Heavenly Minded - No Earthly Good?

Here’s what’s on my mind today: we look around at everything going on in our world and we think about how we should respond, we think that we need to respond all of it.

That we, as Christians, need to respond to the social issues that are being debated in the public forums. We need to respond to the political issues, especially as we are in an election year and we are, after all, citizens of the United States and directly affected by who holds office, and the ideology that will drive which laws they will pass and which laws they will do away with.

And we are most definitely affected by the culture; the culture we ourselves grew up in that speaks to our thinking and our emotional responses, as well as the cultures that we see around us; how they differ from us, or how they are the same, and how that affects us in our daily lives at work and at home.

As Christians we wrestle with the idea of getting involved in the world around us, believing that it is our responsibility to be involved with the world around us because after all, how can we carry out the Great Commission if we are not engaged in the world around us?

But here is the question I’m not hearing asked; did Jesus directly address politics, culture or social justice when He walked this earth?  This is the main question, because we are NOT CALLED to follow Apostle Peter, or Apostle Paul or Pastor This or Reverend That or Evangelist SoandSo or Prophet Whoever. Luke 9:23

WE ARE CALLED TO FOLLOW JESUS.

NO ONE WAS MORE aware, and in a far deeper and far more intimate fashion than we ever could be, because he is in fact God and knows all things, than Jesus. And yet he managed to preach his gospel, the truth for all the ages,  without being political, socially "relevant" or cultural, declaring that he himself is the way, the truth and the life, and that no one comes to the father but through him.

When it came to politics his answer was always direct, simple and left no room for debate; in fact, once he spoke the truth he never said another word about it.  Think about his statements such as "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s."   He didn't waste time with argument or conjecture.  He just spoke the truth and left everyone to deal with it according to their own thoughts.  "In this world you will have trouble but take heart for I have overcome the world." He knew that they would either accept or reject the truth and no debate was necessary, because he knew people. Matthew 22:21  John 16:32-33

The same should be for us as Christians. We live in the United States, so we obey the laws and we  pay our taxes, just as Jesus did when he walked the earth.   Matthew 17:24-27   As citizens, we exercise the privilege of voting. But none of that overshadows the truth that we actually live by which is that this world is not our home that we are citizens of heaven.  Philippians 3:20

We should have our minds on spiritual matters and we should preach the gospel. Jesus did not say preach politics, preach social justice, preach culturally, he said preach the gospel.  Colossians 3:2

His story. 

Nothing more; nothing less. It is not for us to twist the bible to fit our narrative or tell our story or a denominations story.  It is not to be used for our own devices or make a political statement, a social statement or a cultural statement.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the ultimate universal message.  John 3:16-17

That we have ALL sinned and come short of the glory of God.  Romans 3:23  That we have ALL been made, formed and created by God.  Genesis 1:27  Psalm 139:13  That we are ALL loved by God.   That He sent his son Jesus to die for every single solitary person whoever was, ever will be and is now, because it is His will that all should be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth.   1 Timothy 2:3-4

Jesus addressed the world  issues only in so far as they impacted individual lives in relation to them accepting the gospel message of salvation. He only addressed that which was personal, tangible and eternal so that people could receive his gift. Matthew 5

Think about Jesus' conversation with the woman of Samaria at the well in John chapter 4. When she spoke of worldly, social and cultural matters relating to her understanding of spiritual and eternal issues, Jesus left all that aside; about whether Jerusalem was where they should worship or whether Samaria was where they should worship or whether the temple was where they should worship or whether there was some other place they could worship. He didn’t go into some long winded explanation, he didn’t go point by point by point to prove anything to her. He simply spoke the truth clearly and concisely; God looks for those who will worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:23-24

He gave her the truth and left it for her to either receive the truth and apply it or not.

This is how we Christians should be responding to everything going on in this world. We should not address specifically matters that are actually worldly. We should only address that which is eternal, which is salvation through Christ or an eternity in darkness.  2 Corinthians 5:18

That is the only truth that truly matters and that is the only gospel that should concern a Christian walking with Christ.

I don’t care who you are, where are you were born, how you were raised, what your skin looks like, what color your hair is, what language you speak, there is one gospel and it is for everyone equally.

We are all sinners, we are all in need of a Savior, we all must repent of our sin and declare with our mouth that Jesus Christ is our Lord and have eternal life through him or eternity apart from him.

Until we have that straight, that our ETERNITY must be settled before we can settle anything else, nothing else we say or do will matter for anyone.

ROMANS 10: 9-10   ...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation

ONCE THAT IS SETTLED THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL LEAD EACH BELIEVER INTO THE SPECIFIC MINISTRY THEY ARE ANOINTED BY GOD TO FULFILL.  UNTIL THEN, SALVATION IS THE ONLY MATTER THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND SETTLED.

If it were easy, everyone would do it

If we are truly honest with ourselves, we would all have to admit that there have been those times that we've pointed our finger at someone else's behavior and said "that isn't how a Christian should act."

It is so easy, isn't it?, to see the flaws in others and know exactly how they should be "fixed".  

It is so much harder, being aware and admitting our own flaws and honestly, objectively applying truth to change ourselves.  Change is hard.  Especially that inward, heart change, demanded by a Holy God.

How accurately the Apostle James depicted our predicament and state of being when he told us in James 1:22-24

 "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;  for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was."

It simply isn't enough to read God's word, or attend church services and bible studies, we absolutely MUST practically apply the truth we learn to our lives. 

We must "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" Romans 13:14

We must "examine ourselves" 2Corinthians 13:5

We must "let the word of Christ dwell in us richly" Colossians 3:16 

We must NOT "be conformed to this world, but be transformed" Romans 12:2

and Romans tells us HOW.  We are to be renewed in our minds, our thoughts determine our actions.  Our thoughts determine the state of our hearts.  It is by bringing our THOUGHTS subject to the obedience of Christ; 2Corinthians 10:5, that we are then able, empowered by the Holy Spirit that dwells in us, to accomplish Apostle Pauls exhortation to - 

"work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" Philippians 2:12

May we all be found faithful to our Lord today, examining our own selves, working out our own salvation, attending to the log in our own eye by the practical, daily application of His truth to our lives.

May God bless and keep you today according to His riches in Glory!

Recognizing Truth

There is so much noise clamoring for our attention day in and day out.  From the moment we awake to the moment we close our eyes to sleep we are distracted by this and that.  Bombarded by ideas and thoughts and feelings and emotions and desires and news of the actions of others and the reactions of others and being pulled this way and that way by so many telling us we should think this or think that or feel this or feel that or do this or do that or vote this way or behave that way........ we've become a world of regurgitated information that never stops with 24 hour news cycles and endless television shows and video's on youtube and instant information from any search engine on the internet and a constant stream of noise and interruption and WATCH THIS HEAR THIS THINK THIS BELIEVE THIS TRY THIS DRINK THIS EAT THIS DO THIS BE THIS...

Until we just don't know any more what are we supposed to be doing thinking feeling being

ROMANS 12:2a  and do not be conformed to this world.......

How many of us are watching news on the tv, reading the newspaper, listening to radio?  How many are active on Facebook, Twitter and receiving emails constantly from one source or another?  How many have family, friends and neighbors, co-workers who all have opinions and are only too happy to share those opinions with us?

Over time all of this exposure to all of these thoughts and feelings and opinions mix with our own and we get worn down.  The clear line we may once have drawn for ourselves between what we chose to believe and what we now think can become blurred.  

The clear line between right and wrong, righteousness and sin becomes blurred and faint and slowly fades away until we become uncertain, unclear about right, wrong, acceptable and unacceptable.  We begin to think there may be a gray area, we don't want to offend others who also believe what they believe just as strongly and sincerely as we believe what we believe and after all how can we really know?  How can we truly say this is right or that is wrong when surely what is right for one in ones circumstances may not be right for another in another circumstance.

How can we be sure?

ROMANS 12:2b but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.....

To be transformed is to be you, but different.  Think about the movie or the toys, the Transformers.  First it's a robot and then it transforms into a car and vice versa.  It's still what it is but it is transformed, changes shape and purpose and becomes something entirely different, yet still the same parts and pieces.

Our instruction is clear.

We must NOT be conformed: compliant, accommodating, integrated, yielded to this world, but instead we are to be TRANSFORMED: altered, reconstructed, revolutionized, translated, remodeled and MOLDED.....

HOW?

by renewing our minds.

Among all the tv, radio, newspapers and internet, how much time and how often do you pick up your bible?

Until you are introduced to TRUTH you will never recognize TRUTH.  Truth is the only thing that will set you free from political correctness and confusion over right and wrong and indecision and uncertainty!

The truth is Jesus. Jesus tells us that there is no middle ground, no gray area.  Let your yes be yes!

Matthew 5:37 is clear.  

Let your Yes be Yes and your No, No.  For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

The world would tell us there are mitigating circumstances and "gray" areas where one thing or another are difficult to choose from, where what might be wrong in one situation may be right in this situation.  When a clear violation of what is right and wrong isn't clear.  The world contradicts the TRUTH and pressures us to accept the contradiction and conform to a manner of thinking that leads to behavior that is clearly in violation of what God has revealed is righteous behavior.

Such as when abortion would be acceptable. The world would confuse us with goobledygook double speak about emotions and thoughts and feelings and womans rights and womans health issues and a womans right to choose; BUT GOD tells us that every person is made, formed and created by Him and He personally formed each of us and covered us in the womb of the mother! (Psalm 139: 13-16)

While the world clamors to fill our heads and hearts and half truths and confuse us with too many choices so we might never know the clear path of truth, God gives us simple, easy to follow instructions.

We must be BORN AGAIN.  Repent of our sin and be forgiven.  Accept that Jesus died in our place and rose from the dead to redeem us from evil.

We all fall short of Gods glorious perfection.  We all sin, even AFTER being born again! Even after the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts we fall, we mess up, we choose wrong, we SIN!  And God still makes a clear way for.

I John 1: 8-10 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 

As long as we let the world dictate all our thought and actions the line between right and wrong will continue to fade and the false gray area will continue to look like a safe place to dwell.  The opinions of many will sway us and the rule of majority will even convince us that we are right.

But the day will come when we will stand, ALONE, before the God Who Created the universe.  No mother, no father, no sister, no brother, no husband, no wife, no son and no daughter.  No neighbor, no friend, no pastor, no preacher,  just we alone with our God to answer to Him and be judged by Him according to His perfection and holiness and righteousness.

Jesus will be the only one standing with each of us.  What you have done with TRUTH, for Jesus Himself is the TRUTH, will determine whether that TRUTH will recognize YOU at that time that determines your entire eternity.  And it won't be about what all that other noise influenced you to think and say and do.

It will all be about whether or not you recognized TRUTH.  If you did, then TRUTH will now recognize YOU and be your advocate and speak on your behalf to the great God Almighty.  Or will TRUTH do with you what you did with TRUTH?  Be silent, reject it, fail to recognize it?

DON'T BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD.......

                      BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND

that you may PROVE what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

There surely is a LOT of noise working hard to get our attention.  And it would be easy to get confused and wonder how we could possibly know where TRUTH lies.  Trust the still small voice in your heart.  For God has called us to know the TRUTH and God desires that all men should repent and come to a saving knowledge of the TRUTH.  

It is always right to LOVE; and God has proven His love by sending His son to shine TRUTH on all who will receive it with gladness!

A Word of Encouragement

 I've spent a lot of time in churches of  a variety of denominations.  One thing I've heard consistently in each one is the idea that a believer can be "tormented" or "influenced" or "oppressed" by the devil at the will of the devil.

There's this prevailing belief that because I Peter 5:8 declares he is a lion, prowling about, seeking who he may devour, that we, believers, better watch out or he'll get us!

Let's start here if we could please:  HE MAY NOT DEVOUR A BELIEVER.  Not if you don't render yourself vulnerable to him.

He can only TRY to deceive you into believing he can torture you, torment you or oppress you.  He can try to bully you into believing he can do these things, but if you are a blood bought child of the Living King, he really can't do these things to you.

He does prowl about.  He is seeking for those he MAY devour, but you are not one of those.

Colossians 1:13 He (Jesus) has DELIVERED US from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of is love.

That's where we stand.  Delivered from.

One simple principle is the hinge upon which that truth WORKS for you. James 4:7

Submit to God.
Resist the devil.
and he will flee!!

No wiggle room, no negotiations, no exceptions.
Knowing what God says makes all the difference - and what you need to know most He put in a book for you.  Your very own MANUAL ON LIFE.

Thanks God - we needed that!!

You Can't Handle the TRUTH!

We dress it down, cover it up, smooth it over and do whatever it takes to make it easier to swallow.

The truth is that we can't handle the raw, unvarnished, unimpeachable, immovable, immutable eternal truth.  Because truth isn't our version of a story, or how something is presented to us.  It most certainly isn't "relative" or personal to each individual.  It isn't what you think it is or what I think it is.

In fact, it isn't an "it" at all.  TRUTH is a PERSON.  That person is Jesus; the Christ, the Counselor, the Savior, the Deliverer, the Son of God, the Prince of Peace, the Only Wise God, the Way, the Life

and He is the TRUTH.

No truth is found outside of Jesus.

We can deny the truth, but we can't change it.  You can ignore it but it exists eternally with or without your acknowledgement.  You can heap abuse on it but it stands proud and tall.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 

(John 1:1-5)

It seems so simple really.  And quite unbelievable.  Unbelievable because we - you and I - could never, would never give so freely and completely and unselfishly of ourselves as Jesus did for us.  We can't because we are sinful weak flesh.  He can and did because He is the Holy, Just, Righteous, Gracious, Merciful Creator of all heaven and all and everything in it.

We can argue that there are contradictions in the Bible - oh wait, no.  I won't argue with you, because I can see for myself that there are apparent contradictions.  I remember that the bible is a translation made by men who may or may not have rearranged a few words to suit their own theology.  You may even "disprove" the Bible or parts of the Bible.  Again, mans translations, what can you do?

BUT  YOU  CANNOT  EVER  TOUCH  THE  TRUTH

It remains unchanged, sometimes unfathomable but always faithful to those who will simply accept it.  God created.  We need Him.  Our need is so overwhelming and all pervasive that we cannot even see it sometimes.  He Loves Us.  So He came in the form of Man, Jesus, the Son of God, to redeem mankind from Sin.

You don't have to join a monastery, live in a cave give away everything you have or behave in any silly, undignified manner.

You just call on His Name:  JESUS

and He answers.  Look for Him, as He is the Answer, and you will be found.  That's His promise.

Every year at this time we encourage you to join with us and countless others around the world in consuming DAILY the Words of Life that will transform, inspire and uplift you.  Visit the Daily Reading page, print out your calendar and begin reading.  We eagerly await your tales of change and growth!  We know they will occur, because our lives have changed so drastically as a result and continue to change each day, each year.

MAY GOD HIMSELF BLESS AND KEEP YOU UNTIL THE DAY OF THE GLORIOUS APPEARING OF HIS SON JESUS THE CHRIST TO GATHER HIS SAINTS. 

HAPPY  NEW  YEAR  FROM  OUR  HEARTS  TO  YOURS

2015 - LIGHT  IT  UP!

Apologetics, debates and atheists

Do you ever feel like you have to "defend God"?

When other people scoff at your beliefs or dismiss them as weakness or fables, it is natural to want to defend those beliefs.

In reality, we aren't so much defending God as we are trying to justify why we believe what we believe.

Right here I’ll stop and make one point very clear; the belief system I am addressing is that of taking Jesus at His word.  That He is, as He declared, the Truth and the ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN.   That God, in the Beginning, Created the Heavens and earth and everything in it.  That our faith must be in Him, not in our church doctrines, our own feelings or the philosophy of others.

Recently on a Facebook post, a well meaning and very polite atheist expressed the opinion that Christianity is as easily dismissed a religion as any other religion practiced on this earth.

I shared some basic Truth, which he, as expected, dismissed or ignored while pressing forward, gearing up for a “fun” debate that would waste out time and perhaps only serve to supply him with some entertainment.

I spoke the Truth in Love and made it clear I would not join him in a debate, as Truth is not open to debate, it STANDS on its own.  Jesus needs no apologies and God certainly doesn’t need me to defend Him. (I did declare I would pray for him, did pray and will continue to pray that the Holy Spirit would deliver him from blindness).

According to the revelation shared by the Apostle Paul, it is both unnecessary and an exercise in futility to spend time on what he calls “endless genealogies” or “vain jangling”. 

Take a look for yourself:

1Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior, and the Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

2 To Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

3 As I asked you to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that you might charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

5 Now the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: (unfeigned is ‘not false’)

6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

1Timothy 6: 20  O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

Indeed, there are many mysteries that only God Himself knows and we are ignorant of their origins or how they affect our world and our hearts.  God, being God and Creator, is naturally superior to that which He created.  That is difficult for many to accept or comprehend.  They prefer to bring God down to their own level, debate lofty truths that we have no control over as though they did control them, and reject the very premise of a Creator that would make them not completely and absolutely autonomous in their own being.

As if, in rejecting the existence of God, they could actually diminish or dispel His existence and influence upon the earth and the creatures He created.

IT REMINDS OF THE JOKE ABOUT GOD AND THE SCIENTIST.

That’s the biggest problem with every argument I’ve ever heard from one who dismisses the existence of God.  All argument begins precisely with what God has already provided; LIFE.  They live because God made, formed and created man to begin with and gave man free will to choose to worship and trust God the Creator.

I have always had a problem with lies.  It stems from a childhood that was filled with them, and caused me fist clenching tooth grinding frustration that is with me to this day. When I was raising my children, I used to tell them that as long as we had the truth of any situation, no matter how bad or devastating it might be, we could deal with it.

That is the same way I view the Bible.  I may not understand all of it, I may not even want to agree with all of it, but since it is Truth and it reveals nothing but Truth, there is something substantial to deal with whatever the circumstances. 

Those who reject the Truth – and we should understand that Truth is not a “what” but a “Who”- Jesus Himself! – those who reject that Truth have no premise, no foundation to stand on.  So anything they come up with may or may not resemble reason or logic; BUT IT WILL NOT BE TRUTH.

To be sure, faith is a difficult thing.  Centuries of scholars have written discourse after discourse about it, refuting it, defending it and discussing it at length.  One post here can't even begin to deal with the intricacies of faith and I am not going to try.  What I will say is this; you don't have to have rock solid faith in and of yourself when your faith rests on the Rock Solid foundation of Christ.

When we consider faith only from our own perspective, then losing it, if only for a time at different times, is almost a given.  When things are going well faith is easy and strong.  

When the going is hard, the stuff of life deals us a blow or a defeat or failure, if your faith is based on how "good" you are treated, how often you get not just answer to prayer, but the answers you want - if faith is based on anything other than JESUS CHRIST THE SAVIOR, your faith will fail you.

When you recognize that faith in the Truth is based ON that Truth and not your circumstances or your feelings, you discover faith is steady, stable and continually growing stronger in every situation.

Faith is:

DECEPTION

In the garden called Eden where God had placed the man and woman He had created, they enjoyed incredible FREEDOM.  Not simply the freedom to do as they chose to do; but a freedom from certain things.

•         They were free from worry
•         They were free from adversity
•         They were free from shame
•         They were free from strife
•         They were free from horror
•         They were free from tragedy
•         They were free from SIN and its cost of DEATH and                                 DESTRUCTION

Then along came a serpent.  A slithering, slimy snake bent on just that, both Death and Destruction.  With one action, that of deceiving the woman, which caused the man to join her, this serpent brought down every ounce of freedom the man and woman had enjoyed.  

Suddenly they found themselves confronted with their own nakedness, and with that discovery came worse.

•         They began to worry about being naked
•         They tensed with the idea of being confronted by God
•         They tried to hide from their shame
•         They realized too late the horror of the consequences of what              they had done
•         They understood the tragic loss of freedom they had suffered
•         SIN and its darkness entered their hearts, their minds and their         souls and as a direct result, their fellowship with God was                   destroyed and they suffered immediate spiritual death and                 eventual physical death

This same deceit occurs today with the same consequences of death and destruction still accompanying it everywhere it finds a soul who falls prey to its lie.

Ephesians 6:12

¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Satan has no need to wreak havoc in the lives of some.  He is content to leave them alone in the quietness of their own sad desperation.  Because they are no threat to him.  A great deceit has taken place and many are only too happy to accept it. 

It is the deceit that there is no enemy.   No devil, no hell and no spiritual wickedness existing on this earth preying on the hearts of men and women.  We have no need to guard our hearts against an adversary who we have been convinced does not exist. It isn't that we don't "believe in" God.

It is more that if there is no enemy, there is no need of a deliverer.  In this way then, many live in apathy toward the truth God has given us.  After all, if we have no devil, we have no need of a Savior.  This is one of the deceitful ways satan has kept many who live otherwise “good” and “decent” lives from receiving Christ and living the truly ABUNDANT lives of JOY and PEACE and RIGHTEOUSNESS that God actually intends for us.

What then are we to do? 

I can tell you truly that it is not Gods intention that we sit passively and complacently while He spoon feeds truth and deliverance to us.

We are to take action!  

FOLLOW AFTER

DILIGENTLY SEEK

ZEALOUSLY PURSUE

EARNESTLY DESIRE

1 Corinthians 6:9

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites...

2 Corinthians 11:3

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Consider this:  

If I am wrong, if the Bible is a book of fairy tales and there is no God, I've lost nothing by living as if every word is true and absolute.  I'll die when my time comes, and whatever there is, will be.  Meanwhile, I can tell you truthfully that my life has been filled with meaning and purpose beyond myself, and I have personally witnessed  and been the recipient of miraculous things that defy description.

If you who insist there is no truth, no God and no need of a Savior named Jesus; if you have been deceived and are wrong, you will die when your time comes, and you will face unspeakable regret that you did not receive the truth when it was presented to you.  Meanwhile, where do you turn when life is difficult?  Where do you find peace and comfort?  When this world has no answers and you NEED answers, where do you turn?  

God's greatest desire is that ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN HE CREATED will turn to Him, trust Him and receive the forgiveness of sin and deliverance he made available through the sacrificial death on a cross of His only begotten son, Jesus.

WHY?  That's an easy question to answer.

  

John 3:16:  for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever will believe on Him will not perish, but have everlasting life.

Isn't that what all the popular songs we sing tell us? 

THAT LOVE IS THE ANSWER!  :O) 

If you need help, there is a loving answer for your situation.  Please fill out the prayer request form in the upper left.  We'll pray.  You pray.  And watch God come to rescue the child He loves unconditionally!

*F*R*E*E*

Free
Freedom

Heady words that conjure all kinds of thoughts, feelings, images and ACTIONS.

Deceived.  Deceit.  Lied to.  Led astray.  SIN

Also words which conjure all kinds of thoughts, feelings, images and ACTIONS.

There was Eve, in the garden of Eden.  There was Jesus, in the wilderness.  There is ... me...you.  Having stumbled.  AGAIN.  Having fallen to lusts of the flesh.  AGAIN.  Thinking we were FREE we made choices which we are now very sorry for.  AGAIN.  We hurt people we love.  AGAIN.  We hurt those we care about.  AGAIN.  WE HURT OURSELVES AGAIN.

How does that happen, over and over?  One day we've got it all happening for us, everything in our favor, we can't seem to make a wrong move.  We are praising the Lord, we feel lighthearted and FREE.

Then out of nowhere it seems, we stumble, we trip, we say things we wish we hadn't.  We do things we can't even believe we did!

One thing brought you down every time.  Deceit.  You were deceived into thinking a certain way which then caused wrong actions resulting in sin.

One thing delivers you every time.  TRUTH.

"I am the Way, THE TRUTH and the Life."  "He whom the Son sets free is free indeed."  "Having been set free from sin..."  "The FREE GIFT which came from many offenses resulted in JUSTIFICATION." 

JOHN 8:32 ~  And you shall know the TRUTH and the TRUTH shall make you FREE."

God offers true freedom.  No gimmicks, no tricks, no hidden agenda's, no cost. 

 HE PAID ~ YOU RECEIVE.

God bless you today in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Savior and deliver!

WHY REMINDERS NEED TO BE MANDATORY

SPECIALLY MADE FOR OUR RV WHEN WE WERE
TRAVELING, THE BLESSINGS FROM THE YEAR
REMINDED US OF GODS PROVIDENTIAL HAND

A wonderful friend blessed us with this gift last year at Christmas time that required our attention through out this past year, but has proved itself well worth the effort and a constant joy reminding us of the things we so easily forget; the daily blessings of God who loves us.

We get caught up in each days happenings and tend to forget the smaller, but no less important things that brought a smile to our face, gladdened our hearts and strengthened our faith.  We desperately need those reminders!  We need to repeat to ourselves - OFTEN - the blessings God has poured out on us, the joy of knowing His truth and being on the receiving end of His grace.  We need to recount how by our own actions we should reap consequence but by His mercy we are blessed instead!

As we move into this New Year 2014, Turn the Tide Ministries would like to encourage each of you to do what it takes to draw closer to the Lord, be ever mindful of His goodness and grow deeper in our faith.

We CHALLENGE YOU:

1.  Read the Bible daily; you are encouraged to join us in a daily reading schedule that will walk us through the entire Bible in two years (See the Daily Reading Schedule page)

2.  Pray each morning; they don't need to be long or fancy prayers, just acknowledge your need of help and believe God will provide what you need (Send your Prayer Request via the form to the left and we will pray for you!)

3.  Track the blessings and moments of growth God gives; in a notebook, on slips of paper in a "Blessing Jar" or in whatever manner that works for you, so you can remind yourself as often as needed that God is moving and working in your life.

4.  Tell others when prayers are answered, needs are met or the Lord pours out a particular blessing.  This is a great way to really seal those times in your own heart and mind

5.  Spend time in fellowship with other believers; this will afford continual encouragement and support as necessary.

Without constant reminders of our blessings and times of joy, those times when  we are sad or struggling with difficulties can overwhelm us and rob us of hope.  Arm yourself - list your joys, record your blessings and be ever ready to combat the notion that God has left you alone.  He declares He will never leave you nor forsake you - you just need to remind yourself of that TRUTH!

Sharing memories and the stories of our families is how we stay connected to those who have gone before us and encourage ourselves in the daily struggles of life we all face.  What are some of the ways you have reminded yourself and shared with others the goodness and joys and blessings of life?

One Trick and a thought about Vampires

Every good and perfect gift comes from God above. (James 1:17) And for every one of them, the devil tries to counterfeit or twist it in order to deceive as many as possible from the TRUTH.

A powerful TRUTH that acts as anchor for a Christian is the covering, the cleansing, the forgiving power of the BLOOD of Jesus.  Sin was a problem that required constant sacrifice and shedding of blood before Christ came.  The blood of animals was not sufficient to cleanse sin FOR GOOD!  We aren't any less sinful than the Israelites or anyone else.  However, the shed blood of Jesus cleanses us of sin once and for all time, because He was a Lamb without spot or blemish, the perfect sacrifice, holy, and therefore acceptable to meet the requirement of a Holy God in a way no other sacrifice ever could.

So is it all that surprising, that unable to do anything about the cleansing blood of Jesus, the devil would try to make "blood" itself into something else, something evil and not to be trusted?  You see, Satan has no real "power", not against a blood bought believer, but he does have ONE TRICK.  Just the one, but he has it perfected to the nth degree.  That trick is deception.  He deceived Eve and he deceived Cain and he deceived Judas and he is still deceiving people today into thinking things that are not true and therefore acting in ways that are contrary to truth.  When we act contrary to truth, guess what?  We reap consequences that are contrary to truth and we begin to feel defeated, and Satan heaps on more deception and before we know it, we are so far from the truth that we are no longer certain there even is truth!

Enter "Dracula", that blood sucking vampire who frightened me into sleeping with my covers firmly tucked around my chin every night of my childhood.  Suddenly blood is about death rather than life, which is the truth of God.  LIFE is in the blood, and Satan deceives millions into seeing it as DEATH.  Deceit doesn't have to be elaborate to be effective.  It just has to make you miss the narrow way.  It just has to get you one degree off course, and guess what? YOU ARE OFF COURSE!  You aren't a little bit going the right way, you are completely going the wrong way.  You've missed blessings, and joy and peace and all the wonderful things God intends for you.

So how do we stay on course?  How do we make certain we are entering the narrow way, and living according to Gods truth?  So we can be sure we are reaping all the benefits and perks God really wants to bless us with?  By reading the Bible.  It is our map, charting our course to the Truth.  Check out the Daily Bible Reading page.  This two year schedule will take you through the entire Bible at a pace that allows time for reflection and consideration of what you are reading.  (Plus, you'll be reading in tandem with hundreds of others who follow along with The Unity Project!)  Let's read together, and then we can grow together - seeking answers from Gods word about our world today and our role in it as Ambassadors for Christ.

See ya in the funny papers......

Definitive TRUTH

I have a confession to make.  I am not a Bible scholar.  Oh, I've been reading the Good Book for 47 years now.  I have attended bible classes, completed the ministerial program for credentialing and participated in and taught Bible studies for over 30 years.  I spent three years learning the Greek, Aramaic and Hebrew of the Bible, studied the cultural influences at work in those who wrote the words inspired by the Holy Spirit and prayed for wisdom and understanding from God through all of it.  But I'm no scholar.  I would never profess to be an expert or pretend I understand or can explain every verse, every seeming contradiction and I would never declare that I know it so well that I would unequivocally state I know the TRUTH it expounds without doubt of any kind.

I know a few things unequivocally.  I know that in the beginning, God, who already existed and will always exist, created the heavens and the earth.  I know He is Love and in expressing that Love He created Man and made them male and female in His own image.  I know He gave free will to both the Angels and the Man He created in order that we could freely choose to worship and obey Him.  I know Lucifer, created to be the Angel of Light, and 1/3 of all the Angels chose not to worship or obey and were cast out of Heaven.

I know that Man sinned and every man since has been born into sin.  I know God cast Himself in human form and came to earth to redeem Man from sin.  I know that if any living person confesses Jesus as Lord, believes in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead after He was crucified to pay the penalty for our sin and repents of their sin, God forgives and washes us clean.  I know we become new creatures in Christ when that occurs and that Heaven rejoices over all who do.

I know that when we pray, God hears and responds.  The response isn't always the one we were hoping for, or it doesn't come as quickly or in the form we desired, but there is always a response from God, even if we fail to recognize it.

I know that God exists as One unified God manifesting in three persons, as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  I know that the spirit realm is as real and has more powerful effect upon us as this physical realm we live in until our physical bodies die.  I know that God created Man to be Eternal, and our confession of Him as Lord determines our Eternal place either in darkness, separate from Him or in His Presence for Eternity.

All the other stuff?  Some of it I'm not so sure of.  Some I'm fairly sure is rules and regulations man made up to make himself feel better about himself, or make himself feel like he's in control of things he has no control over at all.  Some of it I think has great significance to us, and some I don't think is very important in the scheme of Eternity at all.  Some is designed to help us move closer to the Lord.  Some has been twisted to trick us into moving farther away from God.

I know that we argue the details and meaning of scripture as if we actually have a say in what is TRUTH, and that doesn't glorify God, who called us before the foundations of the world were laid in place to walk with Him in Unity and know the Joy of Salvation. The truth is simply that we are subject to the Living God who created us and all that is surrounding us.  The TRUTH is Jesus, according to what He Himself declared.

I am 100% certain the TRUTH is not for us to choose for ourselves what it is or isn't truth, just as I am 100% certain we are subject to the TRUTH as God presents it.  It is for us to discover His truth, not our own version of truth.  Because one day, each of us will stand on our own before Him with no way to hide anything of our hearts and be judged by the Only Wise God Who is TRUTH.

The only covering allowed is Jesus.  Nothing and no one else.  He Who is TRUTH will speak on our behalf.
The only true choice in life, death and Eternity any of us has for 100% certainty is the choice to choose Jesus or reject Him.The truth is we have no real way to say we "know" the truth for certain, all we can do is be clothed in Him.

I choose Jesus.  What about you?

In the midst of EVERY storm, peace

Luke 24: 36-39  Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them and said to them “Peace to you.”  But they were terrified and frightened and supposed they had seen a spirit.  And He said to them “Why are you troubled?  And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself.  Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have Flesh and bones as you see I have.”

Peace our Lord and Savior assures us, is ours, and yet we run through our lives frantic and terrorized by every circumstance as far from peace as it is possible to be.  Christians, my brothers and sisters, PEACE, not as the world gives but according the creator of peace, the source of peace belongs to us.  It has been freely given to us and quite frankly the only way to lose it is to be defeated by deceit – lied to and tricked into believing that chaos reigns and has control.  Jesus Himself stands as our advocate and declares to us PEACE.  Will we believe Him or allow the terror of our own hearts to steal His truth from us.

Why are we troubled when we see the mayhem in this world?  Why do doubts arise in our hearts?  Why are we so frightened when He has promised us that we will have such troubles in this world?  We will be persecuted, we will be hated, nation will rise against nation and kingdom will rise against kingdom.  False prophets will rise up and they will deceive many.  Lies will be held up as truth and truth will be denied as a lie.

Behold, has He not told us in advance that these things will come to pass?  Has He not made Himself known?  Hasn’t He shown Himself trustworthy?  Don’t be frightened and don’t let terror keep you from enjoying His peace, his Joy and the freedom He paid so dear a price to give to you.  Just as He did for the disciples, He has done for us.  He assures us that no matter what is going on around us, no matter the wicked state of the world, no matter what our eyes see or our hearts tell us, His truth remains and can be trusted and believed.

Peace to you.  The Son of redemption has declared it and it is so.  Blessings to you my brothers and sisters.  Do not doubt.  Do not fear.  Hold fast to faith for He is faithful who has promised.  Keep in mind always that our lives in Him are Eternal and they are sure.  Recognize the Lord Jesus your Savior and know you are not alone.  Lift up your eyes and hearts to the His truth, that you may know His peace and receive by grace His deliverance.  Keeping in mind always that this world is not our home, just a place we pass through on our way to Our Father.

BEING STILL

We're currently buried under the 38 inches of lovely white fluff that fell gently from the sky all night, and all day, and all night..... I've been gone from the East Coast for so long, I'd almost forgotten what it was like.  It's FAST and it's CONSTANT MOTION.  When I first left New England for the Midwest, one of the first things I had to do was learn to t a l k s l o w e r.  'Cause I was born and raised in this fastpaceneverstoptotakeabreath beautiful New England style of living.

We get like that in our lives, don't we?  Full steam ahead and no slowing us down!  We've got things to DO don't you know.

And there sits that beautiful Psalm 46.  

be still..... the Lord whisper.....be still......and then you'll know that I am God.

Have you ever tried to sit very still for any length of time?  No talking, no motion, just BEING STILL?  It's hard!  Especially if you are always on auto-pilot set at 100 miles an hour. 

Yet, that is what is required if we are to truly get to know the Lord God. Building that relationship is the single most important thing and it takes time.  Our time.  God already knows us.  He made, formed and created us just for His own purpose and pleasure.  There isn't anything He doesn't know about us.  He knows our hearts better than we do! 

We need time to get to know Him.  To not just read the words written about Him, but to spend time coming to know Who He is, that we can trust Him, what His heart for us is, how He acts and interacts with us so we'll recognize His voice.

STOP!  Whatever it is your doing.  Whatever your calendar, or time clock or busyness.  Just stop. Take 5, 10 even 20 minutes, and spend it being still and seeking to hear His voice and KNOW HIM.

Simple, yes.  Effective?  YOU BET!  Knowing Him will revolutionize your life!

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