God's Daily Word

Christians Have the Holy Spirit, Part 2

2012-02-10T07:08:00.002-06:00

Chuckle: "Only a Southerner knows how many fish, collard greens, turnip greens, peas, beans, etc., it takes to make up "a mess."

Quote: “To God the Father, God the Son, And God the Spirit, Three in One, Be honour, praise, and glory given By all on earth, and all in heaven.” --Isaac Watts

GOD'S SPIRIT IN YOUR SPIRIT

"You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the (Holy) Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you" (Romans 8:9-11 NIV).

Again, this fact is clear. With Christ's Spirit in you, you are alive - you have been born again and belong to Him. When a person repents and receives Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell, abide, live, make His home in and with your spirit. You become a child of God and the Spirit authenticates this fact and seals your salvation for eternity.

When we receive Christ, His Spirit comes to reside in each of us. Jesus said, ". . He lives with you and will be in you" (John 14:17 NIV). ". . . no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit" (I Corinthians 12:3 NIV). We must have the Spirit within us to understand spiritual things. listen carefully: "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned" (I Corinthians 2:14 NIV).

Galatians 4:6, "Because you are sons (children), God sent the Spirit of the Son into our hearts . ." What is God saying? You can be baptized and join a dozen churches, but if you have not experienced a work of and by the Holy Spirit in your life, you are not a child of God -- not a Christian.

Rom 8:16 NIV, "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's Children." What does it mean, "His Spirit testifies with our spirit?" It's not necessarily an emotion, or feeling. It is, for example, when you're reading your Bible lesson concerning repentance and salvation, you sense the Holy Spirit saying, "you received Christ and belong to me."

Ephesians 1:13 (NIV) puts it another way. ". . . having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit." When you genuinely receive Christ, His Spirit marks you with a seal as belonging to Him forever. In Paul's day, they knew a letter was from the king because it bore his seal. Also, a letter with the king's seal was certain to arrive at its destination.

Brands on cattle are the marks of their owner. When someone comes to Christ, God says "I'm marking you with my seal: (1) first, I'm making your relationship with me official. (2) Second, I'm branding you with my Spirit, (3) Third, I promise to deliver you to your eternal destination, heaven.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Christians Have the Holy Spirit, Part 1

2012-02-09T08:32:00.002-06:00

Chuckle: "Parents are people who bear children, bore teenagers, and board newlyweds. . . ."

Quote: "The Holy Spirit will show you the inexhaustible riches available to you as a child of God." --Henry Blackaby

CHRISTIANS HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

"You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the (Holy) Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you" (Romans 8:9-11 NIV).

I hope you took the time to ponder and meditate on the powerful words of our Scripture passage for today. As our passage clearly states, you can't know Christ as Savior without His Holy Spirit being resident in your life. This is a profound revelation by the Apostle Paul. It confirms the words of Jesus when He said to His disciples, "But you know Him (Holy Spirit), for he lives with you and will be in you" (John 14:17 NIV).

Three men claimed to own the same house. The first one said, "it's my house because I built it." The second said, "no, it's my house because I bought it." The third said, "no, it's my house because I live in it."

God's claims on the Christian: (1) The Father says, "I created you in my image, so you are mine." (2) Jesus says, "I paid the price (bought) for you on the cross, so you are mine." (3) God's Holy Spirit says, "I live in you, so you are mine." All are valid and since God is one, they are the same.

God is One God, but reveals Himself in three persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit." We often refer to this triune God as the "Trinity." The Holy Spirit is as much God as is the Father and the Son. He is also the one who brings us salvation, and seals it for eternity, when we repent and ask Jesus into our lives as Savior and Lord. I want us to see how the Holy Spirit lives and works in our lives, so you can know you are a child of God bound for heaven.

To attempt to cover everything we need to understand about this truth in a single lesson would make it much too lengthy. However, this subject is much too important to take lightly. So, for the next three or four lessons, we'll look at the reality and impact of the Holy Spirit on your life and mine as Christians. Let's give praise to our Lord.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Investing God's Way

2012-02-08T06:45:00.000-06:00

Chuckle: "I'm not rich like Jack, don't have a mansion like Russell or a Porche like Martin, but I do love you and want to marry you." "I love you too, but what was that you said about Martin?"

Quote: "A man there was, though some did count him mad, The more he cast away, the more he had." --John Bunyan, "The Pilgrim's Progress"

INVESTING GOD'S WAY

"Honor the LORD with your wealth and the best part (firstfruits) of everything your land produces" (Proverbs 3:9 NLT). Jesus said, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use, it will be measured to you" (Luke 6:38 NIV).

One would have to be in the burrow with Punxsutawney Phil not to be aware of the difficult economic conditions facing many people in our country. The struggling economy impacts everyone in some way(s), and even though there are tentative signs of improvement, many hurting people have not experienced them yet. High unemployment, foreclosure threats, and rising prices for food and gas create hardships for all of us to some degree.

As high prices put terrible strains on our budgets, many find their income going down or vanishing entirely. Investments that people depend upon for retirement are dwindling due to low interest rates and the necessity to rob savings for everyday needs. How should Christians react in these difficult times? We should always turn to God's Word for wisdom in handling our financial resources both in good times and bad.

Our passage, written by Solomon, deals with the practice of giving to God the first and the best parts of our income and other resources. He reminds us that rich or poor we are to honor God by putting Him first in every area of our lives, and this includes the disbursement of our income. When we obey God with our tithes and offerings, we can depend upon His promises to be with us even through the worst of times (Hebrews 13:5).

When things aren't going well for us, we honor God by trusting His perfect plan. God has a way of multiplying what we have left when we are faithful in giving to help meet the needs of others. If you are struggling financially, I pray God will bless you and give you wisdom both in your giving and in the management of the remaining resources He has entrusted to you.

Faith is giving even when I can't spare it. By obeying God in our giving, we are investing in the eternal and He will prepare us to receive His special blessings (Malachi 3:10). Whether God has blessed us with little or much, Let's all be generous in helping those less fortunate than we. Also, let's be careful not to give God the leftovers but the firstfruits of our labor.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Where Should I Find My Values?

2012-02-07T06:49:00.003-06:00

Chuckle: "I don't think those pictures you've taken do me justice." "You don't need justice -- you need mercy!!"

Quote: “Our value system must conform to His. Our actions must conform to our values.” --L. Tom Perry

WHERE SHOULD I FIND MY VALUES?

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world -- the cravings of sinful man, the lust of the eyes and the boasting of what he has and does -- comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever" (I John 2:15-17 NIV). Worldly values tell us that three things are seen as most important in life.

1. Pleasure. Our culture is mesmerized by pleasure, with emphasis is on instant gratification. "If you want it, get it -- and get it now, whether you can afford it or not. Do it even if the Bible says it's wrong." The number one industry in America today is entertainment -- pleasure. Jesus said in Luke 8:14 in the Phillips translation: "By the pleasure of living, the life is choked out of them and they produce nothing." There's a place for healthy entertainment and pleasure, but only when consistent with God's Word.

2. Possessions. Many are consumed with desire for possessions. "The one with the most toys, wins!" Even with all this emphasis on possessions, I've never seen a hearse pulling a U-Haul trailer loaded with things? Someone has said, "In America, people seem to believe in life, liberty, and the purchase of happiness." But we all know happiness can't be bought. Some believe their self-worth is determined by their net-worth. God says, "WRONG!" Valuables without values from God's Word won't give your life purpose or meaning. Jesus warned in Luke 12:15, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." If we depend on possessions for happiness and fulfillment, they will never be enough.

3. Prestige/popularity/power. Politicians "spin" everything to enhance their image. We pay for a certain label in our clothes for image/status, and say by our actions, "Look at me -- I can afford this!" Where we live, what we drive, and what we wear are good indications of our values. Someone said, "The human race started going downhill when we invented the mirror." Oh, how true! We turned from valuing character to valuing image. I John 2:15 reads: "Do not love the world or anything in the world . . they come not from the Father but from the world." Our young people are constantly bombarded images pulling them toward the world's values, and, sadly, many parents are setting the worldly example for them.

As Christians, there should only be one source for our values -- God's Word. However, often the will is missing. If our priorities are to change, the "want to" must come before the "how to." This "want to" will only come when you allow God to change your heart. We are often more concerned about what others will think of us and say about us than pleasing the One who loves us and gave Himself for us. The alarming thing about all this is the subtlety with which Satan leads us down this path of contradicting values. A little compromise here; a little acceptance of the world's standards there; and the first thing you know the world's values have become our own.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Choosing the Important

2012-02-06T07:09:00.002-06:00

Chuckle - A Child's Prayer: "Dear God, we read that Thomas Edison made light. But in Sunday School they said you did it. So I bet he stoled your idea." Donna

Quote: "To every man is given the power of choice." --Unknown

CHOOSING THE IMPORTANT

"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul" (Matthew 16:26 NIV)? "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize (wins). Run in such a way to get (win) the prize" (I Corinthians 9:24 NIV).

The most important message I can relay to you from God's Word is to learn to choose what is really important in life. If we choose God's values, then we can have a victorious life. What's most important to you? Do you know? Let's make God's values our priority and align our lives with them. Let's think together about the importance of values.

First, Godly values reduce stress in your life. A Gallup survey of baby boomers (Born 46-64) asked what causes the most stress in their lives. It wasn't time, nor lack of money, nor conflict within their families, even though these were all problems. The number one cause of stress was conflicting values. In other words, there was a huge gap between what people said their values were and the values actually reflected by the way they lived.

For example, (1) most said family is very important to them, but the average father spent only five minutes a day talking with each of his children. Work, recreation and other pursuits took first place in importance. (2) Many said "health" is very important, but, in the survey, many were overweight and didn't exercise. (3) Materialism is bad and yet they spend all they make on "stuff." (4) Many said God was number one, but when asked, "is God number one in your time and your finances?" Most said "no."

Stress comes when you say, "I know what's important," but don't live that way." Such conflict in values, brings anxiety, guilt, and frustration. James tells us that such a person, "is a double- minded person, unstable in all he does" (1:18 NIV). We're pulled by competing values (God's and the world's). If we know the right values and bring our lives into line with them, then we can enjoy life without an unhealthy level of stress and guilt.

Second, your success is influenced by values. Values determine the choices you make and everything you do. Proverbs 4:23 NIV reminds us, "Above all else, guard your heart (affections), for it is the wellspring of life." Living by God's values will help you make the right choices, and with your success will come a sense of peace, joy, and fulfillment.

Third, and most important, your values affect your eternal salvation. You may be financially well off, but, you may be spiritually bankrupt. Pleasure and possessions can become our gods and, if so, we miss the true God and his saving grace. That's why Jesus warned "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his own soul; or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" For what are you giving your life? Are you living to win the "Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me (you) on that day" (2 Timothy 4:8 NIV)?

Love, Jerry & Dotse

When God Seems Far Away

2012-02-03T07:13:00.002-06:00

Chuckle: "I write down everything I want to remember. That way, instead of spending a lot of time trying to remember what it is I wrote down, I spend the time looking for the paper I wrote it down on." --Beryl Pfizer

Quote: "We are silent at the beginning of the day because God should have the first word, and we are silent before going to sleep because the last word also belongs to God." --Dietrich Bonnhoeffer

WHEN GOD SEEMS FAR AWAY

"I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!" (Psalm 139:7 NLT).

There are times in our lives when God seems far away and unreachable. It seems as if he has left us all alone. When you feel this way, it is time to do two things: (1) Examine your heart. Is there unconfessed and unforgiven sin in your life? Have you truly been seeking God through faithful obedience? (2) Trust God's promises, not your feelings.

God's Word is replete with assurances of God's presence with us believers at all times. God has said: "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5b NIV). "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20b NIV). These are solemn promises from our Lord himself -- never will he abandon us -- never will he break his promises. How, then, is Jesus with us? He was with his disciples physically until he ascended into heaven and then through His Holy Spirit. He promised that the Holy Spirit would be his presence that would never leave them (us). "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor (Holy Spirit), who will never leave you" (John 14:16 NLT). This promise is to each of us if we have been born again.

If you need further assurance of God's never-ending presence in your life, listen again to the psalmist: "You (God) both precede and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. . . . I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence" (Psalm 137:5, 7 NLT). God is always with you, and absolutely nothing can ever separate you from his love. "I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me" (Psalm 16:8 NLT). You can take these truths to the bank. . .!! When you feel like God is far away from you, claim these promises.

God's Word tells us that our lives are temples of the Holy Spirit because the Spirit of Christ lives within us. However, it would be wrong to assume by this that our lives are always pleasing to him. Instead, we must prepare our hearts so that God will choose to reveal his presence in our lives. "Draw close to God and he will draw close to you." If you're not sensing God's presence, go to him in prayer and ask for the faith to experience him once again. Faith is unconditional trust even when you feel that God is far away.

I'm reminded of a little story about a man and his wife who were riding along in their pickup truck. The wife asked the man who was driving, "why don't we sit close together like we did when we were younger?" The man replied, "I haven't moved." God does not move away from us. If you feel like He is far away, you are the one who has moved away from Him.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

As the Heart Turns, Part 2

2012-02-02T08:13:00.000-06:00

Chuckle: "Patient: Doc, what should I do with all the gold and silver in my mouth? Dentist: Don't smile in a bad neighborhood."

Quote: "(God) You have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they rest in you." --St Austine of Hippo

AS THE HEART TURNS, Part 2

"But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen for (wilt not hear) my voice and are not obedient), and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship (serve) them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed" (Deuteronomy 30:17 combined KJV, NIV, NLT).

Our passage shows the classic pattern for God's people rebelling against Him. This is how it happens.

First, The heart turns away from God. This is the first step in a fractured fellowship with God. Our hearts can be drawn away by selfish ambition, materialism, worldly standards of success, or pursuit of sensual pleasures. The same principle applies to marriage partners. Often, the first step in a troubled marriage occurs when the heart of one partner turns away from the other. What happens when our hearts turn away from God?

Second, We no longer hear God's voice. Communications with God cease. We no longer lift our voices to God in prayer and praise, and we don't want to hear Him speaking to us for fear He will ask us to do something we've already decided we don't want to do. We may stop attending church where we might hear God speak to us. We may reason that as long as we don't hear God, we're not faced with the decision whether or not to obey Him. We become disobedient by not hearing and heeding God's voice. Likewise, communications will stop between marriage partners when the heart of one has turned away. As a pastor and marriage counselor, I've often heard, "he/she doesn't listen to (hear) me any more."

Third, We begin to disobey God. Godly principles that once guided our lives become less important and we no longer obey God's commands. Sadly, if our hearts are far enough away, we may no longer feel guilty about our disobedience because we don't hear God's Spirit dealing with us. The attitude of our hearts and minds control our spiritual ears.

Fourth, We create substitutes for God. When anything takes precedence over our love relationship with our Lord, we have created "other gods." Not only is God dishonored, but we lose the joy of our salvation and daily fellowship with our Lord. This joy can only be restored by making a conscious decision to turn our hearts back toward God, listen intently for His voice, and obey Him. Then our fellowship with Him is restored and great joy will fill our lives.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

As the Heart Turns, Part 1

2012-02-01T06:02:00.000-06:00

Chuckle: Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited - until you try to sit in their pews!

Quote: “The hearing ear is always found close to the speaking tongue.” --Douglas Jerrold

AS THE HEART TURNS, Part 1

"But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen for (wilt not hear) my voice and are not obedient), and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship (serve) them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed" (Deuteronomy 30:17 combined KJV, NIV, NLT).

When I was a boy, my family lived in a rural area (back in the sticks) in the mountains of Northern Arkansas. In the summer, I loved to spend time exploring the woods, streams, and caves around our home. But I knew that about sundown my Mother would step onto the back porch and call me to come in because it was getting late. But often I didn't want to come home because I was having so much fun doing what I wanted to do.

In my childish mind, I came up with the perfect excuse for not answering Mother's call. If I could get far enough away from home at sundown, so that I could not hear her voice, how could she possibly hold me responsible for not obeying her? Later, I could say, "Mom, I didn't hear you calling me!" My heart and mind were turned away to other things which had become more important than listening for and obeying Mother's voice.

I think our attitude toward hearing God's voice is sometimes quite similar. If our hearts are turned away from God and other things become more important than hearing God's voice of instructions for our lives, we will be out of earshot and will not want to hear Him and obey Him.

As a pastor, I have heard Christians say, "I just haven't heard God telling me to take that Sunday School teacher position" -- or some other ministry responsibility within the church. Could it be that some have turned their hearts away from God and can no longer hear Him and don't know if God is speaking to them or not?

To hear God, we must draw near unto Him and listen intently for His voice. When our hearts turn away from God, we have allowed something, or someone, to draw us away and become more important to us than God. In our passage, we see the classic pattern of God's people rebelling against God.

This pattern includes: (1) we allow our hearts to turn away from God; (2) because we aren't listening, communication with God stops; (3) we begin to disobey God's commands; then (4) we are drawn away and begin to worship substitute gods. Next time we will look more deeply into each of these steps in rebellion against God.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Rapture of the Church

2012-01-31T06:57:00.001-06:00

Chuckle: "Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on. . . .!!"

Quote: "Martin Luther said he only had two days on his calendar -- today and that day (Rapture)."

THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH

"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever" (I Thessalonians 4:16-17 NIV).

Nowhere in Scripture do you find the word "rapture" as it relates to the second coming of Christ. It is a word coined by theologians, and adopted by most Christians, to describe the events surrounding the appearance of our Lord to take up to heaven both dead and living believers that make up his eternal church. When the "rapture" will occur remains a mystery to us and only God the Father knows the day or the hour that Jesus will return.

I won't attempt to answer all the questions surrounding Christ's return, but, for your consideration, I want to present some of the many Scriptures that confirm that he will return. Our understanding of Christ's second coming is expanded by the words of Jesus himself. "And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you may be where I am" (John 14:3 NIV). Here Jesus promises his followers that he will return to earth a second time to take us with him to our eternal home in heaven -- to a place he has prepared for all who believe in him.

Concerning the timing of his return, Jesus said: "At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the heavens . . . No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Mark 13:26-27, 32 NIV). Because of Biblical prophecies that have been fulfilled, we have strong indications that we may be approaching the time of Jesus' return. However, no one can predict with certainty the date and time of the glorious event.

In our primary passage, we are told that when Christ returns for his church, those believers who have died in Christ will be raised first and those who are still alive will be changed into their glorified bodies suitable for God's presence. "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep (die), but we will all be changed -- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed" (1 Corinthians 15:50-53 NIV). It's interesting to note that at the "rapture" Christ does not physically come to earth. Instead, we, in our glorified bodies, will join him and all other believers in the air.

There are differing interpretations of Scripture concerning the exact sequence of events following the "Rapture" of the church such as the seven years of tribulation, Christ's return to establish his millennial reign, the Great White Throne judgment, etc. Perhaps I will address these events at a later date. Have a wonderful day as you look forward to Christ's return!

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Faith Is Revealed By Actions

2012-01-30T10:37:00.002-06:00

Chuckle: TEACHER: "John, why are you doing your multiplications on the floor?" JOHN: "Because you told me to do them without using tables!"

Quote: "Faith has no merit where human reason supplies the truth." --St Gregory the Great

FAITH IS REVEALED BY ACTIONS

"Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did . . . In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?" (James 2:21-22, 25 NIV).

In summarizing his teachings on faith and works, James gives two examples of genuine faith from the lives of Abraham and Rahab. These two were so very different: Abraham was a man, Rahab a woman -- a patriarch, a prostitute -- a major Old Testament character, minor character -- a Jew, a gentile. They had one thing in common -- real life-changing faith. Abraham believed God and followed Him. He put his total faith in God, and God made him righteous. He understood that faith is taking God at His word and obeying him.

Rahab lived in Jericho, a pagan city, the first walled city the Israelites must defeat to claim the promised land. The Israelites sent spies to get the lay of the land and evaluate the defenses. When they got there, they stayed in Rahab's house and told her about God. She believed and put her faith into actions by hiding them, thus putting her life at risk. Both Abraham and Rahab are listed in Hebrews 11 among the great heroes of faith.

There are four basic truths about real faith. It: (1) is consistent with God's word; (2) is always centered on Christ alone, the object of our faith; (3) always involves the mind, emotions, and will; and (4) always results in good works (deeds). Jesus referred to these acts of kindness to others as "bearing fruit." "By their fruits you will recognize them" (Matthew 7:16 NIV).

For us to have the maximum impact on the world for our Lord, our faith and actions must be consistent. "They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny Him" (Titus 1:16). Ephesians 2:8-10 puts faith and deeds in perspective: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not of works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." We are saved first by faith and then as God's new creation (workmanship), we are to do the good works that God has planned for each of us to do.

Finally, good deeds/works can never earn salvation; however, true faith always results in a changed life that produces good deeds. The true joy of being a Christian comes from the assurance that we have eternal life through faith in Christ, from obedient service to our Lord, and benevolent deeds of kindness and love to others.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

From Facts to Faith

2012-01-27T06:58:00.002-06:00

Chuckle: "My doctor told me to start my exercise program very gradually. So, today, I drove past a store that sells sweat pants."

Quote: "Faith consists in believing not what seems true, but what seems false to our understanding." --Voltaire

FROM FACTS TO FAITH

"This Good News tells us how God makes us right (righteous) in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, 'It is through faith that a righteous person has (eternal) life'" (Romans 1:17 NLT). "The righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe" (Romans 3:22 NIV). "So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith" (Hebrews 11:6a NLT).

My heart breaks when I see a person who just cannot (or will not) make the transition from believing the facts about Jesus Christ to placing his/her faith (trust) in Him as personal Lord and Savior. Many of these are good people, morally. The Scriptures, including many words from Jesus Himself, teach us to live clean moral lives as evidenced by integrity, compassion, kindness, and ministry to others. But is living a morally good life enough?

By both words and actions, many have come express their intellectual belief in the facts about Jesus and have adopted His moral teachings as the standard for their lives. In essence they say, "If I do my best to live a good life and treat others as I would like to be treated, then I will be right with God." Nothing could be further from the truth. This attitude begs the question; how good is good enough? Answer: None of us can ever be good enough to please God or earn the salvation of our eternal souls and gain entrance into heaven. Faith is the only way. "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is a gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).

Trying to earn your salvation by any means except sincere faith in Jesus Christ is to proclaim yourself as God and, as such, see yourself as fully capable of preparing for eternity in your own strength. Please don't let Satan entice you into adopting this mindset. Instead, let the love of Christ draw you into placing your faith in Him and Him alone. If being good was the solution to our sin problem, why did Jesus need to die?

Please go back up to our Scripture passages and read them prayerfully with an open mind and allow God's Holy Spirit to give you the courage to begin living by faith every day. If you have not done so, pray to receive Jesus Christ into your life, trust Him as Savior and Lord, and commit your life to Him by serving Him. Then receive the joy which awaits you in Christ.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Praying With Power

2012-01-26T06:58:00.001-06:00

Chuckle: A little boy was overheard praying, "Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it. I'm having a real good time like I am."

Quote: "For the Christian, praying should be like breathing. Just as breathing is the response of physical life to the presence of air, so prayer should be the response of spiritual life to the presence of God." --Unknown

PRAYING WITH POWER

"The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective" (James 5:16b)

According to Scriptures, there are certain principles which we must understand if we are to be righteous and pray with power.
(1) Pray with a clean heart. Our first step in praying with power is to confess our sins and allow God to forgive those sins and cleanse our hearts and minds. Remember from our last lesson, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify (cleanse) us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9 NIV).
(2) We must ask. "You do not have because you do not ask God" (James 4:2 NIV). Ask for specific things in your prayers . "Lord bless all the Christians, heal all the sick, and save all the lost, and bless all the missionaries" is too general. We should pray for specific people and specific needs. God wants us to care for individuals -- like Jesus did, and pray for them with love, concern, compassion, and persistence for their specific needs. Pray for the unsaved by name and with great burden. Jesus says to us, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7 NIV).
(3) Pray with the right motive. "You ask and do not receive because you ask with the wrong motives, that you might spend what you get on your own (selfish) pleasures" (James 4:3 NIV). After we have been cleansed and forgiven of our sins, and when we pray in accordance with God's will, self will be last on our prayer list and others will be first. We should not just pray for "me and mine," but pray God's heart with His kingdom in mind.
(4) Pray in faith. "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt" (James 1:6 NIV). Praying in faith is described in I John 5:15 NIV: "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of Him." Jesus said: "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you" (John 15:7 NIV). If we remain in Christ, we will never pray selfishly for anything contrary to his character or his will.

Jesus set the example for us by praying to His Father often and persistently. This truth was captured well by St. Cyprian who said, "If He prayed who was without sin, how much more it becomes a sinner to pray." It is God's desire that our prayers be powerful and effective.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Praying With Effectiveness

2012-01-25T07:04:00.002-06:00

Chuckle: "The healthiest part of a donut is the hole. Unfortunately, you have to eat through the rest of the donut to get there."

Quote: "Prayer is not learned in the classroom but in the closet." --E. M. Bounds

PRAYING EFFECTIVELY:

"The (fervent) prayer of a righteous man (person) is powerful and effective. "Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops" (James 5:16b-18 NIV).

Sometimes, we think we must call in a prayer "expert" to handle the "heavy-lifting" type prayers for us. Please notice that the Bible says Elijah was a man just like us. You may think you need to get someone else to pray for things you're concerned about. Requesting others to pray for you is a wonderful thing as long as such requests are not driven by a feeling that somehow your own prayers don't carry as much weight with God as the prayers of someone else. You have the same access to the Father as any other Christian. Each of us has the power of prayer at our disposal.

"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." Let's consider two types of righteousness:
(1) Imputed righteousness. This is the righteousness of Christ which we have received as Christians. ". . not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ. . ." (Philippians 3:9 NIV). We have no righteousness of our own. After Christ becomes my Savior, God doesn't see me and my failures -- He sees the righteousness of Jesus that clothes me and secures me as a child of God.
(2) Practical righteousness. 1 John 1:9 tells us, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." If there is unconfessed and unforgiven sin in our lives, we cannot qualify as the righteous person whose prayers are powerful and effective. Sin breaks the link of fellowship with the Father but "The Lord hears the prayers of the righteous" (Proverbs 15:29).

I want to challenge you to become a man or woman of prayer. If you accept this challenge, you can be a mighty force for your Lord, your family, your church, and your community. You may feel you are not as spiritually talented as some, but by seeking God's face in prayer, you can help release God's power which can change lives and move the world.

James 5:16 tell us we should confess our sins to each other and pray for each other. Confession and intercession are the tasks of all Christians. These responsibilities are not limited to ministers, priests, or teachers. You see, with the Holy Spirit resident within you, you have the same access to the Father in prayer as any spiritual leader. The problem is that far too few of us exercise that privilege as God would have us to do.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Prayer and Healing, Part 2

2012-01-24T07:06:00.001-06:00

Chuckle: "If you put a crouton on your sundae instead of a cherry, it will count as a salad."

Quote: "What cannot be questioned is God's willingness to heal and the provision He has already made for that purpose to be fulfilled." --Colin Urquhart

PRAYER AND HEALING, Part 2

"Is anyone of you sick: He/she should call the elders of the church to pray over him/her and anoint him/her with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up" (James 5:14-15 NIV).

There are basically four kinds of sicknesses addressed in the Bible:
(1) Sickness unto death. At some point illness or accident will take our lives regardless of our faith. There is a time to be born and a time to die. "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, . ." (Hebrews 9:27 NIV).
(2) Sickness as discipline. When we rebel against God and dishonor Him, He may allow a sickness to bring us back to Him. In I Corinthians 11, "Christians" were criticized for the way they participated in the Lord's supper -- they were not genuinely worshiping God. Paul said "That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep (died). . When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined. . ." (vs. 30, 32 NIV). God disciplines those he loves (Rev. 3:19).
(3) Sickness for the glory of God. John 11 says Jesus was going to raise Lazarus from the dead for God's glory. In John 9, a man was born blind. People asked: "Who sinned that this man is born blind? Was it him or his parents?" Jesus said: "Neither this man nor his parents sinned." Rather, it was that we might see God at work and bring glory to Him.
(4) Spiritual sickness. We should pray when we are sick and hurting spiritually. "Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed" (James 5:16 NIV).

Many of our physical illnesses are the result of sin. Of course, many are not. Alcohol and drug addictions destroy our bodies. Smoking and over eating also harm our bodies. In the same way, sins of resentment, anger, and bitterness can create spiritual sickness.

Someone may have sinned against (hurt) you, but you sin when you harbor resentment and bitterness which literally destroys you spiritually and makes you spiritually sick. The cure for such spiritual illness is to ask God to forgive you for your bitterness, and then ask for forgiveness from the person toward whom you are bitter and angry. Release of such burdens to God in prayer will make you feel better, spiritually.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Prayer and Healing, Part 1

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

Chuckle: "You know you're having a bad day when you call your spouse and tell her that you'd like to eat out tonight, and when you get home, you find a sandwich on the front porch."

Quote: "The less I pray, the harder it gets; the more I pray, the better it goes." --Martin Luther

PRAYER AND HEALING, Part 1

"Is anyone of you sick: He/she should call the elders of the church to pray over him/her and anoint him/her with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up" (James 5:14-15 NIV).

The subject of prayer and healing has become very personal for me over the past ten months as I dealt with a cancer diagnoses and two difficult and complex surgeries. I became aware of the power of prayer in a fresh and comforting way as I prayed and many brothers and sisters in Christ prayed for me. If you've experienced something like this, you know what I mean.

James says we should pray when we are physically sick. He is also talking about times when we may be too sick and weak to pray because of serious life-threatening illnesses. When you are in this situation, James says you should call the leaders of the church together for prayer.

Anointing with oil was a first century custom (Mark 6:13, Luke 10:34). Oil was used both for medicinal reasons and as a symbol of God's healing power. But the medicinal use of oil is not the issue here. Being anointed is to be symbolically touched with oil -- not rubbed in, poured on, or taken internally as a medicine.

The oil symbolizes the healing power of the Holy Spirit. However, the main teaching is that healing comes through prayer, not the oil. Today, Christians should pray while using all available medical treatments -- always trusting the Great Physician to bring healing. We have seen people healed when we have prayed while others have died. We are reminded that we serve a sovereign God whose ultimate will is expressed in His decision whether or not to heal an illness. We should pray in faith and trust in Him.

None of us has everything figured out about Divine healing. Some say God doesn't do miraculous healing today. Not true. But we must understand it is not God's will to heal everyone just because we want it to happen. We should pray but leave the ultimate outcome to God and His sovereign will. Robert Lawford put it this way: "Prayer is not getting our will done in heaven, but getting God's will done on earth."

Love, Jerry & Dotse

When Should We Pray?

2012-01-20T06:56:00.000-06:00

Chuckle: A cop to an offender: "If you run . . . you'll only go to jail tired."

Quote: "I have so much to do that I must spend the first three hours of each day in prayer." --Martin Luther

WHEN SHOULD WE PRAY?

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise . . . Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man (person) is powerful and effective" (James 5:13, 16 NIV).

We should pray when we are in trouble. This original Greek word translated as "trouble" means stress, difficulty, affliction, suffering. These are emotional stresses brought on by outward difficulties (finances, family, work, etc.). What should we do first? We should pray -- even before we seek help from a friend, a counselor, parents, or pastor, etc. David quoted the Lord as saying: ". . . call upon me in your time of trouble; and I will deliver you." (Psalm 50:15 NIV). We must come into God's presence so his power can be brought to bear on our problems.

We should pray when we are happy. Our prayers should take the form of songs of praise. "Praise the Lord! Praise God in his Temple; praise him in his mighty heaven. Praise him for his strength; praise him for his greatness. Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. Praise the LORD!" (Psalm 150:1-2; 6 NIV). Songs/sounds of praise should rise to God spontaneously from the basic mood of joy which marks the lives of the people of God. God's attributes give us all the justification we need to praise him -- His love, mercy, power, majesty, presence, etc.

James is telling us that prayer of some kind is appropriate in all situations -- whether we are troubled, happy, or sick. He is confirming the instructions of the apostle Paul to "pray without ceasing." This means we go through life in a constant attitude of prayer -- constantly seeking God's wisdom in every situation. We should value our privileged communications with the Creator of the universe in the name of Jesus.

"Prayer pulls the rope down below and the great bell rings above in the ears of God. Some scarcely stir the bell, for they pray so languidly; others give only an occasional jerk at the rope. But he who communicates with heaven is the man who grasps the rope boldly and pulls continuously with all his might." -- C. H. Spurgeon

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Pray In All Circumstances

2012-01-19T06:10:00.000-06:00

Chuckle: "No, the handle on your recliner does not qualify as an exercise machine."

Quote: "The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays." --Soren Kierkegaard

PRAY IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES (James 5:13-18)

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise . . . Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man (person) is powerful and effective" (James 5:13, 16 NIV).

God didn't give all of us the ability to sing beautifully. He never intended for all of us to preach. He never intended for us to have the same spiritual gifts. But one thing He intended for every believer to do is pray. Prayer can change your life and the world around you. We can sing and we can preach without the power of God, but when we get alone with God to pray, we can't do it in a meaningful way without His power.

James was a man of prayer. He talks about it in Chapter 1, Chapter 4, and here in chapter 5. The main thrust of this passage is the power of prayer and its appropriateness in every life situation. It is said that James became known as "camel knees" because his knees became hard and calloused from spending so much time in prayer. I venture to say none of us prays as we should.

"Eight-ninths of the bulk of an iceberg is below the waterline and out of sight. Only one-ninth is visible above the water's surface. Our prayer-life should be like an iceberg, with about one prayer out of nine being in public group prayer and eight-ninths out of sight in our private prayer time."

When we dip our cup in the ocean of prayer, we come up with more than a cup full of blessing. Nancy Speigelberg put it this way: "Lord I crawled across the barrenness to you with my empty cup, uncertain in asking any small drop of refreshment. If only I had known you better I'd have come running with a bucket."

All situations call for prayer -- whether we are experiencing happiness, trouble, or sickness. However, prayer never is a means by which God can be manipulated into doing my will. Faithful disciples accept God's answer to prayer whatever it may be. The same God that created all things, died, and rose again, will listen to you and to me. He will respond as we talk together with Him in faith. This miraculous provision from God himself grants us the privilege of talking and listening to the Almighty God of the universe in the name of Jesus. Wow!!

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Hindrances To Your Prayers

2012-01-18T06:56:00.001-06:00

Chuckle: Another perk of growing old: "You quit trying to hold your stomach in no matter who walks into the room."

Quote: "On my head pour only the sweet waters of serenity. Give me the gift of the untroubled Mind." --Joshua Loth Liebman

HINDRANCES TO YOUR PRAYERS

". . . you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat her with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God's gift of new life. If you don't treat her as you should, your prayers will not be heard" (I Peter 3:7 NLT).

Listen up guys -- and gals too! There are many things that can hinder our prayers: bitterness toward another person, disobeying God, or other unconfessed sins. However, there is one hindrance we may not often think about -- our relationships to one another as husbands and wives. Today, let's think about husband and wife relationships as they impact our prayer life. Let's begin with this question: Have you ever tried to pray when you were out of sorts or angry with your spouse? If you have, you know it's impossible to do. When you're angry or bitter toward someone, the last thing you feel like doing is praying. Treating a spouse as an equal partner with unconditional love, understanding, and kindness will help to restore your prayer life. Any resentment, anger, or bitterness must be removed before you can effectively pray either together or alone.

Although our passage is directed to husbands, the same principles apply to wives as well. In essence, Peter tells us that how we treat each other in our marriage relationships will determine the effectiveness of our prayers. Christian marriage partners are to demonstrate their self-giving love for each other with honor and respect, since together they are partners in the grace of life. "Weaker partner" refers to women being physically weaker than men, not weaker in spirit as members of God's kingdom.

With the strains on marriages in our society these days, what better time to evaluate our marriage relationships to determine if our attitudes toward one another are what God would have them to be. God would have you live out your Christian faith quietly and consistently in your home, so that your family will see Christ in you. The bottom line is that if a husband and wife are not lovingly considerate and respectful of each other, their prayers will not be acceptable to God. This is because a loving relationship and fellowship with God depends on congenial relationships with others, especially our marriage partners -- our most precious gifts from God.

Thomas Carlyle paid many pathetic postmortem tributes to his deceased wife, whom he sometimes neglected in life. In his diary there is what has been called the saddest sentence in English literature. Carlyle wrote: "Oh, that I had you yet for five minutes by my side that I might tell you all."

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Fear Can Be a Prison

2012-01-17T06:54:00.001-06:00

Chuckle: A drill sergeant had chewed out a young cadet, and as he walked away, he said to the cadet, "I guess when I die you'll come and dance on my grave." The cadet replied, "Not me, Sarge! I promised myself that when I got out of the Army, I'd never stand in another line."

Quote: "Fear is never a good counselor and victory over fear is the first spiritual duty of man." --Nicolas Berdyaev

FEAR CAN BE A PRISON

"And because of my imprisonment, many of the Christians here have gained confidence and become more bold in telling others about Christ" (Philippians 1:14 NLT).

I read about a woman who never shared her faith at work because she feared repercussions from her superiors and possible rejection by her own workmates. She was even afraid she would lose her job. She was encouraged by a friend to entrust her fear to the Holy Spirit and be bold in sharing the love of Christ with others. She did so, and in her case, there were no negative consequences as she had feared. Her fears were unfounded.

In our passage, Paul was in prison in Rome and his boldness to proclaim the gospel, even while in chains, served as encouragement to others. Paul saw his circumstances as an opportunity to spread the good news of Christ. He looked for ways to demonstrate his faith even in the most difficult of times. Because of his boldness, Roman soldiers of the palace guard heard the gospel as well as other Christians and they were encouraged to put aside their fears of persecution and be faithful witnesses for Christ.

Fear of being rejected or persecuted is a major factor in the failure of many Christians to share their faith. I dare say we have all experienced such fear at some point. Fear can become a prison far stronger than the chains that held Paul. Fear can literally paralyze and prevent us from doing anything for our Lord. If you are imprisoned by fear when it comes to sharing your Christian testimony, you are depending upon your own strength rather than the power of the Holy Spirit. Christ Himself will unlock the doors of you prison of fear and give you the bold words He wants you to say if you are willing to trust Him.

Another important deterrent to your fear is the strong conviction that God has given you a message to deliver that your audience needs desperately to hear. Such a conviction will help free us from our prison of fear. When commanded by Jewish religious leaders not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus or face punishment, Peter and John replied, ". . . we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20 NIV). Later they prayed, "Now, Lord consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness" (Acts 4:29 NIV).

Let's pray together that our fear will not imprison us and that we will be courageous enough to speak fearlessly in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Spiritual Warfare

2012-01-16T06:55:00.002-06:00

Chuckle: A child prayed, "Dear God, Thank you for the baby brother but what I asked for was a puppy. I never asked for anything before. You can look it up." Joyce

Quote: "Grace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected." --Jonathan Edwards

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

"Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms" (Eph. 6:11-12 NLT).

I'm sure you are aware that you, as a believer, are daily involved in spiritual warfare. If you and I are to be victorious in these battles, we must put on all the spiritual armor that God has made available to us. Ephesians 6:10-18 clearly shows us how to put on the spiritual armor of the believer, equipping us for the great spiritual battles we must win every day we live.

Paul warns of the "wiles" of Satan, which means he has specific plans directed toward each of us. In other words, Satan tailors his attacks to fit each person's vulnerabilities. He knows where we are the weakest and most vulnerable to temptation. We must remember that we are also fighting a great host of demons who are now in league with Satan.

British pastor Charles Spurgeon wrote, "If you are not seeking the Lord, the devil is seeking you." We are wise to think ahead and make preparations for the certain attacks by the evil one. We must have our strategy to escape the very enemy of our souls. Seek the Lord early each day and remain keenly alert because "your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8 NIV).

Since we are in a very real war, we need to have on our best and most effective spiritual armor. Then we can go into battle knowing that we are not alone -- God's Spirit is with us with all his power. Ephesians 6:18 tells us the Holy Spirit is there with us with His supernatural strength. We know Satan has already been defeated and the ultimate victory is certain because of Christ's victory on the cross. Remember, "the one who is in you, is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4b NIV).

The psalmist, David, expressed his need for God's help. He came to the Lord early in the morning, seeking His guidance and protection (Psalm 5:3). Let's make certain we begin every new day with an awareness of our urgent need for our Lord's strength and protection. There is no substitute for preparedness if we are to successfully fend off Satan's attacks.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Keep On Knocking

2012-01-13T06:58:00.001-06:00

Chuckle: Preacher: "Jimmy, do you say your prayers at night?" Little Jimmy: "Yes, Sir." Preacher: "Do you say your prayers in the morning, too?" Jimmy: "No, Sir. I ain't scared in the daytime!"

Quote: "Prayer is not conquering God's reluctance, but taking hold of God's willingness." --Phillip brooks

KEEP ON KNOCKING

"Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking (seeking) and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened" (Matthew 7:7 NLT).

Here, during his discourse in the Sermon on the Mount to his disciples (Matt. 5-7), Jesus instructs us on the need for persistence in our prayers. We are never to stop asking, seeking, and knocking at the door of God's throne of grace. Disciples are followers and learners of Christ, and, as such, we are to be constantly allowing him to teach us and help us grow into spiritual maturity. There are three truths from this verse that we should never forget.

1. We are Christ's disciples. As such, we should be perpetually committed to him with an insatiable desire to learn from him. This means we are willing to adjust everything else in our lives in order to please him and grow stronger in him. Nothing should take precedence over our desire to become more like him each day.

2. Christ wants kingdom commitment. The overall theme of the Sermon on the Mount is God's kingdom. "Seek first his (God's) kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things (physical needs) will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33 NIV). Sometimes we may commit ourselves to our church, our Bible study class, or to a project to help others. These are well and good, but God wants us to seek him first and commit ourselves to a personal love relationship with him. Once such a relationship is established, God knows our faithfulness in service to him and others will follow because of the condition of our hearts. To commit to his work without a commitment to him and his kingdom results in drudgery, but commitment to him first makes our service pure joy.

3. We must be persistent in asking, seeking, and knocking. In the same way, we eventually react favorably to the requests of a persistent child, God honors our persistence with him. "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up" (Luke 18:1 NIV). Knowing God takes faith, focus, and follow-through, and Jesus assures us that we will be rewarded for our persistence. Continue to ask God for more knowledge, patience, wisdom, love, and understanding. He will give them to you.

Asking suggests dependence; seeking suggests yearning; knocking suggests persistence. When we ask, seek, and knock, as believers, we must keep in mind that we should only pray for those things consistent with Christ's character. If we keep this in mind, we will not pray selfishly, but with God's will and the good of his kingdom in mind.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Who Me, A Priest

2012-01-12T06:02:00.000-06:00

Chuckle: Q: What kind of man was Boaz before he met Ruth? A: He was Ruth-less!!
Quote: When a man is wrapped up in himself, he makes a pretty small package." --John Ruskin

WHO ME, A PRIEST?

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (I Peter 2:9 NIV).

The Bible says every believer is a priest. It's critical that each of us understand its meaning and significance of this truth. You probably have a mental image of what a priest looks like and what he does; and you may not see yourself fitting that image.

In Old Testament times, the priest was the intermediary between the people and God. The priest approached God on behalf of the people. Even today, some choose to confess their sins through a priest. However, after Christ's victory over sin and death on the cross, the pattern for our interaction with God changed dramatically. Now each of us has the glorious privilege of coming directly into God's presence without fear. In the name of Jesus, we can now speak directly to God and have him speak to us through his Word and his Holy Spirit. The New Testament refers directly to the priesthood of believers five times: 1 Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 1:5-6; 5:9-10; 20:6. The priesthood of believers involves both privileges and clear responsibilities.

Our Priestly privileges include:
(1) Direct access to God in the name of Jesus, "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16 NIV). "For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Jesus Christ. . ." (I Timothy 2:5 NIV);
(2) The right to interpret Scripture. This right and privilege means you and I, as individual Christians, can study and interpret Scripture for ourselves while depending upon the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance.

Our Priestly responsibilities include:
(1) Offering spiritual sacrifices (I Peter 2:5). According to Lavonn Brown, this involves four dimensions; "(a) a spiritual sacrifice of worship (Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15); (b) a spiritual sacrifice of witness for Jesus Christ (I Peter 2:9); (c) a spiritual sacrifice of stewardship (Philippians 4:18); and (d) a spiritual sacrifice of service to others (Hebrews 13:16)."
(2) Being priests to others. The overriding principle here is that Christians have the God-given responsibility to minister to the needs of others in the name of Jesus. Although churches set aside (ordain) some as vocational ministers for certain church leadership positions, all believers are personally and equally called to be ministers. Our most important ministry is to help others come to faith in Jesus Christ -- the ministry of reconciliation.

"And he (God) has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us" (2 Corinthians 5:19b-20a NIV). Faithful exercise of your priestly privileges and responsibilities will please our Lord and bring you much joy and fulfillment!

Love, Jerry & Dotse

A Heart Condition

2012-01-11T06:58:00.001-06:00

Chuckle: Q: What was one of the first things Adam and Eve did after they were kicked out of the of the Garden? A: They really raised Cain.

Quote: "The 'heart' in the biblical sense is not inward life, but the whole man in relation to God." --Dietrich Bonhoeffer

A HEART CONDITION

"Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit in me" (Psalm 51:10). "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).

Recently, a reader shared with me that these two verses of Scripture are her prayers. I began to reflect anew on God's desires concerning our hearts. I was reminded that the word "heart" in Scripture warrants our study to understand its exact meaning. We know that "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).

The word, "heart," does not refer to the vital organ in our chests that pumps blood to keep us alive. No, it means much more than that. The word refers to the very core, or center, of our lives. As your physical heart is the center of your physical body, your spiritual heart is the center of your spiritual life. The heart includes our intellect, will, emotions, passions, appetites, morals, thoughts, spirit -- the totality of our being.

If we see the heart in this light, this Great Commandment from the lips of Jesus becomes more meaningful: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30 NIV). C. Ryder Smith says this commandment could better be rendered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart -- that is all your soul, mind, and strength." When stated like this, we see that the heart includes all these other dimensions of our being.

When we allow God to give us a clean heart, everything about us becomes clean -- our words, our actions, our thoughts. We give everything we are, have, think, and do over to Him. When our hearts are cleansed, our spirit becomes right with God and even our thoughts (meditations) become acceptable to God. When God truly gives us a new heart, our lives are transformed into image of Christ. For this to happen, we can't hold anything back from God's cleansing power.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify (cleanse) us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). When we allow God to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, everything about us is washed clean. When our hearts are clean, our worship will be acceptable to God.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Life On The Mountain

2012-01-10T06:55:00.002-06:00

Chuckle: Boy: Grandma, do you know how to croak. Grandma: No, I don't think so. Why? Boy: Because Dad say's he'll be a rich man when you do.

Quote: "Progress always involves risk; you can't steal second base and keep your foot on first." --Frederick Wilcox

LIFE ON THE MOUNTAIN

"He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be astounded. They will put their trust in the Lord" (Psalm 40:3 NLT).

In our last lesson, we saw how we should wait upon the Lord for his deliverance when we find ourselves mired in the pit of despair and discouragement. We saw what a miraculous change there was in David's heart as he learned to wait upon the Lord with an attitude of faith and expectancy. Today, let's look at how David's transformed attitude impacted his life and the lives of other people.

Notice that David's first reaction after being lifted out of his pit and transported to the mountain top was to praise God for delivering him. This should be the reaction from each of us as God does His work in our lives. When you praise our Lord for delivering you, it will impact the lives of others in addition to bringing glory to God.

When you share your personal testimony about what God has done in your life, He will use your experiences to draw others to Himself. When you say, "here's what God has done for me," your words will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to touch the hearts of others. Our passage says they will be astounded by what God has done and, in turn, will also put their trust in the Lord. You are important to God and his work. Don't ever let Satan make you feel otherwise.

The second thing David did was to dedicate his life completely to God. To be delivered from despair and then turn a deaf ear to God is the height of ingratitude and selfishness. David heard God's message and came to recognize that "You (God) take no delight in sacrifices and offerings. Now that you have made me listen, finally I understand -- you don't require burnt offerings or sin offerings. . . I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your law is written on my heart" (Psalm 40:6-8 NLT).

David came to understand that it was not the burnt offerings or other rituals of worship that pleased God; but what God wants from us is total devotion to him. The prophet Samuel told Saul, "Obedience is far better than sacrifice" (I Samuel 15:22 NIV). In Romans 12:1 NLT, the apostle Paul tells us: "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice -- the kind he (God) will accept." God seldom asks us to die physically for him, but he wants us to live sacrificially for him each day.

Remember, whether you are in the pit or on the mountain, God is in control. He is the Master in all situations. He loves you and desires the very best for you. And that best can be seen in the words of Jesus, ". . . I have come that they (you) may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10b NIV).

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Life in the Pits

2012-01-09T06:36:00.001-06:00

Chuckle: "A little boy told his pastor he was giving up something: His Mom was giving up candy; his Father ice cream, and he was giving up squash!"

Quote: "When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging!" --Will Rogers

LIFE IN THE PITS

"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God" (Psalm 40:1-3 NIV).

Erma Baumbeck once said: "If life is a bowl of cherries, how come I'm always in the pits?" A good question! Are there times when you feel everything is going wrong? Do you feel depressed at times with the hand you have been dealt in life? Are you discouraged because of physical limitations? Are your circumstances causing an attitude of despair? If so, you have a lot of company -- many feel, or have felt, this way.

There are two basic kinds of pits: those that come upon us and those we dig for ourselves. We do well to examine the reasons we are in the pits. We are all subject to such feelings from time to time, but for Christians, there is a solution -- God can deliver you. From Psalm 40, the psalmist David shares with us how God lifted him out of a terrible situation in his life. What can we learn from our passage?

When we find ourselves in the pits, wait on God in an attitude of faith and expectancy. Notice how David waited patiently on the Lord to help him in his time of need. The Hebrew word for "waited" means to wait with hope and expectation. This is a picture of "tip-toe" expectation, not "finger-tapping" impatience. We are an impatient people who want everything right now, if not sooner! We might be praying something like this: "Lord, give me patience and give it to me right now!"

God always has a purpose for making us wait for his timing. He wants us to exchange our strength for his. "But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31 NLT). While David waited, God was strengthening and shaping and him for future service.

Waiting for God to help us is not easy, but David received at least four clear benefits from waiting. God (1) changed his attitude and lifting him out of his despair; (2) gave him a sense of security by setting his feet on solid ground; (3) gave him new strength and steadied him as he walked, and (4) filled his heart with joy and put a new song of praise in his mouth. There is no better place than the pits for God to get our attention, test our patience, and force us to wait upon Him with optimistic expectations.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

The Stain of Sin

2012-01-06T06:54:00.001-06:00

Chuckle: "Some churches are now serving coffee after the sermon. Perhaps this to get people thoroughly awake before they drive home!"

Quote: "Sin is believing the lie that you are self-created, self-dependent, and self-sustained." --Augustine

THE STAIN OF SIN

"Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool" (Isaiah 1:18 NIV).

God has a way of communicating with us that leaves no doubt about his meaning. In the New Testament, Jesus often spoke in parables (common story to communicate a deep spiritual lesson) using familiar references easily understood by his audience. These parables are sometimes called, "earthly stories with heavenly meanings." Here in Isaiah, God, through the prophet, used metaphors, which had clear meaning in the culture of that day, to describe the sins of his people.

Crimson was the color of a deep-red permanent dye which was a stain almost impossible to remove from cloth. The stain of sin seems equally permanent, but God can remove sin's toughest stain from our lives as he promised to do for the Israelites. Earlier in this chapter, God had chastised his people for having blood on their hands because of the misery and injustice they brought upon less fortunate people. The bloodstains on the hands of murderers are probably the reference here. "Your hands are full of blood" (vs. 15).

But we don't have to go through life permanently soiled by our sins, regardless of their severity. We are assured in God's Word that if we are willing and obedient, Jesus Christ will forgive and remove our most indelible stains. "Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin" (Psalm 51:1-2 NLT).

When we pray for forgiveness as did the psalmist, God has promised to "forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9 NIV). God wants to forgive and cleanse us. That's why he allowed his beloved Son to die -- so he could offer us a complete pardon for our sins. When we come to Christ, he forgives all our past sins and we don't need to keep on confessing them again and again. They're gone forever!! We never again need to fear God's rejection because of our sins. However, we must remember that true confession and repentance involves a commitment not to continue to sin.

Do you fully appreciate what it means to have your sins forgiven and the stain of those sins removed by the Creator of the Universe through faith in his one and only Son? We all are wise if we take the time to just dwell on this truth and wallow around in God's love.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

New Year: Resolve To Turn Your Back On Sins

2012-01-05T06:11:00.003-06:00

Chuckle: A sign on the church bulletin board read, "Do you know what Hell is like?" Underneath were these words, "Come in and hear our organist!"

Quote: "Sin has always been an ugly word, but it's been made so in a new sense over the last half century. It has been made not only ugly but passé. People are no longer sinful. They are only immature or underprivileged or frightened or, more particularly, sick." --Phyllis McGinley

RESOLVE TO TURN YOUR BACK ON SINS

“Do not let sin control the way you live, do not give in to its lustful desires … Sin is no longer your master (you are no longer its slave)" (Romans 6:12, 14 NLT).

Listen as God issues the challenge to turn your back on your sins.
After the civil war was over and the slaves were set free, many chose to stay with their masters. They chose to remain slaves to the masters with whom they had become comfortable. The Bible says many Christians still choose to obey their old master, sin, even after Christ died to set them free.

Sometimes, Christian writers refer to something called "besetting" sins. These are sins we are prone to repeat time and again -- the sins we really battle with every day. They can cause us to live double lives, public and secret. Maybe that is how you lived over the last year, constantly defeated by the same old sin. It's like a man with a huge wart on his nose. He won't do anything about it -- he has just learned to live with it. Too many Christians have this attitude about their besetting sin. They won’t do anything about it -- they learn to live with it and this besetting sin cripples their spiritual life and robs them of joy.

Is your spiritual life crippled because you have learned to live with and give in to a besetting sin? (dishonesty, quick temper, sharp tongue, critical attitude, sexual sin, etc.). God asks you to stop letting it control the way you live. He wants you to stop giving in and obeying your old master.

God says you are no longer a slave to sin so don’t live like one or act like one. Ask for God’s forgiveness and power to resist that sin and begin anew in your spiritual life. Don’t miss this new year opportunity. Our last four lessons teach us that this New Year can be much more than a calendar event if we make and keep these four life-changing resolutions for 2012:

Resolve to forget your past failures. Forgive yourself.
Resolve to let go of your grudges. Forgive others.
Resolve to heal broken relationships. Ask forgiveness from others. Resolve to turn your back on your sins. Ask God's forgiveness.

Living by these resolutions, in the power of the Holy Spirit, will make the New Year something special and a reason to celebrate.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

New Year: Resolve to Restore Relationships

2012-01-04T06:51:00.002-06:00

Chuckle: At breakfast, the waitress told us the "Seniors' Special" was two eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast for $1.99. "Sounds good," my wife said. "But I don't want the eggs." The waitress replied, "Then I'll have to charge you $2.49 because then you're ordering a la carte." "You mean I'd have to pay for not taking the eggs?" My wife asked incredulously. Then, after a moment, she said, "OK, I'll take the senior special." "How do you want your eggs?" "Raw and in the shell," my wife replied. She took the two eggs home. The moral: Don't mess with seniors. We've been around the block more than once!

Quote: "Most people are bothered by passages in Scripture which they cannot understand; but as for me, I always noticed that the passages in Scripture which trouble me are those which I do understand." --Mark Twain

NEW YEAR: RESOLVE TO RESTORE RELATIONSHIPS

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (Romans 12:17-18 NLT).

God wants us to check up on our personal relationships. Our Scripture passage contains His challenge. He depends on you to do all you can to restore your relationships that may have gone sour in your life. Healthy relationships are at the core of Christian living. If we love others the way Christ loves us, we will be willing to forgive and do everything within our power to restore fractured relationships.

"Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace" (Ephesians 4:2-3 NLT).

Some broken relationships are the results of actions by others who may not want them restored. God recognizes that and says, “if it is possible.” But let’s be honest, often relationship problems are caused by our own actions -- something we have done. God holds us responsible for restoring relationships through forgiveness. "As far as it depends on you, live in peace with everyone." No matter who caused the rift, we should take the initiative and do everything possible to bring about reconciliation.

How many marriages are not all they could be simply because a spouse refuses to say “I was wrong; I am sorry; will you forgive me?” We need to ask forgiveness for “ harsh words and cutting remarks” that have emotionally wounded and scarred our marriage partners over the years. The same is true for our children, parents, neighbors, etc.

Make no mistake, it will be hard to do, but one of the most significant things that you can do to mark the New Year is to admit your past errors in relationships and humbly seek forgiveness from God and the one(s) you have hurt or have hurt you. “Bear with each other and forgive each other whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13 NIV).

Love, Jerry & Dotse

New Year: Resolve to Give up Grudges

2012-01-03T06:53:00.001-06:00

Chuckle: "I can forgive, but I cannot forget," is only another way of saying, "I will not forgive." --Henry Ward Beecher

Quote: "He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass." --George Herbert

NEW YEAR: RESOLVE TO GIVE UP GRUDGES

“Bear with each other and forgive each other whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13 NIV).

In these words, God is challenging us to give up our personal grudges. A grudge is a deep ongoing resentment that you cultivate in your heart against someone - unforgiving attitudes and actions. Harboring a grudge is nursing a destructive dislike for someone. Grudges destroy marriages, break up families, ruin friendships, and split churches. Grudges are also self-destructive. Harboring grudges will eventually destroy you -- if not physically, certainly emotionally and spiritually. Job 21 describes people who “Have no happiness at all, they live and die with bitter hearts.”

"It's been said that a rattlesnake, if cornered, will sometimes become so upset that it will bite itself. That is exactly what the harboring of hate and resentment against others is -- a biting of oneself. We think we are harming others in holding these grudges and hates, but the deeper harm is to ourselves."

Jesus' told a parable about the servant who was forgiven a huge debt by the king and then refused to forgive someone else a tiny amount. Jesus said his unforgiving spirit landed him in prison. Max Lucado says, “Unforgiving servants always end up in prison; prisons of anger guilt and depression." God says “don’t sentence yourself to prison.” Set yourself free by giving up your grudges and “forgive each other whatever grievances you may have against one another,” even though you were wronged.

You may need to give up a grudge and forgive your parents, children, spouse, workmate, a neighbor, or someone in your church congregation. What better time than the beginning of a new year? Please don’t tell God, or yourself, that you can’t forgive -- what you really mean is that you won’t forgive. If Christ can forgive your sin, despite it involving the pain of the cross, then surely you can forgive and give up your grievance against another person whatever the cost.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

New Year: Resolve to Forget Your Failures

2012-01-02T06:35:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year!

Chuckle: A preacher overheard a little boy cursing. He stopped and gave the boy a dime and implored him not to use "those words" again. The little boy replied -- "Preacher, I've got a two-dollar word on the tip of my tongue!"

Quote: "People in general will much better bear being told their vices and crimes than of their failings and weaknesses." --Lord Chesterfield

NEW YEAR: RESOLVE TO FORGET YOUR FAILURES

"Forgetting what is behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14 NIV).

As you look back over 2011, I'm sure you can come up with a list of what you would consider as failures. You may have failed to restore a broken relationship; failed financially; failed to faithfully love and honor your spouse; failed to be a Godly parent to your children; failed to honor your parents; failed to be a loyal friend; failed to share the love of Jesus with someone when you had opportunity; or failed God by letting a pet sin control your life. In our passage, the apostle Paul gives us some good advice. It's certain that God does not want us to become prisoners of failures in our past.

We must realize that everyone fails. Peter failed his Lord miserably when he fled, along with the other disciples, from the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:56). And he failed again when he denied Jesus by saying he didn't know him (Matthew 26:69-75). James 3:2 tells us, "We all stumble in many ways." Isn't that the truth? "There is not a righteous person on earth who does what is right and never sins (makes a mistake)" (Ecclesiastes 7:20). "For all have sinned and fall short of God's glorious standard" (Romans 3:23 NLT). I heard about a preacher, who once said to his congregation, "Let's bow our heads and pray for our falling shorts!!"

Failure and defeat are as much a part of life as success and victory. We all make mistakes - fumble the ball - mess up. It's not "if" but "when" we fail. As you reflect on 2011 and identify what you consider as failures in your life, remember that dwelling on the past will discourage you from moving into the future with confidence in what God has in store for you. The new year is an ideal time to ask God's forgiveness for your failures, and then forget the past and move on. Don't brand yourself a failure, but say, "with God's help, I'll forget my past and stop torturing myself about it." You cannot change the past and to dwell on past mistakes will sap you of needed energy for the future and rob you of the joy God wants you to have. Obviously, we should learn from our failures but not allow them to take us prisoner.

God often uses our failures to get our attention. He wants you to learn and profit from your failures. On the cross Christ died so that He could forgive your sins/failures. Receiving God's forgiveness allows you to forgive yourself and forget past failures. The new year marks a new beginning - a perfect time to accept God's forgiveness for your past failures, forgive yourself, and look forward to 2012 with anticipation, joy, and thanksgiving.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

The Baby Jesus is Named

2011-12-21T13:45:00.002-06:00

Chuckle: "A man came to his pastor's study in the throes of despondency. He was a traveling man and had been away for six months. He had sent a telegram every week to the girl he was going to marry. Last week she married the Western Union boy!"

Quote: "What oxygen is to the lungs, such is hope to the meaning of life." --Alfred, Lord Tennyson

THE BABY IS NAMED

"Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. Then it was time for the purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. The law of the Lord says, 'If a woman's first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord,' So they offered a sacrifice according to what was required in the law of the Lord -- 'either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.'" (Luke 2:21-24 NLT).

This passage is often called the "Presentation." Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the temple to be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth as required by Jewish law (Lev. 12:3). Each baby boy was circumcised and named during the ceremony. The circumcision symbolized the Jews' separation from the gentiles and their unique relationship to God. Even though Jesus was God's Son, his parents carried out all the ceremonial requirements for every other newborn son according to God's law. It's important to note that Jesus was not above the law; instead, he fulfilled every aspect of the law perfectly. Later, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus would declare this truth. "Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them" (Matthew 5:17 NLT).

The firstborn son in a family was dedicated to God ceremonially. The ceremony also included "buying back" the son from God. This was done through a sacrificial offering. By this offering, the parents acknowledged that the baby belonged to God, who alone has the power to give and take life. The pair of doves represented the gift to the Lord by poor families. What a beautiful picture of love and obedience is painted for us in the words of Luke.

"Jesus" was no ordinary name. It is equivalent to the Old Testament name, "Joshua," which means "the Lord saves." Just as Joshua had led God's people into the Promised Land, so Jesus would lead his people into the promised eternal life. Later in Jesus' ministry, his name became a powerful force, and people were healed, demons were defeated, and sins were forgiven in his name. Paul emphasizes the power of Jesus' name in Philippians 2:9-10 NLT. "Because of this (Jesus dying for us), God raised him to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Shepherds Worship and Witness

2011-12-20T06:42:00.001-06:00

Chuckle: On a cold day down in Tennessee, they were having a baptism in the river. The Preacher asked one man, 'Is the water cold?' 'Naw!' he replied. One of the deacons shouted, "Dip him agin Preacher, he's still lyin!"

Quote: "A promise made is a debt unpaid." --William Shakespeare

SHEPHERDS WORSHIP AND WITNESS

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened. which the Lord has told us about." They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in a manger. Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said" (Luke 1:15-20 NLT).

Just imagine what went through the minds and hearts of these humble shepherds after their encounter with angels and then finding the baby Jesus there in a manger? Their joy and excitement is evident by their reactions following their seeing the baby Jesus. Experiencing a face-to-face with the Savior of the world should likewise fill our hearts with that same joy, excitement, and gratitude that filled the hearts of those shepherds. This Christmas season, what is your level of joy? Perhaps your joy is being pushed aside and instead you feel stressed, rushed, tired, frustrated because of all the activities you have allowed to fill your life. We all need to put aside the hustle and bustle long enough to experience the joy and peace of Christmas.

Not only were the shepherds filled with joy, they could not wait to share the good news with others. It should be the same with us today. We have been entrusted with the best news ever and it is terribly selfish of us if we fail to share the good news of Jesus Christ at every opportunity. I am reminded of what Peter and John said when they were commanded by religious leaders to stop preaching in the name of Jesus. They said, "For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20 NLT). Wouldn't it be wonderful if each of us was motivated as were the shepherds, and Peter and John, to share the good news with others.

The shepherds understood that the coming of the promised Messiah is the central and paramount reason to praise God. It serves to remind us that God is worthy of our worship and praise. If you have experienced the new birth through faith in Jesus Christ, you have every reason to worship and praise God as did the shepherds. It is my prayer that this Christmas will be a worshipful and praise-filled time for you and your family.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Angels and Shepherds

2011-12-19T06:42:00.000-06:00

Chuckle: "Little Tommy was tired of the long Sunday sermon. After much squirming around, he finally whispered, 'Ma, If we give him the money now, will he let us out?' "

Quote: "Jesus Christ was born into this world, not from (within) it. He did not evolve out of history; He came into history from the outside." --Oswald Chambers

ANGELS AND SHEPHERDS

"That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened. But the angel reassured them. 'Don't be afraid!' he said. 'I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior -- yes, the Messiah, the Lord -- has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!' Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others -- the armies of heaven -- praising God: 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors' " (Luke 2:8-14 NLT).

It's interesting that God would first reveal the birth of his Son to those one would least expect. The shepherds are not identified specifically, but they could have been those that provided lambs for Temple sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins. Speaking of lambs, John the Baptist later would identify Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the whole world forever (John 1:36).

At the announcement of Jesus' birth, the shepherds were scared out of their wits, but their fear soon turned to joy as the angels announced the Messiah's birth. The greatest event in history had just happened! For ages the Jews had waited for this, and when it finally happened, the announcement came to humble shepherds. This reminds me that before Jesus can come into our lives as Savior, we must first humble ourselves before him and see ourselves as spiritually destitute. You don't need any special qualifications -- He accepts you as you are if you turn to him by faith.

The word, "Savior," used by the angels to describe Jesus is an extension of the Old Testament idea of God saving and delivering His people. Salvation through Jesus Christ is applicable to all areas of life -- physical and spiritual. To call Jesus Savior is to relate to him as God because only God can "save."

The angels welcomed the birth of Jesus with praise to God and a blessing calling for peace to all those who accept the gift of salvation through God's grace. True and lasting peace can never be found other than in the person of Jesus Christ as a gift of God. It can never be the result of human intentions and actions. God ushered in true peace by sending Jesus to be born of Mary there in Bethlehem. We can be instruments of his peace this Christmas by sharing his love with others.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

The Birth of Jesus

2011-12-16T06:25:00.000-06:00

Chuckle: Printed on the back of a leather jacket worn by a motorcyclist: "If you can read this, my girlfriend fell off!"

Quote: "Humility is like underwear -- essential, but indecent if it shows." --Helen Neilson

THE BIRTH OF JESUS!

"And while they were there (in Bethlehem), the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn" (Luke 2:6-7 NLT).

What a beautifully worded but simple account of the most miraculous and world-changing birth in all of human history. It doesn't matter that I've heard and read this story hundreds of times, it never fails to touch my heart in a fresh and unique way. Although our first picture of Jesus is as a baby in a manger, it should never be our last. The Christ child lying in a manger (animal feed trough) has become the subject of a beautiful and lasting Christmas scene. But we cannot let the picture end there.

This tiny and helpless Jewish baby lived an amazing life without sin, died for your sins and mine, rose again on the third day, ascended to heaven, and will come back to this earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He will rule the world and will sit in judgment of all people according to their decisions about him. Please don't let your mental picture of Jesus end with the nativity, but let him grow up in your life to be not only your personal Savior but also the Lord of your life.

Notice how Mary wrapped the baby Jesus in strips of cloth (swaddling clothes). This wrapping of newborns was a common practice in Jesus' day and is still practiced in many Middle-eastern cultures. Obviously, such cloths were for warmth, but they also were used to give the infant a sense of security and safety. The cloths were also thought to protect the infant's internal organs.

Since he was laid in a manger, it's safe to assume Jesus was born in a dark and dirty animal stable -- not the atmosphere the Jews expected as the birthplace of the Messiah King. Stables were often caves with feeding troughs carved into rock walls. In my mind, it is only fitting that Jesus, as an humble servant, would enter this world in the most humble and unexpected way. Later in his life, Jesus said he "came here not to be served, but to serve others, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).

A Christmas prayer: "Dear Lord, please restore the joy of Your salvation to us; let us experience the joy of Your presence in a refreshing new way this Christmas!"

Love, Jerry & Dotse

But You, O Bethlehem

2011-12-15T06:34:00.000-06:00

Chuckle: "A young preacher who was a guest preacher for a city church, in the absence of the pastor, prayed thusly for the pastor: 'May the pastor of this church be filled with fresh veal and zigor!"

Quote: "Nothing is so strong as gentleness and nothing is so gentle as real strength." --Ralph W. Sockman

BUT YOU, O BETHLEHEM . . .

"But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past" (Micah 5:2 NLT).

Today, we hear the prophetic voices from 700 B.C., foretelling not only the birth of Jesus, but the very village where he would be born. Ephrathah was the district in which Bethlehem was located. This is just one more tile in the mosaic of prophecy pointing to the day when God himself, in the form of his Son, would enter our world as flesh and blood to live among us and to identify with us.

The promised "ruler" is Jesus, the Messiah. The promised eternal King would be from the lineage of King David, who would come to live as a man. Bethlehem was also the place of David's birth and his ancestors lived there. "This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of King David and of Abraham" (Matthew 1:1 NLT). Jesus' existence can be traced to a time before the world was created. His eternal presence is revealed by the apostle John: "In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made" (John 1:1-3 NLT). Although eternal, Jesus Christ entered the stage of human history as the Christ Child, Jesus of Nazareth.

So, the prophecy of Micah helps us understand God's master plan for his Son to enter the world as a human being in the most humble of circumstances. Jesus made his entry into the world by being born in a stable to poverty-stricken parents in a small village called Bethlehem. There he was placed in an animal feed trough called a manger. This is the way God chose to send the King of Kings and Lord of Lords into this world to save us from the penalty of our sins and to give us the best life here on earth. Jesus said, "I have come that you might have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10 NIV).

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Envy Can Destroy Us

2011-12-14T06:25:00.002-06:00

Chuckle: A preacher up in the Adirondacks went to church one Sunday morning. The pastor called on him to pray. He replied -- "Pray yourself, I'm on vacation!"

Quote: "As a moth gnaws a garment, so doth envy consume a man." --Chrysostom

THE DESTRUCTIVENESS OF ENVY

"Do not covet your neighbor's house. Do not covet your neighbor's wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else your neighbor owns" (Exodus 20:17 NLT: one of the Ten Commandments).

When you covet, you have a strong desire to have the same possessions as someone else. Such desire goes far beyond merely admiring a person's possessions or thinking, "I really would like to have one of those." When you covet, you can easily progress to the point of resenting the person who has what you don't -- this is envy. When we envy someone, we transfer our feelings of desire for his possessions to resentment against the person himself.

Do you know someone whom you envy for what he or she has, or the praise he or she has received, or the success he or she has attained? God saw that such feelings could arise in the hearts of his people. He knew that coveting is such a destructive force that He dealt with it in one of the Ten Commandments. God knows that possessions alone can never bring lasting happiness. He also knows that greed, jealousy, covetousness, and envy can destroy relationships among his people and between his people and himself.

Not only can such desires take away our joy, they can lead us to commit other sins such as adultery and stealing -- both of which are also forbidden in the Ten Commandments. In our society, we often see violence perpetrated against someone by a criminal driven by envy. But envy can easily create bitterness and destroy relationships among believers as well. Being covetous and envious is a counter-productive exercise since God is able to provide what we really need, even if He chooses to stop short of giving us everything we want. To avoid being envious, we need to practice being content with what we have. Listen to the apostle Paul.

"Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little." (Philippians 4:11-12 NLT). Once Satan gains a foothold in your life by creating envy in your heart, he can destroy your joy, contentment, and peace that God wants you to have, and it can keep you from being the holy person God wants you to be.

There is a fable that Satan's agents were failing in their various attempts to draw into sin a holy man who lived as a hermit in the desert of northern Africa. Every attempt had met with failure; so Satan, angered with the incompetence of his subordinates, became personally involved in the case. He said, "The reason you have failed is that your methods are too crude for one such as this. Watch this." He then approached the holy man with great care and whispered softly in his ear, "Your brother has just been made Bishop of Alexandria." Instantly the holy man's face showed that Satan had been successful: a great scowl formed over his mouth and his eyes tightened up. "Envy," said Satan, "is often our best weapon against those who seek holiness."

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Doubters Versus Cynics

2011-12-13T06:19:00.002-06:00

Chuckle: "You know you're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster."

Quote: "When you really see Jesus, I defy you to doubt him. When he says -- 'Do not let your hearts be troubled,' if you see him I defy you to trouble your mind, it is a moral impossibility to doubt when he is there." --Oswald Chambers

DOUBTERS VERSUS CYNICS

"When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer" (Psalm 94:19 NLT).

We all are familiar with the Bible story of "doubting Thomas." After Jesus' had risen from the dead, ". . . the other disciples told him (Thomas), 'We have seen the Lord!' But he said to them, 'Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it' " (John 20:25 NIV).

First, let's think about the difference between doubt and cynicism. The doubter is unsure about whether something is true or right, but is open to evidence that his doubt may not be justified. However, the cynic does not believe that people are ever sincere, honest, or good and tends to be bitter and negative about life. Such a person is not as open to evidence refuting his conclusions and sometimes has the attitude, "don't confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up."

"To believe is to be 'in one mind' about accepting something as true; to disbelieve is to be 'in one mind' about rejecting it. To doubt is to waver between the two, to believe and disbelieve at once and so be 'in two minds.' " (Os Guinness, "In Two Minds.")

Jesus never condemned Thomas for having honest doubts. Jesus appeared to Thomas and patiently said to him, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe. Thomas said to him, 'My Lord and my God' " (John 20:27-28 NIV). You see, Thomas was open to being convinced -- and stopped short of actually feeling the wounds of Jesus. He became convinced by Jesus' invitation to feel him and immediately voiced his belief.

Some people need to doubt before they can believe. If doubts lead one to ask honest questions, and questions lead to answers based on truth, and the answers are accepted, then doubt has been a good thing. But when doubt leads to stubborn cynicism and stubbornness becomes a mind-set, then that cynicism does extreme harm to one's faith. If you find yourself doubting the truths of the Bible, or God himself, please don't let your search for truth end there. As you discover answers, let those answers deepen your faith.

I believe God would have you bring your doubts directly to him as you pray. Be honest about your doubts, as Thomas was, and pour out your heart's concerns to the Lord. Then be open to new insights as he reveals his truths. If you have this attitude, even doubt can serve to bring you closer to him. God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5 NLT). Take God at his word and never doubt his love, his power, his provision, and his promises.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Christmas Celebration

2011-12-12T06:58:00.001-06:00

It's great to be back with you! Thank you for your prayers during and after my kidney removal surgery on November 22d. I'm slowly getting up to par and give credit to my Lord, skillful surgeons, and the prayers of many brothers and sisters in Christ. My other kidney is doing well and I should enjoy a normal life after my recovery.

Chuckle: A child's comment on the Bible: "Jesus was born because Mary had an immaculate contraption."

CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS

(4) "But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of woman, born under the law, (5) to redeem those under the law, that we might receive the full rights of sons (children of God)" (Galatians 4:4-5 NIV). (15) "He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (16) For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities: all things were created in him and for him. (17) He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (18) And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have supremacy. (19) For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, (20) and through him to reconcile to himself all things, . . . by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross" (Colossians 1:15-20 NIV).

If we are serious in wanting to see Christmas from God's perspective this year, these passages ought to do it. Yes, we should celebrate the miraculous birth of baby Jesus in an animal stall, but our celebration should include so much more.

We should celebrate the birth of Immanuel (God Himself with us) (Isaiah 7:14 NIV).

We should celebrate the birth of God's supreme revelation of Himself to the world. "If you really knew me, you would know the Father . . . Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:7, 9b; Hebrews 1:1-2 NIV).

We should celebrate the birth of the Creator of all things. His omnipotence is clearly demonstrated by His role as the Creator. "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made" (vs.16; John 1:3 NIV).

We should celebrate the birth of the One who holds all creation together (vs. 17).

We should celebrate the birth of the supreme head of His body, the church (vs. 18)

We should celebrate the birth of our Savior through whom God demonstrated His amazing love, grace, and mercy. "But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8 NIV).

We should celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace who brings peace through the shedding of His blood on the cross (vs. 20, Isaiah 9:6 NIV).

We should celebrate the birth of the One whom "God exalted to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11 NIV). Amen.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Grace and Peace

2011-11-21T07:04:00.002-06:00

Chuckle: "A panhandler walked up to a well-dressed woman who was shopping on Main street and said, 'Lady, I haven't eaten anything in four long days.' She looked at him and said, 'I wish I had your will power.'"

Quote: "On my head pour only the sweet waters of serenity. Give me the gift of the Untroubled Mind." --Joshua Loth Liebman

GRACE AND PEACE

"Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi . . . Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:1-2 NIV).

Philippians is a letter from the apostle Paul to his dear Christian friends at Philippi. He called himself and companion, Timothy, "servants of Jesus Christ." The term "servants" denotes dependence, obedience, intense devotion, and acknowledged ownership. In this letter, Paul reminded the Philippian Christians that the church is the living body of Christ and that they were partakers of his grace and peace. They were saints in the world but not of the world (see John 17:14-16). Their lives were hidden in Christ. Paul had a closer bond with the Philippian Christians than with any other church. He shared his circumstances as a Roman prisoner under house arrest, and the inner peace and joy which he enjoyed.

First, Paul set forth a soul union between Christ and the believer. Perhaps the "in Christ" phrase was from Jesus when He talked about his being the vine and his followers as the branches in John 15. Union with Christ is accomplished by God's grace through faith - the channel through which God enters a person's inner being. Alfred Ackley's hymn gave his testimony of the indwelling Christ in his life:
"He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know he lives: He lives within my heart."

Second, Paul used the idea of the new life in Christ to refer to the believer's life fulfilled in the church. Christ brought new life into the world by sharing his life with all people, and he brought new life to the world by starting a new community, the church.

All of us desire to experience genuine peace. Paul's salutation here is an exclamation, a declaration, a wish, and a prayer. "Grace and peace" are listed in their divine order and can never be reversed. There is no true peace without first experiencing God's grace. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith" (Ephesians 2:8 NIV). Peace follows the acceptance of God's grace through Jesus Christ. Grace is the spring -- peace is the stream flowing from the spring.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Failures Need Not Be Permanent

2011-11-18T07:04:00.003-06:00

Bumper Snicker: "I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money."

Quote: "If you have recently experienced failure, you may be on the brink of receiving a profound revelation from God!" --Henry Blackaby

FAILURES NEED NOT BE PERMANENT:

"People who cover over their sins will not prosper. But if they confess and forsake them, they will receive mercy" (Proverbs 28:13 NLT). If we are serious about overcoming defeat and failure, we must do two things:

First, we must accept responsibility for our failures. We should resist blaming God or someone else for our own failures. God gives us the capability to make choices and our choices often lead us to failure. However, we are greatly blessed to serve a God who specializes in second chances. Where would any of us be if it were not so? Can you honestly say, "I've never needed a second chance?" I doubt it. I've needed multiple second chances in my lifetime. Losers blame others, but those who learn to deal with defeat/failure say, "I have sinned/failed - it's my fault - I want to start over - I want God to do something special in my life." We can say to our family, our friends, our church family, "I'm the one who failed - I take responsibility - I need to admit it."

In 1977, after 88 straight wins, the UCLA bruins lost a basketball game to Notre Dame. The next day, the LA papers had this headline, "blame me, says the coach!." He said, "I let my team get over-confident."

Until you say, "I am a sinner -- I'm at fault -- I need a Savior," you can never be saved and become a Christian. As Christians, we can never experience the real success God wants us to have until we recognize our failures and sins and ask forgiveness. "For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again" (Proverbs 24:16 NIV). God reaches down his hand in the midst of life's failures, our sins, and our defeats to lift us up and restores our joy and fellowship with him.

"The Word of the Lord came a second time to Jonah" (Jonah, 3:1). Jonah failed miserably the first time God called him to a mission in Nineveh. But after his repentance (accepting responsibility), God gave him a second chance. Today, He's saying to you and to me; "no matter how many failures you've experienced, or the severity of those failures, I will give you another chance." Maybe you're paralyzed by fear -- or wallowing in self-pity -- or caught up in pride or stubbornness. God wants you to admit your failure and let Him help you start again.

Second, we must accept God's grace and forgiveness. "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone; the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV). No matter what has happened in your life, God will give you a new and transformed life through faith in Jesus Christ. He took our sins upon Himself on cross.

I want to challenge you to love our Lord with all your heart and love your brothers and sisters as Jesus has loved us. "Love never fails." There is only one failure, we need to fear. "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12-9 NIV). His grace prevents eternal failure through faith in Jesus Christ. For Christians, his grace is sufficient to pick you up in the midst of your defeat and failure and give you a new start. He will restore your joy and peace if you turn to him in repentance and humility.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Reasons Why We Fail

2011-11-17T06:54:00.002-06:00

Chuckle: A child's quote: "Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree. Noah's wife was Joan of Ark. Noah built and Ark and the animals came on in pears."

Quote: "Jesus will not overlook your shortcomings or simply encourage you to do better the next time. He will give you victory in the midst of your failure." --Henry Blackaby

REASONS WHY WE FAIL

Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets" (Luke 5:5 NIV). Simon and the other fishermen had failed in their efforts to catch fish after trying all night long. But when they obeyed Jesus and let down their nets where he directed, they caught so many fish that their nets were torn. As we think about ways we fail our Lord, ourselves, and each other, let's consider some reasons we do so.

First, We fail because we don't plan for victory. "A sensible man watches for problems ahead and prepares to meet them. The simple minded man never looks (ahead) and suffers the consequences" (Proverbs 27:12 TLB). To fail to plan is to plan to fail. When we don't look to the future with God's vision, direction, and guidance, we fail. Success comes when God's plans become our own.
Second, we fail because we give up too soon. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9 NIV). We may want to throw in the towel and say, "I just can't study the Bible and pray every day -- I just can't be a witness for Christ." The path of least resistance usually leads to failure. Thomas Edison tried 200 different ways to make an incandescent light bulb before succeeding. He saw this as an education process -- he had learned 200 ways that didn't work and one way that did.
We learn through our failures if we will only let God teach us. If we reject God and go our own way to failure, the lessons learned are often painful. I'm still learning -- but God says, "Don't give up -- don't quit -- keep at it." The neat thing about a postage stamp is that it sticks to one thing all the way to its destination. God will stick with us always and give us the strength to gain victory from defeat.
Third, we fail because we're afraid to take risks. "Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but to trust the Lord means safety" (Proverbs 29:25 NIV). We're often afraid to take risks. "Lord, I hate my job, but I need the money -- I can't risk changing." But, God says, "Here's what I want you do and I'll be with you." We say we can't step out in faith -- God says you can, with His strength. "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13: NIV). The greatest failure is not trying -- failure to step out in faith. Often, we're afraid of what people might think. Fearing the opinions of others is a trap which keeps us from stepping out in faith, but trusting God gives victory and safety.
Fourth, we fail because we go our way rather than God's way. "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" (Proverbs 14:12 NIV). By our actions, we say our ways are better than what God wants for us. It's my selfish, egotistical, stubborn way that leads to failure, defeat, and disappointment. "We all, like sheep, have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way" Isaiah 53:6 NIV). God's way leads to success, but our inclinations are often the opposite of what God says. God says, "My ways are not your ways; my thoughts are not your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8 NIV).
If you are in the midst of defeat and failure in some area of your life, God wants to give you victory and will do so if you turn to him and his Word for answers.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Dealing With Failure and Defeat

2011-11-16T06:45:00.003-06:00

Chuckle: A motorist, after being bogged down in a muddy road, paid a farmer twenty dollars to pull him out with his tractor. He said to the farmer, "At those prices, I should think you'd be pulling people out of the mud day and night." "Can't. At night I haul water for the hole."

Quote: "The man who wins may have been counted out several times, but he didn't hear the referee." --H. E. Jansen

DEALING WITH FAILURE AND DEFEAT:

"My days are over. My hopes have disappeared. My heart's desires are broken" (Job 17:11 NLT).

Let's learn together how to overcome failures and be victorious in our Christian living. In our passage, Job expresses how some of us feel at times. If you don't feel the need for a lesson on handling defeat and failure right now, just take note - you will at some point in your life.

John F. Kennedy once said, "Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan; no one wants to claim it." Wouldn't it be wonderful if everything in life was successful - every relationship fulfilling. But, even for Christians, life is a combination of both successes and failures; victories and defeats; gains and losses. And sadly many of these failures we bring on ourselves by poor decisions and choices. But, God has an answer for us.

First, we must realize that everyone fails. Peter failed his Lord miserably when he fled, along with the other disciples, from the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:56). And he failed again when he denied Jesus by saying he didn't know him (Matthew 26:69-75). James 3:2 tells us, "We all stumble in many ways." Isn't that the truth? We all make mistakes - fumble the ball - mess up. It's not "if" but "when" we fail. We have to learn to deal with, and overcome, failure and defeat.

"There is not a righteous person on earth who does what is right and never sins (makes a mistake)" (Ecclesiastes 7:20). No one is perfect. The very best basketball players only make 50% of their shots. The best baseball hitters only get one out of three. Babe Ruth hit 714 home runs, but struck out 1330 times. "For all have sinned and fall short of God's glorious standard" (Romans 3:23 NLT). I heard about a preacher, who said to his congregation, "let's bow our heads and pray for our falling shorts."

I heard that R. P. Macy tried to start a department store seven times before he succeeded by founding the world famous Macy's of New York. Failure and defeat are as much a part of life as success and victory. But, we have to learn to deal with and overcome them -- and we have a source of strength to do just that. God often gets your undivided attention after you have experienced failure. And he often takes you back to the time and place of your failure in order to teach you and create something wonderful in your life. He wants us to learn and profit from our failures.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

The Value of Gratitude

2011-11-15T06:55:00.002-06:00

Chuckle: Bob forgot his wedding anniversary. In anger, his wife told him, "Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from 0 to 200 in 6 seconds AND IT BETTER BE THERE!!!" The next morning, she found a box, gift-wrapped in the middle of the driveway. She opened it and found a brand new bathroom scale. . . Bob has been missing since Friday!

Quote: "It is difficult to be grateful and gripey at the same time. It is hard to be thankful and touchy at the same instant. It is impossible to be prayerful and pessimistic at the same moment." --William Arthur Ward

THE VALUE OF GRATITUDE

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV).

In our passage, continuous joy and unceasing prayer are companions with being grateful in any and all circumstances. A few days ago I was reading a column by Mary Hunt. In it, she points out numerous way we benefit from having and expressing gratitude for even the smallest blessings of life. Does being grateful bring benefits to us in our physical, emotional, and spiritual health?

The approach of Thanksgiving Day, and Mary Hunt's column, have caused me to think about all the benefits that accrue to the person who is genuinely grateful to God and to other people on a daily basis. Sadly, as we celebrate an annual day of Thanksgiving, hearts and minds are often drawn away to everything in the world other than gratitude and thanksgiving. For some, the day becomes little more than a special time of self-indulgence. Let's be thankful on Thanksgiving Day, but remember that God wants us to be thankful every day and in all circumstances.

Throughout God's Word, we are instructed to be grateful for what we have and to express that gratitude to our Lord and to others who bless our lives in so many ways. God, in all his wisdom, knows that grateful hearts produce content and happy people. Ingratitude, selfishness, and greed produce the opposite in people -- malcontented, bitter, self-centered, and unfulfilled lives. By considering the good things that Mary Hunt says will happen to us if we are grateful, we may discover that God wants us to be thankful people for our own good. She suggests that:

- Gratitude reminds us of the positive things in life.
- Gratitude calms our minds and lowers our blood pressure.
- Gratitude reduces stress, the source of many physical and emotional problems.
- Gratitude makes us optimistic about the future, and boosts our immune systems.
- Gratitude makes us content with what we have.
- Gratitude is appropriate during difficult times because we grow during hardships
- Gratitude is possible even in time of tragedy and great loss. We saw the great loss on September 11, 2001, in light of all that we still possessed.
- Gratitude includes being thankful you don't have everything you desire. Otherwise, you would have nothing to look forward to.
- Gratitude is 100 percent free in any amount you desire.

Let's "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus"

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Helping the Brokenhearted

2011-11-14T06:38:00.000-06:00

Chuckle: A child's comment on the Bible: "The epistles were the wives of the apostles."

Quote: "Let me be a little kinder, let me be a little blinder to the faults of those around me." --Edgar A. Guest

HELPING THE BROKENHEARTED

"He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us" (2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT). "When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow" (Romans 12:15 NLT).

The dictionary defines "brokenhearted" as "Full of sorrow or despair; very unhappy." When our hearts are broken, it's difficult to think of anyone but ourselves. We are hurting so badly that the plight of others is sometimes obscured by our own pain. But, in my spiritual journey, I have been greatly inspired by godly people who had the strength to be more concerned for others than themselves even in the most heartbreaking circumstances. When we see someone like that, it indicates a level of faith and trust in our Lord that should be the goal of each of us. Even when your heart is breaking, God can use you to help comfort others. Your troubles can give you great understanding and insight into the feelings of others whose hearts are likewise broken.

Once you have taken your broken heart to the Lord and he has given you his peace, comfort, and strength, he definitely wants to use you as a blessing to others. You can encourage others who are brokenhearted by your presence and with words of comfort -- words that will lift up the hurting. God will give you the ability to remain strong and steadfast in your own faith so that the weakened and discouraged will seek your counsel as someone who has overcome a similar hurt. "We have been greatly comforted, dear brothers and sisters, in all of our own crushing troubles and suffering, because you have remained strong in your faith" (I Thessalonians 3:7 NLT).

God can heal your brokenness, and his healing will give you an inner peace and cause you to rejoice. As others see God's healing in your life, and your rejoicing, they will rejoice with you. There will never be a time in your Christian life when God cannot use you to bless others if only you can get outside yourself and see those around you who are hurting.

"Faith, like light, should always be simple and unbending; while love, like warmth, should beam forth on every side, and bend to every necessity of our brothers and sisters." --Martin Luther

Love, Jerry & Dotse

God and the Brokenhearted

2011-11-11T07:04:00.002-06:00

Chuckle: "A little boy kept looking at the rack of greeting cards. The clerk asked if she could help him -- birthday? Illness? Wedding? The boy shook his head no and answered wistfully, "Got anything in the line of blank report cards?"

Quote: "Be not miserable about what may happen tomorrow. The same everlasting Father, who cares for you today, will care for you tomorrow." --Francis deSales

GOD AND THE BROKENHEARTED

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18 NLT). "He heals the brokenhearted, binding up their wounds" (Psalm 147:3 NLT).

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could escape the pain of grief, loss, sorrow, disappointment, and failure. But troubles are a part of life and come to all of us. God does not promise us trouble-free lives, but he does promise to be "close to the brokenhearted" and to be our source of strength, courage, and wisdom as he helps us to deal with our heartaches.

One of the most severe by-products of a broken heart is the deep sense of loneliness. When our hearts have been broken, everyone and everything around us can become distant, out of focus, and of limited value in helping us deal with the situation. On the other hand, if we turn to him, God not only has the answers for mending a broken heart, but he will actively participate in its healing. God makes some amazing promises to the brokenhearted.

Let's face it, the Christian life is not always easy. Broken hearts and disappointments are commonplace. They may be the result of an unfaithful spouse, a rebellious child, betrayal by a trusted friend, or from our own indiscretions and bad choices. There are times when everything is out of whack and nothing makes sense -- the whole world seems to be crumbling around you. From our passage, we see that God not only understands, but is always near to the brokenhearted and wants to heal the wounds responsible for our sorrow. He will comfort the brokenhearted by his presence, compassion, a listening ear, abiding love, healing hand, encouragement, and blessings. When one of His children is brokenhearted, so is our Lord.

So, how should I react to a broken heart? When heartbreaking experiences come your way, don't get frustrated with God. Instead, admit that you need God's help and thank him for being by your side. Call to him in your time of need and be honest with your feelings. He loves you and will draw you close by his presence.

"Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, for my depression deepens. Don't turn away from me, or I will die. Let me hear of your unfailing love to me in the morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I have come to you in prayer" (Psalm 143:7-8 NLT).

Love, Jerry & Dotse

The Light Delights Us

2011-11-10T07:01:00.001-06:00

Chuckle: An executive was interviewing a nervous young woman for a position in his company. He wanted to find out something about her personality so he asked, "If you could have a conversation with someone living or dead, who would it be?" The young woman quickly responded, "The living one."

Quote: "Worry doesn't help tomorrow's troubles, but it does ruin today's happiness." --Unknown

THE LIGHT OF GOD'S WORD DELIGHTS US:

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105 NIV). Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy (delight) of my heart" (Psalm 119-111 NIV).

The Light gives us abundant joy (vs.. 111). Obviously, a heritage is something handed down to us by our ancestors -- our inheritance. There is no other heritage that even comes close to being as priceless as the heritage of God's Word left to us -- the Bible. The Bible, however, is like some other inheritances people receive -- it yields its treasures only under certain conditions. God's Word is priceless but it will not yield its wealth to us without hard work. When we work at it by diligent study, the Bible never fails to yield its riches. The heart which is inclined to obedience has tapped into the limitless resources of God's Word which brings lasting and complete joy.

The Light causes us to look to the future. "I am determined to keep your principles, even forever, to the very end" (Psalm 119:112 NIV). Those who work, or have worked, with horses know that a tired horse will move faster and pull harder when it is heading for the barn -- when the end of a day's work is in sight. Most people find living their lives in accordance with God's Word to be uphill, tiring work, but not the psalmist. He was heading home. He had turned his heart in that direction. If we reflect on all that God has done for us, the feeling within us that we are heading home will continue to grow and give us even greater motivation to work more diligently for our Lord. No doubt the psalmist found that keeping God's precepts gave him momentum, so that when difficult situations came they were already more than half conquered. He never lost sight of the end of the journey. He looked to the future with anticipation and confidence.

"Consider the difference between a strong and a weak cup of tea. The same ingredients -- water and tea -- are used for both. The difference is that the strong cup of tea results from the tea leaves immersion in the water longer, allowing the water more time to get into the tea and the tea into the water. The longer the steeping process, the stronger the cup of tea. In the same way, the length of time we spend in God's Word determines how deeply we get into it and it gets into us. Just like the tea, the longer we are in the Word, the "stronger" we become."

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Light is Our Defense

2011-11-09T07:03:00.002-06:00

Chuckle: The draftee was awakened roughly by his sergeant after the rookie's first night in the army barracks. "It's four-thirty!" roared the sergeant. "Four-thirty!" gasped the recruit. "Man, you'd better get to bed. We've got a big day tomorrow!"

Quote: "The Bible is as necessary to our safe passage through this lifetime as oxygen is to sustain life." --Unknown

THE LIGHT OF GOD'S WORD DEFENDS US:

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105 NIV). "Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law" (vs. 109). The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts (that defend me)" (vs. 110).

As the psalmist points out, Satan and the world are constantly laying traps to ensnare us. Only a close and constant walk with the Lord and diligence in studying his Word can defend us from the spirit of darkness. Our enemies take many forms but the Light of God's Word is able to defend us from them all. Here are some examples.

1. The Light defends us from our Fears: "Though I constantly take my life in my hands" (vs. 109) is a most unusual expression. It is found in several places in the Old Testament and involves the meaning: I am "putting myself at grave risk," or, "I find myself in great danger." All the dangers to the psalmist were real and he was afraid. I think he had a lump in his throat, his heart was in his mouth, but God's word hushed his fears and gave him a sense of peace and calmness. A man totally absorbed in keeping himself alive is likely to think he has no time, energy, or attention to spare for God's Word. However, as we mature in our faith, we come to realize it is during these most anxious times that God's Word becomes most precious and comforting to us.

2. The Light defends us against Our Enemies: "The wicked have set a snare for me. . . ." (vs. 110). The psalmist was afraid because he was in danger of being snared. Traps were being set for him. A person ringed about by traps is likely to take whatever steps he can conceive to avoid them, even at the cost of straying from the path marked out by God (vs.. 110). But, even in such circumstances, the psalmist did what all people of faith should do. They deliberately choose God's Word, and find that God's instructions give them deep, complete, and continuous joy. No matter what happens, the Word of the Lord must reign supreme in your life and mine if we are to be what God wants us to be and experience His peace and joy.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Light Gives Us Direction

2011-11-08T06:33:00.003-06:00

Chuckle: Reporters interviewing a 104-year-old woman: "And what do you think is the best thing about being 104?" the reporter asked. She simply replied, "No peer pressure."

Quote: "The greatest thing in the world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving." --Oliver Wendell Holmes

LIGHT BENEFITS OUR LIVES:

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. I have taken an oath and confirm it, that I will follow your righteous laws" (Psalm 119:105-106 NIV).

God's Word, as the Light for our paths, is valuable to us in many ways. In Psalm 119, the psalmist reveals several life-changing benefits from making God's Word the center of your daily life and letting God direct your life.

1. The Bible stresses the importance of obedience. A lamp is for night; however, light shines in the day as well. The Word is both to the psalmist. The psalmist's has made a choice and has taken it for his guide to point his feet down the path of righteousness. "I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow (obey) your righteous laws" (vs.106). The light that illuminates our path shows us the direction in which we are heading; as a lamp it illuminates our next step. God's Word does not unroll the whole map of life before us at once, but reveals it to us one step at a time as we remain obedient to its instructions. Thus by day and by night the Word exerts its light-giving influence. He that uses it faithfully learns where to set his foot as he walks along treacherous path of this life. He need not stumble or fall.

2. The Bible is our strength in difficult times (vs. 107). "I have suffered much; preserve my life, O Lord according to your Word." The psalmist was suffering from affliction and resulting depression -- a common combination. Where could he go for help? Only one solution came to him; he would go to God's Word - where else? His affliction came from the outside and he was the object of persecution by a number of powerful and influential enemies. However, God's Word lifted his thoughts above them all, right up to the throne, right up to the Lord, to One who was mightier than all his foes. God's Word fortifies our hearts and souls and revives us. It deals with anxiety, guilt, and depression; with inhibitions and fear; with all those other negative feelings that torture us within. Almost in the same breath, as he praises God for what His Word has done for him, he prays that he may learn still more of its priceless treasure.

3. The Bible shows us what offerings are pleasing to God (vs.108). "Accept, O Lord, the willing praise of my mouth." The psalmist asks God to accept a kind of freewill offering, the praise of his mouth. He had rare insight into God's Word, and understood that there was much more to worship than offering a sacrificial bull or a goat and shedding its blood. The most important offering to God emanates from our hearts and results in expressions of praise from our lips, followed by acts of love, service, and other offerings. "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship" (Romans 12:1 NIV).

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Light For Our Dark Paths

2011-11-07T06:23:00.002-06:00

Chuckle - A Child's Prayer: "Dear God, thank you for the baby brother. But what I prayed for was a puppy!" Joyce

Quote: "The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it." --William James

LIGHT THAT DIRECTS OUR DARK PATHS

"Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for (that directs) my path . . . Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy (delight) of my heart. My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end" (Psalm 119:105, 111-112 NIV).

Years ago, I took a tour deep inside a huge cavern. Lights had been strung along the ceiling to guide us and help us keep our footing along the potentially treacherous path. When we were at the deepest point of the cavern, the guide, after warning us, turned out all the lights! Until that moment, I never fully realized what total darkness really is and how scary and dangerous life can be without light.

Believers have a tremendous advantage over those who do not know Christ as Savior. Believers have God's Word as a Light to guide and direct them, they know precisely where they are going in life, and they know how to get there. They have God to help them, and the Light of His Word to show them the way even in the darkest of times.

I remember once being lost, and I learned a valuable lesson that day. If you don't know where you are going, you are lost and in darkness. That is the spiritual condition of every unsaved person on earth. The Bible does not use the word unsaved to describe the condition of those without Christ; it uses the word "lost."

Because of the Light of the world, Jesus Christ, Christians have found the way and are on their way home. The psalmist here points out three essential benefits of God's Word, the Bible. It directs us (vs.105-108), defends us (vs. 109-110), and delights us (vs. 111-112). The Bible is our greatest treasure on earth. lights our path and is our road map to heaven, our final destination.

"I believe the Bible is the best gift that God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this Book. I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go." --Attributed to Abraham Lincoln

Love, Jerry & Dotse

New Heart, New Spirit, New Nature

2011-11-04T06:47:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: "Insomnia is contagious; if your baby has it, chances are you will have it too!!"

Quote: "If his conditions are met, God is bound by his Word to forgive any man or woman of any sin because of Christ." --Billy Graham

NEW HEART, NEW SPIRIT, NEW NATURE

"Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins" (Acts 3:19 NLT). "And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command" (Ezekiel 36:26-27 NLT).

What a beautiful picture of God's love and plan for the life of every human being. God had Ezekiel record for us an Old Testament image of the New Testament plan of salvation through faith in Christ. When we place our faith in Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, God, through his Spirit, creates within us a new nature. ". . . you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you" (Colossians 3:10 NLT). In the life of a Christian, there is a continuous battle between the old sinful nature and the new nature God has given us.

"So I advise you to live according to you new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. The two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict" (Galatians 5:16-17 NLT).

The way we live is dependent upon which nature we choose to give control over our lives. Like two dogs fighting, there is a battle going on within us between our old nature and our new nature. The one that wins is the one to which we say "sic-um." If the old nature wins, we will drift away from God and the joy of a daily walk and fellowship with him. When this happens, we lose interest in attending church, we stop studying God's Word, We stop praying, and we stop enjoying the fellowship of other Christians. If you find yourself in this situation, you need a renewal of commitment to God. You need revival. You may need to pray as did the psalmist: "Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10 NLT).

"A man once came to Gipsy Smith, the celebrated English evangelist of an earlier time, and asked him how to have revival. Gipsy asked, 'Do you have a place where you can pray?' 'Yes,' was the reply. 'Tell you what to do, you go to that place and take a piece of chalk along. Kneel down there, and with the chalk draw a complete circle all around you -- and pray to God to send revival on everything inside the circle. Stay there until He answers -- and then you will have revival.'"

Every Christian can claim the promise of I John 1:9: "But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong." By admitting our sins and receiving Christ's cleansing, we are (1) agreeing with God that our sin is truly sin and that we are willing to turn away from it, (2) ensuring that we don't try to conceal our sins from him and consequently from ourselves, and (3) recognizing our tendency to sin and relying on his power to help us overcome it.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Faith and Foolishness

2011-11-03T06:34:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: "When your pet bird sees you reading the newspaper . . . does he wonder why you're just sitting there staring at the carpet?"

Quote: “Remember, the wisdom of God may appear as foolishness to men, but the greatest single lesson we can learn in mortality is that when God speaks and a man obeys, that man will always be right.” --Thomas S. Monson

FAITH AND FOOLISHNESS

In this passage, the apostle Paul quotes Isaiah 29:14 (in red), "I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, 'I will destroy human wisdom and discard their most brilliant ideas'" (1 Corinthians 1:18-19 NLT).

Authentic Christianity does not minimize the importance of human intelligence, learning, and reasoning. Instead, it assumes that a rational understanding of faith must be infused with the power of God's Holy Spirit. The Spirit reaches to the depths of human souls and causes God's Word to become alive in us. The gospel is "foolishness" only in the sense that unredeemed, unreceptive, and unbelieving people regard it as such. No Scripture writer, including the apostle Paul, ever advocated an uneducated approach to faith in God and none has denounced education in general as unimportant. Human knowledge is not in conflict with the wisdom of God. It simply falls short of the spiritual understanding that is available to us only through Jesus Christ.

Today, many extol the value of human intellect and exalt themselves because of their superior secular education and personal accomplishments. Still others look for supernatural signs that point them to the truth of God. But divine wisdom is from a different nature than the human intellect and cannot be comprehended without divine assistance and revelation. Those who have been saved by the grace of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, understand that true wisdom comes from God (James 1:5). God becomes known to us only as He reveals himself and we respond to that revelation in faith. Christ is the ultimate expression of the wisdom of God.

God's redemptive plan comes to the world through the simple message of Jesus Christ. That Christ-centered message becomes the wisdom of God to all those who believe it and commit themselves to Christ in faith. Christian preaching and teaching is built around a set of basic truths of Scripture -- the core tenets of our faith: (1) Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah -- God incarnate in the Son; (2) He lived a victorious and sinless life while doing good here on earth; (3) He died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins; (4) He was bodily raised from the dead; (5) He is coming again to end this present evil age; (6) He calls all people to repentance and faith; and (7) He promises forgiveness, redemption, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and eternal life. The world calls these tenets foolishness; but believers know they are God's wise way of leading us to eternal salvation and into a love relationship with him.

"So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world's brilliant debaters? God has made them all look foolish and has shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe" (I Corinthians 1:20-21 NLT).

Love, Jerry & Dotse

The Bible and You

2011-11-02T06:31:00.001-05:00

Chuckle: "When you become dissatisfied and wish you were young again, think about algebra!" --Will Rogers

Quote: "A Bible which is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't! --C.H. Spurgeon,

THE BIBLE AND YOU

"The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey from the comb" (Psalm 19:7-10 NIV). Our passage identifies life-changing benefits from spending time in God's Word:

It Revives the Soul (vs.7). To revive, means to bring back to life one who was once alive but has become lifeless. As Christians study the Bible we are revived and we grow spiritually. God's wants each of us to grow and become more mature in the faith and understanding of His will for us. God's Word gives us reason to rejoice and be glad because of God's love, Christ's sacrifice, and His indwelling presence.

It Makes the Wise Simple (vs.7). To be "Simple" means to be an humble, teachable, open-hearted person." "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom. . ." (I Corinthians 1:25). It gives wisdom/guidance for living. "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go" (Psalm 32:8). It gives practical counsel for marriage, parenting, finances, etc. (vs.8). My God, through your precepts and rules on conduct, "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence . . ." (Psalm 16:11). The Word will lift you up and give you joy.

It Restores Sight to Spiritual Eyes (vs.8). Sin blinds us to the correct choices and paths in life. "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). Without this light, sin will cause us to stray. "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm 119:105).

It Endures for Eternity (vs.9). "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever" (Isaiah 40:8). Other books come and go, but the Bible remains. Efforts to destroy it throughout history have all failed and It continues as a perennial best seller.

It is Absolutely True and Trustworthy (vs.9). The Bible is as sure and true as it has ever been. It remains altogether right. "All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal" (Psalm 119:160). In our society, many struggle with what's right and what's wrong. However, God's Word deals in absolutes -- right and wrong. Jesus, as the central character of the Bible, said: "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). This is absolute truth. There's no other way to heaven except through faith in Jesus Christ.

It is More Precious than the Finest Gold (vs.10). Nothing else you own even comes close to being the treasure that God's Word is. "Karen's mother was startled to find her five-year-old going through a new Bible storybook and circling the word God wherever it appeared on the page. She quietly asked, 'why are you doing that?' Karen's matter-of-fact answer was: 'So that I will know where to find God when I want him." Wouldn't it be nice to open a storybook and find God waiting for us? The truth is, we do have such a book -- the Bible, God's love letter to each of us.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Why Study the Bible

2011-11-01T06:47:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: A children's Sunday School teacher asked her class, "Who defeated the Philistines?" One little boy said, "I don't know. I don't keep up with the minor leagues."

Quote: "The Bible is so deep that theologians can never touch the bottom, yet so shallow that babes cannot drown." --Unknown

WHY STUDY THE BIBLE?

"The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey from the comb" (Psalm 19:7-10 NIV).

A Pastor was visiting a church family in their home. Before leaving he asked if they would like him to read from the Bible. The lady of the house said to one of her boys -- Go bring the Big Book we read out of so much. The boy, excited to be of help, rushed out of the room and came back with the Mail-Order catalog. .!!

I wonder how many of us see the Bible as a treasure from God and study it accordingly. It was written over a span of 1500 years by hundreds of different writers including kings, peasants, poets, herdsmen, fishermen, scientists, farmers, priests, pastors, tentmakers, and governors. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the various books were gathered together, and they tell one complete story of God's love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness without contradictions or inconsistencies. Just stop for a moment and let the significance of all this this sink into your heart anew.

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). ". . . .men spoke from God as they were carried along (moved) by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:20). Listen to what some famous people have said about the Bible:

Abraham Lincoln: "I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this book." George Washington: "It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." Napoleon: "The Bible is no mere book but a living creature which conquers all who oppose it. For thousands of years the forces of evil have tried to discredit, ignore, or destroy God's Holy Word - but to no avail." Andrew Jackson: "That book, sir, is the rock on which our republic rests." Daniel Webster: "If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering, but if we and our posterity neglect its instructions and authority, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory in profound obscurity."

The worldly secular progressive view is that the above observations are archaic, irrelevant, and were made by less than enlightened men. But, for us as believers, such statements about God's Word only add credibility to a truth we assimilated into our hearts and minds long ago. However, intellectually accepting the fact that God's Word is truth and spending time studying it, meditating over it, praying over it, and letting it guide your life are two different things entirely. Have a great day as you reflect on the God-given treasure -- The Bible!

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Reformation Day

2011-10-31T06:55:00.005-05:00

"For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith'" (Romans 1:17 NIV).

Most Lutheran and some other Protestant denominations observe "Reformation Day" on October 31. It commemorates Dr. Martin Luther's posting of his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31st, 1517. This act triggered the movement in world history known as the Reformation. While the historical date for the beginning of Reformation is October 31st, it is often celebrated by churches on the last Sunday in October. The Reformation was the great rediscovery of the good news of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

For centuries, the Roman Catholic Church had been plagued by false doctrines, superstition, ignorance, and corruption. Since most ordinary Christians were illiterate and had little knowledge of the Bible, they relied on their clergy for religious instruction and guidance. Tragically however, monks, priests, bishops, and even the popes in Rome taught unbiblical doctrines like purgatory and salvation through good works. Spiritually earnest people tried to justify themselves by charitable works, pilgrimages, and all kinds of religious performances and devotions, but they were left wondering if they had done enough to escape God's anger and punishment.

The truth of the gospel -- the good news that God is loving and merciful, that He offers each and every one of us forgiveness and salvation not because of what we do, but because of what Christ has already done for us -- was largely forgotten by both clergy and laity. The Holy Spirit used an Augustinian monk and university professor named Martin Luther to restore the gospel to its rightful place as the cornerstone doctrine of Christianity.

Our passage was a major factor in convincing Martin Luther that salvation is by grace through faith, not by works, and that any righteousness a Christian has comes from God as a result of his/her faith in Jesus Christ. The quote within the passage: "The righteous will live by faith" is from Habakkuk 2:4.

Luther drafted a series of ninety-five statements in Latin discussing indulgences, good works, repentance, and other topics, and invited interested scholars to debate with him. The publication of the Ninety-five Theses brought Luther international attention and into direct conflict with the Roman Catholic hierarchy and the Holy Roman Emperor. A little over three years later, he was excommunicated by the pope and declared a heretic and outlaw. This was the beginning of the Reformation, the culmination of which was the writing of the Augsburg Confession of 1530, the first official Lutheran statement of faith.

Martin Luther and his colleagues came to understand that if we sinners had to earn salvation by our own merits and good works, we would be lost and completely without hope. But through the working of the Holy Spirit, the reformers rediscovered the gospel -- the wonderful news that Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose again to redeem and justify us. As Luther wrote in his explanation of the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed:

"I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, even as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true."

On Reformation Day, we glorify God for what he accomplished in 16th century Germany through His servant, Dr. Martin Luther -- the recovery of the gospel of salvation by grace through faith for Christ's sake. We also earnestly pray that God will keep all of us faithful to the true gospel and help us to joyfully declare it to the world. This beautiful hymn verse captures the theme of the Reformation celebration:

By grace God's Son, our only Savior,

Came down to earth to bear our sin.

Was it because of your own merit

That Jesus died your soul to win?

No, it was grace, and grace alone,

That brought Him from His heav'nly throne.

I hope this brief summary on the Reformation will stimulate you do study further this most important movement in the history of Christendom. Have a wonderful day as you celebrate God's love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness!

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Coping With Overwhelming Situations

2011-10-28T06:44:00.001-05:00

Chuckle: "If I wanted to go crazy, I would do it in Washington because it would not be noticed." --Irwin S. Cobb

Quote: "Man is not at peace with his fellow man because he is not at peace with himself; he is not at peace with himself, because he is not at peace with God." --Thomas Merton

COPING WITH OVERWHELMING SITUATIONS

"Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall" (Psalm 55:22 NLT). "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens" (Psalm 68:19 NIV).

For the Christian, it's not how difficult life becomes, but how one handles and copes with those difficulties that makes the difference. One of the saddest experiences in my ministry is to see a "Christian" totally defeated and with no clue as to how to turn that defeat into victory. It seems that seeking God in times of adversity is an alien concept to some.

Many try to figure things out and solve their problems in their own strength instead of turning to the true source of strength and wisdom. They will try every possible solution, from the world's point of view, except drawing near to their God who specializes in overcoming impossible situations. The solution is to place complete trust and confidence in God at all times, but, especially, when you have reached the bottom of life's pits. "I am overwhelmed, and you alone know the way I should turn" (Psalm 142:3 NLT).

When you feel overwhelmed, remember to accept God's love, comfort, and mercy. His arms are long enough to reach even the most depressed and downtrodden. "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand" (Isaiah 41:10 NLT).

This is a solemn promise that God has made to his people -- and that includes you and me. You need not fear because (1) God is with you, (2) God has established a relationship with you through Jesus Christ, and (3) God gives you assurance of his strength, help, and victory over sin and death. Are you aware of all the ways God has helped you?

"Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again -- my Savior and my God" (Psalm 42:5-6 NLT). There should never be hopelessness in the life of a Christian -- there is no such word in God's vocabulary. If you are shedding tears of loneliness, depression, or hopelessness, there is a solution. God is so good and he wants to restore the joy of your salvation and give you a life of peace and happiness. But you must turn to him in every situation and allow him to have his way in your life.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Overwhelmed by Circumstances

2011-10-27T06:56:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: "I've reached that age when a good day is one when I get up and nothing hurts." --Satchel Paige

Quote: "We are continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems." --John W. Gardner

OVERWHELMED BY CIRCUMSTANCES

"O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I will cry to you for help, for my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety" (Psalm 61:1-2 NLT).

Have you ever felt like you were at the end of your rope -- that events in your life were totally out of control -- that you wanted to "throw in the towel" and giving up? More than likely you have felt this way at some point in your life. Most of us have. When we feel overwhelmed, the important question becomes: what do we do -- how do we handle overwhelming circumstances? To whom do you turn when you are overcome with frustration, stress, fear, and pain? Just turn your heart toward God and claim His promises in these ways.

God's love: "Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39 NLT). We can take solace in the fact that God's love is absolute, certain, consistent, and always with us to give us victory. When you feel overwhelmed, just "wallow" around in God's love, and trust him to help you overcome whatever causes you to feel overwhelmed. Absolutely nothing can ever separate us from His love. "Blessed Assurance!"

God's presence: "I am leaving you with a gift -- peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives" (John 14:27 NLT). The gift of peace comes from the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures say that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, the dwelling place of the Spirit of Almighty God. Jesus said of the Holy Spirit: "But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you" (John 14:17 NIV). This assurance will give you deep and lasting peace of mind and heart.

God's Word: "As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands" (Psalm 119:143 NLT). God's Word is a source of deep inexplicable joy and contentment even during the most overwhelming of circumstances. "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly . . . as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16 NIV).

Prayer: "Death had its hands around my throat; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: 'Please, Lord, save me!''' (Psalm 116:3-4 NLT). There's no question that our greatest need is to listen to God. Praying includes talking to God honestly and listening as he speaks. Prayer will help you to deal with the issues that may appear as overwhelming from a human perspective, but God's perspective is different.

A growing love relationship with God: "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:26-29 NLT). Such a relationship will help put overwhelming circumstances into perspective from God's point of view.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Solving the Untamed Tongue Problem

2011-10-17T06:16:00.003-05:00

Chuckle: TEACHER: "Millie, give me a sentence starting with 'I'." MILLIE: "I is. . ." TEACHER: "No, Millie . . . Always say 'I am'." MILLIE: "All right . . ., I am the ninth letter of the alphabet."

Quote: "A word is dead when it is said, some say. I say it just begins to live that day." -- Emily Dickinson

THE SOLUTION FOR AN UNTAMED TONGUE

"Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10 NLT).

Perhaps you are prone to say unkind and hurtful things when you are angry, bitter, or frustrated. We all have been guilty of this at one time or another. But we must understand that the heart of the problem is a problem of the heart. In the James passages, we see the power of the tongue used for both good and evil. In other passages, we are told how to get control over our tongues. "Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed and get a new heart and a new spirit" (Ezekiel 18:31 NLT). We can paint the well-house but it will not make the water taste better. We can make new years resolutions and promise to do better, but unless something changes in our hearts, we'll continue as the same person making the same mistakes.

We need a new/clean heart. Unless you have been born again by the power of Christ and are allowing the Holy Spirit to control your life, you can't change your heart nor the way you speak. You must get a clean heart. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse (purify) us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9 KJV).

We need to seek God's power daily. David says: "Set a guard over my mouth, oh Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips" (Psalm 141:3 NIV). If you want victory over your tongue, pray this prayer every day. Pray that God will give you kind and encouraging words for your marriage partner, your children, and your workmates, etc. "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord my rock (strength) and my Redeemer" (Psalm 19:14 NIV). We must want our speech to emanate from a pure heart. At the end of each day confess to God unkind, harsh, and critical words you have used that day and ask His forgiveness and cleansing.

We need to think before we speak. When I was a child, I was told to count to ten, when I was angry, before I said anything. This is good advice, because so much of what we say would not be said if we had taken the time to "cool down" before speaking. Also, we need to learn to think as Jesus thinks. "let this mind be in you (me) which is also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5 KJV). Jesus always knew what, how, when, and to whom to speak the truth with kindness and compassion. Proverbs 12:18 says: "the tongue of the wise brings healing," rather than hurt.

The six most important words: "I admit I made a mistake."
The five most important words: "You did a good job."
The four most important words: "What is your opinion."
The three most important words: "If you please."
The two most important words: "Thank you."
The least important word: "I."

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Words Reveal Our Character

2011-10-14T06:29:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: "When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep -- not screaming like all the passengers in his car."

Quote: "Temper is what gets most of us into trouble. Pride is what keeps us there." --Anonymous

WORDS REVEAL OUR CHARACTER

"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men (people) who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth can come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be" (James 3:9-10 NIV).

James gives two strong illustrations of how our tongues reveal character -- what/who we are deep inside. First, he asks, "Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring" (vs. 11). Of course not -- this is not possible. The spring is consistent in the water that flows from it. But we, with our tongues, may praise God one minute and verbally assault or curse our brother or sister the next. With one breath, we tell God how great He is and then with the next we tell someone how despicable they are. James says this should not be.

Some people pride themselves in being able to "tell it like it is." But, there's a difference in telling it like it is and being Godly in our speech. Sometimes telling it like it is may not be of God and will inflict great pain. Sometimes the truth can be terribly hurtful. We don't have to say something just because it's true. We don't have to share that juicy morsel of gossip just because it turns out to be fact. Some people seem to get perverse pleasure from hurting others as long as what they say is true.

Next, James says the tongue is also like a tree. "My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?" (vs. 12). James is telling us that if our hearts have been made pure by our relationship with Christ, our tongues will manifest it by the words we use. We will bear fruit consistent with the character of the one who has given us new hearts. In Matthew 12:34, Jesus tells us: "Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." If you have an untamed tongue, it is because you have an impure heart. It's not the words we speak, but the condition of our hearts that determine who we really are. Words are merely symptoms of our heart condition.

If you speak negative words, you have a fearful heart. Afraid to trust God, afraid to have faith, afraid to be optimistic. So negative words come out of your mouth. It's a heart problem. The glass is always half empty, never half full. People like this look for reasons something can't be done rather than how something can be done.
If you speak harsh words, it is because you're harboring anger in your heart. Most of our most hurtful words are spoken while we have uncontrolled anger toward someone. Many times those closest to us are our victims.
If you speak boastful words, it is because you have an insecure heart. If you are insecure, you feel you must impress people to make them think you are special and important. This heart condition often takes the form of putting others down to make ourselves look good.
If you speak critical words, it is because you have a bitter heart. The resentment and bitterness comes out in our words. Our tongues become like sharp sabers that cut, slice, and stab. Such unresolved bitterness can turn us into people no one likes to be around -- and also make us most miserable.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Our Words Can Destroy Us

2011-10-13T06:02:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: TEACHER: "Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago." WINNIE: "Me!"

Quote: "Blessed are they who have nothing to say and cannot be persuaded to say it." --James Russell Lowell

OUR WORDS CAN DESTROY US:

"Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell" (James 3:5b-6 NIV).

Our tongues have the power to destroy us -- like one little spark can ignite a raging forest fire that can destroy thousands of acres of vegetation and untold wildlife. You may have read about what happened in Chicago on October 8, 1871, at 9:00 o'clock, when Mrs. O'Leary's cow kicked over a lantern which started a fire that burned for two days. 7,000 buildings were burned to the ground and 250 people lost their lives. One little flame started it all. . . .

A cigarette thrown from a car window can destroy thousands of acres of property and vegetation. Oh, the power of one little spark. Our tongues are like that -- so small but with so much potential for destruction. Harsh words destroy more marriages; deceive more people; break more hearts; break more people's will; keep more people from success; and completely dash more people's hopes/dreams than anything else. The old saying, "sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me," just isn't true.

Through James, God is saying very clearly to you and me, if we are children of God, enough is enough! We must, by the power of Christ, stop the criticism; the slander of people; the gossip -- hurting people by what we say. We must stop word battles between husbands and wives -- parents and children. We must just shut our mouths unless we have something helpful to say. Uncontrolled words destroy families, churches, work relationships, and friendships. Some of us are verbal arsonists. We burn everybody with our tongues. In the home, verbal abuse can be as devastating as physical abuse. It's often too late to say: "I didn't mean it," or "I'm sorry." The damage has already been done. We can destroy our children by such words as, "You can't do anything right," or, "You'll never amount to anything." They grow up believing what you said.

We must get control of our tongues. James says the tongue "is itself set on fire by hell." The Bible also says "death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21). "It's a restless evil, full of deadly poison" (James 3:8). God holds us responsible for what we say. James says if we don't control our tongues, we're not mature/grown-up Christians. Remember, James said in verse 2 that if we control what we say, we are mature and able to keep the rest of our bodies in check.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Words Can Hurt Or Heal

2011-10-12T07:05:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: Teacher: "Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?" Donald: "H I J K L M N O." Teacher: "What are you talking about?" Donald: "Yesterday you said it's H to O."

Quote: “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” --Mother Teresa

WORDS CAN HURT OR HEAL

"We all make mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way" (James 3:2 NLT). We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says (the words he uses), he is a perfect (Mature) man, able to keep his whole body in check" (James 3:2 NIV).

James tells us how a mature Christian should live and gives us a way to measure our own spiritual maturity. Today, we are studying about the power of spoken words. Words from our mouths have tremendous power. They can be the most encouraging, comforting, and edifying ministry tools we have. However, if our tongues are not controlled, our mouths can spew forth the most hurtful and destructive utterances imaginable. Some examples of an untamed tongue include gossiping, putting others down, bragging, manipulating, false teaching, exaggerating, complaining, flattering, and lying. What we say, and how we say it, is an accurate measure of our maturity as Christians. If our tongues are not controlled, our words will get us into trouble - we say things we wish we hadn't.

A young man was stocking groceries and a women asked him for half a head of lettuce. He said he'd check to see if he could cut a head of lettuce. He went to the back to his supervisor, not realizing the lady was following him. He said: "there's an old bag out there who wants to buy half a head of lettuce" -- he turned and saw her behind him and said: "and this fine lady wants to buy the other half."

How many times have you said unkind words to someone, realized too late what you had done, and tried to undo the damage with something like: "I didn't mean it," or "that's just not like me," I don't normally talk that way."
Unfortunately, words once said can never be unsaid. James has some important things to say about the destructive power of our words. He says we can tame all kinds of animals, but warns us that "no man can tame the tongue" (James 3:7).

Our words control our lives if we don't control our words. If you don't like the way your life is going, then change your words -- because your words have so much to do with how you live your life. The tongue is like a small piece of metal in a horses mouth, the bit, which controls this massive, swift, and powerful animal and even the smallest of riders can control him. James also compares the tongue to the rudder of a ship. Even the most massive of ships are controlled by a tiny rudder. We should be careful about what we say because our lives will go the way of our words.

A horse does not control the bit in its mouth - the rider does. The ship does not control the rudder, the pilot does. And Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, must help us master our tongues if they are to be mastered. We cannot do it alone. The Bible says the tongue is an evil, unruly, and corrupting organ. We must have God's power to harness the tongue for good. Just as the horse may fight the bit and the ship fights the rudder both can be controlled because the master is the controller.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Life From God's Perspective

2011-10-11T06:50:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: "Did you hear about the man who couldn't call 911 because their was no 11 on the phone?"

Quote: "When a man is wrapped up in himself, he makes a pretty small package." --John Ruskin

LIFE FROM GOD'S PERSPECTIVE

"Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away" (Psalm 37:1-2 NIV).

No doubt you have wondered why so many ungodly people seem to prosper and get all the breaks. We may be prone to question God about why do they seem to get ahead while those who strive to live righteously often struggle and never seem to get a break. This observation often causes us to shake our heads with wonder and can cause us to become bitter and envious of them. However, God has some specific instructions for us in our passage for today: "Don't do it" but rather look at life from God's view point.

We should never envy evil people, even though some may be extremely popular or excessively rich. No matter how much they have, it will fade and vanish like grass that withers and dies. Those who follow God live differently from the ungodly and, in the end, will have treasures in heaven. What an unbeliever gets on earth may last a lifetime, but what you get from following God lasts for eternity.

Ungodly gain, although attractive, is only temporary. During the last Olympic season I was reminded of Paul's exhortation, "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever" (1 Corinthians 9:25 NIV). Don't forsake the way of eternal reward for momentary gain and worldly pleasures. Keep God's perspective on life and keep pressing toward the goal.

"Henry C. Morrison, after serving for forty years on the African mission field, headed home by boat. On that same boat also rode Theodore Roosevelt. Morrison was quite dejected when, on entering New York harbor, President Roosevelt received a great fanfare as he arrived home. Morrison thought he should get some recognition for forty years in the Lord's service. Then a small voice came to Morrison and said, 'Henry--you're not home yet.'"

As a Christian, God may choose to bless you with wealth in this life. If so, be thankful and please remember the words in James 1:17: "Don't be deceived my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, . . ." Either way, let's pray that God will give us strength to resist the lure of the world's temporary pleasures and focus our attention on the things that really matter from God's perspective. Let's never settle for only worldly trinkets when we can have heavenly treasures.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

God's Amazing Power

2011-10-10T06:59:00.001-05:00

Chuckle: After church, a Mom asked her young daughter what the lesson was about. The daughter answered, "Don't be scared, you'll get your quilt." Later in the day the perplexed Mom asked the pastor what that morning's Sunday school lesson was about. He said "Be not afraid, thy comforter is coming."

Quote: "The greatest single distinguishing feature of the omnipotence of God is that our imagination gets lost when thinking about it." --Pascal, Pensees

GOD'S AMAZING POWER

The Roman officer and other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, "Truly, this was the Son of God" (Matthew 27:54 NLT).

Like the public hangings which were prevalent in the earlier days of this country, the crucifixions of hardened criminals in New Testament times were not uncommon. Seeing the bleeding and lifeless body of an ordinary man hanging on a cross was not a significant event, and would only have produced reactions of grief from a few and disgust from others. But Jesus was no ordinary man, and when He died, it was no ordinary death. Those witnessing the event were awed by it all. As Jesus died, miraculous events occurred which struck terror into the hearts of the Roman soldiers and prompted their leader to say, "truly this was the Son of God."

God's power was evident in at least four miraculous events that occurred as Jesus died: (1) Darkness settled over the land; (2) The curtain in the Temple (between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place) was torn from top to bottom; (3) An earthquake rumbled and shook the ground; and (4) Some dead people were raised from their graves. The soldiers witnessed the earthquake, darkness, and possibly the people raised from their graves. When the eternal Son of the Most High God died, the event did not go unnoticed -- it was an amazing display of God's power. It's no wonder that they recognized Jesus as God's Son.

As I reflect on the power of God on display at the crucifixion and then later at Christ's glorious resurrection from the dead, I'm reminded that this same amazing power is available to you and me today. Listen to the apostle Paul: "I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty (incomparably great NIV) power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT). How many of us really believe that this same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us today as we serve Him in the power of His Spirit.

God wants to release His amazing power through us daily, but we must be willing to step out in faith and obedience while never doubting God's saving and sustaining power. Remember, there is nothing too difficult for our omnipotent and loving God.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Helping Others Deal With Tragedy

2011-10-07T06:44:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: "Birthdays are good for you -- the more you have, the longer you live."

Quote: "Hope means expectancy when things are otherwise hopeless." --G.K. Chesterton

HELPING OTHERS DEAL WITH TRAGEDY

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God" (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV).

It's a sad fact of life, tragedies will come to each of us and we cannot understand, or explain, why they happen. When someone close to us experiences a tragic loss, such as the death of a loved one, we feel woefully inadequate to express our feelings as we grope for the right words. We hope to somehow make the tragedy a little more bearable by our presence and support. Because of our human inadequacies, there's only one place to go for consolation and comfort -- God's Word. So, how can we best minister to others who are experiencing tragedies in their lives?

We can faithfully intercede for them in prayer. I love this prayer. "O Lord, who is the comforter of your children, the God of love and tenderness, I pray for those who mourn at this time. We need not tell their sorrow to you. In the stillness of our hearts we ask for them your sustaining grace. Be their stay in this sore trial; the strength of the fainting heart and the Light of the darkened home. Open their eyes to see the Father's House on high, and may they feel assured that the departed has found a better life, and a more perfect rest in you.
Almighty God, may this visitation of death be your voice speaking to us, and may it minister to a truer and holier life in our souls. May our passing days be rich in those things which death cannot take from us; and may you strengthen us to live that life of faith and righteousness, of love and peace, which makes the last earthly change but a step nearer to you, our Everlasting Refuge and Home. Hear us for your mercy's sake, through Jesus Christ our Lord." -- prayer by John Hunter

We can help meet their spiritual needs by encouraging them to turn to God for comfort, strength, and peace rather than being angry with God. "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. . ." (Psalm 28:7 NLT). "The Lord is my strength, my shield from every danger. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving" (Psalm 28:7 NLT).

We can help meet their physical needs in practical ways. "When God's children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night" (Romans 12:13 NLT). You can help greatly by your compassion, warm hospitality, and other practical ministries.

We can help meet their emotional needs by making ourselves available and by spending time with them. We can be a shoulder to lean on and cry on. We can offer a sympathetic ear to their expressions of pain. "When others are happy, be happy with them. if they are sad, share their sorrow" (Romans 12:15 NLT). "Share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2 NLT). Hurting people need empathy and understanding rather than advice.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Forgiveness: Unconditional Grace

2011-10-06T06:07:00.003-05:00

Chuckle: A politician asked a minister to name something the Government can do to help the church. The Minister replied, "Quit making one dollar bills."

Quote: "Never does the human soul appear so strong and noble as when it foregoes revenge and dares to forgive an injury." --E. H. Chapin

FORGIVENESS: UNCONDITIONAL GRACE

"But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father Who is in heaven forgive your transgressions." (Mark 11:26 NIV). "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." (Matthew 6:14 NIV). “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as, in Christ, God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32 NIV).

Forgiveness is a word often used, but not always understood. In the New Testament, four Greek words are used in dealing with “forgiveness.“ They mean: (1) to deal graciously with, (2) to dispatch or send away, (3) to release, and (4) to overlook. If we digest these meanings, we can better understand the Psalmist when he says God’s forgiveness “removes our sins as far as the east is from the west.” Our sins are remembered no more -- as if they never occurred.

Forgiveness is a word of such unconditional grace that its true meaning often challenges each of us to go beyond where we are willing to go to reconcile with our brother or sister. In the New Testament several points are made clear. First, the forgiven sinner must forgive others. "Forgive and you will be forgiven" (Luke 6:37). Second, forgiveness is to be whole-hearted and complete. It is to be like Christ’s forgiveness: "Forgive as the Lord forgave you" (Colossians 3:13).

Have you ever been so consumed by anger or felt such severe pain that you wanted to withhold forgiveness until your offender begged for it? Do we demand that the offender grovel at our feet in apology -- sometimes over and over again? By making our forgiveness so dependent on the actions of the offender, we grant considerable power over our lives to the one who injured us -- setting us up to be a victim twice!

Thus we continue to harbor anger which we allow to fester and rob us of our joy as Christians. We should never allow the actions of another person to deprive us of the joy and contentment that our faith in Jesus Christ has brought to us. Simply stated, if you enjoy eternal forgiveness from the Lord, you need to be willing to forgive others here in the present! We have been forgiven, and now we need to forgive, which is an act of unconditional grace.

Let's not allow the actions of others to become a stumbling block in our walk with our Lord. We have been forgiven much and, in the same way, we must forgive others and release to the Lord those who've hurt us. He has promised that He will repay, if payment is due, and God keeps His word. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Genesis 18:25). By releasing our offender, we truly set ourselves free!

By graciously forgiving those who offend you, and letting them know of that forgiveness, you serve as an inspiration to them and others. As you model Biblical forgiveness, you become useful in God’s hands to impact other lives. One final thought. As we develop a Christ-like forgiving spirit, we will find that our threshold for becoming offended will continue to rise and we will become less easily offended. Also, our tolerance for the faults in others will increase dramatically.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Responsibility for the Straying

2011-10-05T06:40:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: Two male co-workers were eating lunch one day. One man said to his friend, "My wife talks to herself a lot." His friend smiled and answered, "Mine does too, but she doesn't know it. She thinks I'm listening."

Quote: "It is the part of a Christian to take care of his own body for the purpose that by its soundness and well-being, he may be enabled to labor. . . thus the stronger member may serve the weaker member, and we may be children of God, and busy for one another, bearing one another's burdens, and so fulfilling the law of Christ." --Martin Luther

OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE WHO STRAY

"My dear brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back again, you can be sure that the one who brings that person back will save that sinner from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins" (James 5:19-20 NLT). "Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:1-2 NLT).

It's clear that we are responsible for the spiritual well-being of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Often, however, It's tempting to judge other people rather than to give of ourselves to restore them. It's easier to gossip about someone's failures than to reach out to them in a spirit of love, gentleness, and kindness to help restore them to the fellowship. When we turn a wayward Christian back to the Lord:

1. We turn that Christian from the error of his ways. When we see a fellow believer straying away from God, we are to take him/her by the hand and lead him/her in the opposite direction -- toward repentance and return to God.
2. We save him/her from death. When a Christian is out of fellowship with God, and we help restore him, James says we've saved him from death? I think James is referring to physical death rather than eternal spiritual destruction or lostness. This part of the verse could then be stated this way: "He shall deliver such a wayward Christian from the deadly result of his sins." James says the destructive power of sin will be thwarted when the wayward Christian turns away from the error of his ways.
James may be talking about premature physical death for a Christian who continues to walk away from God. Carrying this possibility even further, the Bible says there is a sin unto death. I John 5:16 says, "If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. . . . There is a sin that leads to death." Ananias and Saphirra committed a sin unto death (Acts 5:1-11). As part of the early Jerusalem church and they lied to God and the people and God struck them dead. By this God was saying he didn't want his people to be like the world -- persisting in sin.
3. We help him/her find forgiveness of many sins. We know that our sins were covered only by the blood of Christ shed on Calvary's cross. When a wayward Christian confesses and repents of sin, those sins are forgiven, the life is cleansed, and the fellowship with God is restored (1 John 1:9).

What then can we do? We can (1) Love those who stray unconditionally in spite of what they do; (2) persistently pray for them; (3) lovingly confront them - with tears and a broken heart and express concern. Do this as God provides opportunity and according to his timing. Do you have a friend who needs help in coming back to the fellowship of Christ? Please allow God to use you as his instrument in bringing that person back to a faithful walk with our Lord.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Restoring the Straying

2011-10-04T06:33:00.001-05:00

Chuckle: On my first call as a part-time opinion pollster, I said, "Hello, this is a telephone poll." And the man replied, "Yeeeah, and this is a street lamp."

Quote: "The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others" --Albert Schweitzer

RESTORING THE STRAYING

"My dear brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back again, you can be sure that the one who brings that person back will save that sinner from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins" (James 5:19-20 NLT).

As a pastor, my heart is always saddened when I see a faithful Christian drift away from God and become entangled in sin. But in today's I-Phone jargon, God has an app for that. He specializes in doing what no one else can do. First, He makes new creations of us through our faith in Jesus. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV). And even when we stray away from Him, He makes provisions for bringing us back -- restoring us to Himself. James appeals to us as believers to be God's instruments for the restoration of fellow Christians -- those not living and serving as they should.

The New Testament emphasizes that we can have an impact on the lives of others by loving, nurturing, ministering, and encouraging one another. We must recognize that we all can stray. Most Christians have experienced times of drifting away. Sometimes, this is called "backsliding." This begs the question: How far can you backslide? If you have been genuinely saved, you can never backslide far enough to lose your salvation, but you can certainly lose the fellowship with your Lord, the power of the Holy Spirit in your life, and the joy of your salvation.

It's clear from that James is referring to a person who has wandered from the truth and fellowship with his/her Lord and has fallen into sin. Notice that James refers to his readers as "brothers," and says that "If one of you (brothers/ sisters) should wander from the truth." This is a believer who no longer lives a life consistent with his/her professed faith and beliefs. James urges all Christians to be active in helping backsliders return to God.

In I Corinthians 10:12, Paul warns all of us: "If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you do not fall!" The Christian who can fall/drift away the easiest is the one who never thinks he/she is susceptible. People say, "I would never do that" while criticizing someone else. Sometimes we fall into the same sins for which we condemn other people. Maybe we become too proud of our lives -- we must be careful. We must keep our focus on our Lord, and allow him to live through us.

By taking the initiative, we can pray for the straying person, and acting in love, we can meet the person where he/she is and help bring him/her back to God and his forgiveness. Of course, for us to have this attitude of responsibility, we must love our brothers and sisters as Jesus loves us (see John 13:34-35).

Love, Jerry & Dotse

God's Commands and Calls

2011-10-03T06:49:00.001-05:00

Chuckle: "A teenage girl had been talking on the phone for about half an hour when she hung up. "Wow!" said the father. "That was short. You usually talk for two hours. What happened?" "Wrong number," explained the girl.

Quote: "There comes the baffling call of God in our lives also. . . . The call of God is like the call of the sea, no one hears it but the one who has the nature of the sea in him." --Oswald Chambers

GOD'S COMMANDS AND CALLS

"Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me" (John 14:21 NIV). "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching" (John 14:23 NIV). "The man who says, 'I know him (Jesus)' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (I John 2:4 NIV).

In God's Word, there are many commands, admonitions, and teachings. God expects every Christian to live in close fellowship with him and to obey his commands. As a matter of fact, in 1 John 2:3, the Bible says: "We know that we have come to know him (Jesus) if we obey his commands." In other words, obeying God's commands is a sure sign that we belong to him -- that we have been saved by grace through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

God's commands. No individual should ever expect some special call of God to do the things we are commanded to do in his Word. Here are a few things God has commanded every Christian to do: (1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; (2) Love one another as Jesus has loved us; (3) Go and make disciples of all people; (4) Be my witnesses at home and around the world; and of course (5) the Ten Commandments for living. For us to sit back and await for some special call from God to do any of these things is contrary to Scripture. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we should all be doing these things as we go about our daily lives because of our love and gratitude to our Lord.

God's Calls. Obviously, God does place special calls for specific purposes, but these calls are always within the overarching commands that we should be obeying. For example, God may call a person to be a missionary to a foreign country, but the person receiving that call will have already been given a heart for missions in obedience to God.

When Saul of Tarsus was converted on the Damascus road, he first became obedient and then God commissioned him as Paul, missionary to the gentiles. I believe that's why Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the "first and greatest commandment" (Matthew 22:37-38). God must know that if we love him in this way, we will be obedient to all his other commands and instructions. We will constantly allow him to cultivate the mind of Christ in us. If we are obedient to his commands and remain in close fellowship with God, we are prime candidates for him to place a special call on our lives to minister to people is a specific and unique way.

As we mature in our faith, and we become increasingly sensitive to the will of God, we can expect specific and personal calls from Him. These calls from God are heard only by those whose hearts are turned toward him and are anticipating his voice. God's voice comes to us in several ways: through his Word as we study it, through the Holy Spirit during our prayer times, through other people (ministers, teachers, etc.), or through circumstances in which we find ourselves. But we must be listening. . . .

Love, Jerry & Dotse

How To Be a Good Example

2011-09-30T06:17:00.003-05:00

Chuckle: A 6-year-old was asked where his grandma lived. "Oh," he said, "she lives at the airport, and when we want her, we just go get her. Then, when we're done, we take her back to the airport."

Quote: “A good example is the best sermon.” --Benjamin Franklin

HOW TO BE A GOOD EXAMPLE

"In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us" (Titus 2:7-8 NIV). "You became imitators of us and of the Lord; . . . and so you became a model to all believers . ." (I Thessalonians 1:6-7 NIV).

On a cold December day, a little barefoot boy was standing shivering on the sidewalk staring into the window of a shoe store. A lady walked up and asked him what he was doing. He said: "I was wishing God would give me a pair of shoes." The lady took him into the store and told the clerk to get six pairs of socks for the boy and also asked for a pan of warm water and a towel. She took the boy to the back of the store and washed and dried his little feet and put a pair of new socks on them. Then she bought him a pair of shoes and said: "There, you will feel better now." As she turned to leave, the little boy asked: "are you God's wife?"

What an great example of love and concern not only for the little boy, but for others in the store. As professing Christians, people are watching our every move. They're looking for something to criticize or for something genuinely good and real in which they can place their hope and trust. Remember, an example is a model or pattern to be followed or imitated. I hope you have the desire to model Christian character as an example for others. Paul said to Timothy, ". . . set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity" (I Timothy 4:12 NIV).

We all are aware of many prominent Christians who have disgraced their Lord and Christianity by scandalous actions that destroyed their Christian testimony. Such well publicized occurrences have done much to harm the credibility of our faith. No doubt God would have each of us make it our personal responsibility to help create a positive attitude toward Christians and Christianity.

It would be well if each of us evaluated ourselves by asking: What kind of an example am I on the job -- at school -- in church -- as a pastor -- as a deacon -- as a Sunday School teacher -- as a parent -- as a neighbor?" Do I use the same profane words and tell the same dirty jokes as non-Christians? As a teacher /leader in the church, is my example a good one for members and other aspiring teachers? Am I setting an example of love, ministry, and service? Are my actions an example that I would want my children and grandchildren to follow when they become parents? Is my conduct sufficiently different to mark me as a Christian?

What is it that prevents you from saying: "Follow my example?" What needs to be included in, or excluded from, your life to make you a good example of Christian character? The power of an example cannot be overstated. The most frequent accusations against Christians by non-Christians have to do with our failure to set a Godly example by the way we live -- to practice what we preach .

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Do As I Do -- Not Only As I Say

2011-09-29T06:03:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: A Sunday School teacher was describing how Lot's wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt, when a little boy said, "My Mom looked back when she was driving," he announced, "and she turned into a telephone pole!"

Quote: “The first great gift we can bestow on others is a good example.” --Thomas Morell

DO AS I DO -- NOT ONLY AS I SAY

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us" (Ephesians 5:1 NIV).

We all need examples to follow. Think back over your life and recount all the people whose lives have served as examples for you: parents, grandparents, teachers, pastors, deacons, etc. Some may have been wholesome examples and others may have been the opposite. In all cases, it was ultimately your decisions about which examples you would imitate and whose values you would incorporate into your life. From the Bible, we find many examples available to us:

God Himself: God's purpose our salvation is to lead us to imitate His character. He is revealed as having a pure, self-giving, self-sacrificing, and unconditional love for each of us. Thus His example is the way we should relate to one another -- Always loving and forgiving. Living a pure and holy life. "I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am holy" (Leviticus 11:44 NIV).

Jesus Christ Himself: "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you" (John 13:15 NIV). Along with His teachings, Jesus' life was an essential part of his message to us and his example gave even greater credibility to his words. He never told us to do anything he had not modeled for us. He lived a sinless life. As a servant, he demonstrated how sacrificial service should be done. He modeled godly service by humbling himself to wash the feet of His disciples feet (John 13), and by saying he didn't come to be served but to serve (Matthew 20:28). "Because Christ suffered for you . . . .leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps" (I Peter 2:21 NIV).

Bible Characters: They served as both good and bad examples. A number of Bible characters made serious blunders, and their examples show us things to avoid; like letting things of the world creep into our lives such as materialism, greed, idolatry, sexual misconduct, etc. "Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did" (I Corinthians 10:6 NIV). "These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us . . ." (I Corinthians 10:11 NIV)

People you know: There are many godly people around us whose lives reflect their devotion to their Lord and serve as great examples for us. We are wise to seek them out and let them inspire us to become more like Jesus. The apostle Paul recognized his responsibility as an example to others and said: "Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ." (I Corinthians 11:1 NIV). ". . . imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." (Hebrews 6:12 NIV). The apostle John wrote: "Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good" (3 John 11 NIV).

One final thought. As helpful as wholesome examples are, we should never follow the example of another person blindly, or use another person as our only standard for holy living. We should measure our lives only against the standard of Jesus himself and the teachings of God's Word.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Be an Example For Others

2011-09-28T06:11:00.003-05:00

Chuckle: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" asked the visitor of his host's teenage son. "I want to be possible," he replied. "Possible?" asked the visitor. "Yes," said the boy. "Every day somebody tells me I'm impossible."

Quote: “Example moves the world more than doctrine." --Henry Miller

BE AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect (mature), but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it, but one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12-14 NIV).

What is an example anyway? According to my Bible Encyclopedia, it is "a typical representative, or illustrative case; a pattern or model for imitation. A good example is one which, if followed, would result in the building of Christian character in the one following the example. It is similar to an illustration -- how a Christian should live." God wants each of us to be a living example for others.

"As a boy, Dr. John Mitchell was familiar with the mountains and mine pits around his house. One night his Boy Scout troop was on a midnight hike. Since Mitchell knew the mountains and where the dangerous pits were, he took several private jaunts away from the troop. The Scoutmaster admonished him, saying, 'Although you know where the mine pits are and how to avoid them, when you go to them you make a path that others may follow to their death.'"

As followers of Christ, we teach by example, whether we intend to or not! Never should we underestimate the importance of being a Christian example because we learn much from examples. In Philippians 3:17 and I Corinthians 4:16, the Apostle Paul tells fellow Christians, and us, to follow his example in the way we live. Was he being arrogant and self-righteous by setting himself up as an example for others to follow? I don't think so. Please read our basic passage again and then consider what Paul said in verse 17: "Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you."

Paul's example that he wanted the Philippian church to follow was his relentless pursuit of Christian character - not that he was perfect. However, he was living so close to the Lord that he knew his life was what God wanted and expected. Have you ever heard the expression: "I can't hear what you are saying because your actions are speaking so loudly?" Or, "Actions speak louder than words."

The way we live will either add credibility to or detract from our Christian witness. We are either a positive or negative influence for our Lord. We are either a good or bad example for others. There is no neutral position. Is your life the kind of example you would want your children, grandchildren, or others to follow? Or, more importantly, is your life the example our Lord wants you to be? Are you striving to be more like Jesus each day?

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Mission of Mercy

2011-09-27T06:49:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: On a cold, snowy Sunday in February, only the pastor and one farmer arrived at the village church. The pastor said, "Well I guess we won't have a service today." The farmer replied, "If only one cow shows up at feeding time, I feed it."

Quote: "Who will not mercy to others show, How can he mercy ever hope to have." --Edmund Spenser

MISSION OF MERCY

"Show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. There are still others to whom you need to show mercy, but be careful that you aren't contaminated by their sins" (Jude 22-23 NLT).

Every Christian has been dispatched by our Lord on a mission of mercy to claim or reclaim two categories of people: The lost who have never committed their lives to Jesus Christ, and those believers who have drifted away from God as their faith has become weakened. Our passage also contains a warning that we must be on guard against letting their sinful habits contaminate our own lives as we reach out to them.

Our assignment is to be faithful witnessing to others. Effective witnesses are instrumental in saving people from the penalty of their sins. Such witnessing requires unconditional love, mercy, compassion, patience and perseverance. We are God's messengers whom He uses to draw people to Himself for salvation and spiritual revival. There are numerous ways you can be an effective witness. A 12th century, a monk named Francis of Assisi (Italian) said, "Preach everywhere you go and, when necessary, use words."

Our actions, the company we keep, our faithfulness to Christ's church, and the words we utter are all important for effective witness. Have you ever pictured yourself extending the hand of love to snatch someone from the very perils of hell? If we don't snatch them, they are doomed for all of eternity. When I think of snatching someone from the fires of judgment, I'm reminded of the times I've cooked hamburgers on a grill and had one of the patties fall through the grill into the coals below. My first reaction is to snatch it out before it burns and without getting burned myself.

Notice the warning! As we witness, we must not become contaminated by the sins of those we are trying to reach. We must be careful not to fall into the quicksand of compromise. We must not allow them to influence us to sin. We do this by insuring that our own spiritual footing remains solid and secure.

Our passage is a clarion call to action for God's people. We are on a critical mission of mercy to rescue those around us from spending eternity separated from God in a place the Bible calls hell.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Loving Crowds More Than People

2011-09-26T06:44:00.000-05:00

Bumper Snicker: "I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money."

Quote: "By compassion we make others' misery our own, and so, by relieving them, we relieve ourselves also." --Sir Thomas Browne

LOVING CROWDS MORE THAN PEOPLE

When he (Jesus) came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean. Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy (Matthew 8:1-3 NIV).

Earlier verses tell us that Jesus had been speaking to large crowds and they followed Him as He came down from the mountainside. It would have been easy for Jesus to ignore individual faces in the sea of humanity surrounding Him. But when a man with leprosy knelt before Him wanting to be healed, Jesus immediately showed love and compassion by giving the man His complete attention. The man was not lost in the crowd. This scene becomes even more remarkable when Jesus reaches out and touches the man who was declared unclean and shunned by society.

You can draw comfort from knowing that among the billions of people on this earth, Jesus is aware of you, personally. He will never fail to see your face in the crowd. Even though Jesus died for a world of lost souls, He is your very personal Savior and Lord. From God's perspective, you will never be overlooked as just another face in the crowd. Oh what a valuable lesson each of us can learn from this passage.

All of us believers should love and pray for the untold millions of people around the world who need to hear the gospel message. But do we love that fellow worker, classmate, or neighbor down the street enough to pray specifically for that person and personally share Christ's love with him or her? Do we show our concern for the lost of the world by sitting in our easy chairs in front of our TVs and writing checks for missions or do we care enough to get up, get out, get going, and do missions by ministering to the unique personal needs of individuals? Obviously, praying for and giving to missions are wonderful things, but if we see only the masses, we may become calloused and indifferent to the needs of individuals all around us.

Right now, you may need healing or cleansing in some area of your life. If so, please remember that Jesus knows you personally, and stands ready to meet those needs just like He did for the man with leprosy. You are not lost in the crowd. Out of love He will stretch out His hand and touch you. Shouldn't we follow His example? Like Jesus, we should always love each person in the crowd separately and individually and make time to minister to their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. We must be careful that we don't love crowds more than people.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

How To Resist Temptation

2011-09-23T06:36:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: "The trouble with resisting temptation is it may never come your way again.” --Unknown

Quote: "O help me Father in heaven to overcome and resist temptation in every form or shape.” --Emmeline B. Wells

HOW TO RESIST TEMPTATION

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV).

Who is tempted? The answer is -- everyone. Temptation even came to Jesus. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one (Jesus) who has been tempted in every way, just as we are -- yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15 NIV). New Christians may be surprised to feel a pull toward those old sins of their previous life. But remember, it's not a sin to be tempted. The sin comes in the yielding to the temptation.

Who tempts us? God does not tempt us, but may use temptations to help us grow toward maturity. "God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone" (James 1:13 NIV). We tend to blame God for our weaknesses, but that blame is misplaced. It's not God's will for us to yield to temptation. When we yield, we are the ones who make the conscious decisions and no one is to blame but ourselves.

Some say: "I was just made that way - it's just my nature!" (liars, cheaters, thieves, adulterers, etc.). We justify our actions by blaming God for making us that way. "To err is human, but to blame God is even more human." Then if we don't blame God, we can blame our parents -- "it was the way they raised me." Parents often fail in their responsibilities, but yielding to temptation occurs within us and we make the decisions. Nobody can make you yield to temptation. Eve blamed the serpent and Adam blamed Eve, etc.

What are the results of yielding to temptation? "Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death" (James 1:15). When we succumb to the lure of temptation, we begin to die to purity, purpose, life, joy, meaning. How can you and I overcome temptation? We must deal with our desires. You don't have to give in -- its up to you. You are the final authority. You have a new nature in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit lives within you. "Greater is He that lives in us than the one who lives in the world" (I John 4:4 KJV).

Here are some practical suggestions for dealing with temptations. (1) Recognize your desires as real and normal. (2) Keep your focus on Christ. A trained dog will "sit" in front of a steak keeping his eyes on his master, and will eat the steak only after the master signals it's OK. (3) Discover and understand the areas where you are the weakest and most vulnerability and stay away from temptations in those areas. If you don't want to be stung, stay away from hornet's nests. (4) Learn to say "no" in the power of the Holy Spirit. "Walk (live) by the power of the spirit and say no to the desires of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). (5) Acknowledge past failures, ask God for forgiveness, and begin focusing on Him. Use the fellowship of Christians in your church to help you -- a friend -- an accountability group.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Temptation and Accountablity

2011-09-22T06:16:00.003-05:00

Chuckle: Second graders were asked: "What would it take to make your mom perfect?" One said, "on the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery."

Quote: "Opportunity knocks but once, but temptation leans on the doorbell." --Unknown Author

WHO IS TO BLAME WHEN WE YIELD TO TEMPTATION?

"And remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, 'God is tempting me.' God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else either. Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. These evil desires lead (drag us) to evil actions, and evil actions (sins) lead to death. So don't be misled (deceived), my dear brothers and sisters" (James 1:13-16 NLT).

Yesterday, we saw that Temptation is "An enticement to satisfy a God-given desire in a God-forbidden way." We saw that desires for food, sexual intimacy, success, and acceptance are examples of God-given desires, but when we try to fulfill them in ways that God forbids we sin against God and others.

When we sin by giving in to temptation, we never intend to destroy ourselves, our families, our reputations, our happiness, but yielding can do all of these. And it can happen without us realizing it until it's too late. As Christians, we must be prepared to deal with temptation. Have you noticed that the proud are often the ones who fall the hardest?. They think it can never happen to them. Remember Peter who said to Jesus: "I will never forsake you Lord; I will never deny you." He was proud.

From our passage, here are the steps that yielding to temptation will take: (1) Desire for gratification in a sinful way; (2) Deception -- making the temptation appear desirable and normal; (3) Sin -- the ungodly act of yielding to evil temptations; and (4) Disaster and even death. ". . . . but each one is tempted when by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed" (vs. 14 NIV). The word "dragged" or "carried" away is a word for a trap, like one used to catch an animal. You hide/conceal it carefully but put attractive bait on it. "Entice" is like putting the most attractive bait on your hook. The unsuspecting fish is enticed to take the bait. The hook is not tempting but the bait is.

Biblical truths tell us that temptations: (1) Nearly always are related to the fulfillment of physical desires, not spiritual; (2) Usually include a desire for instant gratification; (3) Play on our desire for independence and self-rule. "I have a right to cheat on my taxes because the government is not fair -- because of what they are doing to me;" and (4) Questions the fairness of God. "God hasn't treated me right." It's easy to blame others and make excuses, but God holds only us accountable for our actions. We must remember: Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Temptation Awaits Us All

2011-09-21T06:44:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: "One three-year-old's explanation for being in the kitchen atop a chair, eating cookies: 'I just climbed up to smell them, and my tooth got caught.'"

Quote: "If you don’t want temptation to follow you, don’t act as if you are interested.” --Richard L. Evans

TEMPTATION AWAITS US ALL

"And remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, 'God is tempting me.' God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else either. Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. These evil desires lead (drag us) to evil actions, and evil actions (sins) lead to death. So don't be misled (deceived), my dear brothers and sisters" (James 1:13-16 NLT).

In our society, there is ample reason to be concerned that many people are being deceived by the blurring of right and wrong -- with no absolutes. James warns us not to be deceived. People can be wrong and not even know it -- deceived and headed in the wrong direction and not see the danger.

Even Christians can also be drawn off course. Temptation is "An enticement to satisfy a God-given desire in a God-forbidden way." Or, seeking satisfaction of a legitimate drive in an illegitimate way. Here are some drives that are subject to temptation.

The desire for food: Hunger is a natural desire which can go awry by overeating -- the Bible calls it "gluttony." If you said to me: "Jerry, you are overeating," I wouldn't mind too much, but if you said: "Jerry, you are a glutton!" Ouch! Eating only what we need to sustain healthy bodies is the key.

The desire for sexual intimacy: This is a drive given us by God who intended its fulfillment to be in marriage. In counseling, married couples say over and over: "Oh how I wish I could undo the damage, the hurt, the guilt, of yielding to a sexual temptation outside of marriage." "How I wish I had stayed sexually pure and saved myself only for my marriage partner." God can forgive these sins but damage to our relationships may last a lifetime.

The desire for success: God gives us the desire to prosper through faithfulness and hard work. But sometimes we get off course. If you're a student, God gave you the desire to do well on that test. But, you pervert that desire when you give in to temptation and cheat -- or when a business person decides to lie and cheat to close a deal.

The desire for approval and acceptance: We all need to be accepted and receive approval. However, some compromise their principles just to win the approval of their peers. This especially true in teenagers where peer pressure is very strong.

As parents and grandparents, we have an awesome but joyful responsibility to teach our children and grandchildren from God's Word about how to resist temptation and avoid the pitfalls of sin. The best way to teach them is by example through holy living.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

God's Timing Is Always Best

2011-09-20T06:53:00.000-05:00

Chuckle: Do you know what "Row versus Wade" means? Give up? It was a decision George Washington had to make before he crossed the Delaware river.

Quote: "Are we detached enough from our own spiritual hysterics to wait on God? To wait is not to sit with folded hands, but to learn to do what we are told." --Oswald Chambers

GOD'S TIMING IS ALWAYS BEST

"These things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place" (Habakkuk 2:3 NLT).

We are an impatient people. We live in the day of instant gratification. People want everything immediately if not sooner. We Christians are as vulnerable as anyone to this line of thinking. We sometimes think that if God doesn't answer our prayers immediately, he isn't going to answer -- or maybe he didn't hear us. But God answers prayers in three ways: "Yes," "No," and "Wait." How shameful it is that "wait" is not more prevalent in our functional vocabulary. Sometimes I think we are so impatient that when we ask God to give us patience, we want him to do it right now!!!

God's timing does not correspond with ours. The Bible says one day is as a thousand years to God, and, according to his Word, waiting patiently for God's timing in everything pleases him and it also removes great stress from our lives. Once we learn patience (a fruit of the Spirit - Galatians 5:22) with God and other people, we are letting the Holy Spirit do his work through us.

"I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing" (Psalm 40:1-3 NLT).

Waiting for God to help us is not always easy, but we can see how David received four benefits from waiting. God (1) lifted him up out of despair, (2) set his feet on solid ground, (3) steadied him as he walked, and (4) put a new song of praise in his heart. Many times blessings cannot be received and appreciated unless we go through the trial of waiting and trusting God's timing.

"Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful" (Romans 12:12 NLT). Remind yourself continually of God's faithfulness. He is actively working in your life to help you become all he intended you to be when he created you. As we wait, we should continue to be steadfast in our prayers and service.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

How Far Did Jesus Descend?

2011-09-19T06:57:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: From Missoula, Mont. My son, who is in nursery school, said, "Our Father who art in Heaven, how didja know my name?"

Quote: "The Cross is a picture of violence, yet the key to peace, a picture of suffering, yet the key to healing, a picture of death, yet the key to life." --David Watson

HOW FAR DID JESUS DESCEND?

"Who, (Jesus) being in very nature God, did no consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death -- even death on the cross!" (Philippians 2:6-8 NIV).

There is so much that we can't fully understand about Jesus' leaving His heavenly glory to secure our salvation here on earth. He descended from the highest level in heaven to the lowest level of earth when He became a man and lived among us. He also allowed Himself to be treated as even less than a man as He was tortured and killed as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

Just imagine, God Himself, the King of the Universe, the Creator of all things, descended from the highest pinnacle of heaven to the lowest depths of sin and depravation on earth for you and me. It's difficult for us to comprehend the spiritual and physical agony our Lord endured on our behalf. Perhaps worst of all was that "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us" (1 Corinthians 5:21 NIV). He that knew no sin became sin and thereby was out of fellowship with His Father as He was rejected and died alone in agony and disgrace. We get a glimpse of the anguish Jesus suffered when as He cried out from the cross: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46 NIV).

I believe these words from King David reveal to us much about the inner thoughts Jesus must have had as He hung on the cross and endured the pain and ridicule of men while paying the terrible price for our redemption. "But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: 'He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him'" (Psalm 22:6-8 NIV).

It's impossible for us to fully comprehend how far Jesus descended to purchase your salvation and mine. But after contemplating the dimensions of God's love and the extent of His sacrifice for us, the question arises: How willing am I to show my gratitude and love by bringing Him glory and by giving of myself to further the growth of His kingdom in the hearts of people? "Amazing love how can it be that you my King would die for me?"

Love, Jerry & Dotse

The Conscience of the Unsaved

2011-09-15T06:09:00.000-05:00

Chuckle: Thomas Edison's Mother: "Of course I'm proud that you invented the electric light bulb. Now turn it off and go to bed!"

Quote: "Trust that man in nothing who has not a conscience in everything." --Laurence Sterne

THE CONSCIENCES OF THE UNSAVED

"How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God" (Hebrews 9:14 NIV).

We often observe criminal activity and the offender shows no pangs of conscience or remorse. We marvel at such out of control lives and the obvious lack of sensitivity to abhorrent behavior and a total disregard for the welfare of others. One truth is patently clear -- unless a person's conscience is adequately trained and sensitized, it is useless as a moral guide for human conduct. Our consciences will be trained in the secular morality of the world or by the morality of God's Word and the Holy Spirit.

Before we become Christians, our consciences are trained by the definitions of right and wrong that we have been taught in the home, school, and other life-shaping venues. Unfortunately, all too many children grow up in homes where parents have no moral compass. These children will, in turn, contribute to a society with no moral absolutes -- seemingly without conscience. This is the "if it feels good, do it" generation. Right and wrong become relative terms and their definitions depend upon the situation at the time. The conscience of a non-Christian is missing the key factor for a conscience that will lead to conduct that pleases God and glorifies him through one's relationships with others. The unsaved conscience has no concept of what it means to live one's life with the sole purpose of pleasing God.

You may say, "But, Jerry, I know a lot of people who are not Christians who live good clean moral lives -- how do you explain that?" You're right. I have also made such observations, and we should be thankful for such people. Some non-Christian homes produce children who live moral lives -- up to the point of pleasing God. They make a huge difference in alleviating human suffering and their kindnesses are extremely beneficial to our society. However, none of what they do will lead to their eternal salvation or gain them any status in the eyes of God. Without Christ, they are still lost and without hope. . . .

You see, when our consciences are being shaped and ruled by the Holy Spirit, we not only will do good deeds and live a morally upright life, but our very motives for our actions will also be controlled by the Spirit. When we live by a Spirit-controlled conscience, we please and honor God. "The Lord's searchlight penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive" (Proverbs 20:27 NIV).

In our Hebrews passage, we see that only the blood of Christ can cleanse and purify our consciences so we no longer make wrong decisions that can lead to our spiritual death. Such decisions include choosing the wrong way to salvation -- i.e., depending on a good moral life to earn God's favor and ensure us a place in heaven.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

The Searing of Conscience

2011-09-14T11:29:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: The customer called the waiter over and said, while pointing to his steak, "Didn't I tell you, 'Well done'?" The waiter replied, "Thank you, Sir; I seldom get a compliment."

Quote: "Conscience is that faculty in me which attaches itself to the highest that I know, and tells me what the highest I know demands that I do." --Oswald Chambers

THE SEARED CONSCIENCE

"Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared with a hot iron" (I Timothy 4:2 NIV). "Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more" (Ephesians 4:19 NIV).

Last time, we saw how living Spirit controlled lives will sensitize our consciences to detect even the most minute breach in our moral and ethical standard of conduct. We saw that Paul was striving to have a clear conscience before God and before people. In our Scripture passages for today, we see that our consciences can become seared, dulled, and unreliable as guides for our lives. How can our consciences become "seared?" In the simplest terms -- SIN!

"The conscience is like a sharp square peg in our hearts. If we are confronted by a questionable situation, that square begins to turn and it's corners cut into our hearts, warning us with an inward sensation against doing whatever confronts us. If the conscience is ignored time after time, the corners of the square are gradually worn down, and it virtually becomes a circle. When that circle turns within our hearts, there is no inner sensation of warning, and we are left without a conscience."

If we allow unconfessed and unforgiven sin to become prevalent in our lives and compromise, our consciences will lose their sensitivity to right and wrong. This will gradually render us spiritually undiscerning -- unable to discern what is right from what is wrong. Eventually our consciences will become useless. We then begin to live a life of disobedience and sin without the pangs of conscience we once felt. I believe this explains why some professed "Christians" can indulge in the most destructive, hurtful, and immoral behavior with, seemingly, no remorse or regret. The more we sin, the more our consciences are disabled. The "hot iron" of sin will have "seared" our consciences. They have hardened our hearts against the Holy Spirit.

The positive side of all this is that the Spirit can, and will, provide our consciences with very definite and reliable guidance if only we allow him to do so. The Spirit filled life is the Spirit controlled life. The Spirit controlled life will be led by a Spirit controlled conscience. Whatever sin is in your life that interferes with your inner communion with God, confess it, ask forgiveness for it, and let it go so that your inner vision from God (conscience) will remain clear and crisp. "It is neither safe nor prudent to do anything against the conscience." --Martin Luther

Love, Jerry & Dotse

The Conscience Within Us

2011-09-13T06:57:00.000-05:00

Chuckle: "It is so hot in Texas that the birds have to use potholders to pull the worms out of the ground."

Quote: "A man who loses his conscience has nothing left that is worth keeping." --Izaak Walton

THE CONSCIENCE WITHIN US:

"So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man" (Acts 24:16 NIV). "I speak the truth in Christ -- I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 9:1 NIV).

"A mother was helping her son with his spelling assignment and came to the words 'conscious and 'conscience.' When she asked him if he knew the difference between the two, he responded, 'Sure, Mom, 'conscious' is when you are aware of something and 'conscience' is when you wish your weren't.'"

The human conscience is complex subject indeed. We often hear such statements as: "Let your conscience be your guide;" "My conscience is clear;" "I did it with a clear conscience;" "I can sleep well at night;" or "My conscience is bothering me." Sometimes, we see someone do a terrible thing and we react with: "Don't you have a conscience?"

In Scripture, the word for conscience is "that faculty by which we apprehend the will of God, as that which is designed to govern our lives." Hence we feel a sense of guiltiness before God when we sin against him. The Holy Spirit guides the Christian conscience in knowledge and emotion.

The Spirit controlled conscience results in a process of thought which distinguishes what it considers morally good or bad, commending the good, condemning the bad, and so prompting us to do the good and avoid the bad. As we grow in our faith, our consciences become progressively more sensitive to the will of God. If you have occasion to question whether an action is right or wrong, it's probably wrong in the sight of God. Otherwise, your conscience would have allowed you to do it without question.

Have you ever done something after having rationalized that it was not a sin, but you felt a sense of guilt from having done it anyway. As a Christian, when you sin against another person or against God, you will have this miserable feeling of guilt and sorrow. That's because your conscience is being influenced by the Holy Spirit that dwells within you, and is being sensitized to even the nuances of right and wrong. As you allow the Spirit to control your life, your conscience will become increasingly reliable as your moral guide. It could be said that that God's Word and the Holy Spirit become the conscience of a Christian.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Helping Others with Their Troubles

2011-09-12T06:45:00.001-05:00

Chuckle: This sign was posted in a Grand Rapids furniture store; "Try Our Easy Payment Plan -- 100% Down -- Nothing Else to Pay."

Quote: "Love is the basic need of human nature, for without it, life is disrupted emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically." --Karl Menninger

HELPING OTHERS WITH THEIR TROUBLES

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us . . ." (Ephesians 5:1 NIV). "Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins" (I Peter 4:8 NLT).

If you truly love someone, you never tire of helping that person in every way possible. There's nothing you won't do for someone you unconditionally love. But when we love ourselves more than anyone else, helping others becomes unpleasant and unimportant to us. When it comes to helping others deal with the problems of life, genuine love is the first prerequisite. If someone who is in trouble is convinced of your love, he or she will be much more open and receptive to your help.

This was the reaction of the unbelieving Greek writer Lucian (A.D. 120-200) upon observing the warm fellowship of Christians: "It is incredible to see the fervor with which the people of that religion help each other in their wants. They spare nothing. Their first legislator (Jesus) has put it into their heads that they are brethren."

How about this: "It is our care for the helpless, our practice of lovingkindness, that brands us in the eyes of many of our opponents. 'Look!' they say, 'How they love one another! Look how they are prepared to die for one another'" --Tertullian.

Today's Scripture verses and these memorable quotes point us to an indisputable truth: God's people should genuinely love one another; and that love should manifest itself through acts of kindness and help to those enduring difficult and troubled times. "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth" (I John 3:18 NIV).

You can genuinely love others with your actions on their behalf, your feelings for them, your attitudes toward them, the words you say to them, and your presence with them. Love resolves a thousand problems and prevents a thousand more. As we minister to others in their times of need, we are in fact ministering to our Lord. Jesus said, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40 NIV).

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Growing Through Our Troubles

2011-09-09T06:31:00.001-05:00

Chuckle: "We may be lost," the husband said to his wife, "but at least we're making good time."

Quote: "God does not call those who are equipped; he equips those whom he has called." --Sam Wigglesworth

GROWING THROUGH TROUBLES

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us -- they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation" (Romans 5:3-4 NLT).

The Scripture is plain: God wants us to learn and grow from the troubles and trials we experience in life. The more you experience the power of God helping you work through your problems, the more you learn about his faithfulness, his love, and his character; and the more you learn about what God does, the more you will want to learn about who he is.

"Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord" (Psalm 107:43 NLT).

The more we endure troubles, the stronger our character becomes; the more we recognize what's important in life, and the more we look upon God as the source of our strength. Once we truly come to grips with the notion that we learn and profit from our troubles and trials, we will begin to pray: "Lord what are you wanting to teach me by this experience?" Sometimes the things we pray for God to remove from our lives are the very things he wants to use to shape us into the people he wants us to be.

"Some flowers, such as the rose, must be crushed if their full fragrance is to be released. Some fruits must be bruised if they are to attain ripeness and sweetness. Some metals, such as gold, must be heated in the furnace if they are to become pure.
The attaining of godliness -- the process of becoming a mature Christian -- requires similar special handling. It is often through pain, suffering, trouble, adversity, trials, and even temptation that we develop spiritual discipline and become refined and enriched." --Unknown

The apostle Paul exhibits an attitude toward suffering that should help us realize that experiencing trials and troubles only brings us into closer fellowship with our Lord. "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his suffering, becoming like him in his death, . . ." (Pilippians 3:10 NIV). Paul welcomed suffering as Jesus suffered if it would result in his knowing Jesus more intimately. He realized that suffering through troubles would teach him to endure and become more mature in his faith and more like Jesus.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Coping With Life's Troubles

2011-09-08T06:07:00.000-05:00

Chuckle: "We always admire the intelligence of those who ask us for advice."

Quote: "Adversity has ever been considered the state in which a man most easily becomes acquainted with himself." --Samuel Johnson

COPING WITH TROUBLES

"But when I am afraid, I put my trust in you. O God, I praise your word. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?" (Psalm 56:3-4 NLT).

Learning to cope with the troubles of life is one of the great secrets for happiness and contentment. If we don't learn God's way for coping, we are assured great stress, anxiety, and misery. Many problems we face are just too big for us to handle alone. Therefore, a wise Christian makes God the primary point of counsel, confidence, and courage when problems arise.

When we are facing problems created by others, we can say with the psalmist, David: "What can mere mortals do to me?" How much harm can other people do to us? They can inflict pain, suffering, and death. But no person can rob us of our souls or our future beyond this life, and no person can rob us of the joy that comes from our relationship and fellowship with our Lord.

When we face problems created by our own doing, the only answer is to seek God's forgiveness, cleansing, and the wise counsel of his Word. "Your decrees please me; they give me wise advice" (Psalm 119:24 NLT). God does not create immunity from troubles for his followers; however he does say he will be with us in our troubles.

"In time of trouble, say, 'First, he brought me here. It is by his will I am in this strait place; in that I will rest.' Next, 'He will keep me here in his love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as his child.' Then say, 'He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons he intends me to learn, and working in me the grace he means to bestow.' And last, say, 'In his good time he can bring me out again. How and when, he knows.' Therefore, say, 'I am here (1) by God's appointment, (2) in his keeping, (3) under his training, (4) for his time.'"

Going to God and trusting him for solutions to your problems will result in greater faith, more praise, and increased joy. . . .!! "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6 NIV).

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Preparing for Life's Troubles

2011-09-07T06:50:00.001-05:00

Chuckle: "I would like some vitamins for my son," the mother said as she walked into the pharmacy. "Vitamins A, B, or C?' asked the pharmacist. "It doesn't matter. He can't read yet."

Quote: "No pharmacist ever weighed out medicine with half as much care and exactness as God weights out every trial he dispenses. Not one gram too much does he ever permit to be put on us." --Unknown

PREPARING FOR LIFE'S TROUBLES

"Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy" (James 1:2 NLT).

If you will notice, this passage says "when" troubles come, not "if" they will come. When it comes to troubles, there are two kinds of people: those who have had them and those who will. We must realize that troubles are inevitable; they will come, so the question is not, "will they come?" but "how will I react to them when they come?" James tells us to turn our hardships into times of learning and joy. Tough times can teach us perseverance, patience, and steadfastness.

We can prepare ourselves to deal with life's troubles. If we live a life of faith, love, obedience, and prayer we will be prepared for the inevitable problems along the way. We are encouraged to be strong in the power of God. If we approach life's battlefields already equipped with God's spiritual armor, we can more quickly and easily come through difficult times. Then we will be even stronger Christians as a result of the experience.

"Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:11-12 NLT).

"A man was shopping in a grocery store. His young son followed closely behind, carrying a large basket. The father loaded the basket with one thing after another until another customer began to feel sorry for the boy. She said. 'That's a pretty heavy load for a young fellow like you isn't it?' The boy turned to the woman and said, 'Oh don't worry. My dad knows how much I can carry.'"

In the same way, God knows our limitations and gives to us no burden beyond what we can carry with His help. When the troubles of this life become a heavy burden, I'm reminded of the line in an old hymn: "Take your burdens to the Lord and leave them there. . ."

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Troubles in Life

2011-09-06T06:51:00.001-05:00

Chuckle: "As the X-ray tech walked down the aisle to say the marriage vows with her former patient, a coworker nurse whispered to a doctor seated next to her, "Wonder what she saw in him?"

Quote: "Troubles are tools by which God fashions us for better things." --Henry Ward Beecher

DOES GOD CARE ABOUT YOUR TROUBLES?

"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares what happens to you" (I Peter 5:7 NLT).

All around us we see people experiencing all sorts of troubles and problems. Christians and unbelievers alike are struggling with physical illness, financial instability, broken family relationships, etc. As believers, we are not immune to troubles and adversities. Jesus told us, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33 NIV). The operative question for Christians is: Does God care about me and my troubles? According to his Word, he not only cares but wants to walk with you and help you deal with troubles.

Before going further, I think we must answer this question: "When I have problems and troubles, whom do I trust and to whom do I turn to for help? Many of us have a difficult time transferring what we know intellectually about God's grace and power into a trusting attitude of the heart. God wants us to trust and lean on him first in every situation, especially during times of trouble. But if we Christians do not walk daily with our Lord, we begin to think and act more and more like people who do not know Christ. As we think like the world, we will turn to people of the world for solutions to our problems rather then to God.

God is not only aware of your troubles, he wants to help you deal with them and overcome them. Choosing to carry your worries, stresses, and daily struggles by yourself shows you have not trusted God fully with your life. It takes humility, however, to recognize and accept that God cares about you and every aspect of your life. Sometimes we think that struggles caused by our own sin and irresponsibility are not God's concern. But when we turn to God, in repentance, he will bear the weight of even those struggles and problems. Turning your anxieties over to God calls for specific actions, not passivity. Rather than submitting to your circumstances, submit to the Lord who controls all your circumstances.

Finally, God may have planned ahead of time to use your problems to prepare you for unique and unexpected assignments. This was true of Christians who were forced to leave Jerusalem in the first century because of severe persecution. "But the believers who fled Jerusalem went everywhere preaching the good news about Jesus" (Acts 8:4 NLT).

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Truth and Character

2011-09-02T06:45:00.000-05:00

Chuckle: New bride: "I fixed your favorite dessert for you tonight -- coconut pudding. Wait until you see it." New groom: "Wow! That's great! But what's that big lump in the middle?" New bride: "That's the coconut."

Quote: "Trust the past to God's mercy, the present to God's love, and the future to God's providence." --St. Augustine

TRUTH IS ESSENTIAL FOR GOOD CHARACTER:

"Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who speaks the truth from his heart and who has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath (word) even when it hurts" (Psalm 15:1-4 NIV).

In other words, God looks favorably upon those of good character. The dictionary defines character this way: "The total of things that a person does, feels, and thinks by which he is judged as being good or bad, strong or weak, etc." God wants people of good character that He has shaped by His Word, faith in Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. One Greek word for truth means dependability, truthfulness, trustworthiness, and uprightness of character. All these are traits God looks for in a Godly person. Honesty is a special trait indeed.

Dr. Madison Saratt, who taught mathematics at Vanderbilt University for many years, before giving a test would admonish his class something like this: "Today I am giving two examinations; one in trigonometry and the other in honesty. I hope you will pass them both. If you must fail one, fail trigonometry. There are many good people in the world who can't pass trig, but there are no good people in the world who cannot pass the examination of honesty."

Good character is much better than an impressive oath. You can swear by most anything you choose that what you say is true, but without good character, the oath will be meaningless. And with good character, swearing oaths is not only unnecessary, but sinful according to James 5:12 NIV: "Above all, my brothers, do not swear -- not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your 'Yes' be yes, and your 'No," no, or you will be condemned." Jesus used similar words in Matthew 5:37: "Simply let your 'Yes' be 'yes,' and your 'No' be 'no'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."

Good character includes many positive traits. Perhaps the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22 sums up the kind of character God wants us to have: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." In light of God's Word through James, I think we could add truthfulness to this list of fruit of the Spirit. When you say "Yes" to your friend, your co-worker, your classmate, your fellow church members, or to your Lord, does it really mean "Yes." Likewise, when you say "No," are you as good as your word? Are you a truthful person? Are you a person of good character?

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Truth is Commitment

2011-09-01T05:48:00.001-05:00

Chuckle: A cop to an offender: "Relax, the handcuffs are tight because they're new... They'll stretch out after you wear them awhile."

Quote: "Be active, be diligent. Avoid laziness, sloth, indolence. Fly from every degree, every appearance of it; else you will never be more than half a Christian." --John Wesley

TRUTH IS COMMITMENT:

"Above all, my brothers, do not swear -- not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your 'Yes' be yes, and your 'No," no, or you will be condemned." (James 5:12 NIV). "The righteous hate what is false. . . ." (Proverbs 13:5a NIV). "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator" (Colossians 3:9-10 NIV).

Even more serious than letting our "yes" be "yes" and our "no" be "no" when dealing with other people is when we say "yes" to our Lord but do not follow through. Saying "yes" to your Lord is a commitment and carries with it grave responsibility and joyous privilege to serve Him. When we say: "I will," we will. When we say "we won't," we won't.

Have you ever been guilty of telling someone you would do something and then not doing it? Have you ever said yes to a ministry position in your church (committee member; teacher; etc.), and after accepting the position, you became lazy and did not carry out your responsibilities? When you accept such a responsibility, you are saying "Yes" to your Lord, not only to the nominating committee or someone else. The Bible says the church is the Body of Christ with Jesus as its Head, and when you make a commitment to your church, it is to Christ Himself. Such a commitment should be carried out to the best of your abilities in the power of the Holy Spirit. To do otherwise is to dishonor your Lord and your fellow Christians.

Jesus used a parable to make this point in Matthew 21:28-31. When asked to work in the fields, the first son initially said "no" but later repented and did as his father asked. The other son said to his father, "yes" I will go and work the fields but he did not do what he said he would do. Jesus was much more pleased with the one who said "no" but later repented than the one who said "yes" but did not follow through with his commitment/promise.

How you carry out your commitments to others, to your church, and, most important, to our Lord says a lot about whether or not you are a trustworthy, truthful, committed, and growing Christian.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Truth is Unchanging

2011-08-31T06:53:00.001-05:00

Chuckle: The Judge to a defendant: "I thought I told you I never wanted to see you in here again." "Your Honor," the criminal said, "that's what I tried to tell the police, but they wouldn't listen."

Quote: “For us, with the rule of right and wrong given us by Christ, there is nothing for which we have no standard. And there is no greatness where there is not simplicity, goodness, and truth.” --"Count Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy

TRUTH IS UNCHANGING:

"Above all, my brothers, do not swear -- not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your 'Yes' be yes, and your 'No," no, or you will be condemned." (James 5:12 NIV). "The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men (people) who are truthful" (Proverbs 12:22 NIV).

Today, we live in a society where truth is becoming relative to circumstances at the time. There is an absence of absolute truth. Truth is subject to individual interpretation. However, according to God's standards, truth is absolute and never changes. As a Christian, Let your character and reputation be such that when you say "yes" or "no" to something there is no doubt what you mean.

To be truthful means we can be trusted to do what we say we will do. You don't even need to say, "I promise." You will be so trusted that complete confidence in you will be based on the one word: "Yes" or "No." Both Jesus and James say our words should be totally truthful and trustworthy. We should never use exaggerations, half-truths, or embellishments. Such twisting of the truth is nothing more than lies. By avoiding any indication of being untruthful, you will become known as a trustworthy person. If you are a trustworthy Christian, people will listen when you share with them the gospel message. Your words will have value and credibility.

A man came to his music teacher and asked "what's the good news today?" In silence the old teacher picked up a hammer and a struck a tuning fork. As the note sounded out through the room, he said, "that is an A. It is A today; it was A five thousand years ago, and it will be an A ten thousand years from now. The soprano upstairs sings off-key, the tenor across the hall flats on his high notes, and the piano downstairs is out of tune." He struck the note again and said, "that is A, my friend, and that's the good news for today." Like the "A," truth never changes. It is lasting and absolute.

Although James is speaking mainly about truthful words, let's expand on truth briefly as it applies to our relationships with God and others. Our problem is not that truth changes, but rather it's our limited ability to understand it -- and our sinful desire to fashion the truth to fit our selfish view of life. That's where God's Word comes in. By focusing on the Scriptures and depending upon the Holy Spirit for illumination, we can know and live by the truth as God reveals it to us. Jesus said, "if you hold to my teachings, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (from sin)" (John 8:31-32 NIV).

Love, Jerry & Dotse

God's Call on Your Life

2011-08-30T06:46:00.004-05:00

Chuckle: Michelangelo's mother: "Can't you paint on walls like other children? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that stuff off the ceiling?"

Quote: "Show me the way, Not to fortune and fame, Not how to win Laurels, Or praise for my name -- But show me the way To spread 'The Great Story' That Thine is The Kingdom And Power and Glory." --Helen Steiner Rice

GOD'S CALL ON YOUR LIFE

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8 NIV).

This powerful passage reminds us that God calls his people for specific purposes. It also reminds us that the response which pleases and honors God is "Here I am, send me." Or, "Here I am Lord and I will gladly do whatever you wish me to do -- Your will be done. . . ."

There is a central truth: God's call is not only for a select few, but for every believer. Isaiah was listening to a non-specific call from God, but he personalized it by stepping forward in complete abandon to make himself available for whatever God had in store for him. Whether we hear the call of God depends on the condition of our hearts and spiritual ears. And how we interpret that call depends on our spiritual mindset. Am I listening for the call of God? Will I hear him when he calls? Or, am I so far away from God that I can't hear his voice?

"But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear (and obey), but shalt be drawn away, and worship other God's and serve them; I denounce (declare) unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish. . ." (Deuteronomy 30:17-18 KJV).

We see here the classic pattern of people drifting away and rebelling against God. You see, if our hearts are turned away from God, we will not hear Him. Then we will establish other substitute gods in our lives -- anything that becomes more important to us than our relationship and fellowship with God. When this process has run it's course, we will no longer be listening for the One True God's call. We will not hear that still small voice of invitation to join Him in fulfilling His purpose for your life.

As a pastor, I have had Christians say they did not sense God calling them to teach a Bible study class, serve on a committee, or to witness to a lost friend. Sometimes our hearts can turn away from God and toward other things. Then we can move so far from God that we are unable to hear his call and don't know if God is calling us or not. We may not be listening for God's call because our hearts are turned away to other selfish things. To hear God's call, we must listen intently and with purpose -- leaning forward toward him with anticipation while cupping our spiritual ears with our hands, so to speak, for fear that we might miss something the God of the universe wishes to say to us.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Thirst For Living Water

2011-08-29T06:35:00.006-05:00

Chuckle: (Church Bulletin blooper) "Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM -- prayer and medication to follow."

Quote: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (Matthew 5:6 NIV).

THIRST FOR LIVING WATER

"On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, 'If you are thirsty, come to me! If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within.' When he said, 'living water,' he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him" (John 7:37-39a NLT).

Do you have a deep and sincere craving/thirst for the Holy Spirit to fill your life? The Spirit-filled life begins with a thirst that nothing else can quench -- a desire growing out of discontentment with our current spiritual condition. This discontentment grows into a deep longing for a life filled with the Spirit. This is the first step toward experiencing the abundant flow and overflow of the "streams of living water."

When Jesus used the words "come and drink," he was alluding to the theme of many Bible passages that make reference to the Messiah's life-giving blessings. By promising to give the Holy Spirit to all who believed, Jesus was putting forth his claim that he was the promised Messiah. No one except the Messiah could make good on such an offer.

In John 4:10, Jesus spoke of "living water" to indicate eternal life. But, here, he uses it to refer to the Holy Spirit. Of course, this double usage makes sense because for whomever accepts the Holy Spirit, the Spirit brings eternal life. Jesus taught us much about the Holy Spirit and then the Spirit empowered Jesus' followers at Pentecost. Down through the ages, since that time, the Spirit has been available to everyone who believes in Jesus as Savior.

When your thirst allows the Spirit to fill your life, you are taught, convicted, comforted, and led by him in every aspect of your life. In other words, you are filled with the Spirit each day. Your thirst is quenched and you experience the power and peace of God in every thing you do. How about you -- do you have that thirst about which Jesus was teaching? If so, you will not be disappointed. These words by J. S. Baxter describe God's plan for his Holy Spirit in your life.

"What God chooses, He cleanses.
What God cleanses, He molds.
What God molds, He fills.
What God fills, He uses."

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Wisdom and Prayer

2011-08-26T06:29:00.001-05:00

Chuckle: A woman complained to a marriage counselor about her husband's self-centeredness. "It was evident from the minute we married," she said. "He even wanted to be in the wedding pictures."

Quote: “Wisdom is knowing what to do next; virtue is doing it.” --David Starr Jordan

WE SHOULD PRAY FOR WISDOM

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God. . . ." (James 1:5 NIV).

Last time, we began looking at some prerequisites for obtaining Godly wisdom for daily living. The first requirement is that we have a "teachable spirit." We must be eager to have God teach us his ways and impart his wisdom. The second important prerequisite is that we must have a "prayerful mind."

James 1:5b tells us that when we ask God for wisdom, he will generously give it to us without finding fault. There are several Hebrew and Greek words in the Bible for prayer, but James doesn't use any of them when he talks about praying for wisdom. Instead, he uses a common and simple word meaning, "just ask." Just ask!! This says to me that we should pray: "Lord, I need your wisdom to get through my day and deal with the difficulties which will arise."

Job 28:12,23 says: "But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells." Wisdom is God's gift to us as expressed in Proverbs 2:6 NIV: "For the Lord gives wisdom and from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding."

When our children ask us repeated questions, we may be prone to become impatient and say something like, "I'm busy and, besides, I've already told you a dozen times what to do and you still haven't done it." God is different. He doesn't find fault with our past mistakes. He doesn't dwell on our past failures to hear him. If God chooses to answer our prayer and grant us His wisdom, nothing can keep Him from doing so. But Satan can keep us from asking by telling us we are unworthy to ask. James tells us, "You have not because you ask not" (James 4:2 NIV). However, James gives us a word of advice about praying in faith: "But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt" (James 1:6 NIV).

We are also admonished concerning our motives when we pray for wisdom. James 4:3 says: "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your (own selfish) pleasures." You see, when we are praying for wisdom, or something else, our motive should be to use whatever God gives us unselfishly in His service for the good of others. Otherwise, God says we may not receive what we are asking for. If you have asked God for something, but see no evidence of God's answer to that prayer, perhaps you should reexamine your motive for the request. Was it a selfish request for your own gratification or for the good of your family, friends, or others around you?

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Wisdom for the Teachable

2011-08-25T09:10:00.001-05:00

Chuckle: A police recruit was asked during the exam, "What would you do if you had to arrest your own mother?" he answered: "Call for backup."

Quote: “First of all that I would crave, as the richest of heaven's blessings, wisdom from my Heavenly Father bestowed daily.” --Emma Hale Smith

GOD GIVES WISDOM TO THE TEACHABLE

"If anyone lacks wisdom, he should ask of God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you" (James 1:5 NIV).

Man's wisdom is not enough. It is limited, partial wisdom. T.S. Elliot put it so beautifully when he said in "The Rock": "All our knowledge brings us nearer to our ignorance, All our ignorance brings us nearer to death, But nearness to death no nearer to God." Then he asks the question that hangs over this whole generation: "Where is the life we have lost in living?"

If we want to experience Godly wisdom instead of depending on our own limited wisdom, we must first have a teachable spirit. Before we can be teachable, we must acknowledge a need to be taught. We've all heard the old adage, "There is none so blind as those who will not see." The same is true about those who don't realize their need for divine wisdom and refuse to be taught by our Lord. They just muddle along trying to solve life's problems solely with their own strength and abilities -- and wonder why things go so horribly wrong.

Each day, our prayer should be: "Lord, I don't have the wisdom to rear my children; or the wisdom to be a godly husband/wife; or the wisdom to run my business; or the wisdom to teach these children in Sunday School. Lord, I desperately need your wisdom in every aspect of my life." A wise person is always listening, always learning, always seeking, always acquiring counsel from God and other wise godly people. "Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance" (Proverbs 1:5 NIV). A proud spirit is not teachable -- not open to being taught. "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom" (Proverbs 11:2 NIV).

Education is a wonderful tool to be valued and sought by us all, but educated people are not necessarily wise. Some of the wisest people I have known had relatively little formal education. Yet, they were able to handle the trials of life with confidence, assurance and contentment. The wise not only have their facts in order, but have their lives in order as well. They are teachable, and understand from whom they should be learning -- our Lord himself. "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (I Peter 5:5 NIV). There is another great verse in Psalm 111:10 NIV: "The fear (awe) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."

Today, let's make a new commitment to allow God to teach you and me each day from his abundant source of wisdom? Will you claim his promise that he will generously give His wisdom to all who sincerely ask for it?

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Wisdom That God Gives

2011-08-24T06:34:00.001-05:00

Chuckle: A teacher was ending a discussion in her fourth grade class on the importance of curiosity. She asked, "Where would we be today if no one had ever been curious?" One student piped up, "In the Garden of Eden?"

Quote: “Wisdom is the power that enables us to use knowledge for the benefit of ourselves and others.” --Thomas J. Watson

WISDOM THAT GOD GIVES

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you" (James 1:5 NIV).

If God said you could have one request, what would you ask for? God said this very thing to Solomon who was about to assume kingship of Israel at the death of his father, David. Solomon's one request to God was for wisdom and a discerning heart (1 Kings 3:5-12). God was so pleased with his request that He made him the wisest man who had ever lived; and also blessed him beyond belief in other ways.

Today, we live in the information age, where knowledge is king. We know more than we have ever known, yet true wisdom seems to be on the decrease. We must understand that wisdom is much more than knowledge. Wisdom is taking knowledge and using it in a practical way to better one's self or others. The Greek word for wisdom, "sophia," means the practical use of knowledge. How many truly wise people do you know?

John Blanchard says, "Wisdom is the ability to discern God's hand in human circumstances and to apply heavenly judgments to earthly situations." Wisdom is the ability to see life as God sees it, and act accordingly. In James 3:13-18, we find two basic kinds of wisdom; earthly wisdom and heavenly wisdom. Earthly wisdom is marked by "bitter envy and selfish ambition, is unspiritual, of the devil." Heavenly (divine) wisdom is "first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."

You see, the kind of wisdom God wants us to have only He can give -- the kind of wisdom that we should desire most. Let me ask you: When you face a major crisis or decision in your life, what is your first thought for a source of the wisdom needed to deal with the issue? Many of us have a tendency to trust in our own knowledge and understanding to provide us the answer. Thus, we exhaust all our own strength trying to deal with the situation, when, in fact, our first action should have been to ask God for His wisdom. Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV tells us:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your path straight (direct your paths)."

We should study and acquire all the earthly knowledge and understanding available. However, when it comes to the practical application of what you have learned, turn to the One who will give you His wisdom. God wants to make us wise through his Word, prayer, His indwelling Spirit and through the Godly teachings of wise Christians. But, we must be willing to listen and learn. . . .!

Love, Jerry & Dotse

The Last Will Be First

2011-08-23T06:46:00.001-05:00

Chuckle: A new rural resident called the local authorities requesting the removal of the "Deer Crossing" sign on their road. Their reason was that many deer were being hit by cars and they no longer wanted them to cross there.

Quote: "Greatness is not found in possessions, power, position, or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service and character." --William Arthur Ward

THE LAST WILL BE FIRST

Jesus said, "But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first" (Matthew 19:30 NIV).

You may remember the inspiring story of Derek Redmond, the sprinter who finished last in the 400 meter finals during the 1992 summer Olympics. He pulled a hamstring and only made it across the finish line with the help of his father who came out of the crowd to assist him. Derek garnered more attention and acclaim than the actual winner because of his courage and determination to finish the race and never quit. Even today, as we think about the scene, the runner who finished last is the first one we remember.

Jesus taught His disciples by saying, ". . . whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:26-28 NIV).

You may feel as if you are always bringing up the rear -- last place, in the game of life. But it is a reality that most of us Christians will never receive the notoriety of a Billy Graham, Lottie Moon, or other well-known Christian faithful. We may never receive first place recognition in this life; however, it is not the world we seek to please, but the One who loves us and gave Himself for us. When it comes to being first or great, Jesus completely dismantled the world's values and turned them upside down. We saw that clearly a few days ago as we studied the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. It is not our stature that will be rewarded but our faithfulness -- even for the small things we do for God's glory.

As we see in the above passage, our greatness and being first is dependent upon our humbling ourselves and being lowly servants to others. Jesus set the example for us as He came to serve and give His life for you and me. In this world, not many powerful and acclaimed people got to where they are by being humble, kind, and understanding. But in the heavenly world to come, the last will be first. We should not be working for human approval, but be faithful to the One whose approval really matters.

I started with a story about an Olympic 400 meter race. Listen to Paul's words to young Timothy as he thought about his eminent death. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day . . ." (1 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV). Paul was not interested in being first in the eyes of the world, but in the eyes of his Lord. Paul was not alone as he finished his race. Like Derek Redmond, his Father was there to help him.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Your Importance to God

2011-08-22T06:54:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: "Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late."

Quote: "Our worth comes from the image of God in all of us, and must be the basis for our concept of ourselves." --Unknown

YOUR IMPORTANCE TO GOD

"When I look at the night sky and see the work of Your fingers -- , the moon and the stars which You have set in place -- what are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us?" (Psalm 8:3-4 NLT).

Each of us was created with a powerful curiosity and the insatiable need to explore God's creation -- to go where we've never gone before. We want to know what's beyond that next mountain, ocean, or planet. We may go to new places physically or explore them through written and pictorial descriptions.

Knowing how He had made us, God laid open to us the entire universe to reveal Himself and His power to satisfy our desire for discovery. The more mysteries that are uncovered, the more we find out about who God is and what His attributes are. All His creation helps us to understand not only who God is, but, equally important, who God is not. The Bible says He is not limited in power. He is not apathetic about what happens to us. He is not partial. His love is not limited. When you are tempted to question your worth and importance, remember that you are highly valuable to God.

We have great worth because we bear the stamp of the Creator Himself (Genesis 1:26a). Great effort is being exerted by scientists to prove any theory other than the miracle of creation by God's own hands. As more scientific evidence is found, it becomes more and more difficult for the non-creationists to explain how the universe and the living creatures therein came into existence. The Scriptures tell us that man has exchanged the truth for a lie.

Paul writes, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities -- his eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. . . Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles" (Romans 1:20, 22-23 NIV).

Yes, God wants us to discover the greatness of His creation which reveals the dimensions of His power and His great love for us mortals, the crown of His creation. God has proven over and over how much He loves you and me, with the ultimate expression of His love being shown on a cross outside Jerusalem where His only Son suffered, bled, and died. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8 NIV). How can you read this verse and not see how important you are to God, our Heavenly Father.

So, God gave us His whole creation to show us the dimensions of His power, and He gave His Son to show us the dimensions of His love. Because God has declared your value to Him, you can be set free from feelings of worthlessness.

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Christian Maturity and the Tongue

2011-08-19T10:21:00.003-05:00

Funny but Sad: On a windswept hill in an English country churchyard stands a drab, gray slate tombstone. The faint etching reads: "Beneath this stone, a lump of clay, lies Arabella Young, who, on the twenty-fourth of may, began to hold her tongue." --William Norris

Good Question: "This past year, if someone had paid you ten dollars for every kind word you ever spoke about other people, and also collected five dollars for every unkind word, would you be rich or poor?" --Unknown

ARE YOUR WORDS HELPFUL OR HURTFUL?

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (Ephesians 4:29 NIV).

In chapter 3, James says the tongue is a small piece of flesh that is like: (1) the bit in the horse's mouth - it controls the whole animal, (2) the small rudder - that controls the huge ship, (3) a small spark - that destroys the whole forest, and (4) a small organ - which can corrupt the whole body.

Someone has said, "Gossip is mouth-to-mouth recitation." There are those who seem to get a sort of perverse pleasure when something unfortunate happens to someone, especially someone they don't particularly care for, and they just can't wait to tell someone else about it. Sadly, many of us wouldn't have much to say, if all we could say was positive and helpful. Slander, criticism, gossip, or hateful remarks can do irreparable damage. Once an unkind word has left your lips, it can never be retrieved or undone no matter how repentant you may be. The damage to the other person will have already been done. We need to be careful about what we say and how we say it.

Both Paul and James are wonderful teachers about the practical applications of our faith. It is their contention is that if we have genuine faith, that faith will be reflected in the way we live -- the way we relate to other people. James gives much attention to the harmful effects of an unruly tongue and hurtful speech. He says, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless" (James 1:26 NIV). No matter how spiritual we may think we are, everyone of us could learn to better control our speech. Our Christianity will be worthless as a witness to others if we are letting our speech discredit the Lord we claim to serve.

If you have trouble controlling your words when you are angry or upset at another person, please remember that, as a Christian, you should not fight this battle alone. The Holy Spirit stands ready to help us learn self-control. We are not fighting the battle of the tongue's fire in our own strength. The Holy Spirit will teach us to control what we say. Even when we are offended, He will remind us of God's love, and help us not to react in a hateful way. When we are criticized, the Spirit will heal the hurt and help us not to lash out with angry words. Jesus said: ". . . the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you" (John 14:26 NIV).

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Marks of Christian Maturity

2011-08-18T06:46:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: "Age makes you take twice as long to rest and half as long to get tired."

Quote: "Sow an act, reap a habit; Sow a habit, reap a character: Sow a character, reap a destiny." -- Reade

MARKS OF CHRISTIAN MATURITY

". . . let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity" (Hebrews 6:1 NIV). In 2 Peter 3:18 NIV, we are told to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

Do you see yourself as mature in Christ? Or, do you say with the apostle Paul, "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have been made perfect (mature), but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me" (Philippians 3:12 NIV). Spiritual growth is a process that God will accomplish in our lives if we are willing to let Him do it. Let's consider some characteristics, of a mature Christian.

A mature Christian can deal with life's problems. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything" (James 1:2-4 NIV). The mature Christian knows problems and trials will come and prays. "Lord, I know you will use these difficult times to help me grow and mature." How about you? Do you recognize trials and problems in your life as opportunities to test your faith and to help you develop perseverance -- and become mature and complete.

A mature Christian is sensitive to the needs of others. "My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism . . ."If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing right" (James 2:1, 8 NIV). Love your neighbor as yourself. Don't play favorites - don't look down on some people. Jesus said treat them as you want to be treated. God wants us to be very sensitive to and concerned about the needs of all people.

A mature Christian controls his/her tongue. "If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect (mature) man, able to keep his whole body in check" (James 3:2 NIV). If a person can control his tongue, he probably will control his/her whole body. To speak in a loving way that edifies others is a mark of maturity.

A Mature Christian is a Peacemaker not a Troublemaker. "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?" (James 4:1 NIV). Many of us are quarrelsome, easily offended, etc. We get our feelings hurt and we lash out at those who offended us. Usually these reactions are a result of selfishness or being judgmental toward others.

A Mature Christian is Patient and Prayerful. "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming" (James 5:7 NIV). ". . . The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16b NIV). Four times in this chapter, James says: "be patient." But in our fast pace world of instant gratification we are prone to pray, "Lord teach me patience - and do it right now!" Seven times James says: "be prayerful." Prayers are answered in God's time."

In Summary, When you were born into God's kingdom by faith, you became an infant Christian, but with all you will need to become mature. It's a matter of spiritual growth until you function in a mature way. This requires faithfulness in worship, Bible study, ministry to others, fellowship with other Christians, and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. God's plan is for you to grow to maturity. What's your plan?

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Maturing As a Christian

2011-08-17T06:48:00.002-05:00

Chuckle: A Sunday School teacher said to her class: "Now children, you must never do anything in private you wouldn't do in public." "Hurrah!" shouted one little boy -- "No more baths!"

Quote: "Four stages of growth in Christian maturity: Love of self for self's sake; Love of God for self's sake; Love of God for God's sake; and Love of self for God's sake." --St Bernard of Clairvaux

CHRISTIAN MATURITY

". . . let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity" (Hebrews 6:1 NIV). In 2 Peter 3:18 NIV, we are told to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

We all would like to think we are mature, both in our thoughts and actions. But we must realize that spiritual maturity is a process through which our Lord molds us into Christlike believers. Unfortunately, not every Christian will become a mature one; And the more mature we become, the more we become aware of our immaturity.

The dictionary says maturity is "the condition of being fully grown or developed." I believe the Bible was written that we might know Christ and that we might grow-up spiritually and become mature Christians. The book of James is a Holy Spirit inspired manual on practical Christian living, and it leads us toward becoming mature in Christ. The Greek word for "maturity" is used five times in the book of James.

Many problems in life are caused by our immaturity. How many times have you heard someone say to another: "Grow up!" A lack of maturity can cause major problems in interpersonal relationships. It has been estimated that 90 percent of marital problems can be attributed to immaturity -- making bad decisions on who to marry and not having the maturity to make the relationship work once the marriage has occurred.

It seems logical that the longer you are a Christian, the more mature you will become. But there are problems with such an assumption. How long you have been a Christian, although an important factor, does not determine spiritual maturity. A bumper sticker which reads, "I may be getting older but I refuse to grow up" describes some Christians. Maturity cannot be determined by age, appearance, accomplishments, or by the number of degrees behind our names.

Christian maturity is a supernatural phenomenon which can only come from God through the power of His Holy Spirit. I saw this statement somewhere: "Maturity is an attitude which determines and results in character." D.L. Moody said, "Character is what you are; reputation is what men think you are." God is the only one who can measure our maturity and character. He sees your life from His eternal perspective and, if you are willing, he will grow (mature) your character to match the purpose He has for you in life.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything" (James 1:2-4 NIV).

Love, Jerry & Dotse

Responding to New Ownership

2011-08-16T06:34:00.000-05:00

Chuckle: "Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on."

Quote: "After we bow our heads seeking Divine Guidance, we often bow our necks in resistance to His will." --William Arthur Ward

RESPONDING TO NEW OWNERSHIP

". . . you are not your own. For you are bought with a (high) price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are (belong to) God's" (1 Corinthians 6:20 KJV).

When I was about to go away to college, and later into the U. S. Army, my dad asked me to remember to whom I belonged -- to God first and then to our family. He counseled me to "keep my feet on the ground," which was his way of saying I should remain rooted in the Christian principles I had learned at home and in church. I should live my live in such a way as to bring honor to my Savior and to my family. I'm certain this wise counsel helped me to avoid yielding to many temptations and served as a constant reminder of the price Christ paid for my salvation and my inclusion in the family of God.

We live in a society that says "everything is about me and what I want." "I don't belong to anyone and am not obligated to anyone." Our passage refers to slaves being purchased at auction. Using this analogy, Paul reminds us that we have been redeemed from slavery to sin and that the price of that redemption was the life of our Lord freely given on the cruel cross of Calvary. The terrible price paid for our salvation reminds us of God's indescribable love for us and also reminds us of our obligation to serve Him and bring honor to Him by the way we live.

Perhaps now, or sometime in your life, you have lived in a rented apartment or house. While living there, you were obligated to take care of the dwelling and follow the owner's rules because it belonged to someone else. When we accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, we become Christians and our hearts, minds, souls, and bodies take on new ownership. We belong to the One who purchased us and tells us that our bodies are the temple (dwelling place) of God's Holy Spirit. In other words, God owns the body (dwelling) in which we live, along with His Holy Spirit.

"Or don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God" (vs. 19). Because of what God has done for us, our sacrifice of obedience is a small price for us to pay. Because our bodies belong to God, we should never violate His standards for holy living. We should take care of our bodies as the temple of God and never forget the One who purchased us and to whom we truly belong.

Love, Jerry & Dotse