In Sunday school a few weeks ago, we read Psalm 119:10, which says, With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. The first part of the verse seemed to jump off the page at me. Have I sought the Lord with my WHOLE heart? This was not the topic of our lesson, but reading this verse in that moment caused me to meditate on this truth later. Boy, was I convicted! What have I been seeking? Perhaps I had been seeking the Lord with my heart, but that alone is not what this verse is saying. …my whole heart… in this verse specifies that I am not to give only pieces of it.

After hearing a message called “Absolute Surrender” by D. L. Moody, a preacher named F. B. Meyer knelt down to pray one night, thinking he could surrender to Christ only what he wanted to surrender. He told this story in an address he gave at a student missions convention in 1898:

I knelt down that night and thought I could give myself to Christ as easily as possible. And I gave Him an iron ring, the iron ring of my will, with all the keys of my life on it, except one little key that I kept back. And He said: “Are they all here?” I said: “They are all there but one, the key of a tiny closet in my heart of which I must keep control.” He said: “If you don’t trust Me in all, you don’t trust Me at all.” I tried to make terms; I said: “Lord, I will be so devoted in everything else, but I can’t live without the contents of that closet.” I believe, young friends, that my whole life was just hovering on the balance, and, if I had kept the key of that closet and had mistrusted Christ, He never would have trusted me with His blessed Word. He seemed to be receding from me, and I called Him back and said: “I am not willing, but I am willing to be made willing.” It seemed as though He took that key out of my hand and went straight for that closet. I knew what He would find there, and He knew, too. Within a week from that time, He had cleared it right out. But He filled it with something so much better! Why, what a fool I was! He wanted to take away the sham jewels to give me the real ones. He just took away the thing which was eating out my life and instead gave me Himself.

F. B. Meyer discovered that being used of God was worth more than holding on to a tiny key to a hidden place in his heart. God knows our hearts, and He wants our willingness to give our heart to Him—ALL of it.

People seek after many things in this life, and they are not necessarily all bad things. People seek after fame, fortune, happiness, and the list goes on; however, in doing so, they fail to see that Christ is the answer. As children of God, we know to seek God in all things. Yet we still seem to lose sight sometimes of how He wants our WHOLE heart. Other earthly things can cloud our minds, causing us to lose our focus on what is most important—Christ. We disconnect from our Source of joy when we fail to seek Him with our whole heart.

At a ladies meeting I attended years ago, the speaker read Psalm 37:4: Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Then, she said that, if we delighted ourselves in the Lord wholeheartedly, His desires for us would become our own desires. When we are “willing to be made willing,” surrender all the keys (even the tiniest ones), and seek Him with our whole heart, He will be able to use us for His glory. In return, we will discover how to live a truly abundant life.

May this be a challenge to us all to be willing to be made willing and to seek the Lord with our WHOLE heart.

by Taylor Hill

Editor’s Note: The above story was taken from an address given at a student convention that was held in Cleveland, Ohio, on February 23-27, 1898, and recorded in the The Student Missionary Appeal, Addresses at the Third International Convention of the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions, pp. 3-17

There are times when my pastor will say something off-hand during a message that will be just what God wants me to hear at that moment. It might not be something in his sermon notes or something he had planned to say, but rather it is a spur-of-the-moment thought that he quickly delivers before moving on to his next point. He was preaching recently about Peter and his betrayal of Jesus and compared it to our fighting the good fight. Somewhere in the middle of these great points, he casually mentioned the Beatitudes. This registered as the “Be” Attitudes for me and spurred a study of Matthew 5.

Merriam-Webster defines beatitude as “a state of utmost bliss.” As I pondered the famous verses often labeled as the Beatitudes, I realized that each one can be used as a guide for our attitudes.

Prompting this attitude adjustment, I first was struck by the audience in Matthew 5. All my life I have considered the Sermon on the Mount to be a message that was delivered to the multitudes. This time, when reading this passage and looking in Matthew 4 for a reference point, I realized that the message was actually delivered to the disciples alone! Matthew 5:1-2 states, And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Now I can picture this to be a management staff meeting rather than a marketing message! With that in mind, the Beatitudes take on a whole new meaning for me.

Matthew 5:3 says, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for their’s is the kingdom of heaven. As disciples, we will face times of poor spirits. There will come a day or a situation that causes us to be downtrodden and feel beaten. Our usual, happy spirits may be tucked away and buried under stress or daily pressures. Jesus told His disciples (and thus me) not to focus on the situations that cause our spirits to be down but rather to focus on Whose we are! The kingdom of Heaven is ours because we are children of the King! In spite of what we face today that may dampen our spirits, we must focus on our status as God’s children in order to be grateful!

Matthew 5:4 says, Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. We immediately think of mourning the loss of a loved one. If we live long enough, none of us will be sheltered from this type of mourning. We could be mourning something else, though: the loss of a job, lack of acknowledgement, family or loved ones not doing right, our best friends turning out to be hollow, and the list continues. We are reminded in Philippians 4:4, Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. I am not saying that we should throw confetti when we have lost someone or something precious. I am saying that, while we may be facing a loss, we should be assured.

Matthew 5:5 says, Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Merriam-Webster defines meek as “enduring injury with patience and without resentment.” This does not mean we are to be pushovers. It actually reflects a deeper character of endurance. Anyone can fly off the handle and react dramatically to a perceived wrong done to him. It takes a strong character and effort to calmly let the issue pass and even stronger character to do so without resentment! Ouch—that hits home! Jesus tells us that justice will be served. Respond calmly, if at all, to that “snake in the grass” who took credit for all the work. They may be on topside today, but eventually we will …inherit the earth. Just be patient.

Matthew 5:6 says, Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. I do not know what others crave, but there are times when I crave foods that are bad for me. I know they are bad for me, yet I eat my fill. Not long afterward, I find myself hungry again, or worse—miserable from the gluttony. The same can hold true for my pastimes. I can give in to the temporary craving for junk food (FakeBook, Instaregret, etc.) or I can feed myself with more fulfilling efforts (prayer, encouragement, fellowship, etc.). The former activities are forgotten almost as fast as we partake. The latter activities fill us with a lasting sense of accomplishment that will not fade.

At work, there are activities that we can complete because they are fast or easy (such as clearing out junk email). Completing this type of task will provide a temporary sense of accomplishment. I mean, who likes to see 600 emails piled up in a day? If that is all that gets our focus, we will not be successful nor fulfilled in our careers. It is important to find the meaningful work. Do those things that will make a difference. Ask, “Will it matter to someone in five years?” If it will, then that is where our efforts should be invested. Whatever the pursuit, be virtuous.

Matthew 5:7 says, Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. The often-quoted “golden rule” says, “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” It is so easy to judge someone based on what is seen, but God wants us to show mercy instead. Why? We, too, will need mercy. This lesson struck me hardest when I went through my divorce. Until that time, I can recall agreeing with people when they stated, “She just didn’t try hard enough,” or “There’s always a way to make it work.” I learned that it does not matter how hard one tries if the other person does not want to try. I learned that the only way to make it work was to let it go. I needed mercy and not judgment. Until we have walked someone’s exact path (and no two ever do), be forgiving.

Matthew 5:8 says, Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. A few years ago, I had the privilege of participating in the dissection of a pig heart. There were two hearts at our table, and it turned out that one was diseased and the other was healthy. The stark contrast was incredible. The function of the heart is to pump blood and oxygen throughout the body. The diseased heart was so clogged that there was little room for blood to flow. Proverbs 4:23 tells us, Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. If we are to keep our hearts pure physically, we need to make sure that our eating habits are not clogging it up and that our stress levels are not causing damage. Obviously, there are spiritual applications to this verse, but the natural application cannot be ignored. The heart is a critical organ, meaning we cannot live without it. God wants us to keep our hearts pure, or clean, so the blood can flow as designed. Whichever perspective (spiritual or physical) we choose to apply to this verse, Jesus clearly wants us to be healthy.

Matthew 5:9 says, Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. When trying to reconcile two opposing parties, how can we bring about peace? We do so by showing credibility and objectivity to both parties. In the workplace, a person who is known to be a gossip or a meddler will find that their efforts to mediate peace between two or more conflicting parties are fruitless. Furthermore, we cannot share the Good News of the Gospel and be taken seriously unless we are living a life that mirrors the grace of God. In a world where good is fighting evil more than ever, we must be credible in all our dealings.

Matthew 5:10-11 says, Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for their’s is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. One thing I love about these verses is that Jesus tells us we will be persecuted, hated, and falsely accused, yet He already knows about it! When taking a stand on the right side, we will be attacked; therefore, He once again reminds us to take our focus off the negative (the persecution) and see the positive (Heaven is our end result). In the face of adversity, be calm because God has everything under control!

by Melissa Caperton

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. – I Thessalonians 5:18

The above verse is an imperative sentence, meaning that it is a command. We are commanded to give thanks in EVERY thing. That is no small task!

I do not know how others think, but when I stub my toe, my first thought is not to give thanks. When unexpected bills come, when the house is a mess, or when I lose a loved one, my first thought is not to give thanks.

Giving thanks is not just a command; according to this verse, it is the will of God for our lives. As a Christian, my greatest desire is to be in God’s will, to have Him be pleased with me, and to hear Him say one day when I arrive in Heaven, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” It may be a hard pill to swallow, but if I do not give thanks in EVERY thing, I am not fulfilling God’s will and therefore will not be found faithful.

Being thankful is not telling God that we appreciate the fact that our lives are not in shambles, though it definitely is worth thanking Him for that if that is true of our lives. Far too often we are found thankful only for the good things in our lives and only when things are going well in our lives. If we are not careful, we will become attached to the things in our lives. Whenever we get too attached to the things, we become distant from the God Who gave them to us. When we are distant from God, it is highly unlikely that we will be thankful.

Our true character, love, and gratitude are revealed when the things are removed. Every day we face the possibility that a thing or many things in our lives may be taken away.

Let us each ask ourselves, “If I were to lose all the things that I hold dear, would I still thank God?” Job did. Even though all of Job’s riches, his children, and even his health were taken from him, he gave thanks. He said in Job 1:21, …the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. Job’s gratitude paid off in the long run. What an awesome God we serve! When we do what He commands, He blesses us for it.

Like a parent who rewards the child who does not complain about the chores he is given or who is thankful for the food Mom prepares, even if he does not like it, God also is a rewarder of those who are thankful, especially those who are thankful for the not so good things that come their way. After Job lost everything and was still found thankful, God gave him double of all that he had before.

Though it is not always easy to be thankful, will we be found faithful in this endeavor? Can we live by the command …In every thing give thanks:…?

by Crystal Collingsworth

Happy Monday. But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. – Isaiah 64:8

Recently, we observed the birthday of our first-born child. Becky was born to Dr. Hyles and me in Marshall, Texas, and she had the privilege of being a PK (preacher’s kid) in four pastorates. She survived, and she did so in a fine way!

I decided to make her favorite cake for her special day. It is called “The Best Ever Chocolate Cake.” It is; there is no question! The recipe has several ingredients, some of which I do not really like. I have learned, however, that we do not change the recipe if a wonderful, decadent cake is what we want.

Baking is a science (I have learned the hard way). The finest ingredients are to be used, and we are to follow directions correctly. Also, the correct temperature and timing are important for the end result to be what we have planned. Perhaps you can see where I am headed with this line of thinking?

We have said goodbye to another year—Where did it go?—and are well into the new year. As I reflect not only on this last year but also on life itself, I can see a work still being done in me. Many times in Scripture, we are referred to as clay, and God is referred to as the Potter. He is molding us according to a predetermined plan. He is always working on us, if we will allow Him to change us. His finished project is good! Jeremiah 29:11 says, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

For an ugly piece of clay to become a beautiful, useful vessel, there will be times each one wants to shout, “Stop, it hurts!” Also, in the furnace of life, it may seem only to get hotter. However, our Potter has a definite plan. At times, when the pottery has become marred, He makes it over again until it pleases Him. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. – Jeremiah 18:3-4

In His plan, He takes all of the time needed to bring each vessel to completion, which is when He can see Himself reflected in each one. We can rest assured that He Who began a good work will perform it. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: – Philippians 1:6

Therefore, I say, “Pardon my mess! I am a work in progress!”

by Beverly Hyles

From the Mondays with Beverly blog. Reprinted with permission.

Recipe for “The Best Ever Chocolate Cake”

Ingredients:

1 Devil’s Food Cake mix

1 instant chocolate pudding

1 cup sour cream

1/3 cup oil

1/2 cup brewed coffee (or water)

1 cup milk

4 eggs

2 cups chocolate chips

Glaze:

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter

Directions:

Beat first seven ingredients together until smooth.

Blend in 2 cups chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli, best)

Bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes in a greased Bundt cake pan.

Cool completely.

Turn out. Glaze with 1 cup chocolate chips melted in 1/2 cup butter.

Romans 6:12, 14 says, Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body,… For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

I was reared by godly parents in a Christian home. We rarely missed church, and if we did miss church, we had to be deathly ill. Both of my parents served in the church and were faithful. My parents were able to provide my sister and me with a Christian school education from elementary all the way through high school. There was stability in our home, and I knew my parents loved me. I knew the truths found in God’s Word, and I knew how I was expected to act. When I was near the age of 23, I was not living as I should have been living. I was content with living like the world. I had no problem listening to the world’s music, participating in worldly activities, or even talking like the world. I felt no conviction at all. I was fine with my sin. Hence, I was living a life of rebellion. I had everyone who was around me fooled. I was even sitting on a church pew every time the church doors were opened.

At that time, our church started a discipleship program which met every Wednesday night. A more seasoned Christian would sit down one-on-one with a less seasoned Christian and would slowly and deliberately go through a Bible-based course to expound on what we believe and why we believe it. It enabled all Christians involved to grow in Christ and to strengthen their own walk with God. The main purpose was for all participants to be able to share the Gospel with someone else by the end of the program. Having my background, I quickly learned and memorized all of the verses and answered all of the questions as expected. The assignments during the final were to memorize the “Romans Road” verses and to be able to tell someone how to be saved.

As I began to think on my salvation, I fell under deep conviction. I recalled a time when I was near the age of 7 when I knelt down on the floor and listened to my dad pray. The part that bothered me was that I did not remember saying a prayer or doing anything. Either I forgot or nothing happened. This bothered me.

I remember asking myself, “How can I tell someone how to get saved if I am not saved?” I was scared to fall asleep at night, or anytime for that matter, fearing that I would take my last breath and wake up in that horrible place called Hell. I was afraid and was gravely concerned about my lost condition. When I stood before God, what would I say?

“I thought I was saved.”

“My parents told me I was saved.”

“I go to church.”

Sure, I was faithful to church. I had been reared in a Christian home. I was actively participating in a discipleship program. Here I was memorizing Scripture! Despite all of this, I was headed straight to Hell.

The Bible says in Titus 3:5, Not by works of righteousness which we have done,… Ephesians 2:9 talks about how salvation is Not of works,… I even sent this text to my friend who was discipling me: “If someone is not sure they are saved but thinks they are saved, what do they need to do?” I did not fool her! She replied, “Is that someone you?” I told her that the someone was indeed me. The very next day, I spoke with my Sunday school teacher. I asked Jesus to come into my heart, and He saved me!

The first thing I did after I accepted Jesus into my heart was go home and throw my worldly music in the trash. I began asking the Lord to help me talk right. I was ready to let the Lord work in my life and change me. He could not change me until I was saved. This was not an overnight change—He is still working on me; but I am still saved, and I am SURE. I no longer think, “I think I am saved.” I now can say, “I know I am saved!” Now that I know I am saved, I do not want to live in sin, and sin does not need to rule in my heart. The Bible says in Romans 6:14, For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. Certainly, we all have different testimonies and have been reared in different ways. Regardless, we all are saved by only one way—through Jesus Christ! It is nothing that we have done, but it is all in what the Lord did for us.

I am so grateful the Lord was patient with me and loved me enough to die for me and to save me after 23 years of living for myself. As the song says, “He had to reach way down for me.” I hope we all can remember a time when we trusted Jesus as our Saviour. We must never let a day go by in which we do not stop to thank our Saviour for saving us and for allowing us to be able to say, “I KNOW!”

by Mandy Harper

Each year, our church hosts a conference which offers pastors and their families a place to recharge and be encouraged. Four days of messages, fellowship, and encouragement allow our guests to return home equipped to continue their ministry work. There are many roles that must be filled behind the scenes to ensure the conference accomplishes what it is designed to do.

I have filled one of those roles at varying levels for more than two decades now. Those who knew my mother can attest that she had a special talent in the kitchen, and she passed some of those skills on to her children. Continuing her legacy fills us with much joy.

Over the years, my responsibilities have changed—from being an assistant to taking charge of certain portions of the meal—but the experience is always the same. I miss out on much of the preaching and socializing opportunities to keep an eye on things in the kitchen, but that is just fine by me. I consider the kitchen to be my happy place. I love taking raw ingredients and putting them together to create scrumptious dishes and desserts. As I prepare dishes for conference, I take time to pray for those who will partake. I cover each meal in prayer. Sometimes, I pray that I get the seasoning ratios or recipe just right; but more often, my prayers are for the conference delegates who are attending to receive the nourishment (both spiritual and physical) they need to stay in the fight.

I love watching folks enjoy the creations that come from the kitchen. Because of my passion, I used to think Martha got a bad rap for working in the kitchen. If she had not been tending to that necessary work, folks would not have eaten! After all, the food does not prepare itself. I recall going to my Bible after a sermon to see if people were being too critical of Martha’s choice to stay in the kitchen.

But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:40-42)

As I read these verses, the word “cumbered” stood out to me. Martha was not rebuked for working in the kitchen. She was rebuked for her attitude and approach. Rather than serving joyfully, she treated her position of service as a burden and pouted because her sister was not helping her.

I would be lying if I said I have never felt the same way. I remember being stuck in the kitchen with my mom while wishing I could be part of the fun in the dining room at times. During those moments, I found myself “cumbered about much serving” like Martha had been. However, as I grew older, I began to see the happiness that my work in the kitchen could bring to weary, hungry pastors and their families.

Now, I no longer feel “cumbered” in the kitchen. I have learned to enjoy my part of preparing meals and praying for the attendees since that is the gift God has given me. My work is for Him, and seeing people enjoy the fruits of my labor as I view the conference from the kitchen is just an extra blessing.

Friend, maybe you find yourself “cumbered about much serving” in your own area of ministry. Remember—God sees your labor, even if others do not. Take heart! Let your service be from a place of joy, not cumbrance.

Whatever our roles in His service may be, let us remember this admonition from Colossians 3:23: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

by Melissa Caperton

I don’t know about others, but I love getting notes. My boys also love getting cards from their nana, their Sunday school teachers, or their school teachers. It is just a fun way of communication!

My grandma, who went to Heaven a few years ago, was the best at writing notes and keeping in touch with everyone. My mom is great at this as well. While going through my day, I often will get a text from a friend saying, “I’m thinking about and praying for you.” What an encouragement that is! We never know what others are going through in their lives and how much they might need our kind words. After coming home from attending my grandma’s funeral in a distant state, I found a sympathy card waiting for me. Also, one of the sweet ladies in my church handed me a card at the next church service. Proverbs 12:25 says, Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

In this day and age, there are so many different means of communication. We cross paths with different people every day. Some of these people we know from work or church. In our day-to-day lives we encounter people we may not know at a store or in a restaurant. Proverbs 25:11 says, A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

Proverbs 31:26 says, She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. Why don’t each of us take some time out of our day to share a kind, encouraging word with someone else? We can serve the Lord with our words when we are willing to spread kindness and encouragement to others. Whether it is through a card, email, text, or just a kind word shared while “out and about,” what a testimony we can be for the Lord with our encouraging, uplifting, and Christ-honoring words!

by April Pineda

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. – Colossians 2:6-7

Recently, I was running an errand with my three children when they asked if we could get ice cream before we headed home. I told them we might, but it would depend on if we had time and on the quality of their behavior. By the time we finished the errand, it was almost time for dinner. I told my children we would not be stopping for ice cream. Logically, they were upset, and they let me know they were upset. I explained in an effort to gain their understanding, “I wish you would just trust me and know I’m doing my best for you!” This reminded me of a morning when I called to get an unexpected bill lowered, only to be told the amount would not be altered. Like my children, I was frustrated and a little bit, or perhaps a “lotta” bit, angry.

I often preach to my kids about giving thanks in everything, and I recently read a devotion about giving thanks in the trial. Just like my kids need to trust that their mom is making the best decisions she can for them, I need to trust that my perfect heavenly Father is doing what is best for me. I can be thankful because, while I may not enjoy the circumstance He has allowed, I can trust that He has allowed every circumstance for a reason.

My faith will grow as my trust in God grows, and this all comes from walking with Him, just as Colossians 2 says. As I walk with God, my relationship grows, helping me to be …Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith… As my faith is being built, thankfulness will just become a reflex. It will be hard to be ungrateful, even in the tough times, because I know He has been with me all the way. The more I trust Him, the more thankful I am. The more I show Him my thanks, the more I can trust Him.

Let us all remember to trust Him, in good times and bad times, come what may. Our faith to trust is tied to thankfulness. Let us walk with God every day and serve Him faithfully so that we can trust Him always.

by Vicki Voorhis

Happy Monday. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana

Not long ago, I did a thorough study of the book of Deuteronomy. It is basically Moses’ farewell counsel to the Israelites before they marched into the Promised Land. Many times, he said the words remember or take heed as he begged them not to forget all that had happened in the forty years since their leaving slavery in Egypt. Moses warned them that forgetting God’s goodness would bring destruction.

This week, we remember the events of the horrible day of September 11, 2001. The following is a reprint of an article I wrote a few days after that fateful day:

“Tuesdays will never be the same—we will not either,” said Mary Schmich in her column in The Chicago Tribune. This day has been called the “Day of Infamy II.” On a very ordinary day, Tuesday, September 11, 2001, we lost so much. We turned a page in history, the last of which was “innocence.” We lost many precious lives and a feeling of security as Americans. We lost our invulnerability plus some liberty.

However, on that Tuesday, not one of God’s promises failed. …there hath not failed one word of all his good promise,… (I Kings 8:56)

On that Tuesday, God’s compassion did not fail. …his compassions fail not. They are new every morning:… (Lamentations 3:22-23)

On that Tuesday, our Rock and Fortress was not destroyed by a hijacked plane. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. (Psalm 91:2)

On that Tuesday, His mercy was there. …for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalm 106:1)

On that Tuesday, God’s love was not removed by terrorism for He said, …Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:… (Jeremiah 31:3)

On that Tuesday, our Abba Father assured us, …I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5)

My answer to Mary Schmich is, “Some things will always be the same—even on that Tuesday. Our Saviour and His promises can never and will never change!”

Lest we forget!

by Beverly Hyles

From the Mondays with Beverly blog. Reprinted with permission.

From John 5:5-11

In John 5, we find the story of the healing of the man at the pool of Bethesda. I was touched by a few thoughts that I jotted down in the margin of my Bible, and I would like to take a moment to share them.

The man had been sick for a long time.

In verse 5, we learn how long this man had been ill. The Bible does not tell us his name, only that he had been ill for thirty-eight years! I think this is important. God did not want us to remember the man’s name; He wanted us to remember how long he had been sick.

I cannot imagine being sick for that amount of time. I have never endured any difficult time, physical or emotional, for more than a year. The longest I remember being sick was when I was sick for nearly a week when I contracted bronchitis with a high fever. Whatever most of us have gone through, although it may have felt like a long time, it has never lasted thirty-eight years.

Imagine lying beside this healing pool for thirty-eight years with no way to move into the water to be made whole! That is a LONG time to go through any difficult situation and not see a way out! Many of us know people who have been ill for a very long time. We pray for them and desire for them to be well, but we are limited in what we can do for them apart from that. We ourselves may be sick or injured for an extended length of time. No matter how often we pray about the situation, it may seem as if healing will never come. I think this man probably began to feel this way after so many years, and no doubt he asked why he just was not being healed.

Jesus saw him; He knew all about this man.

In verse 6, we are reminded of God’s presence in EVERY situation. The verse begins, When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case,… We may not see a way out of our circumstances, and we may get weary of going through the same thing day after day. We may not see the light at the end of the tunnel, but God sees it. He knows all about it, and He will make a way.

We should never doubt that God is listening to us. He says in Psalm 145:14, The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. Verses 18-19 continue, The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth…he also will hear their cry, and will save them. These are great verses to meditate on and trust in when we are enduring a difficult trial. God IS right there with us, and He cares for and hears us. He will lift us up in His time.

We do not need man to make things right. Instead, we need to depend on Jesus.

In verse 7, we see that this man was discouraged not only because he was ill but also because, every single time the waters were stirred, he had no one to help him get into the water! Sometimes, we get so discouraged with our own illnesses or circumstances because nothing ever seems to change.

In our discouragement, we often reach out to men to try to fix things for us; we attempt to repair the problems on our own. Do not misunderstand me here. I believe we should ask for help from other believers when it is appropriate, but we should not rely totally on their help. Ultimately, we need to reach out and draw closer to God during these times. Men can only do so much for us when we are suffering, and usually, their help is only temporary. God can do so much more for us! He can give us grace, peace, and joy, even in the midst of the storm we are weathering, whether physical or emotional. The Bible tells us in Jeremiah 31:13, …for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.

We need to heed His voice immediately.

Take a look at verses 8-9. The Bible says, Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. For decades, this man sat beside this pool waiting anxiously and wanting someone to help him get into the water, but no one did. They were all too busy tending to their own problems. Then, suddenly, Jesus asked him, …Wilt thou be made whole?

I can imagine the man’s reaction. He may have thought, “Of course, Man, but can’t You see? I can’t move!” However, he was not sarcastic in his answer. He simply said, …Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. (Verse 7)

Jesus would not accept that answer! He did not even bother with the pool! He told the man, …Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. The man did not hesitate or even doubt if he could! He immediately got up and walked! He acted on what Jesus had told him to do.

When God shows us a solution, we need to heed His voice immediately! We need to follow His instructions, even if we do not think it is going to turn out well! This man could have easily just stayed where he was and ignored Jesus’ command, but he did not. He believed and obeyed! What good is our faith if we do not listen to the Lord and then do what He tells us to do?

Lastly, we need to give credit to Whom it is due.

In verses 10-15, this man wasted no time in telling everyone just WHO had healed him and HOW he had been healed! At first, he did not know Who had healed him, but when he met Jesus later in the passage, he realized Who He was and immediately went back to the Jews and told them that it was JESUS Who had healed him.

When God gets us out of a sticky situation, we need to remember to give Him the credit. So many times in life, we pray fervently and even ask others to pray along with us for God’s intervention in this or that situation. Sometimes it takes such a long time for Him to answer that we forget to give Him the glory when He finally does answer.

There are so many lessons to be learned in this passage of Scripture. I have only mentioned a few, but I encourage you not to give up hope! Whatever is going on in your life, whether it be an illness that seems to never get better or a situation from which you just do not see a way of escape, remember: God knows all about it! He sees and will answer as He sees fit. He will act in His perfect time and according to His will. Have faith and trust Him while waiting. Good things come to those who wait on the Lord. Then, when He answers, give Him the glory regardless of how He answers!

by April Hernandez

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. – Ephesians 4:1-3

The book of Ephesians was written to a church of saved, faithful people. In chapter one and verse one, Paul called them …the faithful in Christ Jesus… In chapter two, he reminded them of how they were saved by grace through faith. The first three chapters of Ephesians tell us that the people being addressed here were faithful Christians.

In chapter four and verse three, we find what could be called a recipe for peace among the brethren. To correctly follow a recipe, we must gather all the right ingredients and combine them as instructed in order to create the desired product. If the desired product is peace with one another, what is needed to achieve this?

INGREDIENTS:

• Lowliness

“Lowliness” can be defined as “humble in manner or spirit; free from self-assertive pride.” The first ingredient we need is humility, or lack of pride.

• Meekness

“Meekness” has been described as “strength under control” or “self-restraint.” It is not a lack of courage or strength; rather, it is a choice to endure a situation with patience instead of responding in resentment or anger.

• Longsuffering

Those who display longsuffering respond with patience to another’s shortcomings. No one goes through life without offending or upsetting someone else. We should give others the same grace and benefit of the doubt that we hope to be offered when we make a mistake.

• Forbearance

To forbear is to withhold due punishment. In this instance, we truly have been done wrong and are choosing to clear the record or cancel the debt. The motivation for this action is love.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Endeavor to keep the unity. It will require a diligent, focused effort. The ingredients list will need to be consulted often to ensure all ingredients are still in ready supply.
2. Keep the unity of the Spirit. Unity is a harmony created by a shared purpose. A Christian’s shared purpose with fellow Christians is his service for the Lord.

The result—the desired product—is a bond of peace.

I want to be on the same page and at peace with my siblings in Christ. I must begin by humbling myself before the Lord. Then, when someone annoys me, perhaps with a snarky comment or a petty complaint, I can respond with meekness rather than irritation. Also, when someone makes a mistake or handles a situation badly or in a way that upsets me, I am able to respond with patience, kindness, and an understanding that I could easily make a similar mistake. When I am treated unjustly and have a legitimate complaint, I can still choose to respond in love and not retaliate. That first ingredient of lowliness, or humility, will lead me to exhibit these Christ-honoring responses.

May this recipe help us to create a bond of peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ so that we can serve together in unity.

by Amber Slimp

Proverbs 11:1 says, A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.

When my children were learning how to walk, they were off-balance and would fall several times. As they became stronger in their legs and became more stable, they gained much better balance. The more and more they tried to walk, the better they became at walking. We would help them as they were learning to walk by holding their hands. This gave them the benefit of needed support as we helped them not to fall.

The Bible says in Isaiah 41:13, For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. Even we as adults can become off-balance in our physical lives. If something is off in our health, we can become sick. I know from personal experience that if I do not get enough rest, my body suffers. It is easier to become sick because my immune system grows out of balance. If I do not eat well, I do not feel well. This is all easy to understand but not as easy to listen to and to heed. As ladies, it is in our nature to try to juggle many things from day to day, but eventually we can suffer from a burnout if we do not take care of our physical selves. We need balance in our lives.

As Christians, we also can become out of balance spiritually. The Bible says in Matthew 6:33, But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Proverbs 8:17 says, I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. We are to seek God first. When we do not seek Him first, we are already off-balance. When we do not start the day with God, we are more prone to fall down.

I have tried to make it a habit in my own life to seek God first. Even if it is just by quickly saying, “Thank you, Lord, for another day to serve You,” I get ahold of God first thing in the morning as I get my morning coffee. As I open my Bible to Proverbs, I often ask, “Lord, what do You have for me today?”

How easy it is to get off-balance! We so effortlessly think, “Well, I will read my Bible as soon as the laundry is folded, the dishes are washed, the kids are asleep, and the movie is over.” We are pros at making excuses, aren’t we? Unconfessed sin can also keep us from having a balance. Our spirits suffer. Our attitudes toward our spouses, our children, or our friends change. The Bible says, A false balance is abomination… When we trust in ourselves and say, “I have got this all together,” that is not true. We must let God hold our right hands and help us to keep balanced so that we do not fall down flat on our faces.

The last part of Proverbs 11:1 says, …but a just weight is his delight. There is hope for us! We can have a balance, and we can have victory in our lives. If we put the Lord first and allow Him to control the things that we cannot control, we can have balance. Just as children who are learning to walk are trusting the parents to help them, we also should trust our Heavenly Father to hold our hands and to help us become more balanced in our Christian lives. If we seek the Lord first and just trust Him, He will not let us fall!

by Mandy Harper