Take time to think about your Parents!

Take time to think about your Parents!

This was narrated by an IAF pilot to IIT students during a Seminar on Human Relations:

Venkatesh Balasubramaniam (who works for IIT) describes how his gesture of booking an air ticket for his father, his maiden flight, brought forth a rush of emotions and made him (Venkatesh) realize that how much we all take for granted when it comes to our parents.

My parents left for our native place on Thursday and we went to the airport to see them off. In fact, my father had never traveled by air before, so I just took this opportunity to make him experience the same. In spite of being asked to book tickets by train, I got them tickets on Jet Airways. The moment I handed over the tickets to him, he was surprised to see that I had booked them by air. The excitement was very apparent on his face, waiting for the time of travel. Just like a school boy, he was preparing himself on that day and we all went to the airport, right from using the trolley for his luggage, the baggage check-in and asking for a window seat and waiting restlessly for the security check-in to happen. He was thoroughly enjoying himself and I, too, was overcome with joy watching him experience all these things.

As they were about to go in for the security check-in, he walked up to me with tears in his eyes and thanked me. He became very emotional and it was not as if I had done something great but the fact that this meant a great deal to him. When he said thanks, I told him there was no need to thank me. But later, thinking about the entire incident, I looked back at my life. As a child, how many dreams our parents have made come true. Without understanding the financial situation, we ask for cricket bats, dresses, toys, outings, etc. Irrespective of their affordability, they have catered to all our needs. Did we ever think about the sacrifices they had to make to accommodate many of our wishes? Did we ever say thanks for all that they have done for us? Same way, today when it comes to our children, we always think that we should put them in a good school. Regardless of the amount of donation, we will ensure that we will have to give the child the best, theme parks, toys, etc. But we tend to forget that our parents have sacrificed a lot for our sake to see us happy, so it is our responsibility to ensure that their dreams are realized and what they failed to see when they were young. It is our responsibility to ensure that they experience all those and their life is complete.

Many times, when my parents had asked me some questions, I have actually answered back without patience. When my daughter asks me something, I have been very polite in answering. Now I realize how they would have felt at those moments. Let us realize that old age is a second childhood and just as we take care of our children, the same attention and same care needs to be given to our parents and elders. Rather than my dad saying thank you to me, I would want to say sorry for making him wait so long for this small dream. I do realize how much he has sacrificed for my sake and I will do my best to give the best possible attention to all their wishes.

Just because they are old does not mean that they will have to give up everything and keep sacrificing for their grandchildren also. They have wishes, too...

Take care of your parents...

THEY ARE PRECIOUS!

Shared by Immy Ashok

Old Natures Never Die

Old Natures Never Die

And Abimelech asked Abraham, "What was your reason for doing this?" (Genesis 20:10)

Has anyone had to say to you, "As a Christian, what were you thinking of when you did this thing?" Have you ever had to say it to yourself: "What got into me anyway? I thought I was further along in the Christian life than this. Here I have done this thing that I thought had long ago passed out of my life. Whatever got into me?" If you have ever had to ask yourself that, you need to learn the lesson Abraham had to learn here.

You are still capable of the worst sin that you have ever committed -- and more. Abraham has been a coward for thirty years, and he is still capable of being the same coward he was at the beginning, hiding behind his wife, subjecting her to dishonor and disgrace and shame in order to protect his own skin.

This old nature with which we are born, which is perverted and twisted so that it never operates as God intended it to, is totally depraved. That does not mean that it cannot do what appears to be nice things in the eyes of others and even of ourselves. There is something about the old self, the flesh, which is able to simulate righteousness. In the flesh's pursuit after pseudo-righteousness, even if it succeeds in an outward demonstration of a sweet and lovely nature, it has never achieved anything but self-righteousness. Self-righteousness always demands self-praise, a longing to be admired and to win the attention of others. If you fail in your pursuit of self-righteousness, the result is self-pity. Either way, it is the flesh, and it can never please God.

This is why when God comes into the human heart through Christ, He never tries to do anything about cleaning up that old nature. He writes it off as worthless. No matter how it looks in the eyes of others, if it comes from the self-advancing, self-centered core, it is worthless, and it always will be. What you now are in the flesh you always will be, if you live a hundred years. If you lay hold of that concept, you will find it one of the most encouraging truths in your Christian life, because it will release you from that awful burden of self-effort that tries to make the old nature behave itself. You must renounce self as the Word of God tells you to and quit feeding it, protecting it, polishing it up, trying to make it look good. Give it up. Accept all that Jesus Christ is in you and wants to be through you, for His nature is perfect.

Dependence upon self always results in the kind of experience that Abraham had. After thirty years of walking with God and learning wonderful lessons in the spiritual life, the minute he steps out of a dependence upon God, he steps back into that same ugly nature he had in the beginning, and it is unchanged after thirty years. Old natures have to be kept under control by walking in the Spirit. "Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature," Paul tells us (Galatians 5:16).

Father, You have not called me to improve myself. Help me to recognize what I am, that in myself I can never be good enough, and to appropriate all that Christ can be to me and through me, for His life is satisfying to You.

Ray Stedman

Faith filled Words

Faith filled Words

Prov. 8:8-9 "All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; nothing crooked or perverse is in them. They are all plain to Him who understands."

There have many times I’ve been called to the hospital by parents whose children were there for a medical situation. Numerous times while standing with the parents I’d hear the medical personnel gave the worst-case gloom and doom possibilities to the parents about their children. I could literally see fear begin to consume them. At that point I would take them aside and encourage them instead to prepare their hearts for God moving in their child’s life and to pray for a miracle because God had a better report.

There were those in Jesus day that saw miracles before their very eyes but still didn’t believe God them. Their own pride blinded the reality of His power and brought them to the place of denial concerning God’s love, His compassion, and His willingness to be intimately involved in our life bringing miracles of healing. John 12:37-38 says, “But although Jesus had done so many miraculous signs before them, they did not believe in Jesus, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: "Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"

I’d always encourage them, “The medical community is a blessing and grace to all. They do the best they can in helping people with the knowledge, the medical science, and expertise they have. They are a blessing! But, they are not the end of the story! God wants us to look to Him for our report – to lift our hearts toward Heaven in prayer and stand on the promises God has set before us in His Word. Let’s believe His report. Don’t let 20 seconds of words from a well meaning person undermine your faith in Jesus – our Healer, our Provider, our Deliverer, our Counselor, and our Peace.”

It was a time for them to keep their own words right and be careful what they chose to listen to and believe. It’s not about denial. It’s about believing in the compassion of God to answer prayer and help us in troubled situations.

Words carry power. Words as a rule do have the power to affect and shape how you think, how you believe and how you act. They affect you from the little spontaneous seemingly insignificant things all the way down to the core values of your life. That is why it is so critical to be careful of what you listen to or allow within you. You may think, "Come on Tim, you are making words out to be like they were a life or death situation." If you thought that, you are right, I am. Prov. 18:21 says, "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Listen to what I say! Words are spoken every day that try to bring fear upon you - working to overwhelm any faith you have that God cares for you and will help you!

One of the greatest examples of harm ever done to a group of people through words are the words of the negative report that 10 of the 12 princes of Israel brought back to God's people after they went and scoped out the promised land God had told them was theirs. He told them it was a lush land. He wanted scouts to go check out how rich the land was so they could come back and give a good report to the people to trust God and move into the land. They weren't supposed to bring back a negative report. God had already promised them that they would be able to overcome every enemy by the strength of His Spirit because He was in covenant with them. When they came back, they started to give a good report but quickly turned to words of fear.

Reading from Numbers 13: 27-28 & 31-33, they spoke these words: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak (Goliath) there... "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are.... The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."

This evil and fearful report – was not what God wanted them to say. They were to report words of faith and trust in God. Instead they spread the spirit of fear to all of God’s people with the exception of two faith filled warriors – Joshua and Caleb who refuted this evil report. Their bad report talked God’s people out of His promised land. They were too fearful to enter. God had their best interest at heart. All they had to do was let their words and heart agree with God's Words and heart and they would have had all these blessings of inheritance.

Every day we are faced with multiple opportunities to pass the test of filtering what we listen to and thinking and speaking good words over every situation we face in our lives. We will fight many battles of adversity but they are battles for God to win if we can just keep our faith intact. Speak negative words of outcome over hard situations and I guarantee you, they will undermine the faith of your heart.

Do your words line up with today's Fresh Manna? Are "the words of your mouth filled with righteousness; nothing crooked or perverse being in them?" Don't wait for tough times to learn to speak right things that agree with what God is promising us. Purposely shape the words of your month to speak God’s promises. You may have adverse circumstances facing you but speak Psalms 46:1. “God is my refuge and strength, my very present help in trouble.” You will find that your words spoken in agreement with God will strengthen your faith and usher miracles into your life. Let your words reflect your faith, not your doubts!

Pastor Tim Burt
Fresh Manna
http://readfreshmanna.blogspot.com

A Place in the Victory Parade

A Place in the Victory Parade

If you're going to be a great coach in sports, you generally need to be a great motivator. The team rises to the level of the coach's motivation. Now, when your team is an entire nation that is under heavy attack, the coach had better be one incredible motivator. The nation was Great Britain. The time was the beginning of WWII, when the team seemed like it was losing badly and the coach was the Prime Minister Winston Churchill. He may have been the most inspiring leader of the 20th Century as he motivated his nation to make tremendous sacrifices and win a seemingly unwinnable victory. In those early days of the war, he desperately needed the cooperation of the leaders of Britain's coal industry. Their extra sacrificial efforts would be critical to keeping the war effort going. The way he did it was masterful. Churchill asked those industry and union leaders to picture the parade at the end of the war. Look at the proud British sailors who kept the sea lanes open, and the soldiers who valiantly fought the land war, and the airmen who heroically won the battle in the skies, followed by the coal miners of Britain whose work made those victories possible. Churchill said, "They will not be in military uniform, but they will have won a place in the victory parade."

The ultimate war, the one with the most at stake, is still raging. It's the war between the forces of Christ and the forces of darkness for the lives of the people Christ died for. The battle has never been more intense, especially as it approaches its climactic stages. Here's the question: "Will there be a place for you in the great victory parade of King Jesus?"

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Samuel 30. David has just won a mighty victory. He has left behind 200 men who are just too exhausted to go to that battle, so he has assigned them to guard the supplies. Some of those who had just fought the battle don't think that those 200 should share in the spoils of the victory. The Bible says, "The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike."

There's an exciting Biblical principle here. God considers those who fight the battle and those who support them as equal contributors and equal shareholders in the victory. In Philippians 4, Paul urged those believers to support his ministry so "my fruit will be credited to your account." In the accounting of God, every person Paul reached for Christ, his supporters reached for Christ. Can't you just imagine getting to heaven and God showing you your account, and you're asking, "But, Lord, where did all these names come from? I don't know these people." I can imagine the Lord saying, "They were reached by such and such a ministry or through your church and you helped. You reached these people, too. Would you like to meet them now?"

You may feel like your part in the Lord's work is insignificant. You say, "All I do is volunteer some time, I just drive, I just pray regularly, I give some money, I just cook, all I do is just work behind the scenes." Listen to God's words: "The share of the man who stayed with the supplies (who worked in that unglamorous, no glory role) is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike." Now you may feel your work is insignificant, but Jesus doesn't. He promises an eternal reward even for a cup of cold water given in His name!

So don't minimize the eternal value of the work you do for Jesus, of your part in the greatest battle of all, the battle for people's never dying souls. You may not have worn the uniform of a soldier, but I believe there is going to be a place of honor for you in the parade. For anyone who contributed to the war. I hope to see you in King Jesus' Victory Parade.

Ron Hutchcraft

Biblical Principles for Surviving Uncertain Times

Biblical Principles for Surviving Uncertain Times

There are few certainties in life and one of them is that we will have economic uncertainty. As a matter of fact, if you look at history, you will see that not a year goes by that there wasn't something to be worried about. Just in this decade, we've had the following:

2000 -- Tech bubble bursts in March, 2000
2001 -- World Trade Center attacks on 9/11
2002 -- Enron, Arthur Andersen, Tyco, Qwest, Global Crossing, ImClone, and Adelphia - hiding debt and misrepresenting earnings
2003 -- War waged by the U.S. and Britain against Iraq begins; North Korea withdraws from treaty on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons
2004 -- Spain rocked by terrorist attacks; UN Atomic Energy Agency tells Iran to stop enriching uranium
2005 -- Hurricane Katrina; Rising interest rates
2006 -- Political corruption scandals; Interest rates rise; Housing market starts to slump
2007 -- Housing market meltdown
2008 -- Credit crisis hits financial sector, oil prices drastically rise

I went back to 1900 and can basically find at least three "scary" events each year that add to that year's uncertainty. There is a lot of fear out there right now which is no different than any time in history. So the question is how do we respond in difficult economic times? If you apply Biblical principles in your finances, the answer is the same for both the good and bad economic times. I have found that there are five basic principles that you can apply that work in any economic environment.

1. Spend less that you earn

In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has. Proverbs 21:20 (NIV)

This is the foundation of every financial plan. You can have wonderful saving and investing plans, but if you don't have extra money, they won't do you any good.

2. Avoid the use of debt

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. Proverbs 22:7 (NIV)

The people I have been talking to recently that are struggling financially are the ones who got themselves into debt before the economy began to struggle. When times were good, they failed to save and simply borrowed more money simply because they could. Those that aren't buried in debt are barely affected by the economic downturn.

3. Save money for provisional purpose

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. Proverbs 6:6-8 (NIV).

We know that the economy goes through cycles. Like the ants, we need to store up in the times of harvest. This way, when the "winter" comes it's much easier to get by.

4. Set long-term goals

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14 (NIV)

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)

I'm sure you've been counseled at some point in your life to set goals; financial goals are no exception. It's been said before that if you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there. When we fail to set financial goals, the road to financial freedom is made more difficult. It's important to remember, that when you do set your goals, God must be at the center.

5. Believe that God owns it all

The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Psalm 24:1 (NIV).

We often confess this with our lips but we don't follow through with our actions. We often allow fear to overcome us, but if we remember that God owns it all and not us, we are free from the fear that we will somehow lose it. We have to ask ourselves, "How would we act if we were completely confident that God was with us?" The reality is none of us have control over the economy. However, we do have control over how we respond. We can respond in fear or in faith. Regardless of what happens in our economy, I've done everything I can do to prepare for uncertainty; and I am confident that God will provide for my needs.

The prophet Isaiah wrote this in Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) - Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

In the end, none of us cannot predict what tomorrow will bring; but we can be sure that following these 5 main principles will put us in a position to survive any economic environment. We have to understand that the world is unstable and none of us is immune from it. Human nature leads us to believe that we are insulated; however, God never promised we would be free from tough times. It's during these times that our faith is stretched and we have to choose between fear and faith. Living in faith does not mean we are free from responsibility, however; we must continue to follow God's principles. The difference is we can do so with the confidence that someone bigger, and infinitely wiser, is in control.

Steve Scalici

Steve Scalici is a Certified Financial Planner with Treasure Coast Financial. He is co-host of God's Money, which can be heard on the internet at www.oneplace.com . You can contact Steve at steve@tcfin.com

Presumed Innocent?

Presumed Innocent?

Romans 1:18-20
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities -- His eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

In Isaiah chapter six, Isaiah heard the Lord’s call for someone to go for Him. It made me think of my own life and the way the Lord called me from a career in the criminal justice field to share the gospel as a minister of the gospel.

I have worked as a police officer, a juvenile probation officer, a criminal justice planner and college professor of criminal justice courses. I still like to watch those reality television programs that show real cases.

It is interesting that even though a person is charged with a crime as a result of eye witnesses, video surveillance and DNA evidence, there is a statement like this that appears on the scene: “_______, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”

Years ago (the 1950’s) I was a police officer. There was a Municipal Court Judge who had lost an arm when he was in his teens. It was the result of a collision with a man under the influence of alcohol. As a result he had very little sympathy for drunk drivers that appeared before him.

This judge would often come into our police department and ride around in a patrol car with one of our officers. From time to time the officer would follow a car that was weaving back and forth across the road. After the officer stopped the car and administered a field sobriety test, the Judge observed that the man could barely stand up to follow the instructions that were given to him.

When that person appeared in Police Court to answer the charges against him, he would often plead his innocence and say that he had been wrongfully arrested. The Judge would look down sternly and ask this question: “What would you say if I told you that I was riding in that police car and observed the whole thing?” The offender almost always changed his plea to guilty.

We have a mighty Judge of the entire universe who knows not only what we do wrong, but every thought. Consider Psalm 139:2-4; “You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O LORD.”

There is no presumption of innocence with the Lord. He knows everything about us. If there is no way we can deceive the Lord, what is the solution? Throw ourselves on the mercy of the Court!

God has made provision for us. He has paid the price with His own blood! In 1st John 1:9 He shows us the way to release; “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Pastor Cecil A Thompson

Why was Jesus born of a virgin?

Why was Jesus born of a virgin?

Q: Why was Jesus born of a virgin? I know Mary was a very good person and all that, but couldn't she and Joseph have given birth to Jesus in the normal way? Or is the Bible's story about Mary just a legend?

A: No, the Bible's narrative about the Virgin Mary and the birth of Jesus is not a legend - not at all. In fact, the Bible's most extensive account about Mary was written by Luke, who was a physician, and therefore knew that the virgin birth of Jesus was impossible apart from God.

And that points to one reason why Jesus was born of a virgin: to show that He was sent into the world by God. His was no ordinary birth - because He was no ordinary human being. He wasn't just another man - not even a great one. He was God in human flesh, sent from heaven to save us from our sins. As the angel told Joseph, "Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife. ... She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus (which means 'the Lord saves'), because He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:20-21).

Jesus was also born of a virgin to fulfill a prophecy that was given hundreds of years before: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child ... and will call Him Immanuel (which means 'God with us')" (Isaiah 7:14). Jesus' virgin birth confirms that He was that promised Savior.

The most important fact, however, about Jesus' virgin birth is this: Because Jesus Christ came into the world, you and I can have our sins forgiven and go to be with Him someday in heaven. Put your faith and trust in Him today.

Billy Graham

Did you know these facts?

Did you know these facts?

Death is certain, but the Bible speaks about untimely death!

Make a personal reflection about this…

Very interesting, read until the end...

It is written in the Bible (Galatians 6:7):
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Here are some men and women who mocked God:

John Lennon (Singer)

Some years before, during his interview with an American Magazine, he said: "Christianity will end, it will disappear. I do not have to argue about that. I am certain. Jesus was ok, but his subjects were too simple. Today we are more famous than him." (1966)

Lennon, after saying that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, was shot six times.

Tancredo Neves (President of Brazil )

During the Presidential campaign, he said if he got 500,000 votes from his party, not even God would remove him from Presidency.

Sure he got the votes, but he got sick a day before being made President, then he died.

Cazuza (Bi-sexual Brazilian composer, singer and poet)

During A show in Canecio (Rio de Janeiro), while smoking his cigarette, he puffed out some smoke into the air and said: "God, that's for you."

He died at the age of 32 of AIDS in a horrible manner.

The man who built the Titanic

After the construction of Titanic, a reporter asked him how safe the Titanic would be.

With an ironic tone he said: "Not even God can sink it."

The result: I think you all know what happened to the Titanic.

Marilyn Monroe (Actress)

She was visited by Billy Graham during a presentation of a show. He said the Spirit of God had sent him to preach to her. After hearing what the Preacher had to say, she said: “I don't need your Jesus".

A week later, she was found dead in her apartment.

Bon Scott (Singer)

The ex-vocalist of the AC/DC, on one of his 1979 songs he sang: "Don't stop me, I'm going down all the way, down the highway to hell".

On the 19th of February 1980, Bon Scott was found dead, he had been choked by his own vomit.

Campinas (IN 2005)

In Campinas, Brazil a group of friends, drunk, went to pick up a friend...

The mother accompanied her to the car and was so worried about the drunkenness of her friends and she said to the daughter holding her hand, who was already seated in the car: "My Daughter, Go with God and May He Protect You." She responded: "Only If He (God) Travels In The Trunk, Cause Inside Here... It's Already Full".

Hours later, news came by that they had been involved in a fatal accident, everyone had died, and the car could not be recognized what type of car it had been, but surprisingly, the trunk was intact.

The police said there was no way the trunk could have remained intact. To their surprise, inside the trunk was a crate of eggs, none was broken.

Christine Hewitt (Jamaican Journalist and entertainer) said the Bible (Word of God) was the worst book ever written.

In June 2006 she was found burnt beyond recognition in her motor vehicle.

Many more important people have forgotten that there is no other name that was given so much authority as the name of Jesus.

Many have died, but only Jesus died and rose again, and He is still alive.

Believe in Jesus and receive Him to inherit eternal life!

Diversity

Diversity

I was looking at some photos I took at the lake yesterday while Genni the wonder dog and I were walking and marveling over the diversity God has created. I took shots of birds with at least three different eye colors. The mallard hen had brown eyes. The Barrow's Goldeye had gold colored eyes. The double breasted cormorant had blue eyes. A small thing perhaps but I found it quite fascinating.

That got me thinking about unity and diversity in the church. There is a misconception out there that says unity and uniformity are the same. Many people feel that if another church is not doing things they way "we" do them, they must be wrong at best and not the real church at worst. One church will condemn another for speaking in tongues and in turn will be condemned for not speaking in tongues.

Calvinists don't talk to Arminians. Immersion baptism fans denigrate those who pour or sprinkle. We argue about whether our cross should have Jesus on it or off it. (by the way I think both are valid after all Jesus was crucified, taken down and resurrected - both show His sacrifice on our behalf just at a different moment in the event and none of our images are actually Christ)

We'll divide over music. We'll split over the gifts. We'll tear each other down over minor doctrinal issues. We are often quite childish and petty about our differences. It really is heart breaking.

Are there issues worth dividing over? Absolutely. There are some essential issues where a line must drawn in the sand. Some of them include:
* The Authority and Inerrancy of scripture in the original manuscripts
* Nature of God - Triune (One God in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit), Spirit not material, omniscient (all knowing), omnipresent (all present), omnipotent (all powerful), unchanging, eternal
* Virgin Birth
* Christ as fully God and fully man
* Christ's substitution, vicarious death on the cross, His burial and His resurrection
* Justification by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone through God's grace alone
* Original sin
* Mankind created in the image of God
* Eternal life for believers and eternal torment for non-believers
* Christ's imminent return
* Christ alone as the way to salvation

Those are a few that come to mind that I would divide over.

Now don't misunderstand. A person can be wrong on some of the essentials and still be saved through faith alone in Christ alone. Yet a "religious system" i.e. pastor, teacher, denominations, sect, cult that teaches things contrary to these essentials is a false faith. I can fellowship with a non-believer, a believer with a confused belief system or another believer but I cannot in good conscience minister with a religious system that teaches things contrary to the essentials.

Does God want us to be unified in Him? Absolutely.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13 NIV
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body -- whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free -- and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Ephesians 4:4-6 NIV
There is one body and one Spirit -- just as you were called to one hope when you were called -- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Does God appreciate diversity? Yes.

Revelation 7:9-10 NIV
After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

If God loves us as diverse as we are, even though we are one in spirit, then who are we to put up walls against one another. There are many things good and godly men and women can disagree on while still being part of the same body.

Although many have been credited with the saying "In essentials unity, in non essentials liberty and all things charity (or love)" it was actually coined by an irenic Lutheran pastor and theologian Peter Meiderlin (Rupertus Melindius) in the 17th century. It's a great motto and while not inspired like Scripture. I think it captures the spirit of Christ quite well.

To follow it though we must be willing to decide what things are essential and then agree to disagree on the rest. That means as believers we need to understand what we believe and why we believe it. We also need to take the time to understand why other Christians believe the way they do. It isn't enough to hold our positions. We must try to understand theirs as well.

Understanding someone else's position doesn't mean we have to agree with them. Even if we disagree on the essentials we still have to love each other and understanding goes a long way towards loving.

So let's stick by our essentials, lighten up on the rest and live together as one unified but diverse body of believers. When we spend more time looking at what we have in common (without compromising the essentials) we'll be able to present a more united witness to the world.

Until next time rejoice in our unity and praise God for our diversity.

Kevin

You are Special!

You are Special!

One of my favorite breakfasts is a cup of coffee and a slice of pizza. The pizza has to be left over from the night before and eaten cold from the refrigerator. The coffee needs to be fresh and hot. Pizza is one of those foods that I believe are good the night before and great the following day cold. Probably not the healthiest breakfast in the world, but what can I say?

Some of you are thinking "gross" and others are thinking that it sounds like a good breakfast to you. You see God didn't create us all alike. Each one of us is an individual, and while we might have similar likes and dislikes, or similar backgrounds, no two of us is exactly alike. Each of us is special to God.

Kind of like snowflakes or fingerprints. Out of all the billions of people who have been born, or all the innumerable that will come, no one is exactly like you or me.

God's fine hand of craftsmanship created each of us for a different purpose. He's given all of us a special purpose in life, a special ministry, a contribution to be made for all eternity. None of us here by accident. None of us is without a divine purpose.

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

Think about what a blessing that is. God made YOU unique because He has something that only YOU can do in mind. That means that every person, young or old, rich or poor, Christian or not, has value beyond measure.

Ephesians 2:10 is one of my favorite scriptures. The word workmanship is the Greek word “poema” from which we derive our word “poem”. Each of us is God's personally handcrafted, individually designed poems.

We go to great lengths to see the treasures and wonders of the world, when the real treasures are all around us. The person you love is a treasure in God's eyes. The person at work who makes you crazy has value beyond measure. The street person, the criminal, the person who you disdain because of their lifestyle or skin color all are valuable in God's eyes. They too are God's wonderfully wrought poems. When you look down on them or treat them unfairly, you look down and mistreat the wonders and personal workmanship of God almighty.

It's no wonder Jesus said:

Matthew 25:31-45 NIV
"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.

"Then the King will say to those on His right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?'

"The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.' "Then He will say to those on his left, `Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.'

"They also will answer, `Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help You?'

"He will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.'

Each of us is special to Him and He wants us to appreciate and care for one another the way He does. The more we are able to love and appreciate others for who they are, the more we are like Jesus.

Until next time, I pray God give you the eyes to see how unique and wonderful you are and how valuable ALL the people around you are in His sight (even those who like coffee and old pizza for breakfast).

Kevin

Sweet Forgiveness

Sweet Forgiveness

Col. 3:13-14 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

"Forgiveness is the sweetest revenge." I saw this wonderful old saying again in a book recently. It got me to thinking about all the times that I have been able to forgive others in my life and all the joy that it has brought me. One memory stands out particularly well. I was a young boy spending a week at 4-H camp during the Summer. I was having a great time and enjoying everything about it except for another young boy about my age. To say we didn't get along would be an understatement. We spent most of the week irritating, insulting, and picking on each other. Words finally came to blows on the next to last day of camp. We got into a fist fight which I lost. Thankfully, older boys broke it up before I was hurt too much. I spent the rest of the day alone, sulking and stewing in my own anger.

The next day my spirits were lifted, however, when my Mom brought the boys in our cabin some of her delicious homemade pizzas. I was enjoying a few slices of it when I saw the other boy sitting by himself at the bottom of the steps outside. He seemed very lonely right then. I am not sure what moved me to do so, but I took my pizza down and shared it with him. It made all the anger and pain inside me go away. We became friends after that. I never got into another fist fight either. I had found out that sharing and forgiving were way more fun and a lot less painful.

Forgiveness truly is the sweetest revenge. It can turn an enemy into a friend. It can free a heart from the chains of anger, hatred, and pain. It can open a soul to the sweetness of love and joy once again. It can help you to live by the Golden Rule and to create a Golden Life. It can bring you back to oneness with God in everything you think, feel, and do. That is why I often pray, "God help me to forgive, help me to give, and help me to love." May your life always be full of sweet forgiveness then. May you always delight in its Heavenly charms.

Joseph J. Mazzella

Trusting God in the Dark

Trusting God in the Dark (1)

If the Lord is with us, why has... this happened? Judges 6:13 NIV

One hundred years ago Germany's exclusive textile mills had special rooms dedicated to spinning the world's finest lace. Each room was dark, except for the light falling from a small window onto the weaver's work. That's because lace is more beautiful when the weaver is in darkness and his work is in the light. Usually God's purposes are revealed and His power displayed, in our darkest experiences when, like Gideon, you ask, "If the Lord is with me, why has this happened?" (Judges 6:13 NIV). When there seems to be no rhyme or reason, God's promise is, "I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord. who calls you by name" (Isaiah 45:3 NIV).

Anybody can be faithful in good times, but standing "by night in the house of the Lord" (
Psalm 134:1 NIV) takes real commitment. Hymn writer George Matheson wrote: "Will I remain in God's house by night. Love Him in His own night. Know I desire not the gift but the Giver? When I can stand in His house by night, I have accepted Him for Himself alone." When the Israelites faced their greatest challenge, the Red Sea, the Bible says, "All that night the Lord drove the sea back" (Exodus 14:21 NIV). Be encouraged, God is working, even though you can't see Him.

After all, how can God give us "songs in the night" (Job 35:10) if the sun always shines? Jesus said, "What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight" (Matthew 10:27 NIV). It's in life's dark places that God shares things which strengthen you, and encourage those around you.

Trusting God in the Dark (2)

You do not realise now what I am doing, but later you will. John 13:7 NIV

Mary and Martha were upset that Jesus didn't come until their brother Lazarus was dead. "Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died" (Jn 11:21 & 32 NIV). But instead of giving them reasons, Jesus replied, "Did I not tell you if you believed you would see God glorified in this?" (John 11:40 NIV). When God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac he didn't understand, but later he witnessed God's faithfulness when Isaac was restored to him.

Moses didn't understand why he had to spend 40 years in the wilderness, but later when God called him to lead Israel to freedom, he got it. Joseph didn't know why his brothers mistreated him or why he was imprisoned unfairly, but later he saw God's hand in everything. His father questioned why Joseph had been taken away from him, but later, looking into the face of the man who had been made governor and who'd saved the lives of the nation, God's purposes became clear.

Just like your children don't always think your decisions make sense, we don't understand God's ways. That's why Jesus said to Mary and Martha, "You do not realise now what I am doing, but later you will" (John 13:7 NIV). God doesn't expect you to understand, but He does expect you to trust Him. In spite of his boils, bankruptcy and bereavement Job said: "When He has tested me, I will come forth" (Job 23:10 NIV).

Is God testing you? If He is, what are you learning? Is the experience making you bitter, or making you better by causing you to draw closer to Him?

Bob Gass

Beards ain’t Weird!

Beards ain’t Weird!

I normally deal with a lot of very serious subjects confronting the believer. I have dealt with tongues, healing, women preachers, version perversions and the like. From time to time I would like to address issues that many folks did not know were issues. These are ones that I have come across in my twenty-seven years as a preacher. Some will be funny and others like this one actually have some deeper implications that are never addressed by the proponents or the opponents of the particular issue.

I have had some flack over beards from my Bible College days until now. I first grew a goatee and a moustache after I graduated high school in 1970. I guess this was done for a couple of reasons. I hated shaving. In the 60’s and 70’s it was part of the hippie movement to which I ascribed to in philosophy and practice. Thirdly, it was an expression of my becoming a man.

These were shaved after joining the Air Force. The military did not care what I hated doing and certainly did not like hippies and their idea of making me a man took a different direction. They marched to the beat of a different drummer than I did. They did allow me a moustache after I arrived at my duty station upon completion of boot camp and tech school. However, it’s dimension and style were rigidly defined.

I went to Bible College right after the military and they also allowed a moustache, but no beard. When I asked the Academic Dean why, he replied that the board was afraid that the young men would not trim them properly and no beard is easier to enforce than a beard standard. They already had plenty of trouble enforcing hair regulations for men and modest attire for the ladies. This was just one less headache for them. I also had other suspicions as why the ban after I had been there a couple of years.

So for four years, I only had a moustache. One of my fellow students went home for Christmas break and came back without his moustache. I asked if he just grew tired of it or what? He replied that after preaching a Wednesday night service a fellow came up to him and said, “And you call yourself a preacher and you have a moustache!” Radical that I am I asked if the fellow gave him a chapter and verse on that and received a negative reply. Ironically, to the Amish who have full beards but no moustache I was wearing the mark of the Anti-Christ. No, the lad I was talking to could not give me a verse for that. Usually you do not get a verse or you get one that is so ripped out of context it would make a cultist proud.

I stayed in the area for a couple of weeks after graduation and started growing my goatee back. One of my fellow alumni saw me and was flabbergasted. He told me that he knew I was as straight as an arrow doctrinally, but he could not understand how I could grow a goatee. I asked him what was wrong with it and he told me it was a sign of homosexuality. Now, I REALLY wanted a chapter and verse on that one! None was forthcoming, but he did tell me how he came to that conclusion. He said that it made a man’s mouth look like a woman’s privates. That almost sounds logical except for the fact that a homosexual does not find a woman sexually attractive so I am not sure that he would want to see a goatee in that perspective.

I really wish that I could grow a full beard, but a goatee is the best that I can do.

I have never had a homosexual come on to me while I was wearing a goatee so it must not be that much of a turn on. I have had them come on to me when I was not wearing a beard so go figure. This was the same guy that complained about one of our chapel speakers. It had been the best message on Jonah that I had ever heard and I still have the tape. My friend did not “hear” him, as the speaker had nothing to say to my classmate because he had a beard. Oy!

As was the custom, I had pictures taken so I could put them on my resume. I had them taken before I graduated so all I had was a moustache. I took my wife home to Pennsylvania to be near her parents while I searched for my first ministry. While a POW up there, I sent a resume to a Christian School in the area that was looking for a principal.

The pastor and I had a long conversation and we seemed to be in close agreement across the board doctrinally and philosophically. Then he asked me a last question about why my picture did not have me wearing a goatee. I explained that it was taken in college and they would not allow us to grow beards. He asked me if I knew why that was the case. I said, well my belief is that the old hats saw it as hippie and the newer ones saw it as neo-evangelicalism. However, God created man on the sixth day with hair follicles in his face and pronounced him good. Besides with women wanting to be men and men wanting to be women it would take a heck of a bad hormone problem for a woman to look like me and it definitely asserts my manhood. However, at that time I said that if it were a big issue for someone I would shave it in order to minister. From the look on his face, I knew that was the end of working with him. I do give him credit. I was scheduled to speak to the student body at chapel and he still allowed me to do so. Many I have met over the years would have shown me the backdoor and blasted me in that school assembly as I drove home.

I have had questions over the years about my beard and I am sure that it has cost me other opportunities to minister. I have no desire to just offend people for the sake of offending them. However the issue is just too weird and until I can get a real biblical reason why I should shave it will stay.

Actually, this is just another one of those things we come up with from our culture rather than Scripture. Remember Diogenes of “looking for an honest man” fame. Seems he was a heck of a troublemaker. The men started shaving their beards and he would ask them, “What’s wrong my son? Are you ashamed that the gods made you a man?”

Indeed, I go back to my creation argument. If righteousness is cooperating with God and/or God created reality then shaving is unrighteous. Every morning we argue with God. God grows the hair and says, “Son, I made you a man and this is your glory as a woman’s long hair is hers.” We say, “No, you just made me dirty and I need to be “clean” shaven.” Now, this is great business for all the razor makers, but it does not make much sense. In fact, the shaving of a beard in the OT was done as a sign of sorrow like the renting of clothes. Are we sorry God made us men?

Ezra 9:3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied. (KJV)

2 Sam. 19:24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace. (KJV) [Note, you can trim them so you do not have to look like a wild man.]

Jer. 41:5 That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD. (KJV)

At times, God told those He was going to judge that He would shave their beards, which they understood as a symbol of sorrow and He was going to make them sorry for their sin.

Isa. 7:20 In the same day shall the Lord shave with a rasor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard. (KJV)

Isa. 15:2 He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off. (KJV)

Jer. 48:37 For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands shall be cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth. (KJV)

One fellow started a war by messing with the beards of David’s ambassadors. By cutting them half off they would have shave completely and look like a boy or have people stare at them with half beards. Sending them off with their buttocks showing was to shame them, but a change of clothes would fix that. Marring their beards was a long-term shame.

2 Sam. 10:4 Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away. (KJV)

2 Sam. 10:5 When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return. (KJV)

Another thing this passage should show us is that tong bikinis should be a no brainer for Christian ladies as showing the buttocks is a shame, but I would guess that a few gals have worn them as well as some guys wear the thong “briefs.” Any briefer and they would just be nekkid! There is no shame when it comes to following fads and staying in style for some folks.

Now, there are hazards in wearing a beard.

1 Sam. 17:35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. (KJV)

Nonetheless, if we were to be honest to Scripture the injunction would be to have a beard.

Lev. 19:27 Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard. (KJV)

Lev. 21:5 They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh. (KJV)

Shaving heads, beards and cuttings or tattoos were part of the pagan worship of the time. In fact, it seems to go along with that as well today. Because they worshipped the host of heaven they made their hair resemble the globe. Rounding off the beard would add to that globe appearance. Tattooing was done as a mark of allegiance to a deity showing the wearer’s willingness to allow that deity to take them over or possess them. Shades of the mark of the beast. Shaving the head was to somehow help out the dead. Actually, you can see a lot of this same stuff in cults and some rock groups. Who says that Bible is archaic? Shoot often the only difference between what we see practiced today and what was in biblical times is that the names have been changed to protect the guilty, and at times they are even too bold to do that.

Isa. 50:6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. (KJV)

Here is a verse that the Anti-beardites have a real problem with. This is a prophecy of Christ’s suffering. It says that they plucked the hair off of his cheeks. Man, Christ had a beard. Ah, but they have an answer to that. It was just overnight growth. I have seen some pretty good five o’clock shadows in my day, but an overnight growth that you could grab and rip out? He would have had to shave five times a day, but He would not have done so because Jews wore beards and He was a Jew! Some Gentiles shaved and the Pharisees and Sadducees would have jumped all over Him if He had been shaved like a Gentile. They would have quoted the verses I have used previously to condemn Him as breaking the Law!

So, I am in good company and Scriptural by having a beard and the ball is in the other court for the Anti-beardites to show their position to be Scriptural. Don’t give me any of that cultural hoo ha. We are to be in a biblical culture though we may be placed in another one. Our citizenship is in Heaven, so its culture is to be in us.
In fact, many of the Anti-beardites revere men like Moody, Torrey, and Spurgeon all who had beards. If we did not have portraits of these great men, none of them would be able to speak in the Anti-beardites’ churches if they could just show up and ask to preach. Some even if they recognized them would probably ask them to shave before they preached. Silly, is it not?

However, this is the kind of silliness we get into when we base our judgment and convictions upon culture and affiliations rather than Scripture. Indeed, in an age of androgyny we should do all we can to be the examples of God’s design for men and women to be different in appearance as well as roles. Even if we can use Christian liberty for shaving it would behoove us to give up that liberty to stand against the satanic assault on God’s design for men, women and families. I could cover a lot of other issues relating to that assault as well, but one topic per message is plenty. Having set a precedence or foundation will make it easier to deal with some of the other silliness in other messages.

Ps. 133:1-2
1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; (KJV)

Ah, yes beards! If they were good enough for Adam, Aaron and Jesus, they are good enough for me!

If we would only stick to the Book and nothing else we would have a lot more pleasantness and unity! Just think if we would have then the hippies and the Neo-Evangelicals would have had to shave to be rebellious.

Maranatha!

Dr Ronald Shultz

Replace Kid's Fears with Faith

Replace Kid's Fears with Faith

Matthew 18:6 “But whoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Can I ask you a question? Do you have any idea just how much God loves children? Jesus wasn’t casual in His conversations when it came to children. He loves them exceedingly and was not quiet about it. In Matthew chapter 18 Jesus is illustrating in story about one lost sheep. Ninety-nine were accounted for but the good shepherd went to look for the lost one and would rejoice more over the finding the lost one than of the other ninety-nine. Then He finishes the story by saying. “Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew 18:14)

Look at those words: “… it is not the will of your Father.. that one of these little ones should perish.” Although this story is illustrating sheep, if you read the rest of the verses in this chapter, you would understand Jesus is talking about children. They are precious to Him. Why? Because when they are young and innocent, they are ready and hungry to learn of and have faith in His love and ways.

Jesus makes some other strong admonishments. In Matthew 18:10 He says,” See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in Heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” I don’t know if you realize this but there is always a witness - assigned to each child that is standing before the Father regarding how they are being nurtured in the Lord. Those witnesses are angels and they always have God’s attention concerning children.

Jesus also said, “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck." How terrible it will be for anyone who causes others to sin? Temptation to do wrong is inevitable, but how terrible it will be for the person who does the tempting.” (Matthew 18:6-7)

Renee and I taught children's ministry many years ago for over eight years. We learned and discovered so many wonderful things about children through the experience. It truly helped us become better parents and ministers of the Word of God. The age group we ministered to was four and five year olds.

One thing we learned from them was that children continuously deal with fear - real fear. Its one reason children struggle to go to bed at night and often the reason they keep getting up. They are afraid! When we ministered to the children – often sixty of them at a time, we’d ask them to come to the front of the room if they desired prayer. The thing children most often asked prayer for was for fear at night and sometimes we had close to sixty of them asking! They'd want prayer so they weren't afraid of the monster in the closet or under the bed, or the bad man outside the window, etc. Of all the requests for prayer they would respond to, being afraid a night was number one.

What caused these fears? The movies, television shows, and the unscreened books from the library that parents let their children read that put fearful images in their minds. Many adults are afraid of the dark and spooky things yet have trouble admitting it. How much more children? Yet adults ignorantly expose the imagination of children to fearful things. Fear movies and television shows are currently a trend.

Beyond praying for the children, we taught them a precious promise from the Word of God that greatly helped them be strengthened in spirit and taught them to learn how to resist the devil themselves. The verse was 2 Tim. 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." Part of our nurturing of children is not to put fear in them but to help them from an early age, take authority over fears. 2 Cor. 10:3-5 instructs us, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

This verse is telling us that we don’t fight spiritual battles with human weapons – guns, swords, etc. We fight evil and demonic imaginations – any imagination that is outside of God’s word and will for us – with His power. We cast down evil imaginations in the name of Jesus. We make every thought that comes into our mind conform to God’s Word. If it is evil we cast it out. If it is good, we think on it. The weapons of our warfare are the promises of God to train and take authority as to how we think and take thoughts captive that oppose God.

This is what God wants us to nurture our children in. We will have the help of His Holy Spirit and the angelic host of Heaven.

What are your children exposed to – things that promote faith in God and an overcoming attitude, or things that are scary, horrifying, and fearful that produce torment. Trade devils for angels. Trade fear with the faith of David over Goliath. Trade the fictitious characters of evil for thoughts of the true heroes of faith!

God loves children and has placed them in our care. Our love and instruction to them will turn around to strengthen and nurture us. That is God’s plan.

Today’s Fresh Manna verse is strong and intimidating. It should be. Parents that love their children have that protective spirit over their children. Raise them in the power and love of God’s Word.

Pastor Tim Burt
Fresh Manna
http://readfreshmanna.blogspot.com

Does God care about how much we give?

Does God care about how much we give?

The ultimate example of sacrifice and surrender is, of course, Jesus Christ. He had everything and still chose to surrender it out of love for His Father. Your attitude should be the same as His.

“...who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death -- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” ~ Philippians 2:5-11

John clearly tells us that "whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did" (1 John 2:6). Are you ready and willing to make yourself nothing? To take the very nature of a servant? To be obedient unto death? If your honest answer to those questions is yes, how are those intentions manifested in your life?

In Matthew 25 we get a frightening picture of the coming judgment. In this passage, Christ condemns people to eternal punishment because they did not care for Him during their lives on earth. "For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me" (vv. 42-43).

The condemned protest, saying they never saw Christ in any of these positions of need, and Jesus responds, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me" (v. 45).

Ouch. To me that is like a stinging, unexpected slap in the face. Like many of you, I've heard that passage taught on numerous occasions. I've left convicted, but haven't taken it literally. We see it as a fresh perspective on poverty rather than a literal picture of impending judgment.

How would my life change if I actually thought of each person I came into contact with as Christ -- the person driving painfully slow in front of me, the checker at the grocery store who seems more interested in chatting than ringing up my items, the member of my own family with whom I can't seem to have a conversation and not get annoyed?

If we believe that, as Jesus said, the two greatest commands are to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind" and to "love your neighbor as yourself," then this passage has a lot to teach us. Basically, Christ is connecting the command to "love God" with the command to "love your neighbor." By loving "the least of these," we are loving God Himself.

In this same chapter of Matthew, Jesus blesses some people for what they have done. Confused, they ask, "Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?" (vv. 37--39).

His answer is staggering: "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me'" (v. 40). Jesus is saying that we show tangible love for God in how we care for the poor and those who are suffering. He expects us to treat the poor and the desperate as if they were Christ Himself.

Ask yourself this: If you actually saw Jesus starving, what would you do for Him?

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence whenever our hearts condemn us. ~ 1 John 3:16-20

In this passage, we see that John questions whether it is possible to truly have God's love in you if you have no compassion for the poor. He uses as his example Christ's love manifesting itself through the sacrifice of His very life.

God didn't just give a little for us; He gave His best. He gave Himself. John is saying that it is no different for us: True love requires sacrifice. And our love is shown by how we live our lives: "Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." One of the clearest ways we love "with actions and in truth" is through giving to others. By giving, I don't mean just money, although that is certainly an element of it.

Another important element of giving is with our time. Most of us are so busy that the thought of adding one more thing to our weekly schedule is stressful. Instead of adding in another thing to our lives, perhaps God wants us to give Him all of our time and let Him direct it as He sees fit. One of the most memorized verses in the whole Bible says, "For God so loved the world that He gave" (John 3:16). Right there we see the connection between loving and giving evidently established.

Giving that is not motivated by love is worth nothing. Paul says from this kind of giving we "gain nothing"; however, when we give out of love, we gain much. Giving results not only in heavenly compensation, but also gives us great joy in our lives here and now. As we love more genuinely and deeply, giving becomes the obvious and natural response. Taking and keeping for ourselves becomes unattractive and imprudent.

Remember the story where Jesus fed thousands of people with one boy's small lunch? In that story, according to Matthew, Jesus gave the loaves to His disciples and then the disciples passed them out to the crowd. Imagine if the disciples had simply held onto the food Jesus gave them, continually thanking Him for providing lunch for them. That would've been stupid, when there was enough food to feed the thousands who were gathered and hungry.

But that is exactly what we do when we fail to give freely and joyfully. We are loaded down with too many good things, more than we could ever need, while others are desperate for a small loaf. The good things we cling to are more than money; we hoard our resources, our gifts, our time, our families, our friends. As we begin to practice regular giving, we see how ludicrous it is to hold onto the abundance God has given us and merely repeat the words thank you.

The apostle Paul addresses this issue of giving in light of the inequalities among the early believers:

Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little." ~ 2 Corinthians 8:13-15

Paul was asking the Corinthian believers to give to the impoverished saints in Jerusalem, the goal being that no one would have too much or too little. This idea is pretty far-fetched in modern-day culture, where we are taught to look out for ourselves and are thus rewarded.

The gap is so extreme in our world that we have to take lightly passages such as Luke 12:33: "Sell your possessions and give to the poor." How else can I walk out of a mud shack and back into my 2,000-square-foot house without doing anything? The concept of downsizing so that others might upgrade is biblical, beautiful... and nearly unheard of. We either close the gap or don't take the words of the Bible literally.

Dare to imagine what it would mean for you to take the words of Jesus seriously. Dare to think about your own children living in poverty, without enough to eat. Dare to believe that those really are your brothers and sisters in need.

Jesus said, "Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother" (Matthew 12:50). Do you believe that? Do you live like you believe it?

After hearing this truth preached, a guy at my church donated his house to the church and moved in with his parents. He told me that he will have a better house in heaven, and that it doesn't really matter where he lives during this lifetime. He is living like he believes. Dream a little about what that might look like for you. Perhaps you start a movement called Aspiring to the Median, where people commit to living at or below the median U.S. income ($46,000 in 2006) and giving the rest away. Is it intimidating to think about giving radically and liberally?

I want to share a story with you. Anyone who has ever taken God at His word when He says, "Test me in this... and see if I will not... pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it" (Malachi 3:10) probably has a similar tale.

A friend was faithfully giving 20 percent of his income to God, and suddenly his income dropped drastically. He knew he had to decide whether he should continue to give in a way that proved he trusted God. It wouldn't have been wrong to lower his giving to 10 percent. But my friend chose instead to increase his giving to 30 percent, despite the income reduction.

You can probably guess how the story ends. God blessed his faith and gave him more than enough, more than he needed. My friend got to experience God's provision firsthand.

When it's hard and you are doubtful, give more. Or, as Deuteronomy says, "Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake" (15:10).

Maybe you have already made sacrifices. If so, you have seen that in some ways it gets easier, doesn't it? You have witnessed the benefits of giving and are blessed because of it. But it gets harder, too. The temptation to level off increases with each passing year. Pride tells you that you've sacrificed more than others. Fear tells you it's time to worry about the future. Friends say you've given enough, that it's someone else's turn now.

But Jesus says to keep on and you will see more of God. Do we really believe that "it ought to be the business of every day to prepare for our final day"?

When Jesus sent out His twelve disciples (Luke 9:3), He told them to "take nothing for the journey -- no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic." Why do you suppose He said this? Why not let them run home and grab a few supplies? Why not allow them to bring some money along just in case?

Jesus was forcing His disciples to trust Him. God would have to come through for them because they had nothing else to fall back on.

This place of trust isn't a comfortable place to be; in fact, it flies in the face of everything we've been taught about proper planning. We like finding refuge in what we already have rather than in what we hope God will provide. But when Christ says to count the cost of following Him, it means we must surrender everything. It means being willing to go without an extra tunic or a place to sleep at night, and sometimes without knowing where we are going.

God wants us to trust Him with abandon. He wants to show us how He works and cares for us. He wants to be our refuge.

Francis Chan

Copyright © 2008 Francis Chan from the book Crazy Love: Overwhelmed By a Relentless God published by David C. Cook; May 2008; $13.99 US; 978-1-4347-6851-3

Francis Chan is pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California. He is also the president of Eternity Bible College and sits on the Board of Directors of Children's Hunger Fund and World Impact. Francis spends much of his time speaking to students around the country, committed to teaching directly from the Bible. His passion is to see the Church display a much deeper love for Jesus. Francis, his wife, Lisa, and their four children live in California.