A CRUTCH... Sunday

Devotional for 9/1/13

My religion is a crutch.  Yes, you read that right.  I lean on God to help me through life, just like people lean on a crutch when they need help to walk.  Without that crutch they may still be able to move forward, but it might be more difficult, more painful, more unstable and unsafe, and more uneven in a limping fashion.  The same goes for life without God.  When difficulties are met in life without faith, they can produce much more pain and suffering.   Without God to help us through, our lives can become very unstable.  Our safety may be at risk, if not in this life, then certainly the next.  Without God we would limp through life, trying to rely only on ourselves and our own resources. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

So yes, Jesus is my crutch!  He supports me and holds me up in times of trial, and he helps me walk a straight path through life.  

written by Jan Andersen

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Here is a song to listen to for  Sunday

     http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=You+tube+song+about+leaning+on++God&FORM=VIRE3#view=detail&mid=57C84BEC752BD695731357C84BEC752BD6957313

"Friends With Christ"

8/31/13

Everyone on this earth needs a friend. We all need someone we can talk to and share our hearts with. Relationships are important to people and a vital part of growth and living as a human being. Here on earth I would have to say that my husband is my best friend. We do lots of activities together. Some of the things we love doing are concerts, bike riding, dinner, walking and movies. Those are just a few of the things we spend time doing. During the day, certain things will come to my mind about a situation, and I know it is something I would really like to share with my husband. I look forward to sitting down with him and sharing my day and the things that are on my mind. I can honestly say that my husband is my best friend.

Jesus tells us in John how he has called us His friends. I don't know about you, but when I read in God's word about Him wanting to be my friend, it totally gets my attention. I not only love having my husband as my best friend and other friends as well, but now Jesus is telling me that He wants to be my friend. That rocks my world!

Scripture says in John 15:15,

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant

 does not know 
His master's business.

Instead, I have 
called you friends,
 for everything
 that I learned from my Father

I have made known to you."

But there is a "catch 22" to that scripture. As we read the passage right before it in verse 14 it says, 

"You are my friends

if you do what I command."

Jesus so desires to be our "best friend." He longs for us to spend time with Him. He wants us to have an extreme relationship with Him. But He is asking us to be obedient onto Him. In order to have that close friendship, we must follow His commands. Friend means "close trusted friend." Jesus wants us to draw close to Him in prayer, worship and meditating on His word and walking in His word. He wants to be able to trust us with what He has asked of us. If we have a true relationship with Him, we will want to follow His leading.

True, solid, friendships are not passive but continuously active in strengthening the relationship.

I choose to pursue an intense friendship with Christ, and in order to make that happen I am running hard after Him to follow His commands. It is then, I can say that Jesus is my "best friend."

Rich Blessings,
Sandy Billingham

Here is a song for today...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcxKRsn-hGc

SMALL THINGS...Friday

8/30/13

"Who despises the day of small things?" 

 Zechariah 4:10a

     

         Most people in this world do not feel successful.  The vast majority of us are not rich, or famous, or powerful.  I never heard of you and you never heard of me.

    God does not want us to compare ourselves to anyone else.  He is concerned with you and me -- each of us as unique individuals.  He is concerned that each of us reaches our full potential in Him.  He has given each of us special gifts totally unique to ourselves.  God can only accomplish what He would like you to do if you will do it.  No one else is you, or ever will be you, or can do exactly what you can do.

     God does not want us to despise all of the "small things" which we can accomplish for Him and His kingdom and to help our neighbors.  God measures faithfulness in doing what we can and being who we are created to be in Him.

Written by

Carol Steficek

Here is a song to listen to this morning. 

It is called "The God of the Little Things."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEukx8qUEt0

“Pressed In On All Asides”...Thursday

 8/29/13

There was a time in my life where I felt pressed in on all sides, financial issues, family problems, work, you name it.  The world felt like it is crashing in on all sides? I was also living in the what if’s.  I was looking at all stuff and not at our God’s blessings in mine and my husband’s life.  Tired warn down ready to give in and quit.  On July 29^th 2010 I picked up the Word (Bible) held it in the air and said this book is either the truth or a lie, it either means what it says or it does not. That night I made it known that what the Word of God had to say was the truth and we were going to stand on all of it, We would not stand on just a portion of it, but its entirety.  The peace of God enveloping me like a blanket, it was glorious.  At that time I started seeking what it meant to be seated with Christ in heaven, right now today.

 Hebrews 10:12,14 says, 

But this Man, 

after He had offered  ONE SACRIFICE for sins FOREVER,
SAT DOWN at the right hand of God…
For by an offering has PERFECTED FOREVER
those who are being sanctified.   

Are we not those being sanctified?  This is great and glorious news that we are those who are being sanctified.   His finished work on the cross was offered as one sacrifice FOREVER, and when I received Jesus Christ into my life, I was PERFECTED FOREVER!   No matter how things look, no matter what mistakes I have made, NO MATTER WHAT!!!!   

So how long is forever?  INDEFENTLY!  I have been perfected forever by Jesus’ cleansing blood.  When Jesus my precious Savior offered His life as a sacrifice and payment for all my sins,  He sat down at the Fathers’ right hand. Under the old covenant every priest stood ministering daily and offered repeatedly the same sacrifices, over and over and over again, which could never take away sins?  But the Bible tells us that Jesus, “after He had offered ONE sacrifice for sins forever, SAT DOWN.  Glory to God.   Jesus sat down to demonstrate to us that the work is indeed finished. In the old covenant it could never be finished, but with Christ it is finished.   Not only did He sit down at the Father’s right hand, He made us (ME) SIT WITH HIM!

Ephesians 2:4-6  

But God, who is rich in mercy, 

because of His great love with which He loved us, 

even when we were dead in trespasses, 

made us alive together with Christ… 

and made us SIT TOGHETHER 

IN the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.    

So what does that mean to me?  Let me tell ya, “sitting down” in the Bible is a picture of the believer resting in the finished and completed work of Jesus.  He has finished all the work on the cross on our behalf and is now seated at the right hand of God.  As it has all been accomplished on our behalf, this means that I can stop depending on myself efforts to earn and qualify for God’s blessings in our lives. I can sit down with Jesus at the Father’s right hand! YAHOO!  I had to see that I must stop depending on myself efforts to earn and qualify for God’s blessings in mine and my husband’s life.  I was wondering what is it that I have to do,   I was looking to mine and my husband’s efforts.  Thinking and beating myself up with what were we doing wrong.  Our Jesus has done it all for us at the cross.  All I need to do is receive what He has already done for me. I had to stop trusting in our ways our qualifications to bring the blessings of God to us.  All I have to do is ask and believe and I shall receive.  It does not matter what I have done or not done, it has all been done already by our precious Jesus.  Our God loves us and it is never too late to receive what He has for our lives.  We already have them. They were given to us over 2000 years ago.  I am not saying I do nothing what I am saying is God’s grace does not make us lazy and unproductive.  On the contrary, it makes us labor more abundantly for His glory.  God’s way is to bless us first, and the knowledge of His blessing gives us the power to labor more abundantly.  In other words, we do not labor to be blessed, but rather we have the power to labor because we are already blessed.  I was defeated because I was struggling to qualify myself for God’s blessings by my own works.  Self-effort was robbing me of reigning in life by His grace.  I cannot earn my salvation, or healing, or our financial breakthrough by my own efforts. I started thinking about this the greatest miracle – being saved from hell- comes by grace through faith, and not by works, how much more the lesser miracles, such as healing, prosperity and restoration. Jesus has accomplished everything on the cross for my husband and for me.  Our part is to trust in HIS PERFECT WORK, receive with open arms the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness, and begin to reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. That night it became my prayer that I would stop trying to earn God’s grace and righteousness.   It is not by my works! I have to let the Holy Spirit teach me to start depending on Jesus’ finished work and to start receiving by His grace.  This is God’s effortless way to success, wholeness, and victorious living!.. It is freedom. This God of ours has done it all for us.  I never have to do anything again, oh but how my heart wants to become more like Him because of the gift of Grace that He has given to us.  I have become Grace conscience and not sin conscience, not works conscience.  What freedom this has brought to me..  Our God is so awesome.   This past few years have been a complete faith walk for us.  He our God has brought provision for school, rent, food, gas, socks, you name it.  All we have to do is ask and believe and we received.

Blessings,

Kathryn Hanson

CO-Director of CBC San Jose, CA

"Set Apart For Jesus"...Wednesday

8/28/113

For Such a Time as This

I take great delight waking up each morning knowing I have purpose! Because I have surrendered my entire life onto Jesus and proclaim Him as Lord in my life I know that I am sanctified in Him. We who have said yes to Jesus have been set apart for the use extended by our Great Designer.

I find wonderful comfort knowing my God has set me apart for "such a time as this." He has specific ways in which He wants to use my life as I choose to live according to God's design and purpose for me.

In 1 Corinthians 1:2 it says......

"to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus,

 called to be saints, with all who in every place 

call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours." 

Sanctification is fully the work of God in grace. That is only by His mighty hand that He consecrates His people when we are fully yielded in Him.

 

And Jesus Christ was the perfect role model of sanctification, being without sin.

I choose to follow in Christ's footsteps and ever so grateful for the unique purpose He has set apart for me and each of us that are living for Him.

In His Radical Love,  

Sandy Billingham

Here is a song to listen to this morning. Please click on this link...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXcJUIAJNW0

Someone I Can Really Trust...Tuesday

My heart broke as I watched a little boy and his parent at the check out line in front of me. The child had placed a candy up with the parent's things, but the parent told him he couldn't have it. "But," the child replied with a quivering voice, "You promised." 

I have made promises to assure, give hope, and encourage. With good intentions I promised to take a specific action sometime in the future. Yet I didn’t know the future. I may sincerely intend to do something and then not be able to fulfill my commitment.  

I remember the disappointment and betrayal as a child of having a friend tell me they didn't have to keep their promise because they had their fingers crossed when they said it. Now I feel disappointment when I am the one who fails to follow through on my word.

But there is One's whose promises may be trusted at all times. God’s promises never fail (see Luke 1:37) so they bring joy, comfort, and hope. He never crosses His fingers! 

We can know for ourselves that God's promises are guaranteed by studying the history of the people of Israel.  

After the Israelites have entered the Promised Land, Joshua calls together all of the tribes. He goes through the history of God’s promises and God's faithfulness starting with Abraham all the way to the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. God had proven Himself again and again in every generation by keeping His promises. Joshua then says these words: 

If you decide that it’s a bad thing to worship God,

 then choose a god you’d rather serve—

and do it today.

 Choose one of the gods your ancestors worshiped

 from the country beyond The River,

 or one of the gods of the Amorites,

 on whose land you’re now living.

As for me and my family,

we’ll worship God.

 Joshua 24:15 MSG 

No matter what we are facing, we can trust God to fulfill His promises because it is impossible for God to lie (see Hebrews 6:13-20). This truth, that He cannot lie, is our ultimate promise. It means we can hold onto His promises when everything around us is in chaos. He truly is an anchor of hope for our souls. We can stand on God's Word and develop a lifestyle of trust and patience. 

In 1834, Edward Mote wrote a hymn that beautifully describes what it can be like for us if we choose to trust God's promises:

The Solid Rock

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

 
Written by Sandy Schott
 

To hear this song performed by 4Him, click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC-UyIgoaLU

Finishing Well, Starting Strong....Monday

My neighbor just took her son to his first day of kindergarten. When I asked her how it went, she responded that she had cried at the same time she had experienced pride in her little boy. I thought that's exactly how I felt every time I have faced ' a new step.' I had just gotten the hang of the previous way of doing things - I wasn't ready to change! Sometimes I could see the necessity of change - but I didn't like it.

As I look a little deeper at my issue with change, I can see that I am worried that I haven't done everything I was supposed to do. Sigh, the spirit of perfectionism just slides into the teeniest cracks of doubt. Of course I didn't do everything right! That is not possible!

So what is possible? How can I know I have finished well? Or that I am starting right? I have asked God that a hundred times (no kidding). Here are some of the answers from His Word:

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (see Matthew 6:33). At first I wondered what does this look like? How can I change diapers, answer the phone, do laundry, and make dinner while seeking God's kingdom? It turned out to be my mindset, how I viewed what I was doing. By looking at the mundane things in my life as a service unto God, it changed my attitude. I became more patient and loving.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (see Romans 12:21). I love this verse. It sounds so pure and holy. Until I am in the midst of being falsely accused or judged because the person declines to try to understand me and where I am coming from. One time I was sitting with a group of about 15 women as we watched one of our friends trying to climb a rock wall. We had been cheering each person on, encouraging them to stretch to just one more step, to reach just one more finger hold. All of a sudden I could hear one woman in our midst telling a new person in the group how myself and her sister were such bossy people. My jaw dropped open as I met the eyes of the 'other bossy woman' and before I knew what I was doing I was calling out the first woman by name. I had to yell her name a few times because of all the cheering, but it was like a scene in a movie when she finally looked at me, the crowd hushed, all eyes on me, waiting for the next line. My cheeks were flushed bright red with mortification, anger, and embarrassment. I opened my mouth and the words "I love you" are all that came out. That was the Spirit of God. I know that woman wasn't evil, but she allowed her words to be thoughtless. 


Above all, love each other deeply, for love covers a multitude of sins (see 1 Peter 4:8). Everyone wants to be loved. I love my children and want to see them be successful. The hardest thing for me is when I can see what would be 'best' or 'better' for one of my loved ones, but they will not believe in their abilities, or they refuse my advice. Unconditional love is all about accepting that each of us is an individual with our own freedom of choice. It takes work to balance accepting others where they are, and having healthy boundaries for yourself. God wants me to do for them what He does for me, to love them for who they are, not what they do.

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 MSG

Are you facing a new beginning in your life? Do you need to let go of something in the past so that you can function well in your present? God understands us better than we even know ourselves. He doesn't look at us the way other people look at us, He looks at our hearts (see 1 Samuel 16:7). Please pray with me that He may give each of us 'eyes to see', and 'ears to hear', and 'hearts that understand' that although change may be hard, we can trust Him to lead us in the way we should go (see Psalm 23:3).

Written by Mary M. Wilkins

Click below to watch the Youth Puppet Team from Fairview Baptist Church in Columbus, MS perform to Casting Crown's song "Who Am I"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAszVJe4uoY

REMEMBERING... Sunday

Devotional for 8/25/13

Sometimes remembering can be a positive thing and sometimes a negative thing. When we reminisce about the past, we are usually remembering good and positive things that happened. When we remember what we learned in class at school, we are able to answer test questions better and hopefully pass our courses. But there are other times of remembering that are more difficult.  Some memories of the past are painful. They may be about the losses, like that of a loved one. Or maybe we keep remembering past sins, even though they have been forgiven, we feel we cannot forgive ourselves for the damages caused. Or perhaps there are memories of a lost childhood, such as when a child is abused, neglected or abandoned. Other times memories are buried and recovered later.  That can be our body's way of protecting us from too much emotional pain at an earlier age. There are even memories that can come back as flashbacks, as in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. These are memories that the body has not been able to process because they are so distressing and painful, but can be triggered by reminders including sights, smells, etc. Remembering can be a mixed bag of blessings and sorrows.

Sometimes remembering can be healing, and give us a way to process our memories. Jesus gave us the Lord's supper as a way to remember him and what he did for us, that by his death and resurrection we are saved. Remembering that he is always with us can give us strength to carry on. We can remember that when God is with us none can be against us, and through Christ we can do anything. Remembering God's Word is a blessing to combat and replace the sorrowful parts of our memories. 

We ask God to remember us with mercy and grace, like the thief on the cross who said, "Jesus remember me, when you come into your kingdom." Luke 23:42  There is a beautiful chant song with only those words as it's lyrics by Taize that you can listen to on youtube.  One recording is linked here: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGB2E0NzO2A

Jesus, thank you for remembering... for remembering me and not my sins!

written by Jan Andersen

The Joy of Friendship...Saturday

8/24/13

“And the Scripture was fulfilled that says,

 ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited 

to him as righteousness’ and he was called God’s friend”. 

James 2: 23 

Out of all the “positions” in my Lord’s kingdom, I would choose the position of being called His friend. 

A friend has special entry into the most intimate places of one’s heart. There is a special bonding and a feeling of security and honor and trust. A friend is one who supports and encourages the deepest of our hearts desires, one who hears and understands our dreams and motivations… and spurs us on, in intercession and faith.

Our Lord is the author and example of true friendship. He put our best interests before His own. It was for each one of us that He made His way to the cross to die for us. He knew that we had to be reconciled to His Father in order for us to live. 

I have heard it described that on the cross, Jesus “opened His arms” in order to embrace all of us. I believe that is true. But I also believe that in order for Him to have been able to accomplish this, He had to have opened His heart first. 

Today we have the choice of opening up our own hearts. We can choose to open them and offer to others this same kind of friendship. This kind of “offering” does not come without its share of risks. There is always the risk of being rejected, disappointed, or hurt. I believe that the joy of friendship far outweighs the risk. What do you believe?

Written by 

Beverley A. Napier

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Here is a song to start your Saturday time with God...
"I Am A Friend of God"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcxKRsn-hGc

CONTENTMENT...Friday

8/23/13

"But godliness with contentment is great gain." 

I Timothy 6:6

     If you would take a poll today regarding how "content" people are, I think you would be surprised at how little true contentment there really is.

     As I write this, people are waiting in line as much as three hours to buy a lottery ticket for the biggest prize ever.  Upon examination you would discover that most people live beyond their limits charging multiple credit cards or buying things on time so always having to pay for something (with big interest rates, I might add).  The housing scandal some years back happened because people were allowed to buy homes which they could not hope to pay for.  People change computers and telephones and all the other electronic gadgets like they change clothes.  we are never content with what we have!

     God wants us to seek Him rather than "things."  He never said that it is not all right to fill our basic needs -- it is fine to have money and possessions.  However, He wants us to realize that there is more to life than material possessions, and we cannot all have the same things.  God wants us to count our own individual blessings, be grateful for all He gives us, and to be content.  

 

God gives us, as Christians, many gains others do not possess -- salvation through the blood of Jesus, grace and faith to live trusting Him, His unconditional love, and the hope of eternal life in heaven as a free gift.  We have more than enough to be content in God.  Truly, godliness with contentment is great gain.!

Written by 

Carol Steficek

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Here is the good news in song for today...
Please click on this link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghC3gqNQJPQ

"Glory in Your Elevation"...Thursday

8/22/13

Let the brother in humble circumstances 

glory in his elevation [as a Christian, 

called to the true riches and to be an heir of God].

James 1:9

This is a command that the Father has given to us that those with little should rejoice in eternal things, not the things of this world.  Our God gives us eternal treasures that we will never loose.  Christians with the least amount of earthly wealth are richer than the wealthiest persons of this world. 

When we look at things from the Father's eyes we see things differently.  We see how rich we truly are.  We see the position that we have been given in Christ.  When we take hold of  Jesus as our Lord and Savior we enter into a union with Him. 

When we enter into a union with Jesus

• You have a new identity,
• You have eternal life,
• You have been declared righteous,
• You have been grafted into His family,
• You have been translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of Light,
• You have been given power and authority,
• You have now become an heir to His kingdom,
• YOU ARE NOW A CHILD OF THE MOST HIGH GOD.

Your position has been moved from lowly to a high position.  You have now become a member of God's chosen people, a part of His royal priesthood, you are a citizen of God's Holy nation.

Written by 

Kathryn Hanson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is a song for you to listen to this morning

as you spend time with Him.

http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=0F9EB1NU

"Praying For All Men"...Wednesday

 8/20/13 

Recently the Lord impressed on me the very importance of praying for our leaders that are in authority. It became so very clear to me that I needed to take that nudge from Him very seriously. When prayer for our leaders takes place daily, we all benefit from the fruit of our prayers.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 says, 

"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, 

prayers, intercessions,giving of thanks be made 

for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, 

that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life 

in all godliness and reverence. 

For this is good and acceptable

 in the sight of God our Savior, 

who desires all men to be saved and 

to come to the knowledge of the truth."

I know how easy I can get caught up in my own world and focus only on the prayer needs at hand in my own sphere. I now make an intentional effort to pray for all men, knowing that is what God has called me to do. He loves all men and desires that none will perish.

We all as Christians have such a vital part to enter in with fervent prayers for those placed in authority. The Lord has good things in mind for each of us as we do our part as His people. I choose to be obedient and pray as God has called and me and trust the Lord to take care of the rest in which I know that He is faithful.

In His Radical Love, 

Sandy Billingham