News you won't see in controlled mainstream media.

-DOES GOD
CARE?

Mark 14:32-42
~~~~
[Jesus] began to be
...deeply distressed.
Then He said to
them, "My soul is
exceedingly sorrowful,
even to death."
--Mark 14:33-34
------
----ONE year three of my friends died in quick succession. My experience of the first two deaths did nothing to prepare me for the third. I could do little but cry.

I find it strangely comforting that when Jesus faced pain, He responded much as I do. It comforts me that He cried when His friend Lazarus died (John 11:32-36). That gives a startling clue into how God must have felt about my friends, whom He also loved.

And in the garden the night before His crucifixion, Jesus did not pray, "Oh, Lord, I am so grateful that You have chosen Me to suffer on Your behalf." No, He experienced sorrow, fear, abandonment, even desperation. Hebrews tells us that Jesus appealed with "vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death" (5:7). But He was not saved from death.

Is it too much to say that Jesus Himself asked the question that haunts us: 'Does God care?' What else can be the meaning of His quotation from Psalm 22:1, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Mark 15:34).

Jesus endured His pain because He knew that His Father is a God of love who can be trusted. He demonstrated faith that the ultimate answer to the question 'Does God care?' is a resounding YES! --Philip Yancey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When we know that God's hand is in everything,
we can leave everything in God's hand.

Our Daily Bread
Blessings, Abishag <><

Jesus Is moved With Compassion...

UNCLEAN?
Be CLEANSED!

Mark 1:40-45
----
Jesus....stretched
out His hand and
touched him, and
said to him, "I am
willing; be cleansed."
--Mark 1:41
------

AS I read Mark 1:40-45, I imagine the following scene:

They saw him coming toward them from across the way. He was waving his arms to warn them away. They recognized him by the bandanna covering his nose and mouth. His garments were torn and his skin peeled away from his body. He was a leper--unclean!!

The crowd around Jesus scattered as the leper charged in their midst. Everyone was afraid of being touched by him because they themselves would then become unclean. Lepers were barred from the religious life of the community, isolated from society, and compelled to mourn their own death by tearing their clothes.

But this leper threw himself at Jesus' feet, appealing to Him out of desperation and faith: "If you are willing, You can make me clean" (v.40). Moved with compassion, Jesus touched the man and said, "I am willing; be cleansed" (v.41). Jesus healed the man of his leprosy and told him to show himself to the temple priest.

Jesus has the power to cleanse, forgive, and restore those who are hopelessly and helplessly caught up in their sin and can see no way out. Trust Him to say to you, "I am willing; be cleansed!" --M. Williams

The Savior is waiting to save you
and wash every sin-stain away;
By faith you can know full forgiveness-
And be a new creature today!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JESUS SPECIALIZES IN RESTORATION.

Our Daily Bread
Blessings, Abishag <><

Run to JESUS !

"If we live, we are living for the Lord,
and if we die, we are dying for the Lord.
Romans 14:8

~~Do you wonder where you can go for encouragement and motivation? Go back to that moment when you first saw the love of Jesus Christ. Remember the day when you were separated from Christ? You knew only guilt and confusion and then---a light! Someone opened a door and light came into your darkness, and you said in your heart, "I am redeemed!!"

Run to Jesus. Jesus wants you to go to him. He wants to become the most important person in your life, the greatest love you'll ever know. He wants you to love him so much that there's no room in your heart and in your life for sin. Invite him to take up residence in your heart.

Max Lucado
Walking with the Savior
Blessings, Abishag <><

MANAGING
THE MESS ~

Ruth 1:15-22
~~~~
Why do you call me
Naomi, since the
LORD has testified
against me, and the
Almighty has afflicted
me? --Ruth 1:21
----
WHEN we meet Naomi in the Scriptures, her life is a mess. She and her husband had gone to Moab searching for food during a famine. While in that land, their two sons married Moabite women, and life was good---until her husband and sons died and she was stuck, widowed in a foreign land.

Though honest about her pain, Naomi obviously knew who was in control: "The LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me" (Ruth 1:21).

The Hebrew word for "Almighty" (Shaddai) indicates God's sufficiency for any situation. The word "LORD" (Yahweh) refers to His faithfulness as the loving covenant-keeping God. I love how Naomi put these two names together. In the midst of her complaint, she never lost sight of the fact that her God was a capable and faithful God. And, sure enough, He proved His capability to deliver her and His faithfulness to care for her to the very end.

If there seems to be no way out of your despair, remember that Naomi's God is you God as well. And He specializes in managing our messes to good and glorious outcomes. Thankfully, He is both capable 'and' faithful. So, when your life is a mess, remember who your God is!!!-

--------------
STAND BACK AND WATCH THE LORD MANAGE YOUR MESS
INTO A GLORIOUS OUTCOME !

Joe Stowell
Our Daily Bread
Blessings, Abishag <>< +++

A Crisp View of God

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the
anger of my foes, with your right hand
you save me." Psalm 138:7

~~~There is a window in your heart through which you can see God. Once upon a time that window was clear. Your view of God was crisp. You could see God as vividly as you could see a gentle valley or hillside.

Then, suddenly, the window cracked. A pebble broke the window. A pebble of pain.

And suddenly God was not so easy to see. The view that had been so crisp had changed.

You were puzzled. God wouldn't allow something like this to happen, would he?

When you can't see him, trust him....Jesus is closer than you've ever dreamed.
~~~~~~~~~~~
In the Eye of the Storm
Max Lucado ~
Blessings, Abishag <><

Do you have confidence about where you will spend eternity?
You may assume you have time to figure out this important issue, but let me give you some wise advice: Don't wait another minute to settle the matter, because 'later' may never come. Confess your sins to God, repent and and follow Jesus.

~~~~Our Predestined Appointment
READ/ REVELATION 20:11-15

At the moment we were born, a countdown began on our lives. Every tick of the clock brings us one step closer to our inescapable appointment with God. Each of us will stand before Him as we are about to enter our eternal destination.

Tragically, there will be shocking disappointment for some. Jesus Himself warned, "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name...?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness" (Matt.7:22-23).

The only way to eternal life is through faith in Jesus. Truly, our sin has separated us from the Father. But God's Son provided the solution to this universal problem: Christ lived a perfect life and then died a sinner's death on the cross to pay the penalty each of us owed (Rom. 6:23). After three days, He rose from the grave, defeating death and evil. By accepting His sacrifice on our behalf, we no longer have to live apart from God.

To receive this amazing gift, we must simply believe in Jesus and what He did. Confess that you are a sinner ('For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God'), repent of it (turn away), and believe that Jesus died for your sin-debt. As a result, we become new creations (2Cor. 5:17), are adopted as God's children (Eph 1:5), and enter into a never-ending personal relationship with our Father.
~~~~~~~~
In Touch Ministries
Pastor Charles Stanley <><

AT JUST THE
RIGHT TIME ~~

Galatians 4:1-7
~~~~
When the fullness of
the time had come,
God sent forth His
Son. --Galatians 4:4

HERE'S GOOD NEWS! God is always on time! Speaking of the arrival of Jesus, Paul said, "When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His son" (Gal. 4:4). The long-awaited, promised Savior came at just the right time.

Jesus' arrival during the Roman Empire's 'Pax Romana' (the peace of Rome) was perfect timing. The known world was united by one language of commerce. A network of global trade routes provided open access to the whole world. All of this guaranteed that the gospel could move rapidly in one tongue. No impenetrable borders---only unhindered access to help spread the news of the Savior. His crucifixion fulfilled the prophecy of the Lamb who would be slain for our sins (Isa. 53). All in God's perfect timing!

All of this should remind us that the Lord knows what time is best for us as well. If you're waiting for answered prayer or the fulfillment of one of His promises, don't give up. If you think He has forgotten you, think again. When the fullness of time is right for you, He'll show up-- and you'll be amazed by His brilliant timing!~~
~~~~~~~~~~
Not ours to know the reason why
Unanswered is our prayer,
But ours to wait for God's own time
To lift the cross we bear. ~~~
________________________________________________
GOD'S TIMING IS ALWAYS PERFECT !!

Joe Stowell
Our Daily Bread
Blessings, Abishag <><

I WILL NEVER
LEAVE YOU

Deuteronomy 31:1-8
~~~~~~
I am with you always,
even to the end of
the age.
--Matthew 28:20
---------
ONE of my earliest memories of hearing good music was when a male quartet rehearsed at our home. I was about 10 years old, and I was especially attentive to my dad, who sang first tenor. One of the quartet's favorites was titled, "I Am With You." Even at that tender age, I not only appreciated the music but I "got the messsage."

Those words of Jesus to His disciples just before He ascended--"I am with you always"--became precious to me as the quartet sang, "In the sunlight, in the shadow, I am with you where you go."

One of the first references to God's unfailing presence was spoken by Moses in Deuteronomy 31:6-8, when he instructed his successor about leading God's people into the "land of promise." And Joshua himself heard the same word from the Lord, "As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you" (Josh. 1:5).

That promise is repeated in the New Testament, where the writer of Hebrews gave this assurance: "He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you' " (13:5).

Wherever you may be today, you are not alone. If you've placed your trust in Jesus for your eternal salvation, you can be certain that He will never leave you. ~
~~~~~~~~~~
Jesus whispers "I am with you"
In the hour of deepest need;
When the way is dark and lonesome,
"I am with you, I will lead."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FIRST MAKE SURE YOU ARE WITH HIM,
THEN YOU CAN BE SURE HE WILL BE WITH YOU.

Blessings, Abishag
Our Daily Bread <><

Are You Listening?

'Everyone who asks will receive.
Everyone who searches will find.'
Matthew 7:8 --

~~~~Once there was a man who dared God to speak: 'Burn the bush like you did for Moses, God. And I will follow. Collapse the walls like you did for Joshua, God. And I will fight. Still the waves like you did on Galilee, God. And I will listen.'

And so the man sat by a bush, near a wall, close to the sea and waited for God to speak.

And God heard the man, so God answered. He sent fire, not for a bush, but for a Church. He brought down a wall, not of brick, but of sin. He stilled a storm, not of the sea, but of a soul.

And God waited for the man to respond. And he waited....and waited.

But because the man was looking at bushes, not hearts; bricks and not lives, seas and not souls, he decided that God had done nothing.

Finally he looked to God and asked, "Have you lost your power?"

And God looked at him and said, "Have you lost your hearing?" ~~~~~~
-------
Max Lucado
A Gentle Thunder
Blessings, Abishag

---God Cares About You !

"Look at the birds in the air. They don't plant
or harvest or store food in barns, but your
Heavenly Father feeds them." MATT 6:25

Consider the earth! Our globe's weight has been estimated at six sextillion tons (a six with twenty-one zeroes). Yet is is precisely tilted at twenty-three degrees; any more or any less and our seasons would be lost in a melted polar flood. Though our globe revolves at the rate of one-thousand miles per hour or twenty-five thousand miles per day or nine million miles per year, none of us tumbles into orbit...

As you stand...observing God's workshop, let me pose a few questions. If he is able to place the stars in their sockets and suspend the sky like a curtain, do you think it is remotely possible that God is able to guide your life?

If your God is mighty enough to ignite the sun, could it be that he is mighty enough to light your path? If he cares enough about the planet Saturn to give it rings or Venus to make it sparkle, is there an outside chance that he cares enough about you to meet your needs?

I'm sure you know that answer.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Max Lucado
The Great House of God <><
Blessings, Abishag <><

God Is Crazy About You !

~~~~~"But the very hairs of your head are all numbered."
MATTHEW 10:30

~~~~There are many reasons God saves you: to bring glory to himself, to appease his justice, to demonstrate his sovereignty. But one of the sweetest reasons God saved you is because he is fond of you. He likes having you around. He thinks you are the best thing to come down the pike in quite a while....

If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If he had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, he'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and he chose your heart.....

Face it, friend. He's crazy about you.
--------
Max Lucado
A Gentle Thunder
Blessings, Abishag <><

"Here is a trustworthy saying: "If we died with Christ, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him. If we disown Him, He will also disown us; if we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself." 2 Timothy 2:11-13

~~~ I HAVE a friend who during the depression lost his job, a fortune, a wife, and a home. But he tanaciously held to his faith--the only thing he had left.

One day he stopped to watch some men doing stonework on a huge church. One of them was chiseling a triangular piece of stone. "What are you going to do with that?" asked my friend. The workman said, "See that little opening away up there near the spire? Well, I'm shaping this down here, so it will fit in up there."

Tears filld the eyes of my friend as he walked away, for it seemed that God had spoken through the workman to explain his ordeal through which he was passing, "I'm shaping you down here, so you'll fit in up there." ~~
-------------
Prayer for The Day:
Thank You, Lord, for all the "shaping"
in my life, which brings me closer to You." Amen-

Billy Graham/Evangelist

Whispered Wonderings --

"She will have a son, and they will
name him Immanuel, which means "God
is with us." Matthew 1:23

~~THE white space between Bible verses is fertile soil for questions. One can hardly read scripture without whispering, "I wonder...."

"I wonder if Eve ever ate any more fruit."

"I wonder if Noah slept well during storms."...

But in our wonderings, there is one question we never need to ask. Does God care? Do we matter to God? Does he still love his children?

Through the small face of the stable-born baby, he says 'YES!'

Yes, your sins are forgiven.

Yes, your name is written in heaven...

And yes, God has entered your world, Immanuel. God is with us.


--------
He Still Moves Stones ~
Max Lucado

The fact that Jehovah has numbered the very hairs of our head' gives us some idea of the kind of obervant and careing God we are priviledged to worship.
Though we will have to wait till the promised new world for all pain and suffering to vanish, Jehovah is doing something marvelous for his people right now..
David wrote: " The intimacy with Jehovah belongs to thoses fearfull of him, also his covenant, to cause them to know it."
-- Psalm 25:14.

"Intimacy with Jehovah." Why,the very idea seems beyond comprehension for imperfect humans!
Yet, Jehovah invites thoses who fear him to be guests in his tent. [Psalm 15:1-5]

And what does Jehovah do for his guests?
He causes them to know his covenant, according to David, Jehovah confides in them,
revealing his "confidential matter" to the prophets,
so they could know what his purposes are and what they must do to live in harmony with them [Amos 3:7]

Truely, it is heartwarming to know that we imperfect humans can become intimate companions of the Most High, Jehovah God.
In fact, he urges us to do just that.
" Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you," says the Bible {James 4:8}

Jehovah wants us to have a close relationship with him.
Actually, he has already taken steps to make such a relationship possible.
The ransom sacrifice of Jesus opened the door for us so that we can have a friendship with Almighty God.
The Bible states: " As for us, we love, because he first loved us." {1 John 4:19}

That close relationship is enhanced when we endure under adverse circumstances.{James 1:4}
For when I am weak, then I am powerfull."
--- 2 Corinthians 12:9, 10...

To know what God's Word teaches is imperative.
Even more important is to know the LIVING WORD-- His Son--
in a personal, vibrant way..

As in the end, only one reality will turn out to be real:
JESUS CHRIST-- the ONLY way, the ONLY absolute truth and the ONLY source of life.

~~The Cloak of Humanity --

"Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him,
and he began to be very sad and troubled."
Mark 14:33

~~~DURING the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save him from death" (Heb 5:7).

My, what a portrait! Jesus is in pain. Jesus is on the stage of fear. Jesus is cloaked, not in sainthood, but in humanity.

The next time the fog finds you, you might do well to remember Jesus in the Garden. The next time you think that no one understands, reread the fourteenth chapter of Mark. The next time your self-pity convinces you that no one cares, pay a visit to Gethsemane. And the next time you wonder if God really perceives the pain that prevails on this dusty planet, listen to him pleading among the twisted trees.

~~~~
Max Lucado
No wonder They Call Him the Savior
Blessings, Abishag
-------------------------------------
I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind but now I see.

-- GOD WATCHES ME!

Matthew 10:16-31
------
Do not fear
therefore; you are
of more value than
many sparrows.
---Matthew 10:31
~~~~
ONE Sunday morning at church, we sang "His Eye Is on the Sparrow." It was a rare opportunity to give voice to a song usually performed by a soloist.

During the first chorus, I noticed a friend who was weeping so hard that he couldn't sing. Knowing a bit of what he had been through recently, I recognized his tears as ones of joy at realizing that, no matter what our situation, God sees, knows, and cares for us.

Jesus said, "Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows"(Matt. 10:29-31). The Lord spoke these words to His 12 disciples as He sent them out to teach, heal, and bear witness of Him to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (v.6). He told them that even though they would face persecution for His sake, they should not be afraid, even of death (vv.22-26).

When threatening circumstances press us to lose hope, we can find encouragement in the words of this song: "I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free. For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me." We are under His watchful care. ---

If God sees the sparrrow's fall,
Paints the lilies short and tall,
Gives the skies their azure hue,
Will He not then care for you?
----------------------------------------
~~WHEN YOU PUT YOUR CARES IN GOD'S HANDS,
HE PUTS HIS PEACE IN YOUR HEART.

Our Daily Bread <><
Blessings, Abishag --

~~~LIKE A
DIAMOND IN
THE SKY --

Psalm 8
______________
You have crowned
him with glory and
honor. --Psalm 8:5

ASTRONOMERS discovered a star in the sky that has cooled and compressed into a giant diamond. The largest rough, gem-quality diamond ever found on Earth is the Cullinan Diamond--at over 3,100 carats. So how many carats are in the cosmic diamond? --10 billion trillion trillion carats!

Diamonds are prized for their rarity, beauty, and durability, and we often hear it said, "Diamonds are forever." But God isn't enamored with diamonds. To Him there is something far more precious.

Thousands of years ago, David marveled at the great value God had set on human beings: "What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor" (Ps. 8:4-5) In fact, God placed such a high value on us that it cost Him dearly to buy our redemption. The purchase price was the precious blood of His Son, Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:18-18).

If God places such a high value on us, we should also place a high value on the people He has brought into our lives. Bring them before the Lord in prayer. Ask Him to show you how each is more priceless than the most costly jewel in the universe.--

Oh, teach me what it cost Thee
To make a sinner whole;
And teach me, Savior, teach me
The value of a soul!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WE ARE MORE PRECIOUS TO JESUS
THAN THE COSTLIEST DIAMOND.

Our Daily Bread/DF
Blessings, Abishag / JESUS IS LORD !!

--NAILED TO
THE CROSS -

Colossians 2:9-17 --
------------------
[Jesus] has made
[you] alive together
with Him, having
forgiven you all
trespasses.
---Colossians 2:13
~~~~~
IT was a touching church service. Our pastor talked about Jesus taking our sins upon Himself and dying in our place to take our punishment. He asked if anyone still felt guilt over confessed sins and was therefore not enjoying the forgiveness of God.

We were to write the sin on a piece of paper, walk to the front of the church, and nail the paper to the cross that was placed there. Many went forward, and you could hear the pounding of nails for several minutes. That act didn't give us forgiveness, of course, but it was a physical reminder that Jesus had already taken those sins on Himself as He hung on the cross and died.

That's what the apostle Paul taught the church at Colosse. The people were being influenced by false teachers who presented Christ as less than adequatae for their needs. But Paul explained that Jesus paid the price for our sins. He said, "The handwriting of requirements that was against us,....He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross" (Col. 2:14).

If we confess our sin to God, seeking His cleansing, He will forgive (1 John 1:9). We don't need to hold on to the guilt. Our sins have been nailed to the cross; they've been taken away. Jesus has forgiven them all.

Lord, give me courage to confess,
To bare my sinful heart to Thee;
Thy full forgiveness I would know
And from this weight of guilt be free <><
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GUILT IS A BURDEN GOD NEVER INTENDED
HIS CHILDREN TO BEAR.

Our Daily Bread
Jesus is Lord!
Blessings, Abishag

THE BEST
ERASER --

Luke 16:19-31
________
I have blotted out,
like a thick cloud,
your transgressions.
--Isaiah 44:22
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WHAT is memory? What is this faculty that enables us to recall past feelings, sights, sounds, and experiences? By what process are events recorded, stored, and preserved in our brain to be brought back again and again? Much is still mystery.

We know that memories can be blessings--full of comfort, assurance, and joy. Old age can be happy and satisfying if we've stored up memories of purity, faith, and love. If a saint looks back on a life of Christian service and remembers the faithfulness of Him who promised "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Heb.13:5;), his or her sunset years can be the sweetest of all.

But memory can also be a curse and a tormentor. Many people as they approach the end of life would give all they possess to erase from their minds the past sins that haunt them. What can a person do who is plagued by such rembrances? Just one thing. He can take them to the One who is able to forgive them and blot them out forever. He's the One who said, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more" (Heb. 10:17).

You may not be able to forget your past. But the Lord offers to blot out, "like a thick cloud, your transgressions" (Isa. 44:22).

The deep remorse that's in the soul
No human eye may trace;
But Jesus sees the broken heart,
And can its woes erase.
______________________________________________________
THE BEST ERASER IS HONEST CONFESSION TO GOD.

Our Daily Bread
Blessings, Abishag / JESUS LOVES YOU !

God delights in our prayers!

"Whatever you ask in
My name, that I will
do, that the Father
may be glorified in the
Son." --John 14:13 /
~~~

IN 2008, the 'Day of Discovery' film crew traveled to China on a special assignment--to retrace the life of missionary Eric Liddell, the 1924 Olympic gold medalist whose story was told in the movie 'Chariots of Fire'. The crew took with them Eric's three daughters, Patricia, Heather, and Maureen---allowing them to revisit some of the places where the two older sisters had lived in China. Also along on the trip was their elderly Aunt Louise.

On one occasion, after they had arrived in Beijing, they had to walk quite a distance with their luggage. As they did, Aunt Louise grew short of breath. Julie Richardson, a 'Day of Discovery' crew member, sat down beside her and prayed simply, "Dear Jesus, help Aunt Louise to breathe." Immediately, she began to catch her breath.

Later, Heather retold the story and shared that Julie's prayer had rekindled her faith. Julie's simple act of faith reminded Heather of the continual connection we have with Jesus--a reality she had set aside in her life.

Sometimes we need reminders that God is near. When God seems far away, remember Julie's prayer and the truth that we are just one prayer from connecting with the God of the universe (John 14:13).

God answers prayer, it is His sovereign way
To freely give his blessings day by day;
One earnest plea and lo! from heaven's throne
The answer comes, for God has heard His own.
___________________________________________________
GOD DELIGHTS IN THE EARNEST PRAYERS OF HIS PEOPLE.

Our Daily Bread/DB
Blessings, Abishag / JESUS LOVES YOU! JESUS IS LORD!

LOST AND
FOUND --

Luke 15:4-24
______
This my son was dead
and is alive again; he
was lost and is found.
--Luke 15:24
--------------

A 'Wall Street Journal' article by Jennifer Saranow chronicled the extraordinary efforts of middle-aged American men who are trying to find the favorite car they once owned and loved, but lost. They are searching on-line car ads, phoning junkyards, and even hiring specialists who charge $400 an hour to help them search for an automobile that once symbolized their youth. These men want the actual car they owned, not one just like it.

Some would call their efforts frivolous---a waste of time and money. But the value of a car like many things, is in the eye of the beholder.

In Luke 15, people who were despised by their society came to hear Jesus. But some religious leaders complained, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them" (v.2). To affirm how valuable these "sinners" are to God, Jesus told three stories about a lost sheep (vv.4-7), a lost coin (vv.8-10). and a lost son (vv.11-32). Each parable records the anguish of losing, the effort of searching, and the joy of finding something of great worth. In every story, we see a picture of God, the loving Father, who rejoices over every lost soul who is found.

Even if you feel far from God today, you are highly valued by Him. He's searching for YOU.

I once was lost, but now I'm found;
Praise God! Christ died for me;
He valued me, redeemed my soul;
From sin, He set me free!
-----------------------------------
THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN FOUND SHOULD SEEK THE LOST.

Our Daily Bread/DM
JESUS IS LORD! Blessings, Abishag

JESUS WEPT --

John 11:32-44
_____________
"[Jesus] groaned in
the spirit and was
troubled."

Our emotions are God-given. They're a characteristic of our having been made in God's image (Gen. 1:27). He grieves. In Genesis 6:6-7, He was sorrowful and angry about His people's sin and the separation it caused between Him and them. Jesus, God in the flesh, joined His friends Mary and Martha in grieving over the loss of their brother Lazarus (John 11:28-44). "He groaned in the spirit and was troubled (v.33). Jesus "wept" (v.35). "Jesus, again groaning in Himslef, came to the tomb" (v.38).

Someday when we get to heaven, there will be no more sorrow or pain, and God will wipe away every tear from our eyes (Rev. 21:4). In the meantime, the tears may flow.

He knows our burdens and our crosses,
Those things that hurt, our trials and losses;
He cares for every soul that cries---
God wipes the tears from weeping eyes.
________________________
IF YOU DOUBT THAT JESUS CARES, REMEMBER HIS TEARS.

Our Daily Bread
Blessings, Abishag / JESUS IS LORD!

--THE HEAT OF
OUR DESIRE --

Psalm 42

As the deer pants for
the water brooks,
so pants my soul for
You, O God.
---Psalm 42:1

PASTOR A. W. Tozer (1897-1963) read the great Christian theologians until he could write about them with ease. He challenges us: "Come near to the holy men and women of the past and you will soon feel the heat of their desire after God. They mourned for Him, they prayed and wrestled and sought for Him day and night, in season and out, and when they had found Him the finding was all the sweeter for the long seeking."

The writer of Psalm 42 had the kind of longing for the Lord that Tozer spoke about. Feeling separated from God, the Psalmist used the simile of a deer panting with thirst to express his deep yearning for a taste of the presence of God. "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God" (vv.1-2). The heat of his desire for the Lord was so great and his sorrow so intense that he did more weeping than eating (v.3). But the Psalmist's longing was satisfied when he placed his hope in God and praised Him for His presence and help (vv.5-8).

O that we would have a longing and thirsting for Him that is so intense that others would feel the heat of our desire for Him! --

My heart's desire is to know You, Lord,
To walk close beside You today;
To know Your grace, Your love, Your power,
For You are my life and my way. ---
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ONLY JESUS, THE LIVING WATER,
CAN SATISFY THE THIRSTY SOUL.

Our Daily Bread/MW
Blessings in Yahweh!!! / Jehovah Shalom !

Found, Called, and Adopted ----

"But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: "I desire compassion, and not sacrifice, for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Matthew 9:12-13

~~~God didn't look at our frazzled lives and say, "I'll die for you when you deserve it."

No, despite our sin, in the face of our rebellion, he chose to adopt us. And for God, there's no going back. His grace is a come-as-you-are promise from a one-of-a-kind King.

You've been found, called, and adopted: so trust your Father and claim this verse as your own: "God showed his love for us [me], in this way: Christ died for us while we were still sinners" (Rom. 5:8). And you never again have to wonder who your Father is--you've been adopted by God and are therefore an "heir of God through Christ" (Gal. 4:7).

In the Grip of grace
Max Lucado <><
JESUS IS LORD! Blessings, Abishag

---COME TO ME ~

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

My yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

~~~~~~~~~
COME to me....The invitation is to come to him. Why him? He offers the invitation as a penniless rabbi in an oppressed nation. He has no political office, no connections with the authorities in Rome.

He hasn't written a best-seller or earned a diploma. Yet, he dares to look into the leathery faces of farmers and tired faces of housewives and offer rest. He looks into the disillusioned eyes of a preacher or two from Jerusalem. He gazes into the cynical stare of a banker and the hungry eyes of a bartender and makes this paradoxical promise: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matt. 11:29).

The people came. They came out of the cul-de-sacs and office complexes of their day. They brought him the burdens of their existence, and he gave them not religion, not doctrine, not systems, but He gave them rest.

Max Lucado
GRACE FOR THE MOMENT

--GOOD
RIDDANCE!

2 Corinthians 12:7-10
----
My grace is
sufficient for you.
--2 Corinthians 12:9 ~

~~~A shredder ate hundreds of pieces of paper and other items in New York City on December 28 last year. Organizers of "Good Riddance Day" encouraged people to bring to Times Square their bad memories and suffering of 2008 and feed them into the the industrial-strength shredder or toss them into and extra-large dumpster.

Some participants shredded pieces of paper with the words "the stock market" or "cancer." Others destroyed bank statements, and one person shredded a printed e-mail from a boyfriend who broke up with her.

We long to "shred" memories of bad things that others have done to us or difficult circumstances we're going through. The apostle Paul wanted relief from his present suffering, an infirmity that made him feel weak (2 Cor. 12:7-10). But God said to him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." God didn't take away the problem. Instead, He gave Paul the grace to live with it.

Difficulties burden us as we mull them over in our minds, affecting our relationships and our outlook on life. We as believers in Christ have a place to take these burdens. First Peter 5:7 tells us, "[Cast] all your care upon [the Lord], for He cares for you."

Whenever life's burdens oppress you
And trials seem too much to face,
Remember God's strength in your weakness;
He'll give you His power and grace. ~~
-------------------------------
GOD GIVES ENOUGH GRACE FOR WHATEVER WE FACE. +

Our Daily Bread/AC
Have a Blessed New Year 2010! "JESUS IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER!" He never changes! Hebrews 13:8 +
--------

GOD WILL GET YOU HOME ~

"For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Cor. 4:17-18

~~~For some of you, the journey has been long. Very long and stormy. In no way do I wish to minimize the difficulties that you have had to face along the way. Some of you have shouldered burdens that few of us could ever carry. You have bid farewell to life-long partners. You have been robbed of life-long dreams. You have been given bodies that can't sustain your spirit. You have spouses who can't tolerate your faith. You have bills that outnumber the paychecks and challenges that outweigh the strength.

And you are tired.

It's hard for you to see the City in the midst of the storms. The desire to pull over to the side of the road and get out entices you. You want to go on, but some days the road seems so long....

Let me encourage you...God never said that the journey would be easy, but he did say that the arrival would be worthwhile.

In the Eye of the Storm ~
Max Lucado ~
We press on, in Jesus Name!

A GOOD GOD ~

Psalm 46
----
The LORD also will
be a refuge for the
oppressed, a refuge
in times of trouble.
---Psalm 9:9 ------
~~~~
WHEN my brother-in-law was a missionary in Mali, West Africa, he was involved in a traffic accident. A man had wandered into the road in front of Chuck's motorcycle. The cycle struck the man and sent Churck and the bike sliding along the ground for more than 200 feet. Shortly after Churck regained consciousness in the hospital, his doctor told him he had been "really lucky." Chuck smiled and replied, "God is good."

Later he tought about the day's events. The man who was struck hadn't received any permanent injuries, and Chuck would also recover from his injuries. But what if one of them had been killed? He thought, 'God would be no less good.'

When we experience tragedy, we may wonder about God's goodness. Is God always good? Yes, He is. He doesn't promise that we will never walk through heart-wrenching circumstances, but He does promise to be "our refuge and strength" (Ps. 46:1) and the assurance that we won't be alone (23:4).

God is good--no matter what suffering we are experiencing. Even when we don't understand, we can say with Habakkuk, "Yet will I rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation" (3:18).
~~~~
O taste and see that God is good
To all who seek His face;
Yea, blest the one who trusts in Him,
Confiding in His grace. ~~
-------------------
GOD TESTS OUR FAITH SO THAT WE MAY TRUST HIS FAITHFULNESS.

Our Daily Bread/CHK
Our God is always good...Great is His faithfulness!
Blessings, Abishag <><

Thank you, Lynn for your two encouraging posts. I missed them earlier. Here's another 'ODB' for Christians to be reminded of.

--------
A SAFE PAIR
OF HANDS ~~

Psalm 138
----
"Your right hand will
save me."
----Psalm 138:7 --

--EDWIN van der Sar, goalkeeper for the Manchester United soccer team, had a "safe" pair of hands. He kept the ball from entering his team's goal for 1,302 minutes, a world record in one season! That means that for almost 15 games of 90 minutes each, no one was able to score even one goal against his team while he was guarding the goalposts. But one goal by an opposing team in March 2009 ended his record.

The Psalmist, King David found comfort in the safest pair of hands--God's hands. He wrote of God's protection in Psalm 138, "You will stretch out Your hand...and Your right hand will save me" (v.7). Like David, we can look to God's safe hands to keep us from spiritual danger and defeat.

Another assurance from God's Word for followers of Christ is Jude 1:24-25: "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen." That doesn't mean we'll never stumble. But it does mean we won't stumble so badly that God cannot pick us up.

God's safe pair of hands can never fail---ever!

From Him, who loves me now so well,
What power my soul can sever?
Shall life or death, or earth or sheol?
No---I am His forever!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NO PLACE IS MORE SECURE THAN TO BE IN GOD'S HANDS.-

Our Daily Bread/CPH
Blessings, Abishag <>< JESUS IS LORD! Tell somebody today!

Proverbs 18:10

The name of Jehovah is a tower of strength; the righteous runs into it, and is set on high.
The Interlinear Bible

God's safe pair of hands can never fail---ever!

You are so right, Lynn. Jesus said, "Apart from me, You can do nothing...." Jehovah is our God! Hallelujah!

UNIQUE
PRIVILIGES

Romans 8:12-17
_____
AS adopted children in God's family, we who have been saved possess the position of sonship. Paul wrote that as believers we are "predestined...to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself" (Eph. 1:5). By virtue of this sonship, we have the unique privileges that belong to the children of the King of kings.

In life's challenging voyage, we can take courage that our "Abba,Father" (Rom. 8:15) owns us and shares all with us.
Praise God, we are joint-heirs with Christ!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The wealth of God is ours to share
Through Jesus Christ the Lord,
Joint-heirs with Him we claim it then,
According to His Word.
_______________
A CHRISTIAN'S INHERITANCE IS GUARANTEED FOREVER!

ODB/DF
Blessings, Abishag / JESUS IS LORD! JESUS LOVES YOU!

--HE NEVER
SLEEPS ~

Psalm 121
---
He will not allow
your foot to be
moved; He who
keeps you will not
slumber.
--Psalm 121:3 --
~~~

Giraffes have the shortest sleep cycle of any mammal. They sleep only between 10 minutes and 2 hours in a 24-hour period and average just 1.9 hours of sleep per day. Seemingly always awake, the giraffe has nothing much in common with most humans in that regard. If we had so little sleep, it would probably mean we had some form of insomnia. But for giraffes, it's not a sleep disorder that keeps them awake. It's just the way God has made them.

If you think 1.9 hours a day is not much sleep, consider that the Creator of our tall animal friends, our heavenly Father, NEVER sleeps.

Describing God's continual concern for us, the Psalmist declares, "He who keeps you will not slumber" (Ps. 121:3). In the context of this Psalm, the writer makes it clear that God's sleepless vigilance is for our good. Verse 5 says, "The LORD is your keeper." God keeps us, protects us, and cares for us--with no need for refreshing. Our Protector is constantly seeking our good. As one song puts it: "He never sleeps, He never slumbers. He watches me both night and day."

Are you facing difficulties? Turn to the One who never sleeps. Each second of each day, let Him "preserve your going out and your coming in" (v.8).
~~~~
The Rock of Ages stands secure,
He always will be there;
He watches over all His own
To calm their anxious care.
------------------------
THE ONE WHO UPHOLDS THE UNIVERSE
WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN.

ODB/bc
Jesus is as close as the mention of His Name! JESUS!-

When Difficulties Come Our Way ~~

1 Chron. 29:10-13
~~~~~~~
All that is in heaven
and in earth is Yours.
--1 Chronicles 29:11 -
-----
IN his sermon titled "What Is the Recession For?" Pastor John Piper suggests that when the economy plummets, God has His own purposes. Some of them might be:

1) To expose hidden sin and so bring us to repentance.

2) To wake us up to the constant and desperate condition of the devoloping world, where there is always and and only recession of the worst kind.

3) To relocate the roots of our joy in His grace rather than in our goods, in His mercy rather than in our money, in His worth rather than in our wealth.

4) To advance His saving mission in the world--the spread of the Gospel and the growth in His church--precisely at a time when human resouces are least able to support it.

5) To bring His church to care for its hurting members and to grow in the gift of love.

What else does God want to teach us in difficult times? That nothing is impossible with Him (Luke 1:37). That He who owns "the cattle on a thousand hills" (Ps. 50:10) is not limited by an economic downturn. That God hasn't placed a moratorium on the Great Commission nor abandoned us (Matt. 28:20). Let's not put our hopes on worldly properity, but on the One who owns it all!

When difficulties come our way,
God uses them to show
That when we put our trust in Him
His goodness we will know.
~~~~~~~~~
WHEN ALL YOU HAVE IS GOD, YOU HAVE ALL YOU NEED.-

ODB/CHK
Blessings!

GOD HAS TIME
FOR YOU
Psalm 34:4-18
-----
This poor man
cried out, and the
LORD heard him,
and saved him out
of all his troubles.
--Psalm 34:6 -
~~~
HISTORIAN Cassius Dio recorded a revealing event from the life of Hadrian, the Roman Emperor from AD 117-138; "Once, when a woman made a request of [Hadrian] as he passed by on a journey, he at first said to her, 'I haven't time,' but afterwards, when she cried out, 'Cease, then, being emperor,' he turned about and granted her a hearing."

How often we say or hear, "Not now, I'm busy" or "I'm sorry, but I just don't have time." Yet, our heavenly Father, the Master and Creator of everything, always has time for us. The psalmist wrote: "The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry...The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles" (Ps. 34:15-`7).

God is not like the emperor or a busy executive who tries to avoid interruption. Instead, the Father's joy is to listen and respond to His children. "The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit" (v.18).

Hadrian's afterthought was, "I must take time for my subjects." God's first thought is, "I always have time for those who come to Me." Whenever we need to talk, the Lord is ready to listen.

I love to dwell upon the thought
That Jesus cares for me;
It matters not what life may bring--
He loves me tenderly.
------------
GOD IS NEVER TOO BUSY TO LISTEN TO HIS CHILDREN. NEVER!

ODB/dm

God Is Present
in Dark Times ~

READ/GENESIS 39:1-23
~~~~~~~
IN this day of "instant' news, we regularly see images of calamity in our world. And on a personal level, we experience seasons of hardship as well. The same is true of friends and family who encounter difficulties with children, job layoffs, and marriage breakups.

As Christians, we have a heavenly Father who has promised to be with us in our troubles. We can rely on Him--He knows what will happen before we do; nothing is hidden from His sight (Heb. 4:13). He sees in the darkness of troubled times as clearly as He does in the daylight (Ps. 139:11-12).

Through His Spirit, the Lord offers us the comfort, strength, and wisdom to persevere. The story of Joseph illustrates this truth. After being rejected by his brothers at a young age and sold into slavery, he was falsely accused by his master's wife and imprisoned. But in the midst of those terrible times, the young Hebrew man experienced God's presence and favor.

I doubt Joseph comprehended the Lord's intentions during his slavery and imprisonment. But later on, as second-in-command to Pharaoh, he understood God's purpose in allowing those difficult years. In the end, Joseph testified to what he knew to be true. His brothers had meant to harm him, but God used all the hardship to accomplish His good plan(Gen 45:4-8;50:20).

~~~~~~
When troubles hit, remember what is true and take heart. The indwelling Holy Spirit has the resources to provide what we need, equip us for the journey, and sustain us with His presence throughout the dark days. Nothing can stop the purposes of our Lord from being carried out (Isa. 14:27).

In Touch Ministries
Pastor Charles Stanley
JESUS IS LORD!

--GOD KNOWS
OUR NEEDS ~

READ/ PHILIPPIANS 4:10-19 -

~~Today's passage presents an interesting paradox. Paul promises the Philippians that God will supply all their needs (v.19), yet admits that he has experienced times of want (v.12). To reconcile these two statements, let's consider God's divine viewpoint.

Paul wrote these words from a prison cell---a place of great physical discomfort. From a human perspective, we would all agree that God should have provided for Paul by relieving his suffering. But instead, the Lord taught him contentment in this difficult situation. Although his physical discomfort remained, a greater need for a changed attitude was met.

A change of heart toward ongoing suffering is a huge challenge. On our own, it's impossible, but the Lord promises to strengthen us through Christ. By living in dependence and submission to Him, we gain His power to overcome our negative, sinful attitudes and learn contentment in all kinds of situations.

Our problem is not that the Lord won't provide for us, but that we so often fail to understand what our deepest needs are. God sees from an unlimited perspective and works for our eternal good, providing for us according to His good purposes from the limitless supply of "His riches in glory." --
~~~~~~~~~
Instead of merely pleading with God to take away your difficulty, try asking Him to strengthen you through it. Although He may not always deliver you from trials, you can count on Him to work in you to produce contentment, no matter what your external needs may be. ~

In Touch Mins.
Pastor Charles Stanley ~~

--THE POOR
AMONG US ~

Deuteronomy 15:7-11
----
If there is among you
a poor man of your
brethren,...you
shall not harden your
heart nor shut your
hand. --Deut. 15:7
~~~~~~~
Francis Chan, in his book 'Crazy Love', tells of a family with an interesting Christmas tradition. On Christmas morning, the Robynsons family doesn't focus on opening presents under the Christmas tree. Instead, they make pancakes, and coffee, and serve the breakfast to the homeless. This is a small but creative way to show God's love and generosity to the poor.

God expected this kind of generosity from His people. In Deuteronomy 15, Moses emphasized the reality of poverty and how the more affluent must deal with it. They were warned of four dangers:

A 'hard heart', ignoring the needs of the poor (v.7).

A 'closed hand', withholding what the poor lacked (v.7).

'An evil thought', hesitating or refusing to loan money to the poor because the year of canceling debts was nearing (v.9).

A 'grudging spirit', a reluctance to satisfy the needs of the poor among them (v.10). Not only were they warned about selfishness, but more important, they were encouraged to be spontaneously generous (vv.8,10,11).

Among God's people, there must always be a spirit of generosity toward the poor. Let's open our hearts and our hands. ~~
----------
Generosity stems from the heart
that has experienced God's grace.

ODB/MW

--HE ALREADY
KNOWS ~~

Matthew 6:5-8
~~~
Do not be like them,
For your Father
knows the things
you have need of
before you ask Him.
---Matthew 6:8 --
--
A friend who is a commercial pilot told me about a flight in which he encountered a serious mechanical issue--a problem with dangerous implications. When the situation occurred, the warning lights in the cockpit informed him of the problem and he monitored it all the way to the destination, untimately landing safely.

Once on the ground, the pilot immediately went to the maintenance staff and reported it. To his surprise, the mechanics responded, "We already know about the problem and are ready to fix it. When you got the cockpit warning, we automatically got an electronic warning as well."

As he shared that incident, I couldn't help but compare it to Jesus' words about our heavenly Father: "Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him" (Matt. 6:8). He said this in contrast to people who believe that they must "use vain repetitions...For they think that they will be heard for their many words" (v.7). Jesus pre-supposes God's knowledge of and concern for His children.

Even though God knows our needs, He still wants us to share our hearts with Him. He stands ready to hear our prayer and to repair our brokenness by His grace. --

Although God knows our every need,
His work He wants to share;
He takes us into partnership
By calling us to prayer. --
---
Prayer is the voice of faith,
trusting that God knows and cares.

ODB/DDH

LOST ONES

Luke 15:4-6
-----
Rejoice with me, for
I have found my sheep
which was lost!
---Luke 15:6
~~~~
IN my college years I worked as a guide, taking boys on treks into Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. On one occasion one of my hikers--a small, slow chap--lagged behind and took the wrong fork on a trail. When we arrived at our campsite he was nowhere to be found. I frantically went out to search for him.

Just before dark, I came across him sitting by a small lake--utterly lost and alone. In my joy, I gave him a bear hug, hoisted him on my shoulders, and carried him down the trail to his companions.

In a story by Scottish writer George MacDonald, he describes a young woman finding a child alone and lost in the woods. She gathered him up in her arms and carried him home to her father, at which point she gained an insight that was never to leave her: "Now she understood the heart of the Son of Man, [who came] to find and carry back the stray children to their Father and His."

I want you too to know the heart of Jesus, the Son of Man, who came to find and carry back His straying children to their Father, "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). No matter how far you may have strayed and how lost you may be, He came to seek and to save YOU!

Jesus came to seek and save the lost,
Left heaven's glory, minding not the cost;
Looking high and low and far and wide,
The Son of Man for all was crucified. --
----
To find salvation, you must admit that you're lost.
ODB/DR

God's Hand in Events ~
Genesis 41:41-57

"God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt..." (Acts 7:9b-10)-
--
---
FOR 13 very detailed chapters in Genesis, we read of the sometimes favored, often thorny life of Joseph. The account reads like a novel, its main chracter stirring up a wide range of emotions. We shake our heads at young Joseph's tactless way with his brothers, feel sorry for him in his rocky relationship with them, and ache when he's wrongly imprisoned. We cheer when he's elevated by Pharaoh and are moved deeply when he reveals himself to and forgives his brothers. To the close of his 110 years, we identify with Joseph.

While there is much for us to learn from his life, the greater theme is how our sovereign God reigns, shaping His salvation plan through any means. Nothing happened to Joseph that was not ordained by the righteous hand of the Lord.

No evil befell him or grandeur surrounded him that was not God's design. What Joseph's brothers meant for evil, God intended for good (Genesis 50:19-21). His life which saved many, points us to a far greater Redeemer, Jesus, our Creator, who came to save the world. (John 3:16)--
---
Quiet your heart through hardships and let it well up with gratitude through good times. The LORD is the designer of both JESUS LOVES YOU! Take hold of His nail-scarred hand and allow Him to lead you, as your Shepherd. (Psm. 23)

Anchor
Haven Today Ministries

Power to Grasp ~~
Ephesians 3:14-19

"And I pray that you...may have power...to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge..." (Ephesians 3:17b-19a)
____
SOME prayers won't be answered until we are with Christ after the consummation of all things. I believe this prayer of Paul is one of those. Paul prays that we would have the power to know the full depths of God's love that surpasses knowledge.

God is infinite; therefore, His love is infinite in its depths. We humans are finite and, in this life, broken--even though we may be redeemed.

A fresh insight into God from the Bible always brings a joyful thrill, a delight, to the heart of a believer. You might call it a Holy Spirit inspired "Eureka!" experience. We will be able to enjoy that fantastic thrill throughout eternity because we will continually know our Savior better. We'll find perfect delight and utter joy in the eternal and infinite love of God.

Paul ends this prayer, "to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen."

This forever prayer is open to all who believe the gospel. There are no secrets reserved only for the "initiated."
~~~~
As vast as the universe is, it is miniscule compared to the infinite Creator. Contemplate God's love that surpasses our immense universe.
Haven Today Ministries

Joy in the Morning

"For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." (Psalm 30:5) -

God is necessarily a God of wrath, for He is a holy God and cannot ignore human sin. Nevertheless, He is even more a God of love. His very purpose in creation was that His love could be manifested to men and women created in His image.

Because there is sin, there must be suffering and death, but He is "slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy" (Psalm 103:8). He has provided a marvelous means of forgiveness and salvation to all who will accept it, through the substitutionary death of His Son. This was a most cruel death, but even this was ameliorated by God's overshadowing mercy, and there was "joy . . . in the morning!" He "for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).

Likewise in each believer's life there must be pain and weeping, but as measured in the scales of eternity, these will only "endure for a night," and one morning the night will vanish forever. "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: . . . for there shall be no night there" (Revelation 21:4, 25).

Therefore, as the apostle Paul said: "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Corinthians 4:17). We can, like Him, "reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). We will be forever "in Christ," who could say prophetically while looking toward the cross (as recorded in one of the Messianic psalms): "In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Psalm 16:11).
--
Days of Praise
ICR/HMM

-People God Chooses to Do His Work
Devotional thought from the messages of Adrian Rogers

BIBLE MEDITATION:
1 Corinthians 1:27 - "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The people God chooses to do His work are plain, simple folks. All you have to do is look at the twelve men Jesus chose to be His disciples. Fishermen,a tax collector, a "zealot." What a ragtag bunch! But they ended up "turning the world upside down." And those who watched them exclaimed, "Why, these are ignorant and unlearned men!" (Acts 4:13).

Maybe you didn't make the "Who's Who," or worse, the "Who's Not"! That's all right. God has a plan for you. God knows what He is doing. He turns the table on the world's idea of success. Wealth, fame, acclaim. None of these are necessary for you to be used of God.

ACTION POINT:
What a glorious truth for you to share with someone today who may be feeling like they're not worth much. Ask God to lead you to that someone right now.
-
_______JESUS LOVES YOU! HE HAS EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL!_______

Inseparable from Christ
ROMANS 8:18-39
---
When pain and adversity enter our lives, it's easy to conclude that God has abandoned us. After all, we think, if He were there, He would have done something by now. However, today's passage says that nothing can separate us from Christ's love. Let's consider the vast scope of this promise.

No events. Not a single distress can remove us from divine love, but rather, we can "overwhelmingly conquer through Him who love[s] us" (Rom. 8:35-37). Today's verses also teach that our present sufferings cannot be compared to the coming glory (v. 18) and that God's good purpose is our transformation into Christ's image (v. 29). When we understand this, we gain a victorious eternal perspective, which produces hope and perseverance (vv. 24-25).

No time. Nothing we have gone through in the past, are dealing with at present, or will encounter in the future can take us away from Christ. He is with us every step of the way (v. 38).

No power. The unseen powers of evil that try to deceive and entrap us are no match for the Lord, who holds us securely in His omnipotent grasp (v. 39).

No created thing. Only our triune God is self-existent, and if He calls you His own, nothing and no one--not even you--can break that relationship (v. 39).
-----
This promise of security in Christ isn't a license to sin without consequence. Instead, it should motivate us to fall on our knees in gratitude and praise. As we truly grasp the greatness of this gift, our love for Christ will increase and result in obedience and perseverance, no matter what difficulty we face.
----
In Touch
Charles Stanley -

--God Will Make a Way
By: Janet Paschal

God will make a way

When there seems to be no way..

Forever He is faithful!

-

-JESUS CHRIST
TOOK OUR PLACE -

From: Dave McCarrell
President Pacific Garden Mission ~

I was thinking the other day about the wonderful transfers that take place when we trust Christ as our personal Savior. The following is a list of things that came to my mind. I am sure that those of you that know Christ as personal Savior could add to this list.

Christ was born once so we could be born twice; born again. Jesus took all our demerits so we could have all of His merits. He became poor so we could be amazingly rich. (2 Cor. 8:9) -

He became homeless so that we could have a Heavenly Home. He was stripped of everything (clothing) on the cross, so that we could be clothed forever in the Righteousness of God. He was forsaken so we would never be forsaken. He was bound so that we might be set free. He was sad so we might be eternally glad. He was servant, that we might become sons of God. He was hungry so we might have our needs supplied forever; He is the bread of life. He who knew no sin was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God through Him. He died so we could have eternal life. He rose from the grave so we could conquer death. He is coming again to take us with him so He can display the riches of His Grace towards us forever and ever.

Without faith its impossible to please Him; without faith its impossible to receive Him. What a wonderful Savior!

If perhaps you have never received Christ as your personal Savior, why not by faith, ask Christ to forgive you for your sins, and confess Him as your Lord today.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

David Wilkerson Today

-MARVELOUS GRACE

What is there in us that attracts the marvelous grace, mercy and pardon of our Savior? Is it some kind of beauty, goodness, or strength? Is it some kind of potential in us?

No! It is our great need and utter helplessness that attracts his grace. It is our weakness that attracts his strength. Our helpless condition is exemplified by the palsied man in Mark, chapter two: "And they came unto him, bringing one
sick of the palsy..." (Mark 2:3). -

Here is a picture of absolute helplessness, a man without one iota of strength or power. He cannot even bring himself to Christ. Look again at that trembling, weak, helpless creature—a prisoner to his own bed. That is you and me before we knew anything of Christ's power.

Jesus stood before this helpless man, let down to him through the roof, and did not even mention his physical condition.The Lord chose to bring him into the Father's presence clean and cleared. He would be accepted before he was healed.
"When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee" (Mark 2:5).

What a beautiful picture of the love of God in Christ Jesus! Here is a helpless man, too overwhelmed by his infirmity to even whimper. He cannot even muster a weak confession.
"We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus…" (Ephesians 2:10). The Pharisee, with all his good works, his boasting, never did attract the grace of the Lord. It is not of works, lest any man should boast.

Show me the child of God who struggles against a hated
besetting sin, one who is crushed beneath a load of guilt and despair, one who feels helpless and weak—and I will show you the one who is the object of abundant grace. Where sin abounds, grace abounds much more (see Romans 5:20).

When you have repented, stand by faith on the finished work of the cross!Through faith in him, your sins are under the blood. You now live on the other side of the veil, seated with Christ in heavenly places, accepted in the beloved, one with Christ and the Father! God's wrath against your sin has been satisfied. You are now more than a conqueror, living and moving in the Spirit.

You are filled with the fullness of Christ with power to meet everything having to do with life and godliness. You are the apple of his eye, renewed in your mind, and made an heir to all that belongs to Christ the Lord!
--

-THEOLOGY IS
FOR EVERYONE

Jeremiah 23:25-32
---
I am the LORD,
exercising
lovingkindness,
judgment, and
righteousness in the
earth. -Jer. 9:24 -
---
SOME say that theology is only for "professionals." But the situation in the days of the prophet Jeremiah illustrates why it's important for everyone to know what God says about Himself.

The religious experts in Jeremiah's day were misrepresenting God by prophesying "the delusions of their own minds" (Jer. 23:26) NIV) and leading people astray with their lies (v.32). Due to their dishonesty, the people did not know the true nature of God.

Today there are people who portray God as angry, vengeful, and eager to punish people for every minor offense. God, however, describes Himself as "merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth" (Ex. 34:6). Others show the world a picture of a loving God who is too kind to punish wrongdoing. But God describes Himself as one who exercises judgment and righteounsess (Jer. 9:24). He is both a just Judge and a loving Father. If we emphasize one over the other, we paint a false picture of God.

The most important thing we can proclaim to the world is that God does not want to punish people; He wants them to repent so that He can forgive (2 Peter 3:9). But to be truly loving, He must also be absolutely just. -
---
Everyone must face God as Savior or as Judge.

ODB/JAL

-Understanding God's Mercy and Grace ~
-By:Jack Graham ~

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
(Hebrews 4:16)

I heard about a lady who went to have her picture taken at a studio. When they showed her the prints, she said, "These prints don't do me justice."

So the photographer looked at her and said, "Ma'am, you don't need justice; you need mercy!"

When it comes to ourselves, you and I both prefer mercy over justice, don't we? If you've ever been caught speeding, you're hoping that the officer will show you mercy and let you off without a ticket.

Now, there's a difference between mercy and grace. Mercy is when God doesn't give us what we do deserve. You receive mercy when you've done something wrong and God relents in his punishment. But grace is God giving us something that we don't deserve. So you get grace when you gain something for which you never worked.

God's mercy and grace, his pardon and his blessing, are given to us by the blood of Jesus Christ. Both of them are available to you because Christ died on the cross for your sins. Every sin, every blur, every blot, and every blemish is pardoned by the blood of Christ so that you can be blessed beyond your imagination!

TRUST IN GOD'S MERCY AND GRACE TO PARDON YOU FOR YOUR SINS AND GIVE YOU HIS WONDERFUL BLESSINGS!

-A MATTER OF
PERPECTIVE ~~

Exodus 14:1-14
---
I will gain honor over
Pharaoh and over
all his army, that the
Egyptians may know
that I am the LORD.
--Exodus 14:4
---
ARE you part of the problem or part of the solution? Whether that question is posed during a business meeting, a church council, or a family discussion, it often springs from a sense of exasperation in trying to comprehend why someone has acted in a certain way. More often than not, the answer is a matter of perspective.

If we had been among the Israelites leaving Egypt after 400 years of slavery, we would likely have seen Pharaoh as part of the problem--and he was. Yet God saw something more.

Inexplicably, the Lord told Moses to take the people back toward Egypt and camp with thier backs to the Red Sea so Pharaoh would attack them (Ex.14:1-3). The Israelites thought they were going to die, but God said that He would gain glory and honor for Himself through Pharaoh and all his army, "and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD" (vv.4,17-18).

When we simply cannot understand why God allows circumstances that threaten to overwhelm us, it's good to remember that He has our good and His glory in mind. If we can say, "Father, please enable me to trust and honor You in this situation," then we will be in concert with His perspective and plan.
---
Faith helps us to accept what we cannot understand.

ODB/DM

-Brokenness— The Plan
-JOHN 12:20-26

Do you desire God's best in life? And do you hope to become the person He created you to be, able to accomplish all He has planned? Most likely, your answer is affirmative to both questions. But are you willing for the Lord to do whatever is necessary to bring about full submission in your life?

This third inquiry oftentimes does not receive a resounding "yes." Yet in order for us to enjoy the best of God's blessings and to blossom into the people we were designed to be, we have to surrender our will. Let me be the first to admit that it is not an easy process.

All of us have certain desires and habits that we simply do not want to relinquish. Today's passage teaches us that dying to ourselves is necessary before we can truly live for God.

As you would expect, that is inevitably painful. It would be much easier if we could just choose to give up our stubborn wills. But according to Scripture, when we become believers, we retain unrighteous behavior patterns, which can be rather ingrained. God has to permit enough difficulty to enter our lives so that our old "flesh" tendencies are broken. Only then can we yield our hearts to the Lord without reservation.

Though it is hard to understand, our heavenly Father allows pain because of His great love. Just as a parent hates for his child to hurt, God takes no pleasure in our difficulty. But He so desires that we experience fullness of life in Christ that He allows hardship to shape us.

--In Touch

<http://youtu.be/yLSKSlJ0-2s> / CRY OUT TO JESUS!

-A Determined Mind
1 Chronicles 22:11-19

"Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged."
(1 Chronicles 22:13)

I had been the recipient of some very harsh words and was back in my small office, now licking my wounds. I knew it was a good practice to go to the Scriptures for comfort in any situation, so I opened to 1 Chronicles and began to read. Eventually, I came to the words in our text. They were like a neon sign to me. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged... Is not the Lord your God with you?"

These were the words I needed to hear at that moment. Each verse reminded me of God's presence, wisdom, direction, and encouragement for my wounded heart.

Most of us have encountered some form of injustice. No matter what the nature of it, we can be assured that our Savior has known how it feels. But ever-focused on the will of His Father, He remained strong and courageous, compassionate and self-controlled through even the injustice of His death at Calvary, all for the love of you and me. Every wound He endured was because He had you in mind. Indeed, He never has and never will fail us.
---
Looking beyond our immediate situation to what Christ has done for us will replace fear, regret and anger with gratitude and joy. ~~

--Haven Today

-FEAR FACTOR

Genesis 20:1-13
---
Abraham said,
"...surely the fear
of God is not in this
place; and they will
kill me on account
of my wife."
--Genesis 20:11 -
--
IF you're a fan of Shakespeare, you know that his heroes always have a serious character flaw. It makes for a good story and teaches some important lessons. The same is tue of our Bible hero Abraham. His flaw? Fear.

Twice Abraham succumbed to his fear that a ruler would kill him and steal his wife (Gen. 12:11-20; 20:2-13). Fearing for his life, he deceived both Pharaoh and King Abimelech by saying, "She is my sister" --in essence welcoming the king to take Sarah into his haren (20:2). With fear dictating his actions, he put at risk God's plan that through him and Sarah a great nation would arise (12:1-3).

But before we judge Abraham, we should ask ourselves a few questions. For fear of losing our job, would we compromise our integrity? For fear of appearing old-fashioned, would we set aside our values? For fear of being ridiculed, would we neglect sharing the gospel and put someone's eternity at risk? Only one thing will conquer our fears: faith in God's presence, protection, power, and promises.

If your fear is putting God's wonderful plans for you at risk, remember that He will never ask you to do anything He can't bring to completion, even if it requires miraculous intervention on His part.
--
Let your faith overcome your fear,
and God will turn your worry into worship. ~~

ODB/JS

-O.B. MARKERS

Jeremiah 5:21-31
---
I know, O LORD, that
Your judgments are
right, and that in
faithfulness You have
afflicted me.
--Psalm 119:75 -
---
IN the game of golf, out-of-bounds or O.B. markers designate when a ball has gone out of play. If a player's ball goes out-of-bounds, a one-stroke penalty is imposed.

The prophet Jeremiah warned the southern kingdom of Judah about their persistent rejection of God's boundaries for them. He said that even the sea knows that the sand on the seashore is its O.B. marker, "an everlasting barrier it cannot cross" (Jer. 5:22 NIV). Yet, the Lord's people had definant and rebellious hearts (v.23). There was no fear of God, who gave them rain for their crops (v.24). They grew rich on deceit (v.27) and ignored the pleas of the disadvantaged (v.28).

God has given moral boundaries in His Word for us to live within. He gave them not to frustrate us but so that by keeping within them we may enjoy His blessings. David wrote: "I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right" (Ps. 119:75). God told Israel through Moses, "I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life" (Deut. 30:19).

Don't test God's boundaries and invite His correction. Make wise choices to live within His O.B. markers in His Word.
-----
-A small step of obedience is a giant step to blessing. ~~

ODB/C.P.Hia

/ I LIFT MY HANDS

-WHY ME?

Psalm 131
---
The secret things
belong to the LORD
our God.
--Deut. 29:29
---
Recently I read Psalm 131, one of my favorite psalms. In the past, I viewed it as an encouragement to understand that mystery is one of the hallmarks of God's character. It challenged me to let my mind be at rest, since I am unable to understand all that God is doing in His universe.

But then I saw another side of David's calm spirit: I am unable to understand all that God is doing in me, and it is impossible to try.

David draws a comparison between a weaned child that no longer frets for what it once demanded, and a soul that has learned the same lesson. It is a call to learn humility, patient endurance, and contentment in all my circumstances--whatever they are--though I do not understand God's reasons. Divine logic is beyond the grasp of my mind.

I ask, "Why this affliction? What this anguish?" The Father answers, "Hush, child. You wouldn't understand if I explained it to you. Just trust Me!"

So, I ask myself: Can I, in my circmstances, "hope in the LORD"? (v.3). Can I wait in faith and patience without fretting and without questioning God's wisdom? Can I trust Him while He works in me His good acceptable, and perfect will?
---
IN a world of mystery, it's a comfort to know the God who knows all things.

ODB/DR



---IN THE HANDS OF GOD WE STAND TALL! / GOD, YOU'RE AMAZING!

-Togetherness in the Body

-1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Paul wrote today's passage in a letter to the divided body of Corinthian believers. The church was allowing a disagreement to hinder their fellowship. Paul knew the steep danger of dissension among believers.

Scripture is clear about the church's mission. Some of its highest goals include sharing the gospel with all nations, caring for those in need, and worshiping together, along with loving, encouraging, and admonishing one another in God's truth. None of these is fully possible if a church is divided, whether physically or mentally.

God wants His people to "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3 niv). So if all Christians base their beliefs on the Bible, they should be able to settle every argument according to its truth, right? Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Our human nature, preferences, and different interpretations of Scripture can cause disagreements. Consider, for example, how many churches have experienced strife over music styles.

Tragically, when differences are divisive, our mission becomes blurred and we are ineffective. Just as fishermen cannot catch fish with a broken net, we are unable to effectively share Jesus with the world when our fellowship is not intact.

Are your actions and words strengthening your fellow Christians? Or do you gossip, express negativity, and push your own preferences and opinions? Be careful. God has mandated that our conduct positively impact the church's unity. This is essential if we are to accomplish His purpose.

--IN TOUCH

-The King Comes Through His Word
Matthew 4:1-11 -

"All this I have spoken while still with you. But 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 14:25-26)

I remember when we returned home years ago to discover there had been a break-in. Words of Scripture came to mind: "Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth...where thieves break in and steal."

Another time, I was troubled by past sin and the King spoke to me of His forgiveness in the words of Charles Wesley: "He breaks the power of cancelled sin...The humble poor believe."

When we were telephoned by the hospital at night with news that our 18 year old daughter had died, the words of JOB came to me: "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." The pain and shock were not lessened, but I knew that the Lord was with us in it all.

Many of you will have experienced the Lord coming to you in words of Scripture. In times of joy or of trial or when needing guidance, our King Jesus comes to us through His Word. As we hide His words in our hearts, the Spirit comes to dwell there, reminding us of God's Word, and eases our troubled minds.
---
Old Testament men of God used to build a pile of stones to commemorate the Lord's dealings with them. Let's remember His goodness to us, too. Jesus said, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you."

--Haven Today

-YET I WILL
REJOICE ~~

Habakkuk 3:11-19
---
Yet I will rejoice in
the LORD, I will joy
in the God of my
salvation.
--Habakkuk 3:18
---
Life in our world can be difficult. At some point, most of us have wondered, 'Where is God in my trouble?' And we may have thought, 'It seems like injustice is winning and God is silent.' We have a choice as to how we respond to our troubles. The prophet Habakkuk had an attitude worth following: He made the choice to rejoice.

Habakkuk saw the rapid increase in Judah's moral and spiritual failings, and this disturbed him deeply. But God's response troubled him even more. God would use the wicked nation of Babylon to punish Judah. Habakkuk did not fully understand this, but he could rejoice because he had learned to rely on the wisdom, justice, and sovereignty of God. He concluded his book with a wonderful affirmation: "Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation" (3:18).

Though it was not clear how Judah would survive, Habakkuk had learned to trust God amid injustice, suffering, and loss. He would live by his faith in God alone. With this kind of faith came joy in God, despite the circumstances surrounding him.

We too can rejoice in our trials, have surefooted confidence in God, and live on the heights of His sovereignty.
---
-Praising God in our trials turns burdens into blessings.

-ODB/MW

-HIDDEN IN
THE ROCK

Psalm 18:30-36
---
The LORD is my rock
and my fortress.
--Psalm 18:2

The story is told of a preacher named Augustus Toplady, who was taking a walk through the English countryside when a sudden storm swept across the landsacpe. Toplady spotted a wide rock formation wih an opening--a cleft--where he sought shelter until the storm passed. As he sat out the deluge, he contemplated the connection between his shelter and God's help in life's storms.

He had no paper to write on but found a playing card on the floor of the cavelike structure and began to write the words to the beloved hymn "Rock of Ages."

Written on that stormy day in 1775, this hymn has been a source of strength for Christians ever since.

Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.

Think of your struggles. Do you need Someone to shelter you from life's assaults? Do you need the assurance that you've been forgiven? As Toplady experienced, we can find shelter and assurance in God.

Don't stand out in life's storms alone. Seek God's shelter. Ask Him to protect you. Make sure you have received His forgiveness. Get close to the Rock of Ages. It's life's safest spot.
----------
-WHEN THE WORLD AROUND YOU IS CRUMBLING,
GOD IS THE ROCK ON WHICH YOU CAN STAND. ~~
----
ROCK OF AGES / Chris Rice /Beautiful Words!
ODB/DB / <http://youtu.be/UH9RJQnQPuQ>

-LOST AND
-FOUND ~

Luke 15:4-10
---
Rejoice with me, for
I have found the
[coin] which I lost!
--Luke 15:9
---
Recently, I couldn't find my credit card. I began frantically looking for it because losing a credit card is no small thing. Automatic payments and daily purchases would all be disrupted until it could be replaced. Not to mention the possibility of someone finding it and charging items to our account. What a relief it was when my wife found it on the floor under the computer table.

In Luke 15:8-10, Christ told the story of something that was lost--a valuable coin, which was equivalent to a day's wages. The woman who lost the coin was so concerned about locating it that she lit a lamp, swept the house, and carefully searched until she found it. Then she told her friends "Rejoice with me, for I have found the [coin] which I lost!" (v.9)Then Jesus gave the point of the story: "Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents" (v.10).

People are of great value to God. Those who don't know Him are lost in their sins. Christ paid the ultimate price by dying on the cross for their redemption. Do you know people who are lost? Ask the Lord to give you an opportunity to share the good news with them so they can repent of their sins and be found by our gracious God.
---
-To be found, you must first admit that you're lost.

--ODB/DF
"And Now My Lifesong Sings to You."
By: Casting Crowns

<http://youtu.be/oaaA0ryZvf8>

-HELP IS ON
THE WAY !!

-Revelation 2:12-17
---
I know your works,
and where you dwell,
where Satan's throne
is. --Revelation 2:13
---
When 33 miners were trapped in a Chilean mine deep under the earth's surface, I wonder if they felt totally lost and doomed to a slow and painful death. Imagine how they must have been filled with joy when they got a message from above that the rescue team knew exactly where they were and that the process of getting them out had already begun!

There are times in all of our lives when we feel like we're stuck in a really bad place. Anxious and alone, we despair that we are out of options and that no one understands where we really are in life.. But in such moments we need to remember God's comforting words to the early Christians who were stuck in a world where Satan's presence dominated all that was round them: "I know...where you dwell" (Rev. 2:13). Their situation had not escaped the heavenly Father's notice. And as they were faithful to Him, He would sustain them until He rescued them and brought them safely home (v.17).

The fact that God knows where you are and that He is very much aware of the difficult situation are in, provides the confidence and strength needed to live for His glory. So be encouraged. Remember God's words of comfort. Help is on the way!

You know the struggles that we face, Lord.
You know just what we need to endure them.
Give us the confidence to trust You because of Your
goodness and to walk by faith. Amen.

--ODB/JS

--The Compassionate Christ -

"When he arrived, he saw a great crowd waiting. He felt sorry for them...
So he began to teach them many things." (Mark 6:34)

--When Jesus lands on the shore of Bethsaida, he leaves the Sea of Galilee and steps into a sea of humanity. Keep in mind, he has crossed the sea to get away from the crowds. He needs to grieve. He longs to relax with his followers. He needs anything but another crowd of thousands to teach and heal.

But his love for people overcomes his need for rest...

Many of those he healed would never say "thank you," but he healed them anyway. Most would be more concerned with being healthy than being holy, but he healed them anyway. Some of those who asked for bread today would cry for his blood a few months later, but he healed them anyway...He had compassion on them.

--In the Eye of the Storm
-By: Max Lucado / JESUS, YOU ARE MY HEALER/ By: Don Moen
<http://youtu.be/VFjbCA4RLJY>

-I Am the God That Healeth Thee...<http://youtu.be/0H2PxM4LmnM>

-BUT GOD

-Romans 5:8-11
----
But God
demonstrates His
own love toward
us, in that while we
were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
--Romans 5:8
----
Howard Sugden, my pastor when I was in college, preached many memorable sermons. After all these years, the one titled "But God..." still makes me stop whenever I come to those words in the Bible. Here are a few examples of verses that encourage me with the reminder of God's righteous intervention in human affairs:

"You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to...save many people alive" (Gen. 50:20). "Their beauty shall be consumed in the grave...But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave" (Ps. 49:14-15).

"My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (Ps. 73:26). "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:7-8).

"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard...the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit" (1 Cor. 2:9-10).

Whenever you feel discouraged, look up some "but God" verses and be reassurred of God's involvement in the lives of those who love Him.

Creator of the universe
Who reigns in awesome majesty;
How can it be that You're involved
With such a one as me?
----
-God's involvement in our lives
should reassure us of His love.
--ODB/JAL

--HOW WE KNOW THE END IS NEAR!

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."
--Matthew 24:14 ~~--

I'm amazed when I stop and think about how far the human race has come technologically. It's astonishing that just over a century ago, only a small percentage of our country would've known what the President looked like. He could've sat next to you at a dinner table, and you'd never have known it was him!

Our world has become one big neighborhood in the past century. Just think about things like email, cell phones, and Facebook and what they have done to make our global village so much smaller. And because of these advances, we're closer to fulfilling the Great Commission than ever before.

And now we've seen recently the opening up of much of the Arab world through the Arab Spring, where so many are protesting for freedom. Many ministries have been able to rush Biblical literature into formerly closed countries at a rapid rate. What a wonderful time to be alive!

The day will come when the last person will be reached before the return of Christ. But until that day, stay focused on expanding His Kingdom by praying, giving, and going to accomplish His global purposes!

--SUPPORT THE FULFILLMENT OF THE GREAT COMMISSION BY PRAYING, GIVING, AND GOING TO EXPAND THE REACH OF THE GOSPEL!
--Power Point/JG

---A Still, Small Voice
--By: Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice” (I Kings 19:12).
----
Elijah was in hiding for his life, even though God had spectacularly answered his prayer with fire from heaven. Jezebel, however, had not been intimidated by Elijah’s victory and swore she would kill him. He fell into such depression that he wanted to die. If Jezebel could not be impressed with fire from heaven, how could Elijah ever hope to defeat her and her armies? Not even an angel could remove his doubts.

But then was sent “a great and strong wind,” and “after the wind an earthquake” (I Kings 19:11). But the Lord was not in the wind or the earthquake or the fire. God finally reached Elijah with “a still small voice,” and that voice assured him that God was well in control of all circumstances. Similarly, Moses told the children of Israel, as they faced the Red Sea: “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD” (Exodus 14:13).

It was prophesied of the Lord Jesus that “He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.” Nevertheless, it was also promised, “He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till He have set judgment in the earth” (Isaiah 42:2,4; see also Matthew 12:19,20).

In our human impatience, we think God should always move immediately in great strength. Unless there are large numbers of converts and displays of power, we grow discouraged, like Elijah. But God more often speaks in a still, small voice and works in a quiet way.

“And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you, . . . And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left” (Isaiah 30:18,21).

--ICR/HMM

--THERE I WILL MEET WITH YOU
-Exodus 25:10-22

-"There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites."
----
"Come near to the holy men and women of the past and you will soon feel the heat of their desire after God. They mourned for Him, they prayed and wrestled and sought for Him day and night, in season and out, and when they had found Him, the finding was all the sweeter for the long seeking" (A.W. Tozer, 'The Pursuit of God). "Throughout the Bible, God provides ways for His people to have fellowship with Him" (Max Lucado, The Inspirational Study Bible).

For Moses that fellowship came in a special place. Your meeting place won't be in front of an ark or near the Mercy Seat--that provision was all a prefiguring of what would be fulfilled in Christ. But find yourself a special, quiet place where you can meet regularly with God.

For David that fellowship came at a particular time. "In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation" (Psalm 5:3). Early morning, late at night--whatever works for you, find that special time and meet your Divine Friend. ~
--
-In Christ we have access: Don't miss that vital fellowship!

--Haven Ministries

---God's Omnipotence

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” - --Genesis 1:1

An eloquent preacher said, “God stepped from behind the curtain of nowhere and stood upon the platform of nothing and spoke a world into existence.”

God is the Creator of all that your hand can touch, your eye can see, your ears can hear, and your nose can smell. If you see a watch, I hope you assume there’s a watchmaker. And if you see the precise atomic flux of the universe, I hope that you don’t believe that happened by chance.

Evolutionists believe that if you take billions of years and add time plus chance, that you can turn frogs into princes. In school they call that fairy tales. In the laboratory they call it science.

God spoke your life into existence. His Word sustains your breath. His Word can silence your breath. Thank Him for your life today! ~~
--Adrian Rogers

---God Honors Our Commitment to Him
---Daniel 1 =(Recommended Reading)


Daniel and his friends faced the same dilemma we do--how to live a holy life in a godless culture. At one time, our society readily accepted Christian values and standards, but that era is quickly passing. Our challenge today is to live under God's authority while remaining in submission to the law of the land. At times we are forced to choose between the two, but if we'll seek the Lord's guidance before marching defiantly forward, He may open an alternative approach for us.

Had Daniel bluntly declared, "I won't eat this food!" he wouldn't have lasted long, and we wouldn't have the book of Daniel in the Bible. But the Lord gave him the wisdom to humbly seek permission from the person who was in a position of authority over him. God honored his commitment and provided a way for him to live righteously in a pagan world.

We tend to hold up Daniel and his three friends as extraordinary people who lived amazing lives. But have you ever wondered what the Lord could do in the life of an ordinary person like you? The determining factor is not the greatness of the individual but, rather, his commitment to a God who can do remarkable things in a life fully devoted to Him. That's the kind of people our Lord is looking for.

Although we don't know all that God could do in our lives if we'd radically commit ourselves to Him, the thought of missing out on His plans should be enough to motivate us to obey. You don't want to arrive in heaven and discover you forfeited blessings because you weren't fully devoted to Him. --/ PRAISE HIM IN THE STORM!
<http://youtu.be/xytQj6QFuhY>
------------

--Trust and Obey
--Joshua 6:1-5 (recommended reading)
--
One of my favorite songs is "Trust and Obey" because it sums up God's purpose for our lives. When we practice these two commands, a beautiful cycle begins. Trusting the Lord makes obedience easier, and obedience produces ever-increasing trust. Can you recall facing a challenge that was difficult or perplexing? If so, you know how important these two commands are.

When the Lord calls you to a task that seems unreasonable, you have two options. You can obey Him even though you don't understand what will happen, or you can become fearful and attempt to find a way out. Joshua chose the first option. Because he trusted the Lord, he disregarded all his military experience and adopted God's bizarre battle plan. Over the years, he had learned that the Lord is trustworthy.

The way we respond to God's challenging assignments reveals our level of commitment. We may feel as if we're right in step with Him--until He proposes a change of direction. That's when our resistance kicks in, and with it, the realization we aren't as close to Him as we thought. At that point, our decision determines whether the Lord will be able to use us as He desires. Because Joshua never lost his commitment, he continued to serve the Lord for the remainder of his life.

At times obedience is a struggle, as your mind runs through all the reasons God's path is illogical. Fear dominates and your will battles to comply when everything within is screaming to run the other way. But obedience is always the best choice, because the Lord is trustworthy and wise. ~~

--IN TOUCH

---I Am Christ’s Friend
-By: John D. Morris, Ph.D.

“Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you” (John 15:15)

Some things in Scripture are harder to understand and believe than others. Christ, the Sovereign Creator of all things, the offended Judge who declared the penalty for sin to be death, the One who willingly died to pay that penalty and redeem us from bondage to sin, now calls us His friends. Certainly we would like to consider Him our friend; but are we really His friends? If He were telling someone about His friends, would He include us? Somehow this seems too much—too good to be true; but He insists it is.

Actually, Christ said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you” (John 15:16). We are His friends by conscious choice on His part, even though He knows more about our inward nature than we will admit to ourselves. He has demonstrated His friendship by the greatest act of love imaginable, when He voluntarily died to save us from our sins. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (v.13). Furthermore, for His friends He promises, “Whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it you” (John 15:16).

His love for us surpasses human love. “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love” (v.9) “that your joy might be full” (v.11). He has “ordained” us as friends so that we “should go and bring forth fruit, and that (our) fruit should remain” (v.16). What joy! -

There should be a response on our part to His friendship. Almost as a self-evident fact, He states, “Ye are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you” (v.14), among other things, “that ye love one another” (v.17). How can we do less?
--ICR/JDM =/I AM A FRIEND OF GOD! [Phillips, Craig, Dean]
<http://youtu.be/lcxKRsn-hGc>
--------------

---The Cross / - The Believer's Victory

1 Corinthians 1:17-31

--From a worldly perspective, Christ's death signaled His defeat. After all, dying in agony on a cross hardly seems like the path to victory. But it was! And He did it all for us. Because Jesus triumphed over death, we can be victorious in life. Just consider what He won for us by sacrificing Himself on the Cross.

--Our Eternal Salvation: The cross was the means of our salvation. Without it, we'd have no hope of Heaven. If Christ hadn't died in our place, we'd have to stand before God and receive the just punishment for every sin we've ever committed.

-Power over Sin: Jesus not only paid the penalty for our sin; He also brought us present victory over it. When He was crucified, our old sinful nature died with Him (Rom. 6:6). The power of the "flesh" was broken, and Jesus now lives His triumphant life through us. That means we are no longer enslaved to sin and can choose obedience to God..

-Defeat of Satan: At the crucifixion, the list of decrees against us was nailed to the Cross, and the Devil lost his power over our lives (Col. 2:13-15). None of his accusations can stick, because God holds nothing against us anymore. And now every time we yield to the Spirit within us, Satan is defeated once again.

Christ met all our needs on the Cross. By making us a part of His family, He gave us a sense of belonging. When He died in our place, He affirmed our value. And by coming to live His life through each believer, He gives us the ability to live a victorious, obedient life.

--IN TOUCH= / THE WONDERFUL CROSS~~
<http://youtu.be/qC1IllbwX4w>
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-The Supremacy of Christ~~

-"He, [Jesus], is the image of the invisible God, the first born over all creation. 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 by Him and for Him. He is before all things and in Him all things hold together. 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 the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in Heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the Cross .
--Colossians 1:15-20 / YES, THERE IS A REDEEMER! JESUS CHRIST THE RISEN LORD!
[Please listen to the words of this beautiful song. / 'Thank you, O my Father for giving us Your Son. When I stand in glory I will see His face and there I'll serve my King forever in that Holy place." ]

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQSuTP5OHBE&feature=share&list=PLBC88A53A4261677E&index=8>
-----------

--DOES GOD CARE? ~~~

--Birds and Lilies
---Matthew 6:25-34

--"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
---(Matthew 6:34)

-JESUS never preached an idealistic Gospel. Ideals are lofty but unreachable goals. That's what some people think this passage of Scripture is--lofty and unreachable. They hear about birds and lilies and think, "Isn't that nice? But I live in the real world." They should remember that Jesus lived in the real world, too.

When He spoke these words, He was standing in a field using the things around Him as object lessons. He knew that birds struggle to raise their young and that those beautiful lilies eventually wither, are torn up and burned. He was not saying that nature should be viewed idealistically. He was pointing out that of all creation, we are the only ones who worry. And for all the worrying we do, we accomplish nothing.

Worry happens in the present moment as we struggle through life's burdens, and the only way to beat worry is by trusting Jesus through each of those moments. It's impossible to worry when our heartaches and problems are in the hands of the One who created it all and sees us through.~~
---
"But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33)

--Anchor~~
<http://youtu.be/3NoktEqJSog>
----------

---Why Does God Allow Us to Fail?
--Read | Romans 8:29-30

"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified."

--We Have noted how the Lord at times works our circumstances to humble us. By doing so, He reveals how dependent we are on Him for victorious living. This is how He eliminates the idol of self-effort from our pursuit of holiness. It is also His way of achieving other purposes in our lives.

Our heavenly Father has more in mind than simply exposing the weakness of our flesh—that is simply a means to something greater. He intends to put us on display for all eternity as examples of His grace and goodness. He wants the angels to see the body of Christ and stand in awe before this dazzling demonstration of His handiwork.

What would you and I need to do to qualify for this purpose? Is there any way we can possibly understand the full scope of His designs for our lives? What must be done so that we may live in the fullness of everything He has in mind for His children?

We don’t have all the answers to these questions. As a result, we have difficulty understanding why God at times allows us to fail. If we could only see the glorious final product He has in mind, we would gladly abandon our self-effort and yield to His transforming power. But instead, we often insist on doing things our way. And as long as we remain in this mode of thinking, God will allow us to fail.

There’s a better way. It is simply to live by faith, trusting the Holy Spirit within us every moment of every day to conform us to the likeness of God’s Son Jesus Christ.

--In Touch=/ When the Darkness closes in, Lord, still I will say, "Blessed Be Your Name"
<http://youtu.be/du0il6d-DAk>

----DOES GOD CARE?

-- OUR Lord and Savior, JESUS CHRIST paid our sin-debt by dying on that Cross. He took all the sins of the entire world upon His shoulders and nailed them to that Cross. WHY? So you can have a way to enter the Kingdom of God. So you can have eternal life! "Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins."
Jesus paid for our forgiveness. You've already been forgiven! Yet, He waits for you to invite Him into your life. The Lord Jesus does not force himself on anyone. He leaves that 'CHOICE' up to you. He's knocking on your heart's door. That's why you are reading this? Please give your life to Jesus and you are promised eternal life with Him. But 'YOU MUST MAKE THAT CHOICE!'

--THE HUMILITY OF ASKING~~
--Matthew 20:29-34
-"Jesus stopped and called them' What do you want me to do for you?' he asked. 'Lord,' they answered, 'we want our sight.'" (Matthew 20:32-33)

--IMAGINE being an outcast of society, blind, begging, having no hope. Then you hear about Jesus. He's known to have done great things, and He's soon to be coming your way. Others may pay you no attention, but this Jesus is perhaps your only chance. So you risk the ridicule. When Jesus is within distance, you yell, "Help!" The crowd rebukes you, but you call out even louder! Jesus stops and asks what you want from Him. You respond, "sight." With compassion you've never felt and certainly never seen, Jesus touches your eyes and removes your blindness.

"Immediately they received their sight" (v.34). Was there anything these two men had done to earn having their vision restored? As far as we know, Jesus and His disciples had never met them before. Jesus' compassion simply overwhelmed Him, and at that very moment He welcomed these two fellows into the fold. Jesus would never pass that way again, for He went on from there to Jerusalem to die.
But who followed Him? The two men! Why don't you come to Jesus today? Jesus doesn't want just your words, He wants your heart, your whole life!

--Call on God today! He will open your eyes to the glorious riches of salvation.~ Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." He is the only way!
Don't believe the lie, "Surely there must be more than one way." NO! Jesus is the only way to God the Father!

--Anchor~~ /<http://youtu.be/hT_I7BSDNuI>

--ONCE AGAIN
--1 Samuel 23:1-14
-----
"Once again David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, 'Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.'" (1 Samuel 23:4)
----
-WE know that God "sought out a man after his own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14), and that David became that man (Acts 13:22). He was not perfect by any means, but he knew the importance of seeking God's will. He was tangling with the Philistines outside of Keilah and asked God for help. But David's men were afraid, so David in humility came "once again" before the Lord and found the assurance he heeded that God was with him.

Whether the decisions you face are big or small, never fear that you cannot humbly come to God "once again".
The Lord never tires of hearing your requests and seeing your heart drawn to Him.
--Anchor=/ HERE WE ARE / Dallas Holm Worship
<http://youtu.be/jH-pD2Psrf8>

--Answers in Times of Great Disaster
--Deuteronomy 29:29
"The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of the Lord."

--Almighty God reserves the right to reveal some things and conceal others.. Although we may not know why natural disasters occur, the biblical truths we do know with absolute certainty allow us to trust the Lord even in times of great suffering. These include:

-1.) God is in control (Ps. 103:19). Nothing in heaven or on earth is outside of His rule and authority. He does not react to events but sovereignly ordains or permits them to run their course. Although we cannot know for certain if He has sent a catastrophe or allowed it, we can trust in His goodness and wisdom.

-2.) The Lord loves people and wants them to be saved (John 3:16-17). Giving His Son for the salvation of the world proves without a doubt that He loves each person. This truth stands firm despite the fact that many reject the Savior. He cares for us, even when we can’t feel it or won’t accept it.

-3.) God ordains or permits events for His good purpose (Isa. 46:10). Though we cannot fully comprehend what He is doing in each incident, every disaster is a wake-up call for humanity. He is alerting us of the need to repent—so the lost can be saved and the saved can be revived to live totally for Him. Catastrophes open our ears to hear from the Lord.

The One who loves us perfectly is in full control, working everything out according to His good purpose. Knowing this should fill us with hope, even in the midst of crisis situations. The Lord even promises to turn disaster to good for those who “are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28).
--IN TOUCH~~/ TRUST IN YOU // JEREMY CAMP
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKMGpf8VeVI#t=49>

--DOES GOD CARE?

---The Discipline of God ~~
--(Hebrews 12:7-11 / please read)
~~~~~~~~~
--THE DIFFICULTIES WE FACE originate from one of three sources.
Some are sent to us by the Lord to test our faith, others are the result of Satan's attacks, and still others are due to our own sinful choices.

As you consider these three causes, which type is the hardest for you to bear? I think most of us would say the last one, because we have nobody to blame but ourselves and it seems as if no good can possibly come from it. After all, the Word of God says we will reap what we have sown (Galatians 6:7), so we see nothing ahead except a painful harvest.

God often uses our own mistakes as tools to get our attention. He won't let His beloved children get away with sin, because He knows it robs us of blessings, opportunities, and even character refinement.

As painful as your situation may be, thank your heavenly Father for caring enough to send out His loving discipline. Now it's up to you. How will you respond to His correction?

--'My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives."
--(Proverbs 3:11-12)~~We Fall Down / Chris Tomlin & Steven Curtis
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKgVORwSv9E>
-----

--DOES GOD CARE? ABSOLUTELY! HE LOVES YOU!

--The Greatness of God~~
--(Isaiah 40:12-31 please read)

--IF YOU ASK A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHAT GOD IS LIKE, you will receive many different answers. Some will say He is a force somewhere in the cosmos, while others picture a benevolent grandfather type who overlooks "little sins." Most of the time, the description given will reveal more about the speaker than about the real Jehovah. In fact, the true God might surprise you.

As the Father reveals Himself in Scripture, one word that's never used when referring to Him is "it." God is a person; in every reference, He is given a name (Yahweh, Elohim, Lord) or referred to be masculine pronouns (He, Him). He fits all of the attributes of personhood--intelligence to reason, emotions to feel, and the will to make decisions. From Genesis to Revelation, God displays these features.

Scripture also shows God's immutability. Let us be clear about what that means: Neither the Lord's nature nor His character ever changes--He is always Spirit, and His love remains constant. We can all expect that God's principles and laws will hold true and that He will act exactly as He has promised. While He does adjust His emotions to fit a situation, delight, anger, and other feelings are nuances of His being, not new traits.

God is eternal--He has no beginning or end. He is the same yesterday today, and forever. No one created Him; God simply is. That's hard for humans to understand, but if the Lord were completely explainable, He would be like us and unworthy of worship. If we are to honor the Father, we should know Him as He really is --eternal and unchanging.~~/ Let us worship Him for Who He is, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who died to save us from eternal torment!

--IN TOUCH~~ / WE FALL DOWN ~ Chris Tomlin
<https://youtu.be/34yPZiD8OMs>

--EXPERIENCING GOD'S LOVE~~
---(Please Read/ Ephesians 3:17-19)

In today’s passage, Paul prays that the Ephesians will grasp the depth of Christ’s love. Though divine care is beyond human comprehension, the apostle says God will give spiritual understanding so we can experience Him more fully. But there are four things that keep us from getting a handle on His love and resting in it.

1.)- We think God’s acceptance is imperfect and conditional like ours. Yet the Bible tells us that His compassion comes from His character and is not dependent upon our morality, choices, or thoughts. (See Rom. 5:8.)

2.)- When we recognize our sin, we often experience guilt. Sometimes this leads to feeling unworthy of the Father’s ultimate love. Instead, let a guilty conscience lead you back to God so that you can repent. Realize that His love and forgiveness are greater than any sin. He promises that there is no condemnation for His followers (Rom. 8:1).

3.)- There are some teachers who encourage legalism. This traps a person into feeling he or she must earn God’s favor. It also contradicts the divine truth that our Father loves His children without condition.

4.)- Some of us have a difficult time reconciling God’s love with His discipline. These can exist together, however. His correction flows from compassion, just as loving parents must redirect their children.

Recognizing God’s love will bring peace and joy to your life. At the same time, it doesn’t give license to sin. Like any caring father, the Lord will use discipline to bring you back to Him. Instead, why not let His love motivate you to walk in a holy and obedient manner before Him?
**--IN TOUCH~~**
[You are loved with an everlasting love and underneath are His everlasting arms. The Creator of the entire Universe has great plans for your life. Read His Word and be assured that John Chapter 3 verses 16-17 is speaking to you, and to all of us. GOD IS LOVE! (1 JOHN 4:7-8)~~]/ Heart of Worship/-Matt Redman ~~
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH-snsXw1as>