Your Attitude will Make You or Break You

Next to knowing Christ as Savior and Master, nothing is more important than having a GOOD, POSITIVE, MENTAL ATTITUDE.  Your attitude will heal you or hurt you.  It can make you friends or enemies.  Your attitude can make you miserable or happy; it will lead you to failure or success. Your attitude can MAKE or BREAK you.

When we begin to feel that things stink, the problem is not w/ the world or w/ others, but with ourselves.  Invite God to change your negative attitudes into positive ones, and it will result in your changing your world.

Your attitude is more important then your past, your education, your financial wealth or poverty, or any other conditions surrounding your life.  Attitude can literally MAKE OR BREAK YOU.  When God created the human mind, He gave us the ability to use our minds to think, reason and decide whether we will focus on positive thoughts or negative thoughts.

Have you heard the story of Victor Frankl, a courageous man who survived the Holocaust?  Under the glaring lights of the Gestapo court in a Nazi concentration camp, soldiers took away all his remaining earthly possessions - his clothes, watch, and even his wedding ring.  Frankl said that he stood there naked, lacking everything except for one asset.  He still possessed something that no one could steal or exploit.  At that moment, he realized that he still had the power to choose his attitude.

We are NOT responsible for other’s dispositions or behavior.  We ARE responsible to God for our own thoughts and actions.  No matter what others do, the attitude we adopt is our own responsibility.

Many make the mistake of allowing negative, unhealthy, or sick people around them shape their outlook.  Rom. 12: 2 reminds us, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world.”  Don’t let the world squeeze u into its own mold.

Your attitude affects ALL YOUR RELATIONSHIPS.  A friend once shared, after he’d listened to a sermon, the Holy Spirit showed him what a destructive attitude he had carried toward his father, and how it’d been a detriment to him his entire life. 

Only one person has gone thru life, never having a bad attitude.  I know people who always have a bad attitude.  I know some those w/ a good attitude most of the time.  The ONLY person who ALWAYS SHOWS a shows a gracious, loving, positive, healthy attitude is Jesus.  That’s why Philippians 2:5 tells us that our “attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”  Although He was the same nature as God, He lived on earth in human likeness.  As our ultimate role model, He showed us the attitudes that we can adopt to succeed in G’s eyes, no matter what circumstances we face. 

Choose to have a good attitude, because your attitude will make or break you.

Christmas With the Shepherds.

It’s finally here.  The event we’ve been waiting for – the birth of Mary’s son, Jesus.  At first, Mary and Joseph had their baby all to themselves.  Then Luke 2 says that an angel appeared to the shepherds in the field, announcing the birth of God’s Son.  So the first visitors to the humble birthplace were shepherds.

In ancient Israel, shepherds were dirty, unclean and thus not allowed to enter the temple.  Shepherds were not trusted; they were not allowed to testify in a court of law.  Shepherds were looked down upon by good, upstanding Jews.  You wouldn’t want your daughter to marry a shepherd, or even bring one home.  A shepherd could follow you into a revolving door and come out ahead of you – that’s how shifty they were.  If a shepherd appeared in your front yard, you’d look around to be sure that everything was still there.  Shepherds could not be trusted.

Yet God’s messenger trusted the shepherds with the message of Jesus’ birth.  Shepherds were the first to hear the great news of a Savior born for all the world.  Think of someone that you look down upon, someone who’s not on your level.  Then tell yourself that God’s angels first told people like this person; they were the first to hear the Christmas news.  If we want to see what God is doing, maybe we need to pay more attention to people like the shepherds.  Let’s spend part of our Christmas with someone like a shepherd.  

Why Did God Allow the Ice Storm?

For many of us here in SE Oklahoma, we’ve spent much time digging out, surviving without electricity, and cleaning up after the ice storm on Dec. 5-6, the worst to hit this area in many years.  What does this mean, in terms of Christ’s coming to earth at Christmas?  Was this ice-meggedon a random freak of nature?  Is it possible that God was trying to get our attention in or after the ice storm?

God allows the earth to reflect sin’s consequences on creation, in much the same way that God allows evil people to commit evil acts. According to Romans 8: 19-20, the fall of humankind into sin affected everything, including the world we inhabit.  The creation is subject to “frustration” and “decay.”  Ultimately sin causes natural disasters just as it causes death, disease, and suffering.

We can understand why natural disasters occur in terms of weather-related factors, but we do not understand is why God ALLOWS them to occur. Why did God allow those we love, struggle after this ice storm. For one thing, such events shake our confidence in this life and force us to think about eternity. Churches attendance usually increases after disasters as people realize how tenuous their lives really are. What we do know is this: God is good!  Rev. Gary Sweatman of Sanger, TX, rallied his church to help motorists stranded on I-35 by the ice storm.  Natural disasters can cause people to reevaluate their priorities in life.  It can also be an opportunity for us to help our neighbors.  God can bring good out of disasters. 

In Haggai 1: 9-11, God Himself caused a terrible disaster because God wanted to get his people’s attention about the way they forgot Him and his business and focused exclusively on their own.  Is it possible that God caused this recent ice storm to get our attention?

Some say God is too loving, too kind, too compassionate, too gentle to ever cause a disaster.  This reminds me of an old story about a farmer who was out in his field working a stubborn mule.  The mule sat down in the mud and refused to budge.  The farmer pushed and pulled, threatened and coaxed, but couldn't move the mule.  A neighbor who was watching nearby came over to offer advice. "I've been watching you for a while," said the neighbor.  "And I think you may be going about this the wrong way."  In frustration the farmer quipped, "Well then, how would you get this stupid mule out of the mud?"  "Well," said the neighbor, "you need to use kindness, you need to be loving, gentle and show compassion to the dumb animal.  Let me show you how it's done."  So the farmer moved aside and the neighbor took a baseball bat and hit the mule square in the head. "What are you doing?" shouted the farmer. “You said to be kind, to be loving, to be gentle, to show compassion” . "I’m going to," said the neighbor. "But first I’ve got to get his attention."  Maybe God was trying to get our attention with this ice storm.

God wants to bless us with an abundant life.  But if we insist on ignoring God, rejecting HIS ways, and living OUR ways, then we separate ourselves from the very Source of all blessings.
 God loves us too much to leave us that way without using whatever means necessary to shift our attention from ourselves to Him.

I hope and pray that this ice storm in Advent will make us refocus our attention on God and how He wants us to live.  Let’s submit ourselves to God, confess our selfish sins, and pay attention to what God is doing in our lives.  God's going to do something grand on Christmas!

An Advent youtube: on renewing a life of prayer.

I met Kirianne at a conference last month & thought this is a great Advent reminder - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRENUH-mxC4 

Advent usually makes the Martha part of me stronger, but God keeps sending msg's like this one & messengers like this one.

7 Ways for Christians to Love Our Neighbors even when we disagree

The annual Pride Parade in Seattle drew an estimated 300,000 revelers this year. The air was incredibly festive. Participants had seen victory after victory for their cause, and many others had jumped on the proverbial bandwagon, much as a winning sports team suddenly gathers a lot of new fans.

In the providence of God, I was also preaching that day at our downtown church, located right alongside the parade route. This is the city Jesus has called me to serve, and I’ve been ministering here now for about two decades. I can assure you, it’s complicated.



What does it look like to remain faithful to God while loving neighbors who passionately disagree with Christian convictions? If you’re looking for an answer that makes both God and everyone else happy, I can save you a lot of wasted time…it doesn’t exist (Romans 8:7).

So how do we avoid the ditch on the left -- where we don’t call sin a sin -- as well as the ditch on the right -- where we are angry culture warriors battling unbelievers instead of evangelizing them? In my new book, "A Call to Resurgence: Will Christianity Have a Funeral or a Future?," I offer the following suggestions:



1. Come to terms with disagreement. For the Christian, changing God’s laws in Scripture, by popular opinion, makes as much sense as changing God’s laws in nature -- including gravity and the temperature at which substances freeze and boil. Non-Christians don’t need to accept these laws but tolerate them, if indeed they believe in tolerance, diversity, and inclusion, as they boast.



Christians and non-Christians disagree on a lot of things including what to do with our money, sin, and genitals. We won’t agree because we don’t agree. Instead of trying to pretend that we do agree, we need to accept the fact that we agree to disagree and get on with evangelizing lost people, defending our religious freedoms, and loving our critics while leaning over the plate to take one for Team Jesus.



2. Turn the other cheek.  Both homosexuals and Christians are, curiously enough, organized minority groups. 

If Christians war with homosexuals, we’re ignoring the majority -- all the people somewhere on the continuum between the two groups. 

As a general rule, those people in the middle are the very people we’ve been called to evangelize. If they see us as being mean spirited, they will be less likely to want to hear about the love of Jesus from unloving people. 

Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek, not because he likes it when we lose a fight, but because he likes it when we win people who are watching the fight (Matt. 5:39).



3. Welcome everyone to your church… The same Bible that talks about sin is equally clear about love. The church I serve as pastor includes people who are practicing homosexuals, as well as others who are struggling with same sex attraction to varying degrees. 

They sit in service next to single people cohabiting, people who watch porn, adulterers -- and the self-righteous religious people who look down on all of them. 

We all start in a bad place. 

When the Bible says that Jesus died for sin, he’s talking about evil people, like me. I was sleeping with a pastor’s daughter when I became a Christian and realized that worshiping God included my pants.



We are all works in progress. We do not expect people to get their sin in order before attending church any more than a hospital expects people to get healed before they show up.



4. …but don’t allow everyone to lead your church. Christians who practice repentance should be the only ones allowed into official church membership and leadership (1 Tim. 3:1–12). 

This does not mean in any way that they are perfect, but that they agree with the Bible, and that when they are in sin, they are willing to fight to overcome sin by God’s grace. 

We’re not asking for perfection but rather for a desire for progress in victory over sin.



5. Distinguish between temptation and sin. The Bible is clear that Jesus was tempted and did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). Just because someone is tempted does not mean that person is in sin. 

Temptation is an opportunity for sin or for victory. 

We must not shame or condemn people who experience various kinds of temptation -- including sexual temptations such as same sex attraction or heterosexual fornication or even pornography -- if they desire to make a life U-turn.



At the same time, we must not endorse or encourage caving in to sinful desires either. Instead, we need to walk lovingly with people, telling them that part of the Spirit’s work in their lives is self-control, and that so long as they want to fight for holiness, we want to fight not against them but for them. And as they gain victory, we ought to celebrate and encourage them all the more.



6. The best defense is a good offense. The best thing the church can do for marriage is encourage and assist good marriages. This includes lots of teaching on sex and marriage, great premarital counseling, a supportive community for married couples, and efforts to nurture marriages that are enduring and endearing so that God’s people are getting divorced only on rare occasion because of extreme circumstances.



7. Evangelize through suffering. Bible-believing Christians will need to toughen up -- rather than crumple in a heap -- when slapped with words like hateful, bigoted, intolerant, shameful, cruel, unloving, homophobic, prejudiced, discriminatory, and more. 

Jesus told us to love our enemies; his assumption was that we would have enemies to love (Matt. 5:44).



If we say what Scripture says, we should expect to suffer as Scripture promises. In fact, Jesus promises that we’ll see trouble, experience hardship, and be hated. Rather than run away or fight back, however, he invites us to endure and persevere as an “opportunity to bear witness” (Luke 21:12–19).



We have been chosen by God to live at this time and in this culture with all its faults and flaws, as part of the church of Jesus Christ with all her faults and flaws, as people with our own faults and flaws (Acts 17:26). 

Because our society no longer values historically Christian beliefs, we have an unprecedented opportunity for a resurgence of biblically faithful, personally humble, evangelistically fruitful, missional Christianity.



The truth of God’s Word is hard like an anvil meant to reshape us into something better. But we can deliver a hard word without having a hard heart toward the recipient. 

An honest explanation of sin is essential for our message of ultimate help, healing, and hope: Jesus Christ is alive. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. 

Jesus makes life, death, suffering, and persecution meaningful.

And the backlash is a blessing. 

After all, you really don’t know how committed you are to Jesus until you have to start paying a price for that friendship.

Pastor Mark Driscoll is the founding pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington and is one of the world's most-downloaded and quoted pastors. 

from http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/11/24/seven-ways-for-christians-to-love-their-neighbors-even-when-disagree/   

Stories That Bind Our Families

Colossians 3:14 says, And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 

In Sept., Readers Digest had a report on researchers who studied the ingredients make some families resilient and happy.  One learning-disabilities specialist said, The students “who know a lot about their families tend to do better when they face challenges.”  Two researchers used a Do You Know survey of 20 questions, such as Do you know where your grandparents grew up?  Do you know where your mom and dad went to high school?  Do you know about an illness or something really terrible that happened in your family?   They concluded: “The more children knew about their families’ histories, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, the higher their self-esteem.”  Another study showed the same: The children who knew more about their families proved to be more resilient.

Why does knowing where her grandmother went to school help a child overcome a skinned knee or a horrible attack?  It turns out that the children who have the most self-confidence, know they belong to something bigger than themselves.

The holidays are a time when families of all generations, get together.  When you’re sitting around the Thanksgiving dinner table, share your stories of growing up with the children in your family.  Honor your parents (Exodus 20:12) and grandparents by asking them to share about what their lives were like when they were growing up. 

2 Tim. 1:5  I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

Some readers will recognize this song:

Bind us together, Lord, bind us together with cords that cannot be broken. 

Bind us together, Lord, bind us together, Lord, bind us together, in love.

Use your family gatherings over the holidays, to share stories that bind our families together.

Thanksgiving Prayers & Poems

"Thank You, Lord, for Loving Me"
Once, I was lost in sin.
I was blind and couldn't see.
Friends tried to talk to me.
But, I couldn't hear.

So, I wandered on in sin and misery.
Then, a still small voice spoke
and said, "Come, follow me."

Thank you, Lord, for loving me
and setting me free.
Thank you, Lord, for your precious blood;
how it ran down that old tree.

Thank you, Lord, for each drop;
for it covered all my sins.
Thank you, Lord, for loving me.
Yes, thanks for loving me.

Now, I'm following Jesus.
Now, I can see.
His Holy Spirit speaks
And, now, I can hear.

I no longer wander in sin,
But I walk in His light.
Oh, won't you come and follow Him,
and learn of His love?
© 1980 by Amanda Jean Griffith

T is for the trust the pilgrims had so many years ago

H is for the harvest the settlers learnt to grow

A is for America, the land in which we live

N is for nature and beauty which she gives

K is for kindness, gentle words, thoughtful deeds

S is for smiles, the sunshine everyone needs

G is for gratitude ... our blessings big and small

 I  is for ideas, letting wisdom grow tall

V is for voices, singing, laughing, always caring

 I  is for Indians, who taught them about sharing

N is for neighbors, across the street, over the sea

G is for giving of myself to make a better me

by Judith.A. Lindberg

Thanksgiving Prayer

Heavenly Father, on Thanksgiving Day
We bow our hearts to You and pray.
We give You thanks for all You've done
Especially for the gift of Jesus, Your Son.
For beauty in nature, Your glory we see
For joy and health, friends and family,
For daily provision, Your mercy and care
These are the blessings You graciously share.
So today we offer this response of praise
With a promise to follow You all of our days.

--Mary Fairchild

A Thanksgiving Day Prayer

Lord, so often times, as any other day
When we sit down to our meal and pray

We hurry along and make fast the blessing
Thanks, amen. Now please pass the dressing

We're slaves to the olfactory overload
We must rush our prayer before the food gets cold

But Lord, I'd like to take a few minute more
To really give thanks to what I'm thankful for

For my family, my health, a nice soft bed
My friends, my freedom, a roof over my head

I'm thankful right now to be surrounded by those
Whose lives touch me more than they'll ever possibly know

Thankful Lord, that You've blessed me beyond measure
Thankful that in my heart lives life's greatest treasure

That You, dear Jesus, reside in that place
And I'm ever so grateful for Your unending grace

So please, heavenly Father, bless this food You've provided
And bless each and every person invited

Amen!

--Scott Wesemann

Thanks for reading my blogs, & I wish you a blessed Thanksgiving with your loved ones.

Gratitude for God's Blessings.

Plans are being made for Thanksgiving, which means it’s time to look back and give thanks for God’s faithful blessings.  Each year, I consider who or what I’m grateful for.

I’m grateful for God’s faithfulness.  When we sin and rebel against God, our sin separates us from God.  But God comes looking for us and calls to us; this shows that God wants a relationship with you and me.   God is faithful to his promises and to his people.  When you or I stray from God, He comes looking for us.  So let’s thank God for his faithfulness.

I’m grateful for my family.  My wife Jane and I celebrated our 30^th anniversary this year.  Our son is blessed with a good job and friends in Houston.  Our daughter Megan is serving God as a volunteer for elders in Chicago.  Our daughter Becca and her boyfriend Josh are now engaged.  God has blessed us.

I’m thankful for our church family.  We've gone through challenges and celebrations together.  We worship God faithfully, care for each other, serve our communities, love children, and help others.

This year has brought challenges and blessings.  Some have faced health struggles, endured financial struggles or lost loved ones.  Some are blessed with a new baby or anniversary or wedding.  Some have made new friends or rediscovered old friends.  I’d like to say thanks for our readers who serve our communities and strive to make it a better place to live.  I appreciate those who love and serve God faithfully.

On this thanksgiving, please join me in giving gratitude to God for his blessings.

Things Are Changing. Are you changing?

I hate getting older, dieting or getting fat, quitting bad habits, children, updates to computer programs when I just got the hang of the old version.  I do like some changes.  I like the feel of my new athletic shoes.  I like watching the Green Bay Packers pound the ball this season.  

Things are changing.  Life is like a river; the water is always flowing and moving.   Some objects are carried downstream.   Erosion happens.  In November, the days are getting shorter.  The nights are getting colder. 

Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”  He does not change; so we can count on his faithfulness to his promises, and if you’re trusting Jesus for the forgiveness of your sin, He promises to be with you always (Matthew 28:20). 

But God does expect US to change our ways.  In Matthew 18:3, the Teacher said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  Children tend to have a humble approach to life; children have to depend on others for food, clothing, shelter, transportation, love, attention, and nurture.  But some of us adults use negative words to describe others with whom we disagree.  Or we look down on those with less or who are different from us.  Jesus hung around with tax-collectors, prostitutes, drunks, and other sinners.  Do we spend time with others to help or share something with sinners?  Or do we ignore them?  

I was recently at a conference in which we were taught, nurtured, & encouraged to consider how we might change; we were given significant freedom in how to change.  I wrote a plan to change my life, and am seeking to incorporate those into my life.  Someone once said, You’re either changing, or you’re just getting older.

So do you want to change?  I hope you’ll trust the God of heaven and earth during this season.  If you’re already trusting Him, how do you believe the Master wants you to change?

How to speak to God

"I used to ask God to help me.
Then I asked if I might help Him.
I ended up by asking Him to do his work through me."
                                                                          by Hudson Taylor

Looking at that quote, how do u speak to God?

Receive God's Treats on Halloween

Christians have been divided over how to handle Halloween for as long as I remember.  Most acknowledge that the worldly history of Halloween; the controversy is over whether today's Halloween practices (trick-or-treating, costume parties, decorations, etc.) are sinful or not. 

When our children were younger, my wife and I allowed them to participate in a limited amount of trick-or-treating, but avoided the devil and evil-type of costumes and decorations.  We now live in a neighborhood that receives hundreds of kids trick-or-treating, and we enjoy greeting children, many of whom know my wife at a local school.

Our church will offer GOD'S TREATS on this Thurs, Halloween, at 5-6 pm.  The best treat that we can offer is Jesus Christ who offers the treat of eternal life, forgiveness, and hope all year round. 

Put your trust in the One who can save you from evil, and forgive your sin if you ask for his mercy for your sins. Don't let the devil influence you; Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Please call me at bluesky09 at juno.com if you have questions.  God’s biggest treat for you on Halloween is his grace in Jesus Christ.

Some of us... (a prayer)

sentient \SEN-shee-uhnt; -tee-; -shuhnt\, adjective: 1. Capable of perceiving by the senses; conscious. 2. Experiencing sensation or feeling. Sentience is reflection on what I'm thinking, experiencing, and sensing in my small corner of the universe.

Some of us

Some of us are worried… we need your promises

Some of us are busy… we need your peace

Some of us are tired… we need your rest

Some of us are distracted… we need your vision

Some of us are broken… we need your healing

Some of us are stuck… we need your way out

Some of us are lonely… we need your love

Some of us are joyful… we give you praise

Some of us are thankful… we give you honor

Some of us are glad… we give you glory

Some of us are relieved… we give you blessing

All of us are yours… we give you ourselves

~Steve Oglesbee, October 20, 2013

 

http://clpcsteveo.blogspot.com/2013/10/some-of-us.html?spref=fb   

 

Is the Bible still Relevant? by Kelly Wright

Skeptics scoff at it. Atheists denounce it. Agnostics question it. Scientists debunk it. Religion debates it. The faithful value it. Yet, all agree it has an impact on the world. The Bible.

There are many books in the world ranging from fiction to non-fiction. There are autobiographies of great men and women, wonderful bestselling fictional tales from Shakespeare to "Harry Potter," from "50 Shades of Gray" to "Lord of the Rings."

However, the Holy Bible continues to be sold more than any other book on the planet. The Bible is still the most widely published and distributed book in the world. It continues to be the world’s bestselling book, with billions being sold.

It is a book hard to ignore. It is filled with riveting stories about life and death, tragedy and triumph, war and peace, love and hate, fear and courage, sadness and joy, darkness and light, good and evil, heaven and hell, God and Satan, destruction and salvation; sin and redemption. It is a book that is never short on topics addressing our human existence.

"Be advised, the Bible will cause you to think and to act."

In the Greek language, the root word for the Bible is “biblia,” meaning books. The Bible is comprised of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, from the Old Testament to the New Testament. It claims to be the word of God that provides God’s account about the dawn of the world, the creation of man, the fall of man, the redemption of man, the eventual end of planet Earth as we know it, and the ultimate creation of a new heaven and new earth.

Pope Francis recently discussed the significance and relevance of the Bible during an annual assembly of the Pontifical Biblical Commission. The theme was "Inspiration and Truth in the Bible.”

The Vatican Information Service reported the Pontiff explained; “Sacred Scripture is the written testimony of the divine Word, the canonical memory that attests to the event of Revelation. However, the Word of God precedes the Bible and surpasses it. That is why the center of our faith isn't just a book, but a salvation history and above all a person, Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh.”

Bishop T.D. Jakes, Pastor of Potter’s House church in Dallas, describes the Bible as “The Greatest Love Story Ever Told.” 
He explains it is a book that goes beyond religion but studies relationships. In the T.D. Jakes Relationship Bible, Jakes writes; “Our relationship with God is the foundation for our lives. If we try to build on any other relationships or things, we are building on quicksand, because at some point all of our relationships will break down. It is from our earthly relationship with God that He gives us the privilege of having healthy relationships with our spouse, our families, our friends, and countless others. “

There are many people who question the Bible’s relevance to our modern world. And some of them do so with good reason. Consider this, through the ages; some have manipulated the Bible to use for their own selfish pursuits. They have unwisely advanced the drumbeat of wars, maligned people outside the faith of Judeo-Christianity, and even used it to make one feel superior over others because of race and ethnicity.

The abuse and misuse of the Bible prompted the great spiritual leader Billy Graham to wisely advise; “We are the Bibles the world is reading; we are the creeds the world is needing; we are the sermons the world is heeding.”

Graham added; “Man has two great spiritual needs. One is for forgiveness. The other is for goodness.”

Dr. Martin Luther King understood this concept. He relied heavily on the Bible to extend forgiveness and goodness to everyone, including those who were considered his enemies. The Bible was his foundational study guide for leading the historic non-violent struggle for civil rights and voting rights for Blacks in America.

King used the words of the prophet Micah to challenge those elected to serve in politics and public office to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with (their) God. His protest for being critical of the war in Vietnam stemmed from his hope that mankind would one day fulfill the prophet Isaiah’s vision that people would someday “beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.” To his critics who called him an extremist, he responded that he was an extremist of love like Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul and other great leaders who found guidance from the Bible.

Pope Francis stood on biblical grounds when he urged world leaders to seek a peaceable solution to the chemical weapons crisis in Syria. He asked Christians and people of other faiths to join with him in a day of fasting and praying for peace. He even posted a message on Twitter; “The only war that we must all fight is the one against evil.”
Even Hollywood is finding inspiration from the Bible. Successful Hollywood power couple Mark Burnett and Roma Downey recently produced the popular television series, “The Bible.”

They explained to me how they believe the Bible reaches beyond the Jewish and Christian faith. Roma explains; “The Bible is a book that changes lives. The Bible is the cornerstone of our culture.” Mark states; “We love the Bible and we believe.” Mark and Roma tell me the Bible has great influence on art, literature, history, science and human development.
No doubt, the Bible will continue to be a source of inspiration for millions around the world. Also, it will continue to be a source of controversy and debate for the skeptics. One thing is very clear; people who believe it or doubt it will continue to turn its pages searching for answers to support their faith or lack thereof.

But be advised, the Bible will cause you to think and to act. It gives a description of itself in Hebrews 4:12- “For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. “

Kelly Wright is a general assignment reporter for Fox News Channel, based in the Washington, D.C. bureau.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/09/19/is-bible-still-relevant/#ixzz2fNypQu5v

Learning from Loss or Victory

Competition is a big part of our lives.  We compete for jobs.  We cheer for our favorite team to win.  Businesses compete for customers.  We usually feel discouraged after a loss, or uplifted after a win. 

Most of us would agree that it matters how one plays the game.  We believe one should play by the rules.  In football, it’s unethical to hit your opponent after the whistle ends the play.  In business, we’re honest about the product quality or services we offer.  In school, students get rewarded for doing excellent work, but punished for cheating.

I believe that we can learn from winning or losing.  When we win regularly over a season, we’re tempted to become overconfident or cocky; these are symptoms of pride.  When we lose too often, we’re tempted to blame the officials or someone else for our inadequacy; the problem with this evading personal responsibility is that it means missing an opportunity to learn from our mistakes.

One respected coach tries to take “an even keel” with his team.  He avoids getting too high after a big win or too low after a disappointing loss.  He believes that we’re not as good as our most recent win or as bad as our latest loss.

A wise, older person once said that over the long run, life has a way of evening things out.  The proud are brought down and humbled.  The lowly person is lifted up and encouraged.  Luke 1: 51-53 says,

The Lord “has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has lifted up the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.”

May we learn to let God teach us humility through our losses and encouragement through our wins. 

Four honest college athletes

College athletics include steroid scandals and murder charges.

Four football players from William Paterson University went shopping at a store in Wayne, N.J., on Aug. 25. After trying to locate the store clerk, two of the players who needed sunglasses and batteries were captured on store security cameras leaving money at the register.

Buddy’s Small Lots store manager, Marci Lederman, was taken by their honesty. “They picked up a few items, and they left cash on the counter and waved to the cameras. Who does that?”  Thomas James, Kell’E Gallimore, Jelani Bruce and Anthony Biondi do that.

 “It doesn’t surprise me that they did what they did,” said Jerry Flora, the Pioneers’ head coach. “That’s the kind of kids we try and recruit in here.”

The players had actually entered a closed store. Lederman said a lock on the front door had malfunctioned and a half-lit store made it look open. Police phoned her to say an alarm had been tripped, but she found nothing amiss.

“They could have ransacked the store. They could have really done anything,” Lederman said. “They were perfect gentlemen. They were looking to see if anyone was here.”

Lederman was so impressed that she called a local TV station to share the surveillance video, which helped her identify the four young men. On Tuesday, she rewarded each of them with $50 shopping sprees.  “They were just very thankful and grateful,” she said.

What would you have done in those circumstances?

God's Angels Help God's People

Psalm 91:11 promises, “For (the Lord) will command his angels concerning you,  to guard you in all your ways.”

Billy Graham, in his book Angels: God’s Special Agents, tells this story:  The British express train raced through the night, its powerful headlight piercing the way.  Queen Victoria was a passenger on the train.

Suddenly the engineer saw a startling sight.  Revealed in the beam of the engine’s light was a strange figure in a black coat standing in the middle of the tracks and waving its arms.  The engineer grabbed for the brake and brought the train to a grinding halt.

He and his fellow trainmen clambered down to see what had stopped them.  But they could find no trace of the strange figure.  On a hunch the engineer walked a few yards further up the tracks.  Suddenly he stopped and stared into the fog in horror.  The bridge had been washed out in the middle and ahead of them it had toppled into a swollen stream.  If the engineer had not heeded the ghostly figure, his train would have plummeted down into the stream.

While the bridge and the tracks were being repaired, the crew made a more extensive search for the strange flagman.  But not until they got to London did they solve the mystery.

At the base of the engine’s headlamp the engineer discovered a huge dead moth.  He looked at it a moment, then on impulse wet its wings and pasted it to the glass of the lamp.  Climbing back into his cab, he switched on the light and saw the “flagman” in the beam.  He knew the answer now: the moth had flown into the beam, seconds before the train was due to reach the washed-out bridge.  In the fog, it appeared to be a phantom figure, waving its arms.

When Queen Victoria was told of the strange happening she said, “I’m sure it was no accident.  It was God’s way of protecting us.”

Graham concludes: No, the figure the engineer saw in the headlight’s beam was not an angel… and yet God, quite possibly through the ministry of His unseen angels, had placed the moth on the headlight lens exactly when and where it was needed.

God's angels help God's people.  Maybe God will send an angel into your life this week!  

Praying in the Midst of Financial Disaster

Philip Yancey describes 3 levels of prayer during financial problems.  The first stage is “HELP!”  For those who face a job loss or huge medical bill, prayer is an outlet for fear and worry.  God wants us to come honestly to Him, like a child asking for help. 

Look at Jesus’ night in Gethsemane, when facing death. He dropped to the ground and felt overwhelmed.  In his anguish, his prayer began as “Take this cup from me,” and changed to “May your will be done.”  In the trial scenes that followed, Jesus was calmer; his prayer had relieved his anxiety, renewed his trust in his Father, and gave Him courage to face the cross.

The second stage of prayer is MEDITATION and REFLECTION.  Okay, my savings account is gone; what can I learn from this?  A financial crisis presents an opportunity to identify what I base my life on.  If my ultimate trust was in my financial security, my life’s foundation isn’t going to last.  Do you handle your finances in a way that honors God?  Do you reflect or meditate in your prayers about your finances?  Psalms 8, 32, 36, and 111 have examples of reflective prayers; try praying one of those Psalms in your own words.

The third level of prayer is the most difficult: I need God’s help in taking my eyes off my own problems in order to LOOK WITH COMPASSION AT OTHERS..  Jesus taught us to pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  So God calls us to make the world more like heaven.  When a financial disaster leads us to open our eyes to the needs of others, it’s a sign of this level of prayer. 

A young man developed a successful accounting business, and was able to save a significant sum for his retirement.  But disaster struck, and he lost everything.  But his struggles opened his eyes to others who suffered financial loss, and his experience gave him empathy for others who suffered losses.  In the midst of his financial crisis, he was lead to pray for others in crisis.  God doesn’t waste a disaster.

Finding God, by John M. Mulder

This is copied from http://www.pres-outlook.com/infocus-features/current-features/18447-finding-god.html.  I believe it's a meaningful story of one man's powerful encounter with the God who wanted a relationship with him, and this was after years of religious service.

At the dawn of the 20th century, the philosopher and psychologist William James published “The Varieties of Religious Experience,” one of the ten most important religious books published by an American author. In the book, James distinguishes between the once-born and the twice-born. The once-born, he says, never know deep traumas in life. They go from strength to strength. In a nice turn of phrase, he says these people are born with two bottles of champagne to their credit. In contrast, the twice-born know what it means to descend into the depths of despair and meaninglessness, and yet they come out on the other side — stronger and more able to handle the vicissitudes of life.

I always considered myself one of the once-born. One might say I was predestined to be a Presbyterian. I was born, baptized and confirmed in the Presbyterian Church. I was ordained to be a Presbyterian minister. Aside from a brief and intense period in college when I entertained some serious doubts about my faith, there really was no time when I thought I was not a Christian or didn’t want to be a Christian.

When our two children were born, they were baptized in the Presbyterian Church. I taught for seven years at Princeton Theological Seminary and then became the president of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. I published articles, reviews and books about Christianity and the Presbyterian Church. I preached and taught in many churches throughout the U.S. I raised a substantial amount of money for Louisville Seminary, one of the fine seminaries of the Presbyterian Church, and helped rebuild its faculty, administration and board of trustees. Still, I thought of myself as once-born — a person who never knew himself as anything but a Christian.

Then, I crashed. It was September 11, 2002 — exactly one year after the World Trade Center towers came down. I was physically, emotionally, spiritually broken. My crash, I later learned, was the result of undiagnosed bipolar illness and a pattern of drinking that had progressed into full-blown alcoholism. But I was also morally broken. Alcohol had eroded my moral core and my moral code, and I had done things that were wrong and made me deeply ashamed.

I had to resign as president of Louisville Seminary, and in the following year I struggled to deal with the physical, spiritual and moral wreckage of my life. I went to 12-step meetings, and I drifted in and out of abstinence — sometimes for four weeks, sometimes for six weeks, but never more than two months. All the while, I prayed, “Please Lord, forgive me.”

Finally, a friend and fellow alcoholic, my doctor and my wife convinced me that I could never get sober without going into treatment. With a heavy heart and an anguished conscience, I left for a rehab program in Atlanta. All the while, I prayed, “Please God, forgive me.”

When I arrived, one of the counselors described me as carrying “a toxic level of shame and guilt.” And I continued to pray, “Please Lord, forgive me.”

Nothing happened. I had no sense of God’s forgiveness. I had no sense of God’s love. As another counselor said, I was “spiritually bankrupt.”

After two months in treatment and after praying continuously for God’s forgiveness and the forgiveness of others, I simply gave up that prayer. Instead, I prayed, “God open me up. Please open me up.” I am not exactly sure why I prayed that prayer, except that I had reached the end of my rope and didn’t know anything else to say.

On the morning of December 9, 2003, I was making breakfast in the little kitchenette of the apartment I shared with three other men. They were still sleeping. I was spreading peanut butter on an English muffin, when suddenly I was surrounded by white light. It was not blinding or frightening but warm and embracing. At first, there were no voices or sounds, but as the light subsided, I eventually heard, “You are not alone.” And then the light faded.

The staff at the treatment center told me later that this event marked the beginning of my recovery. After I told my story in one of the small groups, the counselor, who was a Jew, said, “All right. Get on with it.” That’s an Old Testament way of summing it up: God says, “Turn around. Get on with it.” It’s a perfect way of describing what it means to find God.

That encounter with God made a huge difference in my life. It was a return from what was surely a form of physical dying and a spiritual and emotional death. I had been dead to myself, to others and to God. I had prayed for more than a year for God’s forgiveness, but then I gave up and prayed: “God, open me up.” Only after I prayed to be open to God did God again become part of my life.

Since then my life has been different. Most of the people I have wronged have forgiven me, and we have been reconciled. Those in my family, especially my wife, have recognized my sorrow at what I have done and welcomed me back to life and health.

What I knew intellectually about Christianity has traveled what’s called the longest distance in the world — the 18 inches from my head to my heart. It’s like talking about Jesus for years and then, suddenly, meeting him personally. What I have realized is that God didn’t simply want my repentance in exchange for God’s forgiveness. No, God didn’t want a transaction; God wanted a relationship. With me. Just as I am. Only after experiencing God’s presence did I know God’s forgiveness.

Was it a conversion? Maybe, maybe not. Before my epiphany, my life and ministry had been so abundantly blessed by God, and surely that means I had some relationship with God. But at some point, I walked into the swamp, and there I found God again. With the help of my wife and my family and wonderful friends, I began to walk the path in what 12 Step groups call “the sunshine of the spirit.” Perhaps the best way of describing my experience is that it was the most powerful moment in my continuing conversion. And it came in an epiphany from God.

It all began with a simple prayer: “God, open me up.”

I offer this story as a footnote to the moving and insightful stories of 60 Christians in the book I’ve published called “Finding God.” It’s a personal explanation of why I think their experiences and their lives are so powerful and compelling.

These are the words of Jesus: “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matt. 7:7-8).

We are not alone.

by John M. Mulder

Your Own Diamond Field?

There was an African farmer who was well-off and content, and he’d heard stories of other farmers who’d made millions of dollars by discovering diamond mines.  The more he thought about what he might be missing, the more disturbed he became; so he decided to sell his farm and go prospecting for diamonds. 

He spent the rest of his life wandering the African continent, trying to find a diamond mine.  His adventure failed.  Thus, one day, worn out, feeling discouraged, thinking he had nothing left, he threw himself into the river and gave up. 

Meanwhile, the guy who’d bought his farm, happened to be crossing the small stream on the property one day, when suddenly there was a bright flash of light from the bottom of the stream.  He bent down and picked up a fist-sized stone, and admired it.  Later he put it on his fireplace mantel, just as an interesting curiosity. 

A couple wks later, a visitor to his home, picked the rock up, examined it closely, and nearly fainted.  He asked the farmer if he knew what he’d found, and the farmer said No, he thought it was just an interesting rock from the creek out back.  The visitor informed him that he’d found one of the largest diamonds ever discovered.

Of course, the farmer could hardly believe it.  He said, “Well that creek is filled with rocks like that.  Not as big as this one, but there are plenty more.”  Later it was discovered, in an ironic twist, the land that the first farmer had sold, so that he might find a diamond mine, turned out to be one of the most productive diamond mine on the entire African continent.  He’d owned it free and clear - acres of diamonds, but had sold it to look for diamonds elsewhere. 

Each of us is standing right in our own diamond field, and have no need to go hunting elsewhere for diamonds.  If you’re trusting Christ, God has blessed you. 

I Peter 2:9  But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 

Ephesians 2: 10  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Managing the MOOD for FOOD

Gluttony (overeating) is the 3^rd deadly sin.

A few years ago, I heard of an ancient Old Testament manuscript.  Some believed that it’d been lost for many yrs.   It could be part of Gen. 1.  You know, Gen. 1:1 “In the beginning, G created the heavens & the earth.  Then it goes on to tell u what G did Day 1, Day 2, Day 3.  G created trees, vegetation, seed-bearing plants, & it’s possible the next part was lost: 

God populated the earth w/ broccoli, cauliflours, spinach, & vegetables of all kinds,

                                                      so that man & woman might live long & healthy lives. 

& Satan created McDonalds.  & McDonalds brought forth the 99-cent cheeseburger,  & Satan said to the man, you want fries w/ that?  & the man: Supersize them.  & the man gained pounds. 

God created health-food yogurt, so that woman might keep her figure that man found so fair. 

Satan froze the yogurt & brought forth chocolate, nuts, & bright candies to put on yogurt. 

& woman gained pounds.

God said: Try my crispy, fresh salad. 

& Satan brought creamy dressing, bacon bits, & shredded cheese.

                                             There was ice cream for dessert, & woman gained more pounds.

God said: I’ve sent u heart-healthy vegetables & olive oil in which to cook them.

Satan brought forth chicken-fried steak so big that it needed its own platter.

                                                         & man gained pounds, & his cholesterol went sky-high.

God brought forth running shoes, & man resolved to lose those extra pounds.

Satan brought forth remote-control cable TV,

   so man would not have to toil to change channel bet ESPN & ESPN2.  & man gained pounds.

God said: Devil, you’re running up the score.

God brought forth potato, a vegetable naturally w/ low-fat & high nutrition.

& Satan sliced the starchy center, & deep-fat-fried them & created potato chips,

                                                                                                            & created sour dips,

Man clutched his remote-control & ate the potato chips loaded w/ cholesterol.

& Satan saw & said, It is GOOD.

Man went into cardiac arrest.  God saw, & created triple bypass surgery.

That’s how the missing text ends.  Wow, there may be more truth in there than we realize. 

Managing the Mood for Food.   -7 Deadly Sins – gluttony. 

Message overview:             MANAGING THE MOOD FOR FOOD                           7-7-13

-dieting - Have you ever gone on a diet of any kind?

               When your diet ended, did you gain the weight back, & maybe some more?

So how much are we supposed to care about our bodies?

God wants us to RESPECT & PROTECT our body…

 

The New Testament Greeks associated one’s emotions & heart w/ the stomach, or gut.

Old KJV: bowels of passion

-idea: The stomach is the seat of your emotions; it controls a lot in your life.

           If your stomach feels good, the rest of your life feels good.

Philippians 3: 18-19

               For, as I have often told you before & now tell you again even with tears,

              many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

              Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach,

              & their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.

For some people, their PHYSICAL APPETITES -food, drink, lust, drugs - are so strong that they live to fulfill their passions; their physical appetite becomes their primary drive or motivation in life.  Thus they make a FALSE GOD out of their STOMACH, out of that feel-good in one's stomach.  So they live by the philosophy - if it feels good, do it.

So we need to learn to bring our appetites, mainly food, under God's control.

6 KEYS TO CONTROL YOUR APPETITE, instead of letting your appetite control you.

Key 1:  COMMIT YOURSELF TO GLORIFYING GOD WITH YOUR BODY.

My body & your body matter to God.  The freedom from letting our appetites control us is found in YIELDING OURSELVES to the Lord Jesus.  When you surrender to Christ, the Holy Spirit comes INSIDE your body, and at that point, there's a transfer of ownership of your body.

Corinthians 6: 19-20  Do u not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you,

         whom you have received from God?

         You are not your own; you were bought at a price.   Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Some say, I can do whatever I want with MY body.  But if you're trusting Christ for salvation, God says, No, your body belongs to me, because my Son paid for your body with his life on the cross.

Key 2: IDENTIFY HOLES IN YOUR HEART THAT YOU MAY BE TRYING TO FILL WITH FOOD.   & ask GOD to reveal that to You.

 We've been created w/ 2 empty, needing-to-be-filled holes - the stomach & the heart.

The holes in our heart include hidden hurts, resentments, anxieties, fears, etc.  

When we go through a tough time, we tend to eat whatever makes us feel better.  That's using food as a Feel-Better-Drug.  Others may use alcohol, tobacco, lust, or drugs, but the result is the same - trying to dull the pain or fill the hole in our heart.

-An acronym called S.A.L.T. to help identify hidden issues of the heart:

Overeating can be a response to STRESS in your life.  When we're feeling stressed out, it'd be better to  talk to God about our stress, and plan a strategy for dealing with it.  But we usually to the fridge or cupboard & find something that tastes good to eat instead.  We use food as a drug for our stress.

Matthew 11:28  Jesus said,

       Come to me, all you who are weary & burdened, & I will give you rest for your soul.

Overeating can also be a response to ANGER.   -A in SALT acronym.  We may be mad at people around us, ourselves, or even God.  Ephesians 4:31  Get rid of all bitterness & rage & anger, brawling & slander, along with every form of malice.  Ask yourself if you're using food to deal with anger or hostility in your life.

Overeating can be a response to LONELINESS.  I Peter 5:7  Cast all your cares upon Him because He cares for you.  It doesn't say: Cast food on your plate.  Cast your cares upon Him.

Overeating can be a response to TIREDNESS.  We all get tired.  I know I eat sometimes because I'm tired.  It's easy to turn to food whether we're physically tired or emotionally tired.  A better response would be to take a break, take a nap, talk to God, read, or depending on the time  of day, go to bed.

S.A.L.T .. =  stress, anger, loneliness, tiredness.

These are not ALL the responses to holes in our hearts. There are more. 

We need to identify the holes in our hearts, that we’re trying to fill with food.

-Ask:  How much of our eating occurs because of legitimate stomach hunger?

        & how much eating occurs because of heart hunger & food being a drug for it?

Key 3: ASK G TO HELP U IDENTIFY THE DIFF HUNGER ISSUES & NOT CONFUSE THEM.  A simple secret: Eat ONLY when our stomach is hungry.

Am I eating out of hunger?  Or am I eating for another reason?

If a restaurant brings too much food to eat, take some home.  No one is forcing you to eat everything.  Like many, I was taught to clean my plate when I was growing up.  But there's NO rule that you must clean your plate.  But there is a rule that says: you'll be healthier if you stop eating when your stomach is satisfied.  Ask yourself: Am I eating out of hunger?  Or am I eating for another reason?  Can I stop eating when my stomach says it's full?

We're not talking about giving up your favorite foods, & you don't have to eat seaweed.  :)
But we do need to bring our eating under the Holy Spirit's control.

Key 4: FOCUS ON LETTING GOD CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR, NOT ON LOSING WEIGHT.  Diets work only in the short term, because being on a diet is just making the food behave. 

We change the food behavior, but not how we behave.  Very few diets deal with WHY we eat.

Changing our behavior takes God’s power to bring our stomach into line with His will & His control.  Only God can set us free to enjoy food as we're designed, without destroying our bodies in the process, or drugging the issues.

Key 5: CONSIDER THE PRACTICE OF FASTING IN UR LIFESTYLE.

If you have diabetes, hypoglycemia, pregnant, etc, check with your dr. or nurse.

Fasting can release amazing spiritual power in your life.  When you use fasting to seek God’s will on any issues or big decisions you’re facing, it’s a powerful tool.  Fasting is a way to bring all your appetites under G’s control. 

One way to start fasting, would be to fast for 1 meal/week.  Instead of eating, use that time to drink water & pray & seek God for a closer relationship.  Ask God to reveal anything about any appetites in my life that are not under His control, & what needs to be done about it.  Just drink water & juice when you fast.  Fasting is a powerful way to let God help bring one’s appetites under control. 

Key 6: CONTEND FOR G’s PROMISE OF HEALTH. 

Here’s a great prayer to pray for your health:

3 John 1:2:  Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health

                   & that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.

Pray this for yourself and give a copy of it to someone you care about.

Much of this is adapted from a message by Pastor Cal Rychener.