an obvious cause of death, then the family will let us know as soon as they know. If they have to do a more involved autopsy, the results may not be available for a few months. We do know that she died between 7:00 pm Friday night, October 21 and 11:30 a.m. Saturday morning. Neighbors and friends had not seen her per her usual routine and called the police, who contacted our apartment complex manager, who let the sheriff into Lori’s apartment, at which time they found her lying on her face in the hallway between the bedroom, bathroom, and living room areas. She had an emergency necklace which she wore constantly, even in the shower. The police or 911 operators had not received any indication from her pushing the button on her necklace. Therefore, we, at this time, assume she died so quickly that she didn’t have time to push the button for help. The family came today and all of us supported them in any way they needed help. Some of the furniture and pictures were removed from her apartment today and given to anyone who expressed an interest in having a memory attached to any of those items. The family will come back tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday at which time we will all wait in the wings for their instruction on how everyone can help. Several people have brought flowers, pumpkins (since she loved pumpkins so much), and a candle and placed them outside Lori’s apartment door. We have all met together quite a few times, including about a 12-hour sitting together on Saturday. We talk our feelings out. I express to them who from her facebook and personal friends are seeking information and sending condolences and tell them about how much each of you cared for Lori. I will continue to update any of you as I get any new information. There will be an announcement of services in the Press-Democrat Newspaper. Do not hesitate to contact me if we can help answer any of your questions or be of help in any other way. We know this is a particularly hard time for all of you who cannot be here personally. I know that your heartfelt expressions of love is appreciated by Lori. God bless each of you. Sharon

Related article:

https://sharinhislove.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/we-just-lost-one-of-our-best-friends/

We just lost one of our best friends

One of our best friends passed away yesterday. We are helping our other friends deal with this loss, and we will be helping the family in dealing with their loss.

Lori was 56 years old, had suffered from Brittle Bone Disease, but coped very well with it. Walking, pulling together neighbors to become friends, hosting holiday feasts, etc. She was one of a kind. A truly beautiful, loving person. One you could never out-give. She will be missed so much, because she was the hub of our community and a dear friend to all of us.

We are all still in shock. She had had an asthma attack that night, but had used her inhaler and everyone thought she was ok. We don’t know the circumstances of her death, except that the sheriff’s office found her lying face down in her hallway. Some of the neighbors had not received their regular morning telephone calls from her, and no one had seen her outside. She usually walked her dog early every morning. So the neighbors called the police and they took it from there. We were not able to see her body, because of the position they found her in. The coroner’s department said he couldn’t let us see her like that. We have to wait until tomorrow to find out about funeral arrangements, and we will be clearing out, and cleaning her apartment. This is going to be so hard for everyone involved.

We would appreciate all of your prayers as we try to minister to these other people.

God bless you and thank you for your prayers and support during this time.

Yours in Christ,

Sharon & Erick

You are Unique

Each of us is an original. 

Galatians 5:26, The Message

There are certain things you can do that no one else can. 

Perhaps it is parenting,

or constructing houses,

or encouraging the discouraged. 

There are things that only you can do,

and you are alive to do them. 

In the great orchestra we call life,

you have an instrument and a song,

and you owe it to God to play them both

sublimely.

~ Max Lucado

Daily Promise – October 21 – He will meet all our needs

2 Corinthians 9:8 KJV

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye,
always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Promise #294: I will meet all your needs so you can overflow with good works.

It is by grace that you are saved, it is God’s gift to us so that we won’t be able to boast about it. (Ephesians 2:8) It is this same grace that abounds to us and meets all of our needs so that we will overflow in every good work. The NIV Bible says 2 Corinthians 9:8 this way… And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. NIV

This Bible verse really speaks of the principle of abundance. God wants us to overflow with His grace at all times and in every situation. I believe the key to this principle of abundance is found in Matthew 10:8. This is where Jesus is sending out His disciples to proclaim the good news of the gospel. His charge is simply this…  ‘freely you have received, freely give‘.

One of the things that I am learning in my walk with God is that I need to be in a place of receiving first before I can have anything to give to others. I am convinced that it is out of the overflow of His love and grace in my own life that others are touched.

So my simple encouragement today is for you to learn to receive all the grace that God wants to give you today. As you receive the abundant, never ending supply that flows from heaven, it will overflow in your life so that you will have all that you need to do every good work that He has planned for you.
Photo by Martin Smith

Who shares your umbrella?

Hello Friend!

The other day an afternoon thunderstorm blew in, cracking and laughing over the autumn-colored hills. I watched the clouds gather and then release raindrops from the hands that spattered the sidewalk.

From a few houses down, two children emerged under an umbrella. They hurried along with smiles on their faces. Each one holding the handle in the middle of them. It wasn’t a storm to be avoided in their lives but an experience to be shared.

That’s how it’s supposed to be, I thought. None of use are meant to walk through the rain alone. 

A gentle thunder send them scurrying inside a house but I lingered at the window and wondered…

Why is it so hard for us to go through life’s storms together?

It seems we either tend to carry the umbrella only for ourselves. We become scared or bitter and we’re afraid to let anyone close. It’s hard for us to give.

Or we are happy to offer our umbrella to others while we become soaked. We’re afraid that if we don’t sacrifice so much then we won’t be loved. It’s hard for us to receive.

But Jesus calls us to that middle place. He asks us to take hold of that handle. “Love one another,” he says. One another–that’s two people under the umbrella, giving and receiving.

Ah, yes. 

My thoughts clear.

The sky does too.

The children reappear and jump in puddles. Shared joy after the rain too. 

And I think I can just see a new bit of sunlight slipping unexpectedly into my day.

xoxo

Holley

p.s. Who shares the storms in your life? {Thanks for sharing mine–I’m so glad you’re here!}

Verse of the Day – Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did

VERSE:
This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him
must walk as Jesus did.
— 1 John 2:5-6
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=1+John+2:5-6

THOUGHT:
Do you want to know who walks with Jesus each day? Look for
folks whose lives look like his! Do you want to walk with Jesus?
Look at his life in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).
See how he treated people; then do the same! Notice how he defeated
Satan and overcame temptation. Trust that you can do the same! As
you do these things, you will find that Jesus is not only walking
with you, he is also working through you!

PRAYER:
Stir my spirit, O God, and empower me with your Spirit to live a
life of integrity and purity like Jesus. Please give me a heart for
people, dear Father, like your Son Jesus has. Help me to not only
see their needs and hear their cries, but to also respond with love
and compassion. In the name of my Savior Jesus, I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111020

What about struggling?

As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so continue to live in him. 

Colossians 2:6

Struggling with life’s difficulties makes us a little wiser,

a little more capable,

enabling us to comfort others who experience pain.

Any difficulties we face in life are short-lived;

all rewards are eternal. 

A divine inheritance will be our reward for faithfulness

to our heavenly Father.

~ Max Lucado

Daily Promise – October 20 – The angel of the Lord surrounds you and me!

Psalm 34:7 KJV

The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them
that fear him, and delivereth them.


Promise #293: My angels will surround all who fear Me.

There are many references in the Bible that talk about angels and how they relate to God’s people. In Psalm 91:11 we read that God commands His angels to take care of us. In Hebrews 1:7 angels are called servants flames of fire and in Hebrews 1:14 angels are called ministering servants to the heirs of salvation. In today’s promise from Psalm 34:7, we read that the angel of the Lord actually camps around those who fear Him.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think of angels that often. I know they are real and I know that they are involved in our daily lives. I choose to focus on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my salvation and on growing in my relationship with my heavenly Dad through the very active work of His Spirit. But today, I want to encourage you, that God has sent His angels to minister to us and to protect us because we are His heirs.

Just because we can’t see angels, doesn’t mean that they are not close by. And the reason why they are there and active on our behalf is because we belong to God and are His kids. The presence of angels surrounding each one is of us, is simply a token of our Father’s affection. What an amazing thought! The angel of the Lord surrounds you and me!

Give all your worries to Him

Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you. 

1 Peter 5:7

Maybe you don’t want to trouble God with your hurts. 

After all, he’s got famines and pestilence and wars;

he won’t care about my little struggles, you think. 

Why don’t you let him decide that? 

He cared enough about a wedding to provide the wine. 

He cared enough about Peter’s tax payment to give him a coin. 

He cared enough about the woman at the well to give her answers.

~ Max Lucado

If God says we can, why do we say we can’t

by Jon Walker

Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: “I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert, through a land not sown.” Jeremiah 2:2 (NIV)

The word devotion in Jeremiah 2:2 is a translation of the Hebrew word kesed, which is often translated as “loving mercy” or “loving kindness.” It is a love of relentless pursuit, and throughout the Bible, it shows up like mile-markers measuring God’s grace-chase after his prodigal sons and daughters, refusing to let them get away from the mercy of his love.

But something surprised me in these prophetic words from Jeremiah. In a sense, God says, “I remember the devoted, loyal love of your youth. You were like a new bride with love dancing in your eyes, and you’d follow me through the desert or into a desolate land.”

In a sense, God says, “I remember your youth, when you chased after me with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.” If you once chased after God with every bit of your being, then it is possible to do it again.

God says we’re capable of giving him our whole love. If he says we can, why do we say we can’t?

If God says we can, why do we say we can’t? is a post from: GraceCreates Jon Walker is the author of Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer’s ‘The Cost of Discipleship’ and Growing with Purpose. He has served on staff at Saddleback Church and Purpose Driven Ministries and is currently the managing editor of Rick Warren’s Daily Devotionals and the Ministry Toolbox. Contact him at questions@gracecreates.com. This article is copyrighted 2011 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.

Facebook: GraceCreates with Jon Walker. Twitter: http://twitter.com/Grace_Creates

Friendship

I call you friends,

because I have made known to you

everything I heard from my Father. 

John 15:15

John is the only one of the twelve who was at the cross.  He came to say good-bye. 

By his own admission he hadn’t quite put the pieces together yet. 

But that didn’t really matter. 

As far as he was concerned,

his closest friend was in trouble and he came to help…

John teaches us that the…

greatest webs of loyalty are spun,

not with airtight theologies or foolproof philosophies,

but with friendships;

stubborn,

selfless,

joyful friendships.

~ Max Lucado

Verse of the Day – We can’t be right with God and be wrong with people

My note: I thought the author of this devotional hit it right on the head. I had never thought of it that way before. I hope that the message below stirs your heart, as it did mine, to use the filter “we can’t be right with God and be wrong with people” on a daily basis to make sure our attitudes are in keeping with the Word of God and His purpose for our lives.

~~~

VERSE:
This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Administer true justice;
show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow
or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not
think evil of each other.”
— Zechariah 7:9-10
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Zechariah+7:9-10

THOUGHT:
Do you want a clear, simple, straightforward word from the Lord
today? That’s what Zechariah gives us.

He reminds us that God wants us to be

fair,

compassionate,

caring,

without prejudice, and

tenderhearted to those in need,

and to give each other the benefit of the doubt.

In other words, he wants us to treat each other like Christ treated people.

Why?

Because we can’t be right with God and be wrong with people!

PRAYER:
Loving Father, please forgive me for the times I’ve gotten
bogged down with hard-to-understand verses in Scripture and ignored
your clear teaching on how to live. Please give me the opportunity
this week to live like you have commanded me. In the future, when
my heart grows cold or my response to others is not what it should
be, please use your Spirit to bring to my remembrance this passage
so that I might live it to your glory. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111019

Daily Promise – October 19 – we are safe and secure in under the protection of our heavenly Dad’s wings

Psalm 91:4 KJV

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust:
his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.


Promise #292: I will cover you with My feathers and protect you with My wings.

Psalm 91 is one of my favorite psalms that speaks of Almighty God’s protection and covering. I love the imagery of this verse in particular. Just imagine for a minute the imagery that the psalmist is portraying in this verse… The Most High God covers us with His feathers and protects us with His wings.

When I think of the imagery of this promise, I imagine God as a majestic eagle and we are His little chickadees who live in the shelter and safety of His magnificient wings. Nothing can harm us there. We are completely safe and secure. Another picture that comes to my mind when I think of this verse is that of a little child who seeks refuge under their dad’s raincoat in the midst of a storm, hanging tightly onto his leg, completely sheltered from the storm.

Both pictures bring me a sense of peace and safety and security knowing that God is my refuge and my safe place. This promise does not only paint a nice picture for us, but it declares a spiritual reality that you and I can live in all the days of our lives. The truth is that we are safe and secure in under the protection of our heavenly Dad’s wings… no matter how scary it is outside of His care! May the reality of this promise become more and more real to each and every one of us!

He has given us strength

The verse of the day reminds us why we have a ministry and the strength that the Holy Spirit gives us to serve.

The last few weeks have been extremely difficult because Erick and I have both been sick with some kind of bug.  We are still physically weak, which exacerbates all of our efforts. And, of course, it affects even our ability to post messages. Yesterday, I didn’t even come to the computer at all.  This too will pass, but in the meantime, it’s evident how much our strength comes from the Lord. Physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Today, as I looked at our site stats, I was so humbled. Regardless of what we feel like doing, our Lord is bringing us here to be refreshed by His Word.

It is not us as people who increase, it is He who does the increase.

We are His servants. We simply obey.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for sharing. Thanks for your encouragement. And thanks to God, most of all, for bringing us all together.

~~~

VERSE:
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that
he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.
— 1 Timothy 1:12
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=1+Timothy+1:12

THOUGHT:
We minister by grace. We are saved and made holy by God’s grace
given us in Jesus. We are declared holy and blameless before God
because of the grace of Jesus. We are given a gift to use in
ministry for the Church because of the grace of Jesus. We are given
strength from the Holy Spirit to persevere during difficult times
because of the grace of God in Jesus. So what ministry we find
ourselves capable of performing, what opportunities we have to
serve and make a difference in people’s lives, and what power we
have in fulfilling our ministry are all given to us. It is not
something to boast about. The Lord’s power is made perfect in
weakness as we offer ourselves to him to be used for his glory.

PRAYER:
Glorify your name, O God my Eternal Father. Thank you for Jesus
who has redeemed me, gifted me, strengthened me, led me, and
empowered me to serve. May you be glorified in all that I say and
do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111018

Daily Promise – October 18 – Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 KJV

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;


Promise #291: I will give you My power to destroy spiritual strongholds.

In yesterday’s promise from Exodus 14:14, I talked about the importance of us learning to be still and watch the Lord fight on our behalf. In today’s promise from 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, we are seeing a different facet to the same diamond. In this passage of Scripture, the Apostle Paul is exhorting us to learn how to partner with the Omniscient, Omnipresent and Omnipotent power that resides in us in order for us to demolish every spiritual stronghold in our lives.

Paul clearly reminds us that we do not wage warfare like the world does, but we have the power of the living God in us that is mighty to save and will bring into captivity every thought that opposes the knowledge of God. Just like I said yesterday, we need to understand that we cannot do this in our own strength for the battle is the Lord’s.

However, we are called in Romans 12:2 to not be conformed to this world, but rather transformed by the renewing of the mind. Our unredeemed thought life will never be in agreement with the mind of Christ. The only way to deal with an unredeemed thought is to take it captive to the obedience of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit that lives within us.

So the next time that a negative, condemning, self-centered, unredeemed thought comes into your mind, be encouraged to know that God has given you power by His Spirit to take and apprehend that thought and make it come into submission to the Lordship of Christ. It is Christ in you that is the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27) and it is His plan that we all be transformed into His image with ever increasing glory as we behold His face one day at a time. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
Photo by Jeff Epp

Daily Promise – October 17 – You only need to be at peace and watch what happens

Exodus 14:14 KJV

The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.


Promise #290: If you remain still, I will do your fighting for you.

In today’s promise, we have an amazing assurance that the God who spoke the entire universe into existence will fight for us if we will only remain still. The NIV Bible says this verse this way…The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” NIV

I believe there is something in the heart of God that fights on our behalf when we do not try and fight for ourself. Waiting on the Lord is not passive, it is active. When we wait on God to fight for us, we are putting ourselves in a very vulnerable position and by doing so we are demonstrating in a very practical way that we know that our heavenly Dad is the source of our help.

Does this mean that we never wage warfare on a spiritual level? After all, the Bible says that we are to ‘resist the devil and he will flee’, ‘take on the full armor of God’, etc. I believe what Exodus 14:14 is talking about is fighting in our own strength. There is a huge difference from fighting our battles in our own best efforts and fighting battles in the power of the Lord’s might.

When we learn that the battle really is the Lord’s, we can rest in His ability to save us and draw from His strength and not our own. Whatever battle you are facing today, be comforted in knowing that you have a  Father (God) and a big brother (Jesus) fighting on your behalf. You only need to be at peace and watch what happens.
Photo by Barry Adams

Our lives and our times are in His hands

By Roy Lessin

Recently, someone reminded of an encouragement card I had written many years ago for DaySpring. The message on the card is for someone who is going through a difficult time or facing a situation with few answers. Today’s posting features that message with the hope that it might help encourage someone today.

What do we do when we face challenges that make us wonder what’s ahead? The answers are not always easy, and the direction is not always clear. In these circumstances, our hope is in God alone. Our lives and our times are in His hands, and He assures us that He is the rock we can stand upon through the storm.

Today, may you continue to believe in the wisdom of His ways, in the goodness of His love, and in the assurance of His presence as He keeps you every step of the way.

From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2 KJV

 

Daily Promise – October 16 – He looks out for us

Luke 12:6-7 KJV

6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.


Promise #289: If I look after the sparrows, I will certainly look after you.

I love this passage of Scripture where Jesus tells us how important the sparrows are to God. Even though they do not have much value to us, He will not even forget one of them. In Matthew 10:29 Jesus tells us that not even one of them will fall to the ground apart from His Father’s will. This is the value He places on a single bird!

But then Jesus goes on to to tell us that we have a value to God worth more than many sparrows! So if God looks after and watches over these little birds, how much more will He watch over you and I! Our value to God far exceeds the birds of the air who neither sow or reap or store into barns (Matthew 6:25-34) so how much more will He take care of us!!!!!

The next time you are feeling anxious about the future, just take a moment and look at a bird, or squirrel, or a tree for that matter. God provides for all that He created because that is simply what fathers do. If He looks after even the most insignificant of His creation, will He not also look after you?  ~ Barry Adams

Verse of the Day – He longs to do great things through us

VERSE:
“`If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who
believes.”
— Mark 9:23
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Mark+9:23

THOUGHT:
Jesus is the ultimate one “who believes.” All things ARE
possible for him. Guess what? He longs to do great things through
us, too! In fact, he promised he would do even greater things
through us than he did himself because he is now at the Father’s
side helping us! (See John 14:12-14.) So isn’t it time that we quit
talking about what we can’t do, and start believing in the one who
can do great things? Paul put it this way: God can do “more than we
can ask or imagine by his power at work in us.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

PRAYER:
Great Almighty God, Ruler of the nations, Creator of the
universe, and Lord of all things, please forgive me. Forgive me for
my wimpy and limited prayers. Forgive me for getting involved in
petty quarrels over mundane and irrelevant things. Forgive me for
my spiritual lack of vision. Please stir me by your Spirit. Please
open my eyes so that I can see what you long to do through me.
Please empower me to be a powerful witness to our world trapped in
darkness. Please give me incredible dreams for your Kingdom, then
astound me by doing far more than I ever imagined. In the name of
Jesus, and to your glory, I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111016

Verse of the Day – Who is your greatest friend?

VERSE:
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend
who sticks closer than a brother.
— Proverbs 18:24
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Proverbs+18:24

THOUGHT:
Who are your closest friends? Good friends are hard to come by
in a world of superficial acquaintances and shallow relationships.
“Hanging with the crowd” can give us a false sense of belonging,
but often leaves us wounded and alone in times of trouble. Open,
honest, supportive, and loving relationships don’t happen without
investment. Ask the Lord to lead you to close friends in his
family. Minister to and serve those around you. Listen to their
requests, faithfully upholding them in prayer. Spend time in
Christian service with other servant believers. Join yourself to a
Bible study or accountability group. As you do, trust that God will
give you that “stick-through-thick-and-thin-friend.” Companions are
easy to find, but can be unreliable. Development of Christian
friends is an investment of effort and time, but they are friends
with whom we will share forever.

PRAYER:
Precious God, I thank you for my friends (include the names of
friends). Please, dear Father, lead me into the life of someone
this week who needs me to be his or her friend. Bless all those who
read Today’s Verse with a Christian friend that will help them in
their walk with you. Thank you so much, dear Father, for my
greatest friend, Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111015

Daily Promise – October 15 – We make Him very, very happy!

Zephaniah 3:17 KJV

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice
over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.


Promise #288: I love to sing over you with loud shouts of joy.

When I go to the ocean, I love to hear the continual roaring sound of the waves crashing on the seashore. I wonder if this is just one of the ways that our God and Father rejoices over all that He made with His singing? I love this verse in the Bible because it is so jammed packed full of promises. God is mighty to save us! He rejoices over us with great joy! He will quiet us in His love! And He sings over us! All of these powerful promises are contained in just one verse.

For time’s sake, I only want to focus on the part of this promise that says that God sings over us with loud shouts of joy. The context of this verse is that there is a glorious intensity in God doing this over us. We make Him very, very happy! I wonder how many of us really grasp the joy that the Lord because of us? I believe if this revelation became more of a reality to us… that our lives make Him smile, it would change how we see ourselves.

Often when we look in a mirror, we only see the imperfections. When God looks at us, it is as if His heart skips a beat because of the joy we bring to Him. My prayer today is that you and I would have the blinders taken off of our eyes so that we might truly see ourselves in the light of God’s love and begin to experience His joy over our lives.

In Nehemiah 8:10, the Bible says that ‘the joy of the Lord is our strength’. It is His joy over our lives that will give each one of us the power to live a full, free, joy-filled life. God loves you with all His heart and He rejoices over you with loud shouts of joy!
Photo by Jeff Epp

Daily Promise – October 14 – Ask Him to teach you how to receive love from Him

1 John 4:16 KJV

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love;
and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.


Promise #287: If you make your home in love, you live in Me and I live in you.

The KJV Bible says that if we dwell in love, we live in God. We could also translate this to mean that if we make our home in love, we make our home in God for God is love. Think about this image for a second. Imagine if love were a house, and you were welcome to have the complete run of the place! You could go to the refrigerator any time you like…kick off your shoes in the living room and lie on the couch… etc.

If love were a house, God would want us to be comfortable living there. But my question is… Are we comfortable living in love? Are we comfortable with the intimacy and vulnerability that comes with living in love? For many of us, even the word ‘love’ might have a broken meaning. For us to learn to be comfortable living in love, God will have to redeem our understanding of what love is.

In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, we read the Apostle Paul’s description of love…
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  8Love never fails. NIV

For us to be able to comprehend the kind of love that comes directly from God Himself, we need to be comfortable on the receiving end of love. In 1 John 4:19, the Bible says that ‘we love because He first loved us’. If you want to learn how to be comfortable living in the house of God’s love, ask Him to teach you how to receive love from Him every day.

The more that we are able to receive our Father’s love, the more that we will be comfortable making our home living in love. As we live in the love that God has for us, others will see it’s impact on our lives and want to live there too!~ Barry Adams

Daily Promise – October 13 – He will take care of us and all of the dreams we have hidden in our heart

Psalm 138:8 KJV

The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD,
endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.


Promise #286: I will fulfill My purpose for your life because My mercy endures forever.

In this psalm, King David makes the declaration that God will fulfill His purpose for his life because God’s great love endures forever. David knows full well that God will not abandon Him or forsake the work of His hands. The NIV Bible says it this way… The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands. NIV

God has a purpose for your life. In His unending, eternal love, He formed you with His own hands and He promises never to ever leave you. It is reassuring to know that God has a unique plan for each of us that He has committed to fulfill. Sure there are many bumps and bruises on the road to our destiny, and at times we can get side-tracked.

But if we have entrusted our lives to the living, loving God, we can rest in His promise to take care of us and all of the dreams we have hidden in our heart. David was confident that the LORD would fulfill His life’s purpose because God’s mercy endures forever. May you and I have the same confidence in our God and Father today. God will fulfill His purpose for you for His love endures forever!

~ Barry Adams

Daily Promise – October 12 – He is the complete expression of every possible type of love

Isaiah 49:15 KJV

Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion
on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.


Promise #285: Even if your mother forgets you, I will never forget you.

The Bible tells us in 1 John 4:16 that God is love. He is the complete expression of every possible type of love. A father’s love, a friend’s love, the love of a bridegroom, etc., for 1 John 4 says that all love comes from God. In today’s promise, we see a feminine expression of the love of God that expresses His mother’s heart.

In this verse, God is posing a question… Can a mother forget the baby at her breast? Is it possible for her to not have compassion on the child that she has birthed? God goes on to say, even if she forgets you, I will not forget you! The following verse in Isaiah 49:16 continues as God tells us that He has engraved us on the palms of His hands.

What a promise that we have! No matter what happens in this life, no matter what form of rejection we receive… even from our parents, God will not reject us! He will never forget us because He loves us with a father’s love and He loves us with a mother’s love too!

May the love of God overwhelm us today with every love that we need. A father’s love, a mother’s love, the love of a friend, the love of a Savior… May we learn to live in this love (1 John 4:16) more and more for the rest of our lives.

~ Barry Adams

Verse of the Day – I hunger for the day when I can see your splendor face to face

VERSE:
Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before
him, all the earth.
— Psalm 96:9
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Psalm+96:9

THOUGHT:
Don’t you really appreciate the phrase “the splendor of his
holiness” and long to behold that splendor? It conjures up
reminders of Isaiah’s encounter with God in Isaiah 6 or John’s
vision of Jesus in Revelation 1. God’s essence — known in the Old
Testament as his glory and his holiness — can be described only as
splendorous! Our only fitting response is to join the angels of
Isaiah 6 and the twenty-four elders around the throne in Revelation
and worship God and cry, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God
Almighty. The whole earth is full of his glory.”

PRAYER:
You are holy, majestic God, more than my mind can grasp or my
imagination can dream. I worship and praise you for your glory,
might, grace, and mercy. I hunger for the day when I can see your
splendor face to face and join the angels of heaven and the
twenty-four elders in never ending worship and praise. Through
Jesus I offer this praise and my life. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111011

Daily Promise – October 11 – The longing in your Father’s heart is that you would call Him ‘Father’

Jeremiah 3:19 KJV

But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said,
Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.


Promise #284: I am happy to treat you as My child, and I hope you will call Me Father.

In the Old Testament, God is revealed by many names. There are actually over 300 different names that refer to God with the name ‘Father’ being one of them. I believe that this passage of Scripture truly reveals God’s amazing heart to be a Father to Israel.

The NIV Bible says it this way…
“I myself said, ” ‘How gladly would I treat you like sons and give you a desirable land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.’ I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me. NIV

When I read this passage of Scripture, I feel the longing that God has to be a father to us. How happy He is to treat us like sons and how He hopes that we would call Him ‘Father’. Though God is revealed by many names in the Old Testament, Jesus primarily revealed God as Father in the New Testament.

Through Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, we now have the opportunity to call Him our Father now! In John 20:17, after just coming out of the tomb, I believe that Jesus summarizes all the New Testament revelation into one statement … Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ “ NIV

The longing in your Father’s heart is that you would call Him ‘Father’. May today be the day when this revelation of His fathering nature goes deeper into your heart than ever before.   ~ Barry Adams

Masada

Masada is not only important because it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site or an ancient fortress occupying a breathtaking  strategic location high on a flat plateau above the Dead Sea, but because of its symbolic importance as a symbol of determinance and heroism which continues to this day with many Israeli soldiers sworn in here. Masada is one of the greatest archaeological sites in Israel and, perhaps, across the world. Its dramatic ascent can now be made by cable-car, but the drama and imagery that this site portrays is no less powerful than it ever was.

Approach to Masada by laura padgett, on FlickrApproach to Masada by laura padgett, on Flickr

The fortress of Masada was built in the year 30 BCE by King Herod, whose architectural feats have left their mark throughout the country. At the beginning of the great revolt against Rome in the year 68 BCE, the site was conquered by a group of Jewish zealots, and Masada became their last stronghold. In the year 72 the Romans besieged Masada and succeeded in reaching the steep fortress after constructing a huge earthen ramp on its western side. In the year 73, the 960 Jewish zealots living at the top of Masada chose to commit suicide rather than to fall into the hands of the Romans alive. Their deeds left behind a saga of courage, heroism, and martyrdom.

Amazing panorama of Masada at twilight by A M, on FlickrAmazing panorama of Masada at twilight by A M, on Flickr

Columns among the ruins at Masada by laura padgett, on FlickrColumns among the ruins at Masada by laura padgett, on Flickr

The remains of the fortress of Masada are well-preserved and have been reconstructed in an effort to pay homage to the site and its heroic inhabitants. The most impressive structure on Masada is King Herod’s northern palace, built on three rock terraces overlooking the gorge below. Near the palace is a large Roman style bath house with a colorful mosaic floor and walls decorated with murals. Many other buildings at the site – such as the luxurious western palace, the mikveh (Jewish ritual bath), storerooms, watchtowers, and synagogue relate the history of Masada, especially when viewed with artifacts such as storage containers, decorated pottery, scrolls, and coins.

The beautiful embossments and murals that were discovered on the walls of buildings on Masada were restored by Italian experts to preserve them for years to come. This is the largest and most complete Roman siege camp that remains today.

Masada is extremely high, and can be ascended on foot by the winding “snake path” or by a cable car that runs from the tourist center at the feet of Masada to the top. The tourist center also features a movie about the story of Masada, a model of the site, and an exhibit of the archeological findings.

As well as the archaeology, the site’s amazing and iconic setting has made it a popular place for concerts and events throughout the year. As well as the thrilling sound and light show, presented against the dramatic backdrop of the western side of Masada, tells the story of the rebels’ last days at the cliff-top fortress, which takes place throughout the summer months, there is an annual opera at Masada and regular concerts and shows throughout the year.

Related articles

Daily Promise – October 10 – Because of Jesus, you are free from all condemnation

Romans 8:1 KJV

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.


Promise #283: Because of Jesus, you are free from all condemnation.

This is a wonderful promise that we can all take to heart. There is therefore now NO condemnation! Many of us struggle with feelings of shame and condemnation every day. This Scripture tells us that because of what Jesus did, we do not have to live under condemnation any longer.

However, when you read the KJV Bible translation of Romans 8:1, it seems like there is a bit of a disclaimer to the statement ‘There is therefore now no condemnation…” The disclaimer is …for those who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For me, when I was a younger Christian and read this verse, I felt that if I somehow was walking after the flesh, then I would be subject to condemnation.

I truly believe that the heart of this verse is better translated in the ESV translation of the Bible which says in

Romans 8:1-2…
1There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
2For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. ESV

Notice that after the promise of no condemnation there is a period. The disclaimer (for those who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit) is not there. I truly believe that because of the finished work of Jesus Christ there is therefore now NO condemnation…period! The law of the Spirit of life has set us free from the law of sin and death. Hallelujah!
Photo by Barry Adams

Jesus is the ultimate model for every person

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 2:5, NKJV

What does it mean to be just like Jesus? 

The world has never known a heart so pure, a character so flawless. 

His spiritual hearing was so keen

He never missed a heavenly whisper. 

His mercy so abundant

He never missed a chance to forgive. 

No lie left His lips,

no distraction marred His vision. 

He touched when others recoiled. 

He endured when others quit. 

Jesus is the ultimate model for every person.

~ Max Lucado

 

Verse of the Day – Under His Wings We will find Refuge

VERSE:
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you
will find refuge …
— Psalm 91:4
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Psalm+91:4

THOUGHT:
Life is filled with many uncertainties. You never know when
something unexpected is going to happen. You have no idea when the
next disaster will strike. In a world filled with hate and
terrorism, none of us has a clue when the next horrible atrocity
will take place. So what do we do when we can’t be sure of our
circumstances? We take shelter under the wing of the One who is
above all circumstances! We take assurance in our Father who has
promised to bring us to himself no matter what may happen today …
in our world … and to our bodies. Our lives are hidden with our
Father because we’ve been joined to Christ. He is our Refuge! His
wings are our shelter!

PRAYER:
Father, what words can I offer that are sufficient to thank and
praise you for your deliverance that is greater than death? You are
the Alpha and the Omega. You are the God who was and is and is to
come. You are my Abba Father, who has adopted me and made me your
own. I place my trust, my hope, and future in you and I will not be
afraid. I find my refuge under your wings! All praise to you in the
name of Jesus. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111009

Daily Promise – October 9 – The Pathway to real Freedom

1 John 1:9 KJV

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Promise #282: If you confess your sins, I will be faithful to forgive and cleanse you.

God is faithful. God is just in all that He does. God promises to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. All that He requires is that we trust in His goodness and risk exposing our heart by confessing our shortcomings to Him. When we confess our sins, we are vulnerable and honest before our God and Father.

When we confess our sins to God, we openly declare that we are relying on His mercy to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and that we can’t do it ourselves. It takes faith and trust to live a transparent life before God, but that is the pathway to real freedom. When we keep things in the dark, those things have power over us and will keep us enslaved in one form or another. When we bring things into the light that lurk in the shadows of our heart, we experience new found freedom over those things.

The amazing thing is that God is not surprised by what we confess, for He knows us better than we knows ourselves. He does not judge us when we open our hearts to Him, but rather the opposite happens.

In Psalm 103:14-15 the NIV Bibles says…
13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.

When we are vulnerable and honest before God, compassion rises up in His heart towards us because He understands our frailities. Confession of our sins is for our benefit not God’s. He has already dealt with the issue of sin that once separated us through the shed blood of Jesus… once and for all!

He wants us to be completely free! Free from a guilty conscience and free from condemnation and the accusations from the enemy! So if there is anything that is keeping you from experiencing the intimacy of being with your Papa God, be assured in knowing that if we confess our sins to Him, He will be faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness! ~ Barry Adams

Daily Promise – October 8 – He exchanged His life for our life

John 1:16 KJV

And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

Promise #281: I have blessed you in Christ with one outpouring of grace after another.

I love the Amplified version of this Bible verse…
For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift. AMP

In Jesus, God the Father has blessed us with grace upon grace, heaped favor upon favor on us and blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heaven (Ephesians 1:3). Words cannot express the wonderful, bountiful outpouring of love and blessings that God has given us through the free gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.

My prayer is that we would be able to tangibly grasp the unshakeable inheritance that is ours in Jesus Christ today. He exchanged His life for our life and made the way for us to be partakers of His divine nature and beneficiaries of all His blessings. Thank you God for your amazing grace and every good and perfect gift that comes from your hand (James 1:17)!

Verse of the Day – Sometimes the greatest of all wonders wrap their tiny fingers around our own and capture our hearts

VERSE:
Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you —
majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?
— Exodus 15:11
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Exodus+15:11

THOUGHT:
With whom do you compare the incomparable? How do you grasp the
infinite with a finite mind? When the quintessence of majesty is
the God you contemplate, how can you ever speak of majesty about
anything else? God exhausts our superlatives. God’s glory bewilders
our imaginations. God’s greatness exceeds our wildest dreams. He is
beyond what we can know or believe. Yet the Wonder of all his
wonders is simply this: he limited himself to a baby, swaddled by
loving parents in strips of cloth, and placed in a feed trough
because there was no room for them in the inn. Sometimes the
greatest of all wonders are not the ones that require our biggest
and best words. Sometimes the greatest of all wonders wrap their
tiny fingers around our own and capture our hearts.

PRAYER:
I do not know how to understand your incredible love for us, yes
even for me. How could you enter our world in baby Jesus? Like the
Magi, I bow and worship you, Lord Jesus, and our Father who sent
you. Who is like you, O God? Nobody is even close. Yet for some
reason known only to your grace, you have brought us close. I
praise you for your majesty and I praise you for your manger. To
your glory, precious Jesus, and in your name, I offer this praise.
Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111007

Daily Promise – October 7 – We are God’s Offspring

Acts 17:28 KJV

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also
of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Promise #280: Your life comes from Me because you are My offspring.

Today’s promise comes from a passage in the Bible where the Apostle Paul is debating with some Greek philosophers on Mars Hill about the existence of the one and only true God. In the midst of his conversation, Paul tells that God is so involved in their lives that they actually live and move and have their being in Him.In Colossians 1:15-17 it says this about Jesus…
 15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. NIV

Every neutron and electron, every strand of DNA, is held together by the very life of the living God. In Ephesians 4:4-6, it says that there is one God and Father of us all who is over all and in all and through all. No matter if all of mankind acknowledges this truth or not, it does not change the unshakeable fact that our God is the very fabric in which the universe is held together. There is no denying it.

I have always found it interesting that when Paul was speaking to the Greeks, he quoted one of their own poets that said that ‘we are all God’s offspring’. The truth is that God created every person who ever lived. He is the very author of life. Whether we realize it or not, we are all God’s offspring through creation and it is His eternal plan that every person on the planet would become His children through redemption by the free gift of Jesus Christ!

Related articles

How long?

“How long must I stay with you?” 

Mark 9:19

How long?

“Until the rooster sings and the sweat stings and the mallet rings . . .”

How long?

“Long enough for every sin to so soak my sinless soul that heaven will turn in horror until my swollen lips pronounce the final transaction:

‘It is finished.’”

Jesus bore all things,

believed all things,

hoped all things,

and endured all things.

Every single one.

~ Max Lucado

Verse of the Day – Can you trust what you don’t see?

VERSE:
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you
do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an
inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of
your faith, the salvation of your souls.
— 1 Peter 1:8-9
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=1+Peter+1:8-9

THOUGHT:
Can you trust what you don’t see? Of course! What kind of
question is that? Our lives depend on what we cannot see — things
like gravity and the air we breathe, just to name two. Faith in
Jesus is as natural as faith in each of those things. The problem
is that our hearts are skeptical. We find it hard to believe that
anyone divine would love us so much. Our experience says, “If it
seems too good to be true, it is.” That skepticism is just the
twisted form of the response God longs to see from us:
“inexpressible and glorious joy.” I don’t know about you, but I’ve
tasted both. I prefer joy over skepticism!

PRAYER:
What joy fills my heart, Father, when I anticipate what it will
be like to be in your presence — to have you wipe each tear from
my eyes and to have you introduce me again to those I love and to
those I’ve only known by reputation. Please never let me outlive
that sense of anticipation and never let that hope dim in my heart,
no matter what else may happen in my life here. In Jesus’ name I
pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20110930

Back – but sick with the flu

Update as of 10-6-11:

We are back in town,  but both have the flu. Bear with us as we heal. Will be back posting as soon as possible. Be blessed. Sharon & Erick

======================================================

9-30-11

We will be away from the computer for a few days, so I posted the Daily Promises, without the devotionals attached, through October 3.

I will post the devotionals later.

Please browse through past messages for encouragement, strength, and inspiration.

Be blessed, and know that God loves you, and is just waiting with much excitement to give you a wonderful day, every day.

Sharon

Agape Love

“Love is patient and kind.”

1 Corinthians 13:4

Agape love cares for others because God has cared for us.

Agape love goes beyond sentiment and good wishes.

Because God loved first, agape love responds.

Because God was gracious, agape love

forgives the mistake when the offense is high.

Agape offers patience when stress is abundant

and extends kindness when kindness is rare.

Why?

Because God offered us both.

~ Max Lucado

Daily Promise – September 29 – You have an everlasting inheritance

1 Peter 1:3-4 KJV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

Promise #272: You have an everlasting inheritance reserved in heaven for you.

There are many uncertain things in this world that we live in but our everlasting inheritance is NOT one of them. Our God and our Father has secured an inheritance for every one who has received the free of gift of His Son’s life that is incorruptible, undefiled and will never fade away.No matter how unstable things become around you, you can bank on this promise to be unshakeable! Because of the abundant mercy of the Triune God, we can hope in a special place in heaven that is reserved just for us! It is more certain than the ground that you are standing on right now.

Father, we thank you for your abundant mercy expressed through the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus! When times get tough and the near future looks bleak, may we lift up our eyes to see the amazing future that is in store for us and may we be filled with hope knowing that you really are a faithful Father!
Photo by Barry Adams

‘Honey, I love you in an abstract way’

By Jon Walker

This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other. (John 13:35 MSG)

True love is never in the abstract. ‘We’ll never carry out our mission of being witnesses to Christ from behind pulpits or within Bible studies. We’re commissioned to “go therefore” and fill the earth with the presence of Christ so others may “observe” what He commanded us — to love one another as He loves us (Matthew 28:19-20 NASB; John 13:34).

We are to take our unseen and eternal fellowship, our oneness with Him and each other, into the seen and temporal lives of others.

To “observe” something, it must be seen. As others observe us, watch us “being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, intent on one purpose; not merely looking out for our own personal interests, but also for each other’s interests (Philippians 2:3-4),” they will naturally wonder where such uncommon attitudes come from.

And we have opportunity to say, “This is the attitude that ‘is in Christ Jesus who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond servant, being made in the likeness of men’” (Philippians 2:5-7).

In a fallen and self-oriented world, both that attitude and practice are particularly uncommon and profoundly noticeable. The witness of the reality of Christ and His love through our authentic and loving relationships is a living testimony that the world must deal with. Jesus’ personal and sacrificial love creates a safe place, a refuge, an opportunity to “be” that every person needs.

This devotional is based on my book, Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer’s ‘The Cost of Discipleship’.

We now have free small group study guides posted for each chapter from Costly Grace. The study guides are available at http://www.gracecreates.com/free-stuff/.

‘Honey, I love you in an abstract way’ is a post from: GraceCreates Jon Walker is the author of Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer’s ‘The Cost of Discipleship’ and Growing with Purpose. He has served on staff at Saddleback Church and Purpose Driven Ministries and is currently the managing editor of Rick Warren’s Daily Devotionals and the Ministry Toolbox. Contact him at questions@gracecreates.com. This article is copyrighted 2011 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.

Jesus is the Center

For me to live is Christ [His life in me]

Philippians 1:21 AMP

Jesus is the way.

He is not only the Way to God, but He is the Way into all that God has for us.

He is the Way into our devotions,

to our Bible reading,

to our prayer life,

to our ministry,

and to all that we do for Him.

In reality, we do not do our work for Him,

but He does His work through us.

With Jesus in the center of our being,

we are no longer victims of our expectations,

circumstances,

and the things we can’t control.

We discover that it’s okay if people don’t meet our expectations,

because Jesus is our expectation.

Schedules may be good,

but they don’t produce life within us because

Jesus is our life.

–Don Lessin

Verse of the Day – Glory in His Holy Name

VERSE:
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the
LORD rejoice.
— 1 Chronicles 16:10
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=1+Chronicles+16:10

THOUGHT:
What is your glory? Do you glory in your accomplishments, your
wealth, your status, your looks, your piety, your humility …? In
the old hymn “Beneath the Cross of Jesus,” we confess, “My glory,
all the Cross.” That’s what Christians mean when we “glory in God’s
holy name.” Our full understanding of God’s holy name has been
greatly expanded by Jesus. He taught us to not only reverence the
name of God, but also to call him Father. Any other cause of joy,
any other basis for boasting, is a passing illusion. For those
whose hearts seek the LORD, glory is found in reverencing the holy
name of the Father who gave up his precious Son so we could be his
children. He loves us that much. Incredible!

PRAYER:
You have blessed me in so many ways, Father. How can I ever
begin to thank you properly? I confess that I sometimes seek
notoriety and glory for myself even though I know it is fleeting
and often it is only the false flattery of those who want something
from me. But deep in my heart, dear God, I know that my true glory
is found in the adoption covenant you signed with your grace. Thank
you! Words cannot capture my appreciation, but please know that I
look forward to being eternally grateful for all that you have
done. May the glory be yours in heaven and throughout the earth,
both now and forevermore. In the name of Jesus I praise you. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20110929

Verse of the Day – Christ died for sins ONCE for ALL

VERSE:
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the
unrighteous, to bring you to God.
— 1 Peter 3:18
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=1+Peter+3:18

THOUGHT:
It sounds so simple and straightforward, doesn’t it? Kinda like
the newspaper headline about someone dying we don’t know. Just
cold, hard facts! But we know differently. Underneath this
statement of grace lies the broken heart of God, the sacrifice of
heaven, the brutality of supposedly religious men, and the
searching love of our God who would not abandon us to the cruel
“Deathmaster.” For those who knew animal sacrifice, with its high
personal cost and animal sacrifices, this verse is more than a
headline: it is a “graceline.” Once for all — no more sacrifices
needed. Bring you to God — no more distance, no intermediaries
between God and us. Jesus is heaven’s open door and God’s open
heart saying, “Come home; we’ve been waiting for you.”

PRAYER:
What words, O gracious Father, can I use to express my
appreciation for your sacrifice and grace? I have none sufficient
to say what I feel. But even in this realization, I know the gift
of your Spirit ensures that you hear my words and my heart. Every
good and lasting thing I have comes from your grace. Please receive
my undying love and my heartfelt praise for all you are, for all
you have done, and for all that you will be. In Jesus’ precious
name I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20110928

Daily Promise – September 28 – We are more than conquerors through Him

Romans 16:20 KJV

And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Promise #271: I will soon crush the evil one under your feet.

In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus taught us to ask our Father to ‘deliver us from evil’. Jesus wouldn’t have told us to pray this way unless He was certain that His Father would answer our prayer to be saved from evil.

We know that in this world, we will have trouble in life because we live in a fallen world. Hurting people hurt other people and the cause and effect of a fallen humanity causes many evil things to happen. However, that does not mean that we are in subjection to the prince of the power of air. In James 4:7, the Bible says, resist the devil and he will flee from you.

In Romans 8:37, Paul says that we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. As Paul continues to write the book of Romans, he goes on to say in today’s promise found in Romans 16:20, that the God of peace will soon crush the evil one beneath our feet. No matter what circumstances you are facing today, be encouraged that our God and Father will soon give us an eternal victory and crush the evil one beneath our feet! …So rest in this amazing promise and may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Photo by Barry Adams

Daily Promise – September 27 – He will keep us from falling

Jude 1:24 KJV

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling,
and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

Promise #270: I will keep you from falling until you joyfully stand blameless in My presence.

One day, each one of us who has called on the name of the Lord will stand before His presence. Today’s promise encourages us that we have nothing to fear on that glorious day. Jesus Christ, our Savior, our Lord, and our Elder Brother, will present us before His Father completely faultless (blameless) on that holy day. The NLT Bible says that Jesus ‘will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.’

I love the thought that when Jesus presents us to God, He will do so with exceeding joy! The Amplified Bible describes it as… triumphant joy and exultation [with unspeakable, ecstatic delight]. It will absolutely thrill the heart of Jesus to present us blameless before His Father on the day that we will see Him face to face!

We have nothing to fear about our future. Jesus has promised to be faithful to keep us from falling and will one day present us completely blameless before His Father and our Father in triumphant joy with unspeakable, ecstatic delight! Hallelujah!!!!!!
Photo by Martin Smith

AuthorBarry Adams

Verse of the Day – join us in going to the great celebration of grace and salvation at his return!

VERSE:
The inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, “Let us
go at once to entreat the LORD and seek the LORD Almighty. I myself
am going.”
— Zechariah 8:21
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Zechariah+8:21

THOUGHT:
This Messianic message from Zechariah anticipates the day of the
LORD’s redemption. Many different peoples, from all over the world,
will come looking for the great mercy of God. God’s people will
have one key phrase on their hearts: “Let’s go seek the presence of
God. I’m going; why don’t you join me?” As believers, we know Jesus
has come, has died, and has been raised from the dead. We know
Jesus is returning with salvation for all who truly know and follow
him. Let’s ask others to join us in going to the great celebration
of grace and salvation at his return!

PRAYER:
Loving Father, I seek your presence daily in my life. Without
your guidance, love, holiness, and truth, I would be lost and
confused. Knowing that my destiny is with you, I look forward to
seeing you face to face as your child. Please lead me to those who
do not know you, but who are seeking you. Give me eyes to see them,
ears to hear their cry, and wisdom to know how to share your grace.
Use me to prepare them to meet you at the great Day of Redemption
that is coming with your Son. In the name of Christ Jesus my Lord.
Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20110927

Verse of the Day – What difference does it make if we praise him?

VERSE:
You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest
heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on
it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything,
and the multitudes of heaven worship you.
— Nehemiah 9:6
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Nehemiah+9:6

THOUGHT:
Our praise is pretty irrelevant to everyone and everything but
us, those closest to us, and amazingly to God. In a universe so
vast, so much bigger than Nehemiah could have imagined, what is our
small voice and our song of praise? The billions of stars and
innumerable creatures of the immense seas all cry out that our
Creator is LORD. God will receive the worship of the angels and all
the heavenly beings. What difference does it make if we praise him?
To the universe, to be blunt, it doesn’t matter. But it does to us!
It matters even more to the LORD, who longs to be our Father and
wants to bring us into relationship with himself.

PRAYER:
Holy and amazing God, you alone are Lord — Lord of all creation
and Lord of my life. You are praised by all you have made. Your
works cry out and declare your creative genius and your loving
kindness. Father, I want to add my heartfelt praise to the chorus
of creation, the voices of the angels, and the praise of many who
have come before me. You are truly worthy to be praised. I gladly
offer you my words, my songs, my heart, and my life. In Jesus’
name. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20110926

Daily Promise – September 26 – God will bring comfort to you

Psalm 23:4 KJV

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Promise #269: When you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will be with you.

Today’s promise is a much loved verse from the often quoted Psalm 23. Most times, we might quote this verse at a funeral service or at another time of extreme loss and of course this verse is fitting for those occasions. At the end of our lives, it is comforting to know that God will never ever leave us.

However, I do want to ask you to think of another application of this promise… Jesus told us that except a seed falls in the ground and dies, it abides alone (John 12:24). The principle of the Christian life is a continual letting go of things, allowing them to ‘die’, only to see them resurrected again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Whether those things are dreams or desires, the principle of the cross (death, burial, resurrection) is a resounding theme in the daily Christian life.

In that context, when you are feeling like God is asking you to surrender something dear to you, when you are in a sense walking through the shadow of death for something that you have hoped for, be comforted in knowing that God is very close to you in those times of surrender and His staff and rod will bring comfort to you. Weeping may endure for the night, but joy is coming in the morning! (Psalm 30:5)

~ Barry Adams

Carry a thankful heart for every “yes”

Each of us should carry a thankful heart for every “yes”

we receive from God as an answer to prayer.

We can also be thankful He doesn’t say “yes” to prayers

that are not in agreement with His will—

prayers that are based on our wisdom and not on His;

that would bring leanness to our souls;

that would put us in the wrong place;

that would make us ineffective;

that would bring us into wrong relationships;

that would cause our hearts to cool;

that would keep us from His highest

and rob us of His best.

~ Roy Lessin

I know not by what methods rare,

But this I know, God answers prayer.

I know He gives His pledged word

Which tells me prayer is always heard,

And will be answered soon or late,

Though often it is hard to wait.

I know not if the blessing sought

Will come in just the way I thought;

I leave my prayer with Him alone,

Whose will is wiser than my own,

Assured that He will grant my quest,

Or send an answer far more blest.

-Unknown

 And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us. 1 John 5:14 AMP

Daily Promise – September 25 – God wants each and every one of us to run into His arms every time we need to be comforted!

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 KJV

3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Promise #268: I will always be close when you need My comfort.

We all need comfort. When we scraped our knee playing in the backyard, we needed the comfort of a mother or a father to simply hold us and reassure us that everything was going to be okay. When we experience extreme disappointment or the loss of a loved one, words fail… What we need is comfort.

In today’s Bible passage from 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul tells us that God is the Father of mercies (compassion) and the God of ALL comfort. Our God and Father is the source of ALL comfort and He wants us to be comfortable coming to Him to receive comfort whenever we need it.

Since we were created to receive comfort, we will seek it out somewhere. If we don’t receive it from God, we will receive it from other things… Food, material things, false comforts, etc. God wants each and every one of us to run into His arms every time we need to be comforted! As we receive the comfort from His loving arms, we will then be able to be an expression of that same comfort to other people when they need a comforting shoulder to cry on.
Photo by Barry Adams

Verse of the Day – Prophecy never had its origin in the will of man

VERSE:
For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men
spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
— 2 Peter 1:21
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=2+Peter+1:21

THOUGHT:
Where did Scripture come from? What is the basis of our faith in
the Bible and the Gospel? Peter wants us to realize that the
prophets of ancient times didn’t bake up their own private recipes
for their prophecies. Instead, they could only move and respond to
what God was doing in them, not what they themselves wanted to do
or say. They were human, but their message was God’s word because
the Holy Spirit moved them to speak and guided their words. This
makes what we have in Scripture from the prophets more than
precious: we are given the very words of God! (cf. 2 Timothy
3:16-17)

PRAYER:
Almighty God, thank you for inspiring ordinary people to give us
your extraordinary message in common, everyday language. Thank you
for delivering that essential message to us in the Bible and
preserving it through times of persecution, hardship, and
opposition. Please use those same Scriptures to ignite a whole new
revival in my heart and throughout our land. In the name of Jesus I
pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20110925

The Dead Sea

The Dead Sea known in Hebrew as Yam Ha-Melah (the Sea of Salt) is the lowest point on earth, surrounded by the stunning landscape of the Negev Desert. The shores of the Dead Sea are the lowest point on the surface of the earth, and the saline water of the lake give lead to the name ‘Dead Sea’ because no fish can survive in the salty waters. The other result of the salty water of the Dead Sea are their renowned health and healing properties and the unique feature that one can float naturally in them.

Really just a lake, the Dead Sea is part of the long border between Israel and Jordan whose towering mountains can be seen from the Israeli side, part of the Judean and Negev deserts. Just a one-hour drive from Jerusalem, the Dead Sea is a place popular with Israeli’s wanting a few days relaxation, people taking advantage of the medical properties of the water, as well as tourists staying for a short time to experience the unique Sea and surroundings.

The salty waters of the Dead Sea by bachmont, on FlickrThe salty waters of the Dead Sea by bachmont, on Flickr

Masada, is, aside from the Dead Sea itself, the great attraction of the area. Atop a mountain to the side of the Sea lies this ancient fortress. With a steep history, and ascent, Masada is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is traditionally climbed early in the morning by tourists wishing to see the ruins at the top. Today it is not necessary to climb, as a cable car has been built.

Muddy face - Dead Sea mud by Babi_Santander, on FlickrMuddy face – Dead Sea mud by Babi_Santander, on Flickr

Further North near the Dead Sea is Ein Gedi National Park. Situated in the famous Kibbutz, this park contains a range of cool water hiking trails which allow you to cool off in the heat. The higher you go, the quieter it will be and the more likely you will be able to find your own little oasis. Ein Gedi also has a public beach and spa which is much closer to Jerusalem than the majority of the beaches, if you have less time.

Hotels at the Dead Sea come in all shapes and sizes. In Ein Bokek is the main hotel area at the Dead Sea, and here there are around 15 large resort-style hotels catering to all types of budget. For those in search of a more unique experience, there are also some zimmers and more boutique hotels at the Dead Sea. More information about Dead Sea Hotels.

 

Jesus and a Palestinian State

Israel Today Magazine

September 25, 2011

The Palestinian statehood bid provided a platform for many views and positions regarding the Middle East, including those of Evangelical Christians who no longer believe in the validity of the promises contained in the Bible.

In the run-up to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas officially requesting UN membership for the “State of Palestine,” Carl Medearis, a recognized expert on Middle East Christians, suggested on CNN’s Belief Blog that Jesus would support the Palestinian statehood motion.

“So how would Jesus vote this week if he had a seat at the UN?” Medearis asked. “Surely love, compassion, justice and peace-making would top his lists of concerns for all involved. Maybe he would give a new parable – the Parable of the Good Palestinian – offending all who would hear.”

Medearis continued by deriding the Christian Zionist movement and its insistence on a literal reading of the Bible:

“In their minds, the modern Israeli state is not only a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. In a bizarre twist that leaves most outsiders dumbfounded, Christian Zionists say the Bible predicts that Jews and Palestinians will forever be at war until Jesus returns.”

Medearis’ remarks were hotly debated in various publications, but it is not his personal view of the situation that is troubling. Medearis was merely the mouthpiece of a post-modern, humanist-infected strand of Christianity that no longer believes the Bible carries any literal meaning beyond the commandments regarding basic gestures of goodwill and proper moral behavior.

In other words, while it is still important to love one’s neighbor and not to steal, passages like Jeremiah 31:36-38 or Ezekiel 36:24-28 that confirm the eternal nature of Israel’s divine right to the land are, in Medearis’ words, “obscure Old Testament promises.”

In order to cement their position as the “sane Christians,” Medearis and others like him will highlight the often-unsympathetic positions of those perceived “lunatics” who do hold fast to the Bible’s every promise.

It is true that in their zealousness a good many Christian Zionists often spout rhetoric that is hateful toward the Palestinian Arabs. It is also true, as Medearis pointed out, that Yeshua told us to love our enemies, even those seeking Israel’s demise. But this point of supporting Israel (uncritically, Medearis wrongly claims) and opposing Palestinian statehood is not what Christian Zionism is really about, not at its core.

Christian Zionism is the recognition that long-awaited biblical promises and prophecies are being fulfilled in our time. It is about getting behind that fulfillment, and opposing efforts to reverse it. And though God may not actually need our help in preventing that attempted reversal, one day we will be held accountable for the stand we took (or didn’t take). Ultimately it is a question of whether or not God keeps His word and has the sovereignty in our lives to do so.

“Christian Zionists believe the scriptures are true, active and alive today. They believe that by acknowledging the truth that God has given the Land of Israel to the Jewish People as an everlasting inheritance we are acknowledging God’s sovereignty,” wrote local Messianic leader Eliyahu Ben-Chaim in his book Setting the Record Straight.

If God can renege on a promise to Israel that He repeatedly labeled as “everlasting,” surely we should all be concerned that other promises can be annulled or rewritten, like that promise of eternal life for the members of an equally sinful Church.

The truth is that God does not go back on or alter His promises. He made abundantly clear that the most important factor is the glory of His name. The biblical record has shown, even up to the present day with the rebirth of Israel, that when God makes a promise, He keeps it, not for our sake, but for the sake of His good name. To suggest otherwise is to attack not only God’s credibility, but, more detrimentally, the glory of His name.

Daily Promise – September 24 – When we are feeling the farthest away from God, He is actually the closest

Psalm 51:17 KJV

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:
a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.


Promise #267: I will not reject the sacrifice of a broken spirit and a contrite heart.

I am so thankful that the sacrifices that God accepts are those of a broken and a contrite heart. Psalm 34:18 says… The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. NIV When we are feeling the farthest away from God, He is actually the closest. He does not abandon us in our times of crisis and struggle for He has promised to save us even in our darkest time.

King David wrote this Psalm after it became public knowledge that he had sinned with Bathsheba. His illegimate affair caused a world of hurt and pain for many people. It was at David’s lowest point, that he had a revelation of God’s love and kindness and mercy. Perhaps David expected God to reject him for his sin? Perhaps he was surprised to feel God’s nearness in the midst of his darkness?

Whatever he felt, he knew that God saw his broken heart, and God knew that David was truly sorry for his sin. For many of us, when we sin against God, we run in the opposite direction of Him assuming that He will turn away from us. The opposite is true! When we are our lowest point, He is very close to us and He promises to save those who are crushed in spirit.

~ Barry Adams

Without wood a fire goes out

Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies
down.
— Proverbs 26:20
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Proverbs+26:20

THOUGHT:
Ol’ Smokey The Bear said: “Only you can prevent forest fires!”
Basically, that’s what the Wiseman says about gossip. We can turn
down the heat, douse the fire, and let the quarrel die. How? By not
supplying juicy morsels of gossip, by ditching the urge to spread
destructive innuendo, and by refusing to keep alive an ugly rumor.
Without gossip, the bitterness of a rivalry can dissolve and
relationships can mend.

PRAYER:
Forgive me, O God, for the times I have kept gossip alive or
have entertained the conversation of a gossip. Please bless and
heal those whom I have wounded with my participation in gossip.
Give me the strength to say only what is helpful to bless others,
the courage to mend the relationships that I have damaged because
of reckless words, and the wisdom to know how to discourage those
seeking to spread gossip. In Jesus’ name I ask it. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20110924

Mount Gilboa

View from Mount Gilboa.
Image via Wikipedia

Mount Gilboa, located in the Lower Galilee region, south of the Sea of Galilee is one of Israel’s most beautiful spots. Whilst spring saturates the mountains in pretty wildflowers, no matter what the season, Gilboa is a stunning, tranquil area to explore, offering a break from the intense summer heat with a cool breeze.

The Gilboa Scenic Road is your access point into this array of hikes, viewpoints, picnic sites, bike paths, and stunning outlooks, and is a great path to follow when exploring the area.

Mount Gilboa by kikasso, on FlickrMount Gilboa by kikasso, on Flickr

The Gilboa Scenic Road is Road 667 which runs Road 90 (the Jordan Valley Highway) to Road 675, which is off Highway 60 (the main road leading from the center of Israel into the Galilee.  The road follows the ridges of Gilboa providing amazing scenic views and stop-offs.

As you enter the Gilboa Scenic Road from Road 60 and Road 675 near the town of Afula, you begin to climb the 18 kilometer long Gilboa Ridge which juts out from the northern side of the Samarian Mountains. The stark landscape of the region is as a result of Gilboa’s proximity to the Syrian African Rift Valley (part of the Great Rift Valley) which has created steep cliffs on Gilboa’s northern and eastern sides, providing even more breathtaking views across the Harod and Beit She’an Valley. At its highest, Gilboa reaches 650meters above sea level, and whilst not high in mountain terms, in a region surrounded largely by valleys and lowlands, provides a strong contrast.

Mount Shaul, Gilboa ridge, Israel by vad_levin, on FlickrMount Shaul, Gilboa ridge, Israel by vad_levin, on Flickr

Each of the peaks along the Gilboa Scenic Road are named after famous Biblical characters and events. Driving the road from the Afula side, the first you will reach is Mount Shaul (Saul) which juts out from the rest of the ridge. Here, drive down the track and you will see, through a break in the pine foliage, you will see a ‘window’ open unto a special view of Gilboa dropping down into the valley, and the valley beyond.

From here, you can see Biblical events such as at Givat Hamoreh (to the north) where the Philistines camped before going into battle with Saul, and the adjacent valley in which the Midianites were housed before they were routed by Gideon. Beyond, to the east, the tip of Mount Tabor, can be seen, famous for Barak and the prophetess Deborah, the Heights of Issachar (who fought with Barak). To the west can be seen Upper Jezreel Valley (known in Christianity as the Valley of the Armageddon where the world will end).

Paragliding from Gilboa, by yxejamir, on FlickrParagliding from Gilboa, by yxejamir, on Flickr

Mount Shaul is especially popular for outdoor pursuits, and in particular paragliders, who take take advantage of the steep cliffs and flock to the area at weekends and holidays.

Beyond Mount Shaul lies Kefef Shaul (Saul’s Shoulder) which is the main recreation area in Mount Gilboa. This is a great place to stop off, with picnic tables, playgrounds, and a nice accessible trail leading to a great lookout.

Continuing along the Gilboa Scenic Road, you come to the Vinya Overlook – turn off the road and drive along the track and two balconies among the lush grove will emerge. From here, more great views, including Ein Harod a kibbutz which is split into two. On a sunny days, the kibbutz’s sparkling fishponds and colorful fields are sure to make any visitor wonder why they do not inhabit this breathtaking place.

Back on the trail, you will come to a great hiking spot, suitable for only advanced hikers (red marked trail) leading to a spring called Ein Hasamal. The trail becomes very steep and difficult to maneuver close to the bottom. There is, however, a treat in store for those who do hike it, with a Hidden Valley near to the bottom. If you have two cars, park the second car below Gilboa at Old Tel Yosef.

A curve in the road to the Gilboa by yxejamir, on FlickrA curve in the road to the Gilboa by yxejamir, on Flickr

If you decide the advanced trail is not for you, you still have great surprises in store as there is an easier hiking trail ahead. From the JNF Tower at Mount Barkan you can take a one hour circular path which boasts breathtaking views across the West Bank, including Nablus and the Jenin Valley.

Moving along the Scenic Road, you will come to the Gilboa Iris Nature Reserve. In the cooler months when the reserve has water, take sight of these incredible flowers which appear in shades of purple. Although it is dry in the summer, you can still take a great path through the reserve to the watchtower at Mount Barkan.

The final stop along the scenic road is just a few meters along, where, on the left is a great lookout called Paltiel Sela which offers a great final stop. Park near the sign and walk 400m into the shady forest until you reach some picnic tables. Gleam across the landscape and take note that this is another beautiful spot of Israel that you have been privileged enough to visit.

 

We have Put on Christ

“As many of you as were baptized into Christ

have put on Christ.”  Galatians 3:27 NKJV

You read it right. We have “put on” Christ.

When God looks at us He doesn’t see us; He sees Christ.

We “wear” Him.

We are hidden in Him;

we are covered by Him.

As the songs says,

“Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.”

Presumptuous, you say?

Sacrilegious?

It would be if it were my idea.

But it isn’t;

it’s His.

~ Max Lucado

Daily Promise – September 23 – He will renew our youth

Psalm 103:5 KJV

Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;
so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.


Promise #266: I will enrich your life and renew your youth like the eagle’s.

Eagles like most birds, go through a molting process where they shed their old feathers and grow new ones. This process is necessary in the rejuvenation of the eagle so it can continue to remain strong. In Psalm 103:5, King David tells us that the Lord will satisfy us with good things and will renew our youth in the same way that the eagle renews his feathers.

No matter how old we get, our God and Father promises to continue to renew our inner being so that we will have a spring in our step, a sparkle in our eye, and a sense of awe and wonder about life. May each one of us hold fast to this promise and not dread our future, but look forward to the renewing process where our youth will be renewed just like the eagle’s!

~ Barry Adams

The Same Hands

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Revelation 21:4

Someday God will wipe away your tears.

The same hands that stretched the heavens will touch your cheeks.

The same hands that formed the mountains will caress your face.

The same hands that curled in agony

as the Roman spike cut through will someday

cup your face and brush away your tears.

~ Max Lucado

 

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Daily Promise – September 22 – He will surround us with safety and give us peace

Psalm 4:8 KJV

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep:
for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.


Promise #265: I will give you a peaceful sleep surrounded by safety.

There are many things in this world that cause us to be afraid and not feel at peace. As a result,  many people struggle with sleep at night because of the numerous anxious thoughts that they have circulating in their minds.

Jesus was able to sleep on boats in the midst of storms. He is the Prince of Peace and has promised to give His peace to us. In John 14:27 Jesus says… Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. NIV

His encouragement to us today is to not be afraid. He will make us to lie down in peace and have a restful sleep surrounded by His abiding sense of safety. For all those who struggle with geting a good night’s sleep, I pray that this promise would become a tangible reality for you today.

May you go to sleep tonight not dreading a night of tossing turning. May the tangible presence of the Prince of Peace surround you and envelope you with His love so that you can feel truly safe and you can have the best sleep of your life!

~ Barry Adams

Daily Promise – September 21 – God will renew our strength

Isaiah 40:31 KJV

31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Promise #264: If you wait for Me, I will renew your strength.

When we think of waiting, whether it is waiting in a car for a friend, waiting in a doctor’s office for an appointment, or waiting in a check out line, we might tend to think of waiting as being a time of inactivity or passivity. After all, while we are waiting, we aren’t actually doing anything… or are we?

When we wait for somebody or something, we are actually in a posture of submission to somebody or something. For example, if you are waiting in a car for a friend, you have positioned yourself to be vulnerable to however long your friend takes to come into the car. When you are waiting in a doctor’s office, you have given the doctor and his/her staff the power to choose when your next in line for your appointment.

While we may see waiting as inactive, it is actually the opposite in many cases. For me, a self-described ‘type A personalty’, waiting can be very difficult at times. The longer I wait, the more I begin to scream on the inside for something to happen! For me, waiting isn’t passive or inactive, waiting for me is one of the most active things I can do.

In today’s promise, we read that if we wait on the Lord, He will renew our strength. When we choose to humble ourselves before Almighty God and acknowledge that it is His will and direction that we are looking for, we are positioning ourselves to wait for Him to give us the guidance we are looking for. When we wait on Him, we are honoring Him and choosing not to ‘lean to our own understanding’ as mentioned in Proverbs 3:5-6.

Waiting on the Lord is one of the most active things we can do. It can be difficult at times because we are not in control of when and where God will move. We simply wait for Him to do what He wants to do, but the promise that you and I have today is that when we wait for Him, He will be faithful to renew our strength!

~ Barry Adams