Husband for Sale

"Husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife."  1 PETER 3:7

 Tom Brokaw of NBC News once reported a story about a Mrs. Louise Horner from Maryland, who put an ad in the local paper. It read,

     Husband for sale, Cheap! Comes equipped with hunting and fishing equipment, two shirts, boots, and black Labrador Retriever . . . but he's not home much from October to November. (That's hunting season.)

Mrs. Horner received sixty responses to her ad . . . and she was only joking!
     Maybe it's time for husbands to sit up and take notice of the amount of time they devote to recreation like hunting. While recreation is good and necessary, sometimes we husbands borrow time that really belongs to our wives and add it to our time in the woods.
     Maybe it's time to put the gun back in the truck and head on home.
~ Glenn Colley, Huntsville, Alabama

How to Hurt Your Spouse

Saint James Assembly of Faith

A woman came into the preacher's office full of anger and spite toward her husband. "I don't want to just leave him; I want to make him pay. Before I divorce him, I want to make him suffer as much as he made me suffer."
     The preacher came up with a brilliant plan. "Before you leave him, build him up. Act like you really love him. Tell him how important he is to you and how much he means to you. Shower him with praises. Be as nice and considerate as you can. Make him believe that you truly love him. After you convince him that you love him and can't live without him, then tell him you are getting a divorce. That will really sting."
     With revenge in her heart, she smiled and said, "Wonderful! That will show him."
     She threw herself into this with vigor. For two months she showed him love, kindness, and affection. She listened, gave of her time, and shared her heart. After a couple of months, the preacher called to check how things were going. "Are you ready to go through with the divorce?"
     "Divorce?" she asked. "Never! I found out that I really do love him."
     Her actions had changed her feelings. Love is established not just by promise and feeling but often be repeated actions.

"Thy wife shall be as fruitful vine by the sides of thine house; thy children like olive plants round about thy table."   Psalm 128:3

What If Jesus Came to Your House?

Saint James Assembly of Faith

If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two -- If He came unexpectedly, I wonder what you’d do. Oh, I know you’d give your nicest room to such an honored Guest, And all the food you’d serve to Him would be the very best.

 

But when you saw Him coming, would you meet Him at the door with arms outstretched in welcome to your heavenly Visitor? Or would you have to change your clothes before you let Him in, or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they’d been?

 

Would you turn off the radio and hope He hadn’t heard, and wish you hadn’t uttered that last, loud, nasty word? And I wonder if the Saviour spent a day or two with you, would you go right on doing the things you always do?

 

Would you keep right on saying the things you always say? Would life for you continue as it does from day to day? Would your family conversation keep up its usual pace, and would you find it hard each meal to say a table grace?

 

Would you be glad to have Him stay forever on and on, or would you sigh with great relief when He at last was gone? It might be interesting to know the things that you would do, if Jesus came in person to spend some time with you.

 

 -Lois Blanchard Eades

A Real Home Is . . .

A real home is a gymnasium. The ideal of a healthy body is a basic one to give a child. A real home is a lighthouse. A lighthouse reveals the breakers ahead and shows a clear way past them. A real home is a playground. It is a place where the family can enjoy good, clean fun together. A real home is a workshop. Pity the boy without a kit of tools and the girl without a sewing basket. They haven’t learned the fun of doing things - and there is no fun like it. A real home is a forum. Honest, open discussion of life’s problems belongs originally in the family circle. A real home is a secret society. Loyalty to one’s family should mean keeping silent on family matters.

 

A real home is a health resort. Mothers are the natural physicians. A real home is a cooperative league. Households flourish where the interest of each is made the interest of all. A real home is a business concern. Order is a housewife’s hobby, but order without system is a harness without a horse. A real home is a haven of refuge. The world does this for us all: it makes us hunger for a loving sympathy and a calming, soothing touch. A real home is a temple of worship.

 

- Ed Purinton in Sunday School Digest Saint James Assembly of Faith

A Home for the Sun

A Home for the Sun  Read Psalm 19:1-14

10/18/2016

God has made a home in the heavens for the sun. It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race (Ps. 19:4-5).

Every evening, thousands of people wait for the weather forecast on TV, to see what influence the sun will have on their plans for the following day. It's not surprising that people worshiped the sun in days gone by, because it dominated such a great part of their lives. Now that we are more knowledgeable, we are aware of the extent of our dependence on the energy, warmth, light and rays that the sun provides.
     The people of the Bible knew better. It was not the sun behind the meaning of life - it was the Creator of the sun. Beyond the sun there was - and still is - a Creator God. No physical part of the universe is God; neither are all the parts of the physical universe put together a manifestation of God. (This religion is known as Pantheism). No. God is totally different from creation. Everything in creation was put into place by God. It functions on His command and in accordance with His wisdom and plan. "God has made a home in the heavens for the sun" is David's way of saying that even the sun is inferior to God. Appreciate God's creation. Rejoice in it. Honor and love God who created it all.

No philosophical theory which I have yet come across is a radical improvement on the words of Genesis that, "in the beginning God made heaven and earth."
~ C.S. Lewis ~

Pomp and Ceremony

Pomp and Ceremony  Read John 12:12-19 Saint James Assembly of God

Don't be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey's colt (John 12:15).

When high society is involved in public pomp and ceremony, money is no object in making sure the most expensive vehicle is used to transport them. A large number of VIPs accompany them, and as protection for these prominent people, those in charge of security make sure that their presence is clearly visible. Then there is still the publicity and media to cover the event. The more prestigious the person, the greater the spectacle.
     When Jesus decided to enter Jerusalem, however, He chose a donkey's colt to ride on. Normally, when kings or emperors made a triumphal entrance, they used horses. It was a sign of nobility, authority and victory. A donkey, being a somewhat humble creature, was the symbol of peace. Later, when the disciples thought about this, they recalled verses in the Old Testament that predicted such an event.
     Jesus changed the normal manner of human conduct. He was not interested in prestige, publicity or pomp and ceremony. It wasn't necessary for Him to impress anybody.
     Think about the way you do things. Are you concerned with the impression you create in the minds of those who see you? If so, remember that the only One who really needs to know you and see what you do, is God. He sees deep into your inner being and is not impressed by show and publicity. Jesus did everything in a simple and humble manner. We would do well to take a leaf out of His book.

Christ's character was more wonderful than the greatest miracle.
~ Alfred Tennyson ~

Do you have any reservation in turning your will over to God?

John 6:38

For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.

Knowing God’s Will

We should want to know the will of God so that we can turn our will over and take up His will for our life; at least that is what I hope for you. But sometimes we look for God’s hidden will while ignoring His revealed will. You can know God’s will for much of your life because it’s in the Word of God. For example, Paul writes that God’s will is that our minds be transformed by the renewing of it by the Spirit of God so that we can test and discern what God’s will is for our lives (Rom. 12:2). Jesus says that whoever does God’s will is His brother and sister (Mark 3:35), so doing God’s will is a knowable and doable thing.

Doing God’s Will

God will never reveal more of His will for your life until you do what is already revealed as the will of God in the Bible. For example, Peter tells us that living in obedience to those who are in authority is the will of God and silences those who will try to falsely accuse us (1 Pet. 2:13-15). Furthermore, we clearly know that abstaining from sexual immorality is God’s will because we should be living a sanctified life (1 Thess. 4:13) and not yielding our life to sinful activities but as instruments of righteousness (Rom. 6:13). Jesus faced a horrendous task at Calvary yet desired to do God’s will even over His own (Matt. 26:39), and sometimes this is highly difficult.

Choosing God’s Will

Life is full of choices and consequences of those choices. We do know that whoever it is that does the will of God has eternal life (1 John 2:17), but whoever doesn’t has no assurance of their salvation. Jesus came down from heaven to give His life as a ransom for sinners (Mark 10:45; 1 Tim. 2:6) and to do what the will of the Father was, not to seek His own will or pleasure in life (John 6:38). Seeking the King of the kingdom is the will of God (Matt. 6:33). Living a life free from sin, at least as much as we possibly can, and doing the revealed will of God, which we can find in the Bible, is His will. God will never reveal any more of His will for your life until you do the revealed will of God, which is clearly available in the Word of God. Do you, like I, have any real reservations about turning your will over to God? Wouldn’t you want His will over your own, knowing that it’s the best for you anyway?

A Closing Prayer

Father God, how many times have I chosen my own will over Your perfect will? Too many times to count I am sure. So please forgive me for my disobedience and give me discernment to know Your will so that I can choose it over my own, and in Jesus’ great name I pray

Amen

Which Righteous Man Do You Want To Be?

Genesis 24:1

Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.

The Bible says that Abraham was righteous. But do you know that his nephew Lot was righteous too? (2 Peter 2:7–8) Yet, both men lived very different lives. Although they both lived under God’s grace some 400 years before the law was given, Abraham was very blessed, whereas Lot lost a lot!
Both men had large herds and flocks. When their herdsmen started quarreling over space, Abraham took the initiative to make peace. He even let Lot pick the lands that he wanted. Both men were righteous, but one was more gracious than the other.
Lot picked the well-watered plain of Jordan, where the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were. He dwelt there and pitched his tent as far as Sodom. Eventually, he lived in Sodom. Now, Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible represent a sinful lifestyle. Some Christians think, “Since I am righteous by faith and under God’s grace, I can live a sinful lifestyle.”
Well, let’s learn from Lot. He first saw Sodom, then his feet walked toward it and finally he went into it. I like what a great man of God said: “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay and cost you more than you want to pay.” What did Lot end up paying?
He was captured when four kings plundered Sodom and Gomorrah. And even after Abraham rescued him with the help of God, he did not learn his lesson. He went back to Sodom. Some Christians live from one bail-out to another. God delivers them from, say, debt, and they go right back to borrowing money or gambling! Sodom and Gomorrah were eventually destroyed. Lot escaped with only the clothes on his back and even lost his wife in the process.
Beloved, you are the righteousness of God in Christ. When you truly understand what Jesus did to make you the righteousness of God, it will cause you to fall out of love with sin and fall in love with God. Then, it will not be hard to have a heart for God, as Abraham did, and like Abraham, be blessed in all things!

Thought For The Day

As the righteousness of God in Christ, choose to live a life that pleases God, and like Abraham, you will be blessed in all things!

Our Help In Time Of Need

Hebrews 4:16

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

If you are facing a challenge right now, I want you to know that you have a standing invitation from your heavenly Father to come boldly to the throne of grace to “obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need”.
The phrase “help in time of need” means that you get healing when you are sick, provisions when you are in lack, restoration when your relationship with a loved one breaks down, and favor when news of job cuts or bad prospects are rife.
“Pastor Prince, how can I come boldly when I have been a lousy Christian?”
You can come boldly because you come to God by the blood of Jesus Christ and not by how you have lived your life. So whenever you come into God’s presence, you don’t have to be afraid that your sins will be exposed because the blood of Jesus has removed every one of them. God does not see even one speck of sin in you because He sees only the blood of His Son, which has been shed for your total forgiveness and acceptance.
My friend, when you have failed and need mercy, God’s Word assures you that you will find mercy when you come boldly to God. Mercy means that you don’t get the bad things you deserve, such as condemnation, poverty, failure, loss and even death.
And mercy is not the only thing that you will obtain when you come boldly to God. You will also find grace. Grace means that you get the good things that you don’t deserve, such as health, protection, anointing, favor, good success and life more abundant.
So come boldly to the One who loves you passionately, unconditionally and with an undying love. Come boldly to Him who knows everything about your situation and has the solution. He has wisdom far beyond that doctor you highly respect, that lawyer you greatly honor and the best experts you can consult. Beloved, come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and grace to help in your time of need!

Thought For The Day

Come boldly to God who knows everything about your situation and has the solution.

The Lord Is Able And Most Willing

Matthew 8:3

Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

When you see someone receiving a miraculous healing or financial breakthrough, do you ask, “What about me, Lord?” I believe that the leper who came to Jesus must have asked the same question.
He must have heard or seen from a distance, since he was not permitted to be in public places by the law, how Jesus had healed the sick. So he had no doubt that Jesus could heal him, but he was not sure if Jesus would. He said to Jesus, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” (Matthew 8:2) He was confident of the power of God, but not the love of God for him.
Like the leper, maybe you don’t have a problem believing that God can give you your miracle, since He is Almighty God. But you are wondering if He will do it for you. My friend, let Jesus’ actions and answer to the leper settle this question once and for all. He stretched forth His hand, touched the leper and said, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately, the leper was healed.
I want you to notice that Jesus touched the leper. He could have healed him from a distance with just a spoken word. He had healed others this way as in the case of the centurion’s servant and the Syro-Phoenician woman’s daughter. So why did He touch the leper?
Jesus knew that for so many years, the leper had been cut off from his family and society, so he must have been feeling dehumanized. I believe that Jesus touched him to make him feel human again, to make him feel loved and accepted again. His touch was His love language to the leper.
Can you see God’s heart of love here? Can you see how much He loved the leper? That is how much He loves you! The day that you come to know God’s heart of love and believe that He wants you blessed more than you want to be blessed is the day that you receive your miracle!
Beloved, catch a glimpse of God’s heart of love, and you will believe that He is not only able, but also willing to make you whole!

Thought For The Day

God is not only able, but also willing to make you whole!

A Greater Blessing Is In Store For You

Romans 8:31

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Whenever the devil throws something at us, we need not lose hope. In fact, we can be sure that God will turn it around for our greater blessing because He is for us.
When God first made man, He gave man dominion over everything on earth. (Genesis 1:26) But when Adam fell, sin and death entered the world, and man lost his authority to the devil.
So did the devil win? No, God executed His redemption plan by sending His Son Jesus to die for us. And He wants us to know that Jesus’ death did more than just restore us to the same position that Adam had—it placed us in a much higher position!
When the Father raised Jesus from the dead, we who are in Christ were raised with Him. In other words, we are now seated with Him at God’s right hand in the heavenly places, “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come”! (Ephesians 1:21) Adam never had this position. So through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we have received so much more.
In the Old Testament, we read of how God brought the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt into a land flowing with milk and honey. The devil thought that he could foil God’s plan by putting giants in the promised land to stop the Israelites from inheriting it. But God outsmarted the devil. He allowed the giants to build their homes and cities, dig wells and cultivate crops until the right time came. Then, He brought the Israelites into the land and evicted the giants!
So the Israelites ended up inheriting large beautiful cities which they did not build, houses full of all good things which they did not fill, hewn-out wells which they did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees which they did not plant! (Deuteronomy 6:10–11) Although the devil tried to prevent God’s plan for His people from coming to pass, they ended up receiving so much more!
Beloved, the devil may throw obstacles and evil circumstances at you, but God will turn those evil schemes around for your greater blessing because He is for you!

Thought For The Day

When the devil throws something at you, God will turn it around for your greater blessing because He is for you.

Not Satisfied With Just Being Saved

Genesis 12:7

Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

I don’t know about you, but I am not satisfied with just knowing that I am righteous by faith. I also want to get to know the One who made me righteous. I want to have an intimate relationship with my Savior!
Abraham was such a man. He was righteous by faith, but he also had a close walk with God and was blessed by God in all things. (Genesis 24:1) His nephew Lot, on the other hand, although righteous too (2 Peter 2:7–8), had no heart for God. He ended up losing a lot when Sodom, the city he dwelt in, was destroyed along with Gomorrah. He was saved by the skin of his teeth!
My friend, do you want to be a Christian like Lot, righteous but always finding yourself in trouble, or do you want to be a righteous-and-blessed Christian like Abraham? Then, like Abraham, have a heart for God.
From place to place, Abraham would build an altar to the Lord. And in between altars, he grew very rich! (Genesis 13:2) There is no biblical record, however, of Lot ever building an altar to the Lord.
What is an “altar” in today’s context? It is a place where you know that you have a close relationship with God. For example, when my late father was in the hospital, I was worried and did not know what to do. I remember driving down the road and crying. After a while, I just threw my cares to the Lord. When I reached the hospital, I just laid my hands on my father and said, “Be healed in Jesus’ name.” And he was healed!
Till today, I can remember the place where I had cast my cares to the Lord and leaned on His love for me. That is my “altar”. And it is not the only one.
We have got to have this kind of relationship with God, one full of “altars” that remind us of His love, goodness and faithfulness. Let’s not live the Christian life like Lot, saved by the skin of our teeth. Let’s walk closely with God as Abraham did, and be richly blessed in every area of our lives!

Thought For The Day

Choose to have an intimate relationship with the One who made you righteous.

God Is Your Abba, Father

Galatians 4:6

And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!

Have you ever realized that God was never known as “Father” until Jesus came to earth and revealed Him as such? In His prayer to His Father, Jesus said, “And I have declared to them Your Name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:26) What name was Jesus referring to? It was the name “Father”. If there was anything close to Jesus’ heart, it was to introduce God as “Father” to us.
In the Bible, Jesus said, “Therefore, do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’…For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” (Matthew 6:31–32) Once, He said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11)
Jesus wants you to always have this image of God in your mind—that He is your Abba, Father. Why? Because He wants you to know that there is nothing more important or too insignificant for the Father when it comes to His children.
Imagine a father playing with his five-year-old son, when he notices a splinter embedded in his little boy’s thumb. The concerned father asks, “When did you get this?”
“A few days ago,” the boy answers.
“Why didn’t you tell Daddy about it?”
“I thought you were too busy and that I shouldn’t bother you.”
If you were that father, wouldn’t it break your heart to hear your child say this to you?
A splinter in one’s thumb may be a small thing, but there is nothing too small when it concerns your child because if it affects him, it affects you too. Now, no matter how old you are today, you are still God’s child, so don’t think that your problem is too small for God. If it is important to you, it is important to your Father too. Beloved, always remember that He is your Abba, Father!

Thought For The Day

If it is important to you, it is important to your Abba, Father!

Jesus Has Given You His Peace

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you…

In Israel, Jews greet each other with the words “shalom, shalom”. Unlike the English word “peace”, “shalom” does not just mean peace of mind, but also wholeness for your entire being—spirit, soul and body. It means having a sense of completeness and soundness. In other words, shalom encompasses your provision, health and total well-being.
When Jesus spoke to His disciples in John 14:27, He did not use the English word “peace”. He would have used the Hebrew word “shalom”, saying, “Shalom I leave with you, My shalom I give to you…” Interestingly, the word “leave” here actually means “bequeath”, the way a rich man bequeaths his estate to his beneficiary.
The disciples must have been excited when they heard that Jesus was bequeathing them His shalom. They must have known that to receive His shalom was to have His health because they had never seen Him sick. To have His shalom also meant never being in lack because He was never broke. Whenever He needed money, money was there. Once, money to pay the temple tax came in the mouth of a fish! (Matthew 17:24–27)
The disciples also understood that having Jesus’ shalom meant having His abundance because they had seen Him meeting the needs of thousands with plenty of leftovers. They saw him feeding 5,000 men (not counting the women and children) with 12 baskets full of leftovers! (Mark 6:34–44)
Jesus wanted His disciples to know that His peace was different from the peace that the world offers. His peace would change whatever trying circumstances that beset them. Even if it was a mega storm, it would have to bow to His peace. The Prince of Peace merely spoke, “Peace, be still!” and the winds and the sea obeyed Him. (Mark 4:39) His peace changed the mega storm into a perfect calm.
Beloved, that is the kind of peace that Jesus has bequeathed to you. Therefore, believe that His shalom which He has left with you will change all your difficult situations, bringing you from sickness, lack and mental anguish to health, provision and total wellness!

Thought For The Day

Jesus has bequeathed you His shalom, which does not just mean peace of mind, but also wholeness for your spirit, soul and body.

The Light Of The World Exposes Your Perfection

John 8:12

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

When I was a teenager, I heard preachers saying this: “Jesus is the light of the world. So don’t think for one moment that you can do things behind His back. His light will expose all the bad things that you have done!” So I was afraid to come near God, fearing that His glorious light would show up my faults, weaknesses and shame.
But is this what “the light of the world” does?
The truth is found in the context of the verse. Jesus declared that He was the light of the world right after He had told the woman caught in the act of adultery, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
When she said, “No one, Lord”, He said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Then, the Bible tells us that “Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world…’” (John 8:10–12)
How wonderful it is to know that when Jesus said, “I am the light of the world,” His light was not to show up the woman’s sin because He had just told her that He did not condemn her.
This tells us that we don’t have to be fearful when we come into God’s presence. He is not there waiting to punish us for our mistakes and failures. His light is not for exposing our sins and shame, or for condemning us. No, His glorious light is for showing us how perfectly His Son’s blood has washed away our sins! That is why Jesus could tell the woman that He did not condemn her—because He would be condemned for her sin as well as ours at the cross.
Beloved, Jesus’ light unveils the truth that our sins have been completely removed. It reveals how perfect and spotless we are because of Christ’s perfect work at the cross. When you know this, you can go boldly into God’s presence, knowing that you have the light of life that gives you grace and hope!

Thought For The Day

Jesus’ light unveils the truth that our sins have been completely removed.

Take, Take and Take More

1 Corinthians 2:12         Saint James Assembly of Faith

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

As a child of the Most High God, God wants you to know the things that have been freely given to you. He wants you to receive them freely although it cost Him His Son. He paid the price, but He wants you to receive the blessings freely. That is His love toward you.
Perhaps you are asking God, “How is it that I don’t have this blessing? And why do I have so little of that?”
I believe that He is saying this to you: “What do you lack, My child? Health? Take it! It has been paid for with the life of My Son.
“Do you need peace of mind? My Son wore the crown of thorns on His head to give it to you. Take it!
“Lack wisdom? Take My wisdom!
“Need victory? Victory is not something you attain. It is a gift to be received. Take it!
“Take My provision! Take My favor! Every time you come into My Presence, take, and take some more!”
God, your heavenly Father, wants you to receive like the prodigal son, who deserved nothing, but received everything. (Luke 15:11–24) God delights in giving freely. And He delights in you receiving freely because it shows that you value and appreciate His Son’s sacrifice.
You miss it when you are busy trying to earn what has been freely given to you, when you think that you must do more for God to bless you, or that you must pay the price for it. God cannot give it to you based on your works because if it is by works, it is no longer by grace. When you try to work for it, you frustrate the grace of God and make light of Jesus’ work at Calvary.
My friend, the days of trying, striving and earning are over. The days of take, take and take more have come. Take and you will bring pleasure to God’s heart!

Thought For The Day

God delights in you taking freely from Him because it shows that you value and appreciate His Son’s sacrifice.

If God didn’t give you what you asked for, could it be He has something better planned?

Matthew 26:39

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.

A Better Answer

Sometimes we pray for things that are not in our best interests. The mother of the disciples John and James asked Jesus if her sons could be allowed to sit at His right hand on the throne next to Him, but Jesus said that she really didn’t know what she was asking for (Matt. 20:22a). He then turned to these two disciples to see if they were able to drink from the same cup that Jesus was going to drink from (Matt. 20:22b), and they answered yes, they can. The point of this encounter is that sometimes we don’t know enough to know what to pray for. God may not give us what we asked for–He may give us something better. Do you believe that? Can you trust God with that?

Jesus’ Prayer Rejected

Can you imagine Jesus’ own prayer being turned down? That’s exactly what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus twice asked to have this cup removed, but He prayed that the Father’s will be done over His own will (Matt. 26:42). What if the Father had given what Jesus had asked for? Would Jesus have avoided the cross? Would we have a way to have our sins forgiven? We will never know, but we do know that Jesus intended to die for our sins. I don’t think there was a chance that Jesus was ever going to avoid the cross and thereby taking on our sins. It must have been tremendous pressure on Him because He had to take upon Himself every vile and evil sin that has ever been committed and will be committed in the future. Remember that Jesus was sinless. It wasn’t as much the scourging and the crucifixion as it was being separated from the Father for a time on the cross and taking upon Himself all of humanity’s sins because sinfulness is the exact opposite of the nature of God, as He is holy.

God Knows Better

Truly, God knows better than we do what we need, and when we pray, He hears our prayers but might decline the specific answer because He has something much better for us. Imagine you are a parent and your child comes up to you and asks you for a plastic toy car, but you already have something reserved that you are going to surprise him or her with. You tell the child, “No, I am not going to give you the little plastic car that you asked for. Instead I’m going to give you something better. It’s a wireless remote control car!” At first the child is disappointed because they didn’t get the plastic car they asked for, but when they see how much better the car is and that it’s remote controlled and a wireless one at that, they’re going to be so much happier with it than what they previously asked for. The child trades in a temporary disappointment for an exceedingly better answer, so if God doesn’t give you exactly what you asked for, it might well be that He has something better for you. That’s where you have to trust an all-wise and all-knowing God, Who knows better than we do what is best for us.

A Closing Prayer

Father, I want You to forgive me for not trusting You enough to understand that You are God and You always do what is not only best for me but what is better than I know enough to ask for, and in Jesus Christ’ holy name I pray.

Amen

How much are you willing to give up to get more people to heaven?

Mark 10:29-30

Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.

Losing Little to Gain Much

Peter just told Jesus that the disciples had left everything to follow Jesus (Mark 10:28). Jesus didn’t argue with them because they did leave all to follow Him. They left their fishing boats, their trade, their job security, their living, and their family to follow Jesus. But He told the disciples that no one who leaves their family and fields (meaning their way to earn a living) will fail to receive a hundred times as much in the coming kingdom of God, and that includes eternal life (Mark 10:29-30). How can you put a price tag on eternal life? You simply cannot. The disciples also likely lost all of their friends, too, so they simply left everything to follow Jesus. How much are we willing to give up to get more people to heaven? Good question, isn’t it?

Laying Down Our Life

When Jesus bids us to also forsake all and follow Him, this means that we will also lose our life. That doesn’t mean that we’ll be persecuted unto death, although in much of the world that’s what happens. For us it might mean leaving behind our allegiance to the things we really love. What would that be for you? Would it mean you stop following some of your favorite sports teams if you were skipping Sunday services to do so? Would it mean, as it has for me, missing much of the sports on Saturdays or my favorite movies in order to go into my community and either go door to door or witness to people I meet on the streets? It is laying down our lives, our own interests, our own natural desires, and our own resting time for some? The Apostle John said that he knew what love really was; it was shown by Jesus willingly laying down His life for us. John says we also ought to be laying down our lives for others (1 John 3:16) in the church by serving them and for those who need to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Spending Ourselves

I buy my own Bible tracts, which I think is very important because I am sowing into the work of the Lord and it will reap eternal rewards someday. I know that God’s Word never returns void and will accomplish exactly what He sends it out to do (Isaiah 55:11). Paul said that he even expended himself for the Lord’s purposes and for the church (2 Cor. 12:15). Paul was a servant of Christ, and the Greek word for servant, “doulos,” means “a slave, bondman” and “a man of servitude.” So that’s how we should look at it. Paul says that we are technically not our own because Jesus purchased us by His own blood (1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Cor. 7:23), so we are now slaves of Christ. Like a slave, we have no rights to make ourselves happy but the Master, and our Master is Christ.

A Closing Prayer

Father God, thank You for sending Jesus to die for me by purchasing me by His own blood. Please show me new ways to reach those who don’t yet know Christ so that they might be saved, even if it means giving up what I have, and in Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

If you stopped believing in God, would your life look different?

Luke 15:12

The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

The Prodigal Son

Many of you have probably read the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), and if you saw the prodigal son’s father as symbolic of God the Father and you or someone you know as the prodigal son or daughter who stopped believing in his or her father, would your life look different? Would you or I end up a “pigpen” of our own making? I would think so. Maybe you know of someone who’s fallen away from their faith or belief in God. How different does their life look now? I know of a man whose heart became hardened after he left his belief in God, and he got into sin that is so much worse than even some non-believers that I know of. He’s now into pornography and heavy drinking, and I think he might even be dabbling in drugs. His finances are in ruins, and his marriage is about to be dashed to pieces. His life took a hard turn to the left, and now he’s in worse condition than ever. I’ve been praying that this friend of mine would return to the Father and that he’d be restored once again to faith in God.

The Prodigal Father

Most people call it the Parable of the Prodigal Son, but it could just as easily be called the Parable of the Prodigal Father because the father was hurt the most at the beginning, having his son leave him and ask for his inheritance well before his father’s time. This was like saying to his father, “Father, forget you. I wish you were dead. I want my inheritance now and never want to see you again.” We usually think of Jesus’ suffering on the cross, but didn’t God the Father also suffer by seeing His innocent Son being put to shame and dying a criminal’s death, even though He was completely sinless? How the Father must have suffered, too.

The Wheat and the Tares

I know of some people who say they lost their faith, but I wonder if they ever had it in the first place. The Apostle John wrote about those who have left as if they were really never of the church at all. John says that they left but never really belonged to us, and by their leaving, they proved that they did not belong to us (1 John 2:19). If they had been part of them, they would not have left in the first place, so reasons John. Someday those who believe they are Christ’s will hear the most horrendous words, which is that they thought Jesus was their Lord, but Christ tells them to depart because He never knew them at all (Matt. 7:21-23). I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to find out how my life would look different if I stopped believing in God. Do you?

A Closing Prayer

Great God in heaven, help me to stay close to You so that I never depart in unbelief and forsake the only hope there is in the world (Acts 4:12) because it would not go well with my soul; of that I am sure. In Jesus’ precious name I pray.

Amen

Does God have your steering wheel? Or is He just the emergency brake?

Proverbs 3:5

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

Letting Go of the Steering Wheel

How hard is it for you to let go of the steering wheel of life and let God drive? Are you like me sometimes and try taking the steering wheel over yourself? Occasionally, I am a backseat driver, and then when I lose control, I use God as the emergency brake. I’m not particularly proud of that fact, but I have to be honest. Some people have told me that they sometimes make God the spare tire and keep Him in the back, in the trunk and use Him only for emergency breakdowns. That’s a pretty good analogy, too. I can’t cast the first lug nut, though, because I like to be in control of my own life, but I risk making everything a wreck. How about you? Does God have your steering wheel, or do you take the wheel? Do you also use Him for just an emergency brake or even a spare tire?

Cease From Striving

How easy it is to strive and wrestle with God like Jacob did the angel until he blessed him (Gen. 32:26). We are told to stop striving and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). The Hebrew word used for “striving” is an interesting one. It’s “raphah” and means “to sink down” or “to relax,” so if we read this from the perspective of what this verse really says, we need to sink down and relax by realizing that He is God–and we most certainly are not. Remember that God can see all the way to the end of road, including around the corners. I can hardly see ten feet in front of me. Who would you rather have driving? The God of the universe Who made the car or you, who doesn’t even know exactly how everything under the hood works? You know the answer to that rhetorical question; it should be God.

Hands off the Wheel

Let me tell you that taking your hands off the wheel of your life is a little like Peter walking on water;  you can do it, but it’s scary and you can’t take your eyes off Jesus. The moment you do, you’re going to try to take the steering wheel back over again, and there’s room for only one driver. Can you imagine trying to have two different hands on the steering wheel? I remember taking driver education long, long ago. The teacher had a brake that extended over into the front passenger side floorboard just in case of an emergency, but there was no way he could correct the steering wheel quickly enough to avoid an accident. I learned to trust the teacher and listen to what he told me. I don’t believe they have those extra brakes anymore in driver education cars, but the one who is still really driving that car is the student; however, they are doing so under the teacher’s supervision. Only later will the teacher let them do it as he or she sits in silence. As for me, I want to be in the passenger seat and let God do the driving because then the emergency brake won’t ever be needed.

A Closing Prayer

Father, You are sovereign over all things, and sometimes when I wrestle control from Your hands and take over the steering, I end up in the ditch. Please help me to trust You more and cease from striving so that I can sink down in my seat and relax and let You do the driving. In the Mighty Name of the Son of God I pray.

Amen

Do you compare your life to people around you, or to me?

Second Corinthians 10:12

Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.

Compared to What?

I’ve heard the phrase “compared to what” used a lot when we compare things, circumstances or ourselves with anyone or our life issues with nearly anything, but it almost always turns out to be a bad idea. When something bad happens and someone says, “Well it’s not that bad,” the response I hear a lot is “compared to what.” Have you heard that before? I hate comparing my problems with other people’s because we are all so different, and we all have such differing thresholds for pain that it‘s usually not a fair comparison. Paul knew that it was very unwise to compare ourselves to others because we really don’t realize what or whom we’re supposed to be compared against.

At Least I’m Not…

When I was witnessing to a stranger the other day, he was convinced that he was a pretty good person, but compared to whom? Compared to his own ideas of what is good and what is bad. God’s idea is that we need to be perfect, having the required righteousness of Christ. I reminded him that none of us are really good, not even one of us (Rom. 3:10); it’s just that we’ve been forgiven by a very good God. He said, “Well, at least I’m not a murderer,” but I told him that each of us will have to stand and give an account for what we’ve done in this life (Rom. 14:12; 1 Cor. 5:10) and that God will not say, “Well, compared to your neighbor there, you’re a pretty good guy.” No, we will stand alone, and God won’t say, “Okay, I’ll wait until you find someone who’s worse than you and then judge you according to how bad they are.” Try that in a court of law. I can guarantee that it won’t work.

The Foolishness of Comparison

Paul said that not only is it foolish to compare ourselves with others, but we dare not even try to classify ourselves in a certain standing before God based upon what we think (2 Cor. 10:12a). Jesus said that we must be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matt. 5:48) and that our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees (Matt. 5:20), so that presents a problem. Nothing sinful or imperfect can even enter heaven (Rev. 21:27). We must compare ourselves to the model of Christ and not others, and that’s a pretty high bar to reach, but there is a solution. For those who have repented and trusted in Christ, they will be seen as having the same righteousness as Christ (2 Cor. 5:21). Problem solved.

A Closing Prayer

Father, please help me to not compare my own behavior or life against that of others because that is not the standard to which You will judge us. I know that I must have Jesus’ own righteousness and thank You, God, that You made that possible, and in Christ’s name I pray.

Amen

Are you willing to tell God that He can have whatever He wants from you?

Matthew 19:21

Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

Who Is Our God?

When a rich, young ruler came to Jesus to ask Him what he must do to inherit eternal life, he asked the wrong question. Every other religion outside of Christianity is about what they must do; it is “do, do, do.” But with Christianity, it is “done!” There is nothing we can do to save ourselves except repent and place our trust in Christ. It’s not about what we do but what He has done. To show the young man that his true god was not God the Father but his riches, Jesus told him that if he really wanted to be perfect, as he claimed he had already kept all the commandments (Matt. 19:20), then he should give all of his wealth to the poor and then follow Him. The man walked away sad because his idol was money and he was not willing to give it up (Matt. 19:22). How many of us are willing to tell God that He can have anything we have?

Be on Guard

Jesus warned His listeners to guard against covetousness because our life really doesn’t consist of what we have (Luke 12:15). We can have riches, or the riches can have us. Our hearts should be bent toward God’s Word and His statutes and not focused on gain (Psalm 119:36). Even if we are increased in riches, we are never to set our hearts on them (Psalm 62:10). It is a godly thing to be content with what we have (1 Tim. 6:6). That’s why if we do have wealth, we should be striving to build heavenly riches and not earthly riches (Matt. 6:20). You can’t take it with you, but you can send it ahead by giving for the work of the kingdom here on earth. Invest in His kingdom, and you’ll see the eternal returns when the kingdom finally comes.

The Example of the Early Church

The church in the first century was all about helping her members and the work of Christ. This church willingly gave up their possessions, and some even sold their land so that no one in the church would have any need (Acts 2:45). I would think this rarely happens in the church today because we are so concerned about our day-to-day existence. I am just as guilty of this. I remember hearing one old wise pastor say, “Never resist an impulse of generosity,” and I believe he was right. In the early church, there were no needy persons. Why? It was because from time to time, when the need arose, some of the Christians sold their land to make sure there was never anyone in need (Acts 4:34). So I ask you this question, and I ask it of myself, too: Are you and I willing to tell God that He can have whatever He wants from us?

A Closing Prayer

Father, please help me to be more generous, to give when there are needs that arise within the church, and to trust You to supply my need, even when I give out of my own necessities. In the Great Son of God’s name, Jesus Christ, I pray.

Amen

Faith, hope, and love. The greatest of these is… ?

First Corinthians 13:13

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Without Love

If not for God’s love, we would not be saved (John 3:16). God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son to die for those who would believe in Him. The greatest display of love in all eternity was Jesus voluntarily going to the cross. No one really took Jesus’ life from Him; He died willingly so that we’d have eternal life (John 10:18). There is no greater love than the love of a friend who would die willingly for a friend, that is that they would lay down their life for another (John 15:13). Most would die for their spouse or children, but who among us would die for their enemy (Rom. 5:8)? However, that is exactly what Jesus did, dying 2000 years ago knowing we’d be wicked sinners (Rom. 5:10).

Dying for Our Own

As I touched on earlier, most of us would give our lives if it meant protecting our family or friends or for a righteous person (Rom. 5:7), but for someone who didn’t deserve it, not likely. We can say we have faith, but without love, it’s meaningless. Without love, we’re only making a bunch of useless noise (1 Cor. 13:1). We might say we have hope in Christ, but without having the love of God in our hearts, it’s all useless talk. If you had to rank these three–faith, hope, and love–I would think that love would be at the top. If it wasn’t for God’s love, we’d still be in our sins. It took the perfect sacrifice to forgive those who are imperfect. None of us are good (Rom. 3:10), and every one of us has fallen short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23), but God’s goodness led us to repentance (Rom. 2:4).

Faith, Hope, or Love

Faith can move mountains (Matt. 17:20), and hope is an anchor to our soul (Heb. 6:19), but it is love above all things that saved us from the wrath of God. Paul ranked faith, hope, and love and declared under the inspiration of God that love is the greatest of all these by far (1 Cor. 13:13). Why is love the greatest? It not only saved us from eternal death (John 3:16), but love is patient, kind, not boastful, not arrogant, not rude, not resentful and doesn’t insist on getting its own way (1 Cor. 13:4-5). Love endures all things, hopes all things, bears all things, and believes all things (1 Cor. 13:6), which I believe means that love gives people the benefit of the doubt. There is no doubt about it: Love is the greatest of all these. How can faith or hope do these things?

A Closing Prayer

Father, please help me to love my enemies, to pray for those who persecute me, to feed my enemies, to bless those who curse me because You loved me when I was unlovely and died for me who is unworthy, and to put love above all things. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

Why do you act as if I am not right next to you? Aren’t I always with you?

Matthew 28:20

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Christ in You

For anyone who has been born again, Christ is in them, and they’ve been quickened or made alive in Him but dead to sin (Rom. 8:10). That means our old nature, although not completely erased (Rom. 7:14), has been changed. We are now new creations in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). Essentially, the old is gone and the new has arrived, but we still live in the world that fights against our new nature. Imagine this: If you were sitting on the couch watching TV, would you still be watching what you are watching? Since Jesus is always with you (Matt. 28:20), are you grieving Him by what you are watching? What about the Internet or movies? If Jesus were sitting right next to you on the couch or in a chair, what would He think? Would you still watch what you are watching?

He Is With You

We know that if we are God’s own children, Christ is within our midst. So I ask this question of myself and of you: Why do you and I act as if He’s not right next to us since He’s always with us? Do you remember the old WWJD wrist bands? These wrist bands had a good intention. They were made to make us think about what Jesus would do in situations that we found ourselves in during our day. A better idea is this: WWJT? That is, what would Jesus think if you understood that He was right there with you every step you took today? What would Jesus think, what would Jesus say, and how would Jesus react if you were doing something contrary to what He taught? Sort of convicting, isn’t it?

A New Heart, A New Life

When we had that time where we repented of our sins and placed our trust in Christ, He gave us a new heart. He took out the heart of stone and replaced it with a heart of flesh (Ezek. 36:26). This should mean that we have a more tender heart now, and what we see with our eyes and what we hear with our ears should be those things that would please the Father because Jesus always did those things which pleased the Father (John 8:29). Therefore, that should be our goal, too. Today try to imagine that Jesus is right next to you wherever you go and is hearing every word you speak, watching everything you see, and listening to everything you hear. Since Jesus is always with us, would that change your life and what you did today?

A Closing Prayer

Father God, I know that Your Word says that Jesus is with us every day, and I know I must have grieved Him many times, so please forgive my living in a way that is contrary to You. Help me to keep in mind that He is with me today wherever I go, and in His precious name I pray.

Amen

Do you give out of guilt or joy?

Luke 6:37

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.

Guilt Trips

Some people, even in the church, give offerings because they’ve been made to feel guilty by others. This is in direct opposition to what Paul says, that we are to give out of a joyful heart, not out of compulsion, because God wants a joyful giver (2 Cor. 9:7). Even in the Old Testament, the idea of giving out of a generous, joyful heart was present. God never wants our money if we feel guilt-laden or we’re giving it grudgingly (Deut. 15:10). God doesn’t really want your money as much as He wants you and your heart. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t give; however, we shouldn’t give if we feel like others are making us feel guilty if we don’t.

The Genius of Generosity

It is really in our best interest when we are generous with what God has given us and not just because God will bless the generous person (Prov. 11:25). God promises that whoever it is who gives to the poor will be rewarded from God Himself (Prov. 19:17). As long as the willingness to give is in the heart, God accepts it (2 Cor. 8:12). Paul never wanted gifts for the work of the Lord to be a forced or involuntary obligation but to be freely given in a volunteering heart (Philem. 14).

Secret Giving

When you give to the needy, it is best to not tell anyone about it because the only One Who needs to know, indeed the most important One to know, is God (Matt. 6:3). Those things that you give in secret will be rewarded openly someday by God (Matt. 6:4). Why would we want to lay up treasures here on earth if we can’t take them with us into the kingdom? Why not store up our treasures where they will be preserved for us from thieves or corruption (Matt. 6:19-20)? Jesus tells us that our heart really lies where our treasures are  (Matt. 6:21). It’s a complete waste of time to worry about the things in this world (Matt. 6:31-32) because the true riches are in the King of the kingdom. If that is our focus, God’s promise is that we’ll have every need of ours met (Matt. 6:33).

A Closing Prayer

Great Creator God, please forgive me for focusing on the things of this world and not on You, for You are eternal but all the things of this world will burn up some day (2 Pet. 3:10). Please help me to keep a kingdom focus and give generously for eternal rewards, not for those things that will all pass away, and in Jesus’ most precious name I pray.

Amen

Are you in Love with God, or just the things He gives you?

Matthew 6:33

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Seeking the King First

If we are really Christ’s, then He is going to be most precious to us. What “things” can compare to the riches in Christ Jesus? This is what the unsaved run after (Matt. 6:32). If we are running after these things, then we are not seeking the kingdom first, and seeking the kingdom first means seeking the King of that kingdom ahead of everything else. The psalmist knew that he would lack nothing with His Shepherd being his own (Psalm 23:1).

Supplies All of Our Needs

We should be pursing Christ and not things. The question is, are we really in love with God or just the things that God has provided for us? The first time I was in love with a girl in elementary, I spent money on her for things that I knew she would love. I didn’t care if I had to break the piggy bank and spend every last penny I had on her. She was, at least I thought at the time, the most precious thing in my life, and my money meant nothing compared to her. In similar fashion, Jesus must be most precious to us or we have our hearts still set on the things of this world. We already have God’s promise of His meeting every one of our needs, but it is according to the true treasure house of riches in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19).

Prospering in All Good Things

God is not against people who are rich or those who are trying to make a living, but the only riches that won’t burn up on the Day of Judgment will be those things done for Christ. The Apostle John said he wanted all things to go well for the church and for them to prosper (3 John 2-3), but there is a danger in riches in that we might tend to forget God (Prov. 30:8). When we seem to have everything we need, we tend to forget God, just like ancient Israel did so many times (Deut. 8:10-14). Make no mistake about it, God is obviously able to provide us with every blessing we will ever need (2 Cor. 9:8), but He wants us to pursue Jesus Christ and His righteousness because when we do, He will supply everything we will ever need in this life (Matt. 6:33).

A Closing Prayer

Father God, I tend to rely on my own pocketbook more than I do in pursuing You. Please forgive me when I fail to seek You above all things because at Your return, those will be the only things that really matter, and in the precious name of Christ I pray.

Amen

Jesus Calling

BE WILLING TO FOLLOW wherever I lead. Follow Me wholeheartedly, with glad anticipation quickening your pace. Though you don’t know what lies ahead, I know; and that is enough! Some of My richest blessings are just around the bend: out of sight, but nonetheless very real. To receive these gifts, you must walk by faith - not by sight. This doesn’t mean closing your eyes to what is all around you. It means subordinating the visible world to the invisible Shepherd of your soul.

 

Sometimes I lead you up a high mountain with only My hand to support you. The higher you climb, the more spectacular to view becomes; also, the more keenly you sense your separation from the world with all its problems. This frees you to experience exuberantly the joyous reality of My Presence. Give yourself fully to these Glory-moments, awash in dazzling Light. I will eventually lead you down the mountain, back into community with others. Let My Light continue to shine within you as you walk among people again.

Life Under The New Covenant

Life Under The New Covenant     Saint James Assembly of Faith

10/5/2016

Hebrews 8:10
…I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts…What laws was God referring to when He said, “I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts”? He was certainly not referring to the Ten Commandments, known as the laws of the old covenant, since He said that He found fault with that covenant and declared it obsolete. (Hebrews 8:7–9, 13)

The laws that God puts in our minds and writes on our hearts refer to the royal law of love (Matthew 22:37–40), the perfect law of liberty (James 1:25) and the law of faith. (Romans 3:27) These are the laws of the new covenant.
You live according to the laws of the new covenant when you are conscious of how much God loves you. And the more you are conscious of His love for you, the more your heart is filled with love. When that happens, you will love God and the people around you supernaturally and effortlessly. That is God writing on your heart the royal law of love—that we love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Secondly, when you know that you are perfectly accepted by God because of Jesus’ sacrifice, you can have the courage and liberty as a child of God to come boldly into the presence of your heavenly Father. And in His presence, He is able to write on your heart new desires. You will find yourself wanting to do the right thing at the right time. You will live life victoriously from the inside out. This is the perfect law of liberty operating in your life.
Thirdly, when you sense what God is writing on your heart and putting in your mind, and as your faith is activated causing you to trust Him and His love for you, He calls it obeying the law of faith. When that happens, whatever you believe, you receive!
My friend, God has made it easy—and you will find that it is exciting—to live life under the new covenant!

Something New (Today's Reading Ephesians 2:10-22)

It was only scrap wood, but Charles Hooper saw much more than that. Salvaging old timbers from long-abandoned corncrib, he sketched some simple plans. Then he felled a few oak and poplar trees from his wooded property and painstakingly squared them with his grandfather's broadax. Piece by piece, he began to fit together the old lumber with the new.

Today you can see Charles and Shirley Hooper's postcard-perfect log cabin, tucked away in the trees on Tennessee Ridge. Part guesthouse, part museum for family heirlooms, the structure stands as an enduring tribute to Charles' vision, skill, and patience.

Writing to a Gentile audience, Paul told the church at Ephesus how Jesus was creating something new by bringing together Jewish and non-Jewish believers as a single entity. "You who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ," Paul wrote (Eph. 2:13). This new structure was "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord" (vv. 20-21).

The work continues today. God takes the brokenness of our lives, artfully fits us together with other broken and rescued people, and patiently chips away our rough edges. He loves His work, you know.

Saint James Assemblt of Faith 

Feeling Insignificant?

We are among seven billion people who coexist on a tiny planet that resides in a small section of a rather insignificant solar system. Our earth, in reality, is just one minuscule blue dot among millions of celestial bodies that God created. On the gigantic canvas that is our universe, our beautiful, majestic Earth appears as a tiny speck of dust.
That could make us feel extremely unimportant and inconsequential. However, God's Word suggests that just the opposite is true. Our great God, who "measured the waters in the hollow of His hand" (Isa. 40:12), has singled out each person on this planet as supremely important, for we are made in His image.
For instance, He has created everything for us to enjoy (1 Tim. 6:17). Also, for all who have trusted Jesus as Savior, God has given purpose (Eph. 2:10). And then there's this: Despite the vastness of this world, God cares specifically about each of us. Psalm 139 says He knows what we are going to say and what we are thinking. We can't escape His presence, and He planned our earthly existence before we were born.
We don't need to feel unimportant when the God of the universe is that interested in us!
Saint James Assembly of Faith