It’s a Fact ~ Raul Ries


Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ,
and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”
Revelation 20:6

Jesus Christ is going to come back to earth during the Battle of Armageddon and destroy the world’s armies; throw the Antichrist and False Prophet in the Lake of Fire; bind Satan (for a 1000 years); and judge all those who took the Mark of the Beast. The judgments will take place within a time span of 45 days. After these things, Christ will set up His Millennial (1000-year reign) Kingdom.

Matthew Henry said, “If we look to the end of all these things, the period of the world, and the posture of souls then, we shall thence form a very different idea of the present state things. If we see things as they appear then, we shall see them as they should appear now.”

God is using this time in your life to shape you and mold you so that you can rule and reign with Him! Don’t resist His work in your life right now- keep an eternal perspective.

Thought for the Day:

Our problems seem trivial in the light of eternity

Turning the World Upside Down ~ WOW the Bible in 7 minutes a day


Turning the World Upside Down

Acts 17:1-18:11; Psalm 119:53-55; Proverbs 21:17

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ." And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.

But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king-Jesus." And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. So when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there also and stirred up the crowds. Then immediately the brethren sent Paul away, to go to the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained there. So those who conducted Paul brought him to Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed, they departed.

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there. Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, "What does this babbler want to say?"

Others said, "He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods," because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.

And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean." For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:

TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.

Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."


And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, "We will hear you again on this matter." So Paul departed from among them. However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.


After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.


When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, "Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.


Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city." And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

Acts 17:1-18:11

WORSHIP

Indignation has taken hold of me
Because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.
Your statutes have been my songs
In the house of my pilgrimage.
I remember Your name in the night, O LORD,
And I keep Your law.
Psalm 119:53-55

WISDOM

He who loves pleasure will be a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
Proverbs 21:17

Is your personal security based on your identity in Christ? (93-5) ~ Barry Werner


Is your personal security based on your identity in Christ? (93-5)

Personal security provides a foundation for strong leadership. Effective leaders reduce personal insecurities by understanding their identity in Christ and not finding it in their performance. Re-read 2 Samuel 12:1-14.

In the Maxwell Leadership Bible, John Maxwell discusses Nathan’s security in God:

Imagine what might have happened had Nathan lacked security. Consider the odds stacked against him. He knew he had to confront David in his sin, yet David had covered up everything so well; no one else knew what had happened. That meant Nathan could expect no moral support. Further, the popular David had led Israel to prominence among the nations, and most Israelites would side with David if he put up a fight. Finally, from a technical viewpoint, David hadn’t done anything illegal to Uriah. He had set up the man to be killed in battle by the Ammonites, but it wasn’t his spear or sword that took Uriah’s life. Nathan had to feel utterly secure in his plan of attack, or it would backfire.

What enabled Nathan to demonstrate secure leadership?

  1. Nathan had God’s truth behind him. He didn’t have to stand alone against David.
  2. Nathan had a relationship with David. Their friendship created the bridge that allowed Nathan to do what God called him to do.
  3. Nathan’s identity depended upon his divine call, not his popularity. Nathan determined to speak God’s truth regardless of popular reaction.
  4. Nathan understood his personal mission. He operated out of deep conviction.
  5. Nathan was humble and broken. He had nothing to lose, for he had died to personal ambition.

Common Symptoms of Insecurity

The following symptoms usually indicate feelings of insecurity:

  1. Comparison – We compare ourselves with others and keep score.
  2. Compensation – We feel like a victim and must compensate for our losses.
  3. Competition – We become self-consumed and try to outdo others for attention.
  4. Compulsion – We feel driven to perform in order to gain other’s approval.
  5. Condemnation – We judge others or ourselves, resulting in self-pity or conceit.
  6. Control – We feel we must take charge, protect our interests, and manipulate.

When a leader feels insecure they drift from their mission whenever trouble arises. A leader must have personal security or when people stop liking them, when funding drips, when morale dips, or when others reject or criticize them they will crumble. If a leader does not feel secure, fear will eventually cause them to sabotage their own leadership.

Godly leaders find their identity in Christ, don’t depend on self-sufficiency and self-promotion, live to the purpose God has given to them not someone else, learn to affirm others, and are able to receive affirmation from others without robbing God of the glory He must receive for creating and equipping them.

Psalm 16:5 LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.

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Freely Eat ~ Joyce Meyer


You may freely eat of every tree in the garden.
Genesis 2:16


After God created Adam and Eve, He gave them some very simple dining instructions. Did He say, "You may freely eat of every Krispy Kreme on the street"? No. Did He say, "You may freely eat of every chip in the bag"? No. He did not tell them to freely eat fast food, frozen pizza, or even low-fat cookies.

God told Adam and Eve to eat from the garden, and we'd do well to stick to His advice.

We've been inundated with an overwhelming amount of bad diet information from past decades which has clouded the very simple truths of healthy eating: eat the foods that come from God, in as close a state as possible to how God made them, and you can't go wrong. Only when we get corrupted by the foods made by men in laboratories and factories do we get in trouble.

Iron clad covering ~ David McGee

Acts 16:14-15

"Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." So she persuaded us." NKJV

Life Lesson

We should fellowship or hang out with people in the church.

Lydia was not saved by good works, but saved in order to do good works.

Once saved, Lydia began to fellowship with other Christians. You see, it is the responsibility of every Christian to be in fellowship with other Christians. Fellowship helps you in your faith, and it will help other believers in their faith.

The Author of Hebrews says, "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" Hebrews 10:24-25 NKJV.

The word used for 'stir up' also means to 'provoke'. It is like going to the dentist...stay with me here. When you go for a check-up, the dentist uses a sharp tool to poke around at your teeth, right? It is not until he pokes the one tooth that makes you jump that you discover you've got a cavity. Once you know that you have a problem with your tooth, you can take steps to fix it. It's not pleasant, but it's necessary as it keeps a small problem from turning into a big problem.

Interaction with other believers may not always be comfortable. Someone may see our sore spots - areas where we are weak or where we fail to glorify God. We may even get 'poked' in those spots. Sometimes we are not aware of the sore spot and the 'poking' brings to our attention the need to repent and change. Other times we are covering up the sore spot, and it takes encouragement from a brother or sister for us to make a change. Now, I'm not saying that you should nitpick all your friends until you find something wrong that you can point out to them - not at all! Rather, it's a natural part of fellowship with other believers. Solomon put it this way:

Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend." NLT

When you grind two pieces of iron together, you may get sparks, but it's not just one piece of iron that is sharpened; both pieces benefit from the process. Don't ignore this vital part of your Christian walk! I'm probably poking someone in a sore spot right now (poke!).

Dear Father,
Thank You for loving me. Thank You that I am not alone in this Christian walk. Please forgive me for the times when I have neglected fellowship. Please give me a desire to fellowship with my family in Christ. I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen.

Leaving U-R... forever ~ Jon Courson

By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. - Hebrews 11:9-10

Why did Abraham embark on such a venture, such a journey? Because he was looking for a city which had foundations, whose builder and maker was God — all the while knowing that what he was looking for would never be found anywhere on the face of this earth.

Why is this so important? Because when I moved from San Jose to Applegate, for example, if I had been looking for a city on earth to satisfy me, I would have been paralyzed by fear. I would have said, ‘What if I get there, and discover Applegate’s not it?’ But since the longing of my heart was for a city without foundations, I already knew Applegate wouldn’t be it!

What if I go there and it doesn’t work out?
Don’t worry — it's not going to work out!

‘What if I marry her, and she doesn’t fully satisfy me?’
Don’t worry — she won’t!

‘What if I take that job and it’s not what I hoped?’
Don’t worry — it won’t be!

You’ll never be a man or woman of faith if you’re looking for fulfillment here. No matter your ministry, your geographic location, your job, or your spouse — you’ll not find it here. Like Abraham, don’t look for a city that has foundations on earth. Look for eternity, and you’ll experience heaven in your heart, you’ll be blessed in your soul wherever you are.

Had Abraham looked for a city on earth, he would have been stuck in Ur forever. But at some point, God by His grace allowed Abraham to understand that everything on earth is in preparation for heaven. If you don’t understand what the writer is saying about Abraham as a model of faith, you’ll be perpetually paralyzed and completely frustrated. You must understand that God only leads you one step at a time. He doesn’t tell you what lies around the bend. But even when you get around the bend, you must understand it’s not going to be what you were hoping for, because what you really crave is heaven.

In spiritual life, the Lord will take you as far as you want to go — and not one step further. If you choose to take one baby step and stop, God will still love you because His love for you is not based on anything you do or don’t do. But if you choose to walk by faith from Ur of the Chaldees all the way to the Land flowing with milk and honey — He’ll be with you every step of the way.

People wonder why some folks are so spiritual, why others seem particularly blessed, why others are mightily used. It’s not that God is playing favorites. It’s just that those who seem to have a special relationship with God are simply those who chose to keep going. Whether it’s in expression of praise, gifts of the Spirit, or aspects of ministry — however far you want to go in spiritual life, God will never say to you, ‘You’re going a little too far. You’re getting a little too spiritual.’ Never.

The Reality of Hell ~ Chuck Swindoll


Luke 16:19-31

A particular story Jesus once told comes to my mind every time I think of life after death. Because it is descriptive and brief, we are able to get a fairly uncomplicated picture in our minds of this subject of hell.

"Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.'

But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.'

And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father's house—for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'

But he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!'

But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'" (Luke 16:19–31)

Much of what you just read needs no explanation. It is the story of two men. While alive, their status could hardly have been more different. And when they died, again a contrast. One found himself in heaven; the other, in hell. Our attention falls upon the rich man who is pleading for relief and removal from his torturous surroundings. The scene is unpleasant to imagine, but it is nevertheless real. Neither here nor elsewhere does Jesus suggest this was merely a fantasy.

The man in hell is in conscious torment. He is crying out for mercy. Being "far away" (v. 23) and permanently removed by "a great chasm" (v. 26), he is desperately alone, unable to escape from hell, as we read, "none may cross over" (v. 26). The horror is painfully literal, unlike the jokes often passed around regarding hell. Haunted with thoughts of other family members ultimately coming to the same place, the man begs for someone to go to his father's house and warn his brothers ". . . so that they will not also come to this place of torment" (v. 28).

This is only one of many references to an eternal existence in hell. The New Testament, in fact, says more about hell than it does about heaven. Here are just a few characteristics of hell set forth in the New Testament:

  • It is a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12).
  • It is a place where people scream for mercy, have memories, are tormented, feel alone, cannot escape (Luke 16:23–31).
  • It is a place of unquenchable fire (Mark 9:48).
  • It is a place of darkness (Revelation 9:2).
  • It is a place of eternal damnation (Mark 3:29 KJV).
  • It is a place where God's wrath is poured out (Revelation 14:10 KJV).
  • It is a place of everlasting destruction (2 Thessalonians 1:9).

The finality of all this is overwhelmingly depressing. We have little struggle believing that heaven will be forever, but for some reason we ignore that hell will be equally everlasting. To deny the permanence of hell is impossible without also removing the permanence of heaven. Each is a reality and each is ultimate finality.

Reinforced Trust and Revived Hope ~ Bob Coy


. . . looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ . . . .-Titus 2:13 (NKJV)

What now? That's the question we need to ask ourselves after spending the past month looking at prophecy in Scripture. We've been exposed to a lot of information concerning the past as well as the future. But will it have a practical impact on our faith, and can we become better believers in the long run?

As it pertains to the past, we've seen many examples of God's prophecies fulfilled exactly as foretold. In some, events were predicted hundreds of years in advance; in others, details were incredibly precise. We've even witnessed the Lord naming people who hadn't been born yet! And in each case, they were perfectly fulfilled, which proves that the Bible isn't just another book. It's God's Word, completely reliable and accurate in what it proclaims, even prophetically. The more we understand this, the more we will trust and submit to it as our guide for life.

As it pertains to the future, we've studied some things that haven't happened yet. The rapture, the second coming of Christ, and Satan's defeat still await their fulfillment. But because we've seen prophecy's perfect track record in the past, we know it isn't a matter of "if" but "when" these events will come to pass. And because this is so sure, our hope is certain and strong. We should be anxiously anticipating the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, which is foretold in Titus 2:13.

How has this past month's study impacted you? I hope it has reinforced your trust in the Bible as God's Word and revived your hope in the fulfillment of those things that still lie ahead.

He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20 NKJV)


Discuss with your group how this study on prophecy has made an impact on what you believe and why you believe it. How has God used this past month’s devotions to change you?

Dig into Revelation 22. How does this chapter bring a hope-filled perspective to your personal challenges? What promises do you find here? What is the warning issued in verses 18–20?

Why do you think this is this mentioned?

Decide to mark the completion of the study on prophecy by gathering the group together for a celebration dinner. Enjoy a time of food and fellowship and then reflect on the things God has taught you through this particular study. Give thanks to God, for His love—and truth—endure forever!

Moses' Parents Acting Courageously, by Faith ~ Bob Hoekstra


By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command. (Hebrews 11:23)

Our present study reveals another strategic illustration of the extensive consequences of walking by faith. Fear is one of the major threats to living as God intends. Faith in God brings the courage that is needed to overcome fear. Moses' parents are outstanding examples of acting courageously, by faith.

Moses' parents ("AmramJochebed"Exodus 6:20) faced a dreadful dilemma. Jochebed had just given birth to Moses. Pharoah, who was fearful of the rapidly growing slave population, had previously ordered the death of all male Jewish newborns. "The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives…and he said, 'When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live'" (Exodus 1:15-16). However, the midwives had faith in the Lord and spared the male babies at birth. "The midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive" (Exodus 1:17).

Moses' parents had a similar, courageous faith in God. "By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents…and they were not afraid of the king's command." Nevertheless, their baby was still in danger, since Pharoah had also commanded all the Egyptians to destroy any male babies that they might discover. "Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, 'Every son who is born you shall cast into the river'" (Exodus 1:22). When they could no longer hide Moses, Jochebed put him in a simple ark in a place where he might be rescued. "When she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank" (Exodus 2:3). God honored the faith of these courageous parents, allowing the Pharoah's daughter to discover Moses' floating basket and to respond with mercy. "And when she had opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him" (Exodus 2:6).

Moses' parents courageously risked their lives in order to do that which would be pleasing to God. Their action was based upon their faith in God. Whenever necessary, we too can act courageously, if we rely upon our great God. "In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Psalm 56:11).

Dear faithful Lord, when I am intimidated by the threats or pronouncements of others, please remind me of Your faithfulness to the parents of Moses, that I too might have courage to do that which would please You, through Christ, my Lord, Amen.

The Lord, Our Shepherd ~ Charles Stanley


John 10:7-15

In the ancient world, the man who held the lowest position in the household was given charge of the flocks. The shepherd had responsibility to lead the sheep to new pastures and fresh water, defend them from predators, and find the lost ones when they strayed. But it was a humble job because it was dirty. The shepherd lived amongst the flock and slept across the doorway of the fold to keep the sheep in and the wolves out. This was filthy, smelly, and thankless work.

Yet Jesus sat among His followers in the thick of ancient culture and said, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11, 14). The modern church misses the impact of those words. We have a rustic but rosy view of Jesus as a shepherd. The Sovereign of the universe humbled Himself and got His hands dirty working directly with errant, willful, and sometimes dumb humans.

Remember you read a moment ago that the shepherd lay across the doorway of the sheep pen? Well, Jesus did exactly that—He became the door for us. He sacrificed His life for the great flock of humanity so that anyone who chooses to believe in Him may enter God’s fold (John 3:16). And once inside, we are provided for, sought when we wander, and protected from enemies.

Jesus sees Himself as mankind’s Shepherd. Thankfully, we are more than just a herd to Him. He knows everything about each one of us—our name, character, and flaws—and loves us with all of our imperfections. What better way to show love in return than to know His voice and follow where He leads?

No Rest for the Lost ~ Mark Balmer




Based on “The Reality of Hell” by Pastor Mark Balmer; 10/24-25/09,

Message #MB394; Daily Devotional #5 - “ No Rest for the Lost ”




Preparing the Soil (Introduction): Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. (Psalm 139:23) It is good to put our hearts for Jesus to the test from time to time, to ask God to search our hearts for any areas where our faith may be lacking. What if God were to put you to a simple test today? Visualize yourself walking up to a co-worker or classmate, who is a non-believer, and carrying out a conversation with them about Jesus, salvation, and Hell. Now be honest with yourself about how you felt. Speaking the name of God does not appear to be very difficult for most people. In the secular world, God’s name is often used without reverence. Even atheists speak the name of God freely. In fact, most of their efforts are focused on removing God’s name from every aspect of our lives, and they use a considerable amount of energy in doing so. Now, picture yourself talking to that same co-worker or classmate about your love for Jesus. Unless you have the gift of evangelism, you may find this to be a little more difficult than you do in having a conversation about God in general. Add the word salvation, and your imaginary discussion will probably become doubly difficult. Finally, add the word Hell to the conversation, and you may never get the words dislodged from that place between your vocal cords and your tongue. In fact, your friend might pull out your bee-sting kit and try to give you a shot, thinking you are having a full-blown allergic reaction.



Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): Why is it so difficult to bring up Jesus, Salvation, and Hell in the same conversation when we are trying to witness to our friends, and yet these words flow so easily from the mouths of non-believers? Could it be because our knowledge of Heaven and Hell is so central to our faith as Christians? We know what non-believers don’t. We know why we need salvation, why Christ came to live among us, and what he gave his very life for. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. (1John 5:19) Satan is out to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10) He does this through lies and deception. He has deceived the world into believing that Hell is a place that we don’t have to worry about just yet, a place that isn’t as bad as “those Christians” make it out to be, or a place that simply doesn’t exist. We know the truth. We have experienced the pain that comes when our family and friends, who we love, fight to hold onto their deception, and have perhaps even turned away from us when we have tried to tell them the truth. We know that Satan has bought the world with money, drugs and alcohol, hobbies, and activities. That he uses these earthly tools to turn our attention away from our Savior. He has convinced our friends and loved ones that what we know is the ramblings of the weak and powerless. We also know that as much as we would love to see Christ return, it is that loved one, friend, co-worker or classmate’s soul that is at stake. They are the reason we don’t pray for His return today.



Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): There is no easy way to talk about it. We know the reality of the Hell that we were saved from. There is no way to tell the truth of Hell without describing the eternal torment and torture that it holds for those who leave this world unsaved. We know that not even a cool drop of water on the tip of one’s finger will be offered to ease the suffering of those who have chosen Hell over Heaven. (Luke 16:24) God will have no mercy on the deceived. They received their treasures on this earth. We know that our lost family members and friends don’t understand that reality. We cannot shun our responsibility as Christians to perform that which is commanded of us in the Great Commission. Evangelism is our responsibility, no matter what our Spiritual Gifts are. (Matthew 28:18-20) Use those gifts to bring witness to the lost. When you go out into the world, do it in the spirit of William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, who had a passion for evangelism. He said “…while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I'll fight-I'll fight to the very end!”



Cultivating (Additional Reading): Revelation 20:15, Luke 16:13

Stemming the Tide of Deception ~ Greg Laurie

Jesus said that one of the signs of the last days would be an explosion of religious deception, culminating in the arrival of the ultimate deceiver, the Antichrist. He warned, "For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many" (Matthew 24:5 NIV). One of the signs of the end times will be cults springing up everywhere.

In addition to established cults, we have in recent history seen groups spring up such as the followers of Jim Jones, who committed mass suicide in Guyana in 1978. Then there was David Koresh and the Branch Davidians in Texas in 1993. There also was Heaven's Gate, the group in Southern California who committed mass suicide in 1997.

Add to this the influx of new age mysticism and spirituality, and we have to conclude that we are seeing these words of Jesus being fulfilled before our very eyes. It seems at every turn, someone else has come up with a so-called "new" revelation: This is the new prophet. . . . This is the new guru. . . . This is the new truth. . . . This is what you need to read. . . . This is what you need to believe.

So what defines a cult? One mark of a cult is that it denies the deity of Jesus Christ. Another is that its members offer other writings or books that they claim are of equal or greater value than the Bible.

I once received a rather lengthy e-mail criticizing the fact that I had identified a specific group as a cult in one of my messages. The e-mail's author claimed that I was "unloving," because she had a friend who was a member of the particular cult I had mentioned, and if her friend had heard me say this, it would have turned her off.

Does my responsibility as a Christian to be loving mean that I can never identify something that is false? Absolutely not. As a pastor, part of my job is not only to teach and equip people, but to also warn them of potential danger. The apostle Paul told the elders at Ephesus,
Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! (Acts 20:28–31 NIV)
How will we know who the wolves are if we don't periodically identify them? The apostle Paul wrote the words of 1 Corinthians 13, the often-quoted, great treatise on love. But what does it mean to love?
Love not only nurtures and embraces, but it also warns when necessary. Proverbs 27:6 says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" (NIV).
Many of Paul's epistles refuted popular false teachings of the day. Galatians was largely written to refute the teaching of a group called the Judaizers, who basically were trying to bring non-Jews under the bondage of the Mosaic Law. Paul was correcting that.

Occasionally, Paul would take it a step further and name specific people who were false teachers or who were leading others astray. He wrote to Timothy, "But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some" (2 Timothy 2:16–18 NKJV).

And in Romans 16:17, he said, "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them" (NKJV).

There is a place for equipping ourselves. But at the same time, I don't apologize for identifying false teaching. My primary objective is not to refute everything that is being said.

My primary objective is to teach the Bible and let people learn for themselves the whole counsel of God. In the process of doing that, when they encounter a teaching that is aberrant, false, or doesn't jibe with Scripture, they can identify it and know what the Bible says about it. This is something that has to be done—especially in the days in which we are living.

Twitter Proverbs from Rick Warren












  • Thanks to all you pastors who joined in our noisy conference call this AM. What fun! YOU are truly a group of radicals!
  • The world is hungry for humble people with absolute confidence in God. Obedience,not ego, is the source of true confidence
  • I have zero confidence in myself but unlimited confidence when obeying what God has clearly commanded all of us all to do.
  • PASTORS: Our next CONFERENCE CALL IS IN 10 MIN. at 10am PST. If u get PD CONNECTION email rw@saddleback.com 4 ACCESS CODE
  • ALL Pastors subscribed to PD CONNECTION email me rw@saddleback.com 4 your ACCESS CODE 2 our next Conference call on Friday!
  • "Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled & aflame! Be alert servants of the Master." Rom.12:11(Msg)
  • "Be content with who u are &don't put on airs.God's strong hand is on u;he'll promote u at the right time"1Peter5:6(Msg)
  • It is impossible to exxagerate God! "Christ's love is so great you'll never fully understand it" Eph3:19 NLT
  • RE:Web Flamers "Warn a DIVISIVE person once,then warn him a second time. After that,have NOTHING to do with him."Titus3:10
  • God so loved the world he gave his only begotten system, so that whosoever believes could argue over interpretation. NOT!
  • When believers focus on loving Jesus,differences melt away.When we focus on anything else,the more divided we are.Gal.3:28
  • "The world of the generous gets larger & larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller & smaller." Proverbs 11:24(Message)
  • Do ur giving while living! "If I should die with more than 10 pounds wealth, may every man call me a liar & a thief"Wesley
  • “When u hear a nightingale u hear an excellent preacher.He exhorts with this Gospel,not merewords but by deed&example”Luther
  • Success is the stewardship of great ideas. If you don’t write them down, you’ll lose them."Write down the vision" Hab.2:2
  • "The world is charged with the grandeur of God...Glory be to God for dappled things" Geral Manley Hopkins
  • "Better 2lie still &worry about one's spiritual welfare than roam a wonderworker while neglecting ur spiritual life" aKempis
  • Preaching is all about bridging THEN(interpretation)& NOW(application).The bridge is the Timeless Principle.Study Rom.15:4
  • Pt3 When I preached thru Romans-took 2 1/2 yrs.Easy!Far harder to give whole counsel on a subject. Must memorize Scripture!

The Solemn Binding Agreement ~ Kay Arthur


Jeremiah, Part 1 , Return To Me

The Solemn Binding Agreement

Covenant: Do you understand what a covenant is? It is a solemn binding agreement. Do you realize that if you’re a Christian you’re in covenant with God? Do you realize that covenant carries an obligation with it? We’re going to look at a covenant that was broken by Israel and the consequences of breaking that covenant. And I pray that God will use it mightily to keep you faithful to God.

Covenant becomes a key repeated word in Jeremiah chapter 11. And this week, we are looking at Jeremiah chapter 10, 11 and 12. We’ve covered idols. And I’m sure that you were touched, and blessed, and enlightened by what we heard Nita Tin share with us yesterday about coming out of idolatry.

Now, God’s going to take us into the subject of covenant because, you see, covenant tells us why we cannot live in idolatry. Covenant tells us what happens if we break that covenant and have other gods because He’s going to talk about the covenant of the law. And what’s the first of the commandments? “„Thou [shall] have no other gods before Me..” (Exodus 20:3, KJV)

But before we get to Jeremiah chapter 10, because it’s my determination to go through the Word of God, a book of the Bible, verse-by-verse with you, we have to go back to Jeremiah chapter 10, verse 17, where I stopped reading. He has talked about their idolatry. He has talked about who He is. And then this is what he says, verse 17, “Pick up your bundle from the ground, you who dwell under siege!” (Jeremiah 10:17) Remember that word “siege.”

He says, “Get your bundle.” Remember we talked to Nita Tin? And remember when she came out of Burma, what the government did to her? I mean, she didn’t even have a bundle. She couldn’t take her jewelry. She couldn’t take clothes. She couldn’t take a suitcase. At least God lets them take their little bundle of possessions as they began that long march north and then over to the east to Babylon. 10,000 of them are going to go into captivity in 597 B.C, 10,000 of them! He says, “Pick up your bundle…you who dwell under siege! For thus says the LORD, „Behold, I am slinging [you] out of…[this] land.….” (Jeremiah 10:17)

And you can just imagine the catapulting of these people out of the land. “„…I am slinging you out of the land at this time, and will cause them distress, that they may be found..” (Jeremiah 10:18) Listen very carefully, distress puts us on our knees. Distress shows us who is real, who is God.

Because you cry out to all these things, or you depend on your 401K to take care of you, or you depend on those bonds, you depend on all these things, and all of a sudden they’re gone. But it’s when they are gone sometimes that we find God. You say, “But Kay mines gone, and I already knew God.” Nita’s husband, Patton, knew God also, and yet he humbled himself under this, and it gave him a sense of empathy, not sympathy. Empathy means you can put yourself in the same place. And then, He cries out, “Woe is me, because of my injury! My wound is incurable. But I said, „Truly this is a sickness, and I must bear it.. My tent is destroyed...all [the] ropes are broken….” (Jeremiah 10:19-20)

Now ropes are very important in a tent because they hold the tent up. They stretch the tent out. “...My sons have gone from me, and [they] are no more….” (Jeremiah 10:20) It was the sons that helped put up the tent. You couldn’t put it up by yourself. “…There [was] no one to stretch out my tent again or to set up [its] curtains.” (Jeremiah 10:20) Why has this happened?

Listen, because it is very key to what happening in the United States of America. “For the shepherds have become stupid….” (Jeremiah 10:21) Now remember, we’ve seen this word. This is the third time you’ve seen “stupid”—you don’t want to be stupid, mark it! He says, “…The shepherds have become stupid and [they] have not sought the LORD….” (Jeremiah 10:21)

When we got ready for this rescue bill that’s going to take us out of all of our financial trouble and is going to rescue our economy and because it’s collapsing and “We’ve got to vote right away. We’ve got to pass this.” Do you realize that that bill was not even read all the way through? Do you realize where those billions, billions of dollars, trillions are taking our future generations into a debt that they will not be able to pay unless a miracle happens? And I will tell you, no miracle will happen in America to get us out of that debt if America doesn’t repent and return to God, if America does not put away her idols. And who has done this?

It’s the shepherds. The shepherds are the leaders. The shepherds are the ones that decide where the flock is going to go and where they are going to pasture. And it says they “…have not sought the LORD….” (Jeremiah 10:21) What would have happened if President Obama or Bush before him had called the nation to their knees and said, “We are in dire trouble? We have disobeyed the Word of God. We have flaunted our sin before Him. We have filled the land with innocent blood. Now we’ve got to repent. We’ve got to get on our knees. We’ve got to cry out to God.”

What if it would have been days of Jonah? When the King Nineveh heard the word of Jonah, and then hearing the word of Jonah, the king of Nineveh called them to fast, even had the animals fasting, and God heard and God spared wicked Nineveh. (See Jonah 3:5-10) What would have happened?

He says, verse 21, “…Therefore they have not prospered…all their flock is scattered. The sound of a report! Behold, it comes— a great commotion out of the land of the north….” (Jeremiah 10:21-22) The Babylonians are not going to walk there. They are going to ride. They are going to ride on their horse. And it says, “…To make the cities of Judah a desolation, a haunt of jackals.” (Jeremiah 10:22) The jackals are going to come into the city, and they’re going to find it empty. And they are going to stand there. And they are going to howl. This is the city of God. This is the city where God’s temple is, where His name is. This is Holy Jerusalem. He says, “I know… LORD….” (Jeremiah 10:23) And Jeremiah is speaking.

And so I’ve colored every reference, every pronoun in orange because that’s the way I mark “Jeremiah” throughout this study because I want to learn about this prophet ’cause you and I are called to be a spokesman too. You and I are sent to a disobedient and rebellious people with a message. He says, “I know, O LORD, that a man.s way is not in himself; nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23)

God, I know, God that I need You. I know that I need You. He says, “Correct me…LORD, but with justice….” (Jeremiah 10:24) How would He do it any other way? He’s just. He says, “…Not with Your anger, or You will bring me to nothing.” (Jeremiah 10:24) Now this is a righteous man speaking to Him. “Correct me.” He says, “Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You, and on [all] the families that do not call [on] Your name; for they have devoured Jacob; they have devoured him and consumed him and…laid waste his habitation.” (Jeremiah 10:25)
God, I’m asking you for vengeance on these nations that have come against us.

What did you cry on 9-11? When all of sudden, we were attacked from across the ocean, other nations were rejoicing that America got it. I mean, it was bad. The Palestinians were celebrating that America got it. What did you pray about the nations from those enemies? And Jeremiah is saying, “God, you get those nations for what they are doing.” Now watch what God says, “The word [of the Lord] which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, „Hear the words of this covenant…..” (Jeremiah 11:1-2)

You want to mark “covenant.” I mark covenant by coloring it red and boxing it in with yellow. But wherever you see “covenant” in the Bible you want to mark it because it’s a solemn, binding agreement. He says, “„…Speak to the [inhabitants] of Judah and…the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and say to them, “Thus says the LORD…God of Israel, „Cursed is the man who does not heed the words of this covenant which I commanded your forefathers in the day that I brought them…from the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, “Listen to My voice, and do according to all [that] I command you; so you shall be My people, and I will be your God,” in order to confirm the oath which I [spoke] to your forefathers….”.”.” (Jeremiah 10:2-5) Now you want to mark “oath,” the same way you mark covenant. “„“„“….To give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is [to] this day.”... [And] then I…said…,” Jeremiah said, “…„Amen, O LORD..” (Jeremiah 11:5) Amen. It says, “Go and speak to them.” “And the LORD said to me, „Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem…..” (Jeremiah 11:6)

Now he’s proclaimed His message by the temple as they’ve come and gone. Now, he’s to take the message to the streets of Jerusalem, and say “…„Hear the words of this covenant and do them..” (Jeremiah 11:6) We’ll be right back, but you need to take the message of the new covenant to the streets of your city.

God is so gracious, Beloved, that He does not bring judgment, but what He forewarns you, He forewarns you in the Word of God. And He’s telling us upon whom the end of the ages is coming, judgment is coming. He’s laid it on my heart, in this time in history, and in this place in the United States of America to teach this book of Jeremiah because “…[the] things [that] were written [beforehand were written for our encouragement] for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages [has] come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11) So although you are not an Israelite, listen. Because as Israel was under a covenant, and we’re going to study this in Jeremiah part 2, in Jeremiah 31, “„…Days are coming…when I will make a new covenant…..” (Jeremiah 31:31)

If you’re a child of God, you’re under the new covenant and that covenant is to be honored, and that covenant is to be respected. And when it’s not, that’s when God disciplines His people. And so, listen to what He says, “„“…Hear the words of [the] covenant and do them….”.” (Jeremiah 11:6) It is not just hear. It is not just know. It is obey, Beloved. He says, “„“…I solemnly warned your fathers in the day that I brought them up from the land of Egypt, even…this day, warning persistently saying, „Listen, [listen, listen] to My voice..”.” (Jeremiah 11:7) I’ve been warning you, and warning you, and warning you, ever since I brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Ever since you crossed that Red Sea on dry ground, ever since you sat at the foot of Mt. Sinai, and saw Moses go up on that mountain and heard My voice. No idol can speak, but I have spoken, and I have spoken very clearly, and I have warned you over, and over, and over again saying, “Listen to Me. Listen to Me.”

Let me take you for just a minute to Exodus chapter 19 because I do not want you to miss this. And this is Exodus chapter 19, and put on your notes verses 1 through 9. Genesis, Exodus, the second book of the Bible. They have come out of the land of Egypt. They are at Mt. Sinai.

And in Exodus chapter 19, and I want you to remember this, it’s very key to understanding what is happening in Israel. “In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.” (Exodus 19:1) Sinai and Mt. Horeb are the same thing, “When they sent out from Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai…[they] camped in the wilderness; and…Israel camped in front of the mountain.” (Exodus 19:2)

This is called the mountain of God, “[Then] Moses went up to [the Lord] and the LORD called to him from the mountain…,” that’s why it’s called the Mountain of God, “…Saying, „Thus you shall say…..” (Exodus 19:3) And remember Moses is His spokesman because that’s going to help next week. “„…Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles. wings, and brought you to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant….”.” (Exodus 19:3-5) You want to mark “covenant” there in your Bible. “„“…Then…,”.” now listen carefully, “„“…you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, [of the earth] for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”…..” (Exodus 19:5-6) You’re mine. You are going to be a holy nation. You are going to be a kingdom of priests. And later on, He’s going to show them how they are going to be the light to the gentiles. How they are going to be the light to the rest of the world. And they are to be the light by the way that they walk.

This is why disobedience to God is so desecrating. It desecrates the image of God in us when we suppress the righteousness of God in our ungodly living, when we turn to idols, when we put things before God. So He’s telling them this and, and they are saying that they will obey God.

Watch what it says, “So Moses came and called the elders of the people…set before them all [the] words which the LORD had commanded [them. And] the people answered together and said, „All that the LORD has spoken we will do…!.” (Exodus 19:7-8) He’s telling them what the covenant is about, and they are saying, “We’ll keep the covenant.” “…And Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD.” (Exodus 19:8) So here they are saying, “We’re going to keep this covenant. All that God commands us.” You can see this again in Exodus chapter 24, we don’t have time to go there, but you can see it again.

So now, let’s go back to Jeremiah chapter 11. And he says, “Then the Lord said to me.” He says, verse 8. “„„Yet they did not obey [Me] or incline their ear, but [they] walked, each one, in the stubbornness of [their] evil heart; therefore…,”.” therefore is a term of conclusion, „“…[Therefore] I brought on them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.””. Then the LORD said to me, „A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem..” now watch, “„…[They] have turned back to [their iniquities]…..” (Jeremiah 11:8-10) Instead of obeying Me, instead of following Me, instead of doing what I’m saying, they’ve turned their back on Me, and they’re going back to their iniquities, “„…the iniquities of their ancestors who refused to hear My words…they have gone after other gods to serve them…..” (Jeremiah 11:10) Put an “i” there for “idols.” “„…The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers..” (Jeremiah 11:10)

Now He’s pointing all the way back to Exodus chapter 19, all the way through 24 where that covenant is ratified with the shedding of blood and written on the scroll so they know how to live. “Therefore thus says the LORD, „Behold I am bringing…..” (Jeremiah 11:11) You want to watch this, we are going to talk about it in tomorrow’s program, “„…I am bringing disaster on them which they will not be able to escape; though they…cry to Me…I will not listen to them..” (Jeremiah 11:11) He says, “„Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods [the idols] to whom they burn incense, but they surely will not save them in the time of their disaster..” (Jeremiah 11:12)

Why? They have hands, but they can’t work. [They have ears, but they can’t hear. They have eyes, but they can’t see.] (PARAPHRASE, Jeremiah 5:21) “„For your gods are as many as your cities, O Judah; and as many as the streets of Jerusalem as the altars that you have set up…..” (Jeremiah 11:13) Go thru those streets where all those altars are and remind them of the covenant. He says, “„…Are [all] the altars [that] have set up to the shameful thing…to burn incense to Baal. Therefore [you are] not [to] pray for this people…..” (Jeremiah 11:13-14) He says, “Don’t pray for them because they’ve broken the covenant. And because I’m a covenant keeping God, I have to judge them."

Curtain call ~ Daily Light


MORNING

Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence.

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. - Born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

My Spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not. - The battle is not your's, but God's.

The LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's.

ZECH. 4:6. Isa. 40:13. I Cor. 1:27 29. John 3:8. -John 1:13. Hag. 2:5. II Chr. 20:15. I Sam. 17:47.

EVENING

Do as thou hast said.

Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear. So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word. Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations.

God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus.

Exceeding great and precious promises.

II SAM. 7:25. Psa. 119:38,42,49,54,72,89,90. Heb. 6:17 20. II Pet. 1:4.

Lamentations 4:1-5:22 ~ Hebrews 2:1-18 ~ Psalm 103:1-22 ~ Proverbs 26:23 ~ One Year Bible


Lamentations 4:1-5:22 ~ Hebrews 2:1-18 ~ Psalm 103:1-22 ~ Proverbs 26:23

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Old Testament - Lamentations Chapters 4 and 5 are tough chapters to read. We know why everything that we read in these chapters has come to pass from our readings in the book of Jeremiah. I guess the thing personally that jumped out at me today when reading this chapter were these thoughts: Have I personally ever experienced anything like what we read about in this chapter? The answer is no. The second thought or question that came to me, however, was this: Are there people in our world today that are experiencing similar things that we read about in this chapter? And I believe the answer is obviously yes. Not for the same "reasons" that Jerusalem was experiencing all of this of course - but the same experiences of starvation and lack of hope are indeed happening in our world today.

Starvation

Then.... the question becomes - is this fair? Is this right? Should we try to do something for people in our world that are experiencing starvation, lack of hope, and worse? What will we do? I know there are thousands of organizations that we could support to help those in need in our world. One that I have personal experience with is World Vision. If you have an extra dollar a day, you can sponsor a child and radically change that child's life - forever. Or, even if you have an extra dollar a month, World Vision can do incredible things with that dollar. If anyone wants to post up other good relief orgs in the Comments sections, please do? I'd love to hear about which international relief organization you invest in. Thanks.

Worldvisionfeeding3

Actually, since I started down the path of mentioning World Vision, let me go off a bit more on my tangent here if you don't mind... :) I don't know about you, but I have had a hard time buying gifts that are simply "more stuff" for my friends and family in recent years. Don't get me wrong. I think there are wonderful hand-made gifts or books or music or even some stuff that is just the perfect gift for someone in our life. But, more often than not - if I'm going to a wedding, holiday party, birthday for kids, housewarming party - I feel like I'm just buying more "stuff" for my friends and family who have plenty of "stuff"! And so, I just want to share with you what I do now for weddings and birthdays and holidays: I may get a small personal gift for folks, but more likely I'll get them a goat! Yep, you read that right. A goat. The thing about this goat is that my friends and family won't actually have this goat walking around their house - and I'm sure they appreciate that. This goat actually goes to a family in our world that is living on less than $1 a day. This goat will provide milk and cheese for this family's personal use and for sale in the market. This goat might even allow the family to breed more goats and start up an entrepreneurial business so that this family can get self-sufficient. So... I'll be 100% honest with you here - my friends love receiving this type of goat!! They really do. With the holiday season coming up - and with weddings and birthdays and the list can go on - will you consider buying a goat for your family & friends instead of buying them more "stuff"? World Vision is one organization where you can buy these types of goats as gifts - but I'm sure there are more. World Vision actually recently unveiled their holiday gift catalog online at this link! At this link you can peruse their catalog of more than 100 gift items for families world-wide living on less than $1 a day. You can buy goats, fruit trees, wells for clean water, clothing, sheep, chickens, and the list goes on. During this 2008 holiday season, will you consider buying life-changing and life-saving gifts for others in our world this holiday season rather than just buying more "stuff"? (Thanks for reading all this... I know I've gone way off from the Bible readings today... or have I?)

World_vision_goat_2

New Testament - Hebrews chapter 2 starts strong with the first verse: "So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it." This is powerful. We must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we'll drift away from it. My thoughts here are that listening carefully in this sense also means listening often to the truth. Or reading often of the truth. Reading the Bible often. Say, every day? :) I think our human nature is such that we'll oftentimes hear something and it goes in one ear and out the other. We need repetition. We need a routine. We need the truth. Please don't drift away from it! On this topic of drifting away from God, Tim Challies over at challies.com (a blog I read frequently) wrote up a very interesting post last year titled "The Folly of Solomon". This is a very interesting look at Tim's thoughts on why Solomon drifted away from God in his later years and how you and I must be vigilant in our lives to not drift away - please read Tim's post on this topic at this link.

Verse 12 is beautiful: "I will declare the wonder of your name to my brothers and sisters." Here Jesus calls those who believe in Him his "brothers and sisters." What a great thing! To be brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ! And in the gospels Jesus also calls those who believe in Him his "friends." This is incredible to consider. Who better is there to be your brother and your friend than Jesus?

Christ

And verse 18 is a great reminder that "Since he himself has gone through suffering and temptation, he is able to help us when we are being tempted." We all will go through temptations in this life. Don't feel bad if you are "tempted." Jesus himself was tempted by the devil in the gospels. The problem comes when we give into temptation and commit the sin. However, when in the midst of temptation, this verse reminds us to turn our minds to Jesus when we are being tempted - and he will help us! He has been there - he has been tempted. Another great tool to combat temptation is bringing Scripture to mind. In fact - this is exactly what Jesus did with the devil in the desert. Each temptation the devil threw at Jesus, Jesus combated with Scripture. What a holy sword Scripture is in the midst of temptation! To help us in the midst of temptation, memorizing Scripture regularly is a very wise practice. Do you memorize Scripture? Do you think it would help you in the midst of temptation?

Psalms - Psalm 103 is a great Psalm today! Each verse is a powerful reminder of God's character and our relationship to God. Verse 8 definitely stands out today - "The LORD is merciful and gracious. He is slow to get angry and full of unfailing love." Do you believe that God is merciful and gracious? Have you experienced God's mercy? His grace? Do you believe that God is slow to get angry? When was the last time you experienced God's unfailing love? (think now... God loves you so much he's given you beautiful life-giving oxygen to fill your lungs as you read this... praise God for the very air we breath!)

Today in Psalm 103 verses 11 & 12 we read these verses about God – “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” I think these verses are a wonderful look at what it means to be spiritually reborn and living in relationship with God. These verses are a glimpse of the true freedom that is found in relationship with God - freedom of living in God’s perfect love, and freedom from our slavery to sin. Do you believe that God’s love for you is as high as the heavens are above the earth? Do you believe that God has removed your sins (transgressions) from you as far as the east is from the west? Do you thank God often for His love for you? Do you thank Jesus often for saving you from the bondage of sin?

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Proverbs - Proverbs Chapter 26, verse 23 is so true - "Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a common clay pot." Be watchful for the smooth words or smooth talker. Again, think of the devil tempting Jesus in the desert in the gospels... do you think those were smooth words being said by the devil in those temptations? Another thing I'd like to caution each of us on - let us not be smooth talkers ourselves! Really. Think about your talk to others - are your words simple and sincere? Or are you smooth talking at times? I on occasion catch myself "talking smooth" and I'm so disappointed when I hear myself talk like that! I don't think I'm hiding a wicked heart with those smooth words - but I'm sounding just fake as can be. I think maybe I default to smooth talking if I'm feeling tired or rushed or not confident for whatever reasons. I just pray that we would be sincere-talkers. Speak sincerely to each other from the heart. Through our relationship with Jesus, we should have nothing to hide from others. Let us leave our smooth talking ways completely behind! Let us talk simply and sincerely!

YouTube: Psalm 103:11-12 reminds me of the Casting Crowns song "East to West." Enjoy this live version of the song:


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

How far are your sins from you? Click here to send them as far as the East is from the West!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture this week: "Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs." Psalm 100:1-2 (NIV)

Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you from today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

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