The Haven of Rest Ministries, Inc., of Anderson SC, is an organization established to reach out to people who are in need. Our society has an overwhelming problem with drug and alcohol addictions and this has created a frantic plea for help in our surrounding communities. Our goal is to see people who are suffering from any form of addiction, financial crisis, spiritual needs, and other life dominating problems brought into our doors and restored to a better life.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
BE A BOOSTER
“Let no corrupting talk come out
of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up....” Eph4:29 wp.me/p29yfQ-Bf
Why Do People Follow Jesus - Dr. Charles Stanley
Why Do People Follow Jesus - Dr. Charles Stanley
When
Jesus walked this earth, a vast multitude followed Him. They came for all sorts
of reasons—some noble, some selfish. The same is true today. It’s important
that we understand what motivates people to come to Christ, because not all who
seek Him are really His followers. In fact, we each need to analyze our own
walk with the Lord: What do we want from Him? How committed are we to being His
disciples?
Many
of the people who followed Jesus did so because they had urgent needs that He
alone could meet. Everywhere He went, the sick and demon-possessed were brought
to Him—this is one of the ways that God draws us to Himself. Those who can
solve all their own problems never need a Savior.
Other
folks came for sensationalism. They wanted to see the signs and miracles and
feel a thrill of excitement. Today some people come to church or conferences to
get pumped up, but mountaintop experiences are always followed by valleys. When
hardships or challenges come, such people are quick to abandon the Lord.
But
Jesus’ disciples followed Him because they genuinely believed He was the
Messiah, the very Son of God (Matt. 16:16). Their commitment went beyond
emotions or needs. They wanted to know Christ and walk closely with Him.
Monday, December 30, 2013
THE GREAT ETERNAL CONSTANT
THE GREAT ETERNAL CONSTANT – Dr. Neil Anderson
1
John 3:1
See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God
See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God
Have you ever felt that God is ready to give up on you because,
instead of walking confidently in faith,
you sometimes stumble and fall? Do you ever fear that there is a limit to God's
tolerance of your failure and that you are walking dangerously near that outer
barrier or have already crossed it? I have met a lot of Christians like that.
They think that God is upset with them, that He is ready to dump them, or that
He has already given up on them because their daily performance is less than
perfect.
It's true that the walk of faith can sometimes be interrupted by
moments of personal unbelief or rebellion, or even satanic deception. It's
during those moments when we think that God has surely lost His patience with
us and is ready to give up on us. The temptation is to give up, stop walking by
faith altogether, slump dejectedly by the side of the road, and wonder,
"What's the use?" We feel defeated, God's work for us is suspended,
and Satan is elated.
The primary truth you need to know about God in order for your
faith to remain strong is that His love and acceptance is unconditional. When
your walk of faith is strong, God loves you. When your walk of faith is weak,
God loves you. When you're strong one moment and weak the next, strong one day
and weak the next, God loves you. God's love for you is the great eternal
constant in the midst of all the inconsistencies of your daily walk.
God wants us to do good, of course. The apostle John wrote:
"I write this to you so that you will not sin" (1 John 2:1 NIV). But
John continued by reminding us that God has already made provision for our
failure so His love continues constant in spite of what we do: "But if
anybody does sin, we have One who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus
Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not
only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world" (verses 1, 2 NIV).
Prayer: Lord, give me grace to
correct my character defects and to help meet the needs of others.
The "Exchanged" Life
The "Exchanged" Life
For you died when Christ died,
and your real life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians
3:3).
Dear friends:
One of the most profound and
life-transforming, yet little-emphasized truths of the Bible is that of the
exchanged" life.
The apostle Paul described it
this way: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved
me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20, NIV).
Paul said, "I no longer
live." His new reality was "Christ lives in me."
That is the exchanged life. Paul exchanged his weak, impotent,
sinful life for that of the risen, sinless, holy Son of God. Such should
be the reality for all believers. It is no longer I who lives, but Christ
who lives in me.
That is the way I live moment
by moment: Christ in me. I am just a suit of clothes for Him. By
faith, I have exchanged my own life of failures and defeats for His life of
victory, love and joy. That is how the exchanged life results in the
abundant life, which Jesus promises. Bill Bright no longer lives; it is
Christ who lives in me.
Christ is my life, and I do not
have any rights. That makes a revolutionary difference in my lifestyle.
For example, I Corinthians 13:5 says that love, "will hardly even
notice when others do it wrong" (TLB). Many times people have
criticized and attacked me. But it is almost as though they are talking
about somebody else. I try always to respond with love. But
that response is not Bill Bright, because by my former nature I would be very
prone to react to get even. But with Christ living in me, it is not I,
but Christ who enables me to live above circumstances and pressures of the
world system. So, I cannot get any credit.
Paul was also inspired by the
Holy Spirit to write, "Since you have been raised to new life with Christ,
set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right
hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not
think only about things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died, and
your real life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:1-3, NLT).
We were crucified with Christ.
We died with Him. Our life is now hidden with Him, and He lives in
us and we are seated with Him in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6).
Remember this marvelous truth
when your old carnal, worldly nature with its pride and lusts tries to
resurrect and manifest itself. Just remind yourself that your old nature
is dead, and it is now Christ who lives in you. Then you will begin to
experience the abundant life you may have never known before.
Yours for fulfilling the Great
Commission each year until our Lord returns,
Bill Bright
P.S. Please pray for Anne
Honeycutt, wife of Stan Honeycutt, as she is in hospital not doing well.
Our Prince of Peace
Our Prince of Peace – Dr. Charles Stanley
The Christmas rush is here. There are plans to make, gifts to
buy, and parties to attend. Sometimes these activities leave us exhausted and
cranky—instead of peace and joy, we may feel inner churning because there’s too
much to do. Or perhaps this time of the year brings nothing but sad memories
and loneliness. Unrealistic expectations and conflicts with loved ones often
leave us depressed and discouraged.
How can Jesus be our Prince of Peace when our expectations and
traditions fight against the tranquility we desire? To understand why Jesus was
given this title, we must first understand what it means. First of all, God’s
Son did not come to do away with all conflicts—not yet, anyway. One day He will
return to earth and rule as King in an environment of external harmony, but
that was not the purpose of His first coming. So while we’re on earth, we’ll
have trouble (John 16:33).
When Christ left heaven to become a human baby, His goal was to
bring us peace with God by reconciling us to the Father. His death on the cross
paid our sin debt in full, and our relationship with God is restored. Now He
offers us divine peace—an inner serenity that fills our hearts and minds no
matter what is going on in our circumstances.
Is your life characterized by a quiet assurance that guards your
heart and mind all day long (Phil. 4:6-7), or have stressful circumstances left
you feeling depressed or agitated? Try setting aside time each day to fix your
eyes upon Jesus. Then let Him heal your heart and calm your spirit.
Fighting Against Self-Focus
Fighting Against Self-Focus
by Charles R. Swindoll
by Charles R. Swindoll
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility
of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely
look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
(Philippians 2:3–4)
Our Father, we who operate in such selfish realms often find ourselves
preoccupied with stuff of our own. We focus on messes we've made back in the
yesterdays of our lives, consumed with fears of tomorrow, knowing our
propensity toward messing things up and uncertain about where this will lead.
And then, of all things, in this ever-present now, we find ourselves again
preoccupied with what someone may think . . . or say or do or
how we will look in their eyes.
Deliver us, Father, if only for today, from our preoccupation
with self. Help us to envision You as King, the very essence of life—God over
all; God who forgives all messes, who understands all frustrations, who calms
all fears; King who reigns over our lives supremely. Because we have come to
the cross and met You on Your terms, Lord, may we understand that Your will is
really best, even when we cannot explain it, understand it, or for that matter,
defend it. You're King. You're the Monarch, the Master. We're the servants.
You're the Potter, we're the clay.
Whatever it is we are dealing with today, quiet our spirits.
Bring Your presence to our immediate attention. May it eclipse everything else.
May Your sovereignty reassure us and Your hand on our life humble us.
In the great name of Your Son, Jesus, our King, our Lord, and
our life. Amen.
See also Proverbs
23:6; Matthew 23:25; James 3:14, 16
The Power In The Truth – Neil Anderson
The Power In The Truth – Neil
Anderson
John 3:21
He who practices the truth
comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in
God.
Satan's first and foremost
strategy is deception. As long as Satan's influence in a person's life remains
undetected, he is content to lie low and not show his hand. Like a snake in the
grass, he quietly sneaks up on his prey and squeezes the life out of it.
But when you confront Satan's
deception and expose his lies with the truth, his strategy changes from stealth
to a pretense of power. He becomes the roaring lion that Peter warned about (1
Peter 5:8). The procedure that most Christian counselors follow in dealing with
people in whom demonic strongholds have been exposed is to challenge the spirit
to manifest itself, and then to cast it out. Inevitably there is a power
struggle which can provoke the victim to either lapse into a catatonic state,
become generally disoriented, or run out of the room. I've seen people get
physically injured during such confrontations. This procedure can potentially
create more harm than help, especially for the novice.
We must avoid buying into
Satan's second strategy of power as much as we avoid swallowing his first strategy
of deception. It isn't power per se that sets the captive free; it's truth
(John 8:32). The power of the Christian is in the truth; the power of Satan is
in the lie. To the Satanist, power is everything, but power is only effective
in the darkness. The Christian is to pursue the truth because power and
authority are already inherent in him. Truth is what makes an encounter with
Satan effective. Satan's demonstration of power (which is also deceptive
because his power has actually been broken by the cross) is intended to provoke
a fear response. When fear is controlling a believer, the Spirit of God is not,
and Satan has the upper hand. Fear of the enemy and faith in God are mutually
exclusive.
Lord, I pray that Your presence
will be manifested in my life today that Your name may be glorified in the
world.
WE NEED GOD MORE:
WE NEED GOD MORE: “...If your presence will not
go with me, do not bring us up from here.’”Ex33:15 wp.me/p29yfQ-Ba #greatestneed
#God
HABITS:
HABITS: “...All things are lawful for me,” but I
will not be enslaved by anything.” 1Cor6:12 wp.me/s29yfQ-habits
#habit #freedom #Christ
FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS:
FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS: John 15:15 (ESV): “...I
have called you friends....” Jn15:15 wp.me/p29yfQ-B1
#friendship
#Jesus #loyal #love
RESURRECTION POWER:
RESURRECTION POWER: “that I may know him and the
power of his resurrection….” Phil3:10 wp.me/p29yfQ-AX
#Christ #alive #savior #Jesus
GOD'S DREAMS:
GOD'S DREAMS: “...throw him into one of the
pits...Then let us see what will become of his dreams!"Gen37:20 wp.me/p29yfQ-AN #dreambig
Thursday, December 19, 2013
GOD IS MY HELP
GOD IS MY HELP: “fear not, for I am with you; be
not dismayed, for I am your God...”Is41:10 wp.me/p29yfQ-AJ
#fearnot #strongGod #help
A Matter Of Being Someone
A Matter Of Being Someone –
Neil Anderson
2 Corinthians 5:17
If any man is in Christ, he is
a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come
Being a Christian is not just a
matter of getting something; it's a matter of being someone. A Christian is not
simply a person who gets forgiveness, who gets to go to heaven, who gets the
Holy Spirit, who gets a new nature. A Christian, in terms of our deepest
identity, is a saint, a spiritually born child of God, a divine masterpiece, a
child of light, a citizen of heaven. Being born again transformed you into
someone who didn't exist before. What you receive as a Christian isn't the
point; it's who you are. It's not what you do as a Christian that determines
who you are; it's who you are that determines what you do (2 Corinthians 5:17;
Ephesians 2:10; 1 Peter 2:9, 10; 1 John 3:1, 2).
Understanding your identity in
Christ is absolutely essential to your success at living the Christian life. No
person can consistently behave in a way that's inconsistent with the way he
perceives himself. If you think you're a no-good bum, you'll probably live like
a no-good bum. But if you see yourself as a child of God who is spiritually
alive in Christ, you'll begin to live in victory and freedom as He lived. Next
to a knowledge of God, a knowledge of who you are is by far the most important
truth you can possess.
After years of working with
people who are in deep spiritual conflict, I found one common denominator: None
of them knew who they were in Christ. None knew of their spiritual heritage.
All questioned their salvation and the love of God. Are you aware that there is
someone alive and active in the world today who is dead set against you seeing
yourself as spiritually alive and complete in Christ? Satan can do nothing to
damage your position in Christ. But if he can deceive you into believing his
lie--that you are not acceptable to God and that you'll never amount to
anything as a Christian--then you will live as if you have no position or
identity in Christ.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I take my stand as a child of God in Christ. Thank You for
giving me this gracious and unwarranted position.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
FOCUS ON YOUR FAMILY
FOCUS ON YOUR FAMILY: “Behold, children are a
heritage from the Lord....” Ps127:3-5 wp.me/p29yfQ-AF
#blessed #lovemyfamily
#home
Sometimes It Takes Two Christmas Trees
Sometimes It Takes Two Christmas Trees
by Laura MacCorkle
by Laura MacCorkle
He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion
until the day of Christ Jesus. Phil. 1:6,
NIV
If you want to put up your Christmas tree one more time again
this year, raise your hand.
I didn’t think so. And I didn’t want to put up my trusty,
artificial Christmas tree again this year either, but I had to. You see, when I
put up my first tree right after Thanksgiving, I knew that the rigging I had
done to make sure the top half of the tree stayed in place was on its last leg
and that I would need to break down and purchase a new tree next year.
But then something funny happened on the way to December 25. A
couple of days later, the top half just fell off. As in, completely toppled
over and onto my living room floor. For a second, I thought about just
abandoning having a Christmas tree at all this year. I was frustrated and had
already put in so much effort. Why go through this whole rigmarole again in the
very same week?
But something in me wouldn’t give up. I WILL have a
Christmas tree, I thought. And I’ll find a way and the time to get
a replacement tree bought and decorated this week!
So I regrouped, purchased another tree and started all over
again. Now, what I don’t enjoy about putting up my tree is the unfurling of all
of the branches that have been smashed up in the tree’s box. And then
even more unenjoyable than that is when I have to wrap the
lights around the tree. The fake needles and branches scratch up my hands as
I’m pushing lights into all of the nooks and crannies. It stings my skin, but I
do it so that there’s a beautiful glowy backdrop for all of my ornaments.
Once I get past all of that, then I actually do
enjoy putting up my Christmas tree. First, I put the tree skirt in its place.
Next, I lace around the sparkly garland. And then, since I have multiples of
many ornaments (glass icicles, dangling bells, painted balls, etc.), I
strategically place them first so that not all of one type of ornament is
having its own holiday gathering on one branch of the tree. After I’ve done all
of that, then I can place the one-of-a-kind ornaments here and there, pop the
tree topper on the tree top and Christmas is good to go.
So then, there was great rejoicing when the Christmas tree was
completed (and no, that’s not a Bible verse). I just love looking at this
beautiful creation. And to see it sparkle and glow... well, it makes for
something glorious in my home.
Perhaps that’s how the Father feels when he looks at us, his
divine creations. How many times has he had to pick us back up when we’ve
toppled over our lives? Or unwind the tangled mess we’ve made because of our
disobedience to him? Somehow, in his great love, he never gives up on us.
Because Jesus made a way for us to come to the Father, God is faithful and continually
works to make us radiant and pleasing to him.
I’m thankful God doesn’t tire of putting me back together each
and every day of the year. In fact, if I know him, and I do, I think even if it
took putting up a gazillion Christmas trees that he will never tire of working
in our lives so that we might glorify him.
Intersecting Faith & Life: How has
the Father shown you his kindness, his patience and the ways that he is
long-suffering toward you this year? Thank him for the gift of his Son this
Christmas and that because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed (Lam.
3:22).
Further Reading:
John 1:3-4, NIV
Rom. 2:4, MSG
Heb. 13:21, NIV
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
ADDICTED TO PEACE
ADDICTED TO PEACE: “Turn away from evil and do
good; seek peace and pursue it.” Ps34:14 wp.me/p29yfQ-AB
#peace #God
“Fire Yourself”
Hi All!
FINALLY! The “Fire Yourself” Daily Devotional book is printed & being shipped to me this week. We have had several delays with the printer, but the book is arriving in time for Christmas. For anyone who is interested, we have 200 copies of the devotional book that are specially priced for Christmas at $20.
Additional books can be ordered online
direct from the publisher at http://www.mcssl.com/store/
The online price is $24.95. An e-book version is also available on the publisher’s website for $11.95.
The online price is $24.95. An e-book version is also available on the publisher’s website for $11.95.
Please share this information with your
family and friends. All proceeds go to
benefit the Haven of Rest Women’s Ministry. Checks can be made payable to the
ministry.
Thank you & Merry Christmas! Theresa
Theresa
C. Allen, M.A., LPC-I
Women's
Ministry Director
864.226.8514
/ 864.231.9874 (fax)
Trusting in God's Faithfulness
Trusting in God's Faithfulness – Dr. Charles Stanley
Is there something God has told you to do that seems just too
difficult? You can be sure that if He has called you to carry out His will,
He’s going to be faithful to accomplish it through His Spirit living and
working in you. So if you tell Him, “I can’t do that, Lord—what if I fail?”
you’re really saying, “God doesn’t keep His word.” And yet, our total
expectation should be in Him—not in our own energy, ability, or experience.
When you doubt God’s trustworthiness, that unbelief becomes a
gap in your spiritual armor, and you can be sure that’s exactly where Satan
will attack you. You’ll begin to doubt even more about God’s character, such as
His goodness—and that distrust will become a heavy load of baggage you’ll
needlessly drag through every area of your life.
You might feel that you do not have enough faith to obey, but the Lord isn’t
asking you to have faith in favorable circumstances. He’s asking you to trust
that He is who He says He is.
Do you believe that God is a liar? It’s really that simple:
either He is truthful or He’s not. But if you believe that faithfulness is His
character, then you can do anything He requires. You’ll be strengthened by your
dependence on Him—whether a deluge or trials or a flood of blessing comes.
It’s actually when life gets rough and rugged that the sweetness
of God’s faithfulness makes itself real in your heart. As you walk through
those storms in complete reliance on His strength, your trust in His character
becomes part of who you are and strengthens from within.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Spending Our Inheritance – Dr. Charles Stanley
The word “inheritance” usually brings to mind the money and real
estate handed down from one generation to another. But God has an even greater
legacy to share with His children—one that they are given the moment they enter
His family.
Galatians 4:7 tells us that believers are God’s heirs. First
among our priceless treasures is a living hope in Jesus Christ that cannot be
taken away (1 Peter 1:3). What’s more, He pledged to supply our needs according
to His riches (Phil 4:19). In other words, we already have all that we need for
an abundant and victorious life.
However, some folks get stuck in spiritual poverty because they
refuse to view themselves as adopted children. Failing to tap into their
inheritance, they’re like a man who sees himself as a poor, sinful creature: he
wanders through this big angry world hoping to hold on to his meager scrap of faith until he’s lucky enough to die
and go to heaven. Of course that man misses the blessings available in this
life, because he’s not looking for them.
How differently people see themselves when they look through the
eyes of Jesus. Christians who live like the beloved, empowered heirs that they
are will lavishly spend their inheritance of grace to benefit everyone they
meet.
God gives all believers a pledge of inheritance out of the
unsurpassed riches of His infinite grace. We are spiritually rich citizens of
heaven who have nothing to fear in this world. Choose to live boldly for
Christ, and see how abundantly God pours out blessing from the legacy already
set aside for you.
IN CHRIST ALONE
“for all have sinned...and are
justified by his grace as a gift through...Christ Jesus….”Rm3:23-25 wp.me/p29yfQ-Ax
Friday, December 13, 2013
A TWIG OF HOPE
A TWIG OF HOPE: “And the dove came back to
him...in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf....” Gen8:11 wp.me/p29yfQ-At #hope
Our Partnership with God – Charles Stanley
Our Partnership with God –
Charles Stanley
I don't know how some in today's church got the false idea that
the preacher is a servant and the folks in the pews are just members. No one is
a bystander in God's kingdom! All believers are in partnership with the Lord (2
Cor. 6:1). He chose to work through mankind to accomplish the gospel mission on
earth. To borrow a biblical metaphor, we are the workers cultivating and
harvesting His fields (Matt. 9:37-38).
God gave one or more spiritual gifts to every single believer to
aid in the work for His kingdom. We each need this special "wiring"
to carry out our unique role in His plan. He knits that spiritual gift into our
personality and inborn talents to create a useful and effective servant. And
just to be clear, there is no such thing as a non-gifted believer.
Believers are the Lord's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
for the purpose of good works (Eph. 2:10). Spiritual gifts are not our own
abilities. The Holy Spirit manifests them through us. Remember, it is the sap
running from the vine into the branches that produces fruit (John 15:5). In the
same way, the Spirit lives and works through God's followers to bring forth
acts of service. The Lord's power is behind it all. Think of that when you are
tempted to shy away from God-given opportunities.
God's awesome power is present in and available to every
believer. The Holy Spirit equips us to obey the Lord in whatever He calls us to
do. Don't waste your life sitting in a pew! Get busy using that spiritual gift.
The fields of this world are ripe for harvest (John 4:35).
Thursday, December 12, 2013
A FATHER'S INFLUENCE
A FATHER'S INFLUENCE: “Fathers, do not provoke
your children to anger...” Eph6:4 wp.me/p29yfQ-Ao
#dads #rolemodel #angry #bitter
The Expression Of Pride – Neil Anderson
The Expression Of Pride – Neil
Anderson
Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before stumbling
Pride is a killer. Pride says,
"I can do it alone. I can get myself out of this mess without God's
help." Oh, no you can't! We absolutely need God, and we desperately need
each other. Paul wrote, "We are the true circumcision, who worship in the
Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the
flesh" (Philippians 3:3). Humility is confidence properly placed. Examine
the instructions on pride and humility in James 4:6-10 and 1 Peter 5:1-10. The
context reveals that spiritual conflict follows the expression of pride. Pride
is what caused Lucifer to be thrown out of heaven.
Jesus said, "Simon, Simon
[Peter], behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat"
(Luke 22:31). On what basis could Satan make that demand? The context reveals
the answer: "There arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them
was regarded to be greatest" (Luke 22:24). Pride was Peter's downfall, and
it opened the door to the devil's opposition.
The Lord says that pride goes
before destruction and an arrogant spirit before stumbling (Proverbs 16:18). We
must confess areas where we have not denied ourselves, picked up our cross
daily, and followed Him (Matthew 16:24). In so doing we have given ground to
the enemy in our lives.
Have we believed that we could
be successful and live victoriously by our own strength and resources? We must
confess that we have sinned against God by placing our will before His and by
centering our lives around self instead of Him. We must renounce the self life
and by so doing cancel all the ground that has been gained in our members by
the enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We must pray that God will
guide us so that we will do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but that
with humility of mind we will regard others as more important than ourselves
(Philippians 2:3). We must ask God to enable us through love to serve others
and in honor prefer others (Romans 12:10).
Prayer: Loving
Lord, I want my life to be marked by a humble spirit today. Forgive me for my
proud, self-centered ways and independent spirit.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
A COMPASSIONATE FATHER
A COMPASSIONATE FATHER: “...his father saw him
and was filled with compassion for him...” Lk15:20 wp.me/p29yfQ-Ae #love #forgiveness
Courage Transfusion, Part Two
Courage Transfusion, Part Two
by Charles R. Swindoll
by Charles R. Swindoll
In spite of our adversary's subtle and deceitful strategy
against Christians, we are certain of this: In the end, God wins.
What we need until then is a courage transfusion.
Four commands are found in 1
Corinthians 16:13: "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be
strong." Each one of these commands deserves a bold exclamation point.
We'll focus on one each day over the next several days. Today we're discussing
number two.
Here's the second command: Stand alone! It
is rendered here in 1
Corinthians 16:13, "stand firm in the faith." Eugene Peterson
says it this way in The Message: "Hold tight to your
convictions." You may have spent years listening to preaching. Some of you
have taught in Bible Study Fellowship, in small group studies in your home, or
at the place where you work. Many of you are engaged as fine Bible teachers.
Stand firm in the truth you are teaching. When necessary, stand alone.
Don't let it bother you that you are different. That's what
makes you unique. It gives extra value to your intelligence. That's what puts
you in demand. I will tell you from experience, the mentors who have shaped my
life have all been uniquely different. None of them fell into the basic
category of "dull." None of them bored me with the Bible. Their lives
were lived on the edge. Some, admittedly, were a little weird, a little
strange. But I loved it that they didn't blend into the background, like the
majority. They stayed unique. That's what got my attention. They all lived
above the level of mediocrity. Each one was so "different." That's
what attracted me to them.
I want to encourage you to be different, to stand alone. That's
what makes you great. Don't care how others run their companies; run yours
right. Don't care if most of the people walk away from danger; you walk toward
it. You do what's right. Don't lie. Don't cheat. Don't steal. Don't hang around
with people who do. It takes courage to swim upstream, against the current. Do
it!
Monday, December 9, 2013
WISDOM: “Words from a wise man's mouth are
gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips.” Ecc10:12 wp.me/s29yfQ-wisdom #wisewords
OUR ADVOCATE: “Who then will condemn us? No
one—for Christ Jesus is...pleading for us.” Rom8:34 wp.me/p29yfQ-Aa #fight4u #love #God
Courage Transfusion, Part One
by Charles R. Swindoll
by Charles R. Swindoll
The challenge we face is painfully obvious. We've seen from the
previous devotionals that our foundations are in place and trustworthy. The
Lord our God, being our refuge and very present help, relieves us of fear and
worry. He is in sovereign control. He hasn't lost His grip on our times. Under
His mighty hand, we humble ourselves. And, in spite of our adversary's subtle
and deceitful strategy, we are certain of this: In the end, God wins.
What we need until then is a courage transfusion.
Please turn in your Bible to a single verse in 1 Corinthians,
chapter 16. I want to give you eight words that I hope you never forget. I
offer these eight words in four two-word commands. The four commands are found
in verse 13 of 1 Corinthians 16: "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be
strong." Each one of these two-word commands deserves a bold exclamation
point. We'll focus on one each day over the next several days.
Here's the first command: Be alert! When
Paul first wrote this imperative, he put it this way: "Keep on
watching!" Clearly, the command tells us that our great need is to be
acutely aware. It includes spiritual alertness, an awareness of the unseen, an
understanding of the insidious, a quick perception of that which could be a
part of the satanic conspiracy.
I'm not a witch hunter. Don't put me in that category. But as we
have already established in this devotional series, there is a
conspiracy against the plan of God. It has been going on since before the fall
of humanity in the Garden of Eden. Satan hates God's plan, so he works against
it. And the first thing the enemy would love for you to believe is that there
really is no such thing as a conspiracy. It's there, nevertheless. Be on the alert
when you read the newspaper. Pay attention to what is said and
what isn't said. Read today's news magazines and watch today's
news telecasts with keen biblical discernment.
It's time for discernment to kick in. Moms and dads, be alert to
your children. Watch what they do, and pay attention to what they are saying.
Employees, be alert to your bosses and how they are directing your steps.
Bosses, be alert to the companies you are putting together and to the people
you have hired. Christians, be alert to what is going on around you in the
church, at school, in civic matters, among politicians, with the military, and
in the Oval Office.
Be alert to what is said. Be alert to your surroundings, be
alert to people who live around you. Pay attention to your own motives. Listen
to your own words. Be alert when you listen to the radio talk shows, paying
attention to what is said, and even more important, to what is
left unsaid. Be alert!
Be aware of the bait that's being dangled before you that causes
you to yield a little more in an area of weakness. Be alert to the fact that
there is an enemy against you. When your day starts, apply EWO—Eyes Wide Open.
From the moment your feet hit the floor, keep your eyes wide open. That way,
few things will come as a surprise; you'll seldom have to admit, "Why, I
would never have imagined such a thing."
A 1999 movie was titled Eyes Wide Shut. I didn't see
the movie, thankfully, but the title speaks eloquently about today's culture.
Our visual senses are bombarded with shocking, horrifying scenes in
America—drive-by shootings, blatant pornography, tornado and earthquake
disasters, schoolyard assaults, planes plunging into the World Trade Center
twin towers, starving children, corporate scandals, and on it goes. And what do
we prefer to do? We close our eyes, we squeeze them shut, so we don't have to
witness such harsh realities. We opt out. We deny the truth. We run from
reality. In doing so, we close our minds to the enemy's schemes and attacks. We
go through life with eyes wide shut.
In contrast, God says, "Stay alert!" Stay alert to
biblical principles. You will read of them every time you open the Word. You will
hear them every Sunday if you attend a Bible-teaching church. These biblical
principles will guide your steps. Pay close attention to them. Remember them.
Memorize some of them. Be alert! That's God's first line of defense for us. Be
keenly and discerningly aware.
I am continually amazed at the dullness of many Christians, who
will put up with a lack of truth being taught Sunday after Sunday. It's like
the old prophet, Hosea, who said, "My people are destroyed for lack of
knowledge" (Hosea 4:6). Another prophet named Amos wrote of ". . .
a famine on the land, not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but rather
for hearing the words of the LORD." He wrote of people
staggering from sea to sea looking for the truth yet being unable to find it (Amos
8:11–12). He didn't describe simply his own times; he described the United
States of America. Be alert to what you're not receiving from those who should
be declaring God's truths. Be alert to what you're being told. Be alert to the
ministries and other organizations you support financially. Be alert!
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
UNDER GRACE
UNDER GRACE: “Cast your cares on the LORD and he
will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”Ps55:22 wp.me/p29yfQ-zW
Monday, December 2, 2013
SEASONS
“There is a time for everything, and a
season for every activity under the heavens….” Ecc3:1 wp.me/s29yfQ-seasons #change #hope
The Helmet Of Salvation – Neil Anderson
Ephesians 6:17
And take the helmet of
salvation
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