FIRE YOURSELF:

FIRE YOURSELF: “...But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God....” 2Cor1:8-9 wp.me/p29yfQ-CO #trust #needHim

Your Purpose and God's Glory – Dr. Tony Evans

Your Purpose and God's Glory – Dr. Tony Evans

In His Presence: From Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen (Romans 11:36).

God is invisible, and the Bible says no man has seen God at any time. The word glory makes the invisible attributes of God visible to us. The air is thick with His presence. He is everywhere, but our eyes can't see Him. So He must make Himself visible, and that process is revealed to us as God's glory. The word glory comes from a root word meaning weighty or heavy. When God is called glorious, it is a reference to Him being the weightiest, heaviest, deepest being in the universe. 

And God's glory is intrinsic. Whether you recognize it or not, He is glorious because that's just who He is. There are two created things that do not recognize God's glory: Satan and his angels, and mankind. Men tend to believe that life is all about them. But God speaks of  "everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed" (Isaiah 43:7). God created us for His glory, not for our own.

Most of us are anthropomorphic, which means we are man-centered, rather than theocentric, which means God-centered. We tend to ask, "What's in it for me?" But that's God's question, not ours. God's glory is His own passion. He is seeking the highest glory for Himself, and rightly so because He is the greatest in every way. God's glory is the chief end of all things. You will know if someone has a heart for God based on whether or not they are seeking His glory.

One Minute Please

Your growth will always be demonstrated in an increased passion for His name, His glory, and His recognition.

 

GRACIOUS WORDS:

GRACIOUS WORDS: “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”Prov16:24 wp.me/p29yfQ-CK #words #kind

CREATION PROCLAIMS GOD:

CREATION PROCLAIMS GOD: “4 what can be known about God is plain 2 them, because God has shown it 2 them...”Rom1:19-20 wp.me/p29yfQ-CG

HEALTHY ROOTS:

HEALTHY ROOTS: “...He is like a tree planted by streams of water....” Ps1:2-3 wp.me/p29yfQ-CC #strong #blessed #trust

Beauty secret – Bob Coy

Beauty secret – Bob Coy

For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Psalms 149:4 (NKJV)

Fewer things are as sought after in our society as beauty. We want to be beautiful, and we want to be with those who are beautiful. People willingly empty their bank accounts, sacrifice their responsibilities, and dive headlong into compromise for beauty. We all want it, but how well do we understand it?

Webster defines beauty as "the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction." But where do true pleasure and satisfaction come from? They can only come from God, who is the ultimate source of all that truly pleases and satisfies. And in the Psalm above, it tells us that the Lord will beautify the humble with salvation. In other words, God bestows true beauty on those who take refuge in Him.

From time to time, we cross paths with someone who is particularly close to the Lord. Their roots go deep into the Word and into the practice of prayer. In all that they do and say, there's a strong sense of God's pleasure and satisfaction (an inner beauty) that flows through them and touches the people around them.

What is that? That's the beauty of the Lord, which He bestows on those who've humbled themselves under His hand. They don't advertise or brag about their beauty, they simply allow it to radiate from the inside out. This is true beauty, the beauty of God, and it's much more beautiful than anything our culture can come up with.

Instead of seeking beauty in outward, external things, we need to prioritize the beauty that comes from the Lord, which is rooted in the inner work of His Spirit.

Beautiful One, we recognize that true beauty can only come from You. Make us beautiful with Your salvation as we humble ourselves before You.

Created for Eternity – Dr. Tony Evans

Created for Eternity – Dr. Tony Evans

In His Presence: He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

God created you for Himself, and He created you for eternity. You weren't created simply for time. God has placed eternity in our hearts, and there is something about us that wants to live forever. Second Corinthians 5:1-4 says: "If the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, . . . we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life." Our bodies are groaning and aching because we are looking for the eternal reality to take place. 

If we have been made for eternity, yet we are limiting ourselves to thinking temporally, we are not fulfilling our potential. You see, 2 Corinthians 5:10 tells us that we must all appear before Christ's judgment seat, and this conveys that eternity exists on the other side of death. We will be held accountable; we must answer to God. This kind of thinking affects the way we live because if God is the center of our existence and eternity is our goal, this will change our choices, decisions, values, and priorities. 

But many Christians have been deceived. We believe in eternity, but we're committed to time. We don't understand that what we do now should be affected by what is to come. 

One Minute Please 

God has given you a slice of time to prepare you for the reality of eternity. 

Living in Light of Eternity – Dr. Tony Evans

Living in Light of Eternity – Dr. Tony Evans

In His Presence: It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart - (Ecclesiastes 7:2).

Eternity is a long period of time! It's hard to grasp that eternity is never-ending. But let me give you a little illustration to help you understand. Imagine that we could empty the largest body of water in the world, the Pacific Ocean, and fill it up with sand as tall as the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest. Now imagine that a bird flies by and takes one grain of sand off that sand pile once every 100 billion years. How long will it take for that sand pile to disappear? We can consider that amount of time to be equal to one second in eternity.

We weren't just created for sixty or eighty years of life on earth. We were created for eternity. Every baby born on earth is headed toward its dying day; that's just reality. But we were made for more than that. We are meant to experience eternity in the fullness of life with the Father. Death is simply the doorway we must pass through to transfer into the realm of the eternal.

Paul understood this and said: "We also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body" (2 Corinthians 5:9-10). Paul said that because he was a creature of eternity, he would live his earthly life for God. He would live in time in a way that pleased God. 

One Minute Please 

If you're living in time and for time, you're wasting time. 

 

A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY

A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY: “And taking the 5 loaves & the 2 fish he looked up to heaven & said a blessing....”Mk6:41 wp.me/p29yfQ-Cy

The Priesthood of Believers – Dr. Charles Stanley

The Priesthood of Believers – Dr. Charles Stanley

Revelation 5:9-10

According to Scripture, the believer’s citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). In other words, we’re not going to be citizens of an eternal kingdom; we already are.

What’s more, every person who professes Jesus Christ as Lord is part of God’s priesthood. In the ancient Israelite culture, priests were the privileged servants of Almighty God. They carried out all the tasks related to keeping the Law and preserving the spiritual well-being of the people. They cared for the temple, offered sacrifices, and interceded on behalf of the community.

When John says in Revelation 1 that you and I are priests, he is placing us among the ranks of a people set apart as God’s servants. It is a blessing and calling to worship the Lord, to adore and honor Him, and to ensure that all glory is given to His name. Our duties also include interceding on behalf of others.

The one priestly task we do not have to do is perform sacrifices. God Himself offered the final sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, when His Son died in our place. Our part is to bear witness to the breadth and depth of His love for all people. Once you grasp the fact that God looks on His children—every one a former slave to sin—with unconditional devotion, you can’t keep quiet about it.

Believers are special in the eyes of their God and King. We are a sacred people and a holy order. What are you doing with your life? As a believer, you are not your own anymore (1 Corinthians 6:19). You are a priest and a privileged servant of the Most High God.

BUT, IT'S NOT MY FAULT

BUT, IT'S NOT MY FAULT: "... First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”Mt5:23-24 wp.me/p29yfQ-Cu #peace

The Only Worthwhile Purpose – Dr. Tony Evans

The Only Worthwhile Purpose – Dr. Tony Evans

In His Presence: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10).

Have you been duped when it comes to purpose? The only purpose worth living for is God's purpose. Paul said: "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14). If you live with this goal in mind, God will change the way you live. You will stop just being alive and you will start to really live. You will live the abundant life through God's grace because you aren't just living for yourself anymore. You are not here for you, but for God.

You will have stability. You can get off the roller coaster of emotions that comes when you live according to your circumstances. Even when things are bad, you are good because God is good. When Jesus was asleep on the boat in the middle of the storm, His disciples asked, "How can He sleep at a time like this?" Jesus could sleep peacefully because He knew where He was going—He was going to the other side. One of the great blessings of living in purpose is that you can rest. You can rest because you know all things will be used for God's purpose, and you can rest because you know you are going toward God.

You will be provided for. God always supplies that which He has ordained. If you are outside of His purpose, you have to take care of yourself. But if you are walking in His purpose, He will meet all your needs.

One Minute Please

Following God's purpose may not change your place in life, but it will change the way you live your life. 

SONGS OF THE HEART

SONGS OF THE HEART: “speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit….”Eph5:19 wp.me/p29yfQ-Cp #heart #songs

By Hal White – www.blueprintforlife.com

By Hal White – www.blueprintforlife.com

 

A couple weeks ago, I met a good friend for breakfast to catch up on family, work, church, and how God is working in our lives. During our time together, he asked, “How was last year for you? How would you describe 2013?”

I must admit my response surprised me. I described the year as hectic, busy, out of control, exhausting, and full of anxiety. As I described it I thought, But this year is going to be different!

Well, here we are and things haven’t gotten easier; they have gotten tougher. The circumstances I hoped would finally be in control still feel out of control. This reminds me of a time when Jesus calmed what seemed like an out-of-control situation in Matthew 8:23-27.

“Then he [Jesus] got into the boat and his disciples followed him.  Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’

He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.  The men were amazed and asked, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!’”

As I recently read this story, I could relate to the disciples.  They panicked. They were afraid. They experienced despair. I was also reminded I can focus on my circumstances or on the One who controls my circumstances. While thinking about this, I wrote the following in my journal. I hope it encourages you.

Jesus was in the boat with the disciples. He is in my “boat” too. I am never alone, even in my most difficult times. He is in everything I encounter in life. This year I want to be more enamored with Christ who lives in me than overwhelmed by the circumstances that surround me.

When we trust Christ in the middle of a storm, the result is peace and tranquility. “Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves and it was completely calm” (verse 26).

So, rather than trying to jump overboard, let’s stay in our ”boats” and allow Christ to calm us in the midst of our circumstances.  I invite you to be more enamored with the One who lives in you than the circumstances that surround you.

 

 

Sid Stewart

Executive Director

864 226-6193

www.havenofrest.cc

WATCH WHAT YOU WATCH

WATCH WHAT YOU WATCH: “I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless....” Ps101:3 wp.me/p29yfQ-Cl #BeCareful #guardmyeyes

God's Major Objective in Your Life

God's Major Objective in Your Life
by Charles R. Swindoll

Romans 8:28–29

Our world has become a large, impersonal, busy institution.

We are alienated from each other. Although crowded, we are lonely. Pushed together but uninvolved. No longer do most neighbors visit across the backyard fence. The well-manicured front lawn is the modern moat that keeps barbarians at bay. Hoarding and flaunting have replaced sharing and caring. It's like we are occupying common space but have no common interests, as if we're on an elevator with rules such as: "No talking, smiling, or eye contact allowed without written consent of the management."

Painful though it may be for us to admit, we're losing touch with one another. The motivation to help, to encourage, yes, to serve our fellow human beings is waning. People have even observed crimes in progress but refused to help so as not to be involved! Our foundational values are getting lost in these confusing days. And yet, it is these things that form the essentials of a happy and fulfilled life. 

Remember that grand declaration of biblical assurance etched in the rocklike truth of Romans 8? I'm referring to verses 28–29, which read: 

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren. 

Maybe you've never before stopped to consider that God is committed to one major objective in the lives of all His people: to conform us to "the image of His Son."

Excerpted from Improving Your Serve: The Art of Unselfish Living, Copyright © 1981 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. (Thomas Nelson Publishers). All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

I GIVE YOU MY ALL:

I GIVE YOU MY ALL: "... but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.’” Lk21:1-4 wp.me/p29yfQ-Ch #trustGod #money #faith

HE KEEPS ME:

HE KEEPS ME: “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling & to present you blameless….”Jude1:24 wp.me/p29yfQ-Cc #keeping #power

The Right Purpose

The Right Purpose – Dr. Tony Evans

In His Presence: None of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions (Luke 14:33). 

Are you living for the right purpose? If you experience an emptiness that never goes away, or an aimless meandering that dominates your life, these are indicators that you are not on task in pursuing God's purpose for your life. What is getting in the way of pursuing God's purpose for you? Satan fakes us out with the wrong purpose, distracting from the real purpose by influencing us to chase meaningless pursuits.

The apostle Paul said: "Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:12). God saved Paul for a reason, and Paul's goal is to live out that reason. This is true of all believers—we are saved for a reason. Satan doesn't want you to know that, so he uses distractions to keep us focused on our own pursuits. 

What are the main distractions that keep us from realizing and experiencing God's purpose for our lives? One distraction is materialism, or being consumed by our possessions. Jesus made very clear that if we are to follow Him, we must give up our possessions. We can have a house, a car, or whatever, but we shouldn't make things of the physical world more important than things of the spiritual world. We shouldn't let the gifts of God become more important than the God who gave the gifts.

One Minute Please

King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, had more money than he could ever spend, but in the book of Ecclesiastes, he said the pursuit of money is empty. 

 

THE WILL OF GOD

THE WILL OF GOD – Dr. Neil Anderson

 

John 7:17 

If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself

 

Knowing the will of God is not just a twentieth-century problem. People were struggling at the time of Christ. Some people were saying of Him, "He's a good man." Others were saying, "He leads the multitude astray" (see John 7:12). How could these people know whether He was leading them into truth?

 

Seizing the opportunity, Jesus set forth standards of divine guidance. His first admonition was, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself" (John 7:16, 17). The essential prerequisite to know the will of God, according to Jesus, is a willingness to do it.

 

What is the will of God? God's will for those who believe in Him is to be alive in Christ for the purpose of establishing His kingdom by overcoming the evil one and becoming fully the people He has called us to be. Notice the opening words of the Lord's Prayer: "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9, 10). When praying this prayer, we are asking for God's will to be accomplished on earth as it presently is in heaven. Apparently God's will is being perfectly executed in heaven but not on earth.

 

Are you totally committed to do God's will without knowing for sure what it is? Do you hold any reservations about turning your will over to God? Do you really believe that God's will for you is good, acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2)? If God is God and you call Him Lord, doesn't He have the right to exercise His will in your life?

 

Prayer: Father, may Your will be accomplished in my thoughts, words and deeds today as it is being accomplished in heaven

 

 

FOREVER:

FOREVER: “…he has put eternity into man's heart….” Ecc3:11 wp.me/s29yfQ-forever #forever #eternity #heaven #God #security

Gratitude for God's Guidance

Gratitude for God's Guidance
by Charles R. Swindoll

O LORD, lead me in Your righteousness because of my foes;
Make Your way straight before me. (Psalm 5:8)

Our Father, for centuries, You have used Your Word in the hearts of men and women in cultures and countries around this world. You have sent to difficult and obscure places faith-filled missionaries with the Word of God tucked away in their hearts. They have declared it, and You have blessed it. Your Word has spread like wildfire, and, as Your children, we are all recipients of Your faithfulness. Many of us had godly mothers and dads who taught us the way from birth. Some of us learned the truth from mentors when we became adults. Others getting up in years discovered what they had been missing all their lives. We have been redeemed, bought by Christ's blood, delivered from a life of bondage and addiction, and relieved of despair and slavery to sin. How grateful we are!

Thank You, Father, for leading us in our own personal exodus—leading us from start to finish; leading us when we didn't even want to know You; leading us even when we were running from You. Thank You for deliverance from the pharaohs of our lives—cruel taskmasters, all of them—and bringing us to the gentle Shepherd of our souls.

And so, Father, we pause at this moment in quiet worship to remember Your leading. We praise You in the name of Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

See also Exodus 13:21; Psalm 25:5; 139:9–10; Isaiah 11:6.

Excerpted from The Prayers of Charles R. Swindoll, Volume 2, Copyright © 2012 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide

Attention all Men

*************Attention all Men*************

Do you realize that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner?  It is that time of year when you wrack your mind to figure out the perfect gift to give the woman you love.  You should know that flowers die and chocolate adds weight, but the gift that will touch her heart is the gift of a day with other women sharing God's Word, fellowship, laughter, and good food!  Send your sweetheart to this conference and she will be sure to LOVE her gift, and you will too!!! 

See details below.

 

THE CROSS:

THE CROSS: “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing....”1Cor1:18 wp.me/p29yfQ-C4 #thecross #salvation #Christ

THE BELIEVER'S TENT

THE BELIEVER'S TENT – Dr. Neil Anderson

 Genesis 2:7 

hen the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being

 

Biblically, life means to unite and death means to separate . When Adam became a living being, his soul was in union with his body. When he died, his soul separated from his body.

 

As long as you are alive, your soul is united with your body. But when that separation occurs, you do not cease to exist. Paul said that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). Your primary identity is not found in your physical existence. Paul said, "From now on we recognize no man according to the flesh" (2 Corinthians 5:16).

 

Even though your principal identity is more than physical, in this temporal life you cannot function without your physical body. Your immaterial self needs your material self, and vice versa. You need your physical brain to control your movements and responses, and you need your immaterial mind to reason and make value judgments. Your brain is like a computer and your mind is the programmer. The finest human brain can't accomplish anything in a corpse which lacks a mind. And the most brilliant mind cannot function in a brain damaged by Alzheimer's disease.

 

In 2 Corinthians 5:1-4 Paul referred to the believer's body as a tent, the temporary dwelling place of the soul. Using his illustration, I must confess that my tent pegs are coming up, my poles are sagging, and my seams are becoming frayed! At my age I'm just glad that there's more to me than the disposable earth suit I walk around in.

 

You don't exist for your body; it exists for you. That's why Paul said, "I beat my body and make it my slave" (1 Corinthians 9:27 NIV ). In order to fulfill your purpose for being here, you need to manage your body well through exercise, balanced diet and adequate rest.

 

Prayer: Lord, help me to not overemphasize or underemphasize the significance of my physical life but stay in step with Your view

 

 

TOWERS:

TOWERS: “...‘Come, let us build ourselves...a tower...so that we may make a name for ourselves....’"Gen11:3-4 wp.me/s29yfQ-towers #Glory

OUR ESSENTIAL IDENTITY

OUR ESSENTIAL IDENTITY – Dr. Neil Anderson

 

Genesis 1:26 

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness"

 

Adam was created physically and spiritually alive. He possessed eternal life from his first breath and enjoyed God's abiding presence in the Garden of Eden.

 

Furthermore, unlike the animal kingdom that operated by divine instinct, Adam was created in the likeness of God with a mind, emotions and will, giving him the ability to think, feel and choose. No other created being can make that claim.

 

After creating Adam, God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone" (Genesis 2:18). So He created a suitable helper for him: Eve. They both enjoyed a sense of belonging to God and each other. Not only that, God gave them a purpose: to "rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth" (Genesis 1:26). Adam and Eve didn't have to search for significance; they had it in their relationship with God. And because God was present with them, they lived in perpetual safety and security.

 

Eternal life, identity, purpose, significance, security and a sense of belonging are all attributes of mankind created in the image of God. Adam and Eve experienced these attributes in full measure, and we were destined to enjoy them too. But when Adam sinned, he died spiritually and forfeited everything God had provided. Being separated from God, Adam's glowing attributes became glaring needs.

 

As children of Adam born separated from God, we come into the world with these same glaring needs. We wander though life striving to make a name of ourselves, looking for security in temporal things, and searching for significance apart from God. Is it a hopeless quest? No! We are able to fulfill these needs by establishing a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Everything Adam enjoyed in the garden before he sinned is now at our disposal.

 

Prayer: Loving heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to die for my sin so I may have eternal life. And thank You that in Christ my need for identity, significance, security and a sense of belonging can be met.

 

MORNING PEOPLE

MORNING PEOPLE: “…Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Ps30:5 wp.me/p29yfQ-BV #sad #depressed #joy #Son

Overcoming Fear

Overcoming Fear
by Charles R. Swindoll

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

Lord God, fear threatens to overtake us, to hinder us from trusting You. We often seek to rely on ourselves, trusting in our own strength to accomplish our own desires. Because we recognize the realities and the dangers of this distressed world, we thank You for making Your plan clear to ultimately remove all fear and anxiety and worry. Thank You for communicating the truth about fear in terms we can grasp. Thank You for challenging us to trust You as You unfold Your plan in the teaching of Scripture. Give us a commitment to Your truth, so that we live differently and think differently. Help us to be passionate about what matters so that we care more about the eternal and less about the temporal.

Shake us awake, our Father, with the reality that the world is heading in the wrong direction. Remind us that we have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people, despite the lawless times . . . if we would but trust You. Deliver us from fear that holds us back, that we might magnify the name of Jesus Christ, regardless of our work, our calling, and our involvements. For Jesus's sake we pray. Amen.

See also Genesis 26:24; Deuteronomy 3:22; Psalm 46:1–2; Luke 12:7

Excerpted from The Prayers of Charles R. Swindoll, Volume 2, Copyright © 2012 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.

 

 

Sid Stewart

Executive Director

864 226-6193

www.havenofrest.cc

BELIEVE IN GOD – Dr. Neil Anderson

Hebrews 11:6 

Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him

The life of Wilma Rudolph, the great Olympic sprinter, is a remarkable story of faith. Wilma was born with health problems that left her crippled. "Will I ever be able to run and play like the other children?" Wilma asked her parents.

"Honey, you have to believe in God and never give up hope," they responded. "If you believe, God will make it happen." Taking her parents' counsel, she painfully struggled to walk. By the time she was 12, to the delight and surprise of many, Wilma no longer needed her braces. She went on to play basketball on her championship high school team and win three gold medals in the 1960 Olympics.

When you hear inspiring stories of faith like Wilma Rudolph's, do you sometimes wonder, "What could I accomplish if I took God at His Word?" Faith is the foundational principle of the Christian life. Believing who God is, what He says, what He has done, and what He will do defines the kingdom of God.

Furthermore, faith is the essence of the Christian's day-to-day activity. Paul wrote: "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him" (Colossians 2:6). How did you receive Christ? By faith. How then are you to walk in Him? By faith. In Scripture, walking refers to the way you conduct your everyday life. Victorious Christian living and spiritual maturity are determined by our belief in God.

We tend to think of faith as some kind of mystical quality which belongs only in the realm of the spiritual. But everybody walks by faith. It is the most basic operating principle of life. The question is, in what or in whom do you believe? We are challenged to believe in God and take His Word seriously.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that Your Word stands forever in heaven. I can trust in You and Your Word despite my changing feelings and circumstances.

IN MY RIGHT MIND

 “...the man...sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed & in his right mind....”Lk8:35 wp.me/p29yfQ-BR #peace #mind

Seeing through the storm – by Shana Schutte, Blueprint For Life

 

Most days in Southern Colorado are sunny, “roll-the-top-down-and-let-the-wind-blow-in-your-hair” days. Contrary to popular opinion, life along the front range of the Rockies isn’t all blizzards and snow flurries.

On sunny days, navigating along a curvy mountain road is no problem. The sky is blue, the road is clear, and the view ahead is unobstructed. But there are days when snow creates a whiteout and you have no idea if you are driving on the right side of the road and you might even wonder if you are going in the right direction.

Pursuing God’s purposes for one’s life can be like Colorado weather. I’ve had my share of “roll-the-top-down” days (mostly seasons), when moving in God’s calling seemed crystal clear. I had confidence about my direction.

And then I have had the opposite.

During these times, I have experienced decreased visibility which equaled doubts about the future. The calling I thought I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt came into question. God, am I still going the right direction? Lord, is this still your purpose for me? The road no longer seemed clear.

The great news is that during these days—or even seasons—of decreased visibility, we can still live in confidence because faith looks through what is seen in the natural (and even “through” what we feel) to see what is invisible with our spiritual eyes—specifically to Who is invisible.

Scripture says that Moses had confidence, that he persevered because he saw “him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27). True, Moses literally saw God in the form of a burning bush. But he also saw God with the “eyes of his heart” or his spiritual eyes described by Paul in Ephesians 1:18.

We also have “eyes of the heart” with which we can see Him who is invisible too. When we “see” with eyes of faith, when we lean on Him for direction, even though the future is unclear, we recognize that it is never unclear to Him. This is what gives us confidence when the road of life is uncertain. It’s at these times that focusing less on what we do and more on Who we know is of utmost importance. We steady ourselves with the confident hope that we have a God who loves us and wants us to get where we need to go more than we want to get there.

PRAY BELIEVING

 “So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church”Acts12:5 wp.me/p29yfQ-BN #pray

GOD WON'T FORGET ME

“... I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands....”Is49:15-16 wp.me/p29yfQ-BI

OUR DYNAMIC POWER SOURCE

Ephesians 1:19  
...the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might...

In Ephesians 1:19-21, Paul gives us a peek at the dynamic source of our authority in Christ. He explains that the authority at our disposal flows from the reservoir of power which raised Jesus Christ from the dead and seated Him at the Father's right hand. That power source is so dynamic that Paul used four different Greek words in verse 19 to describe it: power (dunameos), working (energeian), strength (kratous), and might (ischuos) . Behind the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ lies the mightiest work of power recorded in the Word of God. And the same power which raised Christ from the dead and defeated Satan is the power available to us to overcome the works of Satan in our daily lives.

Paul opens our eyes to the expansive scope of Christ's authority which is "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come" (Ephesians 1:21). Think about the most powerful and influential political or military leaders in the world. Imagine the most feared terrorists, crime kingpins and drug barons. Think about Satan and all the power of darkness marshaled under his command. Jesus' authority is not only above all these human and spiritual authorities past, present and future, but He is far above them. We share the same position because we are seated with Christ in the heavenlies, which enable us to live in freedom and victory over demonic intrusion and influence.

Don't be deceived. You are not under Satan's power or subject to his authority. You are in Christ above all demonic rule, authority and power.

Prayer: Reigning with You, Lord - what a liberating thought! I praise You today for the power You share with me.

Greater Vision in Concert Feb. 28th

NO REARVIEW MIRRORS

NO REARVIEW MIRRORS: “But [Lot’s] wife looked back from behind him, & she became a pillar of salt.” Gen19:26 wp.me/p29yfQ-BE #focus

The Greatest Joy

The Greatest Joy

Song of Songs 1:2

How encouraging is the thought of the Redeemer's never-ceasing intercession for us. When we pray, He pleads for us; and when we are not praying, He is advocating our cause, and by His supplications shielding us from unseen dangers. Notice the word of comfort addressed to Peter--"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but" ¹--what? "But go and pray for yourself"?

That would be good advice, but it is not so written. Neither does He say, "But I will keep you watchful, and so you shall be preserved." That would be a great blessing. No, it is, "But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail." ²

We little know what we owe to our Savior's prayers. When we reach the hilltops of heaven and look back upon all the way whereby the Lord our God has led us, how we shall praise Him who, before the eternal throne, undid the mischief that Satan was doing upon earth.

How we shall thank Him because He never held His peace but day and night pointed to the wounds upon His hands and carried our names upon His breastplate! Even before Satan had begun to tempt, Jesus had forestalled him and entered a plea in heaven. Mercy outruns malice. Consider, He does not say, "Satan hath desired to have you." He checks Satan even in his very desire and nips it in the bud. He does not say, "But I have desired to pray for you." No, but "I have prayed for you--I have done it already; I have gone to court and entered a counterplea even before an accusation is made." O Jesus, what a comfort it is that You have pleaded our cause against our unseen enemies; You have unmasked their ambushes. Here is a matter for joy, gratitude, hope, and confidence.

 

From Morning & Evening revised and edited by Alistair Begg copyright © 2003. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org.

 

Sid Stewart

Executive Director

864 226-6193

www.havenofrest.cc