News you won't see in controlled mainstream media.

The Trials of Life

By: Pastor Charles Stanley
~~~~~~~~
MOST likely, you have heard the age-old question, "If God is good, how can He let bad things happen?" Since the fall of man, life has always included hardship. Though trials are painful, understanding the Lord's purpose can bring joy and hope.

The Word of God is clear that suffering is purposeful. Primarily, the Lord is conforming His children to be like Him (Rom 8:29). When a person is newly saved he or she still has many "rough edges." The journey ahead, called sanctification, involves the process of becoming holy--and few things build character like sorrow. Unfortunately, people rarely mature during pleasant times. Instead, pain brings impurities to the surface and forces people to see the reality of their lives.

Another reason the Father allows trials is to test the faith of His children. Of course, He doesn't need this for His own information--it is the believers who benefit. Tested faith is stronger and more reliable than untried faith.

Furtherore, God allows hardship in order to reveal His character, love, and power. During life's storms, people who cling to their heavenly Father will find Him trustworthy and real. When the next difficulty arises, they'll remember His faithfulness during the previous trial and will rest confidently in Him.

EARLY LIGHT/ While no one wants to suffer, experience and sorrow will mature the beiever. We can learn certain things from books and other people's stores, but most growth occurs during trials. So, when problems occur and sorrow seems piercing, thank God for His purpose in your suffering.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

JOHN 3:16 ~
Blessings, Abishag <><

Responding
to Difficulty ~

By: Pastor Charles Stanley
~~~~~~~~
READ/ 2 Corinthians 4:8

Adversity is never enjoyable, but thankfully, believers are assured that God has a reason for allowing difficulty. And your
response to the trial will determine whether it leaves you broken or strengthened.

Romans 5:3-5 states, "We exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint..." In order to respond correctly and benefit the way this verse describes, let's consider how the Lord works in suffering.

First, He controls the burdens so they aren't too heavy to bear. He limits them because His goal is not to destroy you but to build your character. Second, He designs the difficulty according to your personality, character, and areas that need growth. Therefore, trials are tailor-made in order to grow you to be more like Christ. Third, difficulties are progressive. As God matures you, the intensity may seem to increase. This is similar to weight training; at the beginning an athlete trains with light barbells, but as his muscles become stronger, he chooses heavier weights. Similarly, as your walk with Christ progresses, obstacles that once seemed overbearing will impede you less. This is a sign of growth.

EARLY LIGHT/In the midst of your pain, see your trial as a privilege--God is revealing His ways and refining you. Thank Him for trusting you with this situation. Then, ask how to respond, and walk obediently before Him. ~
Blessings, Abishag

-EARTHQUAKE
CITY ~~

Acts 16-23-24

--Suddenly there was a
great earthquake, so
that the foundations
of the prison were
shaken. --Acts 16:26
---
In his book 'A Crack in the Edge of the World', Simon Winchester writes of the earthquake-prone town of Parkfield, California. Seeking to attract tourists, a hotel sign reads: "Sleep Here When It Happens." A local restaurant menu features a large steak called "The Big One," and desserts are called "AFtershocks." But all humor aside, a real earthquake can be a terrifying experience. I know. I've lived through California earthquakes.

In the book of Acts, we read how God used an earthquake to open someone's heart to the gospel. Having been falsely accused, Paul and Silas were in jail at Philippi. Around midnight, an earthquake rumbled through the prison, opening the doors and loosing the prisoners' chains. When the jailer learned that Paul and Silas had not tried to escape, he asked, "What must I do to be saved?" (16:30). Paul responded, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (vs.31). The jailer and his family believed and were baptized. And it all started with an earthquake.

Sometimes life's upsets can make people more open to the gospel. Do you know anyone who is going through a crisis? Prayerfully stay in contact with them, and be ready to share a sensitive word of witness.
-----
Many are brought to faith by trouble.

ODB/DF



Lord, I know there will be days when this life brings me pain, but if that's what it costs to praise you, Jesus bring the rain!

-FREEDOM AT
ALCATRAZ ~~
Philemon 1:4-16
---
I appeal to you for
my son Onesimus,
whom I have
begotten while in my
my chains.
--Philemon 1:10
~~~~~
A Tour of the federal prison on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay left me with some unforgettable images. As our tour boat pulled into the dock, I could see why this now-closed maximum-security federal prison was once known as "The Rock."

Later, inside the legendary Big House, I stared at shafts of light coming through heavily barred windows. Then I saw row after row of cagelike cells that housed well-known inmates such as Al Capone and Robert Stroud, the "Birdman of Alcatraz."

But another image made a deeper impression. Stepping into an empty cell, I saw the name "Jesus" scrawled on a wall. In another, a Bible lay on a shelf.- Together they quietly spoke of the greatest of all freedoms.

Paul knew such liberty while waiting to be executed. Regarding himself as a "prisoner of Christ," he helped other inmates discover what it means to be an eternally forgiven, dearly loved member of God's family (Philem. 1:10).

Barred windows and doors represent one kind of confinement. Physical paralysis, inescapable poverty, and prolonged unemployment are others. None are to be desired--yet who would trade "imprisonment" with Christ for life "on the outside" without Him?
-------------
--To be under Christ's control is to have true freedom.

ODB/MDH

--LORD, I CAN SING OF YOUR LOVE FOREVER!

--Suffering

"It is a fact of Christian experience that life is a series of troughs and peaks. In his efforts to get permanent possession of a soul, God relies on the troughs more than the peaks. And some of his special favorites have gone through longer and deeper troughs than anyone else."

--Peter Marshall, Sr.

"Preach to the suffering, and you will never lack a congregation. There is a broken heart in every pew."

--Joseph Parker

--Never Let Me Go ~

--Love conquered the fear and delivered me.
I know you'll never let me go.



Thank you, Jesus, that You will never let me go!

-Lifting the Weight of Our Burdens

-"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest. 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.' For my yoke is easy and My burden is light."
---- Matt:11:28-30-

Throughout life, we all bear many burdens. Some may concern everyday things like finances or relationships, but we might also feel overwhelmed about future unknowns. These can weigh us down to the point of exhaustion if we do not handle them biblically.

Jesus knew how difficult life would be for us. After all, He was human too. But our Savior did not want us to bear unnecessary weight, for He knew that our heavenly Father can carry it for us.

So He spoke the words from today's passage--words full of promise and the hope of relief. Yet how do we, in the midst of difficulty, practically apply what He's telling us? First, He wants us to acknowledge that we have a specific burden. Next, we are to identify the issue. Then we can bring the problem before God. He tells us to cast it upon Him (Ps. 55:22), and He will carry our load.

When we kneel before the Lord in prayer and truly ask Him to take care of the problem, we can be relieved of its weight. While He may choose to miraculously change the circumstances, He often allows them to remain--at least for a while. So we may continue to think about the problem and live with its ramifications, but we no longer have to buckle under its pressure.

Are you carrying a heavy load? Find relief in the Savior, as you release your concerns into His capable hands. Jesus desires that you experience peace even in the midst of trials. And He has provided everything necessary for freedom from burdens. Will you let Him take it from you?
-In Touch

-When Men Shall Revile You

--Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you.
- Matthew 5:11

Ever since his fall, Satan has worked by means of deception. As he has misrepresented God, so, through his agents, he misrepresents the children of God. The Saviour says, "The reproaches of them that reproached Thee are fallen upon Me." Psalm 69:9. In like manner they fall upon His disciples. There was never one who walked among men more cruelly slandered than the Son of man. He was derided and mocked because of His unswerving obedience to the principles of God's holy law. They hated Him without a cause. Yet He stood calmly before His enemies, declaring that reproach is a part of the Christian's legacy, counseling His followers how to meet the arrows of malice, bidding them not to faint under persecution.

While slander may blacken the reputation, it cannot stain the character. That is in God's keeping. So long as we do not consent to sin, there is no power, whether human or satanic, that can bring a stain upon the soul. A man whose heart is stayed upon God is just the same in the hour of his most afflicting trials and most discouraging surroundings as when he was in prosperity, when the light and favor of God seemed to be upon him. His words, his motives, his actions, may be misrepresented and falsified, but he does not mind it, because he has greater interests at stake. Like Moses, he endures as "seeing Him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:27); looking "not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen" (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Christ is acquainted with all that is misunderstood and misrepresented by men. His children can afford to wait in calm patience and trust, no matter how much maligned and despised; for nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest, and those who honor God shall be honored by Him in the presence of men and angels.

"When men shall revile you, and persecute you," said Jesus, "rejoice, and be exceeding glad." And He pointed His hearers to the prophets who had spoken in the name of the Lord, as "an example of suffering affliction, and of patience." James 5:10.

Abel, the very first Christian of Adam's children, died a martyr. Enoch walked with God, and the world knew him not. Noah was mocked as a fanatic and an alarmist. "Others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment." "Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection." Hebrews 11:36, 35.

-A Commitment to Obey
-Read | Psalm 1:1-6 (Recommended Reading)
-[The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted]
---
The Bible declares the Lord's great power and majesty while also revealing His deep mercy and love. He is worthy of wholehearted, passionate submission, but He doesn't often get it. Are you among the few who offer themselves to Him without reservation?

Complete obedience is a choice to follow God regardless of the consequences. This means that we obey the Lord even if our friends choose a different path or when suffering or embarrassment is guaranteed. Seeing His will done is more important than our own comfort or personal ambition. We commit the consequences to God and cling to His promises: He will never leave us (Heb. 13:5), and He makes good out of every situation (Rom. 8:28).

Notice the word 'commitment' in the title of today's devotion. I'm not writing about obedience that is born of the moment (as in, I choose to follow God in this instance) but about submission as a way of life. Setting restrictions on compliance is so tempting--we want to be able to change our mind when obeying upsets our lifestyle, the final result is unclear, or we're just plain scared. But let me ask you this one sobering question: If Jesus is the Lord of your life, what right do you have to limit how and when you'll do His will?

Believers have no right to set their own limits; their one criterion for making decisions should be, What does God want me to do? The answer at times may cause suffering, but obedience is always right. And following God in all things is the surest path to favor and spiritual growth.

--In Touch

-MAKE IT
COUNT ~!

-1 Peter 4:1-8
---
Since Christ suffered
for us in the flesh,
arm yourselves also
with the same mind.
--1 Peter 4:1
---
IN his battle with cancer, Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc., said: "Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything --all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure--these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important." His suffering influenced the choices he made.

In contrast, the Apostle Peter wanted to motivate his readers to use their suffering to make their lives count for eternity. And he wanted Jesus' suffering and death to inspire them to accept the spiritual conflict and persecution that would result from bearing the name of Jesus. Because they loved Jesus, suffering was going to be normative. Jesus' suffering was to serve as motivation to give up sinful passions and to be obedient to the will of God (1 Peter 4:1-2). If their lives were going to count for eternity, they needed to stop indulging in fleeting pleasures and instead exhaust their lives on what pleased God.

Remembering that Jesus suffered and died to forgive our sins is the most important thought we have to inspire us to make godly choices today and to make our lives count for eternity.
---
-JESUS' DEATH FORGAVE MY PAST SINS AND
INSPIRES MY PRESENT OBEDIENCE. ~
--ODB/MW

-The Cure For Spiritual Weariness
-By: John D. Morris, Ph.D.

“For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Hebrews 12:3).

Faith in Christ does not make one immune to spiritual weariness and faintness of mind. This condition may arise from frustration at our own natures, our inability to love God as we ought, to pray effectively, to understand the Scriptures. We may feel that our best efforts to represent God in our community have been of no avail, and very few show by their lives that our witness and ministry have been effective.

Sometimes we may question why God does not choose to favor all those who follow Him with material blessings and pleasant circumstances; but instead, at times, the wicked prosper. Looking at the tide of evil sweeping our world can leave us faint and weary.

But the answer to our dilemma is Christ! Reflection on Him will re-energize even the most discouraged saint, for He “endured such contradiction [or opposition] of sinners,” was victorious, and now promises to lead us to similar victory (see Hebrews 2:17,18; 4:15,16, for example). It will help us to persevere if we notice how He endured: “Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again” (I Peter 2:23), and that He endured it all, not just for Himself or just for His followers, but also for us, who, “when we were enemies [of Christ], we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son”(Romans 5:10).

The so-called “Hall of Fame of Faith” (Hebrews 11) immediately precedes our text. Reflection on the testimonies of those faithful and victorious warriors coupled with our example of Christ will make our greatest burden seem light and should spur us on to even more effective and sacrificial labor.
--(ICR/JDM)/ IN CHRIST ALONE/Sung By: BRIAN LITRELL

--WAIT!

-1 Samuel 13:7-14
---
You have not kept
the commandment
of the LORD your
God, which He
commanded you.
--1 Samuel 13:13
---
IN an act of impatience, a man in San Francisco, California, tried to beat traffic by swerving around a lane of cars that had come to a stop. However, the lane he pulled into had just been laid with fresh cement, and his Porsche 911 got stuck. This driver paid a high price for his impatience.

The Scriptures tell of a king who also paid a high price for his impatience. Eager for God to bless the Israelites in their battle against the Philistines, Saul acted impatiently. When Samuel did not arrive at the appointed time to offer a sacrifice for God's favor, Saul became impatient and disobeyed God's command(1 Sam. 13:8-9,13). Impatience led Saul to think he was above the Law and to take on an unuathorized position of priest. He thought he could disobey God without serious consequences. He was wrong.

When Samuel arrived, he rebuked Saul for his disobedience and propohesied that Saul would lose the kingdom (vv.13-14). Saul's refusal to wait for the development of God's plan caused him to act in haste, and in his haste he lost his way (see Prov. 19:2). His impatience was the ultimate display of a lack of faith.

The Lord will provide His guiding presence as we wait patiently for Him to bring about His will.
---
-PATIENCE MEANS AWAITING GOD'S TIME AND TRUSTING GOD'S LOVE.
--ODB/MW -
--WINGS AS EAGLES/PHIL DRISCOL \o/

---

-In God We Trust
-Read | Matthew 7:9-11

Even though we do not realize it as children, we all learn fundamental lessons about trust from our parents. If a person grew up with a kind, loving mom and dad, then trust seems to come more naturally later on. However, if parents are cold and distant, their grown children can find it difficult to have confidence in others.

That’s why many believers struggle with trusting God. In an age noted for broken homes and absent fathers, how is it possible to learn to trust our Father in heaven?

First, we must understand that God loves us unconditionally, just as we are. We don’t have to earn His favor; in fact, we are entirely incapable of doing so. God loves us, not because of what we can offer Him but because, as 1 John 4:16 tells us, His very nature is love. That love is the reason He provided our salvation at His own great expense—the life of His precious Son Jesus.

Second, we can trust God because He has given us exactly what we needed most: salvation. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). He did not do this because He owed us anything or because of any inherent good within us. He saved us for one reason: because of His all-surpassing love (1 John 4:9).

God knows everything about you, including the unseemly details, and loves you just the same. That alone is good reason to feel perfectly safe with Him. You can trust Him, not only with your future but also with whatever is facing you today. The Lord is worthy of your praise—and your openness with Him.
--In Touch

-- Responding to Rejection
---By Charles F. Stanley

How are you to respond when you experience times of rejection? Should you curl up in a dark corner and engage in self-pity? Will you withdraw from life completely and disown the people who love and accept you? No!

You are to do three specific things when you feel an intense need to belong.

1. Believe what God says about you. -

Through the years, I have had a number of divorced or widowed people say to me, “I feel like a nobody.” My response to them is, “That’s not what God says about you.”

God says you are a somebody. You are so special and valuable to Him that He sent His Son to die for your sins, and He made it possible for the Holy Spirit to come and dwell within you. He did that to remind you on a daily basis that you are valuable beyond measure in His eyes.

“But I feel so all alone in the world,” someone might say.

You aren’t alone, because God is with you. He has promised to stay right by your side, regardless of what happens to you. Even if everybody you know has rejected you, God will not leave you. Be assured that you are forgiven and a full-fledged member of God’s family. In Christ, we are His children, never to be denied, rejected, or turned away from His presence.

2. Seek God’s acceptance first.

Divorce is devastating because it destroys a person’s sense of belonging. It creates an even greater need to belong, a need that isn’t felt as keenly or as deeply when a person is happily married.

A woman whose husband had recently divorced her confessed to me, “I don’t feel as if I belong anyplace anymore. My life has been ripped apart. What can I do?”

“Go to Christ,” I said. “Trust the Lord to be the One who provides for you. He alone can give you identity and supply comfort in your loneliness. Do everything obediently in service to Him, trusting Him to direct your path. Know that He will shelter you from evil, uphold you, and provide daily guidance. Depend on Him with your entire being, and surrender completely to His will.”

Is God’s acceptance of you more important than acceptance by other people? You have been given the ability and prerogative to ignore God, continue on your own way, and rebel against His desire enjoy a growing relationship with you. But why not spend time in His Word to see the deep, unconditional love He has for you? Why not give in and yield to His compassionate, fatherly embrace?

3. Recognize that God will never reject you.

Perhaps you are afraid that you might one day lose God’s acceptance and love. Nothing, my friend—absolutely nothing—can destroy your standing in Christ or diminish the love He extends to you. Not now, not ever.

When my grandson was very young, the first thing he would do when he came to my house was demand to sit on my lap. He had a sense—rightly so—that there was no other person I would rather have been with in that moment.

Friend, that’s the way God feels about you and me. He delights in being with us. He holds us tenderly. And there is no other person in the world He would rather be with. The amazing truth about our infinite God is that He is capable of expressing to us all His love and attention. In our finite minds, we can not grasp that. But in God’s great and infinite love, He can completely meet my need for belonging, just as surely as He can fully meet yours.

When you feel as if you don’t belong, come to God with a desire to sit for a while in His presence. Come with a willingness to be held, like a child, in His everlasting arms. Allow yourself to relax. You are 100 percent welcome there. The Father longs for you to be with Him.

Adapted from “Our Unmet Needs” by Charles F. Stanley, 1999, pp.197-203.

-When We Feel Disappointed
-Read | Ephesians 3:17-19
---
"May Christ dwell in our hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together, with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be fulled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
---
Isn’t it wonderful to realize we cannot disappoint God? Since the Lord knows every decision we will make, He can never be surprised or let down by our wrong choices. He has no false expectations of what we can or cannot accomplish, and He loves us, no matter what.

When others face difficult, painful, or disappointing experiences, some Christians are quick to quote, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28.) But do we apply that verse in the daily details and challenges of our own life? Do we have faith that God is engineering our circumstances—no matter how uncomfortable they may be—for our ultimate benefit?

We believe Jesus is the Messiah who will come again. We believe in salvation by grace alone. We believe we will spend eternity in heaven. And we heartily say “Amen!” to all that. But then some big disappointment happens in life, and we cry out, “God, where are You? Help me!”

It’s one thing to know the fundamentals intellectually, but it’s something else to live by faith. Can we apply the principles of Scripture to our daily lives so that unexpected disappointment won’t keep us from being the person God wants us to be?

Disappointments do not mean that our Father doesn’t love us. He desires that we profit from hard circumstances, and He wants what is best for us.
Remember, God is more interested in our spiritual growth than in relieving our pain. His best may not always be our choice, but because it’s His nature to love us (1 John 4:8), we can rest assured even letdowns are sovereignly permitted for our good.

--In Touch

--The Proof of Obedience

"And hereby do we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments." (1 John 2:3)

Jesus once said, "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). Poignant question. A familiar complaint of those who despise Christian teaching is that "Christians" don't act like Christians! It is a sad commentary on the condition of the Lord's family when the ungodly are more aware of the expected behavior of God's people than the Christians are.

Of course, the issue is not unique to the New Testament times. Israel's historical saga is replete with seasons of rebellion and repentance—so much so that the psalmist prayed:

"That the generation to come. . . .might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: and might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God. (Psalm 78:6-8)"

The emphasis by John in his first epistle, however, is not on the reasons for willful disobedience, but on the results of willing obedience.

- Walking in the "light" ensures fellowship (1 John 1:7).
- Constant and willing obedience produces an effective prayer life (1 John 3:22).
- A lifestyle of obedience brings an awareness of the Holy Spirit's indwelling (1 John 3:24).
- Loving God produces obedience, which in turn brings joy in that obedience (1 John 5:3).

Our deeds show whom we serve (1 John 3:7). Our righteous deeds prove whom we serve (Matthew 7:16-20).

--ICR/HMM III

--Sheep Can’t Sleep


Millions of Americans have trouble sleeping! You may be one of them. Only one other living creature has as much trouble resting as we do. They are woolly, simpleminded, and slow…sheep. Sheep can’t sleep! For sheep to sleep, everything must be just right. No predators. No tension in the flock. Sheep need help. They need a shepherd to “lead them” and help them “lie down in green pastures.” Without a shepherd, they can’t rest.

Without a shepherd, neither can we! Psalm 23:2 says, “He, (the Shepherd) makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.” Who’s the active one? Who’s in charge? The Shepherd! With our eyes on the Shepherd, we’ll get some sleep. Isaiah 26:3 reminds us of the promise, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You.”

--From: Traveling Light/ML

-WHAT REALLY MATTERS~
---
--A man once went to a minister for counseling.

“I’ve lost everything” he bemoaned.
“Oh,” the preacher responded, “I’m so sorry to hear you’ve lost your faith.”
“No,” the man corrected him, “I haven’t lost my faith.”

“Well then,” replied the preacher, “I’m sad to hear you’ve lost your character.”
“I didn’t say that,” the man corrected. “I still have my character.”

“Then I’m so sorry to hear you’ve lost your salvation.”
“That’s not what I said!” the man objected, beginning to lose patience.
The minister explained, “Well, you have your faith, your character, and your salvation. Seems to me, you have lost none of the things that really matter.”

We haven’t either. You and I could pray like the Puritan who sat down to a meal of bread and water. He bowed his head and declared, “All this and Jesus too?” Can’t we be equally content? Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:6, “Godliness with contentment is great gain!”

--From/ Traveling Light/ML

--MORE,
MORE,MORE

-Luke 12:13-21
---
-Beware of
covetousness, for
one's life does
not consist in the
abundance of the
things he possesses.
--Luke 12:15-
--
SOME people love to shop. They have a perpetual desire to buy, buy, buy. The craze to find the latest deal is worldwide. There are huge shopping malls in China, Saudi Arabia, Canada, the Philippines, the United Sates, and around the world. A rise in store purchases and online buying show that buying is a global phenomenon.

Shopping can be fun. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with trying to find a real deal and to enjoy the things God has give to us. But when we become preoccupied with obtaining material goods, we lose focus.

Jesus challenged His listeners, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15). He then told a parable about a man "who lays up treasure for himself," but is not concerned about his relationship with God (v.21).

How can we learn to be content with what we have and not be consumed with amassing more? Here are some ways:View material goods as given by God to be used wisely (Matt. 25:14-30). Work hard to earn and save money (Prov. 6:6-11). Give to the Lord's work and those in need (2 Cor. 9:7; Prov. 19:17). And always remember to be thankful and to enjoy what God gives. (1 Tim. 6:17).
----
-To be rich in God is far better than to be rich in goods.
--ODB/DF

--Moments of Weakness
--Read | 2 Samuel 11:1-5 - (Recommended Reading)

The Bible is filled with examples of men and women who sinned against the Lord in moments of weakness. These true stories—beginning with the account of Adam and Eve—are given to us for our instruction (1 Cor. 10:11). The Father wants us to learn from the mistakes of others.

Idleness allowed King David’s mind to contemplate adultery with Bathsheba. Weariness led Elijah to consider death preferable to life (1 Kings 19:4). Pride may have played a part in Eve’s listening to the serpent (Gen. 3:6), while lust may have prompted Solomon to desire many wives, including unbelievers (1 Kings 11:1-3). Add to these a sense of spiritual or emotional neediness and emptiness, and we have at least six situations that are fertile ground for temptation. In some biblical examples, enticement was resisted; in others, the individuals gave in. I’m certain every one of us can identify.

While there are many kinds of temptation, they follow a similar pattern. The eye looks, the mind desires, and the will acts. King David looked at Uriah’s wife, inquired about her, and then he acted. Another Israelite, Achan, who helped in the Jericho conquest, noticed all the material wealth, coveted it in his mind, and took what he wanted (Josh. 7:20-21).

No matter what’s creating vulnerability, each person is ultimately responsible for his or her own actions. So in times of weakness, remember the word 'HALT'. Its letters can remind you not to let yourself become too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.

Most importantly, fix your attention on the Lord, draw strength from Him, and experience victory over temptation.

--In Touch

-TOUGH
TO LOVE~

-Acts 13:13-23
---
Now for a time of
about forty years
[God] put up with
their ways in the
wilderness.
--Acts 13:18
---
YEARS ago I was a camp counselor for some rebellious
boys. I found it challenging to deal with their behavior. They would mistreat the animals at the petting Zoo and occasionally fight among themselves. So I adopted a calm and firm approach to leading them. And although they often exasperated me, I always made sure their physical needs were taken care of.

Even though I had a kind and loving exterior, I often felt on the inside that I was just "putting up with them." That caused me to prayerfully reflect on how a loving heavenly Father provides for His rebellious children. In telling the story of the Israelites during the exodus, Paul said, "For a time of about forty years [God] put up with their ways in the wilderness" (Acts 13:18). In Greek "put up with" most likely means to patiently provide for people's needs despite an ungrateful response.

Some people may not react favorably to our efforts to show care and concern. When this happens, it may help to remember that God is patient with us. And He has given us His Spirit to help us respond with love to those who are hard to love or who are ungrateful (Gal. 5:22-23).

Give us Your patience, Lord, for anyone in our lives who is difficult to love.
----
-BE AS PATIENT WITH OTHERS AS GOD HAS BEEN WITH YOU.~

--ODB/DF

--PREACH THE WORD!

-"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
-- 2 Timothy 4:2

Christ neglected no opportunity of proclaiming the gospel of salvation. Listen to His wonderful words to that one woman of Samaria. He was sitting by Jacob's well, as the woman came to draw water. To her surprise He asked a favor of her. "Give Me to drink," He said. He wanted a cool draft, and He wished also to open the way whereby He might give to her the water of life. "How is it," said the woman, "that Thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans."

Jesus answered, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water.... Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:7-14.

How much interest Christ manifested in this one woman! How earnest and eloquent were His words! When the woman heard them, she left her waterpot, and went into the city, saying to her friends, "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?" We read that "many of the Samaritans of that city believed on Him." Verses 29, 39. And who can estimate the influence which these words have exerted for the saving of souls in the years that have passed since then?

Wherever hearts are open to receive the truth, Christ is ready to instruct them. He reveals to them the Father, and the service acceptable to Him who reads the heart. For such He uses no parables. To them, as to the woman at the well, He says, "I that speak unto thee am He."~~~

--ALWAYS WITH US!

"No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly."
--(Psalm 84:11)-

-MANY times, we make the mistake of thinking that Christ's help is needed only for sickrooms or in times of overwhelming sorrow and suffering. This is not true. Certainly, God is with us in times of distress, and that is a comforting truth. But listen: Jesus wants to be part of every experience and every moment of our lives.

He went to the wedding at Cana as well as to the home of Mary and Martha when Lazarus died. He wept with those who wept, and rejoiced with those who rejoiced. Someone has said, "There are just as many stars in the sky at noon as at midnight, although we cannot see them in the sun's glare."

I seriously doubt if we will ever understand our trials and adversities until we are safely in Heaven. Then when we look back, we are going to be absolutely amazed at how God took care of us and blessed us even in the storms of life. But God is with us in the good times also, and we should thank Him for them and commit them to Him just as surely as we do the hard times. ~~

--Hope/BG

--Love Covers a Multitude of Sins

If people love you at 6:00 a.m. one thing is sure. They love you! No makeup. No power tie. No status jewelry. No layers of images. Just unkempt honesty. Just you. “Love,” wrote one forgiven soul, “covers over a multitude of sins.”

Sounds like God’s love. Hebrews 10:14 says, “He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Note that the word is not improving. God doesn’t improve; he perfects. He doesn’t enhance; he completes. When it comes to our position before God, we are perfect. When he sees each of us, he sees one who has been made perfect through the One who is perfect—Jesus Christ. He sees perfection. Not perfection earned by us, mind you, but perfection paid by him.

Scripture says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NCV).
---JESUS MESSIAH / By: Chris Tomlin
<http://youtu.be/FwJzTV1uurU>
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-The Trials of Life...

--We all go through trials, the Lord is always available when we call on Him with a sincere heart and readiness to repent. The Holy Spirit is the Convicter of sin.

"Call on Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof."
--- (Psalm 46:1-3)
-----
---A New Plan/ ~ A New Leader
--- God Came Near/ML

--As children, the minute we got home from school we would hit the pavement. The kid across the street had a dad with a great arm and a strong addiction to football. He couldn’t resist when we would yell for him to play ball. He’d always ask, “Which team is losing?” Then he’d join that team, which often seemed to be mine. His appearance changed the whole ball game. He was confident, strong, and most of all, had a plan. “Okay boys, here’s what we are going to do.” You see, we not only had a new plan, we had a new leader. He brought new life to our team.

God does precisely the same. We didn’t need a new play; we needed a new plan. We needed a new player, Jesus Christ, God’s firstborn Son. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he’s a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.”

--Does Your Life Help or Hurt the Cause of Christ?

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” - Romans 10:14

You are either a helper or a hurter when it comes to reaching the world for Christ. Why? Because, like “Big Brother,” the world is watching your “Sunday-go-to-church” behavior and wondering how it compares to your behavior the rest of the week.

Do they see you giving your time and resources to help them when they’re hurting? Do they witness how you treat your family? Or how you entertain your friends? Or do you even know their names?

The greatest argument for Christ and the greatest argument against Christ is the life of a Christian. Hymn writers Billy Foote and Cindy Foote penned, 'Rescue the Perishing', Care for the dying/... Jesus is merciful Jesus will save.”

--Adrian Rogers~~/ Come on, Church, let's be lights for our Lord Jesus. Reach out, in Christ's Name, and help those who are perishing and dying. You may be the only Jesus they ever know. Shine for HIS GLORY!
<http://youtu.be/Gai0v2xLA5I>

-THE TRIALS OF LIFE~~/Fiery Trials

-We all must face these trials, be sure you have the Lord our Shepherd leading you on His paths of righteousness.

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you..But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings: that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye." (1 Peter 4:12-14)~~
---
In addition to the normal distresses of life comes outright persecution--direct opposition to the Christian and his faith by enemies of the Cross. Millions of Christians down through the ages have even suffered martyrdom for their testimony, and many are suffering today around the world.

Christ promised that we would be hated for our stand (John 15:18-21), but He also prayed for us, not that we would be spared the persecution but that we would be victorious in it and sanctified through it. "The world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil...sanctify them through thy truth" (John 17:14-17).

In His wisdom He may choose to allow persecution to block life's pathway, but we will not face such opposition alone. His grace will supply our every need.

Heating gold above its melting point allows the denser gold to be separated from the frothy impurities (or dross), thus purifying the gold. Just so does God allow "fiery trials" in our lives, pushing us beyond the melting point, to "Purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14).

--ICR/JDM =(He Hideth My Soul ~ Haven Quartet)
<http://youtu.be/GcSk_M-NNmc?list=RDBEOtFEs0Jos>
-------------

--COME SIT A SPELL~~

-"Zacchaeus, come
down immediately.
I must stay at your
house today."
-(Luke 19:5)
-------
--WHEN I was a kid, our family made a monthly excursion from Ohio to West Virginia to visit my maternal grandparents. Every time we arrived at the door of their farmhouse, Grandma Lester would greet us with the words, "Come on in and sit a spell." It was her way of telling us to make ourselves comfortable, stay a while, and share in some "catching up" conversation.

Life can get pretty busy. In our action-oriented world, it's hard to get to know people. It's tough to find time to ask someone to "sit a spell" with us. We can get more done if we text each other and get right to the point.

But look at what Jesus did when He wanted to make a difference in the life of a tax collector. He went to Zacchaeus's house to "sit a spell." His words, "I must stay at your house" indicate that this was no quick stopover (LUKE 19:5). Jesus spent time with him, and Zacchaeus's life was turned around because of this time with Jesus.

On the front porch of my grandmother's house were several chairs--a warm invitation to all visitors to relax and talk. If we're going to get to know someone and to make a difference in their life--as Jesus did for Zacchaeus--we need to invite them to "come sit a spell."

--THE BEST GIFT YOU CAN GIVE TO OTHERS MAY BE YOUR TIME.~~
--ODB/DB --/ There Is None Like You-- / Lenny Leblanc & Kelly Willard
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8waQRbPEj-U>

--ARE YOU IN THE SCHOOL OF TRIALS? / Sing Out to Jesus!

---BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”
---(1 Peter 4:12-13)

--DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
--Andrew Murray said, “Every child of God must at one time or another enter the school of trial.” And the Scriptures teach us that we are to count it a joy when God takes us into this school.

Just as there is no profit in the ground being made wet by rain or broken up by the plough if no seed is cast into it, so are children of God who enter into trial and have little blessing from it. The heart is softened for a time, but they know not how to obtain an abiding blessing from it. They know not what the Father has in view since they are in the school of trial.

-Are you in the middle of a trial? Trust that the Lord will bring blessing as you trust in Him with all your heart.

--ACTION POINT:
--Let 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 encourage you: “For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory [beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisons and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease!], Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting.” (Amplified Bible)
--Adrian Rogers~~
--/ 'I COULD SING OF YOUR LOVE FOREVER'/ By: 'Delirious' -(Martin Smith lead singer~)
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u46_o40pxKc>
---------------

--WHEN THE ODDS ARE AGAINST YOU~~
---(Please Read/ Judges 7:1-8)--

--The story of Gideon offers scriptural guidance for times when the odds are overwhelming and defeat seems imminent. No matter what your challenges are, the Lord is able to demonstrate His awesome power and deliver you.

God uses difficulty to build faith. Gideon was willing to believe God and go up against an army four times larger than his own. Trusting the Lord is a process that must be learned through experience. At times God takes the people He plans to use and places them in impossible situations—in that way, they discover He is faithful. We may prefer to acquire faith by reading a book, but the Lord knows the best classroom is a place of utter helplessness.

God may require us to do what seems unreasonable. The Israelites were already outnumbered, but the Lord instructed Gideon to reduce the army to a mere 300 men. That made the odds 450 to one! Although God’s ways may seem illogical to us, His wisdom and power are far greater than ours, and His plan can be trusted.

God leads us to do that which brings Him glory. Gideon’s army was so small that its men could in no way take credit for the victory. The Lord delights in demonstrating His awesome power and glory through our weakness and inadequacy.

Think of life’s challenges as opportunities for the Lord to build your faith and prepare you for ministry. He uses those who are willing to obey Him even when the task seems illogical or impossible. And He takes pleasure in showing His faithfulness to those who trust in Him regardless of the situation.
--IN TOUCH~~[Speakers Needed]--"TRUST IN YOU" - / Lauren Daigle ~<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_aVFVveJNs>
------

---RESPECT YOUR BODY~~

---God has a high regard for your body. In 1 Corinthians 6:19, Paul calls our body the “temple” of God. Be careful how you feed it, use it, and maintain it. You wouldn’t want anyone trashing your home; God doesn’t want anyone trashing His. After all, it is His, isn’t it? A little jogging and dieting to the glory of God wouldn’t hurt most of us.

Your body, in some form, will last forever. God will glorify your body. He will remove all weakness and disease. Isn’t that great news? Your pain will not last forever. Is your heart weak? It will be strong in heaven. Has cancer corrupted your system? There is no cancer in heaven. For a season, your soul will be in heaven while your body is in the grave. But the seed buried in the earth will blossom in heaven. And you will be just like Jesus!

--From/ When Christ Comes/ML~~--"Your Name Brings Healing to Me" / By: Planetshakers~~<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgHZQTZ0tgo>
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