The Smiling Mask

Mt 15:8 -'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,
BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

A man sings of God’s love and provision while worrying about his job. A boy tells his mother, “Happy Mother’s Day” after a year of showing a resistant and disrespectful attitude. A wife sings “Just as I Am” while her thoughts are checking the clock. I have personally sung, “Jesus loves me. This I know for the Bible tells me so” while not really knowing what the Bible said. It is incredibly amazing how we can disconnect our words from the reality of our thoughts and attitudes.

1Sa 1:13 - As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart,
only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard.
So Eli thought she was drunk.

While her lips were silent, Hannah was speaking faith and truth in her heart. It is infinitely better to speak the truth in our thoughts and have silent lips then to speak the truth with our lips and have thoughts that dwell on fears, lies or fantasy.

Our thought life is fed by what we take in through our eyes and ears. The future direction of our thoughts is affected and chosen by the books we read, the images we watch, the friends we have, and the teachings we “take to heart”. We don’t get the mind of Christ from pornography or a weekend of watching football and beer commercials. We can choose the frothy, imitation "truth" of the world or we can dig into solid truth found in Scripture, godly friends and wise teachers. If we neglect Truth we will inevitably begin to believe and invest real treasure (our time, energy, and life) in Lies.

Little children are attractive partly because of their transparency. When they are little, their words will often give a clear view of their inner thoughts. As they get older, they learn to be careful what they say because of understanding what is “politically correct” in various circumstances. Recently, one of our children started his day by saying, “This is going to be a terrible week.” His words revealed his thoughts. But, such thoughts and words can become self-fulfilling. Many of us have similar thoughts but don’t actually say them out loud. Those thought patterns can end up causing us to have a terrible day, week or life because, at the least, they make us Feel terrible. A proverb says, “As a man thinks so is he.” The significant factor in each of our lives is what we actually THINK. To become the people we would like to be, we need to daily feed on genuine, solid truth and have thoughts that walk in the paths of God’s thoughts. Otherwise, we may eventually be covering sad, despairing or evil thoughts with a smiling or innocent-looking mask.

Project:
Ask God to reveal whether your lips are speaking your real thoughts.
Ask God to help you change your thought patterns.

Daily - Replace some of the world’s input with Real Truth.
Daily - Go to sleep meditating on a truth from God’s Word.
Daily - Wake up to God’s Word.

Your Spouse's Pillow

A friend sent me the following link to an article about the foundations of successful marriage.

Thank you, Gerry. You might be interested in the following posting from Crosswalk:
Crosswalk.com - Success in Marriage

This article speaks of some incredibly valuable principles.

We do NOT have to wait for our spouse to gain spiritual maturity. As individuals we are called to have thoughts, character and responses that are "right" even if our spouse is not doing what we consider right. We naturally tend to give that power to others and allow them to make us feel angry, bitter, and resentful. But, in reality, we each control our feelings because our feelings are defined by how we think about the things that happen around us and to us. This is wonderful news because it means we have genuine power to bring good things into everyone of our relationships. So, let's don't wait for our spouse, child, parent or friend to change. Ask God for power to change your thought patterns and read this article thinking only of yourself. Don't print it out and put it on your spouse's pillow.

Why Become a Parent?

Let Your work appear to Your servants and Your majesty to their children. (Ps 90:16)

I know at least one couple about my age who explicitly decided to not have children so they could concentrate on their careers, travel, hobbies and retirement investments. From the perspective of this world (in our culture in America), there is actually not much reason to become a parent. So, why have children?

Whether physically or spiritually or both, all God’s servants are all called to have and raise children. Our primary purpose for existence in this world is to share in creation with God. We are to have and raise spiritual and possibly physical children who will seek and fear God and who will also produce more godly children.

Why become a parent?

Wrong reasons
- to be “Lord” over children
- to show off my maturity
- to be served by my children
- it’s “the thing to do” (it’s the custom)
- to vicariously enjoy little league and other sports
- to have some one to socialize with
- to have some one admire me
- to “play house” or have living “dolls”
- for the short term pleasures

Good reasons
- to raise up a Godly heritage
- to increase genuine Love in this world
- to build God’s Kingdom into future generations
- to grow in Christ’s self-sacrificing and unconditional love
- to have a family that is a light for Christ
- to raise up and send out arrows and warriors against the Satan
- to raise up genuine followers of Christ
- to raise up mature, wise, and equipped adults
- to encourage godly marriages and families
- to pass on an inheritance of godly character, values and goals
- to give all I can for Christ who gave all for me

Project:
Ask God for motivation, wisdom, strength and the death-to-self love to be a parent of spiritual children who will also raise a godly heritage.

Ps 103:17 -
But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children,

Ps 128:6 –
Indeed, may you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel!

Pr 13:22 -
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children,

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us;
And confirm for us the work of our hands;
Yes, confirm the work of our hands. (Ps 90:17)

Abide in Me

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Faith's Checkbook by C.H. Spurgeon
Wednesday February 23, 2005
http://bible.christiansunite.com/devotionals.shtml
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Unbroken Fellowship Essential

lf ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)

Of necessity we must be in Christ to live unto Him, and we must abide in Him to be able to claim the largesse of this promise from Him. To abide in Jesus is never to quit Him for another love or another object, but to remain in living, loving, conscious, willing union with Him. The branch is not only ever near the stem but ever receiving life and fruitfulness horn it. All true believers abide in Christ in a sense; but there is a higher meaning, and this we must know before we can gain unlimited power at the throne. "Ask what ye will" is for Enochs who walk with God, for Johns who lie in the Lord's bosom, for those whose union with Christ leads to constant communion.

The heart must remain in love, the mind must be rooted in faith, the hope must be cemented to the Word, the whole man must be joined unto the Lord, or else it would be dangerous to trust us with power in prayer. The carte blanche can only be given to one whose very life is, "Not I, but Christ liveth in me." O you who break your fellowship, what power you lose! If you would be mighty in your pleadings, the Lord Himself must abide in you, and you in Him.

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Mark 4:24 And He was saying to them, "Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides.

For whoever has, to him {more} shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him."

Dust Covered Gold

And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. (Mark 4:16, 17)

In our small Life Group, we’ve been hearing about the truth that what we think determines what we feel, say and do. Our feelings are not defined by our circumstances but by what we think about those circumstances. This means that we theoretically have the power to control our feelings by how we think. Yet, many of us hand that power over to others by handing them the ability to make us angry, sad or happy. But, we don’t have to. By the power of God’s Spirit living in us, we can take our thoughts captive and change our thought habits.

This news is incredibly good news. It’s true and it’s vitally important. Yet, it is so tempting to throw it aside when faced with difficulties, pain or selfish personalities. If we lack the “roots” that sink down into the God’s life then the good news quickly withers in the heat of our trials and tribulations. If only we recognized the power of God’s truth to change us, then we might take to heart Psalms 1. “his delight is in the law[b] of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.

Meditating on God’s Word will change how we think about life. The Holy Spirit does give us power to change our thought patterns. We can get out of the negative cycles of thoughts, feelings, words and actions which result in consequences that bring more negative thoughts. If we could see the wonderful difference of our life soaked in God’s Truth versus a worldly life, we would recognize the reality of the incredible value of His Word. Let’s ask ourselves, “Where is my gold?” Is it gathering dust in some forgotten corner of a bookcase?

Project:

* Let’s ask God to make us into a Psalms 1 tree.
* Pick some piece of God’s truth to meditate on today and tonight.

A couple of possibilities:

* Psalms 1
* Isaiah 32:8 - But the noble man devises noble plans; And by noble plans he stands.
* Phil 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

The Womb of Christ

“Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother." (Mark 3:35)

When driving down the highway, I have sometimes missed my exit because of being distracted. I have also sometimes missed God's will because of wrong focus on my job, worldly attractions or fear. When this happens, it is vital to recognize the problem, turn around and find the right way. What sense does it make to keep going South or East if the guide says the way lies to the North?

It is totally impossible to actually obey God unless we are genuine brothers or sisters of Jesus. “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” And, even if we are alive in Jesus, we can still be distracted or frightened away from doing God's will. Jesus warns us that there is a danger of becoming withered branches. (Jn 15)

God’s will is, first of all, that we recognize that we have a horribly broken relationship with Him. It is His will that we would trust in Jesus’ death for us as payment for our disobedience and as healing of that relationship. When we do this we actually become the brother or sister of Jesus because God not only adopts us as His son or daughter but actually gives us the gift of His own Spirit. By this miracle, our very substance becomes the same as God’s. God is a consuming fire and the fire of His Spirit begins to fill and transform our soul. All who are led by God’s Spirit are sons of God and brothers or sisters of Jesus.

The wonderful truth is that as we do the will of God in this world, we also become Jesus’ mother. Obeying the will of God will lead to the life of Christ being born into some of those who are impacted by our obedience. How sad to realize how much we may be missing by being distracted from daily following Jesus. We may even be involved in some ministry and still fail to have any real effect on people because of being disconnected from Jesus. Our involvement may be more of a negative than a help. In contrast to the waste of such a distracted life, our earthly life and obedience can become the womb for the life of Christ to continue to enter into the world.

Project:
- Let’s each plead for God to reveal His will for us today.
- Let’s expect Him to work through us today.
- Let’s daily take time to personally renew our focus on Jesus and our dependence on Him.

Body Language

The Body Language of Life

And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am? They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again. He said unto them, But whom say you that I am? (Luke 9:19)

When speaking to my bride, I may tenderly say, “I love you.” But, there are times when my body language or daily priorities speak another message that says, “My favorite book, TV show or sport is more important than you.” Whenever this happens, it is vital to our relationship for me to repent of my wrong priorities. A marriage relationship can not survive on just words but our actual love will be expressed by what we do. In the same way, the actual beliefs of every individual or group is communicated by what is done more than by what is said.

What message does our "church" communicate about Jesus? We can be associated with some religious tradition for many reasons; some of which include: marriage, birth, intellect, accident or revelation. The focus of that religion may be the Bible, some great prophet or personality, a tremendous truth, morality or even God. But, it takes courage to honestly act on the answer to the question, “What does this group actually say about Jesus?” If the answer to this question is that he is a great prophet, example or teacher, but someone or some teaching is more important then Jesus, there is a problem. Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, the Lord of Lords, the Lover of our soul and the Only Way to Real Life and Eternal Life. Is this the message of your congregation as expressed in its words, priorities, activities and spending? If Jesus is not Lord in that group or tradition then it is time for change.

Scripture says that it is impossible to say, “Jesus is Lord” without the power of the Holy Spirit. This speaks of the message of our life. Our life communicates in the choices we make, the things we focus on as highest priority, and the fears we have. Without the Holy Spirit, without Real Love, without spiritual life flooding through my whole existence, it is impossible to genuinely obey Jesus as Lord. The most important question we hear comes from Jesus, “But whom say you that I am?” Our answer shows up in the body language of our life.

Project:

* Let’s ask God for insight, “Reveal to me what message my life actually communicating.”

* Consider what your first and last thoughts are each day and the priorities they represent.

* Consider, “Do my activities and attitudes actually demonstrate consistency with the idea that Jesus is my Lover, Lord and Savior?”

* Let’s change our mind about wrong priorities and ask God for more Holy Spirit power to seek, obey and love Jesus.

Guaranteed Harvest

This verse holds tremendous good news. We will eventually reap peace, joy and blessing if we keep sowing in thinking or doing the "right thing". It is guaranteed by the spiritual law stated in this verse.


(Galatians 6:7) Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

Whatever a man sows in his mind (heart) is what he will reap.

Laws of Harvest

1. We reap only what has been sown.
2. We reap the same kind as we have sown.
3. We reap in proportion to what we have sown.
4. We reap more than we have sown.
5. We reap in a different season than we have sown.
6. We reap in relation to the quality of soil in which we have sown.
7. We reap according to the increase God gives.

Applause in the Airport? Beyond the Beer Commercial....

News from Agape Press

WorldNetDaily: On the 'sin' of sending kids to public school

WorldNetDaily: On the 'sin' of sending kids to public school

Revolution and Deliverance

But I know that the king of Egypt will not permit you to go, except under compulsion. (Exodus 3:19)

When I get a "good idea" but my boss doesn't see it in the same light, my natural inclination is to find some way to make it happen. This is not the approach that Moses was told to use. Pharaoh was not compelled to release the Israelites because of a revolution.

Not many of us think of prayer and seeking God's intervention when our authority disagrees with us. It seems like the normal response of human beings is to demand their way and to find a way to get their way. So, we get a cycle of demands -- the authority demands and threatens while those who are supposed to be obeying are finding creative ways to do what they want and satisfy their demands. So, there are more demands, threats, complaints and rebellion. If he has enough power, a tyrant will arise. If not, the people will revolt and get their way.

What a contrast to God's way of willing submission to authority and authority that acts in love depending on voluntary submission. The ideal of God's way depends first of all on willing submission born out of trust in Him to work in and through the authority. Secondly, the ideal situation exists when the authority desires God's best for those he is leading. Yet, the deliverance of the Israelites demonstrates that whether our role involves leading or following, we can seek God's way and direction, and expect His power in all our relationships even if the other party has the wrong motives and approach. The ideal may not happen but God will work.

It was God who put the Israelites under the authority of the king of Egypt and it was God who released them from that authority. The King of Egypt was compelled to let the Israelites go. But, the compulsion did not come from the Israelites. They repeatedly asked but God was the one who moved Pharaoh’s heart. The Israelites did not come out by revolution but by deliverance.

Project:

As a follower, let's ask God for more faith in Him to work in our boss, parent, church leader or husband. Rather than seeking change by rebellion and revolution, let's commit to asking to God work on and through our authorities.

As a leader, let's ask God for more understanding and love for those we lead. Rather than demanding obedience through power, let's seek God's power to love with His love.

Lord, we can not do either of these things without your power. Help us, Lord!

Cracked Foundation

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. (Romans 3:28)

As employers, parents or leaders of any kind, we soon learn the incredible importance of attitude in those we are supposed to lead. The willing, trusting and loyal one may make many mistakes but we develop a reciprocal trust in him. We don’t mind such a one breaking some of the rules because we know his basic motivation. In contrast, the one who takes no initiative to serve the leader and, at best, does exactly what he is asked but no more is not to be trusted with increased responsibility. We will trust one to work independently without rules but the other requires constant direction and inspection. One will tend to undermine while another can be trusted to seek the goal of the leader. In the Old Testament, we see examples of this in Joseph rising in trust and power; Daniel being given incredible responsibility; and David being a man after God’s heart. What is our attitude toward our leaders and especially toward God?

Are we committed and dedicated to his goals? Do we take initiative to seek to make him successful in his objectives? Or, are we seeking a recipe for success? We should not constantly require explicit direction because we will be eagerly looking for ways to advance his goals. A Law keeper focuses on contracts, success formulas, defining who is on the winning side, and ways to advance his personal agenda.

Where are each of us in our relationship with God? Are we in love with Him and taking initiative with the primary goal of seeking His Kingdom and righteousness? Or, are we fearful, reluctant "disciples" mostly doing our own thing after having followed some formula that is supposed to save us from His wrath? Jesus' paid a huge price to redeem us and the focus of our faith should be on Him, His death and His resurrection as the basis of our salvation. We are true sons of God only if we are sealed with and led by the Spirit of God (Rom 8). If, instead of Jesus, we focus on having said a special prayer, having a mystical experience, coming from a family of faith, or any other formula of personal activity as the basis of salvation, then we actually have ourselves as the source of salvation and that is certainly a cracked and false foundation for our faith.

Project:

• What evidence comes to mind when you hear the question: "Are you saved?"

If Jesus is our Saviour, Lover and Leader then

• Let’s completely offer ourselves to God and to His objectives.
• Let’s seek ways to take initiative to build God’s Kingdom.
• Let’s also consider and initiate ways to make our earthly leaders and authorities successful.

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Slicers and Dicers

But Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. (Matthew 22:9)

In my early twenties, I began to be “religious” and even presented a lesson at an adult Bible class. But, my lesson was based on ignorance of Scripture and of the power of God. I was doing little more than parroting what someone else believed. The question, however, is not who to parrot but what do I, or you, personally, sincerely believe. It was not until I began to earnestly desire to know what God was speaking to ME, MYSELF and I that I began to get a few glimmers of understanding. If I presented that lesson today, I would communicate an entirely different perspective and message.

Jesus was being questioned by men who were religious leaders who could argue the finest points of God’s Law. But, Jesus totally silenced them by going on to publicly prove their lack of understanding (read Matthew 22). Our day of proving is also coming. Our own knowledge of God's power and His Word is tested or proven in the “day of adversity”. I recently saw a statistic stating that the average person will face a major crisis in life about every ten years. A proverb states that if we faint in the day of adversity then our strength is small. The strength we need in the day of adversity (which may be the day of death) flows from the depths of our inner being and must ultimately be anchored in genuine understanding of God’s power, love and word through Jesus Christ.

It is important that the ones we follow as leaders, examples or mentors be those who have genuine strength that flows out of understanding Scripture and the power of God. Their strength should have already been proven by their personal days of adversity. These are people who have demonstrated that they can love their enemies, be a light in the darkness and trust God even in the depths of the pit. Evil does not leave them bitter and angry. Loss does not leave them in despair. Fear is not their guide. They are not merely slicers and dicers of God’s Word but people who manifest God’s Word in their own flesh and blood.

Project:

• Consider whether you are being merely religious or sincerely seeking to know the Lover of your soul.
• Consider who you have as leaders in your life and whether their lives manifest knowledge of the Beloved.
  
• Ask God to prepare you for the "day of adversity".

Whose Court is the Ball in?

And it came about at that time, that Judah departed from his brothers (Genesis 38:1)

Judah chose to depart from his father and family shortly after having sold his brother Joseph into slavery. Judah was probably trying to rationalize his sin to himself and found it too hard on his conscience to live close to his grieving father. He stayed away for decades. Many of us have thoughts, people or circumstances that we want to keep at a distance because we don’t want to confront our failures or sin.

And Judah said, "She is more righteous than I…” (Gen 38:26)

Finally, Judah begins to admit to himself and others that he has sinned. This step in the right direction changed his attitude toward his family because he returned and was with his brothers when they went down to Egypt and were reunited with Joseph. His heart was changed to such a degree that he was prepared to and offered to take Benjamin’s place as a slave in Egypt. Because of God’s work and Judah’s changed attitude, Judah became the Father of the line from which the Christ would be born.

I sometimes have gotten angry and yelled or said things I shouldn’t have. When this has happened, I’m always tempted to think I was right. I say to myself that the offense justified my reaction. I’m trying to be righteous in my own eyes. But the times when I’ve admitted my failure and asked for forgiveness have been the times when healing of relationships has been made possible. When we stop rationalizing our sin to ourselves and begin to admit our failures, then wonderful things begin to happen. "I'll change when they admit how wrong they are." By saying this, we give someone else power over our life. Even if we think that another person is more to blame, we can and must admit our own failures. Wonderful things can then happen because Jesus begins to be manifest as we humble ourselves. His Spirit is poured out on the humble and the contrite. A humble, repentant attitude is the doorway to healing and restoration of relationships. Through the grace of God, we personally have the power to do this. In reality, the ball is in our court.

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