Be careful of what you bring

Psalms 101:3 I will not put anything wicked in front of my eyes. ( I pray we fight to always keep our eyes on things that glorify God.)

Light!

• You can hear a lot of complaints about spiritual darkness in the world today. But then, complaining never solves a problem, does it?
  
  A little physics here: Light is energy and has properties that can be measured. Darkness does not. Why? It is simply the absence of light. Light is a "something". Darkness is... nothing.
  
  Allow God's light--His Spirit, energy, character, and life--to shine through you today. It can overcome spiritual darkness and can give others who see it in you an opportunity to choose.

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"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. (Isa 60:1-2 NIV)

The struggle!

• Purpose. Balance. Two words often in conflict because fulfilling purpose creates demands--which become difficult to keep in balance.
  
  We are struggling with that in this ministry right now. (Yes, ministries and ministers struggle too. Some just don't admit it...)
  
  Working hard to get our office ready, we find it easy to let the tasks consume our time. We know the need and feel the pressure.
  
  But we must not neglect the relationship with God regardless of our tasks. Why? I believe that without the relationship, the tasks cease to have a purpose.
  
  So, please cover us in your prayers, especially right now. Thanks!

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For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do what I want. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them to eternal life at the last day." (John 6:38-39 NLT)

He is there all the time

Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him." Selah. But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side. (Psa 3:2-6 NIV)

• Fear of rejection: it is one of the "big ones". For many, it is one of the more paralyzing fears to deal with. It can hinder us from doing or saying things we should, stop relationships before they begin, and so much more.
  
  Do you think it is a significant reason we fail to share Jesus with others as often as we could? I think so...
  
  But like any fear, it can be overcome. Feeling safe and loved in a secure relationship is a good place to begin--essential, in my opinion. We can have that kind of relationship with Jesus.

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They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand. (Acts 4:2-4 NIV)

The Bond of your word

• Does it hurt when someone fails to keep their word? Sure it does!
  
  So, how do you think God feels when we fail to keep our word to Him? Think He feels hurt? Yes, He forgives us, but He has feelings.
  
  Aren't you glad He always keeps His word and doesn't hold a grudge?

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"The LORD has kept the promise he made. I have succeeded David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the LORD promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. (2 Chr6:10 NIV)

Let us remember

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"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NIV)

We read words on the pages of a Bible. Because it was a long time ago, what happened can feel far removed from reality. Without meaning to, we can let the scene become sterile, matter-of-fact, even "clean".

The sacrifice of Jesus was not a sterile, "clean" scene. It was ugly. The beatings were merciless. The flesh on his back was torn open. His beard was ripped from His face. The thorns that impaled his scalp were sharp. The pain of nails driven throug h his flesh was searing. His blood was hot and red.

He hurt, He bled, and He died that weekend. We sometimes do not even feel comfortable saying the words! How much less could we imagine what He endured. It was a painful, humiliating, and unimaginably horrible death. He died for you. He died for me.

Do not allow the distance of time to distance you from the reality of the suffering and pain that Jesus experienced. He commanded us to remember!

"For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." (1 Cor 11:23-25)

This weekend, let us remember. Let us consider His suffering. And let us lift our heart! s, our hands, and our voices to Him in acknowledgement that we remember, in unrestrained expressions of gratitude for His terrible sacrifice, and in exuberant and triumphant praise for His victorious resurrection.

Jesus is alive! REMEMBER!