Today's scripture is Ephesians 2:6-7

"God hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."

All my life people told me the reason God saved us was so that when we got to Glory, we could spend the rest of eternity loving Him and worshiping Him. But, you know, that's just not so. It sounds pretty good, but it's just something somebody made up. God isn't selfish. He's just the opposite. He's the ultimate giver. The ultimate lover. He doesn't do anything just so He can get something in return.

Why then did He save us? The Word of God tells us He did it so that in the ages to come, He could show us the exceeding riches of His grace. Think about that! God is going to spend eternity showing the riches of His grace to you and me.

As a believer, you have the most glorious future ahead of you that anyone could ever ask. But don't wait until you get to Glory to enjoy it. You can start right now. You've already been seated in heavenly places!

bible shack

TALKING CLAY

Psalm 33:6-11
6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth. 7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; He puts the deep into storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him. 9 For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm. 10 The Lord foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.


The Potter lovingly shapes His clay. He doesn't rush. He wants it to be just right. Even before it's done He knows what it will be. He has a plan for His creation--it will be unlike any of His other works.

What does the clay do as the Potter designs it? Does it question the Potter? Does it complain about what's being done? No. The clay totally surrenders to the Potter, knowing that the Potter has a perfect purpose in mind (Romans 9:21). "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" (Jeremiah 29:11).

A couple summers ago, I went on a missions trip to the Czech Republic and Italy. When we arrived in the Czech Republic, my friend Robyn and I (who were the only Canadians on the whole trip) found we weren't allowed to enter the country. We didn't have visas.

For almost 2 weeks, one of our trip leaders stayed with Robyn and me in the homes of some hospitable Italian believers, while we waited for the rest of our team to return. At first, I couldn't understand why this was happening. I wanted to be in the Czech Republic doing ministry with everyone else. Unlike the clay described above, I questioned my Potter.

I learned something very valuable during those 2 weeks. God knows what's best for me, and is able to turn what I would view as a negative situation into something absolutely wonderful (Romans 8:28). Those weeks of separation from the team ended up being the most rewarding part of the whole trip for me.

I'm really glad God doesn't just give me what I want so I'll leave Him alone for a while. It's so good to know that my Potter loves me, and always does what He knows is best for me.

What about you? Are you facing a difficult situation? Trust God! He knows what He's doing! --Heidi Haufe, Nobel, Ontario*

* Written by a fellow Soul Journey reader

DESTINATION POINTS

* God has a plan for my life. Am I willing to surrender to Him?
* In what ways have I seen God "work all things together for good" (Romans 8:28) in my life?

bottom line: God's plan is the best plan!

soul journey

BARK OF INTERPRETATION

2 Peter 1:16-21
16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eye-witnesses of his majesty. 17 For He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased." 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with Him on the sacred mountain. 19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.


Have you heard of Bowlingual? It's a new gadget that lets dog owners know what their pooch is proclaiming. An 8cm microphone transmits his barks and growls to a palm-size console.

The computerized console interprets the noises and classifies the sounds into emotional categories. Messages are then spelled out on the screen for the pet owner to read.

Here's a sampling: "I am sad." "I want to play." "I am super angry."

Is this gadget needed? If Balto scratches at the door or brings you his leash, I think you know what he wants.

From the bark of interpretation, let's move on to the art of biblical interpretation. We don't need some techno-gizmo to understand specific passages of Scripture. The following two tasks will get us there:

1. Exegesis: We have to carefully, systematically study a portion of the Bible to discover its original, intended meaning. This entails asking the following questions:

What was the time and culture of the author and his readers? What was the occasion and purpose for the book? What's the point of every paragraph, sentence, phrase, and word? What is he saying and why is he saying it here?

2. Hermeneutics: We need to figure out what--if anything--the text is saying to Christians today. This includes: Using a good Bible translation, not a paraphrase, as your primary study source. Determining the context of the text. Understanding that the different types of Bible books--narrative, poetry, epistles, apocalyptic--have their own rules for interpretation. Applying the practices and principles meant for believers of this age.

This probably sounds super difficult. Let's take a look at three kinds of books that will help you study the Book: 1. A good Bible dictionary. 2. A good Bible handbook. 3. Some good commentaries.

After you have read and reread the passage you're striving to interpret--beginning your exegesis, use these sources to continue your exegesis, and head into hermeneutics.

This isn't as easy as reading a palm-size console, but good interpretation of the Bible will open up a world of true biblical meaning to you. --Tom Felten

DESTINATION POINTS

* Why is it so important to learn to interpret Scripture correctly?
* How can I begin to go deeper in my study of the Bible?

bottom line: True interpretation leads to true application.

soul journey

ARE YOU A WALL OR A DOOR?

Song of Songs 8:7-10
7 Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned. 8 We have a young sister, and her breasts are not yet grown. What shall we do for our sister for the day she is spoken for? 9 If she is a wall, we will build towers of silver on her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar. Beloved, 10 I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. Thus I have become in his eyes like one bringing contentment.

On an episode of the terminated TV talk show Politically Incorrect, host Bill Maher was discussing rules for relationships from the male perspective. With regard to sex he said, "Unless you [women] are willing to give us sex whenever we want, you don't have the right to gripe if we use pornography." All three female guests agreed that the rule made sense.

This "rule" demonstrates the distorted attitude toward sex that is prevalent in our society. Read Song of Songs 8:8-10 again. Years ago when planning their young sister's future, some brothers were concerned about her sexual purity before she got married. "If she is a wall," that is someone who resolved to uphold her moral standards and resist premarital sex, her brothers would celebrate her, strengthen her, and encourage her. However, "if she is a door," that is, someone who was promiscuous and sexually accessible to every man who made advances toward her, they would have to restrict her and shut her off altogether from men. Then, after the brothers made their statements, their sister proclaimed her sexual purity, "I am a wall." What a testimony!

God wants us to be holy by keeping clear of all sexual sin. I know it seems that God says NO at exactly the time our bodies say GO. But He intends for us to learn control and discipline. God wants to give us His desires and the power to carry out those desires. The standard of sexual purity has its foundation in the moral purity of God. He gave us rules about sex not to hurt us or spoil our fun, but to protect us and maximize His gift to us.

Are you a wall or a door? --Marvin Williams

DESTINATION POINTS

* What is a holy life? What motivates me to live a life that is pure and holy?
* How can I strengthen and encourage others who are trying
to live sexually pure lives?


bottom line: Sacred theology--not secular biology.

soul journey

Today's scripture is Psalm 91:16

"With long life will I satisfy [you], and shew [you] my salvation." Did you know that it's not God's will for you or anyone to die young? His will for you is to live the full number of your days. You ought to live 70 or 80 years, and if you are not satisfied, live a while longer! The Bible says that when Abraham died, he died at a good old age,
full of years. That's the way it ought to be with all of us.

Resist sickness and disease in the Name of Jesus. Stand on God's promise! Then, when you're ready to go on to heaven, go! But go satisfied, healed, and ready! Go in victory shouting the words of that old joy-filled song--"Heaven is near and I can't stay here. Good-bye world, good-bye."

bible shack

One For All And All For One
By Martha Noebel

We are not without hope. The answer to sin is found in accepting what Jesus did for us.

Understanding the principle of how one man's sin could affect everyone for generations to come is hard for us. But I have good news for you.

"Yes, Adam's one sin brought condemnation upon everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness makes all people right in God's sight and gives them life. Because one person disobeyed God, many people became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many people will be made right in God's sight" (Romans 5: 18, 19 NLT).

Adam sinned and his ONE sin affected ALL those who would come after him. Thus, we have the first part of our title, One For All.

The sin nature, something we cannot see, smell, hear, feel or touch, was born into the lives of every child. Sin is not acceptable in God's eyes. Romans 3:23 says, "For ALL have sinned: ALL fall short of God's glorious standard."

This sounds like a terrible sentence to place on innocent people but that is what sin did. It attached itself around the heart and spirit of mankind like a deadly cancer. It sounds like there is no hope for us, but there is good news.

The second part of our two verses says, "…but Christ's ONE act of righteousness makes ALL people right in God's sight and gives them life…But because one other person obeyed God, many people will be made right in God's sight." Yes, Jesus is that ONE we are ALL thankful for, thus ALL for ONE.

We can all be set free from the curse of sin thanks to the ONE sacrifice, Jesus Christ. He left His home in heaven to be born a man, to live a life as an example for everyone, and to die for ALL our sins. He carried the sins of the whole world with Him to the cross. His great love for us made Him willing to do this for everyone.

"But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were sinners" (Romans 5:8).

We are not without hope. The answer to sin is found in accepting what Jesus did for us. We only need to ask Him to come into our hearts and to forgive us of our sinful nature. The penalty for sin is removed when we accept Christ as the payment for our sin.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

"For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved" (Romans 10:9,10).

If you have never committed the life-changing act of asking Jesus to forgive you of your sins, now is a good time. Romans 10:11 says, "…anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed."

How cool is that? If you even for one moment thought that believing on the Lord Jesus Christ was a questionable thing to do…well forget it. The Word of God promises you will not be sorry.

So accept Jesus today. Allow Him to cast your sins into the sea of forgetfulness, never to be remembered again. God doesn't look back on our sins when He forgives them. He gets rid of them.

"…You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!" (Micah 7:19b NLT).

Audio Adrenaline sings a great song entitled, Ocean Floor. The words say it all.

They're all behind you
They'll never find you
They're on the ocean floor

Sins are forgotten
They're on the bottom
They're on the ocean floor.

Adam may have caused it to be One for All, but through Jesus Christ, it's All for One! Thank you Jesus.

cbn

Today's scripture is Matthew 6:33

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Whenever Ken and I talk about living by faith, I know there are some people who think, "Oh, that's easy for you. You're preachers. You have it made!" And, in some ways, we do. We have it made because our calling demands that we give God our attention, and giving God your attention always brings success.

But we haven't always lived that way. In fact, the first time I ever saw Kenneth Copeland, he was about as far from a preacher as I figured you could get. He flew planes and sang in nightclubs. As for me, I was a college girl who said she would never marry a preacher and who had never even heard about the new birth.

Right after we got married, Ken went into a business enterprise that we thought was going to make us rich. So I quit my job and went to work for this new company. Two weeks later it folded. We ended up sleeping on a rented roll-away bed that sagged in the middle. We had a wrought-iron coffee table Ken made in high school and a black and white TV. Nothing else. No refrigerator. No stove. I cooked in my coffeepot and an electric skillet and used a cardboard box on the porch to keep our food cold. We were flat broke. Unemployed. Deeply in debt. I had nowhere to go. No furniture. No nothing.

Then one day I picked up the Bible Ken's mother had given him for his birthday. In the front she'd written this verse, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." I turned and read Matthew 6. It said God cared for the birds. For the first time in my life it got into my heart that God cared where I was and what I was doing. I figured if He cared for birds, He cared for me! I knelt in that bare room and told Jesus that if He could do anything with my life, He could certainly have it. That's all I remember saying. I had no idea I'd just been born again. Two weeks later Ken found a new job. We moved to a new furnished apartment and bought a better car. In the midst of it all, something else happened--Ken got born again.

Don't worry if you don't "have it made." We certainly didn't when all this started. Just stick with God and let Him make you. He is a good God who is good to all (Ps. 145:9).

Make a decision in your heart to seek HIM first. Then all the other things will be added.

bible shack

THE MISSING VIRTUE

2 Timothy 4:1-4
1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.


From the time I was a toddler until I graduated from college, I was surrounded by people and institutions that excelled at dropping quotes and sayings. Among them were these: "Haste makes waste." "Good things come to those who wait." "Don't sacrifice the permanent on the altar of the immediate." "Patience is a virtue." The first three I could grasp. The meaning of the last one, however, escaped me for a long time--until I came to understand that a virtue is a positive character trait that one must cultivate.

To understand why God considers patience to be important for the follower of Jesus, it's helpful to look at its opposite: impatience.

First, impatience is harmful. Every day newspapers around the world contain stories of people who died because of impatience on the road. You may know someone who died or was injured because he wouldn't wait. Impatient people constantly put themselves at risk.

Second, impatience is selfish. The unuttered slogan of the impatient person is "Me first!" That's no doubt the reason the apostle Paul said, "Love is patient" (1 Corinthians 13:4). It's very difficult to be loving and at the same time demand that your wants be addressed ahead of everyone else's.

Third, impatience is childish. A typical childhood tantrum contains this sentiment: "I want it, and I want it now!" No doubt the most significant trait that marks the nature of an immature individual is an unwillingness to wait. The infant wants his milk now. The toddler wants her toys now. The immature adult wants his material things now--often going deep into debt because of the unwillingness to plan and save.

The negative results of impatience are likely the reason Paul told Timothy to exercise patience as he carried out his duties as a young pastor. Patience is not just a virtue; it's a critical Christian way of life. --Dean Ohlman

DESTINATION POINTS
* How often have I gotten myself in trouble or in debt because of my impatience?
* Do others see me as childish because of my inability to wait?
* How can I demonstrate my maturity by my patience?

LINKS:
How Can I Be More Patient?

bottom line: Patience is the path to contentment.

soul journey

Too Young?

Read: 1 Timothy 4:7-12

I spent six seasons as a high school varsity basketball coach, having been named to the position when I was 24 years old. I still vividly remember a parent at our school stopping me one day and telling me, “You’re so young! How can you be a varsity coach?”

You’ll always find people who will be surprised at the accomplishments of youth. Sometimes they can’t understand how others with so little of life’s experience behind them can assume positions of responsibility. Perhaps they think of themselves as somehow better by the simple fact that they are a few years older.

Apparently Paul was aware of that kind of thinking back in the first century. As he was writing to Timothy about dealing with some false teaching that had arisen in the church, Paul sought to give Timothy a bit of direction. Among the things he told him was this: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).

Paul didn’t say, “Tim, you’re just a kid. Wait till I get there and I’ll handle this problem for you.” Paul trusted Timothy with this vital church issue, despite his apparent youth.

This wasn’t the first biblical example of a young person being given a big responsibility. In 1 Samuel, we learn that Saul was a young man when Samuel anointed him king. And in 1 Kings 11, a youthful Jeroboam was given an important task.

Experience is a great teacher, and sometimes it takes a while for a young person to develop the needed confidence. But don’t let that stop you from pursuing the area of service you think God wants you to fulfill.

Youthfulness brings with it enthusiasm, vision, hope, fresh ideas, and so many more things that the body of Christ can use. Use those traits and “set an example.” —Dave Branon

bottom line: Age does not define your spiritual stage.

soul journey

Today's scripture is 2 Kings 7:3,5

"Now four men who were lepers were at the entrance of the city's gate; and they said to one another, Why do we sit here until we die.... So they arose."

Four lepers who, instead of sitting around feeling sorry for themselves and waiting to die, decided to arise and take their chances in the enemy camp. When they got there, they found it abandoned. All the warriors had been frightened away by the angels of God, and they'd left enough food behind to feed all of Samaria!

Sometimes you and I are like the officials in that story (read the story here - http://bibleshack.com/ds/2kings6-24-33.shtml ). We get problem-centered instead of Word of God centered. We let ourselves be so surrounded with the loud voice of the world that the vision of our victory is pushed out of sight.

Just like He did for Elisha, God's given you a word. He's promised you victory. He's promised to make you an overcomer.

So don't just sit there till you die. Don't accept defeat. Rise up in faith. Stand up on God's Word and fight for your life. Get mad at Satan. Cast him out. Get mad at that sickness. Get angry with poverty and start giving.

Rise up and receive the deliverance of the Lord!

bible shack

Keep Your Dream Alive
By Charlene Israel

Don't let fear, intimidation, doubt, lack of finances, etc., dictate to you that you can't fulfill your dream. Talk back to these killers. Tell them, "I can and will fulfill my destiny, my dream."

Do you have a dream -- something that you've always seen yourself doing? Perhaps you see yourself as a pastor, business owner, or even a news anchor. Whatever dream God has given you, don't let it die.

A dream is a wonderful thing. It can give you hope for your future and encourage you to try when all odds are against you. But beware, there are dream killers that want to snuff the life out of your dream. Don't let them do it!

People who can't or don't want to see your dream fulfilled can kill your dream. They may tell you that it is impossible for you, that you are not smart enough or that it's never been done before. However, many times the biggest dream killer is you.

Don't let fear, intimidation, doubt, lack of finances, etc., dictate to you that you can't fulfill your dream. Talk back to these killers. Tell them, "I can and will fulfill my destiny, my dream." You may have to do this everyday, but that's ok. The more you instill within your heart that you can do it, your dream will be held safe within you.

It is very important to take steps towards fulfilling your dream. For me, in order to fulfill my dream of one-day owning my own magazine, I needed to go back to school and finish my college degree. For you, it may be something different. You know deep inside what the voice of your dream calls for. Don't be afraid, just do it. Try not to let too much time go by. Time is another one of those dream killers.

Meditate on the words of a song by Yolanda Adams, "Keep the dream alive, don't let it die, it's something deep inside, keeps inspiring me to try, don't stop and never give up, don't ever give up on you. Sometimes, life can place a stumbling block in your way, but you've got to keep the faith…"

When you dream, dream BIG, and never give up. There's no law that says you have to dream small. Your dream is just that, yours. Never let anyone tell you that your dream can't happen, it can! Nurture your dream. Keep seeing yourself do what's never been done before. As you continue to feed your dream and protect it, not only will you keep it alive, but it has no other choice but to come forth!

Ephesians 3:20 sums it up this way:

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

cbn

Are Your Lights On?
By Pat Young

You need the light of Christ. No one living in darkness will ever find their way without it. Like the saying "there's a light at the end of the tunnel", Jesus is that light at the end of everyone's tunnel.

I know most of us or perhaps all of us at one time in our lives have experienced the lights going out, whether in our homes, or in a place of business, school or church. Some of you may have experienced having your lights turned off because you forgot to pay your light bill, or just could not afford to pay the bill on time. I have experienced my lights going out several times through circumstances I had no control over. Usually a storm or an accident in the neighborhood causes it. Then "out go the lights."

Well, we know when the lights are out we are in darkness. We cannot see a thing. If we are not familiar with the surroundings, we are not able to even feel our way around to get to flash lights, candles, matches, or whatever we need. So it's a bad situation to be in -- DARKNESS.

Now, when things are functioning properly, we go home, turn on the light switch and we have light. We see everything. Sometimes things we don't want to see! Furniture needs dusting, floors need cleaning, and the list goes on. But it is still good to have light.

Before we gave our lives to Christ we were lost in darkness. Someone had to come along with his or her light shining bright, and tell us how to come out of darkness and into Christ's marvelous light.

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12).

Jesus paid the price for all of us in full. He died on the cross and rose again. When we accept Christ in our lives our lights never have to go out. No matter what circumstances come our way, we never have to worry about paying our bill on time. It's been paid in full forever.

Without lights you're walking around in darkness, trying to make it, or trying to find your way. But you need the light of Christ. No one living in darkness will ever find their way without it. Like the saying "there's a light at the end of the tunnel", Jesus is that light at the end of everyone's tunnel.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (Ephesians 5:8).

No matter what problems arise, we can still let our lights shine. When people treat you bad -- let your light shine. When sickness comes upon you -- let your light shine. If money runs out -- let your light shine. We choose daily whom we will serve. Let us choose to serve Christ and let our lights shine BRIGHT!

cbn

12 CANDIDATES FOR MANAGEMENT POSITIONS

TO: Jesus, Son of Joseph
The Woodcrafter's Carpenter Shop
Nazareth 25922

FROM: Jordan Management Consultants
Jerusalem 26544

Thank you for submitting the resumes of the twelve men you have picked for managerial positions in your new organization. All of them have now taken our battery of tests, and we have not only run the results through our computers, but also arranged personal interviews for each of them with our psychologist and vocation aptitude consultant.

It is the opinion of the staff that most of your nominees are lacking in background, education and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking. They do not have the team concept. We would recommend that you continue your search for persons of experience in managerial ability and proven capacity.

We have summarized the findings of our study below:

Simon Peter is emotional, unstable and given to fits of temper.

Andrew has absolutely no quality of leadership.

The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, place personal interests above Company loyalty.

Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale.

We believe it is our duty to tell you that Matthew has been black-listed by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau.

James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus definitely have radical meanings. Additionally, they both registered high scores on the manic depressive scale.

However, one of the candidates shows great potential. He's a man of ability and resourcefulness; he is a great networker; has a keen business mind; and has strong contacts in influential circles. He's highly motivated, very ambitious and adept with financial matters. We recommend Judas Iscariot as your Controller and Chief Operating Officer.

All the other profiles are self-explanatory. We wish you the utmost success in your new venture.


What if Jesus had chosen the twelve based on the modern methods of leadership selection? Most of them would have never had a chance to participate.

Jesus chooses people not for who they are, but for what they can become in Him. Aren't you glad that when Jesus looked at you, He didn't take you for what you were (a sinner); but He took you for what you could be.

Jesus sees the potential in all of us, and has called us to be disciples.

Jesus is still saying, "Follow Me!"

- Author Unknown

Today's scripture is Psalm 14:1

"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good."

Most of us would never dream this verse could apply to us. After all, we're believers! We'd never say that there is no God.

But maybe we should think again. It's true that with our mouths we would never say something like that...but what about with our actions? Do we say it by sinning just a little here and there and thinking it won't matter? Do we go to an immoral movie or have a gossip session about the pastor, ignoring God's command to the contrary?

With our actions are we saying, "There is no God?"

Psalm 14:1 connects that kind of thing to corruption. Whether he realizes it or not, the more a person acts that way, the more corrupt he's going to become.

Don't make the foolish mistake of publicly proclaiming Jesus as your Lord, and then privately denying Him with one little action at a time. Use wisdom in everything you do so that both your heart and your life shout loudly, "My God reigns!"

bible shack

Today's scripture is 1 Samuel 2:30

"...them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed."

God honors those who honor Him. He'll never forget the seeds of loyalty you sow. He'll multiply them and give them back to you in a harvest of blessing. And Malachi 3:17 says when He makes up His jewels, you'll be forever among them.

Forever. Think about that for a moment. By honoring God with your life and your lips, you're stepping into a realm of blessing that will literally take an eternity to explore.

So determine in your heart today to be loyal toward God in every word you speak. Make up your mind once and for all that nothing in your life is as vital as honoring Him. Keep honoring Him and speaking words of faith. It will work deliverance for you in this life, and in eternity you'll sure be glad you did.

bible shack

Heart To Heart

Read: Psalm 62

Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. —Psalm 62:8

We would expect King David to be extremely upset, because his enemies were scheming to dethrone him. Yet in Psalm 62 he testified that his soul was quietly confident before God. How was this possible in the midst of such turmoil? Verse 8 offers a clue—one I discovered for myself several years ago.

I had just returned home, weary, alone, and at my wit's end. As I began pouring out my woes before God, I suddenly stopped myself and said, "Father, forgive me. I'm treating You like a counselor!" But the torrent of words flowed on, followed by the same embarrassing apology. Then God's Spirit whispered deep within, "I am your Great Counselor."

But of course! Hadn't He, the Creator of my physical and spiritual makeup, also created the emotional part of me? How reasonable, then, to spread out my ragged feelings before Him. Then came His comforting, corrective counsel, ministered skillfully by the Holy Spirit through His Word. My problems didn't evaporate. But like David, I could rest in God alone. I was at peace again.

Never hesitate to pour out your heart to God. In your day of trouble, you'll find that prayer is the shortest route between your heart and God's. —Joanie Yoder

In the silence of my chamber
I can with my Savior share
All my worries and my troubles
As I talk with Him in prayer. —Anon.

God fills our heart with peace when we pour out our heart to Him.

daily bread

Getting There

. . . come, follow Me -Luke 18:22

Where our individual desire dies and sanctified surrender lives. One of the greatest hindrances in coming to Jesus is the excuse of our own individual temperament. We make our temperament and our natural desires barriers to coming to Jesus. Yet the first thing we realize when we do come to Jesus is that He pays no attention whatsoever to our natural desires. We have the idea that we can dedicate our gifts to God. However, you cannot dedicate what is not yours. There is actually only one thing you can dedicate to God, and that is your right to yourself (see Romans 12:1 ). If you will give God your right to yourself, He will make a holy experiment out of you—and His experiments always succeed. The one true mark of a saint of God is the inner creativity that flows from being totally surrendered to Jesus Christ. In the life of a saint there is this amazing Well, which is a continual Source of original life. The Spirit of God is a Well of water springing up perpetually fresh. A saint realizes that it is God who engineers his circumstances; consequently there are no complaints, only unrestrained surrender to Jesus. Never try to make your experience a principle for others, but allow God to be as creative and original with others as He is with you.

If you abandon everything to Jesus, and come when He says, "Come," then He will continue to say, "Come," through you. You will go out into the world reproducing the echo of Christ’s "Come." That is the result in every soul who has abandoned all and come to Jesus.

Have I come to Him? Will I come now?

my utmost for His highest

Clean Mouths

Read: Isaiah 6:1-8

Our mothers told us every night to brush our teeth before we went to bed. The oral hygienist gave us specific instructions on brushing our teeth. And flossing! What could be worse than running waxed string between our teeth? We’re nagged about flossing all the time too. We like the idea of having white teeth (and now we can even have our teeth whitened chemically). Oh, but there is one other minor reason we need to obey the nagging: Brushing can get a million germs out of our mouths, which keeps us from cavities, root canals, caps, and oral surgery.

A person can have a mouth that is cleaner than a new car and still have dirty stuff coming out of it. Angry words, harsh criticisms, profanities, and lies can pour out like a polluted stream. Bad words come from evil hearts. When this is our condition, we need cleansing.

God is the ultimate oral hygienist. When He calls people to follow and serve Him, He gives them a new heart and expects a clean mouth. To get Isaiah ready to speak His words, God had a seraph (a celestial being) take a live coal from the altar and cauterize his lips. (Sounds worse than a root canal to me!) And He reached down with His fingers to touch and cleanse the mouth of His prophet Jeremiah (1:9).

The New Testament reminds us again and again to speak good words. The writers of Proverbs tell us repeatedly to speak righteously. And David pleaded with God to let his words and innermost thoughts be acceptable to Him (Psalm 19:14).

Got a dirty mouth? Bow down before God and ask Him to forgive and cleanse you. Do it now! There’s no need for that hot live coal. —Dave Egner

bottom line: Words reveal what’s hidden in our heart.

soul journey

A Matter Of Pride

Read: 1 John 2:15-17

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. —1 John 2:15

I was at a conference to conduct a seminar. Other speakers were there as well, including a well-known Christian leader whose seminar was at the same time as mine. When the director of the conference announced the meetings, he urged as many people as possible to attend the well-known speaker's seminar, and he said, "It's such an honor to have him here."

I thought, I probably spent as much time as he did getting my presentation ready. I took time away from my family to be here. And now the conference director tells everyone to go to the other seminar? What's that all about?

I felt humiliated, hurt, and angry. But as I walked toward the room to start my seminar, the Holy Spirit convicted me that I was reacting in pride and envy. He also reminded me that He would direct the people He wanted to be there. I asked the Lord to forgive me for the "envy and self-seeking" in my heart (James 3:14).

Sometimes we experience spiritual setbacks because we are guilty of wrong thinking. We get caught up in worldly pride and self-centeredness (1 John 2:16). When this happens, we have some important spiritual work to do. We must repent, confessing our pride to God and asking for His forgiveness. —Dave Egner

Blessed Savior, make us humble,
Take away our sinful pride;
In ourselves we're sure to stumble,
Help us stay close by Your side. —D. De Haan

Unless we're humble, we're sure to stumble.

daily bread

Dirty Gauze and Sticky Tape: Healing Emotional Wounds
By Kevin Nuber

At that moment I sensed God’s feedback, "That’s how My people treat their wounds."

He wore it like a badge of honor. Medals for valor and bravery in the face of battle couldn’t hold more significance for a 7-year old. He had, after all, vanquished some foe or performed some death-defying act of fearlessness while in his outside playtime world. Unfortunately, with all this bravado came the inevitable skinned knee and shin.

My youngest son, Curt, sat before me on the edge of the bathroom sink as I cleaned the soiled wound. “Blood ... real blood!” His deep, dark brown eyes sparkled through the dirt and grime on his face, showing his childish delight at the sight of the red fluid. His momentary winces of discomfort gave way to wide-eyed smiles that revealed the significance of this event.

“Cool!” his satisfied expression said.

Through his pain, his pride swelled. Sure, he was hurting -- but it felt good! In his mind, this moment was really special!
I was preparing to send him on his way after a thorough cleaning when he suddenly stopped and realized that daddy had not given him his full reward. With a trembling lip, he reminded me that he needed a bandage –- a recognition of his conflict, a reminder of his conquest, and a centerpiece of conversation for all of his friends.

The scrape on his knee and shin was several scratches that ran in an odd three-inch lengthwise pattern from his knee toward his foot. The inch-wide sterile strips we normally used for “ow-ies” would not easily cover this wound. After rifling through the bathroom cabinets for larger strips, I came across two four-inch square gauze pads in their waxpaper-like protective wrappings. “Too big,” I thought. This would certainly be too much bandage for such a minor wound. Yet there were no other sterile strips to be used.

After a brief moment of indecision over which kind of bandage to use, I finally squeezed some antibiotic ointment on the square of gauze and pressed it to his leg. I cut two generous strips of white medical sticky tape and wrapped them around the gauze and the boy’s leg at the top and bottom of the square.

Finally! Now he was able to relax and enjoy the notoriety this badge of honor would soon become. After returning to the yard, he was already walking straighter and taller than he ever had before. Confidence and pride filled his being.
Two days later, after avoiding a thorough bathing for long enough, it was time for me to remove the now dirty gauze square and the sticky tape that had faithfully held the gauze in place. As the bath water began to fill, I sat Curt down and began to carefully peel off the bandage. On the outside, the gauze reflected the grime of two days of school playgrounds and evening playtimes. On the inside of the bandage, two pink dots were the only reminders of the blood that flowed days before. Even the wound was now a light pink discoloration on the boy’s leg. After a cleansing bath, even that reminder would soon fade.

I stood up in the bathroom and chuckled to myself at how filthy the bandage had become, and I remembered all the fuss made to dress the wound. It was at that moment that I sensed God’s feedback on my musings, “That’s how My people treat the wounds of their hearts.”

At that moment, I began to catch a small glimpse of God’s perspective on those minor hurts, small offenses and relational breakdowns among His children. I could sense His frustration when His people treat minor hurts, scrapes and bruises like major, gaping mortal wounds.

We all have felt justified in demanding the gauze and sticky tape for our minor soulish scratches. After days of parading around our “badges of honor”, we suddenly realize how dirty our self-righteousness has become. To bathe in God’s forgiveness and cleansing, our dirty gauze must be removed.

In a split-second, I perceived a healing strategy from God’s Word for those who have endured wounds of the soul:
Keep a grace perspective! Wounds of the soul are just as real as wounds of the body. Lies, deceit, slander, selfishness, verbal and emotional abuse, misunderstanding -- regardless of the cause, these wounds cut deep and have a profound and lasting effect on the believer.

I am reasonably sure that you have been the target of cruelty and mean-spiritedness, just as I have been. The first step to victory and healing of soulish wounds is to realize that Jesus is the Healer of your emotional wounds, just as He clearly is the Healer of our bodies. His healing virtue is only appropriated by grace through faith, so our only “action,” when we have been wounded, is to believe -- to accept His healing grace by faith.

“He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions” (Psalm 107:20).

Nothing is happening to you that is personal or unique: it’s occurring in all the rest of the Body of Christ as well (I Peter 5:9).

Keep it accountable! A key to healing lies in the sharing of the need -- the widening of the circle of trust. “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church ... confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another that you may be healed” (James 5:14,16).

Don’t stifle or trivialize hurts or emotional wounds. Share them with a trusted friend or minister, and ask for this prayer of healing promised to the local church. By verbalizing hurts, we help keep the healthiest perspective on life issues.
Keep pressing into praise until joy wins out! The power and majesty of praise and worship helps to diminish the hurt and magnify the Healer! A former pastor of mine said, “Worship is establishing the relative positions between God and man.” Therefore, the act of “trading our sorrows” helps to release the “oil of joy for gladness.” “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is wounded” (Proverbs 15:13).

By applying these truths to our prayer life, we can overcome hurts and soulish wounds. Just like Curt found his wounds had healed, when we remove the dirty gauze and sticky tape from our emotional hurts, and then cleanse the wounded area, we are able to relish the healing grace of Jesus Christ. May God give you boldness to obtain His promised freedom!

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Then What’s Next To Do?

Everyone who asks receives . . .
—Luke 11:10

Ask if you have not received. There is nothing more difficult than asking. We will have yearnings and desires for certain things, and even suffer as a result of their going unfulfilled, but not until we are at the limit of desperation will we ask. It is the sense of not being spiritually real that causes us to ask. Have you ever asked out of the depths of your total insufficiency and poverty? "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God . . . " ( James 1:5 ), but be sure that you do lack wisdom before you ask. You cannot bring yourself to the point of spiritual reality anytime you choose. The best thing to do, once you realize you are not spiritually real, is to ask God for the Holy Spirit, basing your request on the promise of Jesus Christ (see Luke 11:13 ). The Holy Spirit is the one who makes everything that Jesus did for you real in your life.

"Everyone who asks receives . . . ." This does not mean that you will not get if you do not ask, but it means that until you come to the point of asking, you will not receive from God (see Matthew 5:45 ). To be able to receive means that you have to come into the relationship of a child of God, and then you comprehend and appreciate mentally, morally, and with spiritual understanding, that these things come from God.

"If any of you lacks wisdom . . . ." If you realize that you are lacking, it is because you have come in contact with spiritual reality—do not put the blinders of reason on again. The word ask actually means "beg." Some people are poor enough to be interested in their poverty, and some of us are poor enough spiritually to show our interest. Yet we will never receive if we ask with a certain result in mind, because we are asking out of our lust, not out of our poverty. A pauper does not ask out of any reason other than the completely hopeless and painful condition of his poverty. He is not ashamed to beg—blessed are the paupers in spirit (see Matthew 5:3 ).

my utmost for His highest

What’s Next To Do?

If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them
—John 13:17

Be determined to know more than others. If you yourself do not cut the lines that tie you to the dock, God will have to use a storm to sever them and to send you out to sea. Put everything in your life afloat upon God, going out to sea on the great swelling tide of His purpose, and your eyes will be opened. If you believe in Jesus, you are not to spend all your time in the calm waters just inside the harbor, full of joy, but always tied to the dock. You have to get out past the harbor into the great depths of God, and begin to know things for yourself—begin to have spiritual discernment.

When you know that you should do something and you do it, immediately you know more. Examine where you have become sluggish, where you began losing interest spiritually, and you will find that it goes back to a point where you did not do something you knew you should do. You did not do it because there seemed to be no immediate call to do it. But now you have no insight or discernment, and at a time of crisis you are spiritually distracted instead of spiritually self-controlled. It is a dangerous thing to refuse to continue learning and knowing more.

The counterfeit of obedience is a state of mind in which you create your own opportunities to sacrifice yourself, and your zeal and enthusiasm are mistaken for discernment. It is easier to sacrifice yourself than to fulfill your spiritual destiny, which is stated in Romans 12:1-2 . It is much better to fulfill the purpose of God in your life by discerning His will than it is to perform great acts of self-sacrifice. "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice . . ." ( 1 Samuel 15:22 ). Beware of paying attention or going back to what you once were, when God wants you to be something that you have never been. "If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know . . ." ( John 7:17 ).

my utmost for His highest

The Greatest Source of Power

Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do . . .
—John 14:13

Am I fulfilling this ministry of intercession deep within the hidden recesses of my life? There is no trap nor any danger at all of being deceived or of showing pride in true intercession. It is a hidden ministry that brings forth fruit through which the Father is glorified. Am I allowing my spiritual life to waste away, or am I focused, bringing everything to one central point—the atonement of my Lord? Is Jesus Christ more and more dominating every interest of my life? If the central point, or the most powerful influence, of my life is the atonement of the Lord, then every aspect of my life will bear fruit for Him.

However, I must take the time to realize what this central point of power is. Am I willing to give one minute out of every hour to concentrate on it? "If you abide in Me . . . "—that is, if you continue to act, and think, and work from that central point—"you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" ( John 15:7 ). Am I abiding? Am I taking the time to abide? What is the greatest source of power in my life? Is it my work, service, and sacrifice for others, or is it my striving to work for God? It should be none of these—what ought to exert the greatest power in my life is the atonement of the Lord. It is not on what we spend the greatest amount of time that molds us the most, but whatever exerts the most power over us. We must make a determination to limit and concentrate our desires and interests on the atonement by the Cross of Christ.

"Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do . . . ." The disciple who abides in Jesus is the will of God, and what appears to be his free choices are actually God’s foreordained decrees. Is this mysterious? Does it appear to contradict sound logic or seem totally absurd? Yes, but what a glorious truth it is to a saint of God.

my utmost for His highest

Remembering the Holocaust: The Unseen at Wannsee
By Dan Betzer

God help civilization if we ever forget the Holocaust and its millions of victims.

Several days ago, I participated in an interfaith
Holocaust memorial service at a local synagogue. As I
stood there, inwardly shaking at the memory of history's
greatest crime against humanity, I thought about a place
called Wannsee.

It was once a suburb of gorgeous homes in Berlin,
Germany. A wealthy Jewish family had their mansion
confiscated by Hitler's thugs, and it became a guest house
for SS soldiers and visiting Nazi police.

It was best known for a meeting held there on January 20,
1942. The meeting was called by Reinhard Heydrich, then
head of the Reich Security Main Office, who later became
known as "the Hangman."

Mass shootings of Jews in Poland had already begun,
seven months earlier. At Chelmno, the gassing of Jews
commenced in early December of 1941. Thus, Heydrich's
meeting with the SS elite did not initiate the "Final Solution,"
only "sophisticated" it.

It is believed 13 men, under the approval of Hitler, laid out
the plans that would choke the life of six million Jews.
Some of these thugs had earned doctorates, thus forever
eliminating the myth that education of itself breeds
elevated society.

According to historical documents, the Wannsee
meeting so pleased Reinhard Heydrich that he offered
everyone there a celebratory glass of cognac at its
conclusion. One can only wonder how well cognac
"breathes" in the stifling heat of Hell.

Interestingly enough, one of those original 13 later
reaped the wrath of his fellow Nazis, and he himself was
sent to Sachsenhausen concentration camp where he
died of heart failure.

Christians believe in the doctrine of original sin--that is, all
of us are born with sinful natures which desperately need
a Savior. After Wannsee, who can seriously question it?

And God help civilization if we ever forget the Holocaust
and its millions of victims.

cbn

You Can Shine Like a Star
By Cassandra Woods

Cassandra Woods explains how you can shine like a true follower of Jesus Christ.

Have you ever watched the stars on television? Maybe they’ve just won an Oscar for best actor in the most successful movie of the year. Or perhaps they’ve just shot the winning shot in the seventh playoff game to win the NBA Championship. Maybe their hit song has been at the top of the charts all year. Or maybe they were named MVP of a Super Bowl game. We’ve all seen the glitz and the glamour that surrounds stars on television. And don’t tell me you haven’t just once wished that it were you walking the red carpet or spiking the ball in the end zone.

It’s human nature for us to want to be liked and respected. So today I’m going to tell you how you can shine like a star. Don’t jump out of your seat just yet. I can’t get you to Hollywood or a spot in the next Super Bowl, but I can tell you how you can shine like a star right where you are.

God tells us in Daniel 12:3, "Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever" (NIV).

All you’ve got to do is take a look at heavenly stars to know what they're known for most: shining. That’s right. They stand out in a sea of darkness.

We too can stand out in this world when we are filled with wisdom. Webster’s Dictionary has defined wisdom as 1) the quality of showing good judgement 2) learning; knowledge, and 3) wise teaching.

God says to ask for wisdom, and He will give it to us. He certainly gave it to Solomon, and he has goes down in history as the wisest man that lived.

Perhaps we could learn something from the game "Simon Says" and follow some of what Solomon said. Things like "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7), and "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom" (Proverbs 3:13), and also "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom" (Proverbs 4:7).

Another thing that will make you shine is to lead others to righteousness. Once you’ve found the way, bring others along. After all, who hides their lamp under a bowl? Not you, because you have wisdom. You know that your red carpet is the blood of Jesus, and your end zone is at the pearly gates. You are the light of the world. So go out there and let your light shine.

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A Moses Mentality
By Martha Noebel

Moses said, he was a man slow of speech. He felt that God could not use him. We must move past this thought pattern and realize that God can use anyone. We all have gifts and talents and God wants to use them for His glory.

After recently reading a couple of great books, I am keenly aware of this one thing. There are so many people being deceived by the devil. He has caused them to believe in the Moses mentality of "I can't." They think they are inadequate and they feel they do not have anything to offer.

Moses said, he was a man slow of speech. He felt that God could not use him. We must move past this thought pattern and realize that God can use anyone. We all have gifts and talents and God wants to use them for His glory. God is going to bring a mighty "Breakthrough" to his people who are hungry for Him.

The two books I read were "God's Leading Lady" by Bishop T. D. Jakes and "Against All Odds" by Kimberly Daniels. Both of these books encouraged me to move out of the "Moses Mentality" and into the "If God Said It, It Must Be So" mindset. Here are three ways to help us with our attitudes.

1. Stop believing in the Moses mentality of "I can't".

2. Quit quenching the Holy Spirit when He speaks to you. Obey the Spirit of God.

3. Purpose to powerfully move out in the things of God.

We CAN do the things we need to do for God… no matter what they are. We WILL be obedient to the voice of God and obey ALL that the Spirit of God desires for us to do. We WILLFULLY purpose to move out in the things of God and trust Him for the results. God is with us! God is for us!

Jacob tells us in Genesis 35:3 of God's faithfulness to us no matter what we have done wrong or where we go. We can trust God to be with us in times of troubles, blessings, or even during our day to day things.

We are now going to Bethel, where I will build an altar to the God who answered my prayers when I was in distress. He has stayed with me wherever I have gone" (Gen. 35:3 NLT).

Let me encourage you today to stop saying "I can't" and begin saying "I CAN!" God will lead us and guide us to the places specifically designed for us to minister. The Word of the Lord for you today is Yes. Yes to all the many things God has called you to do. Yes to all the deep desires of your heart. Walk on in God today.

For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need (Philippians 4:13 NLT).

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Help For The Helpless

Read: Hebrews 4:14-16

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. —Hebrews 4:16

I sometimes ask people, "Where does it say in the Bible, 'God helps those who help themselves'?" Most say they're not sure, but the concept is so familiar that they think it must be somewhere in God's Word.

Actually, the Bible doesn't say that at all. It tells us just the opposite: God helps the helpless.

When you read the Gospels, you find that Jesus did not refuse to help the helpless. He did not withhold forgiveness and compassion from those who acknowledged their sin. He did not turn away from those who had no power to change. In fact, the people who distressed Him most were those who thought they didn't need any help at all.

God's thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9), and He sees things differently than we do. We see our own ability to deal with problems; He shows us our weaknesses to teach us to rely on His strength. We take pride in our successes and begin to think we don't need God's help; He allows us to fail so He can teach us that true success comes through His grace.

Are you feeling helpless today? God's grace is available for those who recognize that they cannot help themselves. "Come boldly to the throne of grace" to find help in your time of need (Hebrews 4:16). —David Roper

FOR FURTHER STUDY
To learn how to boldly approach God's throne in prayer,
read the online booklet Jesus' Blueprint For Prayer.

God helps those who know they are helpless.

daily bread

Dry Spells

Read: Psalm 119:105-112

Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. —Psalm 119:105

We may be able to relate to what the author of Psalm 119 had to say about the joy of reading and meditating on God's Word. But most of us have also experienced dry spells—times when we don't seem to get much from the Bible.

What can we do about those down times? Do we need to invest in a 20-volume set of commentaries, bury ourselves under a mound of theology books, or enroll in a Bible college or seminary? No, that isn't necessary.

Several years ago I heard about a six-point plan for getting something out of almost any passage of Scripture. It can make your Bible-reading time an opportunity to enjoy God and His message. Read a passage of Scripture and then ask yourself these questions:

What did I like?

What did I not like?

What did I not understand?

What did I learn about God?

What should I do?

What phrase can I take with me today?
This method can help to renew your appreciation for the Bible. Then you too will be able to say that God's Word is "the rejoicing of my heart" (Psalm 119:111). —Dave Branon

Give me the insight, Lord,
As I read Your Word today,
So I will truly understand
Your message and Your way. —Monroe

The Bible isn't a dry book if you know its Author.

daily bread