DON'T FORGET THE ENDING...Tuesday

9/1/15

"Strengthen the feeble hands,

 steady the knees that give way, 

say to those with fearful hearts, 

be strong, do not fear; 

your God will come, 

He will come with vengeance; 

with divine retribution
He will come to save you."  

 Isaiah 35:3-4

     I can remember seeing scary movies which gave me nightmares for days as a child.  Can you remember your parents having to check under your bed in your dark room to make sure no monsters were there?

     As adults, we often don't admit to fears but we still can have them.  These are more 'what ifs' sometimes than things that are actually happening, but they give us sleepless nights none the less.

     Christians need to remind themselves about this Isaiah passage.  God is there to save us.  He comes to us in the times of trials to help us through whatever we face.  He opens doors for us to provide for our needs, just when we feared there would be no solution.

    Best of all, eternity awaits us.  No matter what happens in this world don't forget the ending.  Turn to the book of Revelation -- the last one in the Bible.  The victory belongs to Christ Jesus -- He wins over Satan and this evil world in the end.  So we also win in the end because we belong to Him.

Written by

Carol Steficek

FIX-IT and FORGET-IT......Monday

The white porcelain reflects the ceiling light making the small apartment kitchen very bright. Brand new the week I moved in, 10 months later and the stove's perfect condition has not been altered by me in any way. Simply because I do not cook. Although I did put a small pan of water on to boil to make some instant coffee for a friend. The pan was warped and the handle melted when the smoke alarm brought me back to the kitchen!

Fast forward a few years and I discover a fascinating cooking tool: the crock pot. It promises to fix all of my cooking problems. A little effort in the morning will be rewarded with a scrumptious meal at night. Pre-Google search days, I check stacks of cookbooks out of the library searching for affordable and appealing options. One common phrase for this type of cooking is FIX IT and FORGET IT.

I wish life was like that. When something needs to be handled, we could just fix it and forget it. But the things that get broken in my life usually require focused attention. Especially in relationships, I have to work hard to be thoughtful, considerate, or attentive. Even with all of my efforts and good intentions I sometimes forget what is important, and hurt someone I truly care about. Unlike a ruined pan that I can just throw away - a hurting loved one requires patience, space, and special care. And that's not even a guarantee that the break will be repaired. I cannot just 'fix' and then hope everyone involved 'forgets'. 


But I'll be honest. Sometimes I just don't feel like doing the work. I hit an emotional wall, frustration rises up within me, and patient is the LAST thing I want to be. Sometimes I give way to my emotions and sometimes I choose the calmer path. Not to ignore my feelings, but to deal with them in a calm and honest discussion later on instead of a hot and angry outburst right now. But even though I am not as faithful as I wish I was, I take comfort in how faithful and trustworthy God is:

But this I call to mind,

    and therefore I have hope
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:21-23 ESV

Dear Lord, thank You for Your patience, love and faithfulness towards us. We know we do not deserve so much compassion but we are grateful for it. Please help us to be patient with others, and allow them to have their own walk with You. Please help us to keep our eyes off of ourselves and not make everything about us. In Jesus name, amen.

Written by Mary M. Wilkins 

"The Broken Pieces" performed by Matthew West

INFIDELITY... Sunday

Devotional for 8/30/15

We have heard a lot lately about the hacking of a website that encourages married people to have affairs.  People who had used their services were fearing the repercussions of being found out by their spouses, family and friends, and even their workplaces in some cases.  And those who hold public positions had a much wider circle of people to fear.  There were those who had never used their services who were searching the database to see if they knew anyone on the list.  For some it was mere curiosity.  For others it was checking up on particular people they thought might appear on the list.  It has caused ripples far and wide. 

Fidelity in a relationship is important to most people.  Those who "cheat" on their commitment are scorned.  It says very clearly in the Bible that you shall not commit adultery.  Many people who are married never have sex outside of their marriage and feel they have safely kept this commandment.  Many singles feel they aren't addressed in this commandment since they are not married. But what does it mean to "perfectly" keep this commandment?

Jesus said: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."  Matthew 5:27-28 (NIV)

When the commandments are not taken out of the context of the whole Bible, it becomes clear that God not only forbids the external act of adultery, but also any improper sexual thoughts and words.  But also the opposite is expected, that one's marriage be built up, protected, and rescued if in danger.  And on top of that, we are also responsible for helping and protecting other people's marriages.  Still think this commandment doesn't apply to you?

Then consider this: Christ loved the church as his bride and gave himself up for her on the cross.  Are you willing to die for your spouse, or also to save another's marriage?  Probably not.  We are all also guilty of infidelity in our relationship with God, because we are all sinful and fall short somewhere. But the good news is that God is forgiving and willing to help us as we move forward to improve our relationships, both with those here on earth as well as with him. So before you "cast the first stone" at those you know who have committed the outward sin of adultery, remember your own issues and be merciful and forgiving just as God is with you.

Dear Father in heaven,  I thank you for the relationships in my life. I ask that you help me to build them up in every way and keep them healthy.  Please forgive me when I damage any relationship, mine or others, but especially my relationship with you.  Help me to remain ever faithful to you and give a good witness to your Son's sacrifice on the cross as payment for our sins, who with you and the Holy Spirit are one God in heaven.  Amen.

written by Jan Andersen

Don’t Forget Gratitude...Friday

August 28, 2015

 16-18 So, my very dear friends, 

don’t get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift 

comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light 

cascading down from the Father of Light. 

There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced,

 nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, 

showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.

James 1:16-18

(MSG)

When I struggle with things in my life that are not going as I think they should be or how I have planned I find myself forgetting to be grateful and then, when I remember that I need to be grateful, I become stubborn. I don’t want to be or find reasoning in my head to not be because the things going “wrong”, or not according to my plan, outweigh the gratitude list.

Well, eventually, I come to my senses, as I have this week.  Through the frustrations of some situations in my life that haven’t changed as quickly as I think they should, I still have been able to press on with making some amazing successes in my life.  I suddenly realized yesterday that I have been able to change some real long term battles.  One of them is exercise.  Over the past couple of years I have done it more consistently than ever before, but, still one day of skipping my routine and it would take me weeks to get back on it.  Along with that, I was continuing my eating habits that did not bode well with trying to lower cholesterol.  I deserve to eat ice cream every night because I work hard, and I had also been exercising.  It was not so much the fact that I was eating ice cream…it was more about the amount of ice cream that I was eating.  Plus, it was too hard to make these changes at the same time!  Those were my excuses anyway.

I am so very GRATEFUL to report that my revelation this week is how these changes have taken place within me!!  God is so great!!  He works in us when we don’t even know it.  I have had years of struggling with these issues, however, I kept plugging away doing what I needed to do, as God was doing what He does.  I stopped obsessing and beating myself up about how I am doing things wrong and will never be successful with these goals. 

I didn't stop even though I was not seeing results as quickly as I would like and was feeling discouraged.  God knows all about me and my struggles, He knows the negative self-talk that I have battled with, even with all that, He still loves me and changed my heart to be successful in these life goals.  What an incredible feeling to know that He is always there with love for me!  The additional struggles that I have are a bit more major, but, with my gratitude and the encouragement I feel, I knowing that God will provide them within His time frame and not mine.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

 (ESV)

Written  by

Kelly Dobyns

Who Are You...Ashes or Beauty?...Thursday

8/27/15

(He sent me to...)
"provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,"
Isaiah 61:3a

In the early years of the 2000's I was involved in the recovery program at our church. Two people who were working in the ministry were paired together in a group of 8 or less. We were the leaders of the groups...facilitators actually. None of the facilitators were actually licensed in any of the areas in which we were working. We used an amazing book called Healing for Damaged Emotions.  It was an amazing guide for the educationally prepared leader of such groups as well as for the leader who did not bring related education. What they did bring love of God, a dedication to help people work on the pain that they had know, and a dedication to be effective in doing this. What we as leaders found is that we were part of the class learning and healing as well as the other members of the group.

Yes, we all grew together and God led us and the members of the group to say and do things that were spot on for everyone...the "leaders" and the "members." I was shocked when I realized that the "leader" name switched back and forth when people shared their wisdom. It was amazing.

When I began my participation in this ministry, I had certain beliefs based on things that were not so true. I thought that people were the way they were because of a slovenly attitude or because of laziness, or even lack of intelligence. As I began to know my classmates I started to love them and to believe that most often people end up in one situation or another it is more often because of the damage that had been visiting on them when they were too young to separate the piles of information into truth and not really truth. I loved my friends from the classes and even would get angry for them when I knew some of the things they had suffered.

I came to a new understanding of what it means to be made in the image and likeness of God. I also learned to be a little bit easier on myself when I would suffer from lack of self esteem for one reason or another.

I learned to try to point out the following concept to my friends and I still do. While teaching them, I also was teaching myself. I used to say to the members of my class."Remember God did not make no junk."

This is the foundation of all that I believe with all my heart. I would say to all who are reading this that God indeed, DID NOT MAKE NO JUNK. You are beautiful and unique, and God loves you above anything you can understand.

Won't you please think about this 

and believe it?

Written by Corinne Mustafa

                                                   

"Through Jesus Eyes"...Wednesday

8/26/15

 

What would it be like if we truly saw each person through the eyes of Jesus.  If we woke up each morning and asked the Lord to help us love and see  them as He actually does. If our hearts were moved with deep compassion every time we encountered those that do not know Jesus...  those that are sick, hopeless and poor. If every panhandler we saw, that we would take the time to really care and pray for them and yes, even give them a little money for a burger and coffee.

 

That is my heart's desire.. to see as Jesus sees... to love as Jesus loves.... to care as Jesus cares. 

 

As we look at the scripture in Matthew 9:36, you can clearly see the deep compassion in Jesus' heart. Let's take a look at it...

"But when He saw the multitudes He was moved with compassion for them,  

because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd."

 

Jesus was moved  with compassion and fully aware of their needs, pain and suffering. He made sure  each need  was met. 

He is our role model on how to love "the one" that He puts in front of us each day. As we seek Him  and cry out to Him, He will give us the capacity to love as He has called us to.

 

As we fervently press into the heart  of our God,  He  will teach us to have His eyes to see as He sees and  to be deeply moved to reach out with the Father's Heart.  

 

The Lord works through us as we yield to Him and see as He sees, bringing transformation that will change a life forever!

 

In His Deep Compassion, 

Sandy Billingham

Why You Are Special....Tuesday

8/24/15

As my kids were growing up, they were often trying to show how they were the best at something. Baseball, running, climbing, hiding, and routine activities turned into competitions. Even though we worked very hard to assure each and every one how unique and special they were to us - they had to choose to accept and believe it. 

When watching Disney's "The Incredibles" 2004 movie, this exchange caught my attention: 

Dash: You always say 'Do your best', but you don't really mean it. Why can't I do the best that I can do?

Helen (Mom): Right now, honey, the world just wants us to fit in, and to fit in, we gotta be like everyone else.

Dash: But Dad always said our powers were nothing to be ashamed of, our powers made us special.

Helen (Mom): Everyone's special, Dash.

Dash: [muttering] Which is another way of saying no one is.

The son's closing comment reminds me that many of us have a natural desire to shine. We want to be special. Then as we strive to be unique, there is pressure to fit in. 

I know what I really desire is to be approved. Yet the idea of being the best at something seems to promise wide approval/acceptance. The problem I have dealt with when striving to be my best has been confusing it with being the best. The struggle to balance acceptance of self and the desire to do better has been an ongoing challenge. Even today I have to stop and ask myself: am I doing what is important, am I spending time with who is important, and am I finding contentment in who I am in Christ and not in what I have. 

So even though I completely relate to the desire to show how great I can be on my own, and I understand Dash's exasperation, God's Word assures us:

"...let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be,

without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves 

with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.

 If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else;

 if you help, just help, don’t take over;

 if you teach, stick to your teaching;

 if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get bossy;

 if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate;

 if you’re called to give aid to people in distress, 

keep your eyes open and be quick to respond;

 if you work with the disadvantaged, 

don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them.

 Keep a smile on your face."

                Romans 12:5b-8 MSG

Written by
Mary M. Wilkins