Which One is Right? Continued Discussion...

FaithWalkDaily October 29, 2008

Since I started down this path on Friday and promised to take it up again. Here we are.

We were discussing the church, and what that really means. Where are we to worship, fellowship, minister, and share the good news of salvation by faith through grace?

My last question on Friday was concerning the reckoning of Peter as the "Rock" upon which the foundation of the church was built. Let's look at that a little closer.

In the words of Jesus our Lord, from Matthew's account in chapter 16, he said, "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

There is no other account. Jesus didn't call Peter a pope, bishop, monsignor, priest, pastor or minister. He did however earlier in His ministry, tell Peter to take care of and feed His sheep, according to John 21. Be a shepherd, He said.

One of my greatest difficulties with modern religion is man's insatiable desire to add his own twist to what Holy God had already laid out perfecty. If there's one thing man likes to do it's make things more convoluted, with lots of rules and all kinds of labels. How about we just call a shepherd a shepherd? Since Pastor means just that, it would seem that Peter was in fact the first ordained pastor :-)

Joseph Smith conjured up a whole race of people in a place that never existed to make his religion more attractive. The church of England "blessed" divorce after a king beheaded his wife because the Catholic church wouldn't allow divorce. Now the Catholic church will annul a marriage if you have enough money and an advocate and can prove the marriage should never have been blessed in the first place. What does that do to any children from that marriage? Are they now considered illigitimate?

And what about no fellowship at all? Can't I just be a Christian and worship God without going to church? Or how about I do online fellowsihp? This may be a can of worms but stand back because I'm diving in.

There are a number of very good reasons to be connceted with a sound local Christian body.

First, we support and encourage one another ~Heb 3:13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
God hates divorce. He also hates lies. Adultery. Idol worship. Stealing. Covetousness. Child abuse. Fornication. We need to bounce our plans off others who, through prayer and the discernment of the Holy Spirit, can guide us to righteous living according to God's purposes.

James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. We have a responsibility to look after those who unexpectedly find themselves in need, and to hold one another accountable. "The world" is a hungry wolf at the ready to strike in our weakness. We find strength in fellowship.

It's easy to sit back on our laurels when we have no one or nothing to guage ourselves against. Seeing others actively working to draw more souls to the table of grace makes us want to do more ourselves. ~Heb 10:24-25 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

The reasons for coming together in worship and studying God's word are endless but the point is, if we're to have a full relationsip with Christ, we must have relationship with other believers.

Let's follow the Rock, join together joyfully to sing praises to our Heavenly Father, hear His word preached with wisdom and guidance from a well schooled discerning pastor and nurture one another on this difficult journey to our final reward. Let's get out of the way with our own silly plans and ideas and let God do His work on earth in and through us until Jesus returns.

Lord God, we are so grateful that You are God and we are not. We are so adept at twisting, complicating and completely distorting things when we get too far out on our own. We need one another. Help us to keep a servant's heart, to be willing to reach out to our brothers and sisters in need, to have a good ear for someone who's hurting, to pray for one another and to always seek first Your kingdom in all matters. We praise You and thank You asking all these things in Jesus' name, amen.

The Flesh of God, Salvation of Man

FaithWalkDaily October 28, 2008

I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. ~ John 17:15

Today's Encouraging Word from KLOVE truly must be read in context to get the full meaning of Jesus' prayer for us.

I went all the way back to John 13 to learn that Jesus had been speaking when the apostles had gathered with Him for their last supper before His crucifixion. He had washed their feet and shown them how to serve in order to lead. He will soon show them how to lead by giving His own life.

Jesus has now revealed He is, without question, God Himself and that His remaining time on earth is short.

Jesus knew what we would face in His absence, as the gospel began to spread, would be difficult at best, deadly for many. He didn't ask God to remove us from the battle, but to protect us from the enemy we would have to face. It was inevitable, undeniable, and already written in future history. He knew Satan would come out blasting both barrels at us.

So today, I'm reminded that the One I pray in the name of, already prayed for my protection. The Son is our mainline connection with Almighty God, omnipotent creator. I love the picture he paints for us in John 15 of the grapevine, of the important and omniscient way we're entwined with His spirit.

This is a particularly good time of year to be thinking about how the sneaky adversary creeps into the vine to try to cut us off from the source of our growth. Where are you particularly weak in your life? Are you tempted by greed? Food? Drugs or alcohol? Pornography? Lust? Uncontrolled anger? Fear?

Let's trust in Jesus who is our intercessor for every need. He knows every detail of our lives and where we need Him most. In our darkest moments, in our weakest moments, let's remember to call on our Savior, who has already called on God for our protection. In His flesh, we meet God.

Holy Spirit, remind us in our weakness we are strong in Christ. When the enemy comes tapping on our hearts seeking entrance, would we boldly send him away in the name of Jesus. Especially protect our children during this season when the world finds joy in celebrating and imitating evil. Help us to remind children that the only One worth celebrating, the only One worth emulating, is the Lord God Almighty who always protects us from the evil one. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Spiritual Warfare

FatihWalkDaily October 27, 2008

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ~ Eph 6:11-14

Spiritual battles are inevitable. Satan is not happy that God loves us so much, that he lost his place in heaven, and that God has forgiven us while demons are condemned beyond redemption.
We have been in the midst of spiritual battle in our own lives lately. When you're on the front lines taking fire without relief, it's difficult to make sense of anything, to see clearly or feel the strength of God carrying the banner before us. So often we have wanted to drop our armor and weapons and just play dead.

Today, I met with a friend to pray through some of demonic oppression and I was given a glimpse of God's glory and found new strength and hope in His promises.

I realize one very important thing in all this. Had we not been spending years in Bible study, surrounded ourselves with good loving people who know the Word of God and pray, and continued to praise God in the most difficult circumstances, things would be a whole lot worse - we might even have lost the battle completely.

We're awash in the light of our Savior though we've fallen deep into enemy territory. He is our strength, our hope and our joy. Because we'd been well prepared in our faith, we were able to persevere remembering we can do all things through Christ who is our strength.

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. ~ Eph 6:14-18

Lord our strength is in You. We entrust our lives to Your care with the faith that moves mountains. In Jesus' name, amen.

Who Prayed Your Faith Into Action?

FaithWalkDaily October 26, 2008

We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. ~ Psalm 78:4

Today was "Children's Sunday" at GracePoint Community Church where I worship and enjoy fellowship every week. This is an annual event, celebrating and honoring our children and those who invest in their future by teaching or helping with Sunday school and other activities for our youngsters.

Pastor Fred preached from Psalm 78, a portion of which stresses the importance of passing on the Word of God to generations to come. He asked us to reflect on who had the greatest influence on our Christian faith when they were growing up.

I wanted to share this with you because there have actually been a number of influences in my life and I'm fairly sure someone - maybe more than one person - out there prayed for me for many years before I finally came to faith.

So my first question for you is, who has had the greatest influence on your Christian faith today? Take a moment to thank God for that person and say a prayer for them if they're still living. Go a step further and write them a letter to let them know what a powerful impact they've had on your life and how God is moving in and through your faith now, to effect others and glorify God.

Even more important, who's future are you affecting? Who are you praying for? Who do you mentor? What kind of eternal difference are you making in the life of another?

This is a deeply rewarding experience. If you're missing out, I pray you'll be able to make some adjustments at the next opportunity to positively impact a young person's spiritual future.

Lord, may we never forget what You have done and how much You love us. Thank You for Your inspired Word penned on parchment, passed down generation to generation, a record of all Your marvelous works from the beginning. May we be faithful to continue to pass it on for all generations to come, until our Lord Jesus comes to make all things new. May we rejoice at opportunities to share Your word and Your righteousness with all the children we know, and to live out Your precepts and blessings right before their eyes. May we never lead them down a wrong path, or cause them to disdain the word of God. Would all that we do cause them to find relationship with You in worship, joy in fellowship and wisdom in living by Scripture all the days of their lives. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Which One is Right?

FaithWalkDaily October 24, 2008

I won't be sharing my heart tomorrow morning as I'll be in a women's ministry conference all day. I hope and pray those of you who rely on this daily devotion will take it upon yourselves to choose a verse of Scripture and savor every word of it. Look at the context of the verse. What was happening at the time? Where were those involved? What were their struggles? What was their relationship with God? How does it apply to your life today? Look at it from every angle, as if studying a great masterpiece of art. Marvel at God's word as a masterpiece for our hearts.

Today's inspiration: That's the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone's duty. ~ Ecclesiastes 12:13

I've been in correspondence with a young woman who was initially born-again in a Christian church and has since immersed herself in the Catholic institution. I have deeply mixed feelings about this, having come exactly the opposite direction - once confirmed and baptized as a Catholic and finding no connection to God but only trappings and rituals, the Lord eventually led me into relationship with my Savior and fellowship in the Christian church.

Needless to say, I've been forced to ask the question, where is it best to worship and is there a "true church" or only one way? Is the Catholic church the "true church?" The Mormons say the LDS have the "true church." The Jehovah's witnesses say theirs is the only "true church." Well, if you believe in truth, they can't all be the only true church. So how does a person know?

The question is posed more for the unbeliever than the the man or woman of faith, because there may come a time when someone who's searching will ask you, "how do I know?"

I'm no theologian, in fact, I'm an uneducated quasi-intellectual (being also a passionate, compassionate, deeply emotion-driven person.) Okay, that sounds preposterous I know. I was not formally educated, aced a G.E.D and have been schooled only in the arts. But I've had a lifelong hunger to learn and study everything that interests me to the point of saturation. My favorite subject is Scripture. I research commentaries, the Greek and Hebrew contexts, trusted teachers and a number of other resources, led by the Holy Spirit.

Having said all that, how would I know which church is right? I don't presume to know beyond a shadow of a doubt with any authority to say you should do what I tell you. But know this, I've done a ton of research because it's been on my heart and mind all my life - I've been in search of truth for as long as I can remember. I've practiced Nicheren Shoshu Buddhism, considered Hinduism, agnosticism, Unitarianism, the metaphysical, Catholicism and Anneism (turning my back on all faith.) In the end, I concluded Jesus is the only way (John 14:6.) There is nothing I want more than to follow Jesus, be obedient to the Holy Spirit and please God.

Having established Jesus is the way to connect with God, I had to consider what exactly that looks like.

I asked:

Did Jesus give a name to the church?

No.

What exactly is "the church?"

The word “church” in the New Testament comes from the Greek word, ekklesia, which means “to call out.” This is more a referral to go spread the gospel as far as I can tell, not gather in a building somewhere. However, that's not to say the local body isn't to share the gospel in a central location where the community of believers can point their neighbors to Christ.

The only two references to "church" in the Gospels are from Jesus. According to Ephesians 1:22-23 the church is the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ consist of all those who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ - (1 Corinthians 12:13) all who are saved through faith in Jesus Christ. Within the context of the greater church, we gather in local fellowships for the edification of the body. There is no denominational reference or preference.

Did Jesus tell his apostles and disciples to come together to worship?

While there is no clear mandate about how to gather together for worship, Jesus Himself worshipped in the synagogues as he traveled. Our corporate worship emulates that example. Fellowship is also important in that it strengthens the body as we encourage, nurture, and minister to one another in love as commanded. (John 13:34, 1 John 1:7, 1 John 2:10.) It's just good common sense to associate with like-minded people. We help one another in troubled times and rejoice together in our victories.

When Jesus named the apostle Peter the "rock" upon which He would build His church, did he appoint him a priest or endow any other formal title?

No.

Due to time constraints, I must leave you on this note today. Next week I'll take this up again as I believe this is something God would have us devote ample time to understanding. We want to know we're where God wants us, in obedience to His will.

Meantime, may God bring you peace and joy as you continue to devour His word with your soul.

Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone's duty.

Heavenly Father, keep us ever mindful that faith is about You, not about what we do. Let us bow down and worship our Almighty God, magnificent Creator and everliving Father. We love and adore you, seeking Your wisdom and discernment in Jesus Christ who died for us, amen.

How Valid is the Bible Today

FaithWalkDaily October 23,2008

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ~Heb 4:12

This is the first Scripture verse I ever memorized many years ago. It has come alive in my heart and soul and effects how I live my life.

God's word created the universe and everything in it, including mankind. Do you suppose it stopped there? No, eventually, it's the same word that prophesied and announced the virgin conception of Jesus. It's the same word that spoke to my heart the day I decided to follow Jesus.

God's word is alive and as sharp today as when He called forth light. It separates the wheat from the chaff. It creates conflict in us to cause us to search ourselves deeply for any trace of sin. It cuts to the core, revealing every dark cranny, as it sharpens our awareness and roots out obstacles to our growth.

Do you trust in God's word implicitly? It seems that we've fallen prey to disbelief and must once again turn to God's word for answers, direction and hope.

The word of God is living and active today. It's still the best guide for living.

Heavenly Father, renew our faith and cause us to rely on Your word, not that of the world we live in. Would we be a people who put our trust in You alone, seeking Your word for daily living. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Going Home

FaithWalkDaily October 22, 2008

The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord's perfections and meditating in his Temple.
~ Psalm 27:4

There are many things I have to do today. Many unpleasant things I need to finish. I'm anxious right now, feeling like I need to get out the door and get going. But at the same time, I've committed myself to reflecting on God's word and allowing it to infiltrate my busy heart for my benefit and those I encounter.

Reading this verse today, for a moment I felt secure, peaceful, hopeful. I can't wait to get home! I so long to be with my Father - out of this lipstick, slapstick, Chapstick, flagship, hardship jungle of pain and sorrow hurtling faster than a speeding bullet to absolute destruction - and into a place of wholesomeness and holiness.

In a novel by Tosca Lee called Demon, she paints a marvelous, inspiring picture of what it would be like to worship at the throne of God. It's close to what I saw in my own heart but she was able to put into words what I couldn't quite grasp, in a magical way that made me yearn for freedom from this corporeal state.

But it's not my time. None of us knows the time we'll be called to rest until that day arrives or Jesus returns to bring all the children of God home. We do have a responsibility to live, to the best of our ability, for the cause of the gospel; to be the light of Christ in a dark world; to carry the message of hope to others. We don't get to punch out and go home until we complete our work according to His plans. We must wait until the last page is written and submitted.

What I seek most is to live in the house of the Lord forever, delighting in the Lord's perfections and worshipping at His feet. In the meantime, I seek obedience to His will.

Father in heaven, O how majestic, how awesome You truly are. We can't even imagine in our puny minds how magnificent Your being. Yet we long for it because at our roots, we are connected to You. We are Your children yearning for home. Help us to remember that our reward, our joy, our freedom is there with You, not here. Help us to keep putting one foot in front of the other according to Your plans and purposes for each of us, to complete Your work so we can leave this world in peace. Show us the way Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.

Living for God

FaithWalkDaily October 21, 2008

Josh 24:15-16
15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

God had protected, fed, and guided the Israelites. He had shown His glory to them, brought them through every trial - out of slavery and right to the promised land. Yet despite the history of His faithfulness to the ones He loved, they turned to idols. They sought physical, tangible things to worhsip. They lost their faith in our holy, merciful, everlasting Creator. Joshua stood firm for the Lord, saying, you people do what you will, but I'm trusting God.

What about us today? Where is our faith? This morning as my husband and I studied Acts, a couple things came to mind that have been niggling at my heart for awhile. We've become complacent and lazy in our worship. When did the faithful decide it was no longer necessary to get on our knees to humble ourselves before God? And when did we decide it was no longer necessary to fast when we cry out to Him to save us from our sin?

Look at the condition of our country. We claim to be a Christian nation. Show me where we demonstrate that. We've stood dumb while abortion has been legalized. Even worse, we allow live-born infants to be murdered during birth in the name of some unjustifiable cause. We allow the government to apportion our finances according to a few liberals who justify taking from the rich to give to the lazy. We don't take care of our own needy within the body as we ought to. We go to church on Sunday with smiles on our faces, teary as we worship, living a lie.

We are in dire straights. If you don't see that, you're not only living a lie, you're walking blindfolded. It's time to face the light.

Scripture gives us a clear outline for living. This is not some church or government mandate. This is how God tells us to live.

• Love God first - ponder what that means. (Matthew 22:37)
• Give our firstfruits back to God with a cheerful heart - meditate on this. (Exodus 23:19)
• Love our neighbors as ourselves - Think about it. (Matthew 22:39)
• Support the body of Christ - look our for each other, encourage one another - consider what that looks like. (Hebrews 3:13)
• Take care of widows and the orphans. (James 1:27) * This is not to be confused for prostitutes, fornicators and adulterers who, without concern for themsleves, others or their children, endlessly bear infants, then stick their fat hands out expecting the government to support them.

what are the idols that keep us from doing what God asks us?

Cars
Television
Music
Movies
Property
Possessions
Relationships
Jobs
Cell phones
Food
Pets
Vacations

Add your own idol to the list. Anything that takes our attention from the heart of God is an idol.

Does that mean we're not to enjoy life? On the contrary. If we're attentive to His call, putting Him first, giving back to Him, and following His ways, our joy will be complete. If we suffer for God, we are to count it all joy. Why? Because our reward is not in this world. What comes after is so much better - far beyond our greatest imagining.

If we put our hopes and find our pleasure in the things of this world, do we truly believe the promise of heaven? Ponder what that means. Seek ye first the kingdom of God...

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Will you come to your knees with me today?

Lord God, You are Creator! Your magnificence and power are beyond our ability to even comprehend. It's because You are beyond our imagining, that we get lost in our own stuff, seek the tangible things of this world, forget who You really are, just as the Israelites did long ago. O God be merciful and forgive us! Help us to turn from our wicked foolishness and to fall before Your throne in utter submission and to worship You as You deserve. You alone are God. You alone are worthy. Thank You for Your understanding and love, Your continual forgiveness when we realize the depths of our depravity. We leave our idols and come to you emptied of ourselves, seeking only You. We love You and praise You and thank You for all things and turn to You now. Would new hope spring up for our nation as we trust in You. In Jesus' precious and matchless name, amen.

The Lord's Angel Encamps Around Us

FaithWalkDaily October 20, 2008

~ Ps 34:77 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

Maybe you've been going through some heavy times lately as we have. Not to whine, harp, complain or burden you with my troubles, but for your understanding, we have a full litter box of problems right now.

My hip joint is bone on bone and needs repair as soon as possible - this news came just after we'd reduced our insurance coverage to save money, since we're already in a financial puddle. Now an operation that might have cost us a few hundred dollars co-pay will cost us many thousands of dollars if I can't wait until open enrollment next summer.

We have a rental property that has never been profitable and barely pays it's own mortgage. Ten months ago the tenants broke their lease and jumped ship without notice, leaving the place in an absolute shambles. A 1950's Georgia shanty would have been a nicer place to live than what these people did to our home. There was animal feces and urine in the carpets, screens torn to shreds, doors twisted and broken, light switches broken off, electrical outlets completely torn apart (not just the cover plate removed) and left with wiring dangerously exposed, light fixtures broken, holes punched and kicked in every wall and door, brand new wood flooring destroyed with deep gouges, bath fixtures cracked, smashed, missing parts and filthy. I have never seen anything like it and can't even imagine how people with 6 children could live like that - not that children don't make messes - but that it's so unsafe for them. It's heartbreaking not only because of all the work we've had to pay for and do ourselves with no chance of reimbursement, it has destroyed my trust of all future tenants.

While we've been working on the rental house the past few weeks, at some point a thief came in the night and stole the central air conditioner from the side of the house. They just tore it completely apart, took the parts they wanted, and left it strewn all over the side yard, utterly destroyed. It can't be repaired. This was a brand new unit 3 years ago, to the tune of a few thousand dollars that we can't afford to replace. When my husband picked up the fan portion that was laying on the ground while talking to a deputy during the burglary report, the thing began to spin and nearly took his hand off. Those idiots didn't even cut the wires or disconnect them in any way - just tore the thing apart and left it exposed like that.

What is this all about? It's hard not to be angry, depressed, and frankly not to just get up and run away. Not that I haven't thought about it...

I have a God who loves us, who knows everything we're going through, and who reminds us He has everything under control. As I was tossing and turning last night unable to sleep, I began to pray. The Holy Spirit whispered to me that God wants to teach us something.

I pray we'll be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and willing to accept the lesson we're given.

I pray we'll be alert to what God is doing so we can be obedient to follow.

I pray we'll be wiser in the future and not get burned again.

I'm trusting that the angel of the LORD encamps around us and will deliver us.

Heavenly Father, You are holy and righteous, we are not. We bow before You humbly, knowing we don't get half what we deserve - thank You for that! Forgive us for our sin Lord, for the pride that says I don't deserve what I'm going through; for the ugliness that wishes it were someone elses trouble; for the resentment I've carried toward those who have hurt us; for my unwillingness to see my own part in it all; for my anger and bitterness and the foul words that have escaped my heart and lips. Cleanse me O Lord, make me new and holy, a cheerful representative of my Lord and Savior Jesus. Thank You that You are an ever-present God who cares for our every need, who's angel encamps around us to deliver us. Thank You for this trial by fire that's refining us. Thank You for whatever the the outcome of our situation. We praise You night and day. In Jesus' name, amen.

Sharing the Truth in Love

FaithWalkDaily October 18, 2008

Acts 20:30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.

Someone I love fell prey to a huge and growing cult religion and it broke my heart. When I shared my faith in Christ with this beloved person in hopes that she too would see the light, she told me she disdained organized religion of any kind and didn't want any part of it.

A few years later she moved to Utah. Within months her family was caught in the LDS machine.

Our ministry, the Circle of Grace was birthed from that chapter in our lives. Yesterday as I was doing some research, I came across the website of an LDS man that I've often visited when questioning their beliefs. He seems to fancy himself something of a "Book of Mormon answer man," as it were.

2 Peter 2:1-32:3 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them-bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

If you're unfamiliar with the false teaching of the LDS, I suggest you get to know your Bible well (fi you don't already,) compare it to the Book of Mormon which they tout as the truest book ever written, then study their beloved founder Joseph Smith who was a hypocrite, adulterer, fornicator and polygamist not to mention a liar, thief and murderer - unrepentent. You do the research and decide for yourself.

I have written to this man before, disputing his theories. Of course he defends his faith. He's steeped in deception. Reaching people like that isn't easy. Perhaps I never will. But I choose to continue to dialogue with him and pray for him. As he is leading people astray, how can I sit and do nothing?

Beloved, we have a responsibility to stand up for the gospel truth and not let it be trampled, no matter how big the church that perpetuates false doctrine.

I wrote to Jeff again yesterday. Here is a portion of it. I share it with you for insight and perhaps it will help you in sharing the truth with love to someone your concerned about in a cult.

Dear Jeff,

I know with all my heart that you mean well and really believe what you post. Every once in awhile when I'm researching something on Mormonism I land on your website. This time it was a google search for where J.S. came up with his convoluted notion of 3 heavens. Please, please, please read my entire message because I'm going to reveal something to you in the end that will rock your world.

When I read your explanation that Joseph Smith's fabricated heavenly realms stemmed from any knowledge of Greek language (when he was clearly not a student of Greek, Hebrew or theology,) and that God the author of language gave it to him somehow, all I could think of was my sister's propensity for making up words that have no meaning, just as telestial has no meaning. Smith made it up. Forgive me. I don't mean to be contentious or demeaning. You're obviously a well educated man. But you, as so many others, have been duped. It happens to the best of the best.

As for the 2nd letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians in chapter 12, in his reference to third heaven and paradise, it is clear they are one and the same. Since this is the only mention of third heaven in Scripture, since Paul spoke of himself in the 3rd person in an attempt at humbling himself in the presence of those he challenged, the only explanation man can render is pure speculation. I've read a number of commentaries, concluding the authors gave fair guesses based on studies of the Greek language used, but no one knows for sure. I personally prefer because it makes sense, the explanation that the first heaven refers to the clouds we can see, the second refers to outer space - the inky blackness filled with stars, the third heaven being God's realm from whence He rules.

The bottom line, there's no mention in any Scripture anywhere, or in any church history, or in any history for that matter, of a celestial, terrestrial or telestial domain. Although the concepts of heaven and paradise have been widely accepted through the ages by believers and nonbelievers alike.

Your argument from the perspective of a dear and devout follower of the teachings of Joseph Smith would be that J.S. was a modern day prophet of God. And my challenge to you, as to all who profess faith in Joseph Smith, is to ask and answer the question, how do you test a true prophet? (Deuteronomy 13)

Since the inception of both the Mormon and Jehovah's Witness sects, "prophets" of these organizations have made claims and predictions that did not come to pass. There are Christian men and women today claiming to be modern day prophets of God and I'll reserve that judgement to God. I will not follow them nor accept what they say because we need no more than what God has already given us. There are no modern day prophets because all that needed to be said, has been said. We exist in a time of waiting for the return of our Savior. We have but one course to follow - His.

The prophets of old were found to be credible because their prophecies were ALL fulfilled. A man who got 3 out of 10, 5 out of 10, even 9 out of 10 guesses correctly would not have been accepted. If a prophets predictions were not 100%, the man was put to death for heresy.

The LDS think "ordinary" Christians hate them, persecute them, mock them. Nothing could be further from the truth. You have no idea the tears we shed in crying out to God Almighty on your behalf because the grief of Christ grips our hearts and will not let us rest without doing all we can to open your eyes.

Can we cut to the chase here? All we need to know has already been given us and it's ridiculously simple. Yet man, for some reason, thinks he must twist it into something complicated so he can feel good about himself when he's the only one who "gets it" and has to tell the rest of the world how to think and what to do.

This is all we need to know. By the way, I didn't come up with this, Jesus the Christ did.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul and with all your strength. Love your brother as yourself. (Matt. 22:37-40)

Simple, yes. Easy? Well, let's consider.

The first statement encompasses all the commandments. In order to fully love God as instructed, we look to who God is, what God wants and we naturally desire more than anything to please Him. So, what were the commandments? Not all the convoluted laws tacked on through the ages by Jews, Christians and Mormons. The original 10 commandments given by God to Moses, broadly addressed all sin. Read them carefully, paying particular attention to the first 4. (Exodus 20)

The second command Jesus gave - which He conferred because His life and death were appointed to fulfill the law, therefore to love and follow Him is the fulfillment of all the commandments - is also more difficult than it appears on the surface. But again, if we love God, there is great joy in selfless care for others. And yes, Jesus is one with God though different in nature just as I'm a wife, mother and writer - but that's a discussion for another time. I already know your arguments in that arena. (Col. 1:15-16)

We don't need a modern day prophet to tell us the end is coming - Jesus told us that already.

We don't need a modern day prophet to tell us when the end is coming because Jesus told us that also - NO ONE KNOWS, not even Christ. No one is meant to know. The whole element of surprise is what keeps us on our toes. (Matt. 24:26)

We don't need a modern day prophet to tell us to worship God and live reverently.

We don't need a modern day prophet to tell us what to wear or what to eat or how speak or work or live - all of those things are summed up in the first commandment Jesus gave. For if we love Him, we will worship Him in our hearts, in our attitudes, in our thoughts, all day every day and on the Sabbath. We will respectfully dress modestly by choice, not mandate. We will speak with love and gentility, without profanity. We will want to share the love of Christ with others. We will want to eat right and take care of ourselves for our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 6:19)

These are all common sense issues that we know - how? Of course through the Holy Spirit who gives all wisdom and understanding. We don't need a modern day prophet because we all have one in us when we choose to follow God.

Before I had the Holy Spirit in my heart, I didn't care what anyone thought of me, didn't care what came out of my mouth or what went into it, didn't care how I dressed, didn't care about worship or others. I pretty much didn't care about anyone or anything except myself. But by the power of the blood of Jesus, by His atoning death on the cross, the day I believed, the day I chose to follow Him, I was transformed in ways I could never have managed on my own. Nobody told me to stop cussing and dressing inappropriately. This new awareness was similar to the awakening of Adam and Eve in the garden, when they were suddenly ashamed. I was different in the blink of an eye. The foul language dried up, the attitude was softened, I was reverent, hopeful, joyful, decent, modest - everything was transformed. That, my brother, is the power of the Holy Spirit. He is THE modern day prophet and the only spiritual guide we need. The Holy Spirit then is also one with God, just as Jesus, a separate entity. They are not three Gods, they are not three different people, they are not a god, a spirit and a man. They are God in heaven, God represented in flesh as the Son, and God given within each believer by His Holy Spirit. (John 14:26)

I love the purity of God's word and the simplicity of His message. It truly grieves my heart that so many want to pervert it with their sinful desire to be like God - the very thing that brought the fall of mankind. For any man to think he might attain some sort of godhood, to seek self-importance or for whatever reason man envisions himself in a loftier place, is beyond my understanding, for we were created to worship not be worshipped.

May God have mercy on you and those you lead astray for your are truly, though innocently unaware, deceived. Seek the truth lest you call out the wrath of our God who reigns forever.(Psalm 9:7) The devil wears fine clothes, shines brightest among all men and creatures, dazzles the eyes and heart, beguiles with a poisoned tongue. And he will burn in eternal damnation, taking with him all who believe his lies. Satan's light will burn out. The light of Christ rules forever.

As long as you persist in defending the unqualified teaching of Joseph Smith, I will persist in praying for your eyes to be opened. Because I love you with the love of the Lord.

For the love of Christ, by His grace,
anne hughes
Psalm 23:!

Heavenly Father, thank You for laying it on my heart to share Your truth in love with Mr. Lindsay. I pray Lord, that You will use my words to cause Jeff to consider his place and what he's doing, to protect the great numbers of people he influences with his writing on the web. I pray for those reading this blog, that they might be enlightened about Mormonism, that perhaps they would be prompted to do further research on their own. Holy Spirit, if there are any reading this who are gifted and compelled to pray, who feel led to join the Circle of Grace, would You make that abundantly clear to them. Father we pray in one accord for all those who have been deceived by the lies of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and all who carry on in their stead today, that the scales would fall from their eyes and they would seek the true Gospel for salvation. In Jesus' precious name we pray, amen.

Don't Worry, Pray

FaithWalkDaily October 17, 2008

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ~ Philippians 4:6

Just this morning my husband admonished me to stop fretting and turn my problem over to God. Boy is that easier said than done!

Human nature is such that we tend to stress, fret, ponder, try to fix, make things worse, yell, cry, throw tantrums and when all else fails, we pray. Wouldn't it just be easier to pray first?

When faced with a situation that I couldn't help someone with, I used to say, well at least I can pray. Isn't it amazing how we put prayer down there at the bottom of the list, as if it were dirty laundry? Prayer shoud be the first and is always the best thing we can do.

So, we finally get to that pulling our hair out moment that forces us to our knees, and proceed to fret and stew some more. O we of little faith!

Can you imagine calling the moving men to come to pack up your furnishings for a move and then when they get there, you do all the packing yourself and load the truck for them? Not only would I not do a good job of packing, I'd surely run out of space in the truck for loading improperly, and then go to bed with a backache. When we call on God in prayer, pour out our troubles and ask for His help, shouldn't we then get out of the way and let Him manage our problems?

So what does that look like? I really have to consider this because submitting my needs to the One who has all the answers and then pursuing my own path is clearly not working for me.

First, I need to evaluate my situation. What am I able to do and what do I need help with? What do I need to wait on?

Second, I need to pray with Biblical reference and with sincere faith. God's word is full of promises that help us connect. What good is prayer if it's nothing more than lip service? God knows my heart. I can fool myself but I won't fool my Father.

Finally, I need to spend some quiet time listening, with my journal at hand. When the Holy Spirit speaks, I need to take notes. If I don't get any immediate impressions through my Scripture reading or the still small voice within, I need to commit to being attentive to His leading as I go about my day and week. The answers will come. All things work to the good of those who love Him and are called to His purposes. So I know I can rest after I've given it all to His care.

Heavenly Father, You are all-knowing God, able to do all that we can ask or imagine. Forgive me for trying to live as though I don't need you. Forgive me for bad choices and bad reactions. Help me today as I lift up every circumstance that troubles me, to be quiet enough to listen, to search Your word diligently and store it in my heart and to respond as the Holy Spirit leads. Precious Jesus, thank You for paying the price for my sins, so that I can come before our Father with my petitions. Thank You for forgiving me, for growing me and for every good thing and every trial in my life which strengthens my faith and draws me closer to You. In Your precious name I pray, amen.

Deception

FaithWalkDaily October 16, 2008

John 3:2121 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

Oh what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practise to deceive!
Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832)

Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." ~ John 8:31-32

Eve was deceived, the serpent her deceiver.
Eve deceived Adam.
Abraham deceived Isaac.
Isaac was also deceived by his son Jacob.
Jacob also deceived Laban.
Laban deceived Jacob.
Moses and the Israelites were deceived by the Mideanites.
Saul deceived the spiritist woman.
And David.
The pride of your heart deceives you.
Many will try to deceive you claiming the name of Jesus.
We are deceived by sin.
Deceived by the wicked.
Deceived by our minds.
The devil will deceive the nations.

The Bible is rife with instances of deceit. One deceives another and so it goes, on and on. God cannot deceive, God alone can show us truth.

Deceit sucks one down into darkness into a tangled net of despair.

Truth draws one out into the light and sets us free.

Father, may we seek Your truth today and always, to be drawn ever closer to the light of Your goodness. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

His Grace and Mercy

FaithWalkDaily October 15, 2008

... he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. ~ Titus 3:5

Can you imagine what it must have been like to live as a Jew before Jesus came? Not only were they trying to live up to the laws given Moses, the priests had added law upon law upon law...to the point where a person could hardly move without sinning. There were laws governing what foods could be eaten, what colors were to be worn in certain circumstances, how to react when faced with difficulty (such as tearing ones clothes and covering oneself in sack cloth and ashes.) There were rules about when, where and how to pray, who could talk to God and where, even how to eat ones meals. Everything was managed by law.

There are religions that teach we must live up to the letter of the law IN ADDITION to believing Jesus Christ is the son of God in order to be saved. Today, we call that the impossible gospel. Jesus came that we could have life...

John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

1 John 5:12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Eph 2:7-8-10 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

So we see there is nothing we can do to be saved of our own accord. Only by the blood of the Lamb, the precious sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus, that we are promised eternal life.

Do we still have a responsibility to live up to the law?

Rom 6:14-15 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!

What Paul means is, the man (or woman) who has truly come into the family of God through faith in Jesus, desires a life pleasing to God. Though tempted, we will seek God's strength to turn from sin because we love the Lord more than sin, which ruled the old nature. Now made new in the covenant of Christ's blood, we no longer lust after the things of this world, but are drawn to the things of God. We put away the childish things of our past and grow in faith through daily Scripture reading, prayer and meeting in fellowship.

Lord, we fall before Your throne in all humility, knowing we are unworthy. Still tempted by sin of every color, shape and size, the Holy Spirit is our victor who empowers us for every encounter with evil. By the blood of Jesus our sins are erased and You give new life. Grant that we would find our strength and hope in His name alone today and every day until You return to bring us home. In Your precious name we pray, amen.

What is God's Will For Me, How Can I Know?

FaithWalkDaily October 13, 2008

Jesus said, in Mark 3:35, Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother.

To have a relationship with Christ, if we are truly a member of His family, we desire to be in God's will. It is the kind of yearning that causes us to question, what exactly is His will for me, and how do I know when I'm in it?

I have a couple of tests I use. The first and paramount examination is to look at Scripture. Is what I think I'm supposed to do, Biblically sound?

A few years ago, our church was in need of someone to lead our Ministry to Women. When the announcement was made from the pulpit one Sunday, I immediately thought, "I should do that." We had been with this church for 6 months in worship, and as instructed by our former pastor when we moved, had waited that long to settle in and get to know the fellowship and ways of this particular body and denomination. The 6 months had just expired, so I asked, "Lord, is this what You want me to do?" Then I waited for an answer. The body had a need and it is certainly Scriptural to serve the church so there was no question there.

The question was, was I a leader, could I do it? I had to say no, I'm not a leader! This goes against my nature in every way, free spirited, worker bee that I am. I'm a contributor, not a director. But still, that little voice kept going off every time the subject came up. That's where my second test comes into play. I call it my third-time-rule. Whenever I'm questioning something and it comes up before me three or more times unexpectedly and unprompted from different sources, I begin to get a strong sense that God is pushing me in that direction.

So I shared with my husband what I'd been thinking and he said I should take it to the pastor and see what he thought. when I sat down with our new pastor, and asked how I could know if this is God's will for me and the women of GracePoint, he said, (paraphrased) it's in alignment with Scripture and you feel a tug in your heart, go for it.

A couple days later when I told one of my new friends in the fellowship I was thinking of accepting the responsibility for the ministry to women, she said, I knew you would, I just had a feeling. A number of others said the same thing. In the end, I didn't have the leadership abilities at all, but for the next 2 1/2 years, God provided a host of wonderful, organized helpers to fill in the gaps. We succeeded in the goals we set and God's work was done with me being nothing more than a conduit for His will. I always felt unequipped and inadequate for the task and was continually amazed at what God did with everything in that ministry.

Rom 8:27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

You can rest assured that in our humble inability, the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf. He does the prompting, He does the providing. All we have to do is participate.

The next time you say no because something is out of your range of spiritual gifts, or you feel incapable of what's being asked, don't insult God. If you feel a tug at your heart to step up, test it against Scripture, watch to see if God keeps bringing it up in different ways by different sources, and seek guidance from those in authority who will have a leading from the Holy Spirit as well. When all the lights are green, trust God to provide all that's needed to accomplish His work through you, according to Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Conversely, the next time you're absolutely certain God has His hand on you to fill the opening, don't be insulted or leave the church because "they didn't see God's will." Go back and pray some more, look for God's leading and trust that His will is being done, possibly through another. If He didn't call you to the work you wanted or thought you would be good at, He has something better, just for you. Wait with joyful anticipation to see what it is. Maybe He's still honing you for just what He has in mind for you to do. I know from experience, there have been many times I thought God was taking me in a direction that I later discovered wasn't God's will for me at all.

I'm thankful now for where He really is taking me, and that I'm learning day by day to trust Him explicitly! After all He is God. I'm just the cracked pot.

Watch, be willing, be humble.

Lord God, Almighty and Omniscient Father, I know You have a perfect plan for my life. I know that when I'm obedient, when I'm in tune with Your will, everything always runs smoothly. Grant me the wisdom today to sit still and wait on You, to trust in Your sovereign ways, and to be grateful for whatever is my chosen path. In Jesus' name, amen.

Wake Up, Stand Up, Pass It On

FaithWalkDaily October 11, 2008

This is worth sharing with the world in lieu of my regular devotion. It was sent to me by the woman who taught me to pray, my former pastor's wife and dear sister in the Lord. Because I'm in complete agreement that Barack Obama is a very present danger to our nation, I'm posting this message. Feel free to copy and paste the content to email or to share with anyone and everyone you see fit.

HYMN TO HITLER
Posted by: Lori Kalner on Wednesday, October 01, 2008

In Germany, when Hitler came to power, it was a time of terrible financial depression. Money was worth nothing. In Germany people lost homes and jobs, just like in the American Depression in the 1930s, which we have read about in Thoene's Shiloh books.

In those days, in my homeland, Adolph Hitler was elected to power by promising 'change.' He blamed the 'Zionists' around the world for all our problems. He told everyone it was greedy Zionist Bankers who had caused every problem we had. He promised when he was leader, the greedy Zionist bankers would be punished. The Zionists, he promised, would be wiped off the face of the earth.

So Hitler was elected to power by only 1/3 the popular vote. A coalition of other political parties in parliament made him supreme leader. Then, when he was leader, he disgraced and expelled everyone in parliament who did not go along with him...Yes, change came to my homeland as the new leader promised it would.

The teachers in German schools began to teach the children to sing songs in praise of Hitler. This was the beginning of the Hitler Youth movement. It began with praise of the Fuhrer's programs on the lips of innocent children. Hymns in praise of Hitler and his programs were being sung in the schoolrooms and in the play yard. Little girls and boys joined hands and sang these songs as they walked home from school.

My brother came home and told Papa what was happening at school. The political hymns of children proclaimed change was coming to our homeland and the Fuhrer was a leader we could trust. I will never forget my father's face. Grief and fear. He knew that the best propaganda of the Nazis was song on the lips of little children. That evening before he said grace at the dinner table, he placed his hands upon the heads of my brothers and me and prayed the Living Word upon us from Jeremiah 1:4-5 "Now the Word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.'"

Soon the children's songs praising the Fuhrer were heard everywhere on the streets and over the radio. "With our Fuhrer to lead us, we can do it! We can change the world!" \

Soon after that Papa, a pastor, was turned away from visiting elderly parishioners in hospitals. The people he had come to bring comfort of God's Word, were 'no longer there. Where had they vanished to while under nationalized health care? It became an open secret. The elderly and sick began to disappear from hospitals feet first as "mercy killing" became the policy. Children with disabilities and those who had Downs syndrome were euthanized. People whispered, "Maybe it is better for them now. Put them out of misery. They are no longer suffering. And, of course, their death is better for the treasury of our nation. Our taxes no longer must be spent to care for such a burden." And so murder was called mercy.

The government took over private business. Industry and health care were nationalized. (NA-ZI means National Socialist Party.) The businesses of all Jews were seized. Perhaps you remember our story in Berlin on Krystalnacht in the book Munich Signature.

The world and God's word were turned upside down. Hitler promised the people economic change? Not change. It was, rather, Lucifer's very ancient Delusion leading to Destruction. What began with the propaganda of children singing a catchy tune ended in the deaths of millions of children.

The reality of what came upon us is so horrible that you in this present generation cannot imagine it. Our suffering is too great to ever tell in a book or show in a black and white newsreel. When I spoke to Bodie about some of these things, she wept and said she could not bear to write them. Perhaps one day she will, but I asked her, "who could bear to read our suffering?"

Yet with my last breaths I warn every Christian and Jew now in the name of the Lord, unless your course of the church in America is spiritually changed now, returning to the Lord, there are new horrors yet to come.

I trembled last night when I heard the voices of American children raised in song, praising the name of Obama, the charismatic fellow who claims he is the American Messiah. Yet I have heard what this man Obama says about abortion and the "mercy killing" of tiny babies who are not wanted.

There are so few of us left to warn you. I have heard that there are 69 million Catholics in America and 70 million Evangelical Christians. Where are your voices? Where is your outrage? Where is passion and your vote? Do you vote based on an abortionist's empty promises and economics? Or do you vote according to the Bible? Thus says the Lord about every living child still in the womb. "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you"

I have experienced the signs of the politics of Death in my youth. I see them again now. Christians! Unless you stand up now, you will lose your freedom of religion. In America priests and preachers have already lost their freedom to speak openly from their pulpits of moral danger in political candidates. They cannot legally instruct you of which candidate holds fast to the precepts of scripture! American law forbids this freedom of speech to conservative pastors or they will lose their "tax exempt" status.

And yet I have heard the words of Obama's pastor damning America! I have heard the words of Obama damning and mocking all of you in small towns because you "cling to your religion"

But I am a woman whose name is unknown. My life is recorded as a work of fiction. I have no fear of reprisal when I speak truth to you from the pages of a book. (Though the Zion Covenant books are mocked and condemned by the Left in America.) I am an old woman and will soon go to be with my Lord. I have no fear for myself, but for all of you and for your children, I tremble.
I tremble at the hymns to a political leaders which your children will sing at school. (Though even now a hymn or a prayer to God and our Lord Jesus is against the law in public school!)

Your vote must put a stop to what will come upon America if Barack Obama is elected.

I pray you will personally heed this warning for the sake of your children and your grandchildren. Do not be deceived. The Lord in Jeremiah 1:7-8 commands every believer to speak up! "Do not say, 'I am only a youth,' for to all whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them for I am with you, declares the Lord!"

I am in Prayer for you, and for the Church!

Spoken to you in the authority of Jesus the Christ, the Name Above All Names,
Lori Kalner

The Cost of Faith

FaithWalkDaily October 10, 2008

Acts 14:22
...strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.

Paul and Barnabas covered a lot of ground together, preaching in synagogues from town to town at great risk to themselves. Peter had already been thrown in prison for preaching salvation through faith in Jesus. Paul had been stoned so severely the Jews who'd done it thought he was dead and dragged him outside the city. There was a great price to pay for preaching Jesus.

What does that mean to us? It's not just about carrying the gospel, although that is certainly the plan for each of us. If we go back to the OT Scriptures, we see that it's all about living for God. And tons of failures along the way. I don't know about you, but it sure does ease my mind to know David didn't do life perfectly, Moses didn't do life perfectly, Ruth and Esther had their moments and Mary Magdalene had 7 demons cast out of her. Do you suppose she might have had a few struggles in life even after she was saved? Come on, none of us is perfect, so let's relax a little. But not too much.

Salvation, being forgiven for our sins and accepting the atoning death of Jesus, is not a ticket to ride. It's only the cash to buy the ticket. Now what we do with that cash is very important. We can waste it on foolish things so we don't get to ride at all and have to traverse that mountain on foot, or we can use it to honor and glorify God for a cruise on the Good Ship Lollipop.

Let me speak English. Life is as hard as we make it. God gave us the manual for living. If we read and abide by it, chances are it will be fairly smooth sailing, with a few storms to weather along the way, but excellent equipment to get us through with relative ease. If on the other hand, we choose to try it our own way, rebelling against God's wisdom, we're going to run out of resources before we run out of road, on our own and without a compass.

Will the gates of heaven still open when we get there? Probably. I don't presume to have all the answers by a long shot. But I'm pretty sure the road will be a whole lot easier if we choose to seek, listen and follow God's plans. Job's life is the perfect example. He did everything right, honored God, walked in faith. God let Satan take everything from him. Did he turn away from God? No. Was he hurt and angry? Yeah. But he remained faithful despite it all and God rewarded him with more than he lost for his faithfulness. Yes he had a rough spot but God smoothed it all out.

I know if my life is miserable, it's only because I chose to do things my way. We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God, that's a given. So why make it harder than we must?

There's a story about the refiner's fire that sums it up.

As the woman watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." (Malachi 3:3)

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy - when I see my image in it."

We should rejoice to be in that refiner's fire. It hurts. It's hot. But in the end, God has stamped His image on us, so we can shine for Him.

Heavenly Father, wow. You are amazing and we are stupid. Forgive us for wanting to do things our own way, for choosing the rugged mountain rather than accepting your gliding gondola to the top. We gladly accept Your refining fire, to shape us, purify us, make us gleam for You. Thank You for Your patience with us while we stumble in the dark. Thank You for lighting the way back to You. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

What is Divine Power?

FaithWalkDaily October 8, 2008

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. ~ 2 Peter 1:3

Divine: proceeding directly from God.

God has given us everything we need for a godly life, directly through His power. Straight from the source Himself. Not UPS or Fed Ex or USPS, right from the throne - mainline to our hearts.

There's just something truly awesome about that. Think about it. Suppose you needed help from the government to accomplish something so you put in a request to the President's office for help and the President himself called to grant you authority. And you think, that would never happen, he's got better things to do than pay attention to little ol' me. How much more amazing that God Himself would bestow on us the power to devote ourselves to the work He's prepared in advance for us to do? (Eph. 2:10)

And how have we received this divine ability? Through coming to know Him who called us to Himself. He called us to Himself. I don't know about you, but the very idea that the God of the universe who created us has called me by name gives me goose bumps. Who am I, with all my warts and foibles? Instead of crying in my pain saying "why me God?" I'm forced to my knees, humbled by His love, to cry out "why me God? I'm not worthy!"

This morning as I was praying, the Holy Spirit brought to mind a dear elderly friend. I didn't know why, and her skin looked grey in my vision so I prayed for her health. It made me sad and I thought to myself, I want her to live to be 100 but not if she won't be blessed each and every day. I don't want to see her go, but I'd rather God take her at 93 than see her suffer and have to spend years in a nursing home. Her daughter called awhile ago to say she was in the hospital for some tests as she hasn't been well. All I could think was, what a privilege that God would bring her to mind and call me to pray. Divine power.

By His divine power, He has given us everything we need to live a life devoted to serving Him.

Are you attentive to His call? Tapping into His divine power? Allowing the Holy Spirit to work in and through you?

Heavenly Father, how great thou art. You who shaped the universe know us by name and call us to Your purposes. Thank You that You first walked this earth in our skin, to pay the price for our sins. Thank You that You have prepared a way for us to come to You without shame. We confess we are unworthy and unholy and gratefully receive the atoning death of our Savior. May we sit quietly now, be still, know that You are God and listen for Your voice as You call us out by means of Your marvelous glory and excellence to do Your will. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Safe in God's Care

FaithWalkDaily October 7, 2008

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. ~ Psalm 4:8

As I've been dealing with a bad hip and all that entails, I'm in constant pain and don't get much sleep or exercise. The combination of pain, weariness and inactivity wreak havoc on my state of mind.

Yet God's word assures me that I'm in good care. He keeps me safe. despite all the curve balls life throws my way, God is always behind me to call the plays.

I know that God in heaven has a handle on every detail of our world. He knows what's going on, what's best and what the outcome will be. I can rest, even if I can't sleep. I can breath easy knowing the God of the universe who created me has a perfect plan and I am safe with Him. I can pray.

Heavenly Father, though I'm weary, I welcome this pain and all that goes with it because I know nothing happens without reason and there's nothing I go through that You don't walk through with me. I welcome Your refining fire so that ultimately my life will glorify You. Thank You Jesus for walking through torture and death for my sake! I offer this humble sacrifice that You would give me victory and joy in this pain as a testimony of the peace and protection I find in You. In Jesus' name, amen.

The Special Gift of Prayer

FaithWalkDaily October 6, 2008

Our church has a wonderful little group of folks who stay after the worship service to pray for those in need. Yesterday as I waited for someone to be available to pray with me, a sister sat on the pew next to me. The only person available to pray was tied up with the needs of another for quite awhile. After a time, my friend asked if I would like her to pray for me, with a disclaimer, "I'm not a prayer warrior but would be happy to pray for you."

This caused me to ponder, what exactly is a prayer warrior? Who can pray for another? Who should pray? Do I need a special gift to pray?

1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to pray Continually. Incessantly. Nonstop. There's nobody's name attached to that admonishment. No particular group assigned to pray. It doesn't even say "those with the gift should pray." The first message of Paul to the Thessalonians isn't even addressed and his second message is addressed to "the church of the Thessalonians." So are only the Thessalonians to pray without ceasing?

Romans 12:12 tells us to "be faithful in prayer." Here Paul is addressing the Romans, telling them that faith is demonstrated by prayer.

We can go all the way back to Genesis and see God's people calling out to Him in prayer. So as I did a quick search and study of the subject, I came to the conclusion that prayer is not a special gift God bestows on a chosen few to intercede for others. God's gift is the work done on the cross so that all may come freely to Him with our praise, thanksgiving, confession and petition. Prayer is a special gift for all.

What can we expect from prayer?

Sometimes our prayers are answered instantly. More often than not, as life unravels, I see the hand of God as He weaves a new pattern for me through circumstances, people and events as a result of long term prayer.

He gave us a model for prayer and for acceptance as Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane before He was arrested and crucified. Ask for anything, but trust the will of God for the outcome, even unto death. There is never a need to question the sovereign will of God. Had Jesus questioned the Father, we would all be lost forever. So he ended His prayer, "not my will but thine be done," so that we could be saved.

Jesus is the special gift of prayer. He has given us that gift. Use it wisely.

Lord, thank You for providing the way for us to come to You freely with our requests. Holy God of the universe, we love and adore You. Holy Spirit, prompt us continuously to pray in the spirit, our desire spawning from Your imprint on our hearts, our hope in You alone. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

My Hope is in my God

FaithWalkDaily October 2, 2008

~ Psalm 9:18
But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.

Recently we've been faced with climbing some very rough terrain in our lives and I know my only hope is in God. When the world fails us - and it does time and again, God NEVER does.

I am who I am and there's no getting around that. At this very moment I'm dealing with a screaming worn out hip joint that needs to be replaced (and lack of money or insurance to take care of it,) bad liver, weepy eye, sinus pain and inflammation, frequent headaches, and nerve pain in my feet. Today is a good day. Add to that problems with a rental property we've invested in, the US economy is in the pits, troubles with my adult son who's moved back home and acts like a demanding tantrum-throwing toddler - honestly, some days I really want to catch the next train for the furthest reaches of the universe and disappear forever.

I'm not afraid to tell God how I feel. The One who knows every hair on my head, already knows! I don't have to be afraid to share my pain and sorrow with God. He is my Father, my comforter, my strength, my shield, my deliverer - He is everything to me. My hope is in Him. If I don't pour out my heart to Him, in essence it's like saying I can handle this alone; I don't need God. I can't handle anything in life with out Him; I do need God.

The truly marvelous thing is, that while I refocus my attention on Him, I forget about my hip, my eye, my sinus headache, and all the stress life throws my way. For just that time, all is well. I can see only good in my scope when focused on Him. My hope is in Him.

Where's your hope today? Perhaps it would help to adjust your focus. Psalm 31:24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You! Thank You for always being there for me to lean on when otherwise I would just fall over. Thank You for being the merciful and loving Father You are, to hold and comfort me as I go through all the trials of life on earth. Thank You for saving a special place in heaven just for me. I can't wait to get home! In the meantime, pour out your strength, courage and perseverance to keep plugging along for Your purposes, a day at a time. In Jesus' name, amen.

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