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 Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:36 am
Do You Understand?
Some things are just tough to understand. For example . . .
• In medical terms, a black eye is technically a “bilateral periorbital hematoma.”
• Years ago, rabies was called hydrophobia, because one of the strangest symptoms of the disease has to do with the repulsion and fear of water. Here’s what happens: Once someone has been inflicted with rabies, the act of drinking water immediately causes violent throat spasms choking, gagging and great panic. As the disease progresses, even the sight or sound of water will trigger these reactions.
• If we could place your circulatory system in a straight line, it would measure 60,000 miles. That’s enough to circle the globe two and a half times!
• When searching for the healthiest place to build a hospital, doctors in ninth-century Baghdad, hung pieces of meat at various locations. The site at which the meat last turned rotten, was the place they would build the hospital.
It’s tough to understand the intricacy of the human circulatory system, why physicians thought the way they did in ninth-century Baghdad and why rabies and water don’t get along. But thankfully, it’s not important we truly understand these things. It is important, though, that we understand, know and put into practice the Ten Commandments.
Aren’t you glad God gave us 10 rules for living that are easy to understand? Think about it: We don’t have to analyze them, interpret them or discuss them. We simply need to accept them. They’re black and white. There are no gray areas to complicate things. They’re simple rules given by God to help us get the very most out of life.
If you’ve never broken one of God’s commandments, you don’t need a Savior. But each one of us is guilty, because each one of us is born with sin. It’s only because of God’s grace that we can be forgiven when we break His heart by breaking His commands.
Know It!
It’s impossible to keep God’s commands in our own strength. We need His power to live the holy life He commands we live. Realize these commands weren’t given to make your life miserable, rather they were given so that you can truly live abundantly!
Read It!
Exodus 20:3-17; John 3:16; John 10:10; Philippians 4:13.
Pray It!
Seek God’s forgiveness for any commandments you have broken and ask Him to empower you with His strength so you may live in obedience to His rules for living.
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Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:54 am
Are You Paying Attention?
Ready for a fun brain teaser? Okay, here goes! Read the following statement:
FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE-
SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIF-
IC STUDY COMBINED WITH
THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS.
Now count the F’s in the above statement. Count only once!
Guess what — there are actually six F’s in that statement. Many people only count three; some will find four or five their second time around. But there are actually six.
It really does make a difference to pay close attention to the details, doesn’t it? Flip back to the devotions on January 1-3 dealing with details. When you started this devotional, you pledged to commit yourself to two important spiritual details: Giving God 100 percent and meeting with Him on a daily basis. So how’s your attention to those two details?
Are you paying close attention to what God is trying to teach you? Are you truly growing closer to Him every day? The truth is, God dreams BIG dreams for you! But ignoring Him and not paying attention to His voice can cause you to miss out on all He has in store for you.
One way to help your spiritual growth is to develop some accountability. Ask God to bring someone to your mind — someone you admire spiritually — who can ask you the tough questions to ensure you’re “paying attention spiritually.”
Seek someone of the same sex. (When you try to develop an accountability relationship with a friend of the opposite sex, it soon becomes complicated with feelings and confusion.) You may want to choose someone a little older. But it needs to be someone you know is spiritually grounded, someone who will keep your confidences and someone who will daily hold you up in prayer.
After you’ve found an accountability partner, establish a specific time you can get together. At this first meeting, share prayer requests, struggles and praises of what God is doing in each of your lives. Then decide how often, when and where you’ll continue to meet. You’ll be surprised at how much easier it is to pay attention to God’s voice when you know someone will soon be asking you what He’s teaching you!
Know It!
God wants to make sure you “get it.” That’s why He provided the Bible, and that’s why He brings spiritually mature friends into our lives.
Read It!
Romans 8:37-39; Romans 14:9-13; Romans 15:7-9, 13.
Pray It!
Ask God to bring someone to your mind whom you can approach about becoming accountable.
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Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 10:16 am
Angels of Protection
Diane, a young Christian college student, was home for the summer. She had spent the evening with friends sharing and laughing about their combined college experiences. Diane hadn’t planned on staying so late, and when she looked at the clock at noticed it was past midnight, she wished she had kept better track of time. She had to walk home.
But it was a small town, and she only lived a few blocks away. As she started on her way, she silently asked God to protect her as she walked underneath the tall elm trees that lined the neighborhood streets. She decided to take a short cut — the alley — would shave off about five minutes on her walk home. But halfway down the alley, she noticed a man standing at the end of the road . . . as though he were waiting for her.
Diane grew increasingly uneasy and continued to pray for God’s protection from harm and danger. As she neared the end of the alley, she felt as though a blank of comfort and security were wrapped around her. She also had the unusual sensation that someone was walking with her! When she finally reached the end of the alley, she walked right past the man and arrived home safely.
The next day, she read in the newspaper that a young girl had been raped in the same alley just 20 minutes after she had been in that same spot. Knowing it could have been her, she began to weep. After thanking the Lord for protecting her, she decided to help this young woman by going to the police station and describing the man she saw.
The police asked her to look at a line-up of suspects. She immediately pointed to the man she had seen in the alley. When the man was told he had been identified, he broke down and confessed. The officer thanked Diane for her involvement and asked if there was anything they could do for her. She replied that she wanted to ask the man a question. The officer took her question to the rapist: “Why didn’t you attack the girl you saw about 20 minutes before the other girl passed down the alley?”
“Because she wasn’t alone,” the rapist responded. “She had two tall men standing on either side of her.”
Know It!
Never underestimate the power of prayer! God doesn’t want you to make foolish decisions then expect Him to bail you out, but He does help those who call on His name in a sincere manner. He sends angels to protect and guide you.
Read It!
Hebrews 13:2; Hebrews 13:5; 2 Peter 1:16; 2 Peter 3:18.
Pray It!
Ask God daily for His supernatural protection and guidance in your life.
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Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:12 am
The Power of Water
We know water is important . . . after all, most of the world is made up of water. But here are some amazing facts about water you might not know!
• Research tells us that drinking eight to 10 glasses of water a day can significantly reduce pain for almost 80 percent of the people who suffer from back and join pain.
• Seventy-five percent of all Americans are chronically dehydrated.
• A mere two percent drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
• In 37 percent of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it’s often mistaken for hunger.
• One glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100 percent of the dieters studied in a University of Washington research project.
• Even mild dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as three percent.
• Lack of water is the number one reason for daytime fatigue.
• Drinking just five glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45 percent, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79 percent, and one is 50 percent less likely to develop bladder cancer.
It’s obvious that our bodies need water — and lots of it! We can live a few days without food, but we can’t live long without water. And just as important as it is to be sure we’re drinking the amount of water we should each day, it’s also essential that we consume living water every day. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that He was living water. As she was drawing water from the well to her parched, dry lips, He explained that He could provide an H2O supplement that would last throughout eternity.
At first she didn’t understand what He was talking about, but as He continued to look into her eyes and tell her the things about her life that no one else knew, she realized He was the Messiah. She accepted His forgiveness for her sins and began walking with the Creator of the universe.
Know It!
God wants to fill your life with spiritual nourishment. To get the spiritual vitamins you need, make it a necessity to spend time with your heavenly Father every single day.
Read It!
Zechariah 14:8; John 4:1-26; John 7:38; 1 Peter 3:21.
Pray It!
Ask God to give you an unquenchable thirst for His Word.
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 9:02 am
Handling Adversity
“It’s great to see you!” Pastor Steve announced to the youth group at the beginning of his lesson.
Amanda sighed. Sure hope tonight’s lesson is good, she thought. I have so much homework, it’s ridiculous! Mom and Dad are fighting again, no one knows if Joey’s coming back home or if he’s run away for good this time. She sighed again. Life reeks!
“I understand many of you are going through some really tough times right now,” Pastor Steve continued. “So tonight, we’re going to get really basic. I’m going to present something to you that’s so simple, you may wonder if I’ve mistaken you for the children’s department. But stick with me, and you’ll walk away with something to hang onto.”
Pastor Steve was always up to something creative. He was always searching for new ways to drive home old truths to the students in his youth group. He asked them to follow him to the church kitchen. There, they noticed three pots of boiling water on the stove.
“Amanda,” Pastor Steve began. “I want you to toss carrots in the first pot, eggs in the second pot and ground coffee beans in the last pot.”
She did, and no one said a word as the contents boiled. Pastor Steve asked Derrick and Marci to read some specific Scriptures. About 20 minutes later, Pastor Steve fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. Then he pulled out the eggs and put them in a bowl. Next he ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to Amanda, he said, “What do you see?”
“Carrots, eggs and coffee,” she replied flatly.
Pastor Steve brought her a little closer and asked her to feel the carrots. As she did, she noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After peeling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Amanda smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. “I don’t get it, Pastor Steve,” she said. “What does this mean?”
“Each of these faced the same adversity — boiling water — but each reacted differently. When you tossed the carrot into the pot, it went in strong, hard and unrelenting. But after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.
“You then placed a fragile egg into the boiling water. Its thin outer shell protected its liquid interior. But after sitting in the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, weren’t they? After they were in the boiling water, they changed the water.”
Amanda swallowed the lump in her throat. Pastor Steve turned to the youth group. “Which are you? When tough times knock on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?”
Know It!
You, and only you, can decide how you’ll react to the tough times in your life. They can make you a better person . . . if you’ll let them.
Read It!
2 Corinthians 4:8-9; 1 Peter 1:7; 1 Peter 4:1-2; James 1:2-4.
Pray It!
Ask God to use the adversity in your life to make you stronger.
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 2:06 pm
Bitter or Better?
Pastor Steve continued his lesson to the youth group, and Amanda listened carefully. “Think about how you react when tough times hit,” he said. “Are you like the carrot that seems hard, but with pain and adversity do you wilt and become soft and lose your strength?
“Or are you like the egg? Did you used to have a teachable heart? But maybe after a death, a breakup, a divorce or trouble at school, your fluid spirit became hardened and stiff. Your shell may still look the same. But on the inside . . . are you bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and heart?”
Amanda fought back the tears. Wow. This is exactly what I need to hear right now, she thought. I’ve become like the egg. Because of our family problems and everything that’s going on at school, I’m becoming hardened.
“Or are you like the coffee bean?” Pastor Steve continued. “The bean changes the hot water — the thing that’s bringing the pain — to its peak flavor reaching 212 degrees Fahrenheit. When the water gets the hottest, it just tastes better.”
Oh, dear God, Amanda prayed silently, Please forgive me for becoming hardened and unteachable. I want to be like the coffee bean. Help me!
“If you’re like the coffee bean,” Pastor Steve said, “you get better when things are at their worst, and with God’s help you can make things better around you.
“When people talk about you behind your back, does your prayer time increase? Do you continue to praise the Lord? When the hour is darkest and trials are their greatest, does your worship elevate to another level? Gang, the choice is up to you: Become bitter or better.”
Amanda stopped trying to hold back her tears. Before she knew it, some of the youth leaders had surrounded her and were praying with her. Other students, also, were seeking help from the Lord.
“Amanda.” She recognized Pastor Steve’s voice.
“Amanda, this is what the Body of Christ is all about,” he said. “When you’re experiencing difficulty, we want to pray with you, support you and love you.”
Know It!
You may be tempted to stay away from church and youth group when you’re going through a tough time. Fight the urge to be alone and let God help you through other Christians.
Read It!
Isaiah 40:31; Jeremiah 29:11-13; 1 Peter 5:7; 1 Peter 9- 11.
Pray It!
Ask God to help you evaluate what you are in adversity — a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean. Ask Him to help you become better instead of bitter during adversity.
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:20 pm
Are You Listening to the Right Directions?
A train was traveling through a horrendous snow storm. A woman with her baby wanted to exit the train at one of the little stations along the route. She repeatedly said, “Don’t forget me!” to the brakeman who was responsible for calling out the stations they approached. The woman’s husband was scheduled to meet her and their baby along the route, and she wanted to make sure they didn’t miss each other in the heavy blizzard.
The train slowed to a stop, and another passenger spoke up. “Maam, this is your station,” he said politely. The woman exited the train into the heavy storm. The train soon started again and continued its route. Almost an hour later, the brakeman came to the area she had been sitting. “Where’s the woman?” he asked as he looked around.
“She got off at the last stop,” the passenger who had spoken to her replied.
“Then she got off at death’s door. The only reason we stopped was because there was something wrong with our engine. That wasn’t her stop!”
The staff asked for volunteers to return to the spot and search for the woman and her child. When they found her, she was covered with ice and snow. The little boy was protected underneath her arms as she had pressed him close to her heart.
She had followed the passenger’s instructions, but they were wrong. He was a fellow traveler simply trying to be polite and help another passenger. But he didn’t have the correct information. Many of your friends and acquaintances will give you wrong directions — not on purpose — but simply because they don’t know better.
Determine right now who you’re going to listen to. It doesn’t matter how polite, popular or fun someone is, if he’s giving you the wrong directions, you’ll be doomed if you follow them. Jesus Christ and His Holy Word are our authorities. He’s the only One who can tell us how to reach our final destination. And His book — the Holy Bible — is the only road map with the correct directions to heaven.
Friends who practice other religions, and people who say there are many ways to reach your eternal destination, may be articulate and convincing, but they’re giving you false directions. Determine to know God’s voice so well, and strive to know His Holy Word so well, that you can quickly discern wrong directions from the Truth.
Know It!
By placing complete faith in the One who has died for you, conquered death for you, forgiven you and is preparing a place for you in heaven, you’ll be heeding the right directions.
Read It!
Proverbs 23:12; 2 Thessalonians 3:14; 1 Timothy 6:3; 2 Timothy 4:2.
Pray It!
Ask God to help you not be taken in by the voices around you that may sound good but aren’t speaking Truth
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Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 10:17 am
Heaven’s Grocery Store
(Source unknown)
As I was walking down life’s highway, I came upon a sign that read “Heaven’s Grocery Store.” When I got a little closer, the doors swung open wide and I walked through the entrance. I saw a host of angels. They were standing everywhere. One handed me a shopping cart and instructed me to fill it.
I headed down the aisles and noticed that everything anyone would ever need was in that store. Just when I began to wonder how I would every carry everything, an angel approached me and said, “Whatever you can’t carry, you can come back for.”
I first grabbed some Patience. Then I found a huge box of Understanding. Can’t have too much of that, I mused. So I grabbed an extra box. Then I noticed Love in the same row and put an oversized load of that in my cart.
Next I got some Wisdom and a couple of bags of Faith. I couldn’t overlook Charity, so I grabbed that, too. Oh, my goodness, I thought, the Holy Spirit’s here! He’s all over the place — plentiful as can be! So I took a generous helping and then came upon Strength.
Realizing I’d need that to help me through the tough times ahead, I didn’t hesitate to put Strength in my cart. And then I came upon Courage. Gotta have that, too. So I placed a healthy portion between Patience and Love and continued my shopping.
My cart was getting full, but I remembered I needed Grace. So I asked the angels to help me find it and stored up on that as well. Then I chose Salvation and rejoiced inwardly that it was free. I headed toward the counter to pay my grocery bill. Wow! I thought. I’ve got everything I need to do God’s will.
But as I moved toward the cashier, I noticed Prayer. I’ll need a lot of that, I reasoned, because when I step outside this store, I’ll be stepping right into a world of sin. So I stocked up on Prayer and couldn’t help but notice Peace and Joy. They were plentiful, so I helped myself. And right next to the cashier’s counter, I noticed Praise and Worship, so I placed them on top.
Then I said to the angel working the cash register, “How much do I owe?”
But he just smiled and said, “Take them everywhere you go.”
So I repeated the question: “Really. How much do I owe?”
“My child,” he said, “God paid your bill a long, long time ago.”
Know It!
Isn’t it exciting that God gives you — for free — everything you need for living a godly life! You don’t have to wonder and question how He wants you to live. He’s already told you to live a holy life. And instead of frustrating you by making you guess how to do that, He simply gives you everything you need to become all He calls you to be!
Read It!
1 Corinthians 4:20; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:16; Revelation 22:11.
Pray It!
Spend some time thanking God for paying the bill for everything you need to live a holy life. Ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit so that you may be empowered to be the godly person He wants you to be.
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Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:20 am
Are You Wearing the Right Label?
Jake moved to North America from a remote area in Papua New Guinea at the beginning of his junior year in high school. The village he was from was so primitive, the small school wasn’t able to offer sports. The first time Jake ever saw a basketball game was when he saw some neighbor kids shooting hoops down the street from his new house.
When school started a few weeks later, he decided he wanted to be a basketball player. He was fascinated with the game. He rented several videos, watched guys play pick-up games in the park and decided to go out for the team at school.
Coach Weston knew Jake had never played before, so he spent extra time with him after school teaching him the basics, going through drills and running up and down the court with him. When the time came to try out for the team, Jake refused to dribble the ball. “I can get it down the court much faster if I just carry it,” he explained.
“Then you should probably try out for the football team,” Coach Weston said. “You can’t carry the ball in basketball.”
When another player dribbled the ball away from Jake, he was immediately tackled by the newcomer.
“Jake! What are you doing? You can’t tackle your opponent!” Coach Weston reprimanded.
“I had to! He took the ball from me,” Jake explained.
When he finally got the ball back, Jake kicked it toward the basket. Coach Weston pulled him off the court. “Jake, why don’t you sit out for a while?”
“You can’t pull me off the court!” Jake said. “I’m a basketball player. I belong out there!”
“No, Jake,” Coach Weston responded. “You’re really not a basketball player. You play with basketballs, but you’re not a basketball player. Real basketball players go by the rules.”
* * *
Okay, so the story’s not true. In fact, it’s really quite absurd, isn’t it? Who would call himself a basketball player if he didn’t actually play the game?
Unfortunately, the same thing is happening in Christianity right now. Many people are calling themselves Christians who really aren’t living the life. Don’t bother calling yourself a Christian if you’re not willing to live up to the definition.
Being a Christian is much more than simply praying a prayer and continuing to live as you see fit. Being a Christian means you’ve sought forgiveness for your sins, given Christ control of your life and are living in His will.
If you call yourself a Christian, you need to live up to the name and follow the definition. If not? Then call yourself what you really are — a hypocrite.
Know It!
A lot of people say they’re Christians, but their walk doesn’t match their talk. If your life doesn’t match the definition of a Christian, you could actually be harming the Kingdom of God by claiming to be something you’re not.
Read It!
Matthew 23:27-32; Mark:12:15; Luke 12:1; Galatians 2:13.
Pray It!
Tell God you want to be authentic. Ask Him to help you live out your relationship with Him through your everyday actions.
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 10:21 am
Are You Whom You Claim To Be?
If Jake refuses to basketball the way it’s meant to be played, he really shouldn’t call himself a basketball player. If he’s going to tackle his opponents, throw and kick the ball, he needs to identify himself as a football player.
God has a high calling on your life. And He dreams extremely BIG dreams for you! He loves you more than you can imagine . . . but be honest, okay? Don’t identify yourself as His follower unless you’re willing to live in obedience to Him — which is an attitude of the heart and soul.
What does it mean to live in obedience to Christ? Two important things.
No. 1: You’ll accept the Bible as God’s Holy Word — absolute Truth. There are religion professors in Christian colleges who tell their students that much of the Bible really isn’t true. Someday they’ll have to answer to God for that!
When Jesus spoke in parables, He always made sure His listeners knew it. In other words, He let them know that a specific story was only an example to explain the meaning of what He was saying.
But to choose not to believe the Garden of Eden actually existed and to doubt that Eve was tempted by Satan and ate the forbidden fruit? Then why call yourself a Christian? If you can’t accept the fact that the Bible is true and that all of it is God’s Truth, you’re not really identifying with the Author of the Book, Jesus Christ.
No. 2: You’ll obey God. Yes, that means you’ll live as He wants you to live. You’ll give Him the ultimate control of your life. To say you’re a Christian . . . but to continue living however you want . . . is stupid! That’s not Christianity. But what if I blow it? Is there room for failure in the life of a Christian?
Yes, there is! God understands your humanness. But there’s a huge difference in defiantly going against God’s will and blowing it and approaching God with genuine sorrow. God loves a repentant heart and will always forgive a repentant heart. To consistently live it utter defiance of His will, however, is not living with a repentant spirit.
I recently spoke at a youth conference and a teen girl approached me who said, “Susie, if I love my boyfriend, there’s nothing wrong with us having sex. It’s love that makes the difference. Sex is the ultimate act of love. And I’m a Christian.”
Sex is the ultimate act of love? No, it’s not! Sacrificing your needs and desires and being willing to wait; wanting what’s best for the other person; submitting to God’s will — those are the ultimate acts of love!
An assistant youth leader at this same conference later approached me and said, “I’m a Christian, but I don’t believe much of anything you’re saying.”
“That’s interesting,” I replied. “Because everything I’m saying is coming from the Bible.”
“I don’t believe the Bible.”
“And you say you’re a Christian?”
“That’s right,” he continued. “I’m a Christian, but I don’t believe the Bible. It was just written by human men, and humans make mistakes.”
Know It!
God wants to make His Holy Word — which is absolute Truth — come alive in and through your life.
Read It!
2 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Timothy 16-17; Hebrews 6:1; James 4:4.
Pray It!
Ask God to show you any areas of hypocrisy in your life. If you have any doubts regarding His Holy Word, ask Him to replace those doubts with solid faith.
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Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 8:13 am
Let’s Be Blunt!
“Yes, the Bible was penned by humans, but it was divinely inspired by God Himself,” I replied to an assistant youth leader who claimed the Word of God wasn’t true.
“I don’t believe it,” he continued.
And I’m thinking, This guy is a youth leader in his church?!?
So I pressed a little further: “If you don’t believe the Bible . . . how does God speak to you?”
“Through my dreams.”
By now I was really interested. “And you put more stock in what your subconscious cooks up during the night than what the apostle Paul said in the Bible?”
“Absolutely.”
Whew! That’s scary! There are a lot of people claiming to be Christians who are making up their own religion! And if you’re one of the vast numbers of Christians who believe whatever he/she wants, you’re living dangerously. See, the bottom line is . . . it doesn’t matter what you think about sex before marriage. It doesn’t matter what you think about Truth. It doesn’t matter what Susie Shellenberger thinks or what your youth leader thinks. The only thing that matters is what God thinks. And someday we’ll all be held accountable to His standard.
But what if my friends say I’m narrow minded? That’s okay. You’re walking a straight and narrow road.
So here it is: If you’re being sexually intimate outside of marriage, messing around with drugs or alcohol, living with hatred and holding grudges STOP calling yourself a Christian.
But wait a sec, Susie! You make it sound like Christianity is living by a bunch of rules, and if we can’t obey the rules, we ought to get out of the game.
Though Christianity isn’t ALL rules, there are 10 big ones we’re expected to live by. You know them as the Ten Commandments. (Flip back to August 10-19 for a quick refresher course on the Ten Commandments). And if we break the rules, we’re out of the game forever? No. That’s where repentance comes in. Seeking God’s forgiveness.
So I can keep on sinning and doing whatever I want, because God will always forgive me?
No, that’s not repentance. In Jesus’ day, when someone saw a friend walking the wrong way on a street, he’d yell, “Repent, my friend, repent!” It literally meant, “Turn around, you’re going the wrong way!”
Coming to Jesus with a repentant heart and asking His forgiveness is like saying, “Oh, Father, I’m so sorry. My sin has broken Your heart, and it’s breaking my heart. Will You forgive me? I don’t ever plan on going down that road again. In fact, I’m going to build specific safeguards in my life to make sure I don’t go that direction again.”
That’s repentance. God forgives a repentant heart. Always!
Know It!
Could it be that you’ve fallen into Satan’s trap of making up your own religion? If so, you need to realize your own set of rules and regulations won’t get you to heaven.
Read It!
Exodus 20:3-17; 1 John 2:4; 1 John 2:6; 1 John 4:1-3.
Pray It!
Seek God’s forgiveness for disregarding His rules and substituting them with your own.
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Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:32 am
A Letter From God
My dear, dear Child.
Oh, how I love you! I long for you to spend eternity with Me. I've been diligently preparing a place for you in My perfect Kingdom. You'll love it. You don't have the capacity to even imagine what it's like, but someday you'll be living here with Me in person. That is . . . if you let Me have total control of your life.
I know you can't comprehend how very much I love you, but I'm hoping you'll know that My death was specifically for you. That's right. Even though you've heard that I died for the world at large, I want you to understand it was really for you! You see . . . if you had been the only person in all the world, I still would have chosen to leave the glory and splendor of heaven to come to earth and experience the torture I endured . . . just for you. I love you that much.
You are my pride and joy! I dream such big dreams for you! I want to do extraordinary things with your life. But, my child, I need all of you. I won't force you to give Me your life. I love you too much to control your decisions, but I yearn for you to trust Me with your all.
My child, I am perfect, and My Kingdom is perfect. Therefore I cannot allow sin into My Kingdom. Knowing, however, that you were born with sin, I gave Myself-in the form of My Son-to pay the price for you, so you could spend eternity with Me. It's My ultimate gift to you. You can't earn it, and you can't buy it. I simply want to give it to You. But again . . . I won't force you to accept it. You have to make that decision on your own.
Please choose to follow Me, My child. I love you more than life itself. And I'm working diligently on our eternal home.
Your heavenly Father,
God
Know It!
God is crazy about you and has gone to great lengths to let you know it. How will you respond?
Read It!
Psalm 19:1; Jeremiah 31:37; Jeremiah 32:17; John 3:16.
Pray It!
Give God your all and ask Him to help you begin living in radical obedience to His Lordship.
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:53 am
Letter From Satan Part I
Hey, Christian!
I saw you yesterday as you climbed out of bed and started your daily routine. You began the day without praying. I kept watching you-expecting you at least to pray for your meals-but you didn't. You didn't even make time to pray before you climbed back into bed at the end of the day! I like the fact that you're so ungrateful. I can't tell you how proud I am of you for not changing your way of living since you started going to church.
You stupid idiot! You're mine . . . and you don't even know it! You think you're a Christian, but I have you fooled. You and I go way back. We've been going steady for years . . . and I still don't love you. As a matter of fact, I never will. Ha! I hate you! Do you realize that? I hate you, because I hate God. I'm only using you to get even with Him. He kicked me out of heaven, and I'm going to use you as long as possible to pay Him back.
You're so stupid! You don't even realize how much God loves you; that He has great plans in store for you. Ha! You've yielded your life to me, and I'm going to make your life a living hell.
And the best part about this relationship is that you don't even realize you've yielded to me. I love it! You're such a moron. You don't get it, do you? That by not giving your all to Jesus Christ, you end up following me by default. And you know what's really funny? Most of the time I have you convinced that I don't even exist!
Thanks to you, I'm showing God who's really boss in your life. We've been having some great times, haven't we? I love watching those dirty movies with you, cussing people out when they cut in front of you on the road, lying, being hypocritical, messing around sexually, gossiping, telling off-color jokes, stabbing people in the back, disrespecting stupid adults and moronic leaders.
I'm relieved that you don't want to give this up. We're having a great time, aren't we? And what's really funny, is the fact that you don't have a clue I'm doing all this to destroy you! Ha! You think we're just having fun. But I have eternal plans for you!
Know It!
Satan will do anything to get your attention off of Christ. Remember . . . you can't be spiritually neutral. You're either living for God, or you're following Satan by default.
Read It!
Luke 10:18; 2 Corinthians 11:14; Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 Peter 5:8.
Pray It!
In the name of Jesus Christ, pray that Satan will get behind you, and use your authority in Christ to overcome temptation.
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:54 am
Letter From Satan Part II
Hey, Christian!
Yeah, I'll go ahead and call you that. I know you like it, but you have no clue what Christianity is really about. If you did, you wouldn't be hanging out with me and listening to my lies I've so carefully crafted. Ha! You're such an idiot.
Do you have any idea how much I loathe you? Do you know I'm working overtime to make sure you spend eternity with me in hell? Yeah, you've heard about hell. I talk it up as the big eternity party place. And you know what's funny? You've believed me! I heard you telling someone last week, “Maybe hell won't be so bad; I mean, I'll finally get to do what I want.”
You moron! That's what I want you to believe. But I have a big surprise for you. Hell will be nothing like that! It will be eternal damnation. Do you have any idea what that means? You're going to be in physical, emotional, spiritual and mental torment forever. And I'll be laughing my head off! Party time? No way. You won't even want to open your eyes to see who's standing next to you. The demons will surround you in fear and torment and mockery and all of HELL will break loose in your little soul.
Why am I even bothering to write you? I'm sarcastically sending you a letter of thanks for letting me use you for most of your foolish life. You are so gullible. You have no idea how much I laugh at you throughout every day. When I tempt you to sin, you give in. HA! HA! HA! You make me sick. You're so stinking weak!
Sin is beginning to take its toll on your life. You're angry. Bitter. Obsessed with stupid things . . . like your weight and people liking you. If you had any idea how temporary that stuff is! But I've got you convinced it's really important. I am so good at what I do.
Of course, morons like you make my job really easy. If you were smart, you'd run somewhere, confess your sins and live for God with what little time you have left. What a stupid jerk you are! I HATE YOU!
Know It!
Satan will try to convince you that wrong is right and right is stupid. Don't listen to him. Keep your eyes focused on Jesus and your ears tuned in to the Holy Spirit.
Read It!
Zechariah 3:2; Mark 4:15; Luke 22:3; Romans 16:20.
Pray It!
Ask God to help you memorize Scripture, so when you're tempted by Satan you can use the Bible as ammunition.
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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 6:33 pm
Is it Tough to be a Christian? Part I
Is it becoming more and more difficult for you to be a sold-out 100 percent-committed Christian? If so, you're on the right track! The apostle Paul warned his young mentor, Timothy, that in the last days it would be very difficult to live a Christian life. Was Paul trying to discourage his young Christian friend? No. He was being truthful.
If you're truly living in radical obedience to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, you're well aware of the fact that it's . . . tough! It's not easy to take a stand against abortion when the entire class is saying it's simply a woman's choice. It's hard to express why you're saving sexual intimacy until marriage when you're surrounded by friends (even church friends) who are playing around sexually. And it's difficult to say no to a certain movie you know God doesn't want you to see-especially when all your church friends are seeing it!
When you take a bold stand against sin, it's likely you'll be labeled a judgmental. But it's important for you to know that those who call you that doesn't really understand the concept of judgment. Do you realize the Bible says there are times when we should be judgmental? Many Christians have the mistaken idea that tolerance is always a virtue. Guess what-it's not! There are times when God expects you-just like Jesus- to take a bold stand against sin. Jesus never had an open mind toward sin. He called it for what it was-SIN. He loved sinners, but He never made excuses for the wrong in their lives.
God doesn't want you to be tolerant of sin. He wants you to tolerate people but not sin. There's a huge difference. And when you speak out against sexual intimacy outside of marriage, bisexuality, abortion or any other sin, people will point fingers at you and call you judgmental. Even Christians will accuse you of judging others.
But labeling sin for what it is isn't being judgmental; it's being factual. When you point to an apple tree and say, “Look at those apples,” are you being judgmental? No, you're being realistic. You're stating what has already been proved. “That's an apple tree. It bears apples.”
When you call sin, sin . . . you're simply stating what God has already declared as Truth in His Holy Word. That's not judgment. That's reality.
Many Christians want to focus only on God's grace. “God will forgive,” they say. And yes, God will forgive a truly repentant heart. (For a reminder on what true repentance is, flip back to...) But God is also a God of wrath. There are two sides to our heavenly Father. If there weren't, He would be imbalanced. And we serve a perfect God. It's much easier to simply overlook His wrath and focus only on His grace, isn't it? But to do so isn't living a spiritually mature life.
Know It!
Being made fun of by other Christians? Good news! You're on the right track.
Read It!
1 John 2:20-22; 1 John 4:1-6; 3 John 1:11; Jude 1:5-7.
Pray It!
Ask God to strengthen you and help you continue to stand in boldness against sin-no matter how difficult it gets.
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