Baloney Sauce

Psalm 120:2 "Save me, O Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues."

I am reminded of the words of Isaiah who confessed that he was 'a man of unclean lips from a people of unclean lips'. None of us completely escapes the temptations of lying and deceiving. We are all guilty of having distorted, misled, evaded, embellished, misspoken, withheld and doctored the truth. Just the sheer number of ways we can put it must be indicative of just how pervasive the practice of lying and deception must be. Why is it so hard anymore for us just to be honest and forthcoming about anything? Some of us fall in the broad category of occasionally not being totally truthful, others of us are just short of being pathological liars.

My dad had a term for all things untrue that he would use for impact purposes, back in the day when vulgar talk was not so common and lying was a character flaw and not an art form. "Baloney Sauce!!!", he used to say when he had caught me overstating or understating or not stating whatever was the real truth. The term still sends shockwaves of conscience through my bones. I wish we didn't have to be so graphic these days to make our points, but our tolerance for vulgarity is growing with our tolerance for baloney sauce. We are a people of unclean lips, Lord save us from our own lies.

I wonder if part of our difficulty of relating to Jesus comes from the fact that He is the truth and that fact is a little more than unnerving. Wouldn't it be exciting if for just one day or maybe we could only take an hour, a minute, or a moment of 'the truth being known'. Someday it will be. Everything will be revealed. Thank God not to each other and thank God for His grace when that happens. My encouragement for us today is that we ought to make some concerted efforts anew to stop the erosion of the truth.

Every arena around us is full of baloney sauce. Advertising is so dishonest and misleading, education can't accurately differentiate between fact and theory, politics couldn't possibly stoop any lower with its mudslinging and only the media itself is more suspect. Diogenes and Abraham Lincoln would be aghast at the lack of honesty in the world today. Why is it like this? What happened to common decency? George Washington at least could admit that he chopped down that cherry tree; we cannot even admit that we forgot to lock the door.

I think the biggest problem is that our barometer is broken. Without any moral absolutes or standards, we find it near impossible to gauge just what the truth or baloney sauce is at any one given time. Since the truth is what it is, why is it so evasive? In a 'value free' culture without firm foundations, we are slipping because there is nothing to hang onto. That is why it is so comforting to know that Jesus is the Truth. In a world that has seemingly lost its way, He is the Way. In a time when it seems like we are dying, He is the Life. You can see why He is also the Answer.

Therefore, we should all try this. Start small and eliminate all convenient lying and all deceitful gossiping. This baloney sauce is easily identifiable and blatant. You know the stuff. The stuff that we don't really need to exaggerate or understate or the stuff that we could fix by just not trying so hard to make ourselves look perfect or better than we are. Not only about ourselves but about others too. Why not just stop speaking unkindly about anybody unless it is to his or her face (and then please don't lie). You see my point. I don't think we try very hard in this area because it is just so common and prevalent to lie and deceive. Anyway, it is a start and I am going to make a new effort to set an even better example. Join me if you can or dare.

In His grace and without baloney sauce, Pastor Fred

Not Lost

Psalm 119:176 "I have strayed like a lost sheep."

For the last of the devotionals from Psalm 119, I must use the first sentence of the last verse. Yes, I like the Psalmist I sometimes act like a lost sheep. By no means am I actually lost, I know for sure I am found. But sometimes, I'll admit it because it is true, I stray just like I am lost. How is that possible? You see, when assessing our spirituality, or our walks with Him, we always find ourselves in one of three conditions. Remember, our position does not change, we are once saved, always saved (if we are for sure really saved in the first place), that is eternally secure. However, our condition does change, or our situation, or our orientation.

The three words used to describe our spiritual condition are... SPIRITUAL, meaning, 'in Christ', grace-oriented, found and victorious. Or, ASPIRITUAL, meaning, not 'In Christ', self-oriented, lost and defeated. OR, the condition that we don't think of very often but are more often in but don't want to admit it..... Carnal, meaning.... acting like we are lost when we are not. Ooooh, I really think we have something to learn here. The reason the world is not very impressed by the witness of believers is all the hypocrisy caused by our choosing of the condition of carnality exhibited by too many Christians.

The wonderful thing called ‘free will’ creates all of this in the first place. We wouldn't want it any other way, but wow does it ever make life incredibly fascinating. This is why Paul is so frustrated with himself in Romans 7 saying.... "What a wretch I am, the things that I want to do I can't do and the things I shouldn't do, I find myself doing."

Paul too, like the Psalmist, like the Pastor, like the readers of these devotions sometimes act like straying, lost sheep. Not because we are lost, but because we are, far too often, carnal. Now for some insight from English class. When we use the word 'like', Ahhhh... the simile. Remember from school? When something is like something else but isn't really that something else we use the word like as a simile, to make a comparison. When I think about how I am supposed to be like Christ, it pains me. I am very conscious these days of the distance between who Christ is in me and me. Let me be the first to say again how I know that I should reflect Him more accurately and sincerely. At the moment, I am under some conviction regarding that, and on that note I will humbly end this devotion with an encouragement. Be thankful for His grace every moment of every day and try harder to reflect Him.

Me too, Pastor Fred

A Perfect Seven

Psalm 119:164 "Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws."

When we think of a number that is perfect, we always think of 10. For me I associate this with Olympic scoring and with spelling test scores. I remember as a kid always trying to get 10 out of 10 on my weekly spelling test because that was a perfect score. More recently, I remember perfect 10's from Olympic competition especially in gymnastics. These amazing performances are memorable and noteworthy. We live in the western world though and the Hebrew influence on our thinking and number system is not very notable. In Hebrew culture, for the Jew, seven is the perfect number. There are countless sevens in scripture that symbolize God's perfection.

God uses the number seven in the Days of Creation, the last words on the cross, and as the example of how many times we should forgive when multiplied by 70. The word seven is not only perfect, it is symbolic of being countless or infinite. In the same way, that we should forgive like Peter was taught 70 x 7 times. (This doesn’t mean exactly 490 times). Here in this passage we are given the example of praising Him perfectly by praising Him countless times, by praising Him an endless number of times. "Seven times." You can't praise God too much.

We praise Him because of His righteousness, His perfection and how that is reflected in His Word, The Truth, The Bible. His Laws are perfect and are righteous because they reflect His character, which is perfect. Our praise should be perfect in its sincerity and in its intention and in our all out love and gratefulness for Him, who He is and what He has done for us. We can literally praise Him for everything. That should give us infinite and countless reasons to praise Him. When studying the Bible we should not always try to understand the words only, but their meaning too. Hope this gave you a fresh reason to praise Him.

Praising Him, Pastor Fred

Stand Up

"As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine." "Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief." Eli answered, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."
I Samuel 1:12-17

The book of 1st Samuel begins by introducing us to the beautiful story of a woman of God who poured out her soul before the Lord in prayer. Her name was Hannah (Samuel's mother), and her name has many meanings and interpretations in the Hebrew language, including "grace", "beauty" and "passion". As you learn more about her, you will see that she was rightly named. Her story is about breakthrough - it's a story about intercession, it's about storming the gates of heaven in prayer, it's about obedience, it's about the privilege of being used by God in his plans and purposes when in the world's eyes she was a failure. Hannah had what many would call 'a raw deal in life'. She was childless in a society that considered not having a child the ultimate failure. A longing of the heart denied can cause much pain. Rather than allow her pain to cause bitterness towards God Hannah used the pain in her heart as a catalyst to pray. When you have time, I would suggest you read the entire first chapter of 1st Samuel, paying attention to verses 12-20. The difficulties for Hannah went on year after year...maybe five, maybe 15 - long enough for Hannah to become depressed, she was broken and wept often - and to make matters worse she was taunted by her husband's other wife who had children. The ridicule was endless, and her despair affected her relationship with her husband - Elkanah, her husband, couldn't understand the desperation of her soul in the midst of her depression. Have you ever been in a place like this? You have carried a burden for a very long time, and it seems that your prayers are just bouncing off the ceiling and no one really understands your pain. Have you been the recipient of the taunting of the devil, who puts hurtful judgmental words in the mouths of others, or whispers in your ear that you are a failure and that God is not listening to you? Have you been with others who just didn't understand what you were going through? How long has that difficult situation been going on in your life? We are considering Hannah by divine appointment for some of you reading this today because it isn't just a nice Bible story about overcoming depression or despair. It's about being desperate - people can be desperate about many things - maybe you've been yearning for the Lord to do something new in you, yearning for something more in your Christian life - maybe you feel dried up, stuck in a rut, you wish you could feel the excitement you once knew. Maybe it's been going on for years - you're fed up going through the motions. Maybe you feel barren. Maybe you're longing for God to rekindle your spiritual giftings inside you, but its been so long you may not even remember what they ARE~ Maybe you want him to give you a new ministry, to shake you up, to do something dynamic in your life. Maybe you've got such a burning desire in you to get closer to the Mighty God of the Universe, to be more intimate with Him, to go deeper in worship. Maybe you don't know what you want - maybe you're simply hungry and thirsty. Are you desperate for God to do something? How desperate?

In 1st Samuel 1:9 we find a very significant phrase - only 3 words - it says "Hannah stood up". Three little words, but they say such a lot. It says that eventually Hannah couldn't take any more - she made a decision to do something about her situation. This was a breakthrough for Hannah -- she stood up - she rose up above her circumstances - she took a step. Instead of staying in her despair, in her circumstances, she stood up and decided to pray to the Lord and with that came release from all the pent-up bitterness. With many tears she poured her heart out, "I was pouring out my soul to the Lord." (verse 15) I love this verse. I was POURING out my soul to the Lord! Have you ever felt this serious about your prayers? Hannah's prayer was true pleading to the Lord, with many tears, out of a desperate heart. She may not even have known what she was saying at that moment, she was passionate; she was bursting at the seams in intercession. Have YOU ever prayed like that? Romans 8:26 reminds us, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." Groans, tears, anguish, sorrow - the Holy Spirit helps us - carries us into the very Throne room of God at those times when we have no words. We need to feel things deeply as we pray - we need to weep sometimes, for ourselves and on behalf of others - it touches God's heart as he sees the depth of our desire, our burden.

Hannah poured out her heart to the only ONE that mattered- God, and she didn't even care if anyone else was watching - she says she was deeply troubled, in great anguish and grief. So distraught was she that the priest in the temple at the time of her prayers thought she was drunk and chastised her. Eli misunderstood her - he was at fault here because he accused Hannah unjustly. Sometimes we feel misunderstood and that we're being accused wrongly. We would do well to follow Hannah's example here - she didn't react badly or direct her pain and anger at attacking the priest- no she respectfully and quietly explained herself. It would have been quite unusual for a woman to correct a man, particularly a man of Eli's status - she addressed him "my Lord". Realizing he'd judged her wrongly, he then said to her, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him." Hannah then went on her way and returned with a peaceful state of mind and body after having spent time in prayer and unburdening herself to the Lord, receiving peace and a blessing from Eli, she felt much better and was then able to eat. Hannah came to the end of herself and realized that only God could give her heart's desire. She made a vow that if God gave her a son then she would give him to the Lord for the rest of his life. God granted Hannah a son. She named him Samuel, saying, "Because I asked the Lord for him". Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for "heard of God". In her prayer in chapter 2 Hannah says, "for the Lord is a God who knows". God used Samuel in a mighty way to anoint the first and second kings of Israel... remember who the second one was.... DAVID! God used the result of her intercession to ultimately bless His people and to bless us with the Messiah through the line of David!

Let us STAND UP like Hannah did, and rise above what is pulling us into despair. Let's determine to do something about it by taking it to the only ONE Who can change the circumstance. Let's be ready to pray at all times, and at times to pray with fervor and passion as our sister Hannah did. Let us POUR out our hearts before the Throne of our God. Let us also be quick to praise and glorify God for all that he does in our lives.

Shalom, sister Lahoma

God Lifts the Pressure

Our Friday Devotion comes to us from Council Member, Dolly Whitlock:

The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace. Psalm 29:11

In this Psalm, David begins by telling the "mighty ones" to give the Lord glory and strength, and to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

David then goes on to recount the strength that the Lord holds in His voice. The Lord's voice thunders, is full of majesty, breaks the cedars, divides the flames of fire, shakes the wilderness and strips the forest bare.

The Psalm ends with the good news that the Lord will give strength to His people, and bless them with peace.

What kind of strength do you need today? Physical? Emotional? Mental? Spiritual?

Are you lacking peace? What do you need help accepting? facing? forgiving? letting go of?

Lift your voice to the Lord as best you can, and ask. Ask Him today for strength and peace, and look forward to hearing the Lord's mighty voice in your spirit. Worship Him in the beauty of holiness, and feel the peace that can be yours today.

May Strength and Peace be Yours Today,

Dolly Whitlock

Every Single Word

Psalm 119:160 "All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal."

The way I chose this verse is somewhat interesting. As I read the first 8 verses of this section of Psalm 119, for the first time since I have been writing these devotions in Psalms since the beginning of the year, no verse was resonating with me and I felt like I didn't have anything to share. Not that all the verses in the Bible are not valuable and precious, after all, look at the verse I ended up choosing. Now read what happened and how.

I am sure that there are countless observations and teachings that can be sifted and applied from this section. But, literally I was stymied. So I turned the page to look at the next section and lo and behold there was one more verse on the next page, verse 9. Not only did it resonate with me because I was stymied and needed to be reminded of the value of the truth of every word of scripture, but it showed me again how I need to turn the page in life, especially when I feel stymied.

Isn't God wonderful in the way He shows us His grace and truth? I really wanted to finish this section and was almost rushing through it, because I have only a little time before my writing window closes. I was just a little frustrated and was ready to combine two sections or blow over this one. I thought to myself, no one will even notice. What a great lesson for me. Truth is on the way, don't worry, don't panic, don't try to work around it, just turn the page and breathe. That verse, by the way, has always been there. In every other Bible, I use it is not on the next page, it is on the same page. But, for some reason today, God permitted me to be in this particular Bible and to be in the positon I am in to share what I needed to share.

Let's make the most important point again. Every word in the Word is true, even if I can't see the profundity of it right now. Even if I am stymied, God's truth is not. I just need to turn the page, after all, the Truth is going to be there for eternity isn't it? Now for the really interesting kicker to the devotional today. Now that I am almost done with this devotional, I am rereading the first 8 verses and a whole slew of ideas come to me. Every verse and most the words are jumping off the page at me with rich illustration and special application. Hmmmm. What do you make of that? That means that we should more often reread a passage and that understanding the Word is indeed a spiritual experience and not just a matter of trying to do a devotional on the next section because it is the next section. I am glad that I can still learn, aren't you? As you read the Bible, take the time to be real with yourself and watch what God can reveal.

In His Word, Pastor Fred

Nothing New

Psalm 119:152 "Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever."

The truth is not new. Sure, my growing understanding of it freshens up regularly and my faith in it and practice of it are ever maturing, but the truth itself has always been here. God didn't have to create it. He always has been you see and He is the truth. The truth is as pre-existent as He is. His truth has been here forever and will be here forever. I like to think like this because it keeps me looking at everything from an objective perspective. Doing so increases my faith.

Recently, I was thinking about the fact that I have been a follower of Jesus Christ as my Savior for more than 47 years. That is a considerable stretch of time. I haven't taken any breaks from that commitment over the years either. God certainly hasn't ever quit on me and other than a few fleeting doubts at times of testing my faith, neither have I. The same truth that I believed in originally is the same truth that I believe in today. My understanding is deeper and richer, but the truth is the same. He that saved me is He that still is guiding me today and by the same truth that will someday unite me with Him forever.

His truth not only does not change it also does not fade. The same truth that set me free is the same truth that keeps me free. The same God that began revealing Himself to me as a young boy and confirmed Himself in me as a young teen is the same God that is helping me write this right now as a man. He hasn't changed and His Truth has not changed. This is so reassuring. Everything else is sure in flux and up for grabs. Our wonderful country seems to be changing and not for the better. Our family keeps going through changes, but as long as we put Him first and rely on His truth, we will do what we should do, whatever happens. Our world is changing extremely fast too, and not for the better also. Everything but God and His truth is in flux. No wonder we should hang on to Him.

Grace Harbor Church and School are changing. People come, go, come back and even go again. People pass through, others take root, and at the same time, others uprooted and new ones planted. Just like in my family, as long as we put Him first and rely on the truth we will do what we should do too, whatever happens. My faith or feelings are not reliant on a stability that comes from any other source other than His truth. The same amazing God and truth that drove me to my knees as a young man and overwhelmed me completely is the same amazing God and truth that drives me to my knees as Pastor of Grace Harbor Church and School and still overwhelms me today. Nothing new at all about the truth. I indeed need renewal, just like you, but the Truth always stays the same. God is perfectly faithful and I am working on it. Keep the faith, my friends, based on His unchanging truth.

Still His, just like always, Pastor Fred

Hope Renewed

Psalm 119:116 "Sustain me according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed."

In the ledger of life there are countless things that happen and we all have our own way of keeping score. I'm not talking about a point system with people, or grading everything, I'm talking about the ledger that affects our moods and our hopes vs. our dismay. To connect with the devotional thought today it would help to think in terms of something simple, like smiley faces and sad faces. We see them all the time, mostly these.... :) :) or the more elaborate ones like :o) or ; 0 }. Anyway, we get the other kind too... :( or, :0{ . Usually these are more thought than typed. In the ledger of life we tend to have a tipping point where either the smiley face or sad face things tend to take over our moods and even our lives.

The promises of God sustain us whether our smiles get turned upside down or not. For me, that is a principle that helps me each and every day. Almost daily, I remember the promise of God that says nothing is going to happen to me that either He does not permit, prevent or design, therefore I will trust Him. Today for example, I have been all over the spectrum of moods and feelings. Woke up ready to go, realized I had something to deal with right away that I dreaded a little, it turned out to be nothing. Got a couple of wonderful good news surprises, had a tense moment trying to get ready for what was coming soon, found out it wasn't happening. Had a strange phone call, got a wonderful letter, heard some more good news, heard of a very painful, troubling development, saw something truly beautiful, got some better news than I thought was going to happen, finished a longstanding project, had a great meeting, wondered what all this meant. Do you know this process?

For the most part, I don't try to take my pulse too often because of the amazingly mixed bag of stuff that happens each day. I try not to assess things too often or attach feelings all the time to the ledger of experiences. His promises always trump whatever momentary dismay there is and hope always eventually wins out. Let's say that again. Hope Wins. Did you hear me? HOPE WINS!!! You know what I mean. I read the end of the book and it turns out just fine.

I think it is good counsel here to almost constantly ask God not to let our hopes be dashed. He so often let's me see the bigger picture or sends some help or encouragement to show that He is for me, for you, for us. Soooooo, just like the verse says... 'I will live'. I am not going to die or lose it right now and I am not going to waste away. I am going to live and serve and flourish and hope and be sustained. I trust in His promises and no matter what the score is I will not give up, because whatever the game is, it is not over until He says it is over.

Somebody needs to hear this today. It is not over for you. He says so. Get ready to rebound. Hope will be revived. Help will come. Things will change. He will keep His promises, you will be sustained, and you will live. I see His hand moving in Grace Harbor, healing, touching, providing, restoring, transforming and renewing. God is in the business of taking care of everything. Don't rely on your scoring system, or interpretation of your ledger or what anyone else says. He is in charge, He will do with, and for us anything He and we can agree on. Agreed?

Amen and amen. Pastor Fred

Choose to Praise Him In The Storm

"I lift up my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip- He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you- the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm- He will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Psalm 121

There is an amazing song by Casting Crowns called "Praise You in This Storm". Here within the phrases and stanzas and verses of this song is the heart of a worshipper both crying and singing in the storm to us to remember that no matter what it looks like, we can PRAISE HIM IN THE STORM!! What a wondrous place to stand, my beloved brothers and sisters. As the rain pours down your faces, mingled with tears at times, let the Lord remind you to lift your head and worship, praise Him, simply choose to adore Him from this place of brokenness and hopelessness.

It is in the midst of the storm that we hear His still small voice in such a special way in the depths of our souls that it resonates Peace that passes understanding. If you consider the words below, see how in the middle of this song, the Casting Crowns song writer quotes David from Psalm 121, and you can almost hear the cry of David's heart, a man after God's own heart, as he reached out to God and declares that his help (and our help) comes from the Lord.

Let the words of the song bless you this day, and remember, we CAN praise Him in the sunshine, in abundance, in joys, in sorrows, in loss, in celebrations, in victories, in despair, when you at the end of your rope, when you find yourself in a dark cave with no way out, when the
doctor has no answers, on a lonely dry dusty highway, in the midst of a crowd, in the loneliness of being single, in the midst of uncertainty, in the quietness of a hospital room with monitors beeping, in the crashing waves when you can't breath, at the side of a grave.... In the midst of the storm.

Shalom, sister Lahoma

PRAISE YOU IN THE STORM
I was sure by now, God, that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away, stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you" and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

Chorus:
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you" and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away

I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

Why do you judge your brother?

Our Friday Devotion comes to us from Council Member, Alan:

"Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." - Romans 15:7

Romans 14-15 talk about how many early Christians had a weak understanding of the new covenant, continuing to observe old dietary restrictions and ceremonies on special days, and condemned those that didn't do the same. Others with a stronger understanding of Scripture saw no spiritual significance in those practices and looked down upon those that continued.

Paul explains to us that fellowship among Christians is not to be based on everyone's agreement on disputable matters. Christians do not agree on all things pertaining to Christian life, nor do they need to. Anything not clearly sinful according to Scripture should be guided by our conscience and personal conviction to do all in thanks and service to the Lord.

This requires us to be mindful of how we treat our fellow Christians when they do or say things we disagree with because we all share a common Christian heritage. I always try to smile politely and say a quiet prayer on the persons behalf.

"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." - Romans 14:19

"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and one mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." - Romans 15:5-6

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
-- Alan

Doing Things In My Own Strength

Psalm 119:139 "My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore your words."

What kind of zeal is the Psalmist talking about here? One of two possibilities that I can readily see. Either he is referring to an evangelistic-type zeal, trying to win over even his enemies, or, he is sharing the frustration of serving the Lord in general, trying to be a good witness in all he does and seeing the impenetrable hearts of his enmies, that wears him out even more. Whichever it is, let me reflect on the general topic of "doing things in our own strength".

When we serve the Lord we should only use the strength that He gives us. When we get depleted or worn out or burnt out as the case may be, it is almost always because we have overextended ourselves. Granted, sometimes when serving the Lord we give it our all and can be temporarily exhausted. But, for the most part, my tendency is to too often do more than He really intends for me to do, thereby wearing myself out. Not His perfect plan I'm sure. I can identify those times easily because though I start off totally in touch with His will and timing, somewhere in the midst of serving I take over and jump in the driver's seat and that is when I get unnecessarily exhausted.

Have you ever heard the gentle warning of the Lord to slow down? (How about the loud danger signals? :) Or, the circumstances that force you to step back or at least realize that you are no longer letting Him lead you in your endeavor, even if the assignment originally came from Him? I know this scenario all too well. Well-meaning as my intentions are and as initiated by the Spirit as they begin, somehow in the middle of His assignmment I take control. When I do, my strength evaporates sooner and my resources to do what He originally wanted me to do are quickly overwhelmed.

I can't blame anyone else when I repeatedly get so worn out (even my enemies, as unscrupled as they are). If you read the entire section this verse is nestled in, it really seems out of place. Every other verse is a recognition of the profound trust we should put in the Word of God and in letting Him have control. In all honesty the writer shares that he falls into the trap of doing things in his own strength when he should be letting God strengthen Him for the task. Not uncommon, but painfully true. I know I need to slow down and step back more often and make sure that I am still following His original motivation for me to serve.

Being zealous is a good thing, we just need to keep reminding ourselves that He who inspired us will empower us also. When we begin to run out of gas, it is time for refueling, before we start running on fumes. There is a panic that sets in and a lack of caution that accompanies that fear that can happen with an equally dangerous attitude that can deveolp when we cross over into going on our own strength. I can always tell from the tension and pressure and fatigue I feel. These signals should warn me to step back and slow down and refuel. This is one of those devotionals that I need to hear right now. Hope it blessed you too.

In His Strength, Pastor Fred

Criticism

Our devotion comes to us from Charles R. Swindoll

Nehemiah 6:1-14

One of the occupational hazards of being a leader is receiving criticism (not all of it constructive, by the way). In fact, I firmly believe that the leader who does anything that is different or worthwhile or visionary can count on criticism. In this regard, I appreciate the remarks made by Theodore Roosevelt:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who does actually try to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.
Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.

To those words I add a resounding AMEN and add the following advice: A sense of humor is of paramount importance to the leader. Many of God's servants are simply too serious! They must have the ability to laugh at themselves.

Equally important, of course, is the ability to sift from any criticism that which is true, that which is fact. We are foolish if we respond angrily to every criticism. Who knows, God may be using those very words to teach us some essential lessons, painful though they may be.
Isn't this what Proverbs 27:5-6 is saying? "Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy."
And let me call to your attention the word "friend" in these verses. Friendship is not threatened by honest criticism. It is strengthened.
Leaders are not the only ones who receive criticism, of course. We all do. So just remember: When you are criticized by someone who hardly knows you, filter out what is fact . . . and ignore the rest!

Read today's Scripture passage and notice how Nehemiah handled criticism. He kept his cool, he considered the source, he refused to get discouraged, he went to God in prayer, and he kept building the wall.

Hope this blesses you as it did me,

Pastor Fred

Suffering

Our devotion comes to us from Charles R. Swindoll

2 Corinthians 1

Of all the letters Paul wrote, Second Corinthians is the most autobiographical. In this letter Paul records the specifics of his anguish, tears, affliction, and satanic opposition. He spells out the details of his persecution, loneliness, imprisonments, beatings, feelings of despair, hunger, shipwrecks, sleepless nights, and that "thorn in the flesh"—his companion of pain. How close it makes us feel to him when we see him as a man with real, honest-to-goodness problems, just like ours!

It is not surprising, then, that he begins the letter with words of comfort, especially verses 3 through 11. Ten times in five verses (vv. 3-7) Paul uses the same root word, Parakaleo, meaning literally, "to call alongside."

This word involves more than a shallow pat on the back. This word involves genuine, in-depth understanding . . . deep-down compassion and sympathy. This seems especially appropriate since it says that God, our Father, is the "God of all comfort" who "comforts us in all our affliction." Our loving Father is never preoccupied or removed when we are enduring sadness and affliction!

There is another observation worth noting in 2 Corinthians 1. No less than three reasons are given for suffering, each one introduced with the term that: "that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction"; "that we would not trust in ourselves"; "that thanks may be given" (vv. 4, 9, 11). Admittedly, there may be dozens of other reasons, but here are three specific reasons we suffer.

Reason #1: God allows suffering so that we might have the capacity to enter into others' sorrow and affliction.

Reason #2: God allows suffering so that we might learn what it means to depend on Him. Over and over He reminds us of the danger of pride, but it frequently takes suffering to make the lesson stick.

Reason #3: God allows suffering so that we might learn to give thanks in everything. Now, honestly, have you said, "Thanks, Lord, for this test"? Have you finally stopped struggling and expressed to Him how much you appreciate His loving sovereignty over your life?

How unfinished and rebellious and proud and unconcerned we would be without suffering! May these things encourage you the next time God heats up the furnace!

Years ago I heard two statements about suffering that I have never forgotten: "Pain plants the flag of reality in the fortress of a rebel heart." And, "When God wants to do an impossible task, He takes an impossible individual—and crushes him."

Something to think about, Pastor Fred

Hateful or Grateful

"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy." II Timothy 3:1-2

I think we can all agree that complaining is a contagion of our times. People are just not happy and seem to always want to tell other people about it. It is very difficult for me to imagine how any follower of Jesus Christ would believe that complaining is a worthwhile or edifying pursuit, and yet it occurs day in and day out. An ungrateful spirit poisons the air around us, and suffocates our JOY if we allow it to continue. Would you rather be around people who are hateful or grateful? How do these hateful complaining negative people make you feel? Then consider how others feel when they are listening to the words that are coming out of your mouth….. life and death is in our mouths, do your words speak LIFE or do they wound and kill those around you who listen?

God is so generous with the people of this world; He gives and gives and gives continually. He even gave His only Son when no other price would cover the vastness of our sins so that we could return to a relationship with Him for eternity. This beautiful gift of Grace and so much more should create gratitude in us. William Law, writing centuries ago, said, “Would you know who is the greatest saint in the world? It is not he who prays most or fasts most, it is not he who gives alms most…but it is he who is always thankful to God…who receives everything as an instance of God’s goodness and has a heart always ready to praise God for it.” We take SO much for granted, as if it is guaranteed to be there for us every day, and if it’s not, we become indignant and complain. Shouldn’t each of us pause at least once every single day just to say thank YOU to God first for all the wonderful things we take for granted? How about the air you breathe, or the roof over your head, how about the freedom to choose to go to church each week without fear of arrest or execution, how about that car (no matter what shape it’s in) that drives you to church or work or to your home, how about your beautiful family, how about your beautiful Church Family and the servant hearts of your pastors and teachers and helpers in the house of the Lord.

Do we really have a heart of gratefulness and praise and thankfulness, or are we falling into the status quo of these last days as our verse above warns us about. Is your testimony of victory through grace being tarnished with your attitude of unthankfulness spilling onto others around you who are watching and listening to what you are choosing to complain about? Ephesians 5:20 says “Giving thanks ALWAYS for ALL things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Colossians 3:17 says, ‘Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” I want to encourage you to really consider abandoning the urge to complain, and instead to pray for those people and situations when you may not see the full picture or that you may not fully understand. Let us not fall into the group from the passage in II Timothy that Paul warns us about, and consider the others in that group that you would be linked up with: unholy, proud, lovers of self and money, disobedient blasphemers.

"Heavenly Father, let the words of our mouths, Oh Lord, and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable and pleasing to You, Father God. Heavenly Father, place a guard over our mouths so that only what glorifies you can come out, and what is of our flesh blows away in the wind of your Spirit, never falling on ears of those around us. Help us to not allow complaining and hatefulness to flow from our lips, but rather release thankfulness and gratefulness from deep in our souls. God, help us to remember to say thank you to those around us, and to look for opportunities to sow seeds of gratefulness wherever we go, and to see how blessed we are each morning when we wake and each night when we lie down to sleep. Renew a right spirit within each of us this day, Most Loving God. Thank YOU for all that You do that we see, and all that You do that is hidden from us. We trust You to be in control of all that surrounds us, and we thank you for the peace that comes in trusting you as you cover us in Your blessings every moment of our lives. Release a Spirit of gratefulness on all who seek You with a sincere heart. In the name above all names, Jesus Christ, I pray, AMEN."

Shalom

Sister, Lahoma

Faith

Our Friday Devotion comes to us from Council Member, Kim Caldwell:

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land.

God is looking for men and women who will live by the Word not just by what they may see, smell, taste, feel and hear. Gods word has to be the absolute authority in your life. When the word of God is mixed with faith it becomes an active, living Word. Faith has to be believed and acted on so it can benefit you.

Do you believe a lie ?? Do you really believe God ?? It is easy to get caught up in the daily stuff of this world and yes we can all fall easy to believe a lie. But when we believe a lie, we forfeit our intimate relationship with God. We cease to be an instrument through which God can get the glory. We forfeit the blessing of getting in on the riches that God has for us. It is a costly thing to believe a lie. My brothers and sisters in Christ……..please do not take your eye off of our Lord…….walk with Jesus and Jesus only……..a believer has no trouble with faith when he sees Jesus. But the devil will do everything possible to keep you away from the BIBLE……why? Because this is where we as Christians see JESUS. When we take our eyes off of Jesus, the road ahead will seem like a huge mountain that you will never be able to cross.

You have to be in the Bible everyday to really see what God has in store for your life. Have a friend that will hold you accountable. Go to our Wednesday night bible study class for Men and Women……..come to church on Sunday and get fed the Word of God………stay connected my friends and keep your eye on Jesus. Oh how precious our Lord is.

There is only one answer to faith……….and that is GOD.

Love in Christ,

Kim Caldwell

Unfolding the Word

Psalm 119:130 "The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple."

A common cry that I hear about God's Word is the frustration of often not getting it. Many of us grow more than a little weary trying to comprehend the meaning of Scripture. Granted it is not an easy quest to understand the Bible, but there is much hope and with a little bit of help we can begin to get so much more from our time in the Word. This verse gives us a key insight into just how we can access the truth. See if you can follow my devotional today as I unfold some words with some light to reveal simple understanding.

Before you ever pursue The Book, you must first connect with The Author. When you do, His words will be far more meaningful to you. Isn't it wonderful to know that the Author is also the light and is the unfolder? As you pray first, before you read or study, ask Him to reveal to your spirit His truth. The understanding of The Word is a spiritual experience, not just a cognitive process. That is why we are so frustrated, because we too often try to 'get it', without His help. Remember, He is the author, the light and the unfolder. He will reveal it.

An important facet of the study of the Bible is the 'word by word' part of it. Too often we try to ingest passages of scripture without paying enough attention to the words. Every word is important, every word has purpose and every word needs time to fully understand. Each word deserves to be unfolded. A rosebud, by itself is beautiful, but how much more beautiful is a rose in full bloom. The best experience of all is to enjoy and partake in the unfolding and blooming of the rose over time. When you take the time needed you certainly appreciate so much more the beauty, the fragrance and the process.

When things are allowed to unfold, the revelation of them is a growing process, Enlightenment leads to more enlightenment and light feeds vision and grows. When we study the Bible, we should take time to savor the truth as it is consumed. Too many times in my life have I wolfed down one of my favorite dishes only to wish that I had taken more time to enjoy, to appreciate and to taste more. Is not the enjoyment of food in the taste? That is why the Bible says, "Taste and see, that the Lord is good". His Word feeds us, nourishes us and gives us spiritual meaning. Therefore, we should feed on it slowly and with the awareness of what it is doing in us. You should chew your food more.

Let's review now. You will get more out of the Bible if you will pray first; slow down, word-by-word, connecting to the Author, the spiritual experience and appreciating and connecting to the process word by word. I hope this reminder has been a meaningful inspiration to reconsider your approach to His truth. Hope you are hungry for the truth today.

In His Word,

Pastor Fred

Deal With Me

Psalm 119:124 "Deal with your servant according to your love and teach me your decrees."

When the Psalmist is asking God to deal with him he is not asking God to make a deal with him, nor is he asking God to deal him in on anything. He is asking God to lovingly teach him the lessons of life. As a parent, I have needed to deal with the issues of our children. As a pastor, I have dealt with the needs of sheep. As a leader, I have done a great deal of dealing with what is necessary. When God deals with us he does so according to His love and when He does we learn about His truth and principles........ IF we come to him with a servant heart. More often than not, we seem to just have to learn the hard way. Usually not necessary but too often our preference.

How you present yourself to God when needing to be dealt with has a lot do with what you will learn and how. If we come to Him humbly, with an open heart, submitted to His assessment we will benefit as much as is possible. On the other hand, if we come to Him with a reluctant spirit, defensive and in denial about our need to be dealt with we invariably get the longer and more stringent dealing with our issue, whatever it is.

When God teaches us His decrees it is good for us. We need it and it makes us better and stronger. We shouldn't avoid God's dealing with us. Sometimes in life, things happen just so we can learn and mature and be discipled. At the onset of such times, we wonder whether we really want to deal with whatever it is at all, but by the time, we are finished with God's lovingly dealing with us we are glad that we have grown. Many of the best things in life come with some sacrifice. Well worth it and definitely worth the effort we put into it.

A key here is that none of this happens until we ask or if we enjoy the struggle, we can wait until we finally are forced to relent. If we know God loves us we should surrender willingly to His assessment. We should not struggle as much as we do to learn what we need to know and experience. The reasons we avoid dealing with God dealing with us are pride, control and fear. Well, perfect love casts out all fear. Pride goes before a fall and God is in control. So what are we waiting for? Join the Psalmist and me today and ask God to deal with you according to His love and teach you His decrees. You will probably have to deal with it sooner or later and the sooner the better I'm sure.

A Servant In His Grip,

Pastor Fred

Servant Heart

“Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.” John 12:20-26

It was the day after the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. He had ridden into the city on a donkey, palm branches had been thrown in His pathway, and the people had flocked around Him, cheering for Him, hailing Him as their king. The beginning of John 12 shows us this scene, and it records that the disciples didn’t know what to make of all the commotion (verse 16). People just wanted a glimpse of this Jesus; they had heard the rumors, they had probably known or heard of Lazarus who was raised from the dead, it seemed as if everyone in the busy town of Jerusalem had heard that this Jesus was here and they all wanted to see for themselves, locals and foreigners alike. In the midst of this commotion, did Jesus seize the moment and give a compelling speech about the grandeur of heaven? No, Jesus began to teach about being a servant. Instead of focusing on the apparent “success” of His earthly ministry, He begins by talking about a lone grain of wheat, falling to the ground and dying. Not a very cheery sermon topic. But everything that Jesus said was for a reason, every single word. Why did He mention a tiny seed? He was referring to Himself, and He was also referring to the beautiful sacrificial heart of a servant.

In the gospel accounts of the Last Supper on the night in which He was betrayed (Matthew 26:20-29; Mark 14:17-25; Luke 22:14-23), we see the Lamb of God Who came to take away the sins of the world, humbling Himself, stooping down, picking up a basin of water, kneeling at the feet of His disciples and taking on the Servant’s role of washing their dirty smelly feet. After three years of walking and talking and teaching and reaching the people, Jesus demonstrates the most direct example possible . This is not at all the only example of Jesus' Servant-God approach, but it is the most direct. "When He had finished washing their feet, He put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." John 13:12-17

Jesus told them that now that they knew these things, that they would be BLESSED if they did them. This direction is for us today as well. A servant of Christ chooses to be like Christ and serve others. Servants do it in whatever way is needed, but prefer doing it in person. They see freedom not as a great way of doing something for themselves, but as the freedom to do what's needed to lift someone else who needs it. The servant forgives those who do them wrong, since God forgave them in Jesus. Most of all, the servant is actually looking for helpful ways to serve, to give, and to build up. They're happy to do it.

Why is service so central to Christian belief? Because we follow a God Who values service and demonstrates that He Himself has this attribute in His Person. Think about that for a moment. The GOD of the Universe, the One Who made heaven and earth… has a Nature that includes serving the needs of others. He sees our weak human frailty and provides all that we need to live and thrive. He gives you the air to breathe, water to drink, a heart that beats strongly within your chest. He provided eyes to see the beauty of His creation, ears to hear the songs of the birds. He saw the need for a sacrifice that would cover the sins of the world, and He provided His Son, which broke His heart but He did it for us. Even more, we follow His Son, Jesus Christ, who loves others. And we have in us a Holy Spirit who gives us gifts expressly for the purpose of building up other people and serving one another. We are told to be like Jesus Christ, to take on His attributes, and remember: He Is God! Many times He told us that if we had seen Him, we had seen the Father… so what do you observe Jesus doing during His earthly mission? Healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, binding up the brokenhearted, setting the captives free, He came to model what God’s desire was for us as His creation, to be His children, to follow in HIS footsteps. To say, Not My will, but THINE be done…. In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus demonstrated this when He said, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:9-13. Consider what this world would be like if we all followed I Corinthians 13 and demonstrated God’s love living and breathing through us, through our hands and feet, through our words and deeds. When God’s people truly understand and grasp and accept God’s Will in their lives to serve one another, what a place this would be… heaven on earth!!!

Paul reminds us that it is not out of obligation or resentment that we are called to serve but through LOVE that we serve one another. “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serves one another.” Galatians 5:13. We can be servants of God and do the work He has given to us with true joy in our hearts! When you have a servant’s heart, you are humble. As servants, we must die to ourselves and our flesh that demands to have rights. As a servant, you are called to follow the directives of the one you serve…. Basically, you simply do as you’re told. You respect those in charge. You serve faithfully and quietly. There can be times a servant’s only task is to do nothing but watch and wait for the master’s call. Have you asked the Lord to give you something more to do for Him—something big? As you wait for that something big, seek to serve Him and grow in your Christian walk. Remain content with where he has put you, while continuing to watch for his leading. Stand before Him available to do anything He might require of you, alert to His guidance, and ready to walk in obedience to His will. Serve the Lord with Gladness, and whatever your hands find to do, do it all for the glory of God.

"It is the Lord your God you must follow, and Him you must revere. Keep His commands and obey Him; serve Him and hold fast to Him." Deuteronomy 13:4

Be like that tiny grain of wheat, and let Jesus be glorified as you serve Him faithfully until He returns.

Shalom, sister Lahoma

Taking my life in my own hands

Psalm 119:109 "Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law."

There are a number of fantastic verses in this next section and I encourage you to read all of Psalm 119:105-112. We are familiar with the first of these verses that is often quoted as "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Kind of a surprising lead-in to the verse I have selected. Our human tendencies are so strong that even though we know that He is the light that can lead us exactly where we should go and keep us from many of the snares and pitfalls of life we still are prone to take our lives in our own hands. Even though we know we shouldn't.

This phenomena most often gets us in all kinds of trouble, but nonetheless, we do just like the Psalmist says, and constantly too. Interesting that he begins the verse with the word 'though' Before he shares his weakness he is getting ready to explain that he really knows better. This shows that he is sharing reflectively about how he objectively sees his in objectivity after the fact. This is a near perfect illustration of how we grow and mature spiritually. When we can learn from our own weakness and mistakes, there is indeed hope. Even this writer, who has such tremendous insight and deep resolve struggles with the same issues as we do. That frankly is just a little encouraging.

So what do we get from this as a life lesson? We are not going to be able to avoid our propensity for taking our lives in our own hands completely, all the time,, when we should be trusting the Lord. That doesn't mean we shouldn't try harder or learn, it means that just understanding we can't be perfect and sinless, we can be real, and sin less and less. Just because I do not use the truth doesn't mean I can claim that I am ignorant or don't know it. If we practiced just that one truth it could end the majority of all our 'denial' about anything and everything.

This brings me to my closing point for us today. Let's be honest :) We know how we are and how we can be. since that is the case, shouldn't we see the big lesson here? It is in the last part of the verse. The Psalmist says he 'will not forget the law'. Seems to me that he already is confessing that he did, at least for a moment or two. Here is my point. If we put the focus on remembering, we wouldn't have to worry about forgetting so much. Also, the more we remember His Word, the less often we will need to talk about how we won't forget it. Interesting huh? Something to think about.

Pastor Fred

Joshua Leading the People in God's Victory

Our Friday Devotion comes to us from Council Member, Hank Botts:

Good morning, Everyone! I hope you are all getting excited, like I am, about the upcoming 3-day weekend for the Labor Day Holiday. It's always nice to have an extra day off from work, while at the same time reminding myself just how grateful to God I am that I have a job.

Yesterday was the birthday of a young man who holds a special place in my life. His name is Joshua. So, while reading a daily devotional about Joshua from the Bible, I was reminded of the man that Joshua was named after. I hope it will also remind Joshua that God has a special calling on his life, just as he does for all of us. And that it is the Lord who fights our battles for us. We just need to surrender our lives to His leadership. I hope that you, too, will be inspired as you read it. It is from Day By Day By Grace by Bob Hoekstra.

And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho…a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You for us or for our adversaries?" So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, "What does my LORD say to His servant?" Joshua 5:13-14

When Moses pointed Israel to the Lord for battle, he was teaching God's people to live by grace (which involves God at work on behalf of His people). "The LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you" Deuteronomy 20:4. Joshua demonstrated this same truth, when he led the people in God's victory.
Before the first battle at Jericho, God gave Joshua the opportunity to commit to the Lord as the Commander of the army of Israel. "And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho…a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, 'Are You for us or for our adversaries?" The Lord appeared in the form of an armed soldier. Joshua asked if the man was for Israel or against them. The Lord responded that it was not a matter of being for or against Israel, but that He was in charge of Israel. "No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.' And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped." At this point Joshua fully yielded to the Lord as the leader of God's army. "What does my LORD say to His servant?" Any victories would have to be provided by this divine Commander.

At Jericho, this divine Commander would cause the walls to fall down, as His people would humbly trust Him, obediently marching around the city. "And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat" Joshua 6:20. At Ai, the Commander gave Joshua a two-pronged ambush strategy. "We will flee before them. Then you shall rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand" Joshua 8:6-7. Against the Amorite kings, large hailstones and an extended day were used by the Commander to bring a mighty victory. "The LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven…So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day" Joshua 10:11,13. Whether by perplexing marching orders, by understandable strategy, by "natural phenomenon," or by miraculously extended time, the Commander brought victory.

Mighty God of Israel, I look to You to be the One Who is in charge of my battles, the One Who fights for me. Lord, bring forth victory by any means You desire—whether perplexing, understandable, "natural," or miraculous, Amen.

Have a blessed holiday weekend!

Love in Christ Jesus,

Hank

I Need HELP!

“I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from? “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip, He Who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you- the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm- He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming in and going out both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121

Some days are harder than others. On all days, whether good or bad, it is good to remember that our Heavenly Father is diligently watching over us. He is shading us from the hot burning rays of the “sun”, which could represent trials or challenges that are draining our energy and causes us to suffer. This psalm reminds us that the Creator of all things is our Helper. Wow! Just pause and think about that for a moment and see if it doesn’t just send a wave of peace over your soul. Our loving caring God stands guard over us when we are tired, He is watching over our entire life from beginning to end. He sees everything that may be coming towards us, and He places His powerful arms around us and gathers us up like baby chicks under His wings for protection. He is watching when you leave your home in the morning until you return at night. His watchful Eye is ever keeping track of us, and that is comforting to me when I feel alone, discouraged, or beaten down.

Be blessed today in simply KNOWING that God is your Help and that you need nothing or no one else to stand with you if you are in the midst of crying out. Are you lifting your eyes to the hills asking the same question as David did- Where is my help coming from?

God is answering you this day…. He is saying “I AM here. I AM with you. I AM your Help, I AM your watchman, I AM always awake, there is nothing that can escape my gaze. I AM so in love with you, my child. I AM here with you now and forevermore.”

Selah

Sister, Lahoma

All Day Long

Psalm 119:97 "Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long."

This verse evokes a lot of responses in me. At first reading, I had to make sure that I put the emphasis on YOUR law, because the policies, regulations and laws of man that are not based on the truth can be stifling. Sure we should obey the laws of the land and be subject to the regulations and stipulations of the government, but when the emphasis is put on His Law, oh indeed I do love it. I love His truth, His precepts, His wisdom, His commands and His Word. We should try to use all these words when we talk about the Bible, because they describe the purpose and function of HIS law.

In the second part of this verse a phrase jumped out at me that seemed almost out of place. Usually when I use the words, 'all day long', I am rarely referring to something that I love. 'All day long' is what I say when I was delayed or had to wait or somebody didn't follow through or there was an ordeal that had to be survived. I am most likely to use the phrase 'all day long' positively when saying that we got to stay somewhere wonderful longer, or when spending time with friends and/or family that we immensely enjoy. You know, those special long day experiences that are so fulfilling.

Let's put these two phrases together now and make a teachable point about this verse. When you love the Word, and oh so much, you want to be in it as much as possible. As much as time will allow. When we use the term love, it must be used with sincerity. Do I love the Word as much when it inspires me as when it convicts me? Do I appreciate the truth as much when it gives me direction and guidance as when it limits me or reels me in? The Psalmist in the following 7 verses in this section tells us why he loves it so much. Let me give you a list of reasons to love the Law.

1. His commands make us wiser
2. Meditating on it gives us great insight
3. Obeying it gives us understanding
4. Following it keeps our paths straight
5. Not departing from it draws us closer to Him
6. It is sweeter than honey
7. It compels us to hate what is wrong

Like the Psalmist, that is why I love The Word. It is wonderful and precious. Full of everything we need to know to inform us what to do and why. I encourage you to be hungry for it to pursue it and to fall in love with it. To the degree that 'all day long' to meditate on it would be a good thing. The prospect of actually meditating on the truth all day long is daunting at first. I suggest that you start by trying to consider it multiple times in one day. Just begin by thinking about the Lord more often and what He would say or counsel or do. Then, let everything that happens in your life remind you of His truth and the consideration of His ways. This will build the relationship of love quickly and deeply. Hope this inspires someone to love Him and His Word more and more each and every day.

In His Word, Pastor Fred