Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...

"Thus, and not otherwise, the world was made. Either something or nothing must depend on individual choices."  - C.S. Lewis

In the library of inspired books found in the Bible, the book of Ruth stands out. It contains not one, single instance of cruelty or wickedness. Nor is anyone the victim of vengeance and/or violence. We find the book filled with examples of virtue, courage, faith, diligence, love sorrow, and loyalty.

It tells the story of two widows (Ruth and Naomi), along with famine, prosperity, and separation in the strange land of Moab. Though Ruth was a Moabite, she was connected by heredity to Israel through Lot, the nephew of Abraham (Genesis 11:31).

Ruth conveys what just might be the most beautiful confession of human love in all of literature; and a beautiful commitment to God by a pagan woman. But, it's the happy ending where Ruth is welcomed into the heritage of Israel and the genealogy of Jesus that makes it one of the best loved books.

As you go page by page through the book of Ruth, the providence of God is clearly evident. What if Elimelech and Naomi had not traveled to Moab? What if the father and sons hadn't died? What if Naomi didn't return to Bethlehem? What if Ruth left Naomi as Orpah did? What if Ruth hadn't gleaned in the field of Boaz?

One can see the hand of God in every incident. If Ruth hadn't been submissive to God, she would have lived out her life in a land where the people did not serve Jehovah. When we put ourselves in God's hands, he will bring his plan to fruition in our lives. The lesson here is that no matter who you are, God has a plan for you!

Another lesson we can learn from Ruth is the power of human choice. There is a difference between Orpah's decision and Ruth's. In all fairness, Orpah was raised in a pagan home, therefore her past was against her leaving her home land. Orpah's teaching was also against her rejecting her nation's gods. On top of this, Naomi, her gracious mother-in-law urged her to return home.

She was very close to making a decision to stay with Naomi, but just couldn't do it. After all, her heart longed for Moab. In the end, she choose to leave Naomi and Ruth and go back to Moab; disappearing from history altogether.

On the other hand, Ruth decided to remain with Naomi, committing herself to Naomi's God. She never looked back from that point on. Her decision was final and unchangeable. What a huge tribute Ruth's decision was to Naomi. It had been her life and love for God that had delivered God to Ruth.

We all reach a point of decision in our lives. Deciding on the right one is never an easy task. The world can be very hesitant to set us free. However, the happy ending in Ruth demonstrates that we, too can find happiness in our lives by taking that leap of faith and committing ourselves to Christ with, both, conviction and devotion.

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6; James 1:5; Jeremiah 29:11; James 3:17; Isaiah 41:10

Prayer: Dear God, help me make the right choices in life, and whatever they may be, I pray that my decisions will reflect your grace, mercy, and glory always. Amen

Have a blessed weekend!

Bibi

Pray With Power

"Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees."   - Corrie ten Boom

A common dilemma among many Christians is the "ineffectual" prayer. These are prayers that can be described by adjectives, such as: weak, feeble, half-hearted, spiritless, and poorly executed, among many others. Prayers submitted to God in this fashion are lacking in power and meaning.

When you pray, it is critically important to throw you entire heart and soul into it. In other words, pray like you mean it! If not, your prayers won't have any more substance to them than your own shadow. Seriously, what's the point of praying if you are not going to give it your all?

Prayer is our one-on-one time with God. It's our chance to sit down and have an intimate chat with Him, so to speak. Supplications lacking in earnestness and desire are unavailing and futile; they lack any real impact; hence. they are "ineffectual." But, why is this the case?

There are numerous causes for anemic prayers. One of the most common is our unwillingness to tune out distractions as we pray. Our concentration is less than stellar. Our thoughts are all over the place, thinking about this and that, Does this sound familiar to you?

Talking to God in this way would be similar to having an audience with the Queen of England, and texting your friend, or checking your Facebook account during your visit with her. No doubt this would be considered an insult to the Queen, as it would be to God.

In addition to giving God your undivided attention, there are some other things you can do strengthen your prayers, and deepen your communication with Him. First, do you sincerely believe in God? This has do with faith. Jesus said in Matthew 21:22 that, "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

Prayer packs a little more punch if it's backed by a strong faith. Also, consider this when you pray, are you praying for good things? Needful things? Many see God as a candy dispenser, handing out favors on demand. Or, only keep Him in mind when it is suitable or convenient.

Our priority should be on His Kingdom, that is, "others" before ourselves, God is aware of our needs, and will take care of them as He sees fit. Our prayers should also come from a righteous heart. Confess your sins to God and clean up that conscience (Matthew 7:11; Philippians 4:19; James 5:16).

Having a grateful heart, meaning an attitude of appreciation, is also helpful when praying (Philippians 4:6). I can't leave without mentioning one more thing that is urgently important to prayer. Are you praying according to God's will?

Look, anyone can throw prayers out there. But, if you want God to grant them we must pray, or ask, according to His will. This is when we pray for things that, a) honor and glorify Him and, b) pray for what the Bible clearly shows us what God's will is.

How can we find out what God's will is? Ask Him for it! God promises to give us wisdom if we ask (James 1:5). 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 helpfully outlines some things that are God's will. If your prayers don't follow these meaningful guidelines, then don't expect to hear from God anytime soon.

Our Father in Heaven does listen to every prayer, and responds accordingly. His response may big, or quiet, and subtle. God might not respond right away, or perhaps not at all because He has decided it is best not to do so. No matter what, it is always His call and not ours.

God invites us all to pray. Nothing makes Him happier than to communicate with us. Don't fret if your prayers aren't up to par. Very few of us are born prayer warriors. The important thing to is that you do pray! There are no shortcuts. Good, strong prayers, will only develop through daily practice and persistence.

Scripture: Philippians 1:3-4; Matthew 21:22; Psalm 50:15; Jeremiah 29:12; Luke 18:1

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I always give thanks to God for you because of His grace that was given to you. Amen

May God bless you always!

Brandi

Video - Jennie Allen: I Am Not Enough

Jennie Allen, the author of "Nothing To Prove" explains how self-sufficiency led to exhaustion and reveals the truth that revitalized her strength. A message we can all use, for sure!   ~Eve

God's Graceful Love for Us

"Grace is but Glory begun, and Glory is but Grace perfected."  - Jonathan Edwards

As we read through the Word of God, there are a few words or phrases that repeatedly come up. One of these is Grace. To give you some idea of what I am talking about, Grace appears approximately 200 times in the King James Version Bible!

It's a very versatile word that we use in many different situations in our daily lives, as well. For example, "It was only by the grace of God that she was found in time." But it's when this word is used in connection to Our Lord that the real importance really shines.

Think of grace as God choosing to bless, rather than curse us as we deserve because of sin. It is His kindness and compassion to us undeserving sinners. Only through God's grace were we saved from sin by Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24). None of us can receive God's blessing in return for doing something, it wouldn't be grace (Romans 4:4).

Often times, we confuse grace and mercy. God exhibits both of them, but there is difference. Here's the breakdown. Mercy is God holding back on judgment, or punishment that I deserve. Grace, on the other hand, is God providing me with blessings, or good things that I don't deserve.

It is because of God's grace that we receive eternal life and the promise of heaven, even though there is no way that we are worthy of it. Thus, it's easy to see that in regards to our salvation, grace is right at the top of the list (Ephesians 2:8). There is no other way to enter into a relationship with God than by His grace towards us.

Dr. J. Vernon McGee had this to say about God's grace, "When I hear Christians say, “I don’t do this, and I don’t do that, and I am following a set of rules,” I immediately recognize that they know very little about the grace of God. They are trying to live the Christian life in their own strength. But Paul says, “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”

The grace of God is necessary for our salvation, and without it eternal life is out of our reach. But, it is also vital to our daily walk with Him. Our own weaknesses make it easy for us to stray off the path. We can't do it on our own (John 15:5). But, through His grace working inside of us, God can provide the strength that we need everyday.

Scripture: Titus 2:11; Hebrews 4:16; John 1:17; 2 Peter 3:18; 2 Timothy 2:1

Prayer: Dear Lord, I know that I have have sinned, and fall short of Your glory; but through Your grace I have been redeemed; and can live eternally with You. Amen

May God bless you!

Amber

Faith And Our Creator

"What can be more foolish than to think that all this rare fabric of heaven and earth could come by chance, when all the skill of art is not able to make an oyster!"  - Jeremy Taylor

Sitting here at my desk, I can see a new batch of apartment buildings being built directly across the street. From the window in my third floor office, I've watched the process taking shape before my eyes since day one. It's been a great diversion from working, too!

If you've never seen a building go up from start to completion, I have to say that it's an interesting undertaking. Someone had to first design, or plan the building, workout all of the details before the actual construction could even start.

God is also a great designer, planner, and builder. In fact, He is the best there is. No one can come close to his Creation. Hebrews 11:3 tells us that the universe was framed or formed by Him. How do we know that it happened this way? After all, there were no human eyewitnesses around who could verify this, right?

I suppose if we try to reason this out we could come up with all sorts of clever theories and suppositions about the way things came about. But, when we do we rely on what we know; we depend our own corrupted human reasoning. One important element is left out.

If you read Hebrews 11:3 again, you will see that the verse begins with "through faith." Simple reasoning doesn't let us detect the Creator. Unlike man-made objects, there are no signs or plaques attached to anything God created, Still, we can see evidence of His handiwork all around us.

This is where we must turn to Scripture for clarification and verification. Scripture discloses who created all; it reveals the Creator. And, "through faith," we know that the world, even the universe, was created by God. We can trust that this happened because God's Word tells us so (Psalm 33:6).

What can't be grasped by way of our human senses requires some kind of evidential confirmation. On the other hand, whatever we haven't actually seen ourselves, even though the evidence for it is very compelling, is perceived through faith alone.

Christian faith believes itself to have the word of God Himself to support it (Genesis 1:1; John 1:3; Psalm 33:9). Some might call this "blind" faith. Blind means being unable to see or unwilling or unable to perceive or understand. 

This is true if you apply this definition to "human" senses. However, we're not talking about anything that is merely human. Faith can't be held to human rules or principles. Nor is it bound by the feeble parameters of human thought processes.

Faith in God can't be created in a lab, or designed on a computer. Christian faith relies on only one source; a dependable, unalterable, and definite authority, the Word of God. Only God can truly create, only He can be called the Creator. And, that's something we can all believe in.

Scripture: Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11; Job 12:7-9; 2 Peter 3:5; Hebrews 1:10

Prayer: Dear Lord, it is not for us to understand everything. Our duty is to simply obey and trust in Your guidance and protection. Amen

Have a blessed Monday!

Hailey

God's Plans and Purposes for Us!

“Cheer up, Christian!  Things are not left to chance: no blind fate rules the world.  God hath purposes, and those purposes are fulfilled.  God hath plans, and those plans are wise, and never can be dislocated.”  - Charles Spurgeon 

What comes to mind when you think about God’s sovereignty?  For the most part, we tend to agree that God is fully in charge; supremely, powerfully, and authoritatively.

The doctrine of the sovereignty of God basically teaches that everything that occurs in heaven and earth purposely happens according to God’s plan. If you follow this, it's saying that whatever happens has already been ordained by Him. All of the details have been worked out beforehand from eternity (Matthew 25:34; Ephesians 1:4).

Naturally, this ties in with God being omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. Although, there is one sticking point of disagreement. This has to do with the amount of control God has over us; where or when it comes into play, and is it direct or indirect. You can see why some would differ on this.

Nonetheless, if we need a little clarification on this topic, we can always turn to the best resource there is: the Bible. For example, it tells us that God is all-powerful and all-knowing (Psalm 147:5); has always been (Exodus 3:14; Psalm 90:2); and is the source of all creation (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1).

Even these few examples of God's divine traits demonstrate that God truly is in control of the universe. There is nothing that surprises Him. And, anything that happens does so with his permission, and by his choice. God has the capacity to do anything, take action, and even alter the course of events, if He so desires.

With all of this infinite power at his disposal, many wonder why He would allow certain things to happen, and others to not. There is no easy answer to this, primarily because we do not know the mind of God (Isaiah 55:8-9). Many times God opts to act indirectly or permits certain things for reasons only He knows. In any case, His will is extended.

As we close this week, when we talk about God's sovereignty we acknowledge that He is in total control and unlimited in His supremacy. This retains its truth even if certain, specific matters aren't what He would have chosen.

God's right to permit us to have free choices, and His ability to accomplish His will, wherever and however He sees fit, are crucial for true sovereignty. In addition to this, His sovereign will and intentions are resolute, that is, they are unwavering (Psalm 35:11).

What this means for us is that we have a caring, kind, merciful, and gracious God who loves us deeply. And, though there are times when we question His will or decision, He does what He does, or not, according to His great design for us; which is known only to Him, and Him alone.

Scripture: Psalm 115:3;  Job 42:2; Proverbs 19:21; Lamentations 3:37; Isaiah 45:7

Prayer: O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.  - 2 Chronicles 20:6

May your weekend be blessed!

Bibi

God Is Ever So Vigilant...

"As long as I am content to know that He is infinitely greater than I, and that I cannot know Him unless He shows Himself to me, I will have Peace, and He will be near me and in me, and I will rest in Him."  - Thomas Merton

Maybe you're a busy single parent whose day is composed of juggling family, home, and career. Maybe you're a hard-working student, or a mature, older worker who must work more than one job in order to supplement your income.

It doesn't matter who you are or what you do, at the end of a hard day's work everyone looks forward to a restful break. Of course, I realize that not everyone works traditional working hours. But, the same applies to all. When we have completed our day's work, we must rest.

This is the case for all of us mortal beings. We all need rest; a time to recharge and refresh. But, God's hours of labor never end! Even while our own exhausted bodies cry out for relaxation, God is ever on the alert. He never lets His guard down for an instant.

Evil knows no such time for repose. In fact, all the better for those who wish to cause trouble while the rest of us take time to cease from engaging in any kind of activity. While our eyes are closed, unaware of what is going on around us, God never rests.

This should serve to remind us that even the most diligent Christian must rest at some point. And while in that peaceful state, the enemy grows in power, ready to pounce. Some might think that night quiets the troubled world; that safety might be better found under the cover of darkness.

But there is no safe time at any hour of the day or night. Evil requires no time-off. Nor does it need any down-time for its troublesome actions. Thankfully, we have One who never slumbers, who is always on watch as tiredness forces us to finally give in and lie down.

It's good to know that although we must all take rest at some point, while in our helpless and vulnerable state, we can place our full confidence in God to be ever vigilant and watchful against any maliciousness against us.

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3; I Peter 5:6-7; Psalm 121:3; Psalm 121:4; Psalm 127:1

Prayer: Holy Father, I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone make me live in safety. Amen

God bless you!

Genevieve

Video - Ann Voskamp: The Weightlessness of Grace

Ann Voskamp, the author of "The Broken Way" tells how the mask hiding fear and pain created an unbearable weight that could only be lifted by allowing brokenness. A good message for us all!  ~Eve

Faith in God Will See You Through Tomorrow

"God has wisely kept us in the dark concerning future events and reserved for himself the knowledge of them, that he may train us up in a dependence upon himself and a continued readiness for every event." - Matthew Henry

There are problems which are common to all of us, no matter where we live or who we are. It's sometimes surprising for us to find out that men and women who lived in biblical times not only wrestled with many of the same problems, but faced the same crises as we do today.

Since the beginning of time, one of the biggest frustrations people have faced is the inability to see past today. When God first created man, He chose to give him memory, the power to hold onto knowledge of the past.

But, God didn't give them the power to see beyond what He has told them about the future in the Holy Scriptures. God compensates for this lack of knowledge, however, by giving the gift of faith to those who will receive it. Faith is a moment-by-moment blending of our will and purpose into God's will and purpose.

As dim and unclear as tomorrow may seem to us, none of us has ever faced a future with more blind uncertainty than Abraham. Still, through his life he demonstrated that anything is possible with faith. This might even be the best example of faith and commitment the world has ever known.

God's call to Abraham was a special preparation for an unknown future. As far as we know, Abraham was pretty content with his life before this. God stepped into Abraham's life as he does into the lives of everyone who is born into the His kingdom.

There really isn't anything worthy or virtuous in people that causes them to seek out God. Instead, God mercifully seeks us out. When He first contacts us, God summons us away from worldly things, sin, and our old life. He and He alone must come first in our hearts (Matthew 10:37).

By his willingness to trust his tomorrows in God's hands, Abraham demonstrated his commitment to God's call. We aren't exactly certain how God appeared to Abraham, but it was in such glory and power that He ultimately surpassed the Babylonian gods Abraham had worshiped all of his life.

From that day on there was only one God, and his glory pervaded Abraham's life. He still wasn't able to see what his future held, but God was there, and that was good enough for him. Still, Abraham's commitment to God's call didn't guarantee a smooth path.

Abraham wasn't perfect by any means. He still made some mistakes in judgment, but these only served to strengthen his faith, and bring him closer to the point of total commitment. There was a final test for Abraham; one to prove that his faith had prepared him for whatever his future might bring.

This challenge had to do with the means by which God had chosen to put into effect the promise concerning the acquisition of the Promised Land. This was God's asking of Abraham to give his son Isaac as a burnt offering (Genesis 22:2). Not until now was Abraham's spiritual growth ready for this test.

Abraham obeyed God and was prepared to sacrifice his son on an altar he had built for this purpose. At the last possible moment, God stepped in. Thus proving that Abraham's faith was strong enough to realize that God controlled both the present and the future.

In closing, who doesn't wish they could peer in to the future? Unfortunately, we can't. But, God's compensation is more than sufficient; he made faith available to us all. He has told us through His Word how to live our lives so that faith can be developed in our lives.

Additionally, God has provided various tests and trials to help build our faith. As we conquer them our faith is made stronger, and worries about tomorrow seem less overwhelming. Through it all, we gain the courage to confidently walk with God one day at a time.

Scripture: Matthew 6:33-34; Proverbs 27:1; Revelation 21:4; 1 Corinthians 2:9; 1 Peter 5:6-7

Prayer: Dear God, only You know what tomorrow brings in my life; in my faith and trust I have placed my life in Your hands for You to perform Your loving work with it. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Kim

Christ Is Worth Our Consideration

"It is not necessary that we should be able to tell where or how we have been converted, but it is important that we should be able to tell that we are converted." - Dwight L. Moody

At some point in our lives we all come across that proverbial "fork in the road." This is an old metaphor which is used to describe a deciding, or life-changing moment where a big decision must be made. One must weigh their options carefully though, because no matter the choice your life will inevitably never be the same.

The decision to come to Christ is definitely one of these landmark moments. I remember when I made the decision to give my life to Jesus. There were no fireworks; marching parades; or loud claps of thunder with lightning flashing across the sky. It was just me in my room, alone with my Lord and Savior.

Obviously, everyone's experience is different. Some may prefer a quiet intimate setting, while others feel more comfortable surrounded by others seeking to do the same. In the end it's only the outcome that really matters. And that is, giving your life to Jesus Christ (John 3:3).

What is required on your part is this: you must receive (acknowledge and believe) Jesus as your Lord and Savior, repent of your sins, accept that He he sacrificed Himself for your sins, and trust in Him and Him alone as your Savior.

When you choose to accept Christ's offer, it means that you have chosen to follow Him; that you desire to become a Christian. You have made the decision to accept His offer of salvation.

Some may be skeptical about this whole thing. But, unlike other offers that come with membership fees and other hidden costs, it isn't the case here. The big difference is that this offer comes from God, and anyone can receive it. Anyone!

Others mistakenly believe that being a Christian is all about procedures, attending church, and doing this and not that. It's really about having a personal, private, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

Of course, this is a decision only you can make. But of all the decisions you have made in your life, how many have left you in a far better state than you were before? Better yet, how many have resulted in eternal life and salvation? (Romans 10:9)

Scripture: John 14:6; Acts 4:12; John 3:16; Titus 3:5; John 1:12

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for making it possible for a humble, human being like myself, to be able to partake in Your eternal, saving grace and mercy, Amen

Have a blessed Monday!

Hailey

The Divinity of the Bread and Wine

"When you look at the Sacred Host you understand how much Jesus loves you now. "  - Mother Teresa

Among all of the benefits that we as believers enjoy, none compare to our privilege of obeying the Lord and observing the Lord's Supper. Naturally, because of the importance of these commands many have a lot to say in regards to this. Let's examine some of their views.

There are four outstanding historic opinions that immediately come to mind. First, the Roman Catholic view, otherwise known as transubstantiation. This is derived from a combination of two words, trans (over) and substantia (substance).

The two words together mean "to change into another substance." As applied to the doctrine of the Lord's Supper, this means that the elements bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Next, is the Lutheran view which is more familiarly known as consubstantiation. Consubstantiation means "the actual substantial presence and combination of the body of Christ with the Eucharistic bread and wine." This doctrine rests on the thought that Christ's body and blood are actually present through some miraculous, or mysterious way in the sharing of the bread and wine.

Following this is the "grace with" view.  Here, meaning that when one takes the bread and wine, he or she receives grace through the taking that is not available otherwise. And finally, there is the symbolic view which is supported by many Evangelicals.

In this concept, it is held that the elements (bread and wine) are symbols of the broken body and shed blood of Christ. A closer look at the symbolic view, specifically the root word "symbol," brings to light some important information about it.

Pertaining to the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, it means the elements are placed in such a way that one may know. Thus, by taking the word "symbol" into careful consideration, the use of synonyms such as attribute or type may actually clarify its meaning.

They indicate something visible representing something invisible, or intangible. The elements (bread and wine) are outward signs of something spiritual. For example, a cross is a "symbol" of the death of Jesus, which effected or produced salvation; explaining why some see the cross as a symbol of their salvation.

In the end, it doesn't matter what one's doctrine of the Lord's Supper may be, it is a wonderful means of worship. Every time a child of God worships in this way, the death of Jesus should take on greater meaning. Thereby, helping us to grow in appreciation and love for what He did on our behalf.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:26;  Luke 22:19; Acts 2:42; Matthew 26:29; John 6:47-50

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for giving Your life freely for our salvation. Amen

May your weekend be blessed!

Bibi

The Sacrifice to End All Sacrifices

"No sacrifice should be too great for Him who gave Himself for us."  - Harry Ironside

We've all had to sacrifice something at one time or another in our lives. When we think of "sacrifice," the thought of giving up something we enjoy for a good reason comes to mind. For example, the sacrifice of certain foods, drinks, and habits in order to reach a desired weight-loss goal.

Other common types of sacrifices might include sacrificing a portion of your daily time to read the Bible, spend more time with the family, or work towards that finishing that college degree. No matter the reason, a sacrifice is a something that shouldn't be taken lightly.

Although there are some sacrifices that are bigger than others, none is greater than the Great Sacrifice that was made by Jesus Christ. He sacrificed his own life on our behalf. Christ didn't suddenly come up with this idea. He was sent to earth with this specific purpose by God (John 3:16).

Because of our sin, the only way to make atonement (reparation) for ourselves to God was by the offering and sacrifice of specific animals, and the shedding of their blood. This is pointed out time and time again throughout the Old Testament. But, these blood sacrifices served as only partial atonement for sin. Furthermore, they needed to be repeated.

The symbolic shedding of blood as an atonement for our sin foreshadowed the coming of Jesus Christ as the ultimate, "once-for-all-time," sacrifice. It is important to mention that without the blood, there is no forgiveness. In order for atonement to be possible there had to be shedding of blood and loss of life (Leviticus 17:11).

Whereas, atonement was represented by the blood of sacrificial bulls and goats in the Old Testament, Jesus Christ became the substitutionary sacrifice for our sins in the New Testament, We were set free from the consequences of sin by His sacrifice on the Cross in our place.

This doesn't mean that sin has ceased to exist, it means that it no longer has a death grip on us. Those that believe Jesus Christ is Our Lord and Savior, died for our sins, rose from the dead, and now sits at the right hand of God in Heaven as our Mediator, have been cleansed from sin.

Jesus Christ sacrificed himself for the sins of all humanity. We certainly didn't deserve it. He shed his blood because of his infinite love for us. Through His blood we were given freedom and life (1 John 2:2). His was the sacrifice to end all sacrifices.

Scripture: Hebrews 13:16; Romans 5:8; Romans 12:1; Psalm 40:6; Ephesians 5:2

Prayer: Dear Jesus, by the shedding of Your blood You have given me life eternal; I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Kim

Video - Esther Fleece: 77 Complaints

Christian author, speaker, and CEO of L&L Consulting, Inc., Esther Fleece, discusses how through the help of counseling she began to see the true nature of God. She shares how learning to lament led her to healing. Worth a listen!  ~Eve

A Christian's Character

"People seem not to see that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Merriam-Webster defines character as: "one of the attributes (character) or features that make up and distinguish an individual." We all like to think that we are fine when it comes to our character. In fact, it's probably more than just fine; it's more like awesome! Right?..

But before our heads get too inflated, let me bring us back down to earth for a moment. Our character is not unlike a mirror that reflects who we really are to the outside world. It's impossible to cover this mirror up because everything we do or say is reflected in it.

Many think they can manipulate what the mirror shows. But here's the deal. As adept as one may think they are at deceiving or confusing others, there's no fooling God. He knows everything about us. God can see the true source of our character; our hearts (Luke 16:15; Jeremiah 17:10).

As Christians, we need pay attention to our character; especially as it pertains to our moral values. Individuals lacking in character are thought of as being morally deficient. They tend to display dishonest, unethical, and self-centered behaviors. These are totally opposite of what God desires (Ephesians 5:1).

It's important to note, however, that one or two bad incidents don't define a person's character. King David had good character (1 Samuel 13:14) even though he slipped up now and then. So you can breathe a sigh of relief.

Our character is the sum of other things, including our thoughts, intentions, wants, temperament, and conduct. In other words, the whole package. Some of noble character in the Bible were Ruth (Ruth 3:11), Hanani (Nehemiah 7:2), and Job (Job 2:3). The common thread among them was a persistent moral virtue.

No surprise that our character is both, influenced, and developed by our choices, and vice-versa. Thankfully, God has taken it upon Himself to develop character within us. The Godly character we receive can only come by way of the Holy Spirit's work, that is sanctification. A believer's character is a constant expression of Jesus Christ in his/her life.

There are some things we can do to help develop our character. For instance, we can show restraint in what we think and say (Philippians 4:8); protect our hearts (Proverbs 4:23); watch the company that we keep (1 Corinthians 15:33); and exercise good Christian virtues (2 Peter 1:5-6).Sometimes God Himself strengthens our character through trials (Proverbs 17:3; Romans 5:3-4; 1 Chronicles 29:17).

No matter what, God is ultimately pleased when we, His children, develop and mature in character. Christian pastor and author, A.W. Tozer, explained character as "the excellence of moral beings." We should always strive for this standard and set a good example for others to emulate.

Scripture: Galatians 2:20; Hebrews 4:12; Proverbs 10:9; Romans 12:2; Romans 5:4

Prayer: Dear Jesus, help me with my love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; that I may live my life by the virtues that You have instilled in me. Amen

May God bless you!

Brandi

God's Word is Not "Fake" News!

"The Bible is God’s Word, and behind its writers the Spirit of God was at work, guiding them and helping them communicate exactly what God wanted them to say."  - Billy Graham

A popular term being batted around lately is "fake news." This particular expression is, according to Wikipedia, "a type of hoax or deliberate spread of misinformation, be it via the traditional news media or via social media, with the intent to mislead in order to gain financially or politically."

Now, whether the news is truly fake or not is left up to the reader to perform their due diligence, i.e., deliberately searching a little deeper to separate the facts from untruths. Hopefully, in the end, she will be able to arrive at her own intelligent and unbiased opinion.

This is nothing new regarding the Bible. Many have called it is "fake news" or worse. Those who question the validity of scripture may arrive at their flawed conclusions from any number of ways. The bottom line is that the Bible is God's Word (1 Corinthians 2:12-13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). God doesn't lie, and His Word is dependable (John 17:17).

God didn't put pen to paper and physically write His words down as you or I would. He achieved His purpose through "human writers." That is, God provided only the inspiration. The end result was that the authors were still able to use their own unique, grammatical styles, saying just what God wanted them to say (2 Peter 1:21).

By saying God's Word is "fake" we are exhibiting disdain, disrespect, and contempt for Him. I wholeheartedly believe that those who are guilty of this have not seriously read the Bible, studied it, and asked the proper questions; or just find it easier to follow someone else's erroneous reasoning rather than seek the truth on their own (Matthew 22:29; Psalm 19:7-11).

U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt once said, "“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty…” Some fail to realize that diligent examination of Scriptures and learning about God is a lifetime commitment; meaning that it will involve some work, effort, pain, and sacrifice on our part.

Sadly, many cannot, or will not devote themselves to this. It's not enough to merely "say" that one accepts Christ. We must also believe in him, repent our sins, live holy lives, and love each other. This is what he truly wants for us; this is our sanctification.

Fake news is only fake, or untrue if it is unsubstantiated. Our job is to discern what is true or not. There is nothing fraudulent (fake) about the Good News of God. He always keeps His promises (Deuteronomy 7:9). Check it out!

Scripture: John 17:17; John 6:63; John 16:13; Isaiah 55:11; Mark 13:31

Prayer: Dear Jesus, let my high praises rise up to You; please keep me and guide me in everything I do. Amen

Have a blessed Monday!

Hailey

God's Humble Servants

"Activate yourself to duty by remembering your position, who you are, and what you have obliged yourself to be." - Thomas a Kempis

Many are under the misconception that if they do something, say, a "good" act towards another person, that Christ owes them in some way. In other words, for each "good" deed I do, Jesus Christ owes me something "good" in return.

I couldn't say where this line of thought originated, but it isn't true at all. In fact, this view of our relationship with Christ can cause some to get the wrong idea. First, and foremost, anything that you or I do in the service of Christ must be done humbly, and without expectation of a payout.

The notion of being able to gain some measure of favor from Him by our deeds is, both, flawed and misguided. You see, we are God's servants, not the other way around. And as such, it is our duty to do all that we can to honor Him.

There are a lot of good Christians who fall prey to the belief (perhaps through bad teaching), that God is our little reward machine who sits and waits for us to call in our debts as we need them. I can tell you right now that this will never happen.

Look at it this way. God doesn't gain anything by what we do for Him. Frankly, He really doesn't need anything from us at all. Therefore, he doesn't owe us anything in return. Our Father in Heaven is perfectly fine without us; on the other hand, we are in serious trouble without Him.

Unbelievably, some doubting believers hold back giving Jesus Christ the glory of his love because they say they haven't received any benefits from it. Needless to say, this is totally unsatisfactory. We as Christians should always let Christ have the glory in everything.

There aren't any good works that we could possibly do to merit, or be deserving of anything from Him. And even though we might do more than others for Christ, it is simply our duty to do so. The best servants of Christ, even when they provide the best service, must humbly take this to heart.

We are God's servants. And it is up to us to serve Him to the best of our capabilities. Whether or not, God decides to reward us, in His mercy and grace,  It is His decision, and His alone.

Scripture: 1 Samuel 12:24; Romans 12:1;  Deuteronomy 13:4; Colossians 3:17; 1 Timothy 1:12

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to stay strong and faithful in Your name; and may I always serve You humbly in love and with thankfulness. Amen

May God bless you always,

Bibi

The Richness of God's Grace

"Grace is the free, undeserved goodness and favor of God to mankind." - Matthew Henry

Have you ever stopped to think about all the resources we depend on to sustain our quality of life? While it may be true that some resources will outlast others, at some point they all will cease to exist either by natural causes or by our own hand. Every thing we know has an expiration date.

But what if I told you that there is one, and only one thing that is exempt from any limitations or restrictions? That it is available in rich, eternal supply? That its dimensions are boundless, and infinite? And, that anyone can avail themselves of it without worry or fear?

I am speaking about God's rich grace!  We very often hugely, underestimate the richness of His grace. In fact, there's really no way of knowing. The Bible tells us that the riches of Christ's grace are unfathomable (Ephesians 3:8).

But, in addition to being unsearchable, the richness of God's grace is plentiful. One need only see what He did for us. God poured out His grace in profuse amounts so that our sins might be washed away, along with our guilt and shame.

I keep mentioning the "richness" of God's grace, but the word doesn't even begin to properly describe it. We might relate richness to money, or other material objects of value, But His grace exceeds any type of richness that we know in the temporal sense.

God's storehouse of grace is so jam-packed with it, that He can literally pour it out on us forever and never run out! There is so much of it that it will take eternity for God to fully show how much grace He has for us.

No matter how much grace we have discovered in Him, we've only scratched the surface of it. And, all who are in Jesus Christ are subject to the richness of His grace without end.

Scripture: Hebrews 4:16; Titus 2:11; Lamentations 3:22; Romans 6:1; 1 Corinthians 15:10

Prayer: Holy Father, awaken my heart so that I may always know the vast richness of Your grace. Amen

May God bless you!

Amber

Video - Sheila Walsh: Seeing As Jesus Sees

Christian author and inspirational speaker Sheila Walsh demonstrates the impact Christians could have on the world by seeing others in the way that Christ does. A great message, as always, from this awesomely, blessed lady!   ~Eve

Charity Has Eternal Rewards

"Are you living for the Lord or for yourself?"  - Watchman Nee

When we think of the word charity, it may bring to mind donating money, clothes, old books, or doing volunteer work. And, while all of these are certainly good, public-spirited works; charity has a far deeper and long-lasting impact on the life of a believer

To be fair, more of us are charitable than not. But, as I mentioned, it is so much more than actions such as writing a check, or contributing canned goods to the food drive. Today, let's look at just how this applies to our relationship with Jesus Christ,

In Acts 9:36-43 we are presented a female disciple known by two names Tabitha, her Aramaic name, and the more familiar Dorcas, her Greek name. Dorcas lived in Joppa, a seaport on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. She was a disciple who had accepted the faith of Christ, a was baptized.

Dorcas was a humble, teachable, kind-hearted and compassionate woman who was especially known to the poor for her good works and acts of love (Acts 9:36). She demonstrated her faith time and time again by her good works. Dorcas not only talked the talk of charity, but walked the walk (Proverbs 19:17; Galatians 2:10)

It's a pretty good bet that she had been left a widow in a very harsh and demanding world. Even so, she never displayed any bitterness about her situation. Nor did she question God's wisdom or His goodness. Needless to say, she was much loved by all in her community (Proverbs 11:25).

If you read the rest of this story, Dorcas became ill and then died. She was greatly missed and mourned by those around her. Eventually, she was resurrected by Peter who had been summoned from a nearby town by other believers that knew her (Acts 9:38-42).

But, the spotlight here is not so much on her resurrection, which was a miraculous act of God. Instead, we should use Dorcas' life as and example how to live a life of good works and charity. Many express their desire to do so, but find excuses not to and, thus, never follow through.

We perform many acts in this life to satisfy our own needs. Often, they are self-indulgent and temporary. Am I saying that we shouldn't enjoy this life which God has blessed us with? Of course not. But, real acts of charity, done in the name of Jesus, will endure long after you and I are gone (1 Corinthians 13:8).

Scripture: Acts 20:35; Hebrews 13:16; 1 John 3:17; Proverbs 21:13; John 13:34-35

Prayer: Dear Jesus, may I serve others rather than being served as You taught us. Only acts of true love and kindness, done in Your name, will last eternally. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Kasey

Faith Makes Christ Ours

"Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading." - Oswald Chambers

Belief and trust is not as easy to come by as it used to be. In the mixed up world of today, it's becoming more difficult to believe in things. As time goes on, we can see this lack of trust or skepticism being played out in varying degrees towards Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior,

Might it be possible that a good portion of the problem with belief and faith in Christ has to do with our making things a lot more technical and/or complicated than is necessary?

Perhaps we need to get back to the basics and make faith in Jesus Christ easier to understand. Jesus used terminology in his teaching so that the "everyday person" could relate to his message. Look, God never intended for His Word to be complex or perplexing.

When Christ walked on earth, teaching and delivering his message, the majority of his audience were common, ordinary folks like you and I. It was mostly the religious intellectuals of the day who fought him over his uncomplicated translation of it. Using language that anyone can understand just makes good sense, doesn't it?

This isn't a bad approach to take when it comes to our faith in Jesus Christ. It's not rocket science, nor is it something reserved only for stuffy academics. It's against our natural, human instincts to place trust in something, or someone, unconditionally without some proof or evidence to back it up.

A basic interpretation of faith is: the general persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true. Faith is based on trust. So, how should we approach faith in Christ? One helpful clue is found in Matthew 18:3. Our Lord desires from us to trust and believe in him as an innocent child; without doubt or hesitation.

And since we come to faith in Christ through the result of good teaching, it must be taught in a way that all can understand. Learning about His loving relationship with us, will open your heart to trust and faith. Deeper study can follow once the basics are comprehended; but is not required.

The message of forgiveness for sin by the redeeming work of Christ is offered to any who will trust in His divine Son. Simply put, all who believe, trust, and have faith in Christ will surely be saved. Now that sounds simple enough. doesn't it?

Scripture: Romans 15:13; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 11:1; John 20:31: Mark 9:24

Prayer: Dear Lord, I firmly believe that there is salvation in no one else in but You; and that everyone who lives and accepts You will never die. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

Have a blessed Monday!

Hailey