Better Than Food

I have not departed from the command of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. Job 23:12 (NIV)

As Job is going through a lot of suffering, he does not understand why it is happening. He is willing to state his case before God of his innocence of any wrong doing. In his heart, Job knows that he follows all of God's commands. He desires God's Word more than food.

Eating food is something most people like to do. Many will even eat much more than they need too, because they love eating the food so much.

Look at the many different restaurants that have all you can eat buffets. Those places are constantly filled with people stuffing themselves. There are restaurants that are now open twenty-four hours a day, because there is always someone ready to eat something around the clock.

What people desire to eat is different for each person. Some like junk food, such as chips and candy. Others love fast food. Others just like deserts. While others attempt to eat healthy meals, just a lot. The desire to eat is great.

While the need to eat food is important, the need to eat of God's Word is more important. Job knew the value of God's Word in his life. He desired to have His Word more than the food that is only here today and gone tomorrow.

Jesus told the disciples that His food is to do the will of the Father. The will of the Father (God) is doing what He says to do, following His Word.

Most believers do not even read the Bible at all, except on Sunday when in church. They do not study or memorize any verses from day-to-day. They do not have a hunger for God's Word. They do not treasure the greatest book in all of creation.

You need to ask God to give you a desire to know His Word and to apply it to your life. As you read the Bible more andmore, you will also learn to love it and desire it more and more. You will not want to go one day without feeding on His Word.

What do you treasure more?

Food?

Or God's Word?

I pray today that you will have a desire to know God's Word; that you will read the Bible daily; that you will apply God's Words to your life; and that you will be willing to forsake all else for knowing His Word for your life.

Written By: Tom Arn

Tom has been happily married for 24 years, and has been blessed with eight wonderful children. Over the years he has been a pastor, children's pastor, Sunday School teacher, and in many other areas of ministry in the church. He has a great love for God and wants to share some of the things he has learned. He has been writing a devotional blog at http://www.insightsfromtom.com for about three years. It is his heart's desire to see people draw closer to God as they learn more of His Word.

Give or Take

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

(Philippians 4:6 NIV)

This is a time of year when many of us take time to thank God for the blessings we have been given in our lives: family, relationships, our "stuff," and even our circumstances.  We also give thanks to God for being loving, caring, and for giving us a way to Him through Jesus.  These prayers of thanksgiving are important.  We also sometimes have prayers of request from God, or petitions.

I was recently getting ready to pray and bring my request to God, and I paused to reflect, "Am I a giver or taker?"    Do I come to God to thank Him and spend time with Him, or just when I need something?   In other words, when it comes God, am I primarily a "Giver or Taker?"  I know what God is; He is a giver all the way!

• Giver of love
• Giver of life
• Giver of mercy
• Giver of grace
• Giver of peace
• Giver of blessings

...just to name a few.

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

(2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV)

Do you like when people only come to you when they want something, but never reach out to you at any other time?  Probably not.  We need to respect God and giveto Him, forHim, and from Him to others.  He wants us to be givers!  He doesn't want this out of "reluctant compulsion," but out of a "cheerful" heart. God knows this will bless our lives and make them more the way He intended.

He wants us to give the things I listed above to others.  He wants us to give control of our life to Him.  He wants us to submit ownership of all of our "stuff" to His control.  He wants us to bring Him praise and thanksgiving, whether we "feel blessed" at the time, or not.  Be a giver.

Written By: Brian Goslee

Brian Goslee is the Founder and Executive Director of Changed Through Faith Ministries, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides resources and faith-infused experiences to help fathers and sons grow closer to God an each other.

For daily devotions and short videos to help grow your faith,click here for our free app.

Visit our website at changedthroughfaith.com for much more!

Be An Encourager

But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring relief. Job 16:5 (NIV)

Job's friends were continually pointing out how wrong he must be to be going through the harsh suffering he was dealing with. They had no words of encouragement for him. Job states that he could speak in the same way if the roles were reversed, but that he would not. He would speak words of encouragement and comfort striving to ease their suffering.

The world loves to kick a person when he is down. When a person has fallen a little in some area of his life, the world will point out more wrongs and keep him down. Others will just love to point out where he went wrong to bring him in to the suffering that is happening.

People of the world will treat others this way, because that is what the devil wants to do. He sets out to kill and destroy anyone he can. He wants to destroy any hope or belief that a person has. Destruction of progress in a person's life is important to the devil.

It is easy to do things as the world does. It is easy to point out faults and wrongs in a person, and cut them down while they are down. However, that is not what you as a believer should be doing.

Jesus said that He was sent to proclaim good news. That good news is that God loves the people and wants to save them. Jesus did not come to condemn the people or sit and just point out all of their faults. He built them up with love and compassion.

Every believer should be seeking to build up another person. Building another person is done by encouraging the person, rather than pointing out his faults.

As a believer, you are supposed to be doing things just like Jesus would do them. You are to be His disciple, one who is learning to live just like He lived.

What kind of words are you speaking today?

Are they words like the friends of Job, cutting down, condemning, and destroying?

Or are they words like Jesus, loving, caring, full of compassion and building up?

I pray today that you will know God's love for all people; that you will show compassion for others; that God will strengthen you to encourage others; and that you will show God's comfort to others.

Written By: Tom Arn

Tom is a man who has been happily married for over 24 years, and currently has eight wonderful children. He has been in the Army, full time ministry, volunteer ministry and numerous jobs. Tom has been writing a daily devotional blog, along with book reviews on http://www.insightsfromtom.com. God has blessed his life in many ways and he desires to share some of what he has learned with others.

An Open Life

Can anyone bring charges against me? If so, I will be silent and die. Job 13:19

The friends of Job were convinced that Job had done something sinful to bring on the troubles that he was going through. In their minds, the only reason God would inflict trouble on a person is because of sin. Job was convinced that he was innocent before God. He challenges anyone to bring a true charge against him. If that could happen, Job would be silent.

Seeing a fault in another person is very easy. The news media loves to look at faults that people have. Only occasionally does the news look at something good in a person.

At the same time, most people do not like to have any of their faults looked at or seen. They do not want to be told about something wrong in their life. Very few are willing to be corrected by another person.

The world likes to keep things in the dark, behind closed doors. Many will claim that those things are personal and of no one else's business. For most people, if those things were known, it would be embarrassing and often harmful to their career or status in the community.

The person who wants to grow will want to know what faults he has. He will desire to be corrected and set on the right path. The true believer in Jesus will strive to live a life that is without fault.

God sees into the hearts and minds of every person. He knows the truth of every action or thought a person has. There is nothing hidden from Him. Man cannot see into the heart as God can, he can only see on the outside.

You must live your life as an open book before men and God. The ultimate life to live is one that is living for God with no faults. God sees into your heart already and sees everything. Men should be able to also look at your life and see nothing but Jesus in you.

Live your life in a way that no one can accuse you of any wrong. Allow yourself to be an open book for anyone to examine. Let them see Jesus in you. If anything else is seen, allow it to be pointed out so that you can change and live for God.

I pray today that you will allow God to cleanse you of all sin; that you will be an open witness of Jesus; that the world will only see Jesus in you; and that you will seek to change any wrong in your life.

Written By: Tom Arn

Tom is a happily married husband of 24 years with eight wonderful children. He loves Jesus and talking about Jesus. He shares some of what God has taught him over the years in a daily devotional he writes at http://www.insightsfromtom.com.

Giving Into Pressure

Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. Ezra 4:24

pressure

King Cyrus had given the Israelites permission to rebuild the temple and the city of Jerusalem. The people in the surrounding area began to be afraid. They that if the city was rebuilt, the Israelites would revolt and break away. They persuaded the king to force the people to stop the building. After a lot of pressure, the Israelites stopped the building of the temple.

In the eyes of the world, Christians are a dangerous threat, even though Christians are to love everyone, including their enemies. The threat comes in that Christians do not believe in or act the way the world does. Jesus had set a standard that was different from that of the world. This has a severe effect on the lives of those in the world and they do not like it.

People in the world try to accuse Christians of hate because they do not conform to the world's standards of living. For many years in America there has been the term of "political correctness" being used. Believers are threatened in many ways to give in to the world's way of living.

Sadly, many believers have given in to the pressure to conform to this world's standards. They feel the threats of job losses, jail time, lawsuits and more, and choose to change their words and standards. Churches, and many believers, now allow open sin as acceptable in God's eyes, changing the Word of God, and doing what God clearly says not to do.

As the Israelites gave in to the pressure to stop building the temple, many believers today give in to the pressure to stop building God's kingdom. They stop being His witness out of fear of those in the world.

The world will do their best to put pressure on you to turn from Jesus and follow their ways. As the world puts on the pressure on you to give in to their ways, you must make a choice as to who you will follow.

Will you follow Jesus, who gives life?

Or will you follow this world, which brings only death?

I pray today that you will stay focused on what God wants you to do; that you will only live for God; that God will give you strength to overcome pressure to turn from Him; and that you will continue to build His kingdom.

Written By: Tom Arn

Tom has been writing a devotional blog, http://www.insightsfromtom.com, for three years. He has been happily married for 24 years with eight children, (three now adults), one of which is going on two years old. He has worked in many different areas of the church and in many different jobs throughout his life. He has a great love for God and for His word and to let others know about Jesus.

After Salvation: Struggles and Fires

Transition

after-salvation-struggles-and-fire

We are bathed in awe as we take our first breath. Our ears can hear at last, and our eyes are now open. We emerge into life as showers of joy surround our minds. We can hear the shouts of joy from the angles above as we pick up the scent of heaven.

It seems like nothing can destroy the first weeks of salvation. We feel like our journey is finally over. Pure and innocent, like smoking holy weed.

We soon realize that our problems don’t disappear. The haze fades away, and the liquid glory honey cloud becomes a distant memory amidst the returning train of reality.

A glimpse of heaven

Everyone who ever started something with enthusiasm and great joy knows the sloping feeling of the mundane creeping in again. We get used to new environments, new jobs, and new spouses.

The new and fresh doesn’t stay like that by the definitions of those words. We call it the honeymoon phase. Everything fades away, even the new-found joy of salvation.

It’s almost like God opens up a little window to us; a glimpse of a future yet to come. It is enough for us to experience him and make our first memories. It’s a rock that tells us ‘stuff is real.’

The pain of growing up

When I gave my life to the Lord, many challenges arose. All of a sudden, I couldn’t relate to my buddies anymore.

It was more than just their inability to understand why I wouldn’t drink and smoke anymore. Those are just behaviors one can ignore.

What got us was our sudden disagreement on core issues such as women, sex, love, and purpose. None of those things clash in young men until those values change.

Some reacted with anger and some with indifference but over time I grew apart from most of them. What do you do together if you don’t party and set the world on fire? Not a lot in those wild years.

I had my fallbacks and slips, bitter tears after long nights but my decision for the Lord hunted me when I was alone. I knew one could fall, but we can only walk towards one destiny. The course is set either way.

The doubts and the unknown

Everything I knew and valued started to disappear into obscurity. Friendship became hollow, and the gin and juice I used to love became a mere memory. I started asking myself how I should act as a follower of Christ?

I wanted something real. I experienced radical salvation out of a miserable lifestyle. I wanted to grow in being radical and the cost of giving up my pleasures was a great sacrifice for me. I needed people with a radical love for Christ, yet instead, I found a bunch of sissies playing games.

Most Christians had no idea how to handle a rough diamond. They are used to “perfect” people who hide their problems under the carpet. Keep’ on smiling until you die.

I didn’t know how to smile. So we didn’t get along. I ended up alone and frustrated, doubting my decisions and slipping time and time again.

The cracking of the wall

My defenses started to shake. Rejected by my old brothers and rejected by my new ones. With no place to go, I began to feel like I was doing things wrong.

I started to doubt my actions. I became self-conscious. Hiding my insecurities with pride and swagger didn’t work anymore. But that’s the only way I knew how to deal with my fears.

So I became defensive and moody. A shadow of my former self. No place to go and no place to hide. My anchors got challenged, and I had nothing left. The people who were supposed to catch me were too busy catching Benjamins.

Being reborn was not just a metaphor for me. Like a baby, I had to learn how to walk and talk. Everything was new for me, and it was the beginning of a long and painful process of healing and learning.

I learned that true Christianity is only for real warriors. What is commonly known as the church has nothing to do with faith. Jesus didn’t come to make us comfortable; he came to give us salvation. And he was willing to pay the price.

The church today tries to control people into a particular kind of churchgoer. Always nice, always on the surface. Crack a joke, show up on Sunday and put a fish on your car.

That’s not the man I desired to be when I surrendered my life to my God. Jesus wasn’t like that. He whipped the moneychangers, battled the church of his time and didn’t care what anyone thought. A man’s man.

Father and mothers

A standard recommendation after salvation is to find a good church. I agree with that, but the problem is that one doesn’t know what a good church is. How can you, you’ve just been saved.

So how can we avoid the pain and frustrations with others?

I believe in commitments. Giving a commitment to a church is a big deal, something people tend to give to early.

Visiting a church two times doesn’t mean that you now belong to that church. You’re a visitor, checking things out. That’s fine.

Take your time in finding the right place. Check out everything that’s available in your area. Don’t give up looking and don’t settle for an online church. There are great resources out there (like here and here) but there is no replacement for interacting with people and building relationships. Chats can’t emulate that.

You need brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers. You need a place where you can open up, and you trust the people around you. You can’t be alone because the devil attacks at night.

Once you’ve found a church, then commit. Become a part of it and attend even if you don’t feel like it. Pursue relationships with your local family, stay in the word and love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.

Written By: Michael Klim

Michael is no stranger to tears and pain. Growing up in Berlin as the son of refugees, hardening his heart seemed like the only way to survive the jungle.

Yet his God had a different plan. He stole his heart and put him on a journey towards wholeness and completion. He is married to Shalyn and has two gorgeous little girls. They make their homes in a small town in the midwest.

Michael blogs at heartandgrowth.com

Mothers You are the Backbone of the Family

There's an old saying, "God couldn't be everywhere at once, so he made moms."

That statement has horrible theology in it. But it attempts to convey the importance motherhood plays in our lives. Mothers hold a special place and role that no one else can fill.

This post is the fourth in a series on the Christian family. Our focus turns to the importance of motherhood. The foundation text is the famous account of the Wedding at Cana.

On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. John 2:1-2

The Background

Weddings in Palestine were a cause for great celebration. These events would last for several days. A crucial part of the celebration was the lavishness of the wine. Wine aplenty wasn't because everyone attending the wedding wanted to get drunk. To clarify drunkenness was a social disgrace. The Jewish social custom required that there be plenty of wine for everyone. Hospitality was sacred in Jewish culture. And running out of wine would have been a humiliating experience for the wedding host. In a culture of honor and shame that would be devastating.

Mary understanding the situation came to Jesus and said, "They have run out of wine." Jesus' answer may seem abrupt—almost rude—if we don't read it in context.

And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” John 2:4

Being from the South, I would never address my mom that way. The term "Woman" is not disrespectful. Jesus didn't speak to his mom in English; he was talking to her in Aramaic. The term Jesus used was one of honor. It should be translated,"Dear Woman" or "Gracious Lady." The phrase "What have I to do with thee" is a Hebrew idiom. Accurately, translated that means "Leave things to me, and I will settle them my way." Mary said to the servants...

(v. 6) Do whatever he tells you.

There were six 20-30 gallon stone water jars nearby that were used for ceremonial washing. Jesus told the servants to fill the jars with water. They did, and then he told them to draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet. The master of the banquet was not the bridegroom; he was more like a head-waiter. His job was to make sure the feast ran smoothly. The servants drew water from the stone jars and took some to the banquet master, and he said...

(v. 10) Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink, but you have saved the best till now.

As we look at how Jesus and his mother related to one another, there are three faith lessons that both parents and children can learn from this story. The lessons that this miracle is teaching are about a mother's faith and how that faith can impact our lives. The first lesson we can learn is:

Remain A Part of Your Child's Life. Parents often make jokes about how much they're looking forward to getting the kids out of the house. And that day the kids are out of their hair forever. Kids often make jokes about getting out from under their parents control as soon as possible.

The fact is, however, the closer we remain to our parents or our children, even in adult years, the better off we'll all be.

Mothers, the second lesson in this story is:

Believe in Your Child's Capacity This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. John 2:11

I ran across this story to illustrate. The need to be aware of your child’s potential.

Wendell Burton is an actor and musician. In the early 70's he was in "The Sterile Cuckoo," and he played in some television dramas. Sometime in the mid-seventies he became a Christian, and he recorded a couple of albums of contemporary Christian music. We met when he performed at my church.

Wendell's mother is a Christian, too. She was in a Home Bible Study at her church in Los Angeles, and a member of her Bible Study group was Bob Dylan. When she met him, she said, "Oh, Mr. Dylan, you should meet my son. He's a songwriter, too. I'll bring you one of his albums." When she told Wendell about it, he was embarrassed. He said, "Mom, please don't bother Bob Dylan. He's not interested in my music." Wendell's mom said, "Sure he is! [How could anyone not like your music?]" So, at the next Bible study, she gave Bob one of her son's records.

A couple of weeks later, Wendell got a call from Bob Dylan. He said, "I listened to your album, and I think it's good. In fact, I'm working on a song right now, and I would like your input. Can you stop by my house and listen to it?"

Wendell said, "Only a mother would assume that Bob Dylan and I are on the same level as songwriters."

When Mary was at the wedding in Cana, and the wine suddenly ran out, immediately she went to Jesus, because she knew he could do something about it.

Mary was the one who recognized his potential.

That's the kind of mother every son and daughter needs—one that realizes her child's potential, even before everyone else has a chance to. Look for the strengths in your children; remind them of the good they can do.

The third lesson in this story is:

Give Your Child the Space To Grow. Mary told Jesus about the situation regarding the wine; she told the servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do; then she stepped out of the picture. Then Jesus solved the problem his way, using his method.

Mary said to the servants:

(v. 5) Do whatever he tells you.

Mary didn't try to tell Jesus how to perform miracles or how to be the Messiah. She let him make those decisions on his own.Every parent must learn when to step back and allow their child to make his or her decisions. Sometimes they'll make decisions you don't agree with--decisions that you don't understand--but you have to be willing to allow them to handle the details of their lives themselves.

When your child was little, you were the only one who could offer the kind of love, nurture, encouragement, and support that he or she needed. Now that they're full grown, you still can do it. They may no longer live in your house, but they still need you. They need you to be involved in their lives. They need you to recognize possibilities that they may not be able to recognize in themselves. And they need you to stand by them in support as they make their way in life.

Other Articles in this series on the Christian Family:

https://revheadpin.org/2016/08/25/the-homefront-is-crumbling/https://revheadpin.org/2016/08/11/is-the-apostle-paul-a-male-chauvinist/http://revheadpin.org/2016/09/01/fatherhood-only-real-men-need-apply

Written By: B. Keith Haney

I am Keith Haney, Husband for 25 years, Father, blogger, hopefully soon a published author and Mission catalyst. All the while serving an Awesome God. You can find me on the web here revheadpin.org

Weeds In A Garden

During the spring, I had cleared out all of the weeds in the garden and planted many types of vegetables. For a while I was able to keep most of the weeds out. At one point, some animals got into the garden and ate down some of the plants. Then we had some severe rain storms that destroyed many of the plants. This led to discouragement and caused me to cut back on the work in the garden. Along with that, there was no plants that were producing any vegetables. Why work on keeping the weeds out, if there are really no plants to protect? With that I left the garden alone for the last two months.

Over the last two weeks I had decided to start working in the garden again to get it ready for the fall planting season. Nearly the entire garden was completely covered in weeds, some of which were standing more than two feet tall. It was a nightmare to look at, and very discouraging.

I set out to start clearing the weeds out of the garden. Over several hours of work, over several days, I have cleared more than half of the garden of any weeds, most of which I had pulled by hand. In the process I noticed that my green pepper plants and tomato plants, which I thought had died, were alive and thriving. I already have pulled about 15 nice sized green peppers from the plants, and green tomatoes are already growing, much to my surprise.

As I was pulling weeds, I began to think about the garden, life and what Jesus said about weeds. Life is like a great big garden that God has planted. Jesus said that in the end God will have the angels toss out all the weeds in His garden. These are those who do not believe in Jesus, who are not serving God and producing His fruit. In our lives we are supposed to produce fruit that He desires.

Just like my garden has weeds, so does God's garden. Seeds from weeds in other places have found their way into my garden and taken it over.

The world is hard at work planting seeds of weeds in God's garden. The world does not want God's garden to produce His fruit.

In my life, and everyone else's life, there have been seeds of weeds sown. These are seeds of discouragement, unbelief, fear, hatred, greed, jealousy, and the list goes on. If left alone, these seeds will grow and take over your life, just like those seeds did in my vegetable garden.

To combat these seeds, you need to regularly work at weeding your garden of life. On a daily basis, take a look at your garden and ask God to reveal the weeds in your life.

Go before God, the master gardener, and seek is wisdom and strength to get rid of the weeds in your life. Do not allow the weeds of this world overtake your life and destroy the fruit God has planted in you.

This means it will be work. Sometimes it will be very hard and dirty work to get rid of those weeds, but it will be worth it in the end. The longer the weeds have been allowed to grow and mature and spread, the more work it will take to get them out of your garden. The longer the seeds of sin have been allowed to grow, mature and spread in your life, the more work it will take to get them out of your life.

Start today to weed your garden. Work to produce the fruit God has made you to produce. Be the great garden that God has planned you to be.

Written By: Tom Arn

Tom is happily married for 24 years and father to eight wonderful children (from 19 months to 22 years old), whom he homeschools. He has worked as a pastor, children's pastor, in the oil fields, army, many other jobs, and now currently as a substitute teacher in public schools. He has been writing a daily devotional blog Insights From Tom, for nearly three years. God has shown him many things over the years and he wants to share that with everyone he can.

Explain

How will you explain the guilt, The secret eyes behind a secret door The mirror where a stranger always lurks The darkness where a boy is always hiding

How will you explain the need, The tremor in your haunted, lonely heart The terror that at night your mind is fraying The flesh for which your body longs with groaning

How will you explain the drive, To make your life work here and now, forever To grab a piece of heaven in your hand And never have it leave your grasp again To stroke and squeeze, and fiercely consume it And feed the worm that on your soul is feasting

How will you explain the pull, To be in love no matter how destructive To live as if your heart no hurt is bearing To run from home as if no home you needed

How will you explain the passion, Which chains you like a beast at night so black The urge so shameful, like fire that consumes you And shackles you, a slave of secrets dark

How will you explain the shadow, That inside lurks, behind a door that`s bolted Old nameless fear, ancient dread unspoken It terrifies a child in grown man`s body

How will you explain the madness, Voracious crows your sanity devour They take away the last enduring grain And leave you in a room, cold, white and empty There in that silence, sleepless voice resounds Your ravaged mind it fills with utmost horror It whispers that no peace you`ll ever have, No hope and joy will ever spring within you

How will you explain the falsehood, The mask your face so firmly that is gripping The laughter when you feel just bitter tears The silence when you want to scream with terror

How will you explain the shame, That friend unwanted who holds you in the darkness Caressing face so gnarled with searing pain And with a black veil guilty eyes it cloaks ‘I`ll care for you’ with poisoned lips it whispers And so the young tree ever crooked grows

How will you explain the bitter anger, The shame embracing, evil lie believing Your excellent and perfect heart you stomped on Believing that it only death deserved…

How will you explain the sorrow, Your glory and the beauty wasn`t seen An ugly soul you thought your lot in life was A twisted face and blackened heart to bear Received as your fate from cruel gods How will you explain the question, ‘Why was I made thus?’ little boy once asked A question in the withered soul that echoed And no one heard that silent, raspy voice The answer from the unseen lips that slithered ‘That`s who you are,’ the shadow then proclaimed ‘And never in your life will you be loved!’ ‘You are dirty, bad and rotten deep inside,’ ‘And all who know you will forever curse you’

How will you explain the lies, The wicked voice that echoed in your ears Sharp, deadly words right in the heart that stabbed you And doomed you to a life of endless torment

How will you explain the creature dark, The hand unseen, your throat at night that`s gripping The sharp and hungry blade your heart that pierced, Your beauty, hopes and dreams it cut to pieces…

Since you were little is your soul so shattered And you, my child, have not had too much joy Confusion, hatred, bitterness consume you, And shameful pleasure is your only friend But look, your eyes move to the horizon, And take your mind outside the hell within you A world is there, that you my friend will see That needs you, and the glory that`s inside you

A heart that`s darkened, rotting, almost dead, Might not seem much to you or to the others But long before the darkness draped your world That heart was made for paradise and glory

And how will you explain the glory bright, That makes you wish for world that`s somehow better A world without death, pain, and broken hearts Those places from your youth without the sorrows

Why does your heart for such world always yearns Why do you long so for a life that`s better And why does that glory, buried deep inside Death is refusing with a bitter cry?

It is because, child, such good world is true Too good indeed, to not have been existing And there is One who came to look for you Down in the darkness, a Hero came to find you Red blood once flowed, staining the wooden cross A young brave heart that day ceased to beat A sacrifice was offered to Death A price was paid then, a captive was released

That captive is your dear, eternal heart And you, my friend, for freedom have been ransomed Each tear from you, there in the darkness shed Is precious for the One that came to seek you He cares for you, that heart is loved by Him And God forbid that He should ever lose you…

How will you explain the guilt, The secret eyes behind a secret door The mirror where a stranger always lurks The darkness where a boy is always hiding

How will you explain the need, The tremor in your haunted, lonely heart The terror that at night your mind is fraying The flesh for which your body longs with groaning

How will you explain the drive, To make your life work here and now, forever To grab a piece of heaven in your hand And never have it leave your grasp again To stroke and squeeze, and fiercely consume it And feed the worm that on your soul is feasting

How will you explain the pull, To be in love no matter how destructive To live as if your heart no hurt is bearing To run from home as if no home you needed

How will you explain the passion, Which chains you like a beast at night so black The urge so shameful, like fire that consumes you And shackles you, a slave of secrets dark

How will you explain the shadow, That inside lurks, behind a door that`s bolted Old nameless fear, ancient dread unspoken It terrifies a child in grown man`s body

How will you explain the madness, Voracious crows your sanity devour They take away the last enduring grain And leave you in a room, cold, white and empty There in that silence, sleepless voice resounds Your ravaged mind it fills with utmost horror It whispers that no peace you`ll ever have, No hope and joy will ever spring within you

How will you explain the falsehood, The mask your face so firmly that is gripping The laughter when you feel just bitter tears The silence when you want to scream with terror

How will you explain the shame, That friend unwanted who holds you in the darkness Caressing face so gnarled with searing pain And with a black veil guilty eyes it cloaks ‘I`ll care for you’ with poisoned lips it whispers And so the young tree ever crooked grows

How will you explain the bitter anger, The shame embracing, evil lie believing Your excellent and perfect heart you stomped on Believing that it only death deserved…

How will you explain the sorrow, Your glory and the beauty wasn`t seen An ugly soul you thought your lot in life was A twisted face and blackened heart to bear Received as your fate from cruel gods How will you explain the question, ‘Why was I made thus?’ little boy once asked A question in the withered soul that echoed And no one heard that silent, raspy voice The answer from the unseen lips that slithered ‘That`s who you are,’ the shadow then proclaimed ‘And never in your life will you be loved!’ ‘You are dirty, bad and rotten deep inside,’ ‘And all who know you will forever curse you’

How will you explain the lies, The wicked voice that echoed in your ears Sharp, deadly words right in the heart that stabbed you And doomed you to a life of endless torment

How will you explain the creature dark, The hand unseen, your throat at night that`s gripping The sharp and hungry blade your heart that pierced, Your beauty, hopes and dreams it cut to pieces…

Since you were little is your soul so shattered And you, my child, have not had too much joy Confusion, hatred, bitterness consume you, And shameful pleasure is your only friend But look, your eyes move to the horizon, And take your mind outside the hell within you A world is there, that you my friend will see That needs you, and the glory that`s inside you

A heart that's darkened, rotting, almost dead, Might not seem much to you or to the others But long before the darkness draped your world That heart was made for paradise and glory

And how will you explain the glory bright, That makes you wish for world that`s somehow better A world without death, pain, and broken hearts Those places from your youth without the sorrows

Why does your heart for such world always yearns Why do you long so for a life that's better And why does that glory, buried deep inside Death is refusing with a bitter cry?

It is because, child, such good world is true Too good indeed, to not have been existing And there is One who came to look for you Down in the darkness, a Hero came to find you Red blood once flowed, staining the wooden cross A young brave heart that day ceased to beat A sacrifice was offered to Death A price was paid then, a captive was released

That captive is your dear, eternal heart And you, my friend, for freedom have been ransomed Each tear from you, there in the darkness shed Is precious for the One that came to seek you He cares for you, that heart is loved by Him And God forbid that He should ever lose you…

Written By: George Stoimenov

Not long ago Isought life whenever I thought life was to be found - like all others, I too have a hungry heart. But there was only despair and darkness. Sad is the life without hope, but even that sadness is only felt by those who know their hunger. It was in Africa, where He chose to finally meet me, after years of torment. I wept as received the only embrace which I truly needed. The years that followed brought strife, tears, and pain, but that was needed, much needed, if my heart was to be restored. He gave me a sword, a new name, and brought my old, old desires back from the world of the dead. How could they be dead, child? They were in the heart of the infinite God. Yes, we must become like children, for it is children that we are...

Old, long-buried hopes arose within me as the quest advanced. In His love, He restored, and is still restoring my heart which, as any other heart in this wonderful and terrible world, had been hidden in darkness and despair.

I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness...

You can find me on the web at https://storytellingandmore.wordpress.com/

Code Words Aren't Just For Secret Agents

So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 2 Peter:12

A few years ago, when we kept missing the school bus in the morning, I found a way to beat the system. I learned that Horseshoe Road was on our bus route, two streets after ours. As it literally is a horseshoe, I'd drive down the opposite end and pull up wherever I saw children still standing in their driveways waiting for the bus. Although my kids were embarrassed, our driver thought it was hysterical. She started referring to us as "Where's Waldo," because she never knew where we'd show up.

After multiple mornings of having to scream at my kids that we were running late, I shouted out the single word "Horseshoe!" It was amazing how just that one word caught their attention, got them to focus, and most importantly, got them to hustle. When we didn't miss the bus that morning, I knew I was on to something. I started to refer to my little trick as "Code Word Horseshoe," and I used it any time we were running late for anything.

Although I haven't used that code word in years, my oldest son Zack resurrected the code word concept recently when he was struggling with a writing assignment.

Despite the fact that Zack is a fairly good writer, he doesn't think he is. Consequently, he puts up a wall. And trust me, when Zack puts up a wall, it is solid, thick, and high. It takes A LOT of creative maneuvering on my part to break it down. When I do finally succeed, he always does a great job. But the process is painful and exhausting for the both of us.

As he sat at the counter the other day, with tears of frustration in his eyes, I had an inspiration. For the first time, I told him how I see the cycle unfolding: he builds a wall, I take it down, and suddenly he writes a great essay. It was amazing to see him finally understand his own pattern.

How he responded was hysterical. He said, "It's like Donald Trump - how he wants to build a wall between Mexico and us." Although the metaphor wasn't a perfect match, it helped Zack realize he was the one blocking his own ability to write. He went on to say, "How about the next time this happens, you just say 'Trump' and I'll know not to build a wall." "Code Word Trump" has been so successful, Zack even used it with his brother Mason when he was struggling with his writing assignment the following week.

Like our kids, we all struggle with our own issues, issues we've analyzed inside and out. Most times we can determine their root causes, and nine times out of ten, we also know the changes we need to make to resolve them. But with all that's on our plates, we just simply forget to work on them, to change our behavior. A single word that summarizes our issue can jog our memories. Unlike a lecture that hashes and rehashes, a code word is a simple reminder, and a call to action. Furthermore, it doesn't carry the emotion and judgement that make us defensive.

Jesus taught and retaught for three solid years through conversations, preaching and parables. I think He also used code words all the time. "Peace" is one of them. But I think the most important one was "love." It is at the core of every lesson He taught, and it applies to most every issue we have. If every person answered that call to action with love of God, love of neighbor, and love of self, there'd be world peace, and we'd be living Heaven on earth. I think that's why this code word is repeated so often throughout the entire Bible.

Saturday, as Mason was yelling something to me up the stairs, I asked him to "shhh." His sister Jocelyn was exhausted and was trying to take a nap. As usual, because I corrected him, Mason's entire being crumpled. Having lectured him a thousand times that me correcting one small error of his was not me saying he's a terrible person through and through, I decided it was time for a code word. I motioned him up the stairs and we discussed the options. We settled on "Code Word White Out:" when you make a mistake on a paper, you simply white out the small error; you don't toss the entire paper into the recycle bin.

It was like a light bulb went on in his head as he finally ingested what I've been telling him for years. Plus, he was so excited to have his own special code word, he walked away a happy boy. On my end, I felt relief thinking I won't have to repeat that lecture over and over again anymore.

That's how God must feel when we finally realize "love" is His code word: relief that we've ingested His message, and hope that we may finally take action in carrying it out.

Questions For Reflection:

• What issues do my kids struggle with repeatedly?
• What code words can I create for those issues to inspire my kids to take action, rather than feel reprimanded? 

Written By: Claire McGarry

Claire McGarry is a mom of three young children, and the founder of MOSAIC of Faith: a ministry through which she offers evening retreats and monthly groups for moms, service projects for kids, and a weekly mommy-and-me program. She posts weekly at “Shifting My Perspective” where she writes about how Scripture always helps her to see the gifts in the midst of the challenges of motherhood and life in general. You can visit her blog at www.shiftingmyperspective.com.

Fathers That Love and Forgive

As sons of God, we can enjoy a great relationship with our heavenly Father and learn some things that we can transfer to our roles as dads.

God extends unconditional and complete love to us.  We are grateful for His mercy, grace, and forgiveness of our sins.  God does not like it when we sin, because it takes us away from Him; it moves us in the wrong direction.  But if we change direction and ask forgiveness through our Savior, Jesus Christ, He will forgive us.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

(1 John 1:9 ESV)

In a similar way, our own sons and daughters benefit from experiencing our unconditional love and and our forgiveness. Jesus taught us to pray,

"forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us"

(Matthew 6:12 NLT).  Sometimes, it is our kids who sin against us and we need to show forgiveness, rather than creating a spirit of condemnation.  Yes, we need to teach and discipline; but we ALSO need to love and forgive.

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

(Romans 8:1-2 NLT)

My encouragement for all of us is to truly experience and accept the unconditional love and forgiveness of our heavenly Father.  Let us really believe it, really accept it, and then extend that same love and forgiveness to our own children.

Blessings,

Brian

© 2016 Changed Through Faith Ministries, Inc.

Written By: Brian Goslee

Brian Goslee is Executive Director of Changed Through Faith Ministries, equipping men to live changed lives through their identity in Christ.  He is a husband, father, author and teacher.  For more about Brian, visit his About Me page.

Visit changedthroughfaith.com for more inspiration and true stories of real men whose lives have been changed through faith.

Don’t Be Ruled by Your Past

"Our past failure and or situations oftentimes affect or determine how we will react to our present situation(s) or life. But isn't it time to let the past go? Stop using your past experiences and stop complaining about this and that, but get up and ‘launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught.’” Luke 5: 1-11; St. John 21:3-6, 11; Philippians 3:13-14

One of Jesus’ first disciple, Simon Peter, in the book of Luke 5, is a very good example of most of us today.?Peter, and no doubt his partners in the other boat, were fishing for many hours, but caught nothing when Jesus met them. He was frustrated and became doubtful of ever catching any fish. Probably it was this catch he was depending on to take care of him and his family; perhaps he desperately needed some money to take care of his bills and was having a very unfruitful, hopeless and depressing night and day. There comes this carpenter son who probably knew nothing about fishing and his present situation who tells him to go out in the deep and let down his net for a great catch. Peter must have been thinking that this man was crazy; 'Hasn't he noticed I have been here all night until now and have caught nothing?'

However, just to please Jesus, Peter obeyed and did as Jesus commanded. Can you guess what happened when Peter obeyed Jesus’ command and went back into the very place he was coming from and let down his net? The Bible says, "And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake" (Luke 5:6).

You may have been trying to do something for a very long time, and everything you tried failed. You look around and your friends are prospering, but you are not. You may have questioned God over and over about why you are facing this dilemma, but God has given you no answer. Your feeling is never understandable, but what is God saying in your situation? God may be saying one of two things:

1. Try again. Peter was able to catch more fish than he ever caught in his whole fishing career when he tried again. God does not promise that He will come when you call Him, but He promise to always be there for you. Your timing is not His timing. The world is operated by seasons, a season of failure and a season of success (Ecclesiastes 3). When it is your season, you will walk in it and forget the all-night toiling. Therefore, be persistent in your pursuits and always try to listen to that still small voice giving you direction. Perhaps the still small voice is saying back down for a season, as your season of prosperity or success is not yet.

2. Try something else. The fact is that everyone wasn't born to be a fisherman, policeman, pastor, doctor, educator, etc. but everyone was born for a purpose. Each person was given a key to unlock a door that only you can. Yes, there will be other doctors, but no one else can practice medicine like you. There may be other educators, but no else can teach like you. Sometimes we are holding on to things that we should not, and because of that, we continue down a road of torment, failures and disappointments. There is a time to start something, and there is also a time to quit.

The signs will be there of what God wants you to do; follow them. Do not allow your past to continually hinder your progress. You may have tried many times to bake a cake, but kept failing and simply gave up. What if you should try again and develop a recipe that will make you a millionaire? You will never grow further than your past if you continually allow your past to hinder your future. Throw every rubbish of your past in a garbage truck, or garbage bin, ?and look no longer for it; nor should you consider it, "for the former things are passed away," and behold God makes all things new (Revelation 21:4-5).

This article is taken from Eston Swaby latest book devotional and motivational book An Empowered Life available now on Amazon and Smashwords

Written By: Eston Swaby

Author of Christian devotional book An Empowered Life, Eston Swaby is the founder of Christian online magazine site www.biblewaymag.com where he writes on various topics faith, family, relationship, inspiration and more. He is a devoted Christian and ordain minister. He enjoys doing motivational speaking. You can learn more about him on his personal site www.estonswaby.com and get a copy of his devotional book on Amazon.

What's in a Shadow (Pt. 2)

“How sweetly you bring light. You’re the ray of the sun and I’m the shade of a shadow”  – Shade of a Shadow by Teitur

From mythology to astrology and folklore to Psychology shadows inspire a variety of symbolisms. Because a shadow is associated with darkness it often represents something evil. However, since a shadow cannot exist without light it can also represent something good. The most encouraging symbolic meaning attributed to a shadow can be found in Scriptures where it is associated with God’s protection. Consider these verses and how they can remind you that God is your protector.

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. – Psalm 91:1. To dwell in God’s shelter is to be in his presence continuously. It is to acknowledge that He is Omnipresent and therefore, intentionally include him in both your public and private life. If you allow God to be a part of your daily thoughts, plans and actions you will experience peace in every situation, especially when your heart grows weary.

Priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. – Psalm 36:7. No amount of money, good deeds, or sacrifice could ever pay for God’s love. You will never understand how much He really loves you, but you can get a glimpse of the immensity of that love at Calvary’s cross. Becuase of this great love you can confidently run to him and find protection in times of trouble.

Because you are my help,I sing in the shadow of your wings. -Psalm 63:7. Not only can you find rest and safety under the shadow of our God, but you can also find joy. His hand is always stretched out to guide you and sustain you. This is more than enough reason to sing shouts of victory and praise unto Him no matter the circumstances that surround you.  

Prayer: Oh Most High God, you are my shelter, my protector, and my ever present help in times of need. In you I find rest. In you I am safe. In you I have joy. I surrender all that I am to you and take comfort in knowing that you will guide me, strengthen me and protect me no matter what I go through. In Jesus’ name I pray amen.

Written By: Joe Rodriguez

I love lighthouses.For years, I have been fascinated by their architectural design, but mostly by their purpose. Lighthouse Devotions is intended to reflect the peace, the strength, and the hope I experience in the presence of lighthouses. But these inspirations would be meaningless if they did not bring glory, honor and praise to One who is the true beacon of light to the world, my savior Jesus Christ.

Hope after the fall

Read: Genesis 3:1-24

God gives us incredibly specific instructions as to what we should and should not do. With Adam and Eve, he walked with them in the Garden, and spoke with them in an audible voice. They knew him in a way we are unable to experience, yet still they fell to disobedience.

The devil is crafty in his ways. He is well studied, with an ability to pose temptation to us in a way that causes us to step back against our better judgement and question God’s word. I imagine us to stand before our temptation much the same as Eve stood before the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, we gaze at the object or idea and the longer we stand there, the more we realize the fruit, or the temptation, is good, pleasing to the eye, and desirable thus giving us justification to give in to disobedience.

As we stand there gazing, our thoughts wander and we begin to think, ‘This drug isn’t going to kill us.’ ‘This financial decision isn’t going to break us.’ ‘This innocent text isn’t going to hurt anything.’ ‘This relationship makes me happy nothing bad can come of that.’

We stand there making up in our mind and listening to the whispers of the devil, forgetting what the word of God has taught us- forgetting to seek God, not even trying to gain his thoughts on the matter.

In a moment of weakness we give in, and at that point become just like Adam and Eve. We realize, no, we didn’t die from consuming the fruit and giving into temptation, but as time goes on realize that the financial decision that didn’t immediately break you has caused so much stress on your marriage that your seeking divorce, or you find that no, the drug didn’t kill you- yet – but it has you crippled and craving to feed your addiction by any and all means.

No, the initial text didn’t cause harm, but it made it easier for the second and third, and now you’re involved in adultery and have no idea how to stop it all, not to mention the pain you have caused to those you love. Don’t forget the relationship that makes you happy, the one that certainly nothing bad could come from, well – that one, the one you were warned against, now, you have found yourself completely isolated, doing things you never would have thought acceptable before, you’ve lost your friends, and are living a life of loneliness far from God.

Much like Adam and Eve, no, the initial bite of the fruit didn’t pose any consequences; it must have tasted good for Eve to share it with her husband, it’s much the same with us, we don’t feel the initial consequences of giving into our temptation, it may even feel good to do so BUT we do eventually experience the ripple effect of it all, the far reaching implications that just like Adam and Eve, we can’t hide from them.

Yet how incredible is it to realize that we serve a God that is so merciful and gracious! A God that just like he went looking for Adam and Eve in the Garden, he comes looking for us, even after we reject him, he still seeks us. Not only did he seek them, but he gave Adam and Eve hope, when he told the serpent,

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. Genesis 3:15

In these words, he promised this was not the end of the battle, their offspring would cause harm to the enemy. As if that isn’t enough, acknowledging the realization of their nakedness, he provided clothes to cover them. How incredible to think…they knowingly disregarded his word, and we do the same, yet he still chooses to seek us, bring us hope, and provide our needs. What a gracious God we serve.

The financially broke, the addicted, the adulterer, the abused, the liar, the misguided, the depressed, whatever imperfection you have (we all have at least one)- every single one of us – he seeks, gives hope, and provides for.

1 Peter 2:24

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Psalm 147:3

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

1 John 1:7

And the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Psalm 34:18

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Remember these powerful words today, where ever you are, whatever you’re experiencing. He loves you. He wants you. His grace is enough. You just have to…Choose Him.

Written By: JD Hartz

I am a sinner saved by grace…A lover of Jesus Christ.

I am filled with His Spirit and washed in His blood.

I am a prodigal returned home to my Father. Once lost and unworthy of His love, He pursued me, had mercy on me, and captivated my heart. His mercy gave me a second chance. It presented me an opportunity, an opportunity to choose Him. Every day we are presented with a choice. This is me choosing Him…

You can find me on the web at https://choosehimblog.wordpress.com/

God As Our Father...for Fathers

I am a father. As a father, I want certain things for my children. I want them to be safe. I want them to be loved.  I want them to be healthy.  I want them to be obedient. I want them to discover and live out their identity in Christ. I want them to feel empowered to share their faith and walk through life with confidence.

God is also a Father. He is our heavenly Father. He is the Creator of the human race. He also wants many of the same things for us that we want for our children.  What is one key thing God want for us?  He wants for us to experience His joy and peace, which surpass all human understanding and experience.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.   

-

PHILIPPIANS 4:7 NIV

This peace is born out of love. In God's love, we know we are accepted, forgiven, empowered, called and chosen.  We all like to feel accepted, forgiven, and loved, don't we?  Your kids feel the same way!

God wants that for us too, as our parent. Along the way, He will provide the things we need, but we must respond to Him if we are to experience everything He has in store for us!

We have a part to play and a choice to make every day.  How do you like your kids to respond to you?  How will you respond to your heavenly Father who wants the best for you in His perfect love?  I encourage you to consider responding with love, prayer, and submitting to His Fatherly guidance.

Written By: Brian Goslee

Brian Goslee is the Executive Director of Changed Through Faith Ministries.  He is an a father, teacher, author, and blogger.  You can read more about him at his About Me page.

For more free information and inspiration, go to http://changedthroughfaith.com

You will find true stories of real men whose lives have been changed through faith. You will also find encouraging and helpful articles and recommended resources that will help you live a more fulfilling life!

Blessings, Brian

Need help reading the Bible?

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These are some of the things I’ve discovered that willhelp get you motivated and inspired to get the most out of your time in the Bible.

Make time. 

Life can be so busy and there is rarely any time when there is no noise. Finding time to spend in the Bible can be hard, but it’s necessary. I’m learning that if I don’t intentionally pick a time to get alone with God, it doesn’t happen and yet another day goes by with no time in the Bible. The longer it gets, the harder I find it is to get back into reading and studying my Bible. But the truth is, it’s important and we as Christians need to be spending regular time in the Bible as it is supposed to be our very source of life. Matthew 4 says that we don’tlive on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God. Well, all scripture is God breathed (2 Timothy 3:16),and came out of His mouth and so we need to be eating off it regularly.

There is just something about removing all the noise and it just being you, your Bible and the Holy Spirit. Even Jesus needed time out away from the hustle and bustle of life. Many times in scripture you see Him taking time out and going up on a mountain to be alone and pray. If Jesus needed time alone with God then so do we.  Be intentional and make time in the word.

Pray before you read.

This has helped me tremendously. Years ago, every time I would start reading the Bible, I would fall asleep within minutes if not seconds. This used to frustrate me to no end and I would often be left feeling guilty that I hadn’t read my Bible. It finally dawned on me to pray before I started reading. I prayed for eyes to see and ears to hear what God was saying to me, I prayed that God would make the scriptures come alive and feed my spirit while I read. Do you know what began to happen? The Bible started making sense and I stopped falling asleep. This is so simple and yet something I overlooked for years and the results have been so profound.

Read Aloud.

Now this might sound a little strange but it’s a big key. The Bible says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). So if I want to grow in faith I need to be hearing the word of God more regularly, in my own ears. It didn’t say faith comes by reading, it said it comes by hearing, so I make a point to read out loud when I read my Bible. This way not only am I seeing the words but I’m hearing the word and feeding my faith. Jesus also said that, His words are spirit and they are life (John 6:63), so when I speak His words out of my mouth they bring life to my spirit. I try make it a habit to read the Bible out loud. I can testify from experience that it works to fuel and feed your faith, especially when you are feeling dry and don’t feel like reading.

Get a Bible you can write in.

The Bible is a sacred text but the paper it is printed on isn’t. So many people I meet don’t write in their Bible because it’s Holy. Yes I agree it’s Holy, but it is also food to your mind and spirit, and food is meant to be consumed. I have so many Bibles all over the house. All of them are filled with Highlights, ruler marks, writing, notes and thoughts, from the times I’ve fed on the word. For me, writing in my Bible helps me connect the dots and has made a huge difference in my ability to digest and consume the word. This way when God shows me something in Scripture I write it down, right there in the scripture so I never forget it. It is there as a constant reminder that God spoke to me, every time I open up to that scripture. When I read what I wrote, I’m reminded of what God said and I can meditate on it again and again. I have found that if I don’t write down the revelation God gives me where I can easily find it, I forget it and it never takes root in my life and subsequently never bears fruit in my life. Let me set you free, get a wide margin Bible and write in it.

Don’t be scared to go on a rabbit trail.

While studying themes, characters, or books of the Bible is very helpful, don’t be scared to go on a rabbit trail with the Holy Spirit. So often I start out studying a particular person or subject, when I suddenly see something in the scriptures that I have never seen before. Often what I see is completely unrelated to what I’m studying at the time and there is a temptation to refocus and go back to what I’ve actually set out to study. However I have discovered that throwing away the structure and following these things God reveals to me,  leads to some of the most exciting times in scripture. These rabbit trails have unlocked some amazing revelation to me and God has used them to profoundly speak to me through His word during these times. So have a structure but don’t be afraid to go where the Holy Spirit is leading.

These are some of the things that have helped me get into the Bible, particularly during the spiritual dry seasons of my life. I pray that they would help and encourage you too.

Lots of love

Byron

Written By: Byron van der Merwe

Byron van der Merwe and his wife Tammie live in Hampton,England, with their two children. Together they help lead the prophetic ministry at Kingsgate Church in Kingston upon Thames, with the eldership team.

Byron is also the author of "Testimonies of a Good God", his inspiring true storyof seeing God's goodness through some really tough challenges.

More information about Byron can be found at http://www.livinginvictory.co.uk/    

and his book can be found at https://www.amazon.com/Testimonies-Good-God-Goodness-Through-ebook/dp/B01CEE9C2Q?ie=UTF8&ref_=pe_2427780_160035660

http://www.livinginvictory.co.uk/testimonies-of-god/

Comfort Zone or Dead Zone?

We all have our comfort zones.

Whether it’s a place, food, or group of people, we all feel at home with things that we are used to. Things that make us feel secure and, well, comfortable. And that can be a good thing. It’s nice to feel comfortable. It’s nice to know what to expect.

But it’s also good to push ourselves out of our comfort zones. Why? Because we learn new things about ourselves. We open ourselves up to new experiences and possibilities. One of my favorite sayings is “If you always do what you’ve always done, then you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.” Staying in our comfort zones may feel safe but they rarely offer opportunities for growth. Sometimes comfort zones can become “dead zones.” And fear can keep us locked down and unwilling to venture out. Fear of the unknown. Fear of the “what ifs.”

God doesn’t call us to live in our comfort zones. He calls us out of them. He promises to be our comforter and to go before us, but he doesn’t say stay where you are and only go where you’re comfortable. Throughout the Bible, God calls His people out of their comfort zones and into unknown circumstances. Abraham was told by God to leave his country and family. Moses was told to go before pharaoh, which he did not wish to do. Jonah was told to go tell the people of Ninevah to repent of their sins less they be destroyed.

What is God calling you to do today? Is it striking up a conversation with someone that you don’t know? Telling them about Jesus, the One in whom you put your trust? Helping out a person or family that is going through a rough time? Is it using a gift or talent you have to help your community or church? Is it making a choice that is obedient to God in the face of criticism and misunderstanding? Whatever it is, we will all have moments in life that beckon us out of our comfort zones.

God has given every one of us talents and gifts that are to be used to glorify His name. Staying in our comfort zones rarely offers us the chance to expand on those talents and gifts.  Moreover, it can keep us from seeing how God can stretch those talents and use them in even bigger and bolder ways than we ever imagined.  Leaving the safety and comfort of the “usual” requires us to put our trust and faith to work. It calls for us to leave behind our self-doubt and trust God’s plan.

This can be as scary as jumping off a cliff which is why we often take pause before doing so. Speaking of jumping off of cliffs, do you know there are people who actually do this for fun! No doubt the first time they did it, they too paused to consider the consequences. But something made them jump. I know what you’re thinking? They’re crazy, adrenaline junkies. And maybe they are! No doubt they continue to jump because the thrill was just too great and they had to experience it over and over again.

Let it be said of us, that we are crazy enough about the Lord, that we too would step off the cliffs He would lead us to, so that we too can experience the thrill of what the Lord will do and can do when we leave our comfort zones for His glory.

Written By: Sherry White

Sherry White is a wife, mother of two, and avid user of the acronym LOL. As a former 3rd grade teacher and current stay-at-home mom, she enjoys writing funny and honest commentary on her life, including everything from friendship to faith to parenting. Life is messy, parenting is messy, and she writes about it at The Messy Christian. She can also be found @messy2shoes on Facebook.

Don't Let Go of Faith

“Like the umbilical cord is attached from the baby to the mother, so are we connected to our source, which is God. It is only that our umbilical cord is our faith. Never let your cord get disconnected; it's all we have and it's what we use to draw all that we need from God.” Hebrews 11: 1-2, 6; Romans 4: 18-21

Our faith can be likened to that of an umbilical?cord, the purpose of which is to give nourishment to the unborn child while it’s in the mother’s womb. Everything the child needs to stay alive is given to that child through the umbilical cord, which is attached from the mother to the child. If the umbilical cord should get cut, then the child will not survive while in the mother’s womb.

Likewise, if we should lose our faith in God, then we will fail to be who God created us to be; nor will we live a life of true peace, joy and happiness. The spiritual realm is activated by faith; in other words, for anything to be done, it must be done through faith- even the angels and demons work through faith. That is why the enemy always attacks our fundamental faith, because if the foundation is weak, then everything at the top will crumble. There are many times when I am going through some crisis in my life and it seems as if God is not there, and in order to be an overcomer I had to lean on my previous experiences with God and all I knew already knew about Him. If our faith should crumble, we would live a very miserable life.

Our faith in God is the reason why we can go to bed with the assurance that He will protect us, why we can leave our life in His hands each day we step out on the road; if our faith is ever broken, then all hell could break lose in our mind and life. Many people live reckless lives because they fail to believe that God could ever love or care about them.

There are many people living in the world right now who are living a sinful life, not because they want to, but because they believe that they have drifted so far from God that God can never forgive and or love them. This therefore has caused many to live reckless lives. At the same time, many people have looked over their life of heartaches and suffering?and thought God would never allow those things to happen to them if He loves them. Their spiritual umbilical cord- which is their faith in God and His love- has been cut. Faith releases us from torment.

Many times we cannot understand why God does some things at times; for example, why He allowed your mom to die, or why He allowed your only child to die or to be in and out of the hospital, if He is a loving God. We will never at times understand why the Lord does some things; however, we can rest assured that He loves each one of with unfailing love, regardless of who we are, or what we may have done in our past. His love for us is unchanging. God does things for His own divine purpose, a purpose we may not see or understand while we are in the process. I have learnt that just because God did not stop certain things from happening or intervene, it does not mean that He was not there when it happened, or He doesn't love you. He sometimes does things because He knows that the experience you’ve been through or are currently facing will not break you, but will make you stronger- and if it breaks you, He will build you back up again.

The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10), and one method he uses to destroy humanity is to attack their faith, because when you take away a man's faith, you take away hope and give him despair; take away his purpose and his life will be meaningless; take away his faith in God and you will take away his joy, happiness, and peace; you take away everything he needs to survive.

Faith is standing on the word or promises of God, even when it seems like God is not there or will not come through for you. Faith is knowing that no matter what you have done throughout your life and will do, God still loves you. Faith is knowing that He is your protector, provider, healer, and way-maker, even when what you are seeing is contrary to the fact. Faith is standing even when you feel like throwing in the towel, because you know that, despite what is going on, He is still a good God, and all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to His divine purpose.?Faith is believing that whatever He says that He will do, and whatever you ask in faith, believing He will grant it according to HIS divine will and purpose. Faith will let you raise the dead, heal the sick, overcome poverty and become a millionaire; through faith you can do all things.

As you go face your obstacles, trials and pain, I want to encourage you not lose your faith in God. Situations will come that will test your faith, but remember God says He will never leave you, nor forsake you. Every promise God made to people and His servants in the bible is still available to each one of us today, and whatever He did back then, He can still do it today.

"Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens" (Psalms 119: 89, NIV).

"The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever" (Psalms 119: 160).

Written By: Eston Swaby

Author of Christian devotional book An Empowered Life, Eston Swaby is the founder of Christian online magazine site www.biblewaymag.com where he writes on various topics faith, family, relationship, inspiration and more. He is a devoted Christian and ordain minister. He enjoys doing motivational speaking. You can learn more about him on his personal site www.estonswaby.com and get a copy of his devotional book on Amazon http://www.amzn.to/29tEpOA

How Prayer Can Be Like Eating Healthy

Prayer is a tough subject for most people. As I was thinking about how to approach this topic, it dawned on me that prayer is like eating healthy. 1) We know prayer is important, 2) it is beneficial for us. 2) We have a strong desire to do it, yet 3) We often struggle to have a consistent, vibrant prayer life.

Like eating healthy, we are challenged with many of the same issues. Many aren’t sure what to do. We are not satisfied nor confident about how to do it. Nor do we have a grasp on what to pray for so at the risk of doing it wrong and somehow offending God, we just choose not to engage in the spiritual discipline.

To unpack some of the fear and sense of inadequacy attached to prayer, I will focus the next few Wednesdays on the topic. For the purpose of full disclosure, I am by no means a prayer warrior. So will figure this out together.

Some Keys For A Vibrant Prayer Life From The Apostle Paul And Jesus:

1 . Praying Without Ceasing. “17 pray without ceasing,” 1 Thessalonians 5:17

This verse has been the source of misunderstanding and confusion. The complexity is found in the translation of “Pray Constantly” The Greek word translated “constantly” really means, “without ceasing;” this is not to be understood, with a continual, like Paul prayed day and night event. Paul is not saying we should be praying 24/7. If you have tried this, you have discovered just how difficult that endeavor is, so the result of that epic failure is to question your spirituality and dedication or love for God. In comparison, prayer becomes like that failed eating healthy attempt broccoli vs. chocolate cake. Since I neglected to make the right choices I just give into temptation, “Bring on the cake.”

Paul in Thessalonians was encouraging his churches to make prayer a part of their personal spiritual discipline (see also, Phil 4:6). He and his coworkers prayed together regularly (2 Thess 1:11; Rom 1:10) and valued the prayers of the church on their behalf.

12 Be happy in your hope, stand your ground when you’re in trouble, and devote yourselves to prayer. Romans 12:12 (CEV)

Praying with Bold Persistence -Luke 11:9-10 9 And I tell you: Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 Everyone who asks receives. Whoever seeks, finds. To everyone who knocks, the door is opened. Lk 11:9-10

The Apostle Luke shares with the world what Jesus taught them about praying with a bold persistence. Jesus uses an illustration of a man coming to a friend for help. At first, the friend says it is late, and the children are in bed. In other words, this is an awful time. Come back at a more acceptable time. Because to go and unbolt the door would awaken the children. However, the friend was bold in his persistence. He would keep asking, keep knocking and keep seeking. The lesson on prayer from our Lord revolves around these three different approaches to prayer.

• Keep Asking The concept of “Ask” is commonly used for prayer. To best understand this it must explain that in the Greek it is not imperative of command (“You must ask to receive”) but as an imperative of condition (“If you ask, you will indeed receive). The force of this Scripture is not a command of Jesus to pray, but instead and an invitation to prayer.

So God then is not viewed as a genie sitting high on His Throne demanding that you pray to Him to get your every wish granted. Since prayer is an invitation, it does not mean that everything we prayed for will be answered. In that same section of Scripture, Jesus explains, about receiving gifts from the Father. In verse 11-13, “11 “If your child asks you, his father, for a fish, would you give him a snake instead? 12 Or if your child asks you for an egg, would you give him a scorpion? 13 Even though you’re evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. So how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” Therefore, our Heavenly Father proves to us that he is our Father, and we are, indeed, his precious children by giving to us those things that are beneficial to us.

• Keep Searching “Searching” is frequently used to describe seeking after/for God

29 You will seek the Lord your God from there, and you will find him[a] if you seek him with all your heart and with all your being. -Deut 4:29

“Seek the Lord when he can still be found; call him while he is yet near. Isa 55:6

I like to describe it this way God places a God-size hole in the human soul. That can only be satisfied and filled with the presence of the Almighty. For us to seek God is to desire that spiritual connection with God’s face through prayer.

• Keep Knocking I have heard this described this way “knocked at the gates of mercy and finding that they were open to us.”

This verse is an example of the divine passive (“it will be given to you” means God will give it to you. In saying “it will be opened to you” means God will open it to you) and of Jesus’ use of exaggeration, make it very clear that not all prayers are answered. Prayers that are answered are those in line with God’s will and would include an implied reference to Jesus prays in the garden before His date with Calvary “yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).

When children first start to color, they have two problems. First, they might choose colors that are inappropriate. Secondly, once the colors are selected, they have a difficult time keeping the colors within the boundary lines. As they mature and keep on coloring, they learn to keep within the guidelines and to choose the appropriate colors, resulting in a satisfying picture.

As children of our Heavenly Father, our prayer life often resembles a child’s coloring. At first, we don’t know what to pray for nor do our prayers stay within the guidelines of His will. As we mature and continue praying, though, we pray for the right things and stay within His will, resulting in a satisfying prayer life. With consistency and bold persistence, we learn to develop a healthy vibrant prayer life.

Written By: Keith Haney

I am Keith Haney, Husband for 25 years, Father, blogger, hopefully soon a published author and Mission catalyst. All the while serving an Awesome God. You can find me on the web here https://revheadpin.org/

To the Independent Man: You Are Not Christ

I’ve been human long enough to notice that if there’s one characteristic we have that usually creeps in unnoticed, that would be 

independence

Nothing’s wrong with the word, really. In a competitive society you’ve always been encouraged to strive, compete, excel, and work, else you’d fall behind the billions who’ve been trying to make through life longer than you’ve been. And that’s true. You don’t sit around waiting for the fish to flip from the water and land on your lap. That does not happen in real life (unless you’re going boating on a river teeming with ADHD fish waiting to be fired up).

Many too often we find ourselves forgetting the essence of the good news we have received about God’s kingdom (we are saved by grace). Even Paul was perplexed with the Galatians who seemed to have forgotten how they were saved, going back to the law to “add justification” through works – and it had only been less than a century since Jesus Christ’s ascension! It’s human nature, isn’t it?

No matter the situation, we are constantly driven by our proud nature to do something about something, make it work, etc. We take things into our own hands. Perhaps you get back at that guy who cut in line. Maybe you do the whole job yourself when your team doesn’t do anything. Maybe you jump on a job offer without waiting for consultation because it might be too late because it’s a crazy world out there. Or, maybe, when you get (or don’t get) caught in sin, you try to patch things up yourself.

But of course, you won’t admit it. You most likely won’t even notice it.

My head says I was saved by grace – by the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross – but after deep thought I realized I don’t really practice what I say I knew. When I do a good deed, I feel more saved than I’ve been before. I feel closer to heaven the more I engage in service than when I haven’t. When I fail in the good deeds department or fall into sin, I don’t feel forgiven until I’ve done a greater good – more time in service, extended Bible studies, etc. And when the guilt makes it harder to believe God would not get tired of my apologies, I drift into a stagnant phase – not doing anything about it at all. Have you ever felt the same way?

Self-dependent reader, do not mistake joy in bearing fruits with salvation.

Peter, who was so sure he loved Jesus there was no way he’d deny Him, denied Jesus three times just as predicted! After Christ’s death, he went back to fishing, disheartened and discouraged at his denial and of the death of his Lord. This is normal; you’d probably run into this point a few times in your life. And that is fine. Just because you’re a Christian does not mean you would no longer disappoint God. This is no excuse to cling on to sin, however. In fact, this truth should motor us towards Jesus – in humility. For what are we but believers in our earth suits?

After Christ’s resurrection, He went to the disciples who were fishing all night and when John told Peter, “It is the Lord!” Peter wrapped his outer garment around him and jumped (threw himself) into the water. (John 21:7)

Imagine having denied your Lord and Friend three times after you swore you wouldn’t and He shows up in front of you, smiling – resurrected. Every time I read this portion of the passage I start tearing up, thinking how Peter must’ve felt when his Lord comes back after he denies their relationship. How he must have been so excited to fall to Christ’s feet. How he must have felt a little miserable inside, wondering what could happen next.

Peter was a leader, having leader-tendencies – leading, initiating, working with his hands, etc. But there really are things you could not do on your own. Peter’s own grace (or efforts) could not vindicate himself. Neither do yours.

You are not Christ. You could follow the thousands of religious rituals known to mankind and still be lost. Just because you feel better after doing something good does not mean you are forgiven through it. Grace is not earned. Why act like it is? Again, it goes unnoticed most of the time. After all, are not good deeds, well, good?

“Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” Galatians 3:3

“Does God give you His Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?” Galatians 3:5

This strikes me hard and deep because my subconscious gets confused sometimes. Of course I knew good deeds are and should only be consequences of my faith and that’s what I tell people when I share the gospel. But the selfish in me still thinks there’s no such thing as free lunch; hence, it gets a little restless when not driven by effort.

“You mean, we can’t work for grace and mercy? Isn’t it too much to receive? What do we do?”

Isn’t that why we call it grace and mercy? Because no matter how much we try, our efforts could not afford the value of His Grace.But the good thing is this: the God we serve – the Great I AM – is good. He is full of grace and mercy – generous to those who seek His face.

Good deeds, fruits, are good, yes. But remember, independent reader, that they do not cause our righteousness. They are merely responses to it. The quantity of works does not add up to nor take away God’s love or your righteousness. One does not bear fruits apart from Christ.

It is a difficult battle with your sinful nature. It is tempting to think you had a share in this blessed life. It is tempting to think you are favored because you did good or because you spent more time serving or reading the Bible. But remember, independent reader, that there is nothing much better than depending on the Lord. His favors are at His disposal. His gift of salvation is not earned, and our efforts – big or small – could not discount its greatness.

Look to Him, my friend. Yes, look at Jesus. You are only a branch living off the living vine. You are not Christ.

Written By: Katherine CodasAine. Hand grasped by the Great I AM, she basks in love and mercy, and grace over grace.

On the trivial side, Aine has a recent weird attachment to green tea, and grainy films. Currently a freelance editor, she also writes regularly at Muted Rhapsodies.