DATE: 04/04/2008 13:50:22 / MOOD: Full of life

John chapter 14:27 says Jesus promised to give us His peace. It's the same peace that enabled Him to sleep through a fierce storm. Without it, we'll be like the disciples who felt helpless and afraid. With it, we'll experience inner calmness during life's troubles.

To experience the peace of God, we must meet certain conditions. The first requirement is to receive the Lord as our personal Savior. Before salvation, we were by nature opposed to God. But our redemption changed that.

Romans chapter 5:10 says we now have peace with Him and are members of His family instead of His enemies. A major reason that we lack peace is fear of death. This view evaporates as we comprehend the glorious truth that we will spend eternity in heaven with Him.

Believing in God's sovereignty is a second condition for having a tranquil heart. In this troubled world, personal safety is a major concern. To combat fear, we must trust that God controls all things. Knowing that He's in charge will protect us from anxiety and give us peace.

Philippians 4:19 highlights the third thing we must do. Understand that God knows our needs and has promised to meet each one. He's a loving Father who delights to give good gifts to His children. We may not receive all we want. He'll give us everything that's necessary to fulfill His purpose for us.

Once we've received Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit will remind us that our future is secure. Our loving, sovereign God will provide everything we need.

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DATE: 04/02/2008 14:25:55 / MOOD: Teaching

Life can seem confusing at times. Sudden changes in our circumstances or the people's behavior can make us wonder how to go forward. That's why God gave us His Word as a reliable compass to point the way in difficult times. But we need an abiding trust in Him if we are to effectively use His guidance and follow His instructions.

We know God is trustworthy. He is the One who created us. God sent His Son to die in our place. He adopted us permanently into His family. With His great power, He resurrected Christ. With that same power, He is able to keep every one of His promises. These are solid reasons that we can depend upon Him.

 There are several signs that we don't trust the Lord. Sometimes we rely on other things to determine our course of action. We lean on our reasoning power, material desires, or feelings. You may also seek advice and help from other people instead of from God's Word. These ways show a lack of trust in Him.

Some things keep us from placing our full confidence in God. One obstacle is a lack of awareness that God desires an intimate relationship with us. If we don't realize that He is deeply interested in our affairs, then we won't look to Him for guidance. A second barrier is pride. We often would rather rely on ourselves than depend solely on Him. Placing our confidence in the almighty, eternal triune God is always wise. He can be trusted in every situation.

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DATE: 02/26/2008 09:56:13 / MOOD: Encouraging

Countless people go through life feeling empty, which is contrary to God's plan. The account of the Samaritan woman in John 4 teaches several important points about fulfillment.

Filling our emptiness is important to the Lord. Jewish people didn't travel through Samaria because of their intense hatred for its inhabitants. Yet Jesus, a Jew, chose to travel there because He knew a hurting Samaritan was ready to hear about the Father's love.

Our attempts at happiness often leave us feeling hopeless. The woman at the well had been wed five times, but all of her marriages had failed. Whether or not the problems were her fault, she was left without the love she sought. Most likely, each broken relationship left her feeling lonelier than before.

God knows our pain. When the woman admitted she didn't presently have a husband, Jesus revealed that He already knew she and the man living with her were not married. By demonstrating His awareness of her hurt and longing for fulfillment, the Lord helped the woman recognize her need for a Savior.

Jesus can satisfy our yearnings. Once the Samaritan woman realized what was missing, Jesus revealed how to live a full life: "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst" (vv. 13-14).

Do you ever feel like the Samaritan woman--dissatisfied with life and thirsty for love and fulfillment? Surrender to God, and allow His love to flow through you. Only then will you experience abundant life.

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DATE: 02/25/2008 09:11:45 / MOOD: Excited

            In public, most people appear happy and confident. But beneath the surface, many feel empty. In fact, it is possible to be in a large crowd and yet feel alone. 

            A lot of men and women see no meaning or purpose in life. Attempting to overcome the emptiness, some become busy, others turn to drugs or alcohol, and still others strive for more money, power, or love. Though pleasure exists for them, it is usually short-lived. 

            There's a reason why life can feel empty: God created man with a yearning--one that He alone is able to satisfy. Individuals cannot be fulfilled until they experience the Lord's transforming and unconditional love. Jesus said, "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). In other words, God wants us to feel complete, which can happen only through a relationship with Him. 

            However, even a person who is saved can feel empty. This could result from disobedience: a slight detour in one's walk with the Lord can become a way of life, depriving a believer of deep satisfaction. It's also possible for Christians to live according to God's Word without fully surrendering their desires to Him. For example, many believers still try to fill up their own void with achievement, wealth, or relationships. When aspirations like these are given higher priority than the Lord, they are a form of idolatry. 

            We can live a full life only when we seek God above all else. Pray for His guidance as you search your heart. Confess any sin or idolatry, and ask God to fill your life as only He can do.

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DATE: 02/23/2008 09:29:58 / MOOD: Encouraging

            The Father has opened a way for sinners to be forgiven and set on the path of righteousness--namely, through faith in Jesus Christ. Placing trust in Him as our personal Savior makes us members of God's family and takes us immediately onto the narrow road, which is only for His followers. 

            As we journey on this heavenward highway, the Holy Spirit acts as our guide and teaches us what we need to know. Through Him, we develop the ability to see beyond the temporal to the eternal. With spiritual eyes, we will catch glimpses of the Lord's majesty, comprehend the depth of our Savior's love for us, and experience the invisible, powerful presence of the Spirit. We will witness the awe-inspiring transformation of ordinary, pride-filled human beings into humble, loving ambassadors for Christ. Our minds will grasp the truths of God's Word, and we will hear Him speaking to us through it. On the broad road, none of these things are possible. 

            Despite such amazing blessings, we at times all wander from the Lord's will. We might be drawn away by the glitter of material things, the temporary satisfaction of self-indulgence, or a desire to be part of the crowd. Whatever we hope to find outside of God's plan proves illusive and temporary. Only by walking with Christ on the path of godliness will we find the security and contentment we crave. 

            If you are drifting in your Christian life, allowing the world's priorities to direct your steps, then you need to turn back. Jesus calls you to deny yourself and commit to following Him alone.

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DATE: 02/22/2008 10:19:04 / MOOD: Encouraging

Like many people today, the Israelites in Jesus' time believed they were destined for heaven. They mistakenly thought that to join God's family, good works and an intellectual faith were all that He required.

To help us grasp the truth about entering His Father's kingdom, Jesus described two roads, which lead in opposite directions. One is a broad highway, where most people travel. It's an easy journey, requiring few commitments and allowing all kinds of philosophies. Because just about everything is acceptable, people are free to be self-indulgent and choose what they each think is best. The broad path promises to give us whatever we desire, but in the end, it delivers nothing of lasting value.

Jesus described the other road as narrow. It has a small entrance, because there is only one way to be reconciled to God--through faith in Christ. Traveling on this path requires a commitment to the Savior and a lifestyle of dependence, sacrifice, and trust.

Once we belong to Jesus, the Holy Spirit empowers us for everything that is required on the way of righteousness: loving God with our whole heart, loving our neighbors, and carrying out the Lord's purposes. His plans are to take precedence over our own. In contrast to the disappointments on the broad road, every divine promise is guaranteed.

Each of us must choose which path to take: the wide one, that ends in hopelessness and eternal separation from the Lord, or the narrow one leading to life everlasting. If you desire a relationship with God through Jesus, just ask.

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DATE: 02/22/2008 09:38:58 / MOOD: Encouraging

Acts 7:17b  "The number of our people in Egypt greatly increased."

 Stephen is speaking before the Sanhedrin, recounting Jewish history. He has just finished the story of Joseph and the relocation of Jacob and his entire family to Egypt (which was necessitated by a great famine that struck the whole land).

When Jacob's family first entered Egypt it numbered 75 -- a large family. But now after years of proper nutrition, the number of people had greatly increased -- Ex 1:7 "the Israelites were fruitful, multiplied greatly, and become exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them." As you can see Stephen's statement "greatly increased" is a bit of an understatement -- from 75 to over 2 million people in 400 years -- is more of a miracle.

Again, this is all part of God's plan, pattern and purpose -- with a place to live (despite it being a land not their own), proper food, nutrition, and safety -- God's people not only thrived, but multiplied.

The same is true for us as well. If we are fed properly we will thrive and multiply. But what is our food? Jesus tells us in John 6:35, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never go thirsty."

Are you in the middle of a famine? Is your Christianity dry, barren and lifeless? Do you go to church and Bible study but still don't feel any different? Stephen is making the point that God is not in a place (the "promised land," Egypt, Israel or church), He is with them. Jesus says to "come to me." What does that mean?

 What does Jesus statement: "come to me" mean to you? Where are you? Where do you need to go? Are you experiencing a famine? Will you go to Jesus?

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DATE: 02/21/2008 11:20:33 / MOOD: Encouraging

            Sin plays no favorites. It works its way into everyone's life without regard to age, race, or economic status. Regardless of the form it takes, it always tempts us to choose our own way. Rebellion is harmful and addictive. Repetitions of sinful behavior lead to more of the same, until the action is so entrenched that we cannot stop. We become enslaved. 

            The descent into a pattern of disobedience begins in our minds. Once our thinking is involved, the influence extends to our behavior, eventually progressing until we are more entrenched than we ever imagined. Deception permeates the whole process. We tell ourselves there is no harm in what we're doing. After all, other people behave the same way. 

            Sin's demands keep increasing, and yet its benefits are only short-term. Eventually, we experience emptiness instead of satisfaction, pain in place of comfort, and loss rather than gain. Habitual sin splits our mind and emotions. Then we spend less time meeting our responsibilities and more time satisfying cravings. Our care and concern for others diminishes too. Over time, feelings of guilt and entrapment can take their toll and lead to a desire to self-destruct. 

            Faith in Jesus sets us free from sin's domination. Through the Holy Spirit, we have the power to say no to the habits that control us. The road to freedom starts with confession, followed by an admission that we cannot stop on our own. Committing to follow God's direction is next. The struggle may be fierce, but in Jesus, the victory is assured (1 Corinthians 15:57).

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DATE: 02/21/2008 09:35:14 / MOOD: Teaching

Acts 5:1-5

(1) But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, (2) And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. (3) But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? (4) Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. (5) And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

These two church members apparently did not take Satan into consideration. They listened to a lie and were divided, first, from God's church and then from life itself. What did Satan do? He moved them toward self-satisfaction to the point (the actual sin) that they lied to take credit for a greater sacrifice than they actually made.

The sad part of this is that no one asked them to donate the entire sale price of the piece of land. What happened was they committed themselves to it and then undoubtedly began to feel put on. "Hey, Sapphira, that's too much money." Maybe they began to think, "We didn't expect we'd get so much money from the sale of this, and it is too much to donate." They began to think, undoubtedly, of other uses that they could put the money to. "We could buy new clothes. We could improve the house. We could buy another piece of land as an investment and make even more from it."

They had apparently already told those who were in charge of the collection that they would contribute the entire amount of the sale, and when the time came to give the contribution, they gave only a part of it but let on as if it was the entire sale price. They kept the difference for themselves.

Who led them to dare to lie? Satan has modus operandi. He will always move us in the direction of self-satisfaction at the expense of obedience to God, service to God, or service to others, so that we elevate ourselves over the others.

Is that not what Satan did originally? In his own mind, his vanity elevated him higher than the position God had given to him, and it then began to work on his mind so that he had to do something about it. This process repeats itself over and over again.

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