"In Christ Alone" - 2012 Year-end Reflection Series [Video]

Submitted by: Mark Harvey

Source: http://kids4truth.com/Devos/Home/20121128.aspx

"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."

Luke 19:10

 

Context: Luke 19:1 - 10 

In Bible times, Jewish tax-collectors were hated men. Do you know why? They were considered to be traitors – because they worked for the Roman government. They were considered to be thieves – because they cheated their own countrymen out of money that was not rightfully supposed to be taken. Maybe you have heard a song about Zacchaeus, who was a Jewish tax-collector during the time of Jesus' ministry. Zacchaeus may have been rich, but he was hated by his fellow-Jews, and he was not a happy man. His riches and his job did not make him happy. If Zacchaeus believed that quitting his job as a tax-collector would help him be friends again with his countrymen and help make him happy, he might have tried it – but he must not have thought that, because he did not quit collecting taxes. Instead he decided to try something unusual: He decided to listen to what Jesus had to say. 

Zacchaeus was not a tall man. In fact, he was such a short man that he could not see Jesus above the crowds of people who gathered around Him. So Zacchaeus climbed up into a tree to get a better look. This might have been humbling for such a rich man, to climb up into a tree like a little child trying to see over the crowd. But maybe Zacchaeus was used to being mocked by his fellow-Jews, anyway, or maybe he just wanted to see Jesus so much that he didn't care what people might think of him.

 

This little man was open to Jesus' message. He was learning a lot about himself and how short he had fallen of God's glory. The Bible says that we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. From his place up in the tree, Zacchaeus was getting a glimpse of his own sinful heart. 

Suddenly, all eyes were on Zacchaeus. If he was able to hide before, there was no possible way of hiding now. Jesus had looked up into his tree and told Zacchaeus to come down. Jesus was inviting Himself to Zacchaeus' house for supper. What was this little sinful man's reaction? Zacchaeus got down out of the tree joyfully and took Jesus to his home. The Jewish people were not happy about Jesus' decision to dine in the home of Zacchaeus, of all people – a cheating, stealing, unpatriotic tax-collector!

Neither Zacchaeus nor Jesus seemed to mind what the people were saying. For Zacchaeus' part, he had learned that he was a sinner, and he was sorry for what he had done. He stood before Jesus and told Him he had decided to give half of everything he owned to the poor, and he promised Him to pay back four times the amount of anything he owed to anyone he had cheated. After promises like that, Zacchaeus would probably not be a rich man anymore, at least not for a long time! The Bible does not say he stopped collecting taxes after that, but he was a saved tax-collector after that, not a cheating or traitorous tax-collector. And best of all, Zacchaeus was a joyful man after that. 

Jesus wasn't listening to the people's complaining, either. When Jesus heard Zacchaeus' testimony of faith and repentance, He said, "This day is salvation come to this house"! And Jesus did eat with Zacchaeus and his family, even though the people said He was eating with sinners. Jesus said He had "come to seek and to save that which was lost." Maybe the people did not think they were sinners who needed saving, but Zacchaeus knew for a fact that he was lost and needed to be saved from his sin. Because this little man humbled himself and placed his trust in the only Savior of lost sinners, he was gloriously saved.

Jesus did not come to help those who think they can save themselves;

He came to help those who know – by faith, through grace – that He is their only hope for salvation.

Jesus came to seek and save sinners who need His salvation.

Watch and Listen: "In Christ Alone" http://youtu.be/8welVgKX8Qo

 

Reflect:
» Do I sometimes look at others and think of them as worse sinners than I am?
» Did Jesus really come to save only the sinners who look better off than other sinners?
» How can I, like Zacchaeus, show others by my life that I have changed my mind about sin and following Jesus? 

 One love - Mark

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Join us as we celebrate Emmanuel! Dec 23rd 2012

We invite you to join Kingdom Life Fellowship

and

River of Life International Fellowship

for a worship experience celebrating Emmanuel

 

Dec 23rd, 2012 @ 6:30PM

(See flyer below for more details)

 

!!FREE ADMISSION!!

 

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"Faithful God" - 2012 Year-End Reflection Series (VIDEO)

Proverbs 3: 5 & 6

 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding;

In all your ways take notice of Him and He will make your paths straight.

This has been a Scripture that has always been close to my heart. For the past year, God has put in front of me lessons of faith - teaching me what it means and how to exercise it. Building my faith has been a delicate process and I continue to stumble, dust myself off and walk on. I can look back on the year and recount when and how God has answered my spoken and unspoken prayers. What have I learned for the year 2012? That God is a faithful God. That is how He teaches me about faith - by example.

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"Great is Thy Faithfulness" - 2012 Reflection Series (VIDEO)

My Testimony for 2012

posted by "Mom" Jascent Smythe 

Proverbs 3: 5-6 is my daily walk... 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
  in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight. 

This song is my fortress, may your lives be encouraged 

GREAT is Thy Faithfulness

 

"Great is Thy faithfulness," O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be. 

"Great is Thy faithfulness!" "Great is Thy faithfulness!"

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—

"Great is Thy faithfulness," Lord, unto me!

 

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

 

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

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"Here I Am" - 2012 Personal Reflection Series (VIDEO)

As the year culminates, I thank my precious Lord for His abounding grace and mercy.  It was His power that kept me.  Some people did not expect me to still be standing, but "Here I Am, I Survived..." (Marvin Sapp).   Within 12 months, God gave me my home, and my completed degree (Graduation November 12, 2012).  I am now proudly (but ever humble) Dr. Leonie Brown.  He is so worthy to be praise. I will continue to serve and honour Him with my gifts Hallelujah!.

This song has been a beacon of strength, remembrance and thanksgiving for me.  I am in awe every time I hear it.

SONG:  "HERE I AM"  ARTIST: Marvin Sapp (See Video link)

Lyrics:

Here I am, I'm still standing,

here I am after all I've been through

I've survived every toil and every snare

I'm alive I'm am alive here I ohhh

There were times when I almost gave up

and I've cried and said Lord it's too much.

El Shaddai , He was there all the time

by his grace he is keeping me alive.

By his (grace and mercy I'm still standing, standing.)

I'm standing in the presence of the almighty with (power and a testimony ahhh)

I standing here today with one thing to say (Lord I thank you, Thank you)

Here I am, I'm still standing,

here I am after all I've been through I've survived

every toil and every snare I'm alive I'm alive here I am  (Repeat)

(Ah) All of the pain I had to go through it gave power and a testimony

now (ah) I am standing here today with one thing to say (lord I thank you, thank you)

 

Here I am (its because of your mercy)
Here I stand (its because of your grace)
Here I am (its because of your goodness)
and I thank you Lord (yes) Yes (yes) Repeat

All of the pain that I had to go through
it gave power and a testimony

now I am standing here today with one thing to say

Lord I thank you, I thank you oh (ah) oh (I still standing, standing )

I'm still standing (ah)

I been through my crisis, my trail and my test (I still standing) say yes (yes) yes (yes) yes (yes)yes (yes)

the devil is defeated (yes) the devil is defeated (yes) yes (yes) yes (yes)

through every tail (yes) through every test (yes)

through every trouble (yes) I like that best (yes)

I'll say yes (yes)I 'll say yes (yes) yes (yes)

Here I am, I'm still standing,

here I am after all I've been through

I've survived every toil and every snare

I'm alive I'm am alive

here I am

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Good News is worth Sharing!

How shall they hear without a preacher? —Romans 10:14

When Thomas Gallaudet graduated from seminary in 1814, he had planned on becoming a preacher. However, his call to the ministry took a different turn when he met Alice, a 9-year-old, hearing-impaired girl in his neighborhood. Gallaudet began to communicate with her by writing words with a stick in the dirt.

Helping Alice motivated him to help others too. After consulting with European and American experts in educating the deaf, he refined a system widely known today as “signing” (a person’s hands spell out the message). Eventually, he established the American School for the Deaf.

Gallaudet’s school for the hearing-impaired contained a Christian curriculum that shared the gospel and included Bible instruction. He had answered the call to preach—but it was to a very special group of people. Signing was the way he communicated the gospel.

Like Gallaudet, we too could be sharing the Word of God with people in ways they can understand. Otherwise, “How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Rom. 10:14). 

 

Seeking the lost, and pointing to Jesus,
Souls that are weak and hearts that are sore;
Leading them forth in ways of salvation,
Showing the path to life evermore. —Ogden 

Don’t withhold from the world the best news that’s ever come to it.

RELECT: How might God want you to reach out to those around you this week?

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Something to think about....Christians Acting Ugly

Christians Acting Ugly - written by Lysa TerKeurst
posted by: Keturah
 

"Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV)

Recently I was skimming some comments left on a social media outlet. Most were encouraging and kind. Some people had a different opinion but stayed civil in their expressions.

Then there was a third group. A much smaller but a very loud group.

Their opinions dripped with judgment, harshness, and condemnation. And the saddest thing of all? These were Christians attacking another Christian.

Honestly, I don't get it.

I just don't. As I read their comments it seemed as if they felt compelled to rip this person to shreds in order to prove their view. To show how knowledgeable they were and how off-base this other Christian was. Most disturbing of all, they felt it their duty to "protect God."

But God doesn't call man to protect Him. He calls us to love Him. And love others. Christians acting ugly and justifying it under the guise of holding another person in check isn't loving.

Matthew22:36 says, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

"Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Matt. 22:37-39 NIV)

Yes, there is a place to make sure others aren't misaligning Truth. But we must do this carefully and first make sure we aren't misaligning the Truth in our approach.

Our response must contain these three things: justice, mercy, and humility. "The LORD has told you, human, what is good; he has told you what he wants from you: to do what is right to other people, love being kind to others, and live humbly, obeying your God." (Micah 6:8 NCV)

I read this quote recently that reminded me of this powerful verse in Micah. "It is right to see justice prevail. But it is wrong when my ego gets in the way — when I retaliate to prove that I am strong, that I am superior to the other person, that I am the almighty righteous cop for God." (Bible commentary writer Michael J. Wilkins)

I guess I can feel a little sensitive about this subject because I've had some personal ministry friends attacked and accused in the most vicious of ways. And a little of this yuck has slipped into my world as well.

Maybe this third group sees these growing ministries and assumes their words won't affect their leaders. Or worse yet, because these ministries are growing maybe they hope their words will affect them. Either way, it hurts.

I know this isn't just an experience exclusive to leaders in ministry though. This can happen to any of us—in any walk of life. Whether you are hyper-critical of those around you, or you have experienced this hurtful criticism from a friend, familymember, or co-worker, these words hurt everyone involved.

There isn't an easy solution to this problem. But if this devotion makes a few people stop and think before blasting someone, whether a ministry leader, a family leader, or friend — then it's good. And most of all, if it reminds me to do what is right to other people ... to love being kind to others ... and to live a little more humbly — it's really good.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your grace and patience everyday. Help me recognize when I become critical of those around me. I want to show Your love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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Reflection: Known by Our Fruit

[Jesus said]
Either make the tree sound (healthy and good), and its fruit sound (healthy and good), or make the tree rotten (diseased and bad), and its fruit rotten (diseased and bad); for the tree is known and recognized and judged by its fruit. You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks. —Matthew12:33–34

A woman I’ll call Dorothy knew more about the church and every member and visitor than anyone else did. She was fairly well known as the church gossip.

“One thing about her,” a friend said, “she’s not prejudiced—she talks about everyone,” and he laughed. He also added, “She’ll probably get into heaven, but God may have to cut off her tongue first.”

One day as I stood near the front door, I heard Dorothy telling several people about one of the deacons, “But it isn’t up to me to judge him,” she said. The venom poured from her mouth, and she went on to mention several others. Of course, she was critical of each one.

I listened to her and realized something. She was only speaking from what was already inside her heart. That’s obvious, but I grasped something else. Dorothy was so critical of herself, so filled with disgust for herself, how could she speak well of others?

Too often people make promises that they’ll speak better of others and gossip less. They really try, but nothing ever changes. This is because they are trying to change their words without changing their thoughts. That’s a bad solution, because they start at the wrong end. What they need to do is look inward, asking, “What is going on inside of me?”

“For out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks,” Jesus said. As I considered those words, I felt a deep compassion for Dorothy. She had allowed Satan to fill her mind with critical, harsh thoughts. She didn’t speak much about herself, but I’m sure she was totally critical of herself as well as other people, and when she spoke, the evil words came out of her mouth.

Jesus said that a tree is known by its fruit. The same is true of our lives. Everything begins with a thought. If we allow negative and unkind thoughts to fill our minds, they bear fruit. If we dwell on the bad, we produce bad fruit.

As we observe people, it’s easy to see the fruit of their lives. They show either good fruit or bad. It’s that simple. But the fruit is the result of what’s going on inside. We can learn a lot about a person’s character simply by listening to their conversation. The more loving our words and actions are toward others, the more loving and kind our thoughts will be.

If I believe God truly loves me, and if I enjoy fellowship with Him every day, I’m planting good seeds in my own heart. The more good seeds I plant, the more good fruit I produce. The more I think kind and loving thoughts, the more I see others as kind and loving.

“Out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Kind or judgmental words don’t just come to us—they come out of our mouths because we have nurtured them in our minds. The more we open ourselves to the Spirit’s positive and loving thoughts, the more we pray, and the more we read God’s Word, the more good fruit we produce on the inside—and that good fruit shows itself by the way we behave toward others.

Dear loving and forgiving God, I ask You to forgive me for all the harsh things I’ve said about other people. Also, please forgive me for allowing harsh thoughts to fill my mind—about myself or about others. I know I can’t make myself more loving, but You can. Please, help me focus on healthy, positive thoughts, for I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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"What Grace Can Do" (Sabbath Recap)

Shabbat Shalom Family!  Praying that you will receive God's Blessing and enter into His rest this day.  Please enjoy and share the powerful Word and Worship that follows: 

 

Meditate: 1 Timothy 1:8-15 

“But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."

Jim Cymbala preaches at a church (Brooklyn Tabernacle) in the slums of New York. He tells the following story: It was Easter Sunday and I was so tired at the end of the day that I just went to the edge of the platform, pulled down my tie and sat down and draped my feet over the edge. It was a wonderful service with many people coming forward. The counselors were talking with these people.

As I was sitting there I looked up the middle aisle, and there in about the third row was a man who looked about fifty, disheveled, filthy. He looked up at me rather sheepishly, as if saying, "Could I talk to you?" We have homeless people coming in all the time, asking for money or whatever. So as I sat there, I said to myself, though I am ashamed of it, "What a way to end a Sunday. I've had such a good time, preaching and ministering, and here's a fellow probably wanting some money for more wine."

He walked up. When he got within about five feet of me, I smelled a horrible smell like I'd never smelled in my life. It was so awful that when he got close, I would inhale by looking away, and then I'd talk to him, and then look away to inhale, because I couldn't inhale facing him. I asked him, "What's your name?" "David." "How long have you been on the street?" "Six years." "How old are you?" "Thirty-two." He looked fifty- hair matted; front teeth missing; wino; eyes slightly glazed. "Where did you sleep last night, David?" "Abandoned truck." I keep in my back pocket a money clip that also holds some credit cards. I fumbled to pick one out thinking; I'll give him some money. I won't even get a volunteer. They are all busy talking with others. Usually we don't give money to people. We take them to get something to eat. I took the money out. David pushed his finger in front of me. He said, "I don't want your money. I want this Jesus, the One you were talking about, because I'm not going to make it. I'm going to die on the street."

I completely forgot about David, and I started to weep for myself. I was going to give a couple of dollars to someone God had sent to me. See how easy it is? I could make the excuse I was tired. There is no excuse. I was not seeing him the way God sees him. I was not feeling what God feels. But oh, did that change! David just stood there. He didn't know what was happening. I pleaded with God, "God, forgive me! Forgive me! Please forgive me. I am so sorry to represent You this way. I'm so sorry. Here I am with my message and my points, and You send somebody and I am not ready for it. Oh, God!" Something came over me. Suddenly I started to weep deeper, and David began to weep. He fell against my chest as I was sitting there. He fell against my white shirt and tie, and I put my arms around him, and there we wept on each other.

The smell of His person became a beautiful aroma. Here is what I thought the Lord made real to me: If you don't love this smell, I can't use you, because this is why I called you where you are. This is what you are about. You are about this smell. Christ changed David's life. He started memorizing portions of Scripture that were incredible. We got him a place to live. We hired him in the church to do maintenance, and we got his teeth fixed. He was a handsome man when he came out of the hospital. They detoxed him in 6 days. He spent that Thanksgiving at my house. He also spent Christmas at my house. When we were exchanging presents, he pulled out a little thing and he said, "This is for you." It was a little white hanky. It was the only thing he could afford. A year later David got up and talked about his conversion to Christ. The minute he took the mic and began to speak, I said, "The man is a preacher." This past Easter we ordained David. He is an associate minister of a church over in New Jersey. And I was so close to saying, "Here, take this; I'm a busy preacher." We can get so full of ourselves. 

This heart-warming story that Jim Cymbala tells here reflects so much light upon ourselves as Christians. It shows us that we must never discount anyone, much less ourselves. Paul shows us also that the ones who are the most difficult to come to Christ are not the "down and outers" like Jim Cymbala talks about, but the ones like himself, the so-called "good people" who look and act decently but are empty, selfish, and sinful on the inside where no one but God can see. He transforms the lives of all of us by His grace- His unmerited favor extended to whom He will. Even as accomplished as Paul thought that he was, he knew that the law of God exposed him as a first-class hypocrite of the worst kind, a reprobate and even a murderer. This he had to see in the mirror of the law before he could see what the grace of God could do for him. Praise God, Christ saved whom Paul considered "the chief of sinners" in order to unleash his passion to tell the whole world about Jesus.

Reflect: Do you see any so-called "good people" who need to be saved? They are out there everywhere. They may be sitting in your home or even in your chair? Who knows?

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*Important* - No Word & Worship on Nov.10th - On the road with Mobile Ministries

Hey KLF Family,

This Sabbath, Nov 10th, Kingdom Life Fellowship will not be at River of Life International Fellowship (40 Margaret St).

We will be on the road with Mobile Ministries. We will be visiting someone who we have been praying for.

If you'd like to get more information about this activity on Nov 10th, or on Mobile Ministries in general, please email us at klfellowship @ gmail.com.

Thank You.

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MORE than Conquerers!

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37 

I'll admit it - this morning woke up with an uneasy feeling (and it wasn't indigestion!)   I am not exactly a political person, but the thought of waking up to a world with President Romney at the helm did not sit well with me.  My mom thought he had a "genalish" look to him, and despite an ugly campaign fought by both sides, I somehow preferred to move forward with "more of the same" than change.  I breathed a prayer during my devotionals "Lord, thy will be done" and then slowly, methodically opened up the internet.   It was with great relief that I discovered that Obama had been re-elected.   Again, I am not overly political, but it just felt like the lesser of two evils at this particular moment in world  history...   

Aren't you glad that our Christian walk does not have to be filled with such uncertainty and anxiety? Aren't you grateful that we don't have to run ugly campaigns in order to win this race?  Isn't it amazing that my winning the Christian race is not dependent on your losing? 

Family let's continue to run this Christian race with confidence knowing that through Christ we are MORE than Conquerers and that together we can and will cross the finish line.  Although we may face some overwhelming challenges, overwhelming victory is ours, not for a moment, not for a term, but for eternity! 

Walk today with a Conquering Spirit knowing that the outcome is sure - WE WIN!!! 

Shalom, 

Romans 8:31 -39

If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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TGIF Family! - Looking Good vs Seeing Well

Pigeon Walk

 

Read: Daniel 6:1-10

 

He knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom. —Daniel 6:10

 

Have you ever wondered why a pigeon walks so funny? It's so it can see where it's going. A pigeon's eyes can't focus as it moves, so the bird actually has to bring its head to a complete stop between steps in order to refocus. It proceeds clumsily—head forward, stop, head back, stop.

 

In our spiritual walk with the Lord, we have the same problem as the pigeon: We have a hard time seeing while we're on the go. We need to stop between steps—to pause and refocus on the Word and the will of God. That's not to say we have to pray and meditate about every little decision in life. But certainly our walk with the Lord needs to have built into it a pattern of stops that enable us to see more clearly before moving on.

Daniel's practice of praying three times a day was an essential part of his walk with God (Daniel 6:10). He knew there's a certain kind of spiritual refocusing that we can't do without stopping. His stops gave him a very different kind of walk—one that was obvious to those around him.

 

What about us? At the risk of being thought of as different, as Daniel was, let's learn this valuable lesson from the pigeon: "Looking good" isn't nearly as important as "seeing well." —Mart De Haan

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In Partnership With God

Read: Matthew 6:5-15

Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. —Matthew 6:8

A man had transformed an over grown plot of ground into a beautiful garden and was showing a friend what he had accomplished. Pointing to a bed of flowers, he said, "Look at what I did here." His companion corrected him, "You mean, 'Look at what God and I did here.'" The gardener replied, "I guess you're right. But you should have seen the shape this plot was in when He was taking care of it by Himself."

We chuckle at the man's reply, but it expresses a wonderful spiritual truth—we are co-workers with God. This applies to every area of life, including prayer. It answers a question that naturally comes to mind when we reflect on Jesus' statements in Matthew 6. He said we don't need to pray on and on with vain repetitions like the pagans, because our Father knows what we need before we ask (Matthew 6:7-8).

The question is, then, why pray? The answer is simple and comforting. God has graciously chosen to give us the privilege of being His partners in both the physical and spiritual areas of life. Through prayer we work with Him in defeating the powers of evil and in bringing about the fulfillment of His loving purposes in the world. Partners with God—what a privilege! What an incentive to pray! —Herb Vander Lugt

Although God knows our every need,
His work He wants to share;
He takes us into partnership
By calling us to prayer. —D. De Haan

God's work is done by those who pray.

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TGIF! Encourage yourself Family!

30 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;² And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.³ So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.⁴ Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.⁵ And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.⁶ And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. 1 Samuel 30:1-6 (KJV)

Mercy! When everything and everyone was against David and he was "greatly distressed" with "no more power to weep"  he chose to encourage himself in the Lord. Read on and see how God gave David victory over his enemies.  Family, sometimes you need to encourage yourself.  

Whatever you are facing to may face, Listen and let the words of this song (lyrics below) encourage your Spirit today. 

Loving and praying for each of you,Your sister, Keturah.

Lyrics:
Verse 1:
Sometimes you have to encourage yourself.
Sometimes you have to speak victory during the test.
And no matter how you feel,
speak the word and you will be healed;
speak over yourself,
encourage yourself in the Lord.

Verse 2:
Sometimes you have to speak the word over yourself,
the pressure is all around,
but God is present help.
The enemy created walls,
but remember giants, they do fall;
speak over yourself,
encourage yourself in the Lord.

Bridge:
As I minister to you, I minister to myself,
life can hurt you so,
'til you feel there's nothing left.
(No matter how you feel),
(speak the word and you will be healed).

Vamp 1:
Speak over yourself.

Vamp 2:
I'm encouraged.
I'm encouraged.
I'm encouraged.
I'm encouraged. 

 

 

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Eyes to See, Ears to Hear

But rather what we are setting forth is a wisdom of God once hidden [from the human understanding] and now revealed to us by God . . . None of the rulers of this age or world perceived and recognized and understood this, for if they had, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed]. Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:7–10

 

 

One thing used to puzzle me very much about the children of Israel. They saw the miracles Moses performed. They witnessed the ten plagues that destroyed crops, animals, and firstborn sons and yet never touched any of them in the land of Goshen. They stood at the Red Sea and watched the waters part, and later looked back to see the Egyptians drown. They experienced miracle after miracle for forty years.

 

I used to ask: Why didn’t they believe? They personally watched signs and miracles take place, but they remained ­unbelievers. Except for Joshua and Caleb, every adult who watched God at work in Egypt died before the waters parted at the River Jordan.

 

One day as I read this passage, the answer became obvious. We don’t understand God through natural eyes or human reasoning. We understand God only when we’re aided by the Holy Spirit. Those Israelites in the wilderness saw miracles, but they never experienced God. They saw the miracles at work, but they never grasped God Himself.

 

That’s the message Paul presents to us. He says God has prepared us—those who believe and obey—and He “unveiled and revealed” (v. 10) spiritual realities through the Holy Spirit. Another way to say this is that as long as we look only at events and facts but see nothing behind them, we don’t have eyes to see and ears to hear.
 

That’s where Satan works best. He tries to keep us blind and deaf so that we don’t recognize the Spirit of God at work. For example, in a worship service, someone prays for a woman who is in great pain and she’s healed. Those with eyes to see and ears to hear, immediately praise the Lord. Those who are still held by the devil’s cunning lies say, “Oh, it was all psychosomatic. There was nothing really wrong with her.”
 

I learned long ago that it did no good to argue with the spiritually blind and try to convince them to see God at work. Until the Holy Spirit enlightens them, they can never grasp the power of God at work in human lives. Only those who have been enlightened by the power of the Holy Spirit can truly grasp spiritual realities. To those who love Him and believe, God reveals spiritual truths. He assures those who have understanding that the Holy Spirit is at work. As the Spirit works in us, we gain power over every trick of the devil to blind us again.
 

From the book Battlefield of the Mind Devotional by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2006 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

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