......defeat

We have been joined together as the Body of Christ; and for this Body to function properly, we must all be encouraged to draw closer to God, to trust Him more and love Him with all our heart. One of the 

ways we encourage is in sharing with one another how God's mighty hand has worked in our life. We have so much to be thankful for, but sadly we often simply forget.

In the book of 1 Samuel, we read of young David and the Philistine "Giant" named Goliath. Goliath was much larger than other people of his day; "he was over nine feet tall" 1 Samuel 17:4. For forty days he tormented the Israelites by challenging them to a battle, but no one would accept his challenge.

David was not a soldier but his father sent him to the Israelite camp to deliver bread to his older brothers. When David heard the challenge by Goliath, he told King Saul, "Your servant will go and fight him" 1 Samuel 17:32.

Though David had never been in this type of battle, he had still witnessed the mighty power of God. As a shepherd, David defended the flock when a lion and a bear had come to carry away his sheep. David rescued the sheep by killing the lion and the bear. By witnessing God's hand in these past battles, David gained the necessary confidence to go into battle against Goliath.

Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear - this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.1 Samuel 17:36-37

As we find ourselves battling our own Goliaths, we must remember how God has defended us in the past. And as members together in the Family of God, we must share past victories with one another. God is faithful, and we need to remind one another of this simple truth. Our "Giant" circumstances may seem impossible to resolve, but the God who stood by our side during past battles (and stood by the side of many others) is the same God who stands with us today: "God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.' So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid'" Hebrews 13:5-6.

God wants to draw us near and walk with us through each and every battle. This means we must trust He is working all things together for good...even when we can't see the good or understand His timing. Let's be encouraged by God's victories in our past and look for opportunities to share these victories as an encouragement to others. As each of us face our Goliaths today, let's go out with a thankful and trusting heart, and always remember the defeated lions and bears.

- steve troxel

....plan

It is part of God's plan for us, through repentance and faith in Jesus, to be reconciled with our Heavenly Father, and then to mend and strengthen relationships with others. Not only do our relationships give us opportunities to express our love and gratitude to God, but they can also strengthen our faith and teach us about our weaknesses.

The importance of relationships is not a new concept which arrived with Jesus; rather, it forms the very essence of who we are, "It is not good for the man to be alone" Genesis 2:18. God could have created us to be isolated, but He did not! We were created to actually need one another. Almost three thousand years ago, Solomon wrote of the importance of having encouraging relationships.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

As we look at the many believers scattered around the world, we notice the ways we are different as well as the many ways we are the same. We have different colors of skin and styles of clothes, different tastes in food and accents of speech; but we all have similar dreams, and all face the same kinds of trials and temptations. And we ALL need the same Savior!

God has taken a diverse group of people and formed us into the Body of Christ; "Though all its parts are many, they form one body" 1 Corinthians 12:12. But I'm afraid the focus of satisfying our own needs and fulfilling our own desires has left this body crippled and deformed. We must understand that as "one body" we desperately need each other; "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it" 1 Corinthians 12:26.

Let's look with new and excited eyes at the Body of Christ. There are people all around who need encouragement, and there are also those who have the ability to encourage us. Let's identify the strands which God has placed in our life and then spend the necessary time to weave them into something strong and beautiful. Let's strengthen His Body today by building unbreakable cords of encouragement.

- steve troxel

....know

In the book of Job, we read of a man who came under severe attack by Satan. Within a short amount of time, Job went from a man of wealth, health, and large family, to a man who lost 

all his possessions, was near death, and childless.

In the early stage of his trials, Job demonstrated a deep commitment to God's sovereignty; "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised" Job 1:20-21. Then, when his wife told him to curse God and die, Job responded with, "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" Job 2:10.

Job seemed to have a deep understanding of what we often quote in times of trial; "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him" Romans 8:28. But at the same time, Job struggled with understanding why God would allow these things to happen. Yes, God is in control...but why!? When Job couldn't find an answer, he began to feel terribly alone and abandoned.

If only I knew where to find Him; if only I could go to His dwelling! I would state my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would find out what He would answer me, and consider what He would say - Job 23:3-5

Our trials often cause similar concerns. We find ourselves asking where God has gone and why He is allowing such hardship. Even though we may believe God is "working all things for our good," we often search in vain to find something positive in our situation. And when we fail to see any possible good, we become frustrated and assume God has forgotten us, abandoned us in our time of need.

God responded to Job's cry for answers: "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!" Job 38:4-5. God's response continued for almost four chapters: "Who has a claim against Me that I must repay? Everything under heaven belongs to Me" Job 41:11. The Creator of the Universe - the One who formed every intricate detail of what we see and cannot see - the One who lifted us out of the slimy pit and set our feet on solid ground, spoke to Job and simply said, "I am God!"

Our Heavenly Father loves us very much! He truly desires for us to know Him better and walk by His side with complete trust. But there are times, often in the middle of our trials, when our trust is challenged. And though we may not understand, we must desperately cling to His promises and KNOW He will never leave us nor forsake us! Let's be at total peace and restore our hope by always remembering that He is there, and He is God.

- steve troxel

....armor

Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands 1 Samuel 17:47

After young David, the shepherd boy, convinced King Saul to let him go out and fight Goliath, the first thing the king did was dress David in his own armor and bronze helmet. But David said, “I cannot walk with these” 1 Samuel 17:39. So David went out to face Goliath with his own “armor”: a tunic, a staff, a sling, five stones, and faith. For that task, that was all David needed to defeat his enemy.

When we face the giants that threaten us in our life, there is a temptation to put on “armor” God didn’t design for us to wear. It may be the armor of this world (position, power, education, wealth, influence) or it may be armor that we’ve seen a fellow Christian successfully wear. It may take a few battles for us to learn that God has provided all the armor we need: truth, righteousness, the Gospel, faith, salvation, Scripture, and prayer Ephesians 6:14-18.

Face your giants today clothed in the armor of Christ. Let God prepare you for battle, and you will be victorious.

- david jeremiah

.....coyotes

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap Galatians 6:7.

In his book, "Rewriting the Family Script", Roger Hillerstrom shares how a small, Midwestern town once sponsored a coyote hunt because so many farmers were losing chickens to the predators. Fifteen hundred coyotes were killed over a single weekend.

However, within a few months the entire community was overrun with rodents, because their natural enemy, the coyote, had been eliminated. A year after that, the rodents weren't much of a problem, but the rattlesnakes were! Because there were so many rats and mice for them to eat, the poisonous snakes had reproduced rapidly. 

At that point, the chickens were safe, but the humans were in danger! You see, the coyotes had been an important part of the environmental system - the food chain. When one part of that system changed, other parts adapted to the new reality.

When we, as individuals, groups, or societies and even some churches get rid of God's Word, and overthrow God's standards to do as we please, and seek to throw out God himself, the seeds of our ultimate destruction are sown. God is not mocked. We will reap what we have sown. 

As the Apostle Paul exhorted the Christians in Corinth: "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men and women of courage; be strong. Do everything in love" 1 Corinthians 16:13-14.

.....fleas

And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17

Corrie Ten Boom, in The Hiding Place, relates an incident that taught her an important principle. She and her sister, Betsy, had just been transferred to the worst German prison camp they had seen yet, Ravensbruck.

Upon entering the barracks, they found them extremely overcrowded, and flea infested. Their Scripture reading that morning in 1 Thessalonians had reminded them to rejoice always, pray constantly, and give thanks in all circumstances. Betsy told Corrie to stop and thank the Lord for every detail of their new living quarters. Corrie at first flatly refused to give thanks for the fleas, but Betsy persisted. She finally succumbed. 

During the months spent at that camp, they were surprised to find how openly they could hold Bible study and prayer meetings without guard interference.  It was several months later when they learned that the guards would not enter the barracks because of the fleas.

There are times in our lives when we refuse to be thankful, especially when something is uncomfortable or causing us pain. We rarely feel inclined to thank God for the traffic on the freeway, the unhappy clients at work, the tantrums our toddlers have, or the unexpected illnesses that keep us from doing all the things we need to do. However, I have learned to sit and listen in the discomfort, because even there, God is present. Just like the fleas allowed Corrie and Betsy to freely share the Gospel and worship with others, our uncomfortable circumstances could also lead to something greater. 

The tantrums my two-year-old throws is developing patience and love in me, and also teaching me how to discipline effectively. Common illnesses have forced me to slow down and spend time with God. The difficult client at work has led me to prayer. Listening to worship songs in the traffic has allowed me to have the most meaningful times with my Heavenly Father. 

The next time you find yourself in unpleasant circumstances, thank God for that and ask Him to draw near and show you His will. Everything in the life of a Christian has a purpose. Let's take a moment to thank God for the "fleas" today.

- david langerfeld

.....answer

 "Is anything too hard for the Lord? No!" Genesis 18:14

The God of surprises strikes again...  God does that for the faithful.   

      Just when the womb gets too old for babies, Sarai gets pregnant. 

     Just when the failure is too great for grace, David is pardoned.

The lesson? Three words. Don't give up!!!

      Is the road long? Don't stop!

      Is the night black? Don't quit!

      Is the way unclear? Keep praying!

God is watching. For all you know right at this moment... 

      The check may be in the mail.

      The apology may be in the making.

      The job contract may be on the desk.

Don't quit. For if you do, you may miss the answer to your prayers!!!

"Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and never give up." Luke 18:1

....prosperous

In the middle of a very long list of genealogies, recorded in the book of 1 Chronicles, there are a few short verses about a man named Jabez who was a descendant of Judah. We never read about him 

again, but it appears Jabez was included in this list because of his bold request...and God's gracious response.

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, 'Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let Your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.' And God granted his request 1 Chronicles 4:10

Passages on asking and receiving can be difficult to teach. For example: "How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!" Matthew 7:11. These passages are full of truth, but those who preach a message of assured prosperity for Christians have abused the scriptures to say God wants everyone to be financially rich and all we must do is ask or repeat a special prayer. Although this type of prosperity teaching receives a wide following, it is far from God's truth.

But God DOES want us to prosper: "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future'" Jeremiah 29:11. And He wants us to ask! "You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives" James 4:2-3. God has a plan to prosper us, but we often do not receive His blessings because we are asking to satisfy our own selfish desires or cover worldly fears. We ask with the wrong motives!

We also fail to prosper because we don't understand God's definition of prosperity. A Godly prosperity has little to do with finances or possessions, and a great deal to do with peace and contentment. A prosperous life is also one which bears much fruit and completes the work God has asked us to accomplish; "I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do" John 17:4. How petty to believe that God's prosperity only involves the riches of this world which rust and fade away.

A truly prosperous life begins by drawing and remaining near to the presence of God. Without first abiding in His presence, we won't even know what will allow us to prosper; "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart" Psalm 37:4. As we draw near to God, He places the desires on our heart which lead to true prosperity - then we must ask. It's in the asking, in the expectation of the answer, and in the process of waiting, that we exercise our faith and prove it to be real.

Let's ask God to increase our territory - to increase our realm of influence for His Kingdom. Let's ask Him to keep us in His protective arms, give us His abundance of peace, and accomplish great things in us and through us. Let's draw near to God and boldly request a prosperous life.

- adapted from steve troxell's request a prosperous life 

.....understands

Our High Priest is able to understand our weaknesses. When he lived on earth, he was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin Hebrews 4:15

This is how J. B. Phillips translates Hebrews 4:15:  "For we have no superhuman High Priest to whom our weaknesses are unintelligible - he himself has shared fully in all our experience of temptation, except that he never sinned."  

It's as if he knows that we will say to God... "God, it's easy for you up there. You don't know how hard it is from down here." So he boldly proclaims Jesus' ability to understand. Look at the wording again.

   He himself.  

       Not an angel. 

       Not an ambassador. 

       Not an emissary, but Jesus himself.

   Shared fully.

       Not partially.

       Not nearly.

       Not to a large degree. 

       Entirely! Jesus shared fully.

   In all our experiences. 

       Every hurt. 

       Each ache. 

       All the stresses and all the strains. 

       No exceptions. 

       No substitutes. 

Why? So he could sympathize with our weaknesses!

- max lucado

......communication

But as we continue our walk, we soon discover many decision points where we must choose between two paths...with only one being the path of God. At these critical moments, we must be able to recognize His leading; and if we have not spent time worshiping at His feet and communicating in prayer, we cannot expect to understand or even hear His guidance in our time of greatest need.

Communication is essential for maturing in any relationship. A marriage which lacks communication will slowly begin to drift apart. It's not uncommon for married couples to live together for the majority of their lives and yet feel like strangers because they have failed to spend the time required to really know and understand one another.

Our relationship with God is much the same. When we receive the gift of Salvation through faith in Jesus, we begin a lifelong relationship of love - a relationship which must be nurtured through fellowship and prayer.

Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray. In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation Psalm 5:1-3

David states that the morning is his dedicated time for prayer, his time to be alone with God, to share his heart and expectantly await God's direction. But God has not specified a preferred time. In fact, Paul encourages us to maintain a constant state of communion with God when he says to "pray continuously" 1 Thessalonians 5:17. We ought to strive for communication which is regular and frequent; any time is the right time for prayer; any time is the right time to commune with the one you love!

Prayer must originate from a sincere heart, anything less becomes a ritual of meaningless words. We should be motivated by a desire to strengthen our relationship, to praise Him for His blessings and earnestly ask for His guidance, and to deepen the commitment of our love. We ought to value our time with God above anything else this world has to offer; "One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life" Psalm 27:4.

Let's make sure our love doesn't fade. Let's set aside time each day to be alone with God, quiet time where we can hear His voice and begin to understand His character. Then, let's continue to commune and fellowship with Him throughout our times of busyness. Let's learn to dwell in His house all the rest of our days by maintaining continual and loving communication.

- steve troxel

.....actor

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me - just as the Father knows me and I know the Father-and I lay down my life for the sheep. John 10:14-15

There was once a Shakespearean actor who was known everywhere for his one-man shows of readings and recitations from the classics.  He would always end his performance with a dramatic reading of Psalm 23.

Each night, without exception, as the actor began his recitation -- "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want"... the crowd would listen attentively.  Then, at the conclusion of the Psalm, they would rise in thunderous applause in appreciation of the actor's incredible ability to bring the verse to life.

But one night, just before the actor was to offer his customary recital of Psalm 23, a young man from the audience spoke up, "Sir, do you mind if tonight I recite Psalm 23?".  The actor was quite taken back by this unusual request, but he allowed the young man to come forward and stand front and center on the stage to recite the Psalm, knowing that the ability of this unskilled youth would be no match for his own talent.

With a soft voice, the young man began to recite the words of the Psalm. When he was finished, there was no applause. There was no standing ovation as on other nights. All that could be heard was the sound of weeping. The audience had been so moved by the young man's recitation that every eye was full of tears.

Amazed by what he had heard, the actor said to the youth, "I don't understand. I have been performing Psalm 23 for years. I have a lifetime of experience and training - but I have never been able to move an audience as you have tonight. Tell me, what is your secret?"

The young man quietly replied, 

"Well sir, you might know the Psalm... but I know the Shepherd."

- david langerfeld

....names

A Prayer Using The Old Testament Names Of God

Elohim,

I KNOW you can create something out of nothing, will you create something out of any nothing areas - impossible situations in my life.

El Elyon,

I KNOW you are in control, sovereign, and I give you all of my circumstances today.

Adonai,

I KNOW you are my Lord and Master, I choose to follow you instead of the ways of the world.

El Shaddai,

I KNOW you are God Almighty, and I trust that you are sufficient for my deepest needs today.

Yahweh Jireh,

I KNOW you are my provider, and will supply everything I need today.

El Roi,

I KNOW you are the God who sees, and that I am never alone, and nothing in my life goes unnoticed, for you know it all and see it all.

Yahweh,

I KNOW you are the one and only, self-existent, eternal, covenant-keeping God and that you will always love me.

Yahweh Rophe,

I KNOW you are my healer and I come to you now with every area of me that needs healing today.

Yahweh Nissi,

I KNOW you are my banner, and the victory in every situation that threatens me today.

Yahweh Mekaddesh,

I KNOW you are my sanctifier, making me holy, doing for me what I can never do for myself.

Yahweh Shalom,

I KNOW you are my peace, and bring calm in every storm I face in life.

Yahweh Sabaoth,

I KNOW you are the LORD of hosts, and bring deliverance as you defeat my enemies.

Yahweh Ro’i,

I KNOW you are my shepherd, and intimately care for me even if no one else does.

Abba, Father,

I KNOW you are my Father and that I can run to you and rest in the security of your everlasting arms.

In Name of Jesus Chirst,

Amen.

"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11  

....patience

Our life can be a long and sometimes difficult race. We often grow weary and are in great need of rest. But this race is not like any we have ever run. We do not compete against the other runners, nor do we all even run the same course. We run the race marked out by our Heavenly Father; and yet, we ALL must strive toward the same finish line.

"Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."Hebrews 12:1-2

Perseverance means "to persist in spite of opposition or discouragement." But the original Greek includes the idea of patience and a determined endurance. We are therefore being told to patiently run the race, and to keep on running with determination and endurance, in spite of opposition or discouragement. What a wonderful picture!

Hindrances to our race can be represented by weeds which try to wrap around our legs and slow us down. This "sin that so easily entangles" can often be difficult to even recognize. We may be running a clear path without a hint of weeds; everything has been going well and we feel immune to the temptations of this world. But without our eyes fixed on Jesus - without our heart fully trusting Him for every step - our path can become covered before we even realize there is a problem.

We must maintain an acute awareness of the condition of our path. Weeds are not acceptable and must be cleared away. There are no circumstances where weeds add beneficial "flavor" or excitement - they ALWAYS hinder!!

Our race is a long marathon, not a quick sprint. In order to persevere, we must prepare for many hills and valleys (and weeds) along the way. We must develop a burning desire to one day boldly say; "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" 2 Timothy 4:7. Jesus endured the cross (finished the race) because of "the joy set before Him" Hebrews 12:2. And if we will keep our eyes on Jesus as our eternal joy, we "will not grow weary and lose heart" Hebrews 12:3.

No matter what this day may bring, we must persist with our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus until we hear Him say: "Well done, good and faithful servant....Come and share your Master's happiness!" Matthew 25:23. Some days we may only be able to take small baby steps, but still we must continue and run with the sole purpose of bringing Him glory and honor in ALL we do. Our race can be filled with joy and peace, but we must commit to a life of absolute trust and run with perseverance! 

- steve troxel

......famine

Like most of the Old Testament prophets, Amos was chosen by God to deliver a message of repentance and judgment; "Seek the Lord and live, or He will sweep through the house of Joseph like a fire" Amos 5:6. God was calling His people to return, but they had wandered far from His presence and showed no interest in a life of worship. The economy of their day was thriving and the people had few needs which went unfulfilled; they were content and saw little need for God.

Through Amos, God sent a strong warning. Although He promises to answer all who respond to His call, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" Joel 2:32, and He promises to be VERY patient, "not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" 2 Peter 3:9, God also warns that the opportunity to hear His Word may not always be available.

Amos 8:11-12 "'The days are coming,' declares the Sovereign Lord, 'when I will send a famine through the land - not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.'"

When we hear the Word of God, the door is open and we are in the middle of a God-directed opportunity. At that moment we have the opportunity to respond to the truth and draw closer to our Heavenly Father. But when we reject His Word, we begin to close the door and harden our heart - the opportunity begins to fade: "So, as the Holy Spirit says: 'Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart'" Hebrews 3:7-8.

We have been blessed to live during this time in history. Yes, we face the unrelenting pressures of an over-indulgent, self-consumed society, but we have also been blessed with a wonderful abundance of the Word of God. In most parts of the world we have freedom to worship with other believers and full access to truth-filled teaching. In fact, God's Word has become so readily available that many of us take it for granted.

In the midst of our overflowing blessings, we are becoming complacent and no longer treasure His precious gift. 

But what would happen if His Word was taken away? 

What would the world be like if no one was allowed to speak or hear the Word of God? 

What if we searched for His Word and it could not be found?

Our Heavenly Father loves us dearly. He "wants ALL men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" 1 Timothy 2:4; and He wants those who believe to be "conformed to the likeness of His Son" Romans 8:29. Our Father continues to call us to know Him with a greater and more intimate love. Let's make the most of this awesome opportunity by receiving the Word of God, in all its forms, with a hungry anticipation, and then by obediently responding to His call. 

Let's shake off ALL forms of complacency and rejoice that we do not yet live during a famine of hearing.

- steve troxel

.....imitating

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. John 10:27-28

Pastor Mark Thompson of Faribault, Minnesota, suffered terrible knife wounds from an assailant in his home. One of the many consequences of his difficult recovery was being forced to miss watching his son Chris run in the state cross-country championship meet.  Pastor Thompson commissioned his brother Merv to go in his stead.

According to the account in the St. Paul Pioneer Press & Dispatch, Mark told his brother, "I can't be there to see Chris run.  So I want you there at the beginning of the race.  Holler a lot.... Then at the end, I want you to really cheer loudly.  And I want you to make your voice sound like mine."

Merv heeded the advice, and Chris ran a strong race, finishing second. Merv, also a pastor, discerned the theological truth in the story.  "That's what Jesus wants us to do." he said.  "Make your voice sound like mine."

- dave langerfeld

......regret

I had not really planned on taking a trip this time of year, and yet, I found myself packing rather hurriedly. This trip was going to be unpleasant, and I knew in advance that no real good would come of it  -  I'm talking about my annual "Guilt Trip." 

I got tickets to fly there on "Wish-I-Had" Airlines. I got my baggage, which I could have checked, but didn't - because I chose to carry all my baggage all the way. It was weighted down with a thousand memories of "What might have been...".  No one greeted me as I entered the terminal to the "Regret City International Airport". (I say International because people from all over the world come to this dismal place.)  

As I checked into the "Last Resort Hotel", I noticed that they would be hosting the year's most important event, "The Annual Pity Party". I wasn't going to miss that great social occasion. Many of the town's leading citizens would be there. 

First, there would be the "Done" family - you know, "Should Have", "Would Have" and "Could Have". Then came the "I Had" family. You probably know of "Wish I Had" and his clan.  Of course, the "Opportunities" would be present - "Missed" and "Lost". The biggest family would be the "Yesterday's". There are far too many of them to count, but each one would have a very sad story to share. 

Then "Shattered Dreams" would surely make an appearance. And "It's Their Fault" would regale us with his stories about how things had failed in his life, and each story would be loudly applauded by "Don't Blame Me" and "I Couldn't Help It". 

Well, to make a long story short, I went to this depressing party knowing that there would be no real benefit in doing so. And, as usual, I became very depressed. But, as I thought about all of the stories of failures brought back from the past, it occurred to me that all of this trip and all of the subsequent "Pity Parties" could be canceled - BY ME!  I started to truly realize that I did not have to be there. I didn't have to be depressed. 

One thought kept going through my mind, "I can't change yesterday, but I do have The Holy Spirit living in me to make today a wonderful day".  I can be happy, joyous, fulfilled, encouraged, content, blessed and totally at peace - because my sins have been forgiven and I will spend eternity with my Savior. I know who I am and where I am in Christ and I know where I’ll be when I die. Knowing this, I left the "City of Regret" immediately and left no forwarding address. 

Am I sorry for mistakes I've made in the past? YES! But there is no physical way to undo them, and more importantly, they've all been forgiven - no matter how bad they were.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "If any man is in Christ, He is a new Creature.  Old Things are past away; behold, all things are become new."

So, if you're planning a trip back to the "City of Regret", please cancel all your reservations now.  Instead, take a trip to a place called "Starting Again".  I liked it so much that I have now taken up permanent residence there. My neighbors, the "I Have Been Forgiven's" and the "New Starts in Christ" are so very helpful. 

By the way, you don't have to carry around all of your heavy baggage, because the load is lifted from your shoulders upon arrival. God bless you in finding this great town. His Holy Word has all the directions you need.  When you find it, please look me up. I live on "I-Can-Do-All-Things-Through-Christ" Street!!!  

.....light

In the physical world, there is no measurable quantity which defines darkness; dark is simply the absence of light. Therefore, the measure of darkness can only be in reference to the measure of light - less darkness is only achieved through more light.

In the spiritual world, darkness represents the evil of the enemy and light represents the holiness of God. Though neither can be truly measured, the concept is the same: the darkness of evil only exists when there is an absence of the light of holiness. Dark and light cannot exist at the same time; when light is increased, darkness must fade.

"This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth."1 John 1:5-6

Salvation is by the grace of God through faith in Jesus and not through anything we do Ephesians 2:8-9. But the purpose of Salvation is to bring glory to God as we walk in intimate fellowship with Jesus, the true and eternal Light. It is not possible to have fellowship with the Light of Christ and still live a life filled with the darkness of sin. Jesus purifies us from all sin (past, present, and future) in the sense of judgment before the Father, but He also illuminates the dark sin in our life and gives us the strength to gradually push it aside.

A life without the Light is in darkness and cannot even recognize true sin. If we attempt to remove sin without first shining the Light, we are simply pushing around the darkness; we clean the outside but leave a heart which is dark and dead. Some outsides are dirtier than others, but no matter how filthy an outside may appear, we ALL need the Light of Christ in our heart before we can be clean; "First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean" Matthew 23:26. In an instant, the grace of His Light is able to cleanse what no amount of self-effort can ever accomplish.

When our own spiritual life becomes "dim," it usually means our time with the Light has begun to suffer - our discipline of prayer and reading His Word has been replaced with competing distractions. Where we once walked with clear vision, we now bump into walls and continually stub our toes. But God desires to light our path once again. He has "saved us and called us to a holy life" 2 Timothy 1:9, to a life filled with Light, a life of bold clarity in Him.

Let's share the true and eternal Light of Jesus Christ at every opportunity and refocus our priorities on the only sure way to restore our vision. Let's commune with Him in prayer and immerse ourselves in His Word. His path will once again be made clear and darkness will surely fade as we increase the Light.

- steve troxel 

.....eyes

They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword." - 2 Samuel 1:12

How would you respond if you heard something bad happened to someone who had been trying to cut off your head for several years? King Saul had been seeking to kill David for many years before Saul was thrust into battle against the Amalekites. In this final battle, a sword killed Saul. When the news reached David, instead of rejoicing that his enemy was no longer a problem for him, he responded in a totally different manner. He mourned. Imagine that; he mourned for the one who sought to kill him.

This is a sign of one who can look past an individual who is the source of pain and consider how God views him. God looks on that individual and sees his needs and knows why he responds the way he does. When we begin to see people as God does, we'll no longer look at them as enemies, but as souls in need of grace. This is how Jesus could give of His life for us. He saw our great need, not what we did to Him. 

When someone wrongs you, do you seek to retaliate, or do you pray to understand the need behind the offender's actions? For several years a person was a source of constant pain and retaliation toward me. There was nothing I could do to change it. God allowed me to go beyond the person's actions to understand what was the source of his need. When I gained that understanding, God gave me a picture of this person inside a prison cell and in bondage. This bondage made him respond to life in this way. I was able to pray for him and genuinely love him in spite of the fact that he persecuted me. This is the kind of love Jesus wants us to have when He tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who spitefully use us.

I believe God does a special work of grace in those who go beyond the realm of normal response to persecution. He brings us to a level of grace we never thought possible. Describing how God worked in Joseph's life, Francis Frangipane reveals what happens when we tap into this grace:

"God made him fruitful in the very things that afflicted him. In the land of your affliction, in your battle, is the place where God will make you fruitful. Consider, even now, the area of greatest affliction in your life. In that area, God will make you fruitful in such a way that your heart will be fully satisfied, and God's heart fully glorified. God has not promised to keep us from valleys and sufferings, but to make us fruitful in them." [Francis Frangipane, Place of Immunity (Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Arrow Publications, 1996), 93] 

- os hillman

.....die

During the three short years of Jesus' earthly ministry, He performed many miracles and preached to crowds large and small. But the moment of greatest acceptance came the week before Jesus was 

crucified as He entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey. A large number had gathered from all over Israel in preparation of the Passover: "They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting 'Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!'"John 12:13.

Many would view this as the high point of Jesus' ministry. He had gained a great following and the people even hailed Him as the new King of Israel. But Jesus knew this was not His Father's will. Jesus came for a much greater purpose than to be a temporary king; He came for an eternal glory which required His death.

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds - John 12:24

Jesus spoke these words in reference to His sacrifice on the cross which would occur in a few short days, but His message of death was also intended for us today. Obviously Jesus is not saying we should all be physically crucified, but He IS saying we must experience a death; "whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it" Matthew 16:25. Paul explains this even more directly; "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature" Colossians 3:5.

Our earthly nature is home to all our sinful desires, but it is also the source of all the ambitions and dreams not formed by God. When we tightly hold to our dreams and are driven (or drive others) by our own ambitions, we choke what God desires to accomplish and never see the full potential of Christ - never see the abundant life God desires us to live.

We have a tendency to dream and make plans, and then spend our time and energy pursuing the dream rather than truly pursuing Christ. Our dream may even appear very Godly - we may strive for a dynamic ministry or children who love and follow God - but until we allow EVERYTHING within us to die and be replaced by the love of God, we will never experience His very best or witness His most beautiful fruit; "and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" Galatians 2:20.

Let's allow the plans of Christ to reign absolutely supreme. We were created for so much more than we can imagine! Let's cast off all sin and leave ALL we hold dear at His feet. He will raise up what He desires to use for the glory of His name, but first we must resolve to let it die. 

- steve troxel

.....amazement

We are called to grow and mature, but we are never to "grow" such that we are led away from the simple and unchanging truth: God loves us so much that He provided a way to restore a right relationship with Him through faith in His Son. Jesus died so we could live! Does this awesome act of love still amaze us, or have we "matured" to more "important" matters? "And He said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'" Matthew 18:3  

When my daughter was four years old, we read the Bible story about young Samuel. While discussing this story, my daughter showed me the excited faith God calls us to maintain. Perhaps her faith could teach us all...As a young boy, Samuel was ministering with an old priest named Eli. One night God called to Samuel, but Samuel thought it was Eli's voice. Eli said he had not called and told Samuel to go back to bed. After God called a few more times, Samuel realized who was calling and answered: "Speak, for Your servant is listening" 1 Samuel 3:10. God then gave Samuel a message - but the message was all about Eli.

My daughter asked, "Why did God speak to Samuel if the message was really to Eli?" We talked about how we must be ready and willing to hear God. I said Eli may have had some problems or distractions in his life which kept him from hearing God, so God spoke His message through a child. I said little kids (like her) can sometimes hear God better than older people (like me).

"But, I don't hear God talk to me," she said, with a little disappointment in her voice. I explained how God doesn't usually speak so we can hear Him with our ears; rather, His Spirit speaks to our heart and we hear Him as we listen to our heart. Her little eyes widened, "Like today when I was going to sit on one of the baby toys - Jesus told my heart I was too big and shouldn't do it so I listened to what He said."

I encouraged her that this is exactly how God speaks to us, we just need to learn how to listen and then obey. My daughter thought for a moment and then slowly shook her head in amazement: "Wow! That's sooooo cool!!"

Heavenly Father, I pray that Your Word never becomes just an interesting collection of stories. You created us, loved us, and will one day call us Home to be with You for all eternity - and Father, that's sooooo cool!! Help us to come into Your presence with a thankful and loving heart. Strengthen our faith every day and allow us to continually look on You and Your wonders with a "childlike amazement".

- steve troxel