Week #94 God's Goodness

Hello all...grabbed another devotional from Dr. Charles Stanley's InTouch Magazine on Doubting God's Goodness in our lives. Check it out and leave a comment if you can.

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Genesis 3:1-7 (New American Standard Bible)

The Fall of Man

¹Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" ²The woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; ³but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.'" ⁴The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die!

⁵"For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." ⁶When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. ⁷Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they ^F)">knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

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Living in this fallen world can challenge our faith in God’s goodness. The pain and suffering that resulted from Adam and Eve’s sin may cloud our understanding of the Lord and tempt us to blame Him for every difficulty. Then we might wonder why He doesn’t always relieve hardship, fix our problems, and give us what we want.

When Eve listened to the serpent’s lies, she began to doubt that the Lord had made the right choice in forbidding her to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Why would He deprive her of wisdom and the enjoyment of food that looked so desirable?

Our thoughts are similar to Eve’s when we do not agree with our Father about what is best for us. From a human perspective, “good” refers to that which is enjoyable, delightful, comfortable, or profitable. But God has a much higher standard and is always working to achieve His purpose—to develop Christ-like character within His children.

Behind every restriction or commandment from the Lord is His loving care for His followers. He knows the tormenting consequences of sin and wants to deter us from rebellious choices that will wreck our lives. In refusing His will, we choose pain and trouble.

Eve learned through disobedience that God knows what is best. We have opportunity each day to discover His goodness by listening to His voice, obeying His commands, and trusting His wisdom. Whatever comes our way, we can know that He is working for both our temporal and eternal good.

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Here is a link to the link on the InTouch website: Doubting God's Goodness December 2009

© 2009 In Touch Ministries® All Rights Reserved.

Week #91 Relying Upon the Holy Spirit

This week's post is coming from InTouch Magazine's Daily Devotionals (Nov. 17, 2009) by Dr. Charles Stanley.
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Imagine how Peter must have felt when Jesus announced He was going away. The impulsive disciple had a tough time following when the Lord was standing ten feet away; how much more difficult would obedience and loyalty be if Christ wasn’t around to offer encouragement? We can certainly understand the disciples’ fear and frustration. No one can follow Jesus in his or her own strength. But thankfully, we’re not left to figure life out by ourselves. We have a Helper.

For many years I had the idea that, though my salvation was by faith, God’s approval had to be earned. So I did my best but never felt it was good enough. I struggled, failed, tried again, and failed once more. I am grateful the Lord directed me to His better way.

Because God wants His children to experience victory, He equipped them with the Holy Spirit. When we yield to Him, He empowers us, guides us, and expresses the ways of Jesus Christ through our character, conversation, and conduct. On paper, this looks like a passive sort of existence, but in fact, we are constantly confronted with the responsibility to make a choice: we can either follow the Spirit’s promptings or act in our own strength. The latter frequently ends in despair, disaster, or both.

Think about those days when you are “too busy to pray”—or the times you think, Why bother God when there isn’t much going on? The truth is, you’re then relying on yourself. But even when life is routine and boring, the Father wants us depending upon His Spirit to guide us on paths of righteousness.

Week #90 The Trinity Breakdown

Matthew 28:19

Our God consists of 3 persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each is characterized by the same attributes. They are all:

• Eternal - always existing, no beginning or end
• Omniscient - unlimited knowledge
• Omnipotent - infinite power/authority
• Omnipresent - present everywhere at the same time
• Immutable - unchangeable

However...they each have a unique function. Here's a simplified breakdown mostly focusing on the "3rd person" the Holy Spirit.

#1 The Father - Our Creator

• The Father controls the universe and every aspect of our life.

• The Father oversees circumstances and events so that each situation can be used for our good. (Romans 8:28) *This doesn't mean that only good/pleasurable things will come to Christians...but if we read on in Romans 8, we see that even the difficult experiences (v. 35-39) can be used in God's overall plan for Good...and nothing can separate us from the Love of God.

#2 The Son - Our Savior

• Jesus Christ took on flesh and blood and became fully man-while simultaneously remaining fully God-and lived among men. (John 14:9)

• He came to earth with the express purpose of dying on the cross, where He paid the debt for our sins with a perfect sacrifice acceptable to a Holy Father.

• Today, the Son sits at the Father's right hand and intercedes on for us.

#3 The Holy Spirit - Our Helper

• The Holy Spirit resides within every believer, starting at the moment of salvation.

• From the spirit, we receive our spiritual gifts (prophecy, great faith, knowledge, wisdom, etc.) and the power to do the work the Father calls us to do (witnessing, teaching, sharing/giving our time, money, knowledge, etc...).

The "Person" of the Holy Spirit - John 16:5-15

• The Holy Spirit is a person. We know this because Scripture tells us He has four imporant qualities of a person - knowledge, will, emotion, and activity. The Spirit KNOWS God's thoughts and reveals them to Christians (1 Corinthians 2:10-11). He exercises His WILL in the distribution of spiritual gifts to believers (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). He is also FULL OF LOVE (Romans 15:30), and ACTS as our comforter, helper, teacher, and guide.

• The Holy Spirit is co-equal with God the Father and God the Son. After Jesus returned to Heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to Live within Believers.

• By having the Holy Spirit in us, we are identified as God's own! It separates us from the unbelieving world and serves as a divine guarantee that we belong to God forever.

• The Spirit's work is to conform us to Christ's image (Galatians 5:16) and to live Jesus' life through us.

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It basically comes down to us as Believers having Faith that God's Word is true. We are told that upon receiving Salvation, we are given the Holy Spirit and that He resides in us forever. God started it all...Jesus came to earth in the flesh and died for our sins so that we could be forgiven and have access to Heaven/God...and when Jesus ascended into Heaven He left believers with the gift of the Holy Spirit so that we could have Him with us at all times.

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Some material gathered from InTouch.org by searching "Trinity"

Week #85 it starts with ONE (week 3)

Acts 3 - "It Starts With One" Small Group DVD from Seacoast Church on Vimeo.

Once the early church received the Holy Spirit, everything changed. This week we will look at what it means to listen to and respond to the Holy Spirit.
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+READ Acts 3:1-10

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Peter Heals a Crippled Beggar

Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. 2 As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.

4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”

7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. 8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.

9 All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. 10 When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded!

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What did the lame man ask of Peter and John? What did they give him instead?

How can we tell when the Holy Spirit is prompting us to act?



+READ Acts 3:11-16

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11 They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.

Peter Preaches in the Temple

12 Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? 13 For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. 14 You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!

16 “Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.

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Share about any Holy Spirit miracles you’ve witnessed, big or small.

Where do you currently need a Holy Spirit type of faith?

How can you make yourself available for God to use in supernatural ways?

Week #84 it starts with ONE (Week 2)

If you missed last week, click here for some info that will help you get up to speed on what's gonna be happening on Holy Bloggers for the next few weeks :D

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Acts 2 - "It Starts With One" Small Group DVD from Seacoast Church on Vimeo.

The description of the fellowship of the believers found in Acts 2:42-47 comes after the disciples received the power of the Holy Spirit. This week we will look at the connection between the Holy Spirit and authentic community.
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+READ Acts 1:2-4
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2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before.
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What role does the Holy Spirit play in fellowship and community?

How can you experience the power of the Holy Spirit, individually and as a Life Group?


+READ Acts 2:42-47
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42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper, and to prayer.

43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

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In what ways does your Life Group currently reflect this model of community?

Other than wearing masks, what are some factors that keep you from experiencing true community with each other?

What can your group practically do to become a reflection of true biblical community?

Week #83 it starts with ONE (Week 1)

It Starts With One Series Promo from Seacoast Church on Vimeo.

The goal of this week is to understand the mission Jesus left for the Church and what this looks like for us today.

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+READ Acts 1:1-11
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1 In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. 4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” 7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

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Summarize the events that occur in this passage.

How do you imagine the disciples were thinking and feeling after these events?

Do you ever relate to this in your own relationship with God?


+READ Acts 1:8 & Matt. 28:19-20
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8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8


19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matt. 28:19-20

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What mission did Jesus leave with his disciples?

What is your reaction when you hear what Jesus said is the mission for His Church? Are you excited? Fearful? Why?

Would someone observing your life know that this is your mission? Why or why not?


Challenge for the Week:

What is one thing you can do this week to obey Jesus’ final command to his disciples?

Week #81 Peace on Earth...

I read these verses this morning and they filled me with mixed emotions (which I will explain in a comment later)...read them for yourself and let us know how they make you feel...good or bad.

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Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.
I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come
to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her
mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law - a
man's enemies will be the members of his own household.
Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not
worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than
me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his
cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Matthew 10:34-38

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Are these verses shocking, scary, something you already knew...? Is this something you struggle with? Please share :)

#78 Just a Little Bit More

This post is coming from the One Year Mini Devotional for Students book I have. Check it out...
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Can I find contentment?

GOD'S RESPONSE
I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.

Philippians 4:11-12

Contentment is among life's most elusive qualities. The answer to "How much is enough?" always seems to be, "Just a little bit more." The key to Paul's contentment was that he was grateful for everything God had given him rather than envious of what he didn't have. Contentment begins with realizing that we aren't dependent on how much we own. When we realize that there is more to life than accumulating things, everything takes on a new value. Knowing that Jesus gives you strength and help for every situation you face gives you freedom from having to find your security in possessions.

THIS IS PROMISING
I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13

Week #75 How Do You View Satan?

Let's switch things up a little bit. This week...I want everyone to comment about how they view Satan. Is he nice, cocky, scary, a wise guy...etc. You paint the picture. I came across this video that might help you understand a little better what exactly I'm talking about...I hope you enjoy



Basically...I've been very interested to see how the Holy Blogger community views Satan. As "christians" we have to deal with the devil. I want everyone to have a picture in their head when they think of their enemy. This video makes light of everything, but it hits on some key points about our culture and the way we live our lives. I look forward to hearing your descriptions.

Week #70 Renewal

...the inward man is being renewed day by day.

2 Corinthians 4:16 NKJV

When we genuinely lift our hearts and prayers to God, He renews our strength. Are you almost too weary to lift your head? Then bow it. Offer your concerns and your fears to your Father in heaven. He is always at your side, offering His love and His strength.

Are you troubled and anxious? Take your anxieties to God in prayer. Are you weak or worried? Delve in the quiet moments of the early morning. Are you spiritually exhausted? Call upon fellow believers to support you, and call upon Christ to renew your spirit and your life. Your Savior will never let you down. To the contrary, He will always lift you up if you ask Him to. So what, dear friend, are you waiting for?

He is the God of wholeness and restoration.

Stormie Omartian

--A Prayer--

Dear Lord, You have the power to make all things new. When I grow weary, let me turn my thoughts and my prayers to You. When I am discouraged, restore my faith in You. Renew my strength, Father, and let me draw comfort and courage from Your promises and from Your unending love. Amen.

Week #68 Health

This week's post comes from the "Walking with Christ Every Day" 365 daily devotions for teachers book. I have quite a few friends going through different things, either themselves or their family members...suffering from physical sickness or mental and spiritual downers...so this topic seemed just right.

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Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.

Romans 12:1

Are you concerned about your spiritual, physical, or emotional health? If so, there is a timeless source of comfort and assurance that is as near as your next breath. That source of comfort, of course, is God.

God is concerned about every aspect of your life, including your health. And, when you face concerns of any sort--including health-related challenges, God is with you. So trust your medical doctor to do his or her part, and turn to your family and friends for moral, physical, and spiritual support. But don't be afraid to place your ultimate trust in your benevolent Heavenly Father. His healing touch, like His love, endures forever.

A Christian should no more defile his body than a Jew would defile the temple.

Warren Wiersbe

--A Prayer--

Lord, when I am ill or weak or troubled, You heal me. Renew me, Father, and let me trust Your will for my life. Let me welcome Your unending love and Your healing touch, now and forever. Amen.

Week #67 God's Mercy

The following is a passage taken from Max Lucado's Cure for the Common Life: Living in Your Sweet Spot pages 69-70
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"During the writing of this chapter, another picture of God's mercy came my way. The bank sent me an overdraft notice on the checking account of one of my daughters. I encourage my college-age girls to monitor their accounts. Even so, they sometimes overspend.

What should I do? Let the bank absorb it? They won't. Send her an angry letter? Admonition might help her later, but it won't satisfy the bank. Phone and tell her to make a deposit? Might as well tell a fish to fly. I know her liquidity. Zero.

Transfer the money from my account to hers? Seemed to be the best option. After all, I had $25.37. I could replenish her account and pay the overdraft fee as well.

Besides, that's my job. Dog't get any ideas. If you're overdrawn, don't call me. My daughter can do something you can't do: she can call me Dad. And since she calls me Dad, I did what dads do. I covered my daughter's mistake.

When I told her she was overdrawn, she said she was sorry. Still, she offered no deposit. She was broke. She had one option. 'Dad, could you...' I interrupted her sentence. 'Honey, I already have.' I met her need before she knew she had one.

Long before you knew you needed grace, your Father did the same. He made the deposit, an ample deposit. 'Christ died for us while we were still sinners' (Rom. 5:8). Before you knew you needed a Savior, you had one. And when you ask him for mercy, he answers, 'I've already given it, dear child. I've alredy given it."

Week #66 Lord, Please Forgive Me...

When you screw up and you know you have screwed up, do you instantly drop down and ask the Lord to forgive you? Or do you like to hide your sins from the Lord and go a long time before bringing the subject up in prayer? Do you ever bring it up?

As Christians we are called to confess our sins and repent (to turn away from sinful behaviors). We may feel guilty over our sins and try to keep them to ourselves and act like nobody will ever know about what we have done...but we are only hurting ourselves. We forget that God knows and sees everything that we do. We can't hide our actions from Him. Knowing this, how do we think we are benefiting ourselves by not confessing our sins to the Lord.You may ask, if God already knows I've sinned, why do I need to confess it to Him? Fair question...by confessing our sins to God and asking for His forgiveness, we show God that we want to live our lives for Him. We want to please Him and we want Him to make us "white as snow." When God forgives us of our sins, He removes them completely from our lives. In His eyes, they never happened. I don't know about you, but that makes me feel good. Fortunately, there is no sin too big to be forgiven. In order to be forgiven, we have to humble ourselves, be courageous, admit our sins to the Lord, and ask Him to forgive us and believe that He will.

So...When you have sinned and you know you have sinned, don't waste time trying to cover your sin up. Go straight to God and ask for His forgiveness. Ask Him to help you stay away from that behavior and to give you the strength to say no if you are presented with the same opportunity again in the future. God wants us to come to Him when we have sinned (and when we haven't). There is more to gain from confessing our sins than from hiding them. Take it to God...He will be waiting.

Week #64 The Words of Our Mouth

This was taken from the InTouch Monthly Devotional Magazine and written by Dr. Charles Stanley.
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23 Don't have anything to do with arguing. It is dumb and foolish. You know it only leads to fights. 24 Anyone who serves the Lord must not fight. Instead, he must be kind to everyone. He must be able to teach. He must not hold anything against anyone. 25 He must gently teach those who oppose him. Maybe God will give a change of heart to those who are against you. That will lead them to know the truth. 26 Maybe they will come to their senses. Maybe they will escape the devil's trap. He has taken them prisoner to do what he wanted.

2 Timothy 3 Terrible Times in the Last Days

1 Here is what I want you to know. There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will love themselves. They will love money. They will brag and be proud. They will tear others down. They will not obey their parents. They won't be thankful or holy. 3 They won't love others. They won't forgive others. They will tell lies about people. They will be out of control. They will be wild. They will hate what is good. 4 They will turn against their friends. They will act without thinking. They will think they are better than others. They will love what pleases them instead of loving God. 5 They will act as if they were serving God. But what they do will show that they have turned their backs on God's power. Have nothing to do with those people.

Gossip is often regarded as a relatively harmless pastime, particularly when compared to wrongs like murder or adultery. Satan has painted talebearing as innocuous, but if we peel away that deception, we see the ugly truth. In the Bible, God lists gossip among the most depraved sins (Rom. 1:28-31).

Nothing about gossip is harmless. Whether the talk is intentionally hurtful or simply some idle musing, the subject can be hurt or embarrassed. A friend of mine decided to trace a damaging story about himself back to its source. He asked one man after another, “Where did you hear this?” Seventeen pastors later, he finally found the person who had originated the tale. This fellow admitted he had speculated aloud regarding a situation about which he knew little. A destructive chain reaction began with just one man jumping to a false conclusion while chatting with a friend.

Even if the victim never learns of the chitchat going on behind his or her back, gossip still has consequences. The people who spread a tale reveal their inner thinking: “For the mouth speaks out that which fills the heart,” (Matt. 12:34). A poisonous tongue flows with the jealousy, resentment, or pride residing inside.

Gossip has the power to hurt feelings, destroy reputations, and divide churches. We do not have the right to bring such damage into anyone’s life. In fact, God is the only One we should turn to when we hear a story. Those facing trials need prayer rather than tongues wagging over their misfortunes (Gal. 6:2).

© 2009 In Touch Ministries® All Rights Reserved.

Week #63 Give Me Your Eyes - Brandon Heath

Check out the video and take a look at the lyrics in Brandon Heath's song: Give Me Your Eyes. I truly think this song relays an inspiring message and will hopefully make all of us evaluate how we see others.

Looked down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touched down on the cold black top
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breath in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos
All those people going somewhere,
Why have I never cared?

Chorus:
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
Yeah
Yeah

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide what's underneath
There's a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
Too ashamed to tell his wife
He's out of work
He's buying time
All those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared?

Chorus

I've Been there a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just moving past me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
Well I want a second glance
So give me a second chance
To see the way you see the people all along

Chorus (x2)

Week #62 Psalm 34:14 by Catie

Ok Bloggerians this may seem super simple, but I have been focusing on this particular verse in Psalms that I wanted to share and somewhat expound on.

"Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." Ps. 34:14

I am not sure why this statement grabbed my attention like it did... I give props to the Holy Spirit. For the past few months I have found myself dealing with negative thoughts and ugly perceptions of myself related to sin in my life. The pastor at East Cooper Baptist church spoke this past Sunday about having a joyful repentance. I have repented, but my life has been devoid of a joyful repentance. I like the verse above for its imperative nature, but also the charge to seek peace. Once I have joyfully repented, there is no reason to even consider my past sin. The negative thoughts and regrets have no place in my life and in my heart... they have to be replaced --with peace. As Mr. CS Lewis so nicely says in Mere Christianity, " If you want joy, power, peace, eternal life, you must get close to, or even into, the thing that has them (Jesus)." So I hope that we as Christians can honestly ask ourselves: Are we proactively pursuing our Savior. It can be for any and every reason... for me right now, I must get close to and be grateful for his ability to take my sins and make them disappear. Once that area in my life experiences his peace, I will need to get closer to Him for a reason that is just as important I am sure!

Anyway, one further thought concerning disappointing God(sinning) and the bonus of salvation through Jesus Christ...Pastor Brown(ECBC) provided an AWESOME quote that I really wanted to share: Mercy reduces deserved punishment but grace rewards those who deserve punishment. It seemed a bit heavy to me at first, but after giving it some time to sink in I felt like this definition of mercy and grace were perfect for me and I hope they help you guys too. On the cross Christ managed to take my punishment(mercy) AND saturate me to blessings and rewards(grace). In my personal opinion no one can do anything more compelling for me.. ever.

I don't really have a "charge" to leave you with... but just a sense of how we were before Christ and how we are now, IN Christ, basking in mercy and grace.. fully aware of what has been done, what will be done and what can be done through Christ.

By: Catie

Week #56 God's Field

"For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building."

1 Corinthians 3:9

In church this past Sunday, the Pastor referred to Christians as "God's field". I must say I have never thought of myself as God's field or any other kind of field for that matter. But, as the Pastor talked about how a farmer cultivates his field for growing crops, I began to see the comparison. He plows the field. He fertilizes the field. He plants the seed. He waters the field. Ultimately, that is exactly what God does with us. We are a field that God is constantly cultivating to bring forth fruit – win souls to Christ – show Christ's love to others – maintain a personal relationship with Him. When we accept Christ as our Savior we are a big open field. God begins to work with us. He begins to "grow" us into what he wants us to be. He must remove the weeds that have grown up in our lives and prepare us for His service.

A farmer starts this process over each season. I believe that is how God works with us. As Christians, we allow "weeds" to sprout up in our lives. We move away from God. We allow our soil to become "dead". We stop producing new fruit. God, just like the farmer, begins anew with us as we go through the different seasons in our lives. He never stops working with us. He never stops cultivating us.

It is amazing to me how God can take something that is completely dead and bring it back to life. Just as the farmer takes dirt, plants a seed and produces (only by God's hand) something useful. It is a continual thing. The farmer never stops cultivating the land and our God never stops working with us.

If you've ever seen a field at the end of the season, it is not a pretty sight. But wait until the farmer begins working the land for the next season and over a period of time it becomes beautiful again. Just as our lives become fruitful and meaningful as God works with us. I am so grateful that God doesn't give up on me. That he is willing to work with me as I go through the seasons of my life. That He looks at me with love and understanding, knowing that I am a "work in progress" that only He can complete.

By: Diana Abercrombie

Week #51 Fan v. Follower

Thank you to Jon for the opportunity to post... I hope it is an organized train of thought!
In a service at Seacost, that seems to have taken place eons ago, Greg Surratt, the head pastor mentioned to the congregation that he does not want to be a fan of Christ but a follower of Christ. He didn't belabor the point, but that statement has remained with me and began to create an abcess in my soul... thank you Holy Spirit. I am so thankful for my relationship with Christ, but the manner in which I portray/exhibit the relationship to others bothers me. I am afraid many times I could simply be called a fan of Jesus. I love his teaching, I like his style, I openly claim to have a relationship with Him. Yet, I often lack the conviction, the urgency, the intensity and the absolute morality Jesus demanded of his followers.
One strategy that has been helpful in allowing me to take on a "follower" approach, while shedding the "fan" face has been taking captive my thoughts. It is amazing how our thoughts affect our daily lives and habits. I'll refer you to Phillipians 4:8. I recite the Message here mainly because its enhances my personal understanding of what Jesus needs me to focus on to be a productive follower.
"Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies." It is a moment by moment battle but I know the reward of being a Christ follower makes being a Christ fan seem like a major waste of time.
And in the spirit of the season... Luke 2:14 is my "thought" goal.. "Glory to God in the Highest"

By: Catie Cornett

Week #49 Waiting on God

20 We wait in hope for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.

21 In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.

22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,
even as we put our hope in you.

Psalm 33: 20-22

Because our God is an all-knowing, wise, and loving heavenly Father, we’ll always benefit when we follow His schedule. However, waiting on Him can feel difficult.

Throughout the Bible, we read of people who experienced delays before God acted on what He had promised. In the following examples, notice how patience and obedience led to blessing:

1. Noah was told to build an ark because a flood was coming. When the rain did not arrive, his neighbors must have thought him a fool. Yet Noah trusted God and continued to work (Gen. 6:12-22).

2. After reluctantly agreeing to approach Pharaoh about releasing the Jewish slaves, Moses learned it would take a number of warnings before God’s plan would be fulfilled (Ex. 7:1-7).

3. Jesus’ disciples were told to wait in Jerusalem until they received the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4).

When I was a young boy, I learned the importance of patience. After having me plant some seeds in her garden, my mother explained what would happen. First, green sprouts would appear, and then the plants would develop. I kept a close watch on that area, but nothing seemed to be happening. One day I decided to dig up those seeds to see if there was any progress. I found no plants at all. My impatience did not produce any fruit.

The Lord has a plan for each of us, and the timing of every detail is always right. Are you living according to His schedule?

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© 2008 In Touch Ministries® All Rights Reserved.

Week #41 All Shook Up

LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your
holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is
righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no
slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and
casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but
honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when
it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not
accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these
things will never be shaken.

Psalms 15:1-5

We are all faced with challenges. Some challenges come in the form of "big trouble" while other challenges are "small potatoes." How we respond to these daily challenges speaks volumes about our commitment to God and our maturity as one of His followers.

In the verses above, we are given clear answers on how we are to live our lives so that we will "never be shaken." Doing what is righteous, keeping your promises even when it hurts, lending money without usury, and being nice to your neighbors...sounds simple enough right? Then why do we have so much trouble doing (or not doing) the things listed in these verses? Best answer: we are weak. Psalm 37:5 says that if you commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will help you.

God is on our side. He wants us to live lives pleasing to Him. He wants to help us live that kind of life. If we give ourselves to Him and trust Him, He will help us. Every day is a challenge...we have to decide if we are going to follow Christ and trust Him with the things we are faced with or are we going to take on the world on our own. With God on our side, we have no reason to ever be shaken. If we are walking in His light, doing the things that are pleasing to Him, we won't be shaken. The question is...do we trust Him? Are we willing to do what He has asked us to do?