Category: Spiritual Growth

Do You Have a Teachable Spirit?

Posted: 17 Aug 2011 12:00 AM PDT

By Jon Walker

Paul replied, ‘Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: “Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.”’ (Acts 23:5 NIV)

We have a teachable spirit when we can quickly respond to the truth, bringing our beliefs, thoughts, and behavior into line with what is true.

In a rather extreme example of being teachable, the apostle Paul stands before the Sanhedrin with a bloody lip. Someone had just ordered that Paul be slapped.

Immediately, Paul rebukes the man who gave the command: “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! You are sitting there judging me according to the law, and in violation of the law are you ordering me to be struck?” (Acts 23:3 HCSB).

Paul is immediately rebuked by the men standing next to him. They tell him that the man who gave the order to slap him was “God’s high priest,” and even though Paul has disagreements with the man, he respects him as God’s anointed leader in that place and for that time (Acts 23:4).

Paul immediately takes the correction and, with the taste of blood still in his mouth, says, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people’” (Acts 23:5 NIV).

The Bible says it is wise to be open to instruction, even rebuke:

“… Rebuke a wise man and he will love you.

Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still;

teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning”

(Proverbs 9:8b–9 NIV).

Can You Do Everything in Christ?


Posted: 22 Aug 2011 12:00 AM PDT

By Jon Walker

I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13 NIV)

We’re not as strong as we think we are, but God is stronger than we think.

You become strong through God’s strength. His strength enters your life, delivered by the Holy Spirit—Jesus within—and the more dependent you are on God, the stronger in him you become. In our weakness, he is strong (2 Corinthians 12:10).

“I can do everything . . .” doesn’t mean, “Now that I’m a believer, I’m strong enough to do everything and anything for God.” Your own testimony can attest to the fears and failures related to such thinking.

The strength of “I can do everything . . .” comes through God, who gives you the strength you need for each day. Your ability to “do everything” is wholly dependent upon him, because your strength is dependent upon him. It’s not a strength you work up by pumping iron with emotional or mental barbells.

Strength comes from submission. The thing you do that may require the greatest strength is to submit yourself completely to God! But God is “working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13 NLT).

Strength is linked to faith. You believe in faith that God is giving you his strength, so in faith you can act in confidence, knowing the strength is there: “But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength” (2 Timothy 4:17 NIV).

Daily Promises – God is pleased when we share with others

Hebrews 13:16 KJV

16 But to do good and to communicate forget not:
for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.


Promise #236: I am pleased when you share with others.

I really like the NIV Bible translation of this verse – And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. When our children were younger, it always grieved my heart when they didn’t get along. I didn’t like having to be a referee at the dinner table or to break up arguments in the backyard.

As a father, I wanted my children to love each other, to live in harmony, share nicely and be kind to one another. I really don’t think our heavenly Father is any different. In this passage of Scripture, especially in the NIV passage, the writer of Hebrews reminds us not to forget to do good and share with others, because these are the things that make God happy.

In a world with thousands of Christian denominations, I think God’s kids have a tendency to major on the minors in our Christian walk rather than focusing on the things that really touch His heart. The sacrifices in every day life that make Him smile are simply the good things we do for others. I want to keep this in mind today as I go about my daily routine, because I want to make my Dad smile.

~ Barry Adams

Verse of the Day – After three days He will rise

Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”

— Mark 9:30-31 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today’s Verse…

We often seek to attract large crowds to our churches, crusades, and rallies. Jesus also ministered to large crowds. But his strongest teaching on discipleship occurs away from the crowds, when he is alone with his disciples. What the crowds are able to accept is not enough to call mature disciples to that next level in their walk with the Savior. So Jesus withdrew for intensive teaching with a small group of committed disciples so he could mature them and make them ready for future challenges.

Prayer…

Holy God, please bless the people in my Bible study group and all those everywhere that are seeking to follow you no matter the cost. Please lead me to a small group of believers with whom I can share my life and through whom you will challenge me to grow in my surrender to the Lordship of Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

~ Phil Ware

Heartlight

REdeemed, REstored, REnewed

Meet Me in the Meadow by Roy Lessin

There are many “RE” words that are packed with hope and encouragement. The word REpurpose is often used today to remind us that many things once discarded, considered useless, and put aside for the trash heap, can be brought back, become useful once again, have value, and take on new meaning.

In the Scriptures we find some wonderful “RE” words that can keep hope and encouragement alive and thriving in our hearts.

REdeemed
I am the LORD…I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments. Exodus 6:6
REstored
‘For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,’ says the Lord. Jeremiah 30:17
REnewed
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles… Isaiah 40:31

– Roy Lessin, DaySpring co-founder and writer

Read the entire “RE” Words series from Roy on his blog, Meet Me in the Meadow.
LIKE Roy’s page to receive his devotions on Facebook

Daily Promises – August 22 – God’s love for you is so vast that it far surpasses every love that you have ever known

Isaiah 66:13 KJV

13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you;
and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.


Promise #234: I will comfort you just like a mother would.

We all need comfort. There are times when we need a father’s reassurance and there are times when we need a mother’s comfort. When our children were little, if they got hurt playing in the backyard, they would look for their mother first before they would look for me. That is because there is something in a mother’s heart that provides a reassuring comfort that is quite different from a father. Fathers tend to try and fix the situation, whether mothers bring comfort.

In the same way that there are many Scriptures that compare God’s heart to the heart of a natural father (Psalm 103:13-14), there are also other verses that speak of a feminine expression of His love. This is one of those passages of Scripture where God is speaking to His people and telling them of His mother’s heart for them.

While we know that God is our Father, we also know that He is the complete expression of love. He does not just express masculine love, but feminine love as well for He is the very essence of all love (1 John 4:16). There are times when we need the strength and exhortation that comes from a father, and there are other times when we need comfort that comes from a mother’s heart.

God’s love for you is so vast that it far surpasses every love that you have ever known. Mother. Father. Sister. Brother. Son. Daughter. Spouse. Friend. The next time that you need the comforting embrace of God, be encouraged to know that He has promised to comfort you just like a mother would… but only a millions time better!

~ Barry Adams
Photo by Barry Adams

Ask for More

“Lord, teach me what you want me to do,

and I will live by your truth.” 

Psalm 86:11

When kindness comes through grudgingly, we’ll remember God’s kindness to us and ask Him to make us more kind.

When patience is scarce, we’ll thank Him for His and ask Him to make us more patient.

When it’s hard to forgive, we won’t list all the times we’ve been given grief.

Rather, we’ll list all the times we’ve been given grace

and pray to become more forgiving.

~ Max Lucado

He binds up the brokenhearted

 

Isaiah 61:1-2 KJV

1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;


Promise #233: I bind up the brokenhearted and I will comfort all who mourn.

This is the Bible passage that Jesus read in the temple that affirmed His calling at the start of His public ministry. (Luke 4:14-21) When you read the whole Isaiah 61 chapter in the context of Luke 4, we can read that it was actually God the Father who sent His own Son into the world to proclaim the good news of the kingdom.

The message of the kingdom is simply this… Good news for the poor. Healing for the broken hearted. Freedom for the captives. Wide open spaces to those imprisoned. Comfort for the grieving. And so much more.  This is why Jesus came 2,000 years ago and it is the same reason why the Holy Spirit is with us today.

If you are hurting, just open up your heart to the Holy Spirit and let the love of God bind up your broken heart. If you are grieving, let the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort bring His everlasting comfort to your mourning. If you are imprisoned, let the Lion of Judah set you free from all that keeps you in chains!
Photo by Jeff Epp

 

Faith in the Game – Crossing Over – by Brian Wilson

Faith In The Game – Crossing Over — by Brian Wilson.

You may wonder why I’m posting two messages today about Brian Wilson.

Living in the San Francisco Bay Area and following the SF Giants this year, Brian Wilson’s faith has been a topic I was interested in.

It wasn’t until today that I researched the reasons for his “crossing over” at the end of the games that he pitches.

Today Brian went on the DL (disabled list), along with many other players from the Giants team.

I have been reflecting lately, and praying for, the Giants.

I found it interesting that the Holy Spirit would put a baseball team on my heart to pray for. I had asked myself, “Sharon, why is praying for a baseball team important? After all, it’s JUST a game”. And then I thought, “No, it isn’t about the game. It’s about the players. Why is this team going through so much turmoil?”

It came to me.

They are one of the few teams I’m aware of who collectively honor the Lord. They aren’t ashamed of their faith. They believe strongly in showing that faith in small ways and big ways. And Brian Wilson is one who demonstrates his strength comes from the Lord by “crossing over”.

So, we pray for them. All of them. They’re up against the wall with injuries daily.

They are going to be held up to God for prayer by us daily, that their faith will remain strong and that they will come out of this rough spot spiritually stronger than ever.

GIANTS – Brian Wilson – Why he crosses his arms at the end of a game

At long last:

Brian Wilson reveals the meaning behind his crossed arms gesture after he saves a game

Posted by on July 14th, 2008 at 8:48 pm | Categorized as Uncategorized

One of the features I hoped to make semi-regular on this blog is an offer to take your questions for Giants players. If it’s an intriguing one, I’ll go and ask it for you. (See the Ask a Giant! tab at the top of this page.)

At the end of May, reader Bruce Chiang wanted to know why Brian Wilson crosses his arms after he records the save. One hand makes a fist (inside his glove) and he points his index finger with the other hand.

Wilson was evasive. He wasn’t ready to let it be publicly known what it meant. He pledged to tell me, but only on his terms and only when he was a little more confident that his season was going the right way.

Well, now he’s an All-Star and is likely to pitch an inning today at Yankee Stadium. So he promised to sit down with me on this last road trip and divulge the whole story.

One problem: He works out like a madman. Every time I tried to track him down at Shea Stadium or Wrigley Field, he was running stairs, lifting weights, running the warning track or perspiring on the exercise bike.

I got to the park massively early to track him down Sunday…and walked in the press box to see one player running on the track. Wilson, of course.

He took the loss in Saturday afternoon’s game and was doing his penance.

“I’m punishing myself,” he said.

When he switched to a stationary bike in a dank little storage space off the clubhouse, he finally agreed to talk to me.

(Some of you figured out it’s a mixed-martial arts reference and there’s a clothing company called One More Round that uses the slogan. Others thought it was a symbol of his devout Christian faith.)

Short answer: You’re both right. It goes a little deeper than that, though.

I promised Wilson that I would allow him to describe the personal significance of the gesture in his own words. That’s what follows, straight out of my tape recorder:

“One More Round is a clothing line. It has to do with the drive and determination that certain fighters have when their backs are against the wall. It’s, `No matter how deep I am in this fight, no matter how badly burned I am, I’ve got one more round in me.’ That’s basically the motto, the creed, of One More Round. No matter what it takes, I’ve got one more in me.

“And to me, that relates to what I do on the mound. In the ninth inning, your back is against the wall and you’re probably facing the meat of the order. Whether it’s bases loaded, no outs, you’re only up by one, whatever, you’ve got one more round left in you. You can’t back down, you can’t give in, and that’s exactly how I portray my inning — as a war, as a battle. So when I go out there, I’m fighting for my team. I don’t care about any personal statistics, giving up runs or whatever. As long as I preserve the win, everything’s OK.

“Now, one of the main things I do after a game is the crossing of the arms. That’s on a T-shirt I wear underneath my jersey when I pitch. (He wore that T-shirt in an ESPN interview last month.) That’s just respecting the fighters and their commitment and determination and the hard work they put in.

“And also it’s taking into consideration my own walks in life. For instance, when I cross my arms, I have my left hand in the fist and my right hand goes underneath pointing with my (index) finger. What I’ve taken into my own belief is that this finger represents one man. I’m that one person. And I can only go so far in life leaning on my own understandings and my own strength. The fist represents the power of the Holy Trinity: the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The fist is symbolic of a circle. It’s never-ending. This strength will only continue to grow. So here’s the strength of God and the strength of man. And without him, I am nothing. I can only go so far in this life. But when I cross, I now have this one person with the strength of Christ, and I can do anything through Christ who strengthens me. I can get over any battles in life.

“So I basically give respect to the ultimate fighting world and I also give respect to Christ, the audience of one that I play for. I don’t play for anything else. I play to impress Him and only Him and I must honor Him through defeat and also successes because I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for the strength that He gives me. Talent only goes so far. But faith gets you a little farther. So that’s what it is. It just represents my faith and trust in him, and letting him know and the world know that any believer that walks with Christ, or any walk of life you have, no matter where you are, I’m showing respect to you for your hard work, too. Because it’s not easy living in this world.”

I asked him why he decided to make the gesture at the end of a game.

“I just thought it would be a good time. It shows no disrespect toward anybody. It’s all positive praise. It’s not for showboating. It’s not to start an epidemic. It’s just me getting a quick message out to the world and to Christ and that’s it. I just thought, `What more perfect time to display my faith than at the end of a game?’”

I knew that Wilson came to Christianity later in life. His father died of kidney cancer when he was 17, and for a long time, he was disillusioned.

“I had to go through my struggles in life. My alienation towards Christianity was very prominent through my adolescence. One day it hit me. I felt I needed to start correcting my life. This happened when I was 23 years old. I was in Augusta, Ga. (playing for the Giants’ low-A club), and I was just playing cards, going about my business, and every Sunday a group of guys would go with the team chaplain. I didn’t even know what `chaplain’ meant.

“Well, my father passed away when I was 17 and you know, I was praying he wouldn’t die. And he was taken away from me. I didn’t understand. It had nothing to do with your prayers not being answered. It was just his time to go. But me being 17 years old, not a very mature kid, I just took that as Him turning his back on me, so I turned my back on Him. When I put my cards down and went in the dugout to speak to the team chaplain, I soon learned that wasn’t the way it worked. No matter how many times I turn my back on God, He’ll always be in front of me. I could stray away from Him for 90 years but as long as I know Him for one day, He’ll honor me in heaven. So I thought that would be one heck of a life-altering change that I should make.”

I asked him about teammates dropping the X, including Omar Vizquel who does it every time. (Omar doesn’t know what it means. “I just like him because he’s crazy,” Vizquel said.)

“Yeah, we’ve got the first baseman doing it, too. Usually you cross your arms when you’re playing behind the runner, every once in awhile they’ll throw it up for me just to ease my mind. (Rich) Aurilia does it jokingly, but I take it as a reminder of why I’m out here. It’s, `Remember what kind of gift you have, and most of all, don’t let your team down.’”

Related articles

https://sharinhislove.wordpress.com/2011/08/21/faith-in-the-game-crossing-over-%E2%80%94-by-brian-wilson/

It’s just not right

“I lay down my life . . . No one takes it from Me.”

John 10:17-18, NKJV

Jesus knows the meaning of the phrase, “It’s just not right.”

For it wasn’t right that people spit into the eyes that had wept for them.

It wasn’t right that soldiers ripped chunks of flesh out of the back of their God.

It wasn’t right that spikes pierced the hands that formed the earth . . .

Was it right?

No . . .

Was it love?

Yes.

~ Max Lucado

“Others can; you cannot.”

 

By Jon Walker

“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25 NIV)

I’d been involved in a debate all day. There was something I wanted to do that I knew other Christians were involved with, but I felt a check from the Holy Spirit telling me I shouldn’t.

And as it happened, late in the day, I was working on a project with Rick Warren. He pulled some papers from his printer and handed them to me to read.

When I came to the last page, God ended the day-long debate. It was a page Rick must have printed for another project but then forgot to get from the printer. When he scooped up the pages intended for me, it ended up in my stack.

But I don’t believe in coincidence and so I think the page was intended for me as a message from God. There were four words on the paper: “Others can; you cannot.”

Sometimes the Spirit leads us to greater restriction than the law requires: “Where others can, we cannot.”

At other times, the Spirit may direct us to do more than the law requires, as foreshadowed by Jesus: “If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles” (Matthew 5:41 NLT).

If we’re led by the Spirit, we’re no longer under the law (Galatians 5:18). Yet this doesn’t mean we have a license to sin (Romans 6); instead, we’re compelled to live by love instead of by law. Jesus calls us to live by faith instead of by fear. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22–23 NIV, italics added).

Can you see, then, that it takes more faith to walk by the Spirit than to walk by the law? The law is meant to drive us to dependence on the Father as he guides us by the Spirit he’s placed within us.

This is not a downgrading of the law, which Jesus said he came to fulfill; rather, he gives us the objective to grow up in Christ, accepting the responsibility to stay intimate with the Law-giver who is teaching us the rhythms of grace.

Stay in Step With the Spirit Dance 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.

Daily Promises – August 20 – In time, God will heal our wounds

Job 5:17-18 KJV

17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth:
therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:
18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up:
he woundeth, and his hands make whole.


Promise #232: Do not despise My discipline, for in time I will heal your wounds.

You may be reading today’s promise and wonder why I would have ever chosen a Bible passage about discipline and wounding to be part of 365 Promises. We don’t hear too many sermons preached about the discipline of the Lord and if we do, they may be skewed from the perspective of the punishment from an angry God.

When many of us think of the word ‘discipline’, we think of our own life experiences with our parents, teachers, authority figures, etc. This does not usually bring up warm feelings of love and tenderness but feelings of guilt, shame and pain. In Hebrews 12:4-11, the writer encourages us not to despise the Lord’s discipline for God is treating us like His sons. God does not discipline us in anger but in absolute unconditional love.

Every son (or daughter) receives discipline. Receiving discipline is part of the evidence that we do indeed belong to God. The root word of discipline is disciple, which at its heart, is training. God is training us to become like Jesus and walk in His ways. In this Hebrews passage, the writer does acknowledge that no discipline is pleasant at the time, but it results in a harvest of righteousness.

In today’s promise, we have an assurance that though we may be enduring hardship now, there is a promise of healing for all our wounds to come. My prayer is that we would not see God’s discipline through the lens of how we were disciplined by authority figures in our lives. I pray that we would actually value the loving discipline from God and gladly submit to the Father of our spirits so that we can live a full life. (Hebrews 12:9)

~ Barry Adams
Photo by Steve Taylor

 

Daily Promises – August 19 – God will make us fruitful in our old age

Psalm 92:13-14 KJV

13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;


Promise #231: I will make you fruitful in your old age. 

I want to finish my life well. In Hebrews 12:1-2, we are called to throw off all the things that hinder us and the sin that so easily entangles us to run our race. I am not sure how many days I have left on this side of heaven, but I want each one of them to mean something from an eternal perspective. If possible, I want to increase in the anointing, I want to increase in effectiveness, I want to increase in fruitfulness as I get older.

Today’s promise says that fruitfulness will abound in old age for those who are sons and daughters to the Father. If you have every visited a seniors’ home, that is not always the case. Unfortunately for some people, as they get older, they experience more disappointment and disillusionment about the very meaning of life. Regret and bitterness can grow into a very bitter root.

But this is not so for those who are called by God to live a fruitful life! Let’s all claim this promise for ourselves and our loved ones today! Father, we thank you that our fruitfulness will bring glory to you, not only today, but for the rest of our lives. May fruit abound in me today! In Jesus’ name I pray.
Photo by Barry Adams

Daily Promises – August 18 – Don’t be unbelieving

 

 

 

Matthew 18:19 KJV

19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth
as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.


Promise #230: If two of you agree in prayer, I will do whatever you ask. 

In today’s promise, Jesus is speaking to his disciples and is encouraging them about their relationship with His Father in prayer. In the verse previous to this one, He tells them that whatever they bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever they loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. I wonder how the disciples reacted to Jesus’ statements? After all they were just fisherman and common folk, yet Jesus exhorted them that they had an audience with the Creator of the universe any time, night or day.

When I have reflected on this passage in the past, I have always wondered about the words ‘any thing‘. Did Jesus really mean that they could have any thing they asked for if there was agreement by two or more? It seems that He said what He meant because any thing means any thing! However, we know from other Bible verses that the things that Jesus are referring to are definitely linked to the things that are already in God’s heart.

However, this should be a huge encouragement to each one of us today! God invites us to link our hearts with other believers on earth and come before His throne room and make our requests known to God. Don’t be timid and don’t be unbelieving. Come with a heart full of faith believing that God hears your requests and has a desire to answer your prayers!

By Barry Adams

He loves you when no one else loves you

By Max Lucado

God’s love does not hinge on yours. The abundance of your love does not increase his.

The lack of your love does not diminish his. Your goodness does not enhance his love, nor does your weakness dilute it. What Moses said to Israel is what God says to us: “The LORD did not choose you and lavish his love on you because you were larger or greater than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! It was simply because the LORD loves you.” (Deuteronomy 7:7-8 NLT)

God loves you simply because he has chosen to do so.

He loves you when you don’t feel lovely.

He loves you when no one else loves you.

Others may abandon you,

divorce you,

and ignore you,

but God will love you.

Always.

No matter what.

This is his sentiment: “I’ll call nobodies and make them somebodies; I’ll call the
unloved and make them beloved.” (Romans 9:25 MSG).

This is his promise. “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With
unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” (Jeremiah 31:3 NLT).

Our love depends on the receiver of the love. Let a thousand people pass before us, and we will not feel the same about each.

Our love will be regulated by their appearance, by their personalities. Even when we find a few people we like, our feelings will fluctuate.

How they treat us will affect how we love them.

The receiver regulates our love.

Not so with the love of God. We have no thermostatic impact on his love for us.

The love of God is born from within him, not from what he finds in us. His love is uncaused and spontaneous. As Charles Wesley said, “He hath loved us. He hath loved us. Because he would love.” 1

1 J.I. Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove, Ill,: InterVarsity Press, 1973) 112.

Taking a long time to boil

“Love is patient.”  I Corinthians 13:4

The Greek word used here for patient . . . means

“taking a long time to boil.”

Think about a pot of boiling water . . .

Water boils quickly when the flame is high.

It boils slowly when the flame is low.

Patience “keeps the burner down.”

Patience isn’t naive.

It doesn’t ignore misbehavior.

It just keeps the flame low.

It waits. It listens . . .

This is how God treats us.

And, according to Jesus,

this is how we should treat others.

~ Max Lucado

Think you’re an exception?

Those who trust in God are no longer guilty

 

For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal.

Romans 3:23 NLT

Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

James 4:17 NLT

Details, please?

(1.) Remember what St. John says: “If our heart condemn us, God is stronger than our heart.” The feeling of being, or not being, forgiven and loved is not what matters. One must come down to brass tacks. If there is a particular sin on your conscience, repent and confess it. If there isn’t, tell the despondent devil not to be silly. You can’t help hearing his voice (the odious inner radio), but you must treat it merely like a buzzing in your ears or any other irrational nuisance. (2.) Remember the story in the Imitation, how the Christ on the crucifix suddenly spoke to the monk who was so anxious about his salvation and said, “If you knew that all was well, what would you, today, do or stop doing?” When you have found the answer, do it or stop doing it. You see, one must always get back to the practical and definite. What the devil loves is that vague cloud of unspecified guilt feeling or unspecified virtue by which he lures us into despair or presumption. “Details, please?” is the answer. (3.) The sense of dereliction cannot be a bad symptom, for Our Lord Himself experienced it in its depth — “Why has thou forsaken me?”

C. S. Lewis in Letters to an American Lady
Quoted in The Quotable Lewis edited by Wayne Martindale and Jerry Root (Tyndale House), p 278

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

Knitted together

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13, NIV

“Knitted together” is how the psalmist

described the process of God making man.

Not manufactured or mass-produced, but knitted.

Each thread of personality tenderly intertwined.

Each string of temperament deliberately selected . . .

The Creator, the master weaver, threading together the soul.

Each one different.

No two alike.

None identical.

~ Max Lucado

Daily Promises – August 16 – No one can stand against you

Romans 8:31 KJV

31 What shall we then say to these things?
If God be for us, who can be against us?


Promise #228: If I am for you, no one can stand against you.
This is one of my favorite promises of all time! If God is for us, who can be against us. I feel like there is nothing that I can add to this amazing promise. The God who created the universe, the omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent everlasting Father is on your side. He is for you! He has placed all of heaven’s resources on your side simply because you are joined to Jesus Christ and are part of His family.

In this orphan world system, many things will oppose us, but none of these things can possibly stand against our God and Father for nothing will ever separate you from His love.

Nothing!

Death can’t.

Life can’t.

Angels can’t.

Demons can’t.

The present.

The future.

Nothing in all creation will ever separate you from the love that God has for you in Jesus Christ! (Romans 8:35-39)

God is for you so no one can stand against you.

~ Barry Adams

Photo by Jeanne Costello

Brag about this

“The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is my only reason for bragging.”

Galatians 6:14

Do you feel a need for affirmation?

Does your self-esteem need attention?

You don’t need to drop names or show off.

You need only to pause at the base of the cross and be reminded of this:

The maker of the stars would rather die for you than live without you.

And that is a fact.

So if you need to brag,

brag about that.

~ Max Lucado

Footprints in the Sand

One night a man had a dream.

He dreamed he was  walking along the beach with the Lord.

Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.

For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand ;

one belonging to him and the other to the Lord. 

When the last scene of his life flashed before him,

he looked back at the footprints in the sand.

He noticed that many times along the path of his life

there was only one set of footprints.

He also noticed that it happened

at the very lowest and saddest times of his life.

This really bothered him and questioned the Lord about it. 

”Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,

you’d walk with me all the way.

However, I noticed that during the most troublesome times

of my life there was only one set of footprints.

I don’t understand why when I needed you most

you would leave me.”

The Lord replied, “my precious, precious child,

I love you and I would never leave you

during your times of trial and suffering,

when you see only one set of footprints

it was then that I carried you.”

“Footprints in the Sand”

~ Ella H. Scharring-Hausen on June 6, 1922


Unchanging

“Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.”  I Thessalonians 5:8, The Message

Don’t put your hope into things that change—relationships, money, talents, beauty, even health. Set your sights on the one thing that can never change: trust in your heavenly Father.

~ Max Lucado

Burned Biscuits


When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed!

Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don’t remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing… never made a face nor uttered a word about it!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I’ll never forget what he said: “Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then.”

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, “Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she’s real
tired. And besides – a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!”

As I’ve grown older, I’ve thought about that many times. Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I’m not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I’ve learned over the years is that learning to accept each other’s faults – and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences – is one of the most important keys to creating healthy, growing, and lasting relationships,  whether it is between a husband and wife or parent and child or friend-to-friend!

So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burned one will do just fine.

And PLEASE pass this along to someone who has enriched your life.

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

My prayer for each of us today is that we will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of our lives and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He’s the only One who will be able to give us a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn’t a deal-breaker!

“Don’t put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket – keep it in your own.”

~ Author Unknown

Daily Promises – August 15 – God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness

Isaiah 40:29 KJV

29 He giveth power to the faint;
and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.


Promise #227: I will give power to the exhausted and I strengthen the weak. 

We live in an upside down kingdom where the first will be last and the last will be first. The greatest will be the least and the least will be greatest. In 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, the Apostle Paul says that God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 

There is something in the heart of God that rushes to the defense of those who can’t defend themselves, to those who have no illusion of their own personal power. We see that at work in Paul’s own life when he was struggling with a ‘thorn in the flesh’ that just wouldn’t go away (2 Corinthians 12:6-8). This is when Jesus appeared to Paul and said that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. 

So if you are feeling powerless today, be comforted in knowing that God gives power to the weak and those who are feeling exhausted. You are in a good place for the strength of God to be revealed in you and through you. 

~ Barry Adams

 

Daily Promises – August 13 – Forgiveness and healing are among God’s many benefits

Psalm 103:2-3 KJV

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;


Promise #225: Forgiveness and healing are among My many benefits.

When a person is interviewing for a new job, one of the questions that they would typically ask is “Could you tell me about the benefit package for this job?” Different jobs have different benefits. Health care, dental plans, retirement plans, etc. In this promise, David is worshipping God and reminding himself not to forget all of the many benefits that come as part of the package when we are in relationship with God. In verse 3, David declares two of these benefits… Forgiveness and healing.

It is interesting that David needs to remind himself not to forget all God’s benefits. The Lord exhorted the Israelites to not forget all the miraculous things that He had done for them in the past. That is why they created monuments of His goodness and annual feasts… so they would remember and not forget.

In Luke 22:14-20, Jesus shares the passover supper with His disciples and encourages them to remember Him every time they partook of the bread and the wine. It was important to Jesus that His disciples didn’t forget the price that He was going to pay for their complete salvation.  For it is in the remembering of Jesus death, burial and resurrection, that we continue to partake of the fullness of His life. My encouragement to you today is to bless the Lord with all your soul and don’t forget all His many benefits!

~ Barry Adams

Daily Promises – August 14 – Rest in the Lord

 

Psalm 37:7-9 KJV

7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.


Promise #226: If you rest in Me and wait patiently, you will inherit the land.

This is a call to rest and wait. In the culture that we live in, these are two of the most difficult things that we can do. Hebrews 4 speaks of a Sabbath rest that God wants us to enter into where we will cease from our own works and enter into God’s rest. While this promise seems simple enough to accomplish, there is something in the human heart that struggles to truly rest. I am not talking about having a siesta or taking a vacation, but a rest in the very core of our hearts where we cease from all striving. 

When we come to the place of learning to rest in the very center of our being, we will cease from our own human initiatives and position ourselves to simply wait for the Lord to work on our behalf. This is not a place of passivity because we have to work at entering into this place of rest. We will only allow ourselves to enter into this place when we are convinced that we no longer have to strive to find acceptance in the loving embrace of our God and Father. 

In my opinion, to truly learn to rest and wait patiently for the Lord is one of the highest forms of trust that we can demonstrate. It is in this place that we realize that we don’t have to protect ourselves, provide for ourselves, initiate for ourselves, etc., because we have a God who is head over heels in love with us and He has promised to work on our behalf. All He asks is that we learn to rest in Him and wait patiently for Him.

Today’s promise says that when we do learn to rest and wait patiently for the Lord, we will inherit the land! Not because of anything that we do, but because of the goodness of our heavenly Dad. May the Holy Spirit show each one of us how we can more fully enter in that place of rest and trust so that we can wait on the Lord and see our inheritance released. 

~ Barry Adams

 

Verse of the Day – August 12 – We are God’s Handiwork

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10 NIV

Handiwork? What does that mean?

To me, it means that God,

through Christ Jesus,

took special care, time, thought,

to create me.

To fashion me out of the most precious materials

To mold me into a unique shape

To make sure He put me in just the right environment

so that I would grow according to His plan.

He sat, pondering, to give me a special kind of

heart to be receptive to the needs of others

To give me His kind of love, agape, so that

I would have an empathetic touch

and voice to minister to those I meet.

To give me the perfect mate so that I would know

that His love for me would have arms

to hold me,

joy to share with me,

patience to lift me up when I am down,

Unconditional human, yet Godly, love

that would shelter me

through all the storms of life.

To give me a vision for souls

in their lost state

and love to give everyone I meet,

and to help

lead them to His light.

Yes, He thought of all I would need

to go through life here on earth

and He gave me all the tools

to handle the journey

Some didn’t look like they were meant

for me,

but as I am drawn to minister to others

each day,

I realize that being, in the world’s eyes,

flawed,

would be my greatest gift

from my Creator

so that I could feel what they feel,

hurt as they hurt,

walk where they walk,

and know that through my reaching

out,

I have allowed God to use my arms

to wrap

His arms around His children.

a semblance of how

He would wrap His arms around them

if He were here in the flesh.

I am humbled to be

His Handiwork.

~ Sharon Rule

Make the Hole Your Goal


Posted: 12 Aug 2011 12:00 AM PDT

By Jon Walker

[U]ntil we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:13 NIV)

A hundred years ago, when I played golf, I thought I was doing well just to get the ball somewhere on the putting green.

The truth be told, my main goal was to reach the green without majorly embarrassing myself, so I was satisfied even when my ball made it somewhere near the fringes.

One day a local golf pro told me the key difference between an average golfer and one who is excellent is this: The truly great players shoot for the hole, not somewhere near the hole or somewhere on the green. They aim directly for the hole.

He told me, “You should make the hole your goal.” My intelligent, thoughtful response was, “Yeah, right! That’ll be the day.”

I didn’t think I’d ever be able to hit the hole, so I wouldn’t even try. The reason many of us are stuck, unable to move deeper into intimacy with God is because we don’t think it’s truly possible, at least for us. And so we don’t even try.

But it is possible to mature until we attain “the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13 NIV). We need to practice at it, and that’s called discipleship. But the good news is this: Jesus lives inside us and is working to bring our swing into alignment with his own. May it be so. Amen.

Daily Promises – August 12 – The Gift of the Holy Spirit

Luke 11:13 KJV

13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children:
how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?


Promise #224: I will gladly give the Holy Spirit to those who will ask.The Holy Spirit is the very Spirit of both God the Father and God the Son. In Matthew 10:20, Jesus tells His disciples that when they are dragged before the courts, it will not be them speaking, but the Spirit of their Father. In Galatians 4:6, the Apostle Paul says that God has given us the Spirit of His Son whereby we cry Abba Father!

The Holy Spirit is the very essence of God’s heart and in this promise, Jesus declares that His Father loves to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask! Since God’s Spirit is the very core of who He is, He is giving us everything that He has when He pours out His Spirit on us! In Ephesians 5:18, the Apostle Paul instructs us not to be drunk on wine, but be filled with the Spirit!

The context of this verse is that being filled with the Spirit is not a one time event but is ongoing. We are called to continually be filled to overflow with God’s Holy Spirit. So my encouragement to you today is to simply ask God for a fresh infilling of His precious Spirit! Jesus says that He is a good Father and He delights to give us His Spirit when we ask.

So Father, we ask for MORE of your Holy Spirit today! Would you fill us afresh, would you pour out more of your love into our hearts through your precious Holy Spirit today (Romans 5:5). We open our hearts to you and we expect to receive because we are your kids and you delight to give us good gifts. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

~ Barry Adams
Photo by Barry Adams

The Answer for Weariness

The teaching I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light. Matthew 11:30

Jesus says he is the solution for weariness of soul.

Go to him. Be honest with him. Admit you have soul secrets you’ve never dealt with. He already knows what they are. He’s just waiting for you to ask him to help . . .

Go ahead. You’ll be glad you did. Those near to you will be glad as well.

~ Max Lucado

Washed Away

The blood of Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses us from every sin.

I John 1:7

The cleansing is not a promise for the future but a reality in the present. Let a speck of dust fall on the soul of a saint, and it is washed away. Let a spot of filth land on the heart of God’s child, and it is wiped away . . .

Our Savior kneels down and gazes upon the darkest acts of our lives. But rather than recoil in horror, he reaches out in kindness and says, “I can clean that if you want.”

~ Max Lucado

True Wealth

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Matthew 5:6 NIV

We usually get what we hunger and thirst for. The problem is, the treasures of earth don’t satisfy. The promise is, the treasures of heaven do . . .

Blessed are those who, if everything they own were taken from them, would be, at most inconvenienced, because their true wealth is elsewhere.

Brokenness as a Good Thing


Posted: 11 Aug 2011 12:00 AM PDT

By Jon Walker

Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. (Psalm 51:8 NIV)

In the school of Christ, brokenness is a good thing.

Here’s why: It’s impossible to become intimate with God unless we are broken of our independence, broken of our pride, and broken of our insistence that our way is better than God’s.

We must be broken of the illusion that we bring anything to the peace talks when we seek to end our war with God; the only surrender God requires is unconditional.

  • Brokenness is the last stop before we finally confess, “I can’t; God can.”
  • Brokenness is the apostle Paul confessing, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24 NIV).
  • Brokenness is the prodigal fighting with the pigs over food (Luke 15:11–32).
  • Brokenness is Joseph, still in prison, forgotten by the cupbearer (Genesis 40:23).
  • Brokenness is Jonah in the belly of a whale, confessing the consequences of running from God: “I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you” (Jonah 1:12 NIV).
  • Brokenness is Peter weeping bitterly outside the trial of Jesus (Luke 22:62).
  • Brokenness is Jesus abandoning everything to God: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42 NIV).

God breaks us so he can use us. We can smash our pride against the solid rock of Jesus, confess our sins, and admit our need for him; or the stone can fall on us, meaning God in his ruthless, loving pursuit of us will break us of our pride, sin, folly, and independence (Matthew 21:44).

Like Jesus serving bread at the Last Supper, God takes us, breaks us, blesses us, and then uses us.

Oh, Lord, may you hear our joy and gladness; may the bones you have crushed rejoice (Psalm 51:8 NIV, author paraphrase).

Daily Promises – August 11 – God is our shield and our protector

Psalm 3:3 KJV

3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me;
my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.


Promise #223: I am your shield, your glory and the lifter of your head. The Hebrew word for shield in this promise is a substance so thick that it is likened unto the scaly hide of a crocodile. God is our shield and our protector. Nothing can get through His defences. Our God and Father is also our glory, which is a Hebrew word ‘kabowd’, which means a weighty honor that He places on us simply because we belong to Him.

I love the NLT Bible translation for this verse…  ‘3 But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.’  God protects us, He bestows His own glory on us, and He lifts up our head when we are discouraged. When I think of the last part of this promise, I picture a child standing face to face with his father, with his head held down in discouragement. The father not wanting his child to be discouraged, gently puts his finger on the little boy’s chin and raises his head until their eyes meet.When we get discouraged, our God and Father is the lifter of our head. As the NLT Bible says, He is ‘the one who holds my head high’. If you are disappointed today, may you feel the loving touch of your Father raising your head so that your eyes meet His loving glance.

~ Barry Adams

Daily Promises – August 10 – God is our security and safe place

Proverbs 14:26 KJV

26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence:
and his children shall have a place of refuge.


Promise #222: I will be your security and a safe place for your children.

The person who reveres the Lord has the confidence in knowing that God will be a place of safe for them and a place of refuge for their children. The NIV Bible says Proverbs 14:26 this way…  26 He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge.

God is our secure fortress. Nothing can penetrate His walls. We are safe and secure in the center of His heart. While this is good news for us, it is a promise for our children as well. In a world that seems to always be on shaky ground, this is a promise that we can rely on.

For those of us who have children, this is a promise that we can claim for them! Our own three children are adults now and are dealing with the pressures of this world just like everybody else. While sometimes I wish I could protect them like I used to when they were young, I am encouraged to think that God is still their safe place, no matter what struggles they go through. May each one of us claim this promise for ourselves and our loved ones today!
Photo by James Jordan

Daily Promises – August 6 – Do not be afraid of what others can do to you

Psalm 56:11 KJV
11 In God have I put my trust:
I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

Promise #221: Trust in Me and do not be afraid of what others can do to you.

Fear of man is a powerful debilitating force in our world today. It will keep us from taking risks and it will keep us from being the person God made us to be.

If we are afraid of what others think, or what they will do to us, we are kept in a prison of their control.
God wants us to be free and He does not want us to live in fear.

The only way to deal with fear is to embrace the love that God has for us and allow perfect love to drive all fear away. (1 John 4:19)

Trust is the key. Knowing that our God and Father has our best interests at heart all the time.

In this promise, the psalmist makes a declaration that he will put his trust in God and not be afraid of what man can do to him. May faith rise up in our hearts today and agree with Romans 8:31, where the Apostle Paul declares “If God is for us, who can be against us?”. 

May each one of us grow in the incredible freedom of the children of God that we were intended to walk in and not live the place of being afraid.
Photo by Jeff Epp

He follows

God, we thank you; we thank you because you are near.

Psalm 75:1

God is the God who follows.

I wonder . . . have you sensed him following you?

We often miss him . . . We don’t know our Helper when he is near.

But he comes.

Through the kindness of a stranger.

The majesty of a sunset . . .

Through a word well spoken or a touch well timed, have you sensed his presence?

– Max Lucado

Daily Promises – August 8 – Jesus will cleanse us from all sin

1 John 1:7 KJV
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Promise #220: If you walk in the light, the blood of My Son Jesus will cleanse you from all sin.

Jesus is called the Light of the World. In Him is no darkness, only brilliant, glorious light. The good news of the gospel is that when we receive the free gift of God, which is the life of His own Son, we are completely cleansed from all unrighteousness and forgiven from all our sin. We have become children of the light because we are now joined completely into the holy life of Jesus. Romans 8:1 says because of this exchange, there is therefore now no condemnation for us.

Our adversary the devil is called the accuser of the brethren. His aim is to continually bring accusations against us that would somehow cause us to feel ashamed and run and hide from God. When you hear these accusing voices, declare the finished work of the blood of Jesus over your life for it is the cleansing power of Jesus’ blood that keeps us walking in the light!

We have no need to hide in shame from God. Jesus Christ has secured our place in His Father’s heart and His blood has covered our past sins, our present sins and our future sins. You can rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ. When He cried it is finished! on the cross, He meant it. Does this mean that we can go on living  a sinful life? God forbid! However, we can rest assured that if we walk in the light as Jesus is in the light, His blood cleanses us from ALL sin.
Photo by Barry Adams

Enough

He is able . . . to run to the cry of . . . those who are being . . . tested.

Hebrews 2:18 AMP

Jesus was angry enough to purge the temple, hungry enough to eat raw grain, distraught enough to weep in public, fun loving enough to be called a drunkard, winsome enough to attract kids, . . . radical enough to get kicked out of town, responsible enough to care for his mother, tempted enough to know the smell of Satan, and fearful enough to sweat blood . . .

Whatever you are facing, he knows how you feel.

– Max Lucado

You’re always one choice away from changing your life

One Choice

Think about this for a moment…one choice, just one, can change your life forever.

Simply put, your life today is what your choices have made it, but with new choices, you can change directions this very moment. For me, that idea alone is highly motivational because it offers tremendous hope, regardless of circumstances, for a better tomorrow.

Your life-changing choice may be to switch careers, to leave an abusive relationship, to go back to school, to stop drinking, to adopt a child, to start a business, to manage your weight, to start a charity…to name a few.

If you have the courage to do so, you could make any one of those choices, or others, today. And you would change your life.

Sometimes it’s a different kind of choice. It can be to not quit, to not give up in the face of adversity. We’ve all been there.

Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen received 77 rejections for their idea Chicken Soup for the Soul. They had to make a decision each time…should they throw in the towel and say enough is enough, or should they keep trying to pursue their dreams? You know the rest of the story. The 78th publisher said “Yes” and they went on to sell over 100 million books.

Never forget…you’re always One Choice away from changing your life.

– Mac Anderson

Think Small and Travel Light

by GraceCreates with Jon Walker on Monday, August 8, 2011 at 12:00am

So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us. Hebrews 12:1b (TEV)

 

When Jesus tells us to break with our old existence, his command is not arbitrary or random. You could say it is meant to make us small enough to fit through the narrow gate that leads to the kingdom of heaven. Imagine trying to go down a narrow path and then through a narrow gate wearing a backpack overstuffed with heavy regrets from your past and superficial distractions from the present.

 

You’d end up exhausted and frustrated as your backpack and the things spilling out of it kept getting snagged on the narrow sides of the path. You’d begin to see many of the things you carried were a hindrance rather than a help and one-by-one you’d start tossing them aside.

 

How would you feel when you got to the end of the path and found out the only way you could fit through the gate was to leave behind everything you still had with you, even your backpack? So you reluctantly throw it off and head through the gate only to discover that everything you’d been carrying, everything you’d been so reluctant to leave behind, will be useless in your new life in the kingdom of heaven.

 

Inside the kingdom of heaven, you realize you’ve made your journey more difficult than it had to be simply because you kept trying to hold on to things that were impossible to keep. This is why Jim Elliot, who was killed while attempting to evangelize the Waodani people in Ecuador, wrote, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Think Small and Travel Light by Jon Walker 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.

Daily Promises – August 7 – We can BOLDLY approach God

Ephesians 3:12 KJV
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Promise #219: Through faith in Christ, you can boldly approach Me with confidence.

The NIV Bible says Ephesians 3:12 in this way… ‘In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.’ What a glorious promise! Through our new life in Jesus Christ, we have complete and unrestricted access to our heavenly Father. Though angels bow down in reverence to Almighty God, we can call Him our Abba. Though He holds the earth in the palm of His hand, He calls us His little ones.

Praise God for giving us an amazing salvation through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! In the great exchange that happened at the cross, Jesus exchanged His life for our life. We no longer live apart from Christ (Galatians 2:20), so being in Christ, we have full access to our Father just like Jesus does. As a matter of fact, in Colossians 3, Paul says that we actually are hid with Christ in God, seated in the heavens!

As a father, I would be disappointed if I felt that my children were afraid to come into my presence. They are my children after all! They are welcome any time, night or day! If we as dads are intended to be a shadow of the perfect Father (Matthew 5:48), how much more does He desire that we come boldly into His throne room with freedom and confidence?

May each one of us be encouraged today to come into our Papa’s presence with a new boldness. Not because of anything that we have done, but because our big brother, Jesus Christ, the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world, has made the way for us to approach God with a confident expectation that He will receive us and put us on His lap, day or night.

~ Barry Adams

Daily Promises – August 6 – God has numbered each hair on our head

By Barry Adams

Matthew 10:30 KJV
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

 Promise #218: I have even numbered each hair on your head.

The entire context of this promise can be found in Matthew 10:29-31
29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. NIV Bible

In Matthew 10, Jesus is commissioning His disciples to go out into the world to proclaim the good news of the kingdom. Heal the sick, cast out devils and freely give what you freely receive. In the midst of His charge to go, Jesus does talk about the reality that they will encounter opposition to this message. There will even be those who will want to kill them for what they represent. But all the while, Jesus is encouraging them not to be afraid.

He goes on to tell them that though sparrows are insignificant in the eyes of men, Father God always keeps a watchful eye on them. Jesus encourages His disciples that they are worth more than many sparrows, so if God watches over the birds, He will watch over them! The source of much of worry and anxiety is fear. Fear is rooted in a feeling that we are on our own and we have to try and manage life by ourselves.

Jesus encourages us to not fear, but be reminded that we are not on our own, that we have a heavenly Father who loves us and is in control of our lives. He even has taken the time to number each one of the hairs on our heads! What detail! What involvement in our lives! We have nothing to fear when the God of the universe is for us and so intimately involved in our lives.

Knowing the Father’s love for us will not necessarily shield us from heartache, pain and suffering because Jesus did tell us that in the world we will have trouble. However, in the midst of all our struggles, He does promise to cast out all fear from our hearts! May each one of us go deeper into our Father’s love today, knowing that our worth to Him is far more than many sparrows and that He has taken the time to number each one of the hairs on our head.

Verse of the Day – August 6 – He brings the wind out of His treasuries

15 He has made the earth by His power;
He has established the world by His wisdom,
And stretched out the heaven by His understanding.
16 When He utters His voice—
There is a multitude of waters in the heavens:

“ He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;
He makes lightnings for the rain;
He brings the wind out of His treasuries.”

Jeremiah 51:15-16

Note: I love this description of our God.