TIMELESS ETERNAL LOVE

PART 1: NOT ~ An Earthly Time Plan

Lord, You are an infinite God without end or beginning. Not only are you aware of all I have ever been or experienced, you are aware of all there is to come. In fact, You have already been there and know me…know all I have experienced from moment to moment. You have experienced my life in an intimate way even to the numbering of the hairs on my head. Every detail of my life is important and valuable to You.

Though I am constrained in my thinking as it relates to time, You are not. The greatest hindrance to not living a life outside the constraints of time is to see it limited and unyielding…to see time as having no potential outside of the moment. To do so eliminates all consequences and blessings resulting out of time based actions on my part. Time is eternal and I must see it as such. What I do in time affects the times to come; therefore, it has eternal consequences both good and bad in my life.

I choose today to see outside this earthly time. I ask that you teach me to see beyond the moment into a realm where there is no time so I can put more value on what I do at any given time. Teach me to see everything I do with eternal eyes. As I do this, what I participate in or don’t participate in will change in order to bring about the most effective change in my life. Therefore, by changing my way of thinking and relying only on you Lord, and not being constraint by time the conclusion is, that You have the perfect plan for my life no matter my years in this present time.

PART 2: Words in Time

Lord, the experiences, struggles and circumstances of life have no bearing on Your goodness. Bad things in life do not determine Your goodness. Plain and simple, You are good and truthful at all times regardless. I cannot look at things around me as a barometer of who You are. To do so would limit You to a level of being subject to the actions of men accomplished in finite time.

There is no deception in Your heart for You are Truth. All the Words You have ever spoken have been in Your heart before all time and now are being revealed through the present age and the ages to come. Not one will fall to the ground nor will they come back to you without accomplishing the purpose for which they were sent, specially in my life.

Lord, I declare myself to be a keeper of every Word You have given to me. I promise that none will fall into uninhabited wilderness places, with faith I hold on to the promises. Every Word falls into the good soil of my heart to bring forth eternal purposes in supernatural ways. Father, I thank you for speaking those Words to my life for this time.

 

PART 3: The Promises in the Word for My Life

Today, I declare the desires of the Lord for my life shall unfold step by step as His light fills my path and gives me direction. The thoughts of the Lord’s heart for me are available and accessible at all times and I am one who puts my ear to His heart that I might know them. Every Word proceeding from Him to me has the power to transform my life and heart if I choose to embrace each one with faith. The ravages of time in my own life, the lives of those I love and those sent to me can and will be changed by the release of an eternal redemptive Word from the Lord. As a result my generations can and will be transformed.

The Lord has consecrated me and set me apart for His good pleasure, not according to my works but according to the redemptive work of the Cross. Therefore, no matter how much time has sifted through my hands, the grace, mercy and call of God on my life will have its way as I surrender my heart. One by one the dominos will fall and I will obtain the prize of my high calling in Christ Jesus. As a result, blessings will flow down through the ages in many profitable and redeeming ways.

Today and every day after the Lord has called me to speak no evil, hear no evil and see no evil. He has called me to speak the Word, hear the Word and see the Word come to pass. I am chosen and I will walk with eternal perspective displaying the glory of the Lord for ages to come. I will walk in faith renewing my mind to accept and believe that which He has establish before the beginning of time for my life. In Jesus mighty name I declare it is written!

 

PART 4: Eternal ~Timeless Revelation

Lord, Your great love which loved me even while I was at my very worst…while I was a sinner without any desire for me amazes me…cradles me and calls me to higher ground. Your love calls me to a place of complete acceptance in the Beloved where no condemnation, guilt or shame can live. .....Knowing how much you were aware of all my faults, failings and outright rebellion yet loved me, sets my heart ablaze with gratitude and thanksgiving. To know Your great unconditional love, sets my heart on a course to live outside the limits and confines of time with realization of eternal results.

Therefore, I declare myself as one who lives in the goodness, mercy, grace, love and hope of God at all times. I live and move within the beating of the Lord’s heart to accomplish His will on a day by day, moment by moment basis. The plans and desires of the Lord’s heart for me are too numerous to be counted and it will take all of eternity to fulfill them in any measure........... His thoughts toward me are more than every grain of sand and the sands of time cannot displace one thought or one plan, for I am seated in heavenly places with Him far above all things natural. The temporal things of my life are giving way and will give way to the eternal things of His Word and His heart.

I declare a renewing of my mind and I align my mind with the mind of Christ so I may understand the things of eternity. I know that my natural life on this earth is but for a moment and will give way in the blink of an eye when I step into the realm of His eternal timeless glory. All that is of Him in me will continue on to experience and do more eternal things.

The ages past and the ages to come are all permeated with Him and are pregnant with purpose at all times. I am right now this very moment receiving revelation, truth, wisdom and understanding for the moment and for the ages to come from Him. I am an eternal timeless one created in the image of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I am in heavenly places far above the tediousness of life and I embrace my position with a fully surrendered heart.

I am timeless in Him!

♥▬▬▬▬▬▬▬◊Word of God◊▬▬▬▬▬▬▬♥

Mathew 13:11 ~ Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted."

Jeremiah 29:11 ~For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Washing Instructions

The Way of the Master Minute - Titanic Survivor

from Gospel for Chico by The Molters

 

Titanic Survivor
If you are a Christian, see yourself as a survivor of the Titanic. All around you, people are sinking into the freezing waters of death. There's room in the lifeboat. What are you going to do? You must make every effort to save them. Nothing is more important. Bible commentator, Matthew Henry, said, "The salvation of one soul is of infinitely greater importance than preserving the lives of multitudes. Let us in our several stations keep these things in mind, sparing no pains in God's service, and the event will prove that our labor is not in vain in the Lord. For six thousand years, He has been multiplying pardons, and yet His free grace is not tired nor grown weary. Certainly Divine mercy is an ocean that is ever full and ever flowing." There goes another minute. Gone forever. Go share your faith while you still have time.

Amazing Coincidence
In 1898, 14 years before the Titanic made her maiden voyage, Morgan Robertson published his book, Futility or the Wreck of the Titan. This was the story of an "unsinkable" massive ocean liner, which like the Titanic, was on its maiden voyage from Britain to New York in the month of April, with 2,000 people on board. While it was also attempting to cross the Atlantic in record time, it too struck an iceberg and sank. Not only were the ships' names very similar, but most on board also perished simply because there was of a lack of lifeboats.

But most remarkable of all, the story of the Titanic has incredibly close parallels to the biblical plan of salvation. Just as the great pleasure ship struck an iceberg and sank, this great world—with all its inhabitants, is slowly sinking into the cold grip of death. As with the passengers of the Titanic, only those who believed that they were in impending danger looked to the lifeboats, so only those who believe that they are in mortal danger will look to the Lifeboat of the Savior, Jesus Christ. The great "iceberg," which will take the world to an icy grave is the Moral Law—the Ten Commandments.

 

Here is the evidence that we are sinking: Jesus said that if we look with lust, we commit adultery in our heart. No one who has had sex out of marriage, or any liar, or any thief will enter Heaven. The Bible says that if we hate someone, we are guilty of murder. We fail to put God first. We make a god in our image. We break all the Commandments. If we stay with the "ship," we will perish on the Day of Judgment, when all of our sins come out as evidence of our guilt. God, however, is rich in mercy and doesn't want anyone to go the Hell. He made a way for us to be saved. Jesus Christ, the One whom the Bible calls the "Captain of our salvation" gave His life so that we could have a place in the life boat. He took our punishment upon Himself—suffering on the cross for us. We broke God's Law, but He paid our fine. Then He rose from the dead, defeating death. The moment we repent and trust in Him alone for our eternal salvation, God will forgive us and grant us the gift of eternal life.

 

Don't hesitate. You may leave it too late! It was reported that some of the lifeboats that left the ship early were only half full. This was because many on board refused to believe that the —unsinkable— Titanic was sinking. They perished because their faith was misguided. Don't be like them. Believe the gospel. Repent and trust Jesus Christ today, read the Bible daily, obey what you read, and God will never let you down.

http://www.livingwaters.com

Romans 8

Good morning everyone! It's a wonderful morning here in Irvine! We didn't make it to church this morning cause my friend's husband is sick, so I thought I would just have my own little worship time, since I'm up anyway (and roommate back home woke me up at 7am). :-) The reading was powerful: Romans 8.  And of course verses 38 & 39 got me singing: "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

Prayer for today: "Dear Lord, give me the strength to be weak so I can release anything that prevents me from seeing how deeply You love me. Open the eyes of my heart so You can reach me wherever I may be, to take me wherever I need to go. Remind me that it's only when I rest in Your promises that I can wage war to defeat the enemy. Thank You, Lord, for never giving up on me. In Jesus' Name, Amen."  

"Open the eyes of my heart Lord, open the eyes of my heart, I want to see You, I want to see You." :-)

Bare branches

from (in)courage by AnnieBlogs

Three and a half years ago my life fell apart.
In one emotionally draining [understatement] week, I lost it all.
My best friend.
My ministry.
My church home.
My peace of mind.
My understanding of where life was going and what the next day/month/year would even look like.
Something died that week.
Do you know that feeling? I think we all do at some level, right?

The realization that, in a moment, so many things housed in the TRUTH category can be ripped out and put in the THAT'S WHAT YOU THOUGHT category.

Painful. To date, the most painful experience I have ever known.

And though details would make this a juicy story and a real tear-jerker, I've never written about it and I won't. But. What I will tell you about is how God used that experience to change my entire life.

As Bible teacher and author Beth Moore says, "God allows wounding in your life so that He can bring healing."

And that statement, my friends, can have permanent residence in the TRUTH part of your heart.

In the few months after the total destruction of the life I knew, God began to speak to me of His love. At first, my reply was, "Uh. Yeah. Are You serious right now? Cause hello! You just allowed my life to FALL-A-PART. I'm supposed to label that as LOVE?!?"

[Cause sometimes a sarcastic tone is all I can muster. Forgive me.]

I went to a new Bible study during this LOVE season. My heart was broken and in all honesty, I felt a bit lost in my own skin. So anytime someone invited me to something involving God, I went.

The leader passed out a drawing, a tree with a girl standing in front of the trunk, to each of us. The goal, she said, was to add leaves to the tree with words representing all the ways God is using you in the world, yadda yadda blah blah blah. I stopped listening.

I stared down at my tree. And it looked just like me. Bare. Empty. Dead.
My eyes began to focus and see something coming out of the limbs. I grabbed my Raspberry Crayola marker and began to color.
There, in the empty, in the death, in the absolute absence of life, was L-O-V-E.
Can you see it?

When everything was pruned away, there I was, standing under the tree of His love.

Today, if life seems to have thrown you more curve balls than you can even fathom, if all that was true yesterday is suddenly false, if you are broken in the deepest of places, I'm asking God to draw near to you.

Because somewhere in your bare branches, He is writing His love to you.

Choose Joy

from (in)courage by Jessica Turner

About two months ago, my pastor Pete Wilson talked about joy. Since then, I haven't been able to get his words out of my head.

Choose joy.
Choose joy.
Choose joy.

When I am frustrated about something, I hear the whisper of the Lord, choose joy, my child. Don't let this silly thing steal your joy. The root of my frustration usually stems from me doing too much. I am the type of personality that likes to be busy. I do a lot. I write a lot of lists. I oftentimes over-commit, and excitement about a new project can turn to overwhelming dread when I evaluate all that is on my plate.
Can you relate? Surely I'm not the only woman who juggles way too much.
In the same sermon about joy, Pete said, "everybody has treasures. Your treasures shape you. You'll become like what you idol."
What are my treasures? What do I idol?

Busyness. Achievement.
Juggling too much - and appearing to do it "well"


Am I choosing joy? Not when these are my treasures. The joy they bring is temporary.

These are not what I want my treasures to be, but if I look honestly at my life, I can't deny their presence. And they are stealing the joy of the Lord that is inside of me.

What Pete said next really hit close to home.

"If you are worshiping something other than God you will be chronically disappointed. When you are living in a healthy rhythm, you will treasure more."

We are in month three of a new decade, and I am striving to choose joy and live in a healthy rhythm of loving God and growing closer to Him.

Am I still busy?

Yes.

But I am trying to not let that busyness interrupt the healthy rhythm I want to live.

I'm choosing joy.

What are your treasures? What interrupts your rhythm?

Encouragement Thoughts

"For I've discovered on the other side of achievements if you were lonely before you win, you'll be lonely after you win. No amount of outward success can give you inward acceptance." ~ Lysa TerKeurst

"Love prescribes an answer in a given situation as no mere rule can do. ~ Elisabeth Elliot {If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. Love…bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. ~ I Cor. 13}" ~ P31 Ministries

Abide in Christ

"It is the faith that continually closes its eyes to the weakness of the creature, and finds its joy in the sufficiency of an Almighty Savior, that makes the soul strong and glad." ~ Andrew Murray, Abide in Christ

Are you digging a hole or building a cathedral?

Last month I attended a professional development and networking luncheon. It was more interesting than it sounds.
Something from that lunch has stuck with me – and I don’t mean the dozens of announcements or painfully basic tips on getting involved in social media.
During a conversation about the characteristics that make up a leader, the woman facilitating our discussion told a story.

A woman was walking down the street and saw three men, each one digging a hole in the ground. The woman stopped and asked the first man, “What are you doing?”
That man didn’t hesitate at all. He answered, “I’m digging a hole.”
The woman moved on to the next man and asked him, “What are you doing?”
This man looked at his toolbox, then back at the woman. Then he said, “I’m building something.”
The woman walked a bit further and reached the third man. She asked, “What are you doing?”
That man leaned back on his shovel and stared into space for just a moment before replying, “I’m creating a cathedral.”

Each of those men performed the same task, but they had different perspectives on why they were doing it. The point of that story, as I’m sure you can figure out, is that a leader is someone who not only completes the task at hand, but also understands how it fits into the larger goal and shares the vision of that bigger picture.
I left that luncheon a little disappointed, as I’d hoped to take away some more tangible tips for positioning myself as a leader. But later, as I sifted through the stack of business cards I’d collected that day, I kept coming back to that phrase: creating a cathedral.
I thought about creating a cathedral and what that means to me. I thought about it as I listened to Matchbox 20 sing about being the head honcho. I thought about it as I read blog posts by stay-at-home moms who consider themselves family managers. I thought about it as I looked at my to-do list and wished I could delegate the less fun tasks to someone else.

And I realized I’d learned more than I realized about leadership.
Leadership is more than being in charge, being the boss of somebody. It’s more than a fancy office or an impressive title. It’s more than having underlings follow your directions; it’s more than having underlings.
Leadership is about stewardship. It’s about understanding that each item on our to-do list is part of a goal, a vision. Even when it’s not fun. Or seemingly important. Or glamorous, rewarding, gratifying. And it’s about doing those things well, because the bigger picture is more important than the tedium, the boredom, the sweat, the tears.
It’s remembering that writing 300 press releases in one month, while repetitive, is my contribution to the success of 650 small businesses across this country. It’s remembering that balancing my checkbook, though boring and full of math, is the accountability that keeps my family within the budget that will free us from debt. It’s remembering that changing diapers, while at times disgusting, is a gesture of love to my daughter.
I become a leader – even when I’m just leading myself – when I treat my tasks as part of the bigger picture that I believe in. And – no big surprise here – it’s what God tells us to do anyway.
While the image of a cathedral is new to me, the idea of working with honor no matter how large or small the task, is one the Lord has taught me over and over. After yet another reminder a few months ago, I finally wrote it out on a giant post-it and stuck it above my computer at work:

“Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
(Colossians 3:17)
“Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men.”
(Ephesians 6:7)

Your to-do list may look different than mine, but we can all create a cathedral with even our most mundane tasks. What is your cathedral today?
by Mary, Giving Up on Perfect

Just some thoughts....

Throughout life, we are all faced with fears of the unknown and personal problems that seem hopeless or scary, and it is so easy to get caught up in our emotions, forgetting to look for God. In some situations, we may even find ourselves wondering if God is really aware of our problems, and doubt if He really cares, but 1 Peter 5:7 ("cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.") is a sweet reminder that He is aware, He does care, and He is with us.

At times, life can make us feel like we are in a fog - a fog so dense and heavy that it seems nearly impossible to feel or see God at all. But even if we can't "see" Him, He has promised to be with us, if we surrender our hearts and sincerely seek out His face.

Then, as we walk with Him, and sincerely believe He is walking with us, we enter into a place to receive His provisions, His blessings, His comfort and His peace. When we prepare our hearts to experience Him, He will prepare our eyes to see Him.

Dear Lord, I seek Your face with my whole heart. Help me to see You in a special way. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Life

Life can be full of ups and downs, twists and turns. We've all had to face challenges and difficulties. But did you know that everything you've been through up until now is getting you prepared for what God is going to do in your future? Nothing in your life has been wasted. Every disappointment, every setback, every person that did you wrong, every lonely night, God is going to turn around and use for your good!

During the difficult times, we grow and mature. That's when our faith is stretched and our character is developed. God didn't send that hardship, but He'll use it to get you prepared for your next step. Those adversities will help make you and mold you into the person you are called to be.

You may be experiencing tough times today, but remember, nothing is ever wasted. Have the attitude that says, "This is a new day. Things are shifting in my favor. This difficulty is not going to stop me. It's going to promote me. It was meant to bring me down, but I know the truth; God is going to use it to lift me up and lead me into victory all the days of my life."

What Love means to a 4-8 year old . . .

Slow down for three minutes to read this. It is so worth it.  Touching words from the mouth of babes.

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds,  'What does love mean?'  The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.  See what you think:

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'
Rebecca- age 8

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.  You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'

Billy - age 4

'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'

Karl - age 5

'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.' 

Chrissy - age 6

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'

Terri - age 4

'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'

Danny - age 7

'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that.  They look gross when they kiss'

Emily - age 8

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'

Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'
Nikka - age 6

(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day.'
Noelle - age 7

'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'

Tommy - age 6

'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'

Cindy - age 8

'My mommy loves me more than anybody.  You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'

Clare - age 6

'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'
Elaine-age 5

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.'

Chris - age 7

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.'
Mary Ann - age 4

'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'

Lauren - age 4

'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image)

Karen - age 7

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'
Mark - age 6

'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'

Jessica - age 8

And the final one

When there is nothing left but God, that is when you find out that God is all you need. Take 60 seconds and give this a shot!

The son, the son, who’ll take the son?

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, ‘Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his live. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.’ The young man held out this package. ‘I know this isn’t much. I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.’

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. ‘Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.’

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction oh his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. ‘We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?’

There was silence…

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, ‘We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.’

But the auctioneer persisted. ‘Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?’

Another voice angrily, ‘We didn’t come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh’s, the Rembrandt's. Get on with the REAL bids!’

But still the auctioneer continued. ‘The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?’

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. ‘I’ll give $10 for the painting…’ Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

‘We have $10, who will bid $20?’

‘Give it to him for $10. Let’s see the masters.’

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. ‘Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!’ A man sitting on the second row shouted, ‘Now let’s get on with the collection!’

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. ‘I’m sorry, the auction is over.’

‘What about the paintings?’

‘I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!’

God gave HIS son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: ‘The son, the son, who’ll take the son?’

Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything. FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO SO EVER BELIEVE, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE…THAT’S LOVE.

Poisoned Pride

By: Luann Prater

"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 23:12 (NIV)

I love Stacie Orrico's song "Don't Look at Me." She sings, Don't look at me if you're looking for perfection. Don't look at me, I will only let you down. I'll do my best to point you in the right direction. Don't look at me, look at Him.

These lyrics remind me of a resounding theme I noticed recently in Mark 15:9-10, Matthew 23:1-39 and Luke 18:9-14: leaders who shined the spotlight on themselves. They had no interest in making Jesus the main attraction. God pulled a few lessons out of each passage for me to do the mirror test on my heart.

The problem that tripped up the leaders in Jesus' day might look familiar to you and me:

Lesson #1 – Envy

The chief priests were burning with envy over the popularity of Jesus. He had only been on the scene for three years, yet the marketplace was always buzzing with the latest Jesus story! Perhaps the chief priests wondered, Why is HE the center of attention? What makes HIM the authority figure?

Envy is a poison we may not even recognize. We give it a nicer title like "keeping up with the Jones" or "climbing the corporate ladder," but being upset with someone else's success is a bone-rotting toxin. Proverbs 14:30 confirms it saying, "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones" (NIV).

Lesson #2 - Practice What You Preach

The leaders were busy barking legalistic orders to others, but didn't apply the rigid rules to their own lives. Legalism is a strict adherence to the law and rules, and usually packs a punch of guilt if the regulations aren't followed to the letter.

James 1:22 say s, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (NIV). The leaders of Jesus' day had great amounts of scripture memorized, but did not live it out. They focused on the rules and making others follow them, rather than on pleasing God. If we are focusing on keeping rules and rituals, instead of building a relationship with Jesus, we too are missing the point. Maybe shifting our angle is in order. Look up. Let Bible study move us past just reciting scripture to allowing its life-giving Spirit to penetrate our actions.

Lesson #3 - All For Show

Dressing up and looking good made the Pharisees believe their own press. They seemingly had it all together. Do we act that way too? When asked, "How are you?" do we put on a happy face and respond, "Fine," when in fact, all is not fine? Do we fear what people will think or how they will react if they know we messed up again? It's easy to think, "My issues are nobody's business." Truth is, they are G od's business because you belong to Him.

Lesson #4 - Clean The Inside

"Woe to you," Jesus repeated over and over to the Pharisees throughout Matthew 23. The junk that was brewing inside their hearts didn't resemble the righteous life they claimed to live.

Everyone sees our pretty outside attire, but God knows what's going on beneath the surface. When He cleans house, He starts on the inside.

What's lurking in your dark corners? If self indulgence, self-reliance, or self-centeredness has camped out in your heart, let the housecleaning begin! Soon your outer beauty will radiate your new inner beauty.

This mirror test revealed some junk in my life. What did you see in your reflection? A prideful heart, or a passion for Christ? Are you wanting others to look at you, rather than God? Psalm 10:4 says, "In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God." Pride is a venom. Making room for God takes deliberate action.

As the song says, "Don't look at me, look at Him."

Dear Lord, pride can camp out so easily in our hearts. Will you clean us from the inside out and let us reflect You? In Jesus' Name, Amen.

When Your Mess Becomes Your Message

"Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise." Jeremiah 17:14 (NIV)

God happens to be in the restoration business. He is willing to restore and heal all who come to Him. It doesn't matter who you are, what you've done, or what has been done to you. God is willing and able to turn any tragedy into triumph.

The truth is, we don't have the strength, will power, or ability to free ourselves from bondage no matter what the bondage is—drugs, lust, gluttony, pride, anger, or fear. Until we renounce our
sickness and surrender to Christ, we will never experience freedom. On the other hand, when we are willing to give King Jesus our mess, He turns it into our message.

Oh, friends, when you and I allow God to turn our mess into our message, He not only changes our lives, but He changes the lives of others too.

Dear Lord, Your mercy astounds me. Your goodness overwhelms me as I cry out "heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me and I will be saved." God, give me opportunities to speak of Your hope so that others may know Your goodness and salvation. In Jesus Name, Amen

Where will you spend eternity?

http://www.2believe.net/need/004.shtml

Important Recall

Regardless of make or year, all units known as "human beings" are being recalled by the Manufacturer. This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named "Adam" and "Eve" resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units.

This defect is technically termed, "Serious Internal Non-morality," but more commonly known as "SIN."

Some of the symptoms of the SIN defect:
Loss of direction
Lack of peace and joy
Depression
Foul vocal emissions
Selfishness
Ingratitude
Fearfulness
Rebellion
Jealousy

The Manufacturer is providing factory authorized repair service free of charge to correct the SIN defect. The Repair Technician, Jesus Christ, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs. To repeat, there is no fee required.

The number to call for repair in all areas is: P-R-A-Y-E-R. Once connected please upload the burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure. Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Christ, into the heart component of the human unit. No matter how big or small
the SIN defect is, Christ will replace it with:
Love,
Joy
Peace
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Patience
Self-control

Please see the operating manual, HOLY BIBLE, for further details on the use of these fixes. As an added upgrade, the Manufacturer has made available to all repaired units a facility enabling direct monitoring and assistance from the resident Maintenance Technician, the Holy Ghost. Repaired units need only make Him welcome and He will take up residence on the premises.

WARNING: Continuing to operate a human being unit without corrections voids the Manufacturer's warranty, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list, and will ultimately result in the human unit being incinerated.

Thank you for your attention. Please assist by notifying others of this important recall notice.

RED MARBLES

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily appraising a basket of freshly picked green peas.

I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas.. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.

'Hello Barry, how are you today?'

'H'lo , Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good.'

'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?'

'Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time.'

'Good. Anything I can help you with?'

'No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas.'

'Would you like to take some home ?' asked Mr.. Miller.

'No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.'

'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?'

'All I got's my prize marble here.'

'Is that right? Let me see it' said Miller..

'Here 'tis. She's a dandy.'

'I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home ?' the store owner asked.

'Not zackley but almost.'

'Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble' Mr. Miller told the boy.

'Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.'

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me.. With a smile she said, 'There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.'

I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado , but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.

Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died.

They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could.

Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her, and moved on to the casket.

Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one; each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.

Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.

'Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size, they came to pay their debt.'

'We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' she confided, 'but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho.'

With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

The Moral: We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.

Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles ~ A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself ... An unexpected phone call from an old friend ... Green stoplights on your way to work ... The fastest line at the grocery store ... A good sing-along song on the radio ... and your keys found right where you left them.

Don't be in way too much of a hurry to even notice the ordinary miracles when they occur.

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER, BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER THAT TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED.

Are You...?

============

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales
convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they
would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner.

In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these
salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display
of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or
looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for
their nearly missed boarding. All but one.

He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings,
and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple
stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without
him, waved goodbye, told one of them to call his wife when they
arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later
flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were
all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did.

The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying,
tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same
time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd
swirled about her, no one topping and no one to care for her
plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the
apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her
display.

As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered
and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.

When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the
girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are
you okay?" She nodded through her tears. He continued on with,
"I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly." As the salesman
started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to
him, "Mister". He paused and turned to look back into those
blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?"

He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made
his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and
bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"

Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not?
To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference
as we live and interact with a world (shopping, working,
reacting to others that are serving us) that is blind to His
love, life and grace.

If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He
would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and
going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds
day to day.

You are the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been
bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked you
and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our
damaged fruit.

Let us live like we are worth the price He paid.

~Author Unknown~

Love -> Hope - Trust -> Peace - Faith -> Growth

Where there is love there is hope.
Where there is trust there is peace.
And where there is faith there is growth.