I prayed for the gift of being a prayer warrior for those needing prayer. During the recent the illness of some of our elders, I remembered how important it is to have someone praying on my behalf then realized that generation is passing on to Heaven with few to serve in their place.
Prayers from others have been so effective in my life that I feel responsible to carry on the battle for our children and their generation. That requires some life lessons that I didn't understand at the time but I believe God is perfectly good and He knows what is best for me. I also believe that He answers prayers with his intended will. I do not have to ask if praying for someone else is in His will so I should expect God to answer this prayer. It is a command directly given in 1 Timothy 2:1 "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people..."
A prayer warrior must have a point of reference from which to empathize, if not sympathize, with the subject of the prayer. What I am finding is that the pain may have to be lived through in order to experience the deepest levels of prayer need. Watchman Nee mentioned something like this in his book Release of the Spirit as he talked about the ability for someone who has a broken spirit and recovered from a sin to recognize that same sinful weakness in someone else. It is as if once you see it in your mirror, it becomes even more recognizable in someone else's face. Because I have experienced it, I can now recognize the symptoms, the circumstances, and the pains of others who are experiencing the same thing.
When a prayer warrior goes before the throne of God with a request for someone, few things are as impactful as the awareness of their own testimony. My personal testimony of how I am suffering through a trial, or how I have suffered through a trial in the past, brings my desire for grace and mercy to priority.
When I think of how I want someone to pray for me, I want them to be sincere and full of energetic commitment to my well being. As I wish that emotion for me, I need to express the same for others. As the bible says in the Golden Rule, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 7:12 ESV). My prayer is energized with true sympathy when I have personally felt the discomfort, hurt, pain, suffering, loss, fear, depravity, confusion, or whatever the issue. This doesn't mean that I cannot pray for a situation that I have not encountered personally. It only strengthens the resilience in my prayer. I am more likely to continue this prayer through to its completion if I have had a personal testimony of experience.
To wrap this up, I am trusting God to carry me through whatever my trials are this week. I am trusting that my painful experiences in life are being allowed to try my faith and make it stronger so I can continue on as a prayer warrior; a witness to the goodness of our Holy God and the glory of the Risen Christ Jesus. If it is not for that purpose, then in my physical death, I will be at home with my true Father in Heaven and even that will be to my greatest benefit. In the end, God works all things for the good of those who believe.
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This new perspective holds a strange place for me because I know that You are not some cosmic vending machine where we drop in a prayer, throw up a few platitudes then wait for our blessings to be dispensed like a $1.25 bottle of Sprite. That is not what this is about.
To be clear, faith is about the grandest form of love that one can have for another. Jesus, You love me so much that You sacrificed Your very life in place of mine even though I was Your enemy. You have consistently continued to love me even when I have intentionally chosen to disregard that great sacrifice. When I looked at the things You asked me to do and said "No, I don't want to do that or not right now" You have loved me. You continued to love me even though You have shown me things that repeatedly hurt You. You have asked me to stop and yet I have chosen to repeat these same offenses.
With all of that said, here I am, blessed by Your grace and mercy Jesus. I am living, breathing, walking, talking and in my right mind (at least somewhat huh?). I live, breathe, eat and sleep by Your grace when I have done NOTHING that would merit it. I am able to function and excel in this world because Your mercy has kept me from being blasted away like fine dust in an explosion. Yet with all of this favor, I still fail You over and over. I still miss the mark and fall short of what the law says I should be.
"What is man that you consider us so highly my LORD?” What made You create us just lower than the angels but rulers over the world we live in? You have given us Your favor, Your gifts and amazingly, Your very own power.
Don't let me wander from You my LORD. Don't allow me to lose what keeps me in this very place of growth that I am in. This place where I'm learning to trust in my relationship with You instead of a religion that just teaches about You. Without this relationship, death would take me immediately and I would be carried to the very heart of hell… again I say, if it were not for Your grace.
My belief is that You have brought me this far to become something You want me to be. You want me to achieve things that only You can make happen for me so why don't I trust that You are willing to carry me through to the end of this journey? Is it because I am built with flesh and blood but driven by the spirit which lives within me? That spirit must bend and be broken to learn to die to itself daily so Your Holy Spirit can fill the place of leadership. Carry me Jesus, not just through the hard times but even in the good times when I think I can do it on my own. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. Acknowledge Him in all thy ways and He will direct Your paths."
Trust, it doesn't mean that circumstances won't be scary sometimes. It does mean that I will have to lean on what You have already done for me in order to get to the next point of rest. You said trust that You will be here with me in every step through every storm. You said that all power is in Your hand so I can know that whatever the challenge, You can see me through it. Now I will just continue on the journey to the end knowing that I'm not alone and that with Your Holy Spirit within me, I can do all things.
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"...O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever! 11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. 12 Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.
13 “O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! 14 But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! 15 We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace.
16 “O Lord our God, even this material we have gathered to build a Temple to honor your holy name comes from you! It all belongs to you! 17 I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there. You know I have done all this with good motives, and I have watched your people offer their gifts willingly and joyously.
18 “O Lord, the God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make your people always want to obey you. See to it that their love for you never changes. 19 Give my son Solomon the wholehearted desire to obey all your commands, laws, and decrees, and to do everything necessary to build this Temple, for which I have made these preparations.” --1 Chronicles 29:10-19 (NLT)
It reminds me that not even the body I live in belongs to me. As such, I need to take good care of it as a faithful steward would. The work that these hands do should build and create for the Kingdom of God because the tools used to create anything belong to Him first. I'm just borrowing them for a brief time on earth. The thoughts and words that come from me are to be used to bring glory to God. They should do His bidding by sharing His message as first priority. They should show his love as the highest priority.
Think of it this way. What if you sent someone out with your vehicle, your equipment, your tools, your resources and you paid them to do a job? You then gave them instructions on how to build everything that you wanted. What if you sent messengers to train them on how to use the tools that were provided? And lastly, you then sent your own son or daughter to make sure they had a visual aid on how to get the job done. However, in the end, they chose to use all those things to build their own house with their own plans. They then used the facility to celebrate with your enemy, eating your food and drinking your drinks. How would you feel?
That's what I think it's like to be a poor steward of God's resources. We take everything that God has given us, including our life, health, time, talents, money, education and then do whatever we think we can achieve only to glorify ourselves; therefore, making ourselves enemies of God by idolatry.
I don't know about you, but I have definitely been guilty of this. Procrastination, selfishness, fear, pure laziness, all of these things, at some point, have hindered me from fully doing God's will. Realizing the truth brings shame & guilt on my soul but thank God for Jesus Christ's gift of redemption and salvation because without it I would not be able to rise up in the morning to function. My guilt would keep me depressed all the time but no, there's no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus according to Romans 8:1. I have been set free. I'm not a slave anymore.
But now here's the thing, that same gift of salvation is why I now want to complete the job I was tasked to do. Using all the resources that He has given me, I want to do this service out of gratitude for God allowing me to use this body, this mind, this time I have left, these skills, these finances and these experiences. Gratefulness instead of fear and shame should now be the driving reason to work towards God's agenda.
The more life we live the more responsibilities we have to share the blessings of God. The longer we're alive, here on earth, the more we should be sharing the gifts of God because our testimony is greater with each passing day. Believe me, the idea of waking up this morning, with my mind in tact (well, at least partially some would argue) and my body able to rise out of bed to walk to the bathroom without aid is a massive blessing. There's nothing more striking to any of us than the loss of our mind or our physical health. The verse, "LORD, teach me to number my days" is an acute reminder that every moment and every thing belongs to God. They should be utilized, even in the smallest manner, to bring about God's agenda first.
Grasp that thought right now. What plans have I made for this life, this year, this week, this very day? Where are they in respect to achieving what God has asked me to do? Have I even sought out His will to begin with? Have I made allowance for God to change my plans if it's in His will to do so? Even Jesus had a disclaimer because He asked “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Whatever directions I think my life should take needs to be by design of the Father and then submitted to Him for His blessing. Maintain the idea that it's only for my good if there are changes because He loves me so much that whatever challenge I face in obedience to Him, it's because He loves me and knows what is best for me.
My prayer today... LORD, let me be a useful & purposefully driven tool in the effort to see Your will done, here on earth, as it is done in Heaven. Give me the wholehearted desire to achieve Your kingdom goals above everything else in my life today. Show me, step-by-step, what moves to make and when to make them. Protect me from my temptations and keep me in Your will with every effort. AMEN! ~~twh
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~~twh.
Read the full devotional at InTouch MInistries (www.intouch.org)
]]>Let's look at the situation from a different perspective than Trump winning or Clinton losing. It was something that the world could not see nor can many understand how it happened. The expected didn't occur and something totally baffling to all the world's media sources has come to reality. So what do we, as the body Christ, do in this situation? The same thing we would have done had Clinton, Johnson, Sanders, Rubio or Cruz won. We are to be obedient to the direct word of God.
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 5 For,
There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6 He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. (1 Timothy 2:1-6)
God has given us direct instructions that we are to pray for those in authority. That's where our faith becomes active. It was a long shot for Donald Trump to become president but that should be even more of an indication that something special can happen now. The body of Christ is in the perfect position to pray, in an effort to move God's purposes into the White House, and by so, into the nation and into the world. An upstart and sometimes abrasive man is going to take the helm of one of the most powerful positions in the world. With that seat, he can influence and change the perspective of the world. But that isn't the controlling seat...
14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. (2 Chronicles 7:14-16)
The old saying "Where man rules, God overrules" could never be more appropriate than today. God's promise to His people was that if we humbled ourselves, prayed, & turned from our evil ways he would hear our prayers and heal our land. This promise should give all hope and all Christians inspiration that with our committed prayer, the Holy Spirit would work and move on the world's behalf to bring healing in our government, finances, economics, education, military, police forces, our children... the list goes on and on.
Think about it, just really think hard about it for a few minutes. We have a new president who's said he intends on creating change from the old ways. What better time to be on our knees than now? As he starts to look for places to make changes, he is going to have to seek advice because he has never been in this position before. The people chosen to influence the president and the words that are spoken to advise the president, they can & will change the world as we have known it. Isn't this the perfect time to seek God's will through prayer and active obedience? Look at the prayer Paul spoke to the church at Ephesus:
So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.
11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy,[c] 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom[d]and forgave our sins. (Colossians 1:9-14).
People come together not as fellow Americans but as fellow prayer warriors searching for God's agenda. With his promise of healing and restoration, we can see the will of God come to fruition on earth regardless of who's in the White House.
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For all who take their delight in living by God’s Word, there is prosperity. Under the image of a fruitful tree, the psalmist declared that whatever the righteous do will prosper (cf. Psalm 92:12–14). Two qualifications need to be noted. First, the fruit, that is, the prosperity, is produced in its season and not necessarily immediately after planting. Second, what the godly person does will be controlled by the Law of God (Psalm 1:2). So if a person meditates on God’s Word, his actions will be godly, and his God-controlled activities will prosper, that is, come to their divinely directed fulfillment.
--Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
Sometimes we fall into a place of wondering if God is listening to our prayers or even aware of our situation. Our world is full of frustrations and disappointments but our God is still the same Holy God that was, is and always will be. He is still the same God who loved us so much that he was willing to sacrifice his only son for the sake of our salvation. From all that he has done for us, we often still look to know where are the blessings that were meant for us. Where is our release from the worldly prison that we live within. When will our deliverance come from the financial or material crisis that we're in. When will the healing come to relieve us from this pain or stress on our bodies. When will the circumstances of oppression and mistreatment be justified.
There is an answer. There is hope. Psalm 1:3 tells us, in no uncertain terms, that there is prosperity in delighting in the LORD. We are to follow the path that was provided for us through Jesus Christ, the only human to live a perfect and sinless life. His relationship with God, his and our Heavenly Father, was so tight that Jesus knew God's will at every moment. Jesus put the Word of God to flesh on this earth so that we could have an example to follow.
Now let's be very clear, living our lives in pursuit of perfection is pointless without the free gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus gave us the example on how to live in Matthew 4 when Satan was tempting him. With every temptation, Jesus' rebuttal referenced Satan back to the scripture that applied to His circumstances. We can do the same. We can put the Word of God so deep in our hearts that we know when and where it is applicable. But let's not forget the one part that Jesus gave us of himself. He loved us so much that he was willing to do whatever the Father wanted, including being humiliated, wrongly convicted, beaten and hung on a cross to death. So not only did Jesus have the word of God deeply rooted within him, he expressed that word by loving others (aka US) to the point of selfless sacrifice.
So how do we see prosperity in all of this? It is because to take delight in God we have to first know His word. Then we have to live out His word here on earth to those around us. We do that by showing them all the love that we would ask from God on our own behalf (Matthew 22:39). And when we fail, and yes... we will fail many times, we have to follow that same Word of God into confession & repentance and be willing to accept God's forgiveness so we can live freely without the burden of sin holding us from our blessings. We have to give our lives over in full SUBMISSION to everything God asks of us.
If you don't know what he wants of you? Ask Him, trust that He will answer and know that faithful prayer will be answered (James 1:5). Look for the answers in His Word. Believe it. Act on it. If it does not conflict with His scripture, it is going to be your answer so go ahead and get busy.
I know that I have one task to do this very day so now that I've written this, I'm going to get to it because I don't know what fruit accomplishing this task will produce but my faith will hold me to the idea that whatever the result is, it is for my good as in Romans 8:28.
Seek God out today. Get alone and listen to Him through the quiet time of prayer and supplication. Listen patiently and expectantly look for his answer to come.
~~twh
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The more frames we shot, the more powerful her looks became. It was as if she owned the studio stage and couldn't stand the thought of sharing it with anyone.
We're certainly wishing this beautiful young lady a successful career on the west coast.
Be sure to check back for more from this session.
Model: Allie Spetalnick. Makeup & Hair Styling by: Alex Bizzoco. Creative Director: Crystal C Harris. Photographer: Timothy W Harris. Studio: Faith Fashion & Photos. Location: Nashville | Spring Hill, TN.
]]>Make sure you invest your time & money wisely by choosing professional quality headshots.
These are just a few tips to know whether you have a good headshot or not. We offer many more tips and ideas for making the best headshots of your career during your shoot with Faith Fashion & Photos.
Call, email or send at text to us today for your free consultation with Crystal Harris ([email protected] or 615.200.7688)*
*Your cellphone service providers texting, call, & data rates may be applicable.
Thanks,
Tim Harris
~~twh
Model: Ivy Rhodes @ivylordrhodes
Makeup & Hair Styling by: Meko Davis @mekodavis.
Creative Director: Crystal C Harris
Photographer: Timothy W Harris
Studio: Faith Fashion & Photos
Location: Nashville & Spring Hill, TN
Be sure to follow the talented Ivy Rhodes on Instagram at @poisonivy4ever and professional makeup artist, Meko Davis @mekodavis.
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The fun of running a photography business is managing all the sites and locations where our photography needs to be seen. UH... NOT! There are more venues, media outlets, forums, social groups, business networks and social media plugs than any one person could ever keep up with. How in the world do we keep working the outlets so that we can market our artwork?
Some suggest paying a dedicated service provider to do this for their business. That's one option if it's affordable but even then, who do you trust with your brand? Giving some strangers the key to your branding is unnerving if your a control freak like me. (Yes, that's why I love studio photo shoots because I can control the daylight, night light & the weather but that's a discussion for another day.)
Just the research and effort to interview a few companies could cause a massive migraine. Which companies are going to be active in the right media venues for my business? Are they determining success by the same measuring scales as we do? Are they current in their technology selections? Do they have access to everything and what happens if they let something slip by? Who's responsible/liable for mistakes that become public? And let's not forget that once we contact one company, it's like knocking over a SPAM fire hydrant because many of them will be hunting us down for an opportunity forever.
The opposite view is to maintain things myself or with our partners. Now I have to admit, we are a two person shop, just me and Crystal. We have a bunch of teams we work with but they are composed of photographers, makeup artists, hair stylists, fashion & wardrobe stylists, and print shops. That leaves the social media fun to just the two of us. We have to consider what we want to share, how we want to be seen in the market and what our overall branding strategy will be.
Who is Faith Fashion & Photos and what will these media outlets, both social media and forum groups, do to enhance our business. It's not always going to be a direct impact into the profit line. Where is the impact on our business for each outlet? How long does it take those outlets to become engines that generate real dollars. Let's be honest here, unless you're a non-profit organization, in the end, every business decision boils down to the revenue driven. Even those things we do that are not revenue generating, they somehow affect our bottom line. As an example, the time we spend making ourselves known to the world could be spent doing something different. Time is the most valuable asset we have so it has to be included in how we measure the success of a tool.
These are just a few of the problems that we face when working as our own social media managers. There are so many more thoughts on this but I don't have time to share them all and you don't have the time to read all of it today. You've got to get back out there and model, shoot or market your own career.
Do I have an answer for which option is right? Unfortunately, not yet, but I hope to have interviewed and tried several different companies and methods within the next 6-12 months. During this time, I'll try to keep letting you know what we've found.
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Be blessed,
twh
Just when I was about to make a call to complain and report the situation... I decided to go to God's word again before taking any action. Here's what was in my morning's devotional:
We have all experienced temptations, trials, and suffering at some point in our lives. Even as Christians—and sometimes specifically because we are Christians—we must endure pain, whether through loss, bankruptcy, unemployment, or a broken relationship. While no one is immune to hard times, believers are empowered through the Holy Spirit to endure periods of struggle. Psalm 46:10 says, “Cease striving and know that I am God.” The King James Version uses the expression “be still,” indicating that our best response to disappointment is to trust in the heavenly Father.
How humbling it is to know that as God’s children, we have a direct line of communication to our Father, even in the midst of trouble. We don’t have to respond like the world, out of a heart filled with anger, depression, or revenge. Nor do we have to fix everything in our own strength. Sure, we will still be tempted by the flesh. But as we “cease striving,” we’ll learn to trust in God more and more each day.
The truth is, hardship not only forms our character but also reveals it. One common response to difficult times is anger. In moments of frustration, we run the risk of making impulsive decisions that could impact the rest of our life. But instead of getting caught up in the emotion, we should wisely be still and trust in the One who can work everything for our good (Rom. 8:28).
In this world, troubles won’t vanish (John 16:33). But when storms are brewing on the horizon, buckle up and trust God to guide you through. Only in Him can you truly cease striving. -- InTouch Ministries (www.intouch.org)
It is at times like these when I know God has a heart full of love for me because He took the time to show me that if I would just trust in Him, I would be able to see & hear him speak his will.
I don't know what the outcome of this situation will be in detailed steps but I do know that whatever happens, Romans 8:28 will still be true, which means Crystal & I will be just fine because it's in God's will that we have what is best from him and that it comes in his timing.
~~
twh
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There has to be an effort to change our way of thinking, planning and focusing on God's agenda instead of our own. That requires knowing His will. To know His will we have to know His nature. The only way to know His nature is by experiencing Him within our daily lives. We start by getting to know His word.
Take heart to what is shared below:
My life was radically influenced by the example of my grandfather, who wholeheartedly sought the Lord. I wanted the same kind of relationship that he had with God, and I knew the only way this would happen was if I, too, earnestly sought Him. All these years later, I can truthfully say that the most exciting aspect of my life is getting on my face before God in intimate fellowship.
This kind of relationship won’t happen accidentally. It requires continual, deliberate decisions that reset your priorities in order to make room for the pursuit of God. Intimacy with Him is not something that can be achieved in an inspiring weekend conference, nor can it be accomplished by reading a chapter or two in the Bible and praying for 10 minutes a day. Seeking God is a persevering lifetime commitment—day by day, decade by decade.
Too many believers are satisfied to have a shallow, superficial relationship with the Lord. They’ll approach God for relief from suffering or fulfillment of other needs but are unwilling to sit quietly for an extended period of time just getting to know Him through prayer and His Word. Yet the most important pursuit in a believer’s life is building a relationship with God. To forfeit this great blessing is a tragedy.
God doesn’t need anything from you, but He desires your loving devotion and intimate fellowship. Ask yourself, Is this what I want, too? If your answer is yes, are you willing to make the necessary commitment? Seeking the Lord cannot be something you hurry through. It will cost you time and effort, but the rewards are worth any sacrifice.
Copyright ©2015 In Touch Ministries
The devotional says that developing an intimate relationship with God won't happen by praying for 10 minutes a day; and yet, I will add this to it. If you're not praying at all, even 10 minutes, is a good place to start.
Every believer has to grow into spiritual maturity because when we first decide to believe Christ and accept His sacrifice for our sins, we start a journey not a sprint race. Each hour of life gives us more opportunity to get to know the Lord or to move further away from a deep relationship with Him. The more you get into studying the bible, trusting what God's said is true, and acting like what it said is true, the more insight God will give you regarding the rest of His will and if it starts with just 10 minutes of prayer, it can grow into a daily lifestyle of living for Christ.
In his book, Release of the Spirit, Watchmen Nee explained that we must develop a state of brokenness that allows God to work within us. We must let go of those things that we hold more dearly than our love for God. If we take our queue from Matthew 6:33, "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness..." we would dedicate or set aside time with God before anything else. No matter what else is going on in life, we have to start our first thoughts on God. That's not a legalistic, ritual I'm talking about... that is a method of thought that says my mind needs to refocus from whatever else I'm thinking about to seek God's mindset and find His desire for my life, my day, my next hour, and my next step. Therein lies the need for knowing the word of God.
Once we've let go of those things or people that we put ahead of Jesus, then we will create a state of mind where we don't have to retreat to our knees every time we want to pray. We won't have to stop our labor and efforts to be in God's presence. If I'm working in the world, I don't want the world's activities to distract me from God's agenda. If I'm editing pictures, washing clothes, or sitting at my child's game, my soul can find a place to interact with God.
When my soul is broken for Christ's purpose, His Holy Spirit will be able to influence my spirit to hear His direction clearly and distinctly. Then I can make decisions that serve for the best of everyone.
~~
twh
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Learning to be content with God's provisions both now and for tomorrow is a cornerstone of obedience.
When we accept these two facts, we start on a path of intentionally choosing God's plan over our own. His plan is always in our best interest but how do we know what that plan looks like?
It comes in the time spent getting to know Him through His word. When we put the time & effort into getting to know God intimately, we put ourselves in a position to experience His miraculous power and overwhelming love for us. If I spend by best time with God and give Him my full attention, then I put myself in a position to hear from Him. When you really love someone you spend time with them, you listen to them, you share with them. You don't just ask for things all day & night. This is why I believe our quiet time needs to increase in quantity, quality and sincerity. When we intensify our effort to focus on God we allow our hearts the chance to hear instructions with direction and guidance.
If we want to be blessed by God, we must get to know Him not just know about Him. We have to experience God daily so we can develop a foundation to look back on and say "I remember when God did these miracles in my life." It will be a reminder for us to trust in Him more and a testimony for others to try His way.
Consider the time spent with God this week? Did it consume more or less than a football game? Did it consume more or less than the favorite TV series or reality show? Is there a place to go that provides enough quiet & peace where there are no disturbances? How much of God's word was taken in today? How much of it has been written on our heart (memorized) so we won't sin against Him?
~~
twh
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twh
"...I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:14–21 (NLT)
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Sometimes I hear ministers and fellow laymen discourage others from thinking that the LORD is into material blessings so the people don't get their hopes shattered when they don't receive the desire of their heart. I used to believe that myself. I always wanted to give God an "out" in case He didn't answer my prayer with what I thought I needed... usually money to solve a problem. Sometimes that problem was one I had created myself through my own selfishness or impatience.
Many preachers of prosperity and wealth teach that there is no limit to what we can ask God for in material things. I don't know that I believe that to be true either. I know my God is not a genie in bottle to be rubbed just the right way and have miracles dropped all about me for my own pleasure.
Now here is what I do know... God's word is true. It always has been and always will be. Unlike us, He cannot lie.
19 God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?"
Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Nu 23:19). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
So the only thing I know to do is believe in what is already in His word. I'm not going by what anyone tells me but what I can read for myself and what I've lived out through my own testimony. I serve an amazing God and this is what God's word says:
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good.
Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
9 Fear the LORD, you his godly people,
for those who fear him will have all they need.
10 Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
but those who trust in the LORD will lack no good thing."
Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ps 34:8–10). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
When my purpose is aligned with His, then He will provide me all I need to fulfill his measure. I have lived almost half a century now and I've just recently come to get a very, very, very small glimmer of what God will do for those who are intent on His purpose. He makes this very clear in John 15 and Matthew 6.
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father."
Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Jn 15:5–8). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
33 Seek the Kingdom of God* above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Mt 6:33). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
His doors, windows and even the gates of Heaven are open to fill us with what we need. Just look at Malachi 3:10:
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! 11 Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease.* Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 12 “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies."
Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Mal 3:10–12). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
God doesn't stutter! This is, flat out, a promise that He even challenges us to test for its validity. That should be more than enough to make anyone want trust in Jesus.
Now I'm not saying that we give tithes and give offerings for the purpose of our own financial returns. Our tithes and offerings are to be given with a heart of thanksgiving. This should be the point in life where we believe God has done so much for us that we have to give back for the purpose of honoring Him and fulfilling the needs of others because of our love for Him. He loved us first so we must love others first. In loving them, we must provide for them.
Believe me, I've been in that place of need with my family. I never want to go back and even more so, I never would want even my worst critic or worst enemy to go through that level of pain. Once our minds are made up to be more like Jesus, we can no longer concede to the desire to put ourselves first. It's not easy but it is simple. Back up on self-centered desire and move forward with love and sharing to benefit others then God can find purpose in blessing us. He makes that pretty clear in James 4.
2b ...Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure."
Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Jas 4:2–3). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
That's something that has always been really challenging for me. Learning to put my own desires down so that others will benefit first. It has to come from recognizing just how good God has been. It has to be there from appreciation and recognition of all that grace given by God in the first place. It has to come from knowing what it is like to be in need then we can say, like Job...
5 I had only heard about you before,
but now I have seen you with my own eyes."
Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Job 42:5). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
If you do not know with absolute certainty that Jesus has saved your soul, then don't delay another second. Stop what you're doing. Pull over to the side of the road. Put down the remote. Step away from the electronic device and ask God to forgive you of your sinful selfish nature. Decide at this very moment that no matter what else, knowing what God did for us all by sacrificing His very own perfect son to die on a cross in shame and humiliation in place of me, you and all; we owe Him everything including our obedience and our very lives. Make that public commitment to following His will for the rest of your life. He will forgive you and accept you as His own child. The blessings of adoption are there in His word, we just have to make ourselves available to Him and choose to make His agenda the purpose of our life.
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twh
The Scriptures record many instances of conflict between nations, among friends, and in families. Today we see the same types of problems. While fighting, people can say harsh and even unfair words. Their accusations create turmoil and emotional pain. What we believe will determine the way we respond to such difficulties.
God’s Word proclaims His sovereignty over nature (Ps. 135:6), government (Job 12:23), and mankind (Acts 17:25). Nothing in heaven or on earth is hidden from Him or outside of His control. So, how does this help us in a conflict? First, our Father knows when people verbally attack us, and He has promised to protect us. Nothing can touch His children apart from His permissive will. Second, He has the power to work the painful times we endure into something beneficial (Rom. 8:28). We can have hope because His will cannot be thwarted, even in bad circumstances. Finally, we are His beloved children. He is a loving Father who understands what we are going through and always remains by our side. As His sons and daughters, we are not on our own.
When we believe in the Lord’s sovereign rule, our perspective on hard times changes. Instead of responding with fear, anger, or resentment, we will turn to Him in prayer and ask for guidance.
Conflict is inevitable. When we, or something we have done, is the source of the turmoil, we are to apologize. If others are at fault, we may have to confront them the way Paul did with Peter. But we are also called to forgive without exception. As Christ’s ambassadors, the way we respond really matters.
Copyright 2014 In Touch Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved.www.intouch.org. In Touch grants permission to print for personal use only.
]]>We've been through some arduous journeys lately; more than I can probably write about in the next few minutes but maybe I'll come back and share some of the things I was journaling during the absent time from the blog. Let me just add this thought on for today's content...
If we believe that we should achieve, attain or have something specific in life, the best way to see that come about is to view it through the filter of God's word. If it's in the Word, then we can have a direct understanding of whether or not it is in His will. If it's in God's will for me, then no person or thing can stop it except me. My failure to live with his purpose as my first choice can derail me so much that I won't be in the path to see the best of life come my way.
When I'm not sure about something because God never talked specifically about buying a car for my wife but we're in need of extra transportation, my response should be the same.
~~twh.
]]>We've worked with many different concepts for sharing our media. We've used tools like Google+, Facebook, Hootesuite, tumblr, website blogs, Twitter, Instagram, Model Mayhem, etc. The list goes on and on. Every time one of these outlets becomes hotter than another, it's another major effort to set things up correctly, drive content, attain followers and retain viewers.
For a long time, we've not used our website's blog function because compared to tumblr, it was less convenient for updating. Through tumblr, we could share the same media to most of the major outlets but it was all the same no matter which source you went to view. No matter how simple things were we didn't want to duplicate content in both places because we have enough to do with the business, the family, worship, & mentoring. Who has time for duplicating content? We surely don't. And who wants to read the same content on every single update? I wouldn't want to see the same thing everywhere so we won't do it to you.
When it's all said and done, none of it matters though if we are not fully utilizing God's gifts in the first place so we're going to rest in the idea that if someone needs the information we have to share, it will be right here under God's plan and insight as shared with us through prayer, obedience and testimony.
He's been too good to us so we simply can't fail to share the testimonies.
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God's plan for us is stronger than we can ever realize. It is the constant battle with sin that keeps us from realizing the tremendous joy we are to experience in that plan. Satan knows that if he can keep our spirit down, our emotions fluttering, our hearts depressed and our mind worried, we will be too out-of-focus to make a difference for God's kingdom agenda.
The plan from God is that we not only rely on Him in these times but even more so, be actively looking to help others. It also takes our minds off our own problems so we can focus on what He desires. There will always be troubles in our lives so it is paramount that we reach out to our brothers and sisters in Christ to see what they need (2 Corinthians 8:13-15). Look for someone to share the gift of salvation that God has given us. Sharing that gift was our directive from Jesus (Matthew 28:19) and it will never be repealed until all have heard the message. If we are busy about that plan and the encouraging of our Christian family (2 Corinthians 13:11), we can leave the other needs to God (Matthew 6:33-34). The struggle is difficult but we must work beyond ourselves and utilize the Holy Spirit for our strength.
~~
twh
In the Story of Easter, Saturday normally gets lost.
The days (and even the few years) preceding it, however, were filled with amazing events and words. If it were a symphony, it would have all risen to a resounding yet horrific crescendo: the arrest and trial, the scourging and crucifixion, the agony on the cross, the death, the day turning to utter darkness, the ground shaking as if to split the earth, the veil tearing in two . . .
And then, just like the famous pause in Handel's Messiah, it all comes to a screeching halt. Jesus is buried—and it is all over.
With Jesus gone, the disciples were left with nothing but the memories and His words, neither of which seemed to be affecting them, for they huddled in fear on Saturday, having little faith in what He had promised. The disciples had painted their own picture of who Messiah was supposed to be—a narrative they wanted Him to fulfill.
How many of us believers live with a Saturday mindset—somewhere between the truth of Jesus' earthly life and the glorious resurrection that validated everything He said and did? It is easy to look at the disciples' fear and lack of faith on that day and shake our heads. But are we so different, really? Do we have our own plans for God? Do you and I conveniently believe that the best thing for us is that God and everyone else follow our script for the day? Do we get angry when it doesn't happen?
Do you find yourself speaking words that increasingly convey a lack of hope? Are they words of discouragement, gloom, doom—maybe even despair?
Two choices lie before those of us who live with such a mentality. Either we make the frustrating and futile attempt to get our own way, or we turn and revisit the truth of what God has told us: the truth about Himself and the truth about ourselves; the truth about what He has asked us to do in the disappointment of "Saturday."
The disciples had not yet received the Holy Spirit. We now have Him in full. They did not have the fullness of God's Word. We have all of it at ready access. They were living on the other side of the resurrection. We live in its reality.
Because the Truth, dear friends, is that the music will resume. Sunday's coming! What an awesome Saturday we have been given!
–Del Tackett
Copyright 2014 In Touch Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved.www.intouch.org. In Touch grants permission to print for personal use only.
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The problem starts in making that determination from God's viewpoint and not our own. Our perspective almost always brings about our own will. God's viewpoint is for the blessing of all people if we are willing to be obedient and die to our own desires. That's the kicker. We have to be willing to give up our own desires and replace them with His. At this point, the focus is about loving others more than ourselves. How often are we making that determination? How often are we willing to give up our own freedoms, our own resources, our own time for the sake of someone else?
One step toward that goal is to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. Loving them by God's standard requires seeing their needs and meeting those needs. not just from our abundance, but from a heart of sacrifice. (1 John 3:17-19)
~~
twh
Operating Standards
Deuteronomy 33:1–34:12; 2 Corinthians 8:16–24; Psalm 46
Sometimes I operate on the premise that if I’m honoring God and following Him, I don’t have to be concerned with what other people think. But carrying this too far is just as faulty as basing my identity on the approval of others. One leads to foolish pride and independence, and the other results in idolatry.
Paul, upon receiving a generous gift from believers in Jerusalem, felt called to explain his actions to the Corinthian church. He was intentional about how he would accept the gift, “lest anyone should find fault with us in this abundant gift that is being administered by us” (2 Cor 8:20). He explains why he is so concerned: “For we are taking into consideration what is honorable not only before the Lord, but also before people” (2 Cor 8:21).
In his ministry, Paul considered how his actions would be interpreted by observers. Since he experienced opposition in the community, he wanted to communicate how he would receive the gift—to be above reproach. The gospel was primary, and he wanted to avoid accusations that would impede the message of salvation.
Daily, we face situations where we can be governed by others’ opinions. We also can offend them. When are we too vigilant? How do we keep from becoming a robot, motivated by other people’s desires instead of love for God? When do we challenge other people’s faith, instead of tiptoeing around them? Answering these questions takes incredible wisdom.
In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul draws from Proverbs 3: “May loyal love and truth not forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them upon your heart. And you shall find favor and good sense in the eyes of God and humankind” (Prov 3:3–4). Acting out of love, with a foundation of truth, can help us learn to honor God and love people. Being human, we will not always carry this out successfully. But operating on both love and truth and seeking wisdom and guidance for every situation, we can trust God to work out those places where we fail.
When it comes to relationships, what is your basis for operation? - Rebecca Van Noord
Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
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"African Leadership trains community and church leaders across Africa who go on to lead stronger churches and build healthier communities. Last year over 10,000 graduated from our two year course and we managed 25 local development initiatives in 7 countries.
Our community development partners work with at-risk groups: orphans, vulnerable children, those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, and women at risk. We respond with education, healthcare, practical skills training, clean water and emergency food relief.
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Through the work and vision of the board and staff, African Leadership curriculum has been recognized and used by many other schools and organizations. For instance, the Child Protection Handbook has been adapted by UNICEF for a National Child Advocacy campaign against child abuse and child labor in Malawi." African Leadership Web Site
On my first mission trip, I saw levels of poverty that made me feel deeply convicted about how I lived. My heart was torn with a desire to change not only the circumstances that I saw but also my own way of living. My personal struggles were trite compared to the deep hunger that was within the children walking the filthy streets.
One of the experienced team members shared insightful thought as I cried tears of guilt. "We can't change the economic situation of this country but we can help to change the heart of the people. They can make a difference within their community with the right education and guidance from Jesus."
Faith Fashion & Photos believes we can give today to help change tomorrow. If we can help fulfill your physical and emotional needs today, you begin to see the Word of God in action. My actions must match my words. Help us provide bibles for the leaders of a new generation. (Based on 2 Corinthians 8:6-15)
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Bibles for African Leadership PromoBible image courtesy of African Leadership
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Those are the truest of friends because they care more about your well being than your happiness. Happiness is an emotion that comes and goes like the wind but love is a true blessing that stays with you for a lifetime.
~~
twh
I’ll Take the Arrow
Deuteronomy 29:1–29; 2 Corinthians 7:8–16; Psalm 42:1–43:5
“Better is an arrow from a friend than a kiss from an enemy.”
When I first heard this saying, I was struck by what a truism it is. It wasn’t until years later, though, that I began surrounding myself with wise friends who would tell me the truth even when it was difficult to hear.
Paul was a true friend to the Corinthians, and it’s for this reason that he rebuked them: “For if indeed I grieved you by my letter, I do not regret it.… For grief according to the will of God brings about a repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted, but worldly grief brings about death” (2 Cor 7:8, 10).
I recently felt God asking me to rebuke someone. I was hesitant at first, but I followed through. Afterward, I was tempted to lighten the weight of my words by writing a follow-up explanation, but I was certain that it wasn’t God’s will that I do so; I felt that nearly all the words I had spoken were in His will. I had to be confident that the rebuke had power to lead the person to repentance and that the repentance could lead to salvation. I shouldn’t regret what I had done, but embrace it.
Moses had a similar experience to Paul’s. He spoke harsh words into the lives of the Israelites when renewing God’s covenant with them. He said things like: “You have not eaten bread, and you have not drunk wine and strong drink, so that you may know that I am Yahweh your God” (Deut 29:6). When the Israelites were deprived of things they thought they deserved, it was so that they could learn about God; such deprivation would force them to be dependent upon Yahweh.
I had another experience lately where I was on the receiving end of a truthful rebuke. My typical response is defensiveness, but I sensed from my friend’s voice that he was genuine. He was speaking words of experience, love, and godly wisdom. God worked in my heart and I listened. Even though they hurt, I had to be thankful for the wise words. As I’ve been tempted to fall into my old patterns since then, that rebuke continues to make a difference. I’m thankful for honest friends.
We often use the phrase “Judge not lest you be judged” as an excuse for not speaking the truth to someone (Matt 7:1). But Paul clearly didn’t use it that way. He understood that he was the worst of sinners, and he gladly admitted it. In grace, he issued rebukes.
Judging people incorrectly and out of hate or envy is a problem in our world. But so is failing to speak up when we see someone going astray. Paul didn’t judge—rather, he stated that God would judge according to His plans and oracles. Paul said it like it was, based on what God led him to say. He didn’t degrade people; he promoted godly behavior.
Do you have godly friends who speak honest words to you? If not, how can you go about making friends that will? How can you be open to speaking the truth to others without judging them? - John D. Barry
Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
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Model: Gracen Hill
Creative Director: Crystal C Harris
Photographer: Timothy W Harris
Studio: Faith Fashion & Photos
Location: Nashville & Spring Hill, TN
Easter Photo Sessions AvailableEaster photo Session for $250
*Other restrictions may be applicable. Limited slots available for the dates listed.
]]>God lived here on earth as a human, born into flesh & blood, just like you and me. He walked a perfect path in life being loved and hated, befriended and betrayed, living in joy and pain, being happy and sad. All the things we deal with daily were no different from his experiences except in one area. He constantly kept the Father's will as his number one priority. Jesus died on the cross against the will of his physical nature but in surrender to the spirit of God which lived within Him (John 12:27-28). Jesus desired to please God more than he desired to follow his physical emotions, will, and thoughts. It is that very same spirit that lives within anyone who has accepted Jesus, as LORD and savior. That means we have the means and power to do the same (Ephesians 1:13-14).
Earlier this week, I heard a minister say that submission is a two step process. It starts with surrender and then goes to commitment. We often say we are in submission but the first part of submission means surrendering, giving up what we choose. When you surrender, you let go of your own choices and accept whatever the other party desires.
After surrendering, the next step is to commit. Commit to what? If I am in submission to someone then I've committed to following their way and not my own. That is the key. Surrendering puts me in a place to accept their will and committing should make that acceptance a long-term deal. True commitment is lasting because that is the very definition of the word. If I am not altering my choices to stay on course then I am no longer committed; therefore, I am not... no, I was never in submission.
If our thoughts or actions are measured and found "lacking" then we have been given the abundant grace to change from our old ways and refill ourselves with the fresh living water of Christ (John 7:37-39). That water is the gift of the Holy Spirit which is given to each Christian the very moment he/she believes, repents from going their own way and trusts Jesus as his absolute ruler, LORD. That water brings with it the regeneration, guidance and empowerment to walk successfully through this world's conflicts. I can make it through but only in the power of the Holy Spirit given to us by the grace of Jesus Christ.
So let's look at our lives carefully. Let's capture each moment and each thought to weigh it by the scale of the Word of God.
~~
twh
In some cases, we just can't get a customer to understand the value of a professional MUA. Male or female, they can change a weak look into a strong look, and a good photo into a work of art. But when the moment comes that they're not around, we like to keep products in house that will provide some level of support. Foundation is just that... the foundation for makeup.
Allure Magazine offers some suggestions on the best foundations to use for each skin type whether it be dry, oily, or acne proned. Give it a view and tell us what you think?
(PS> A special note of love to all our MUA teams from Memphis, Nashville & Florida... Ana Liza, Anastasia, Chantel, Char, Levi, Meko, Stacey, Tally!)
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cch
My own life has been this way often. A strong moment of faith or an inspiring word will be resounding in my heart then something negative or someone with a negative word interrupts my flow of blessings and then "SHABANG!!" That moment of fellowship with God is gone. The strength that I held onto so proudly is tainted by Satan's fiery darts. The circumstance may be so severe that it dwells with me for days, weeks or months. It could be a sudden family illness, a financial burden, a failure on my part to be obedient or even just a disappointing action by one of my children. Maybe it is that person in the Christian community who judges our actions without love and encouragement. Anything that gets between the focus of walking with God and remembering his goodness can become that dreariness that leads into depression.
Believe me, I have seen this firsthand because my family has experienced it for decades. Now it scares the crap out of me. Why? Because depression can lead to dementia. That is a problem that sounds almost self inflicted if we consider it by the scriptural points. Don't get all worked up. I realize there are many forms of dementia and we don't know enough about them to identify what exactly causes them. At the same time, there is evidence and testimony that shows certain levels of depression can lead into dementia. I know this as a fact from my own family's testimony but I can also see where it does not have to end this way. We have been given the means to control these emotions and the ability put these thoughts under restraint. It is a part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit called self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
The speaker provided a list of "cans" that we should pray about with the intent of maintaining our focus on what God has made available to us. We do not have to live in that sullen and defeated mentality.
Here is this list. His suggestion was to pray over these 20 "Cans" over the next twenty-one days. That is three weeks of doing exactly what Jesus did when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness. Jesus just replied with God's word every time Satan tried to push one of his buttons. We have that same ability. Pray all of 20 of these points for 21 days just to see how Jesus will start to change the way you think.
Crystal and I have started reading this today. Will you join us?
~~
twh
PS> Special thanks to Larry Mims who provided the leadership and personal testimony last night for the men. This list was provided by Larry to help all of us reclaim our right relationship with God through scripture.
]]>7 Tips on How to Get Your Photography Published by Fashion Magazines
]]>It was less than two hours later that I received a call from someone who put me to the test. It was regarding a subject that was way too old... decades old at this point. It was a struggle for me to think that God was truly interested in knowing how serious I was about submitting to His word.
There is no way for me to know what God has in store for me other than the fact that every correction is for my own good and for the good of those around me. I trust you LORD.
~~
twh
April 9: The Global Reset Button
Deuteronomy 15:1–17:20; 2 Corinthians 4:7–18; Psalm 37:1–22
When I was a kid, I loved playing Super Nintendo—especially Donkey Kong. Despite my love for it, it would just make me angry at times. When I couldn’t handle the way the game was panning out, I would slam down the controller and hit the reset button. I would start fresh. It’s more than a little sad that my entertainment made me act like a caveman. Yet those moments of resetting the entire system felt like another chance at life (albeit a virtual one).
With the state of the global economy, it often feels like the world needs a reset. It’s tempting to say something as radical as, “Let’s forgive all debts and start again.” Though this couldn’t happen—and it would be highly problematic since the statement depends on good will, free economy, and general care for one another—it doesn’t stop us from hoping.
God actually created a system for this audacious idea: in the Year of Jubilee, or the Sabbatical Year, slaves were freed and debts were forgiven (Deut 15), people were celebrated as equals (Deut 16), and the land was given a rest to prevent famine. (Famine was often caused by overworking the land.) It was a reset button.
The global economy is complex. I’m not suggesting that it’s time for a Year of Jubilee, but maybe it is time for an economic evaluation of our lives. Who is God calling you to forgive? Whose life could be better if you lifted their debts? Who needs your generosity right now? Who could you make an equal by changing something about your work or friendship? How can you celebrate with those who feel like lesser people in this world?
The economy proves the point that we are all interdependent. It also makes the case that doing something for those at the bottom of the economic ladder can have a massive impact—not just on them, but on others. Those that are forgiven are likely to forgive.
Whose life can you make better today? Who can you bring jubilee (celebration) to? - John D. Barry
Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
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Model/MUAH: Molly Curtis
Creative Director: Crystal C Harris
Photographer: Timothy W Harris
Studio: Faith Fashion & Photos
Location: Nashville & Spring Hill, TN
I heard that plan a few years back. It was overly difficult and scary to me. Instead of trusting God's word, I went looking for human confirmation. In my mind, it was "seeking Godly wisdom" but in truth, I was just running away from the idea and hoping someone would talk me out of it. It was much easier and more comfortable to stay in my current situation and experience minimal growth.
The part that bothered me most was that God's plan required obedience, structure, patience, diligence and complete dependence on Jesus to fulfill what I knew he could do but what I feared he would not do because of my own faults. It was in my head that my sins would cause so much friction that God would withhold his blessing because of me. The problem with that scenario is that it is not God's will to hold anything back from me that is good. He loves me so he only wants what is absolutely best for me (Romans 12:2). If I trust Him, repent of my sins and have faith in His promise to be there for me and my family, then I will see the restoration of blessings begin to flow (2 Chronicles 7:14). Those blessings are not just for me to enjoy but for those around me to have their lives enhanced as well.
Look around and see for yourself. Are you stepping out on faith or sitting in the comfy corner chair waiting for life to go by? Is your lack of response to God's word holding up the blessings of others around you? I do not want to be the cause of a delayed blessing for you, me or my family. We need to get about the process of doing God's will, glorifying His name and expanding His kingdom through out daily lives. It's not just in the big, grandiose ideas that we can expand his kingdom. Glorifying God starts in the simplest of daily tasks. It starts with doing what we already know is right according to His word and doing it when we are first called to action.
~~
twh
April 1: Moving On
Deuteronomy 1:1–46; 2 Corinthians 1:1–11; Psalm 31:1–9
“You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Turn now and move on” (Deut 1:6–7).
We have a terrible tendency to stay in one place or keep doing one activity longer than we should. Our meetings run long, we constantly work overtime, or we overstay a welcome. And then there’s the most significant problem of all: we ignore God’s command to leave a place, position, or role.
Change can be refreshing. But the countless decisions and the difficult and frustrating moments that accompany change can often keep us from moving forward. We become comfortable where we are, and we fear the unknown.
Indeed, the majority of people (including Christians) live seemingly meaningless lives. Most American Christians spend more hours per day doing comfortable things, like watching tv, than they do praying, reading their Bibles, or serving others (usually combined). Yet what do the elderly always tell us? “I wish I had taken more risks; if only I wasn’t so afraid.” We’re all on our way to dying. But as Christians, we’re also on our way to eternal life. Why should we limit God’s work with our fear?
In Deuteronomy 1, God called Moses to leave the mountain—a place where he’d grown comfortable. Moses’ new path would be far from easy. He was going to enter the land of the Amorites and Canaanites, who were feared warriors (Deut 1:7). He was about to risk the lives of everyone with him—men, women, and children—in the process of following God’s will. Both young and old would once again be in danger.
But God didn’t intend for Moses to remain in the wilderness; He called Moses to lead His people into the same holy land He had promised to Abraham many years before (Deut 1:8). And despite his fear, that’s what Moses did: “Then we turned and set out toward the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea, as Yahweh told me, and we went around Mount Seir for many days” (Deut 2:1).
Moses’ confidence was based on one thing: what God had spoken. May your confidence be grounded in the same thing, and may you trust God at His word.
What is God calling you to do now? What comforts is He calling you to leave behind? What have you been ignoring? - John D. Barry
Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
]]>Time for action... Do more with whatever we have today. Don't wait for what we think is promised to come. Start the giving now, whether it be time, money, service, or resources.
Like the old Nike advertisement used to say "Just do it!"
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twh
Extending The Goodness Of God
A blessing is the capacity to experience, enjoy and extend the goodness of God in your life. It is never just about you. While it includes you, it is also intended to extend through you to others somehow. Too many Christians today want God to bless them without being willing for God to bless others through them.
When God established the family in the garden, He told them to be fruitful and multiply. He blessed them. Then He enabled them to extend the blessing He had given them throughout the land, and to those who came after them. In addition, God also blessed them through resourcing them with what they needed to carry out the rule He had given to them. He provided for them. A blessing is when God provides all that is needed for you to accomplish all there is under your rule.
It is important to note that after the blessing came the instructions. God blessed, but then followed that up with the commission of Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply and to rule over that which He had placed under them. They were to serve as managers over the garden that had been given to them.
One of the worst things in the world is to live your life and miss your garden. The true tragedy is to miss managing, or even to mismanage, the sphere of responsibility God has prepared for you.
Through the family, God has established a way for individuals to carry out a great dominion in producing blessing throughout those within their spheres of influence.
For His Kingdom,
Tony Evans
]]>When the image is the beauty of the human form, it becomes an issue for some people. I won't pretend that the exploitation of the human body is not way out there, often overbearing in media. I won't pretend that men without mental fortitude and those with lustful minds are not feasting from a sexual purview of women and children. This leaves us with the question, "Is there no place left for art?" Is there no room for the human mind to see a person, clothed or unclothed, without allowing the sin of lust to intrude on the moment?
We have fought a battle for years to explain that our minds need to be soaked in Christ so we can be strong. Our minds should be so wrapped in God that the view of human body is no different for me & you than it is for a nurse, doctor, or mortician to see a body. However, it seems that the era in which we live, there is either a full disrespect of the need for self control or their is a disparaging attitude of prioritized sin. Neither point-of-view carries biblical reasoning in my humble opinion.
For this reason, we have always sought to find God's word before any photo shoot. We don't want our images to harm the conscience of another brother or sister nor do we want to impede on the rights of those who feel the human body is a beautiful work of art by God himself. How do we resolve the balance? We must think of others first (1 Corinthians 10:23-33 ; Romans 14:14-23). It is not easy and it is not something that comes naturally. We must seek God's strength to withstand the desires of our flesh and live out the plan that supports the glorification of Jesus and the expansion of his kingdom.
If that means that I choose to shoot nothing but head shots for the rest of my life, so be it. If that means that I will never shoot a nude model again, then so be it. Will I criticize and judge those in my field who make beautiful, fashionable and artistic imagery? No way! (Romans 14:1-14) The matter is too peppered with personal weaknesses and personal likes/dislikes for me to make everyone pleased. All I can do is follow whatever my father in Heaven has shown me. I will give up whatever, whenever, and however I have to in order to please my savior, Jesus Christ.
PS> I did not have a clue what "iconoclasm" meant so I figured for any others who might be in question, I would share what I learned today:
iconoclasm |noun| 1 the action of attacking or assertively rejecting cherished beliefs and institutions or established values and practices.
2 the rejection or destruction of religious images as heretical; the doctrine of iconoclasts.
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twh
March 25: Thoughtless Iconoclasm
When we learn something new about life and faith, it’s tempting to use our knowledge and freedom to tear down religious constructs and artifices—exposing truth in a way that’s not helpful or edifying. If we’re honest, pushing boundaries and living edgy and unfettered gives us a rush.
Paul warns the Corinthian Christians against this attitude: “All things are permitted, but not all things are profitable. All things are permitted, but not all things build up” (1 Cor 10:23). Paul sets up a contrast, juxtaposing the clauses to set apart what should really be the focus of the Corinthians. Paul stresses that instead of flaunting freedom, we should be focused on what is helpful and constructive for the community.
Seeking the good of the other person should be our first reflex. And it’s not simply limited to the Christian community. Paul states: “Therefore, whether you eat or you drink or whatever you do, do all things for the glory of God. Give no offense both to Jews and to Greeks and to the church of God” (1 Cor 10:31–32). This is a tall order in the internet age; when we don’t see someone face to face, it’s much easier to tear them down.
This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t challenge ideas when the time is appropriate. However, it does mean we should carefully consider our audience and act in a way that will best communicate the message of the gospel. Whatever the case, we should “please all people in all things, not seeking [our] own benefit, but the benefit of man, in order that they may be saved” (1 Cor 11:33).
How are you seeking the good of those around you? - Rebecca Van Noord
]]>In a country that has so much, we still have so many here who do not receive the basic needs of our own culture. It is difficult to wrap our minds around it because we frequently hear about the abuse of the systems created to help deter this type of situation in the USA but the writer makes a key point, which we have learned all too well now. When you don't have food to give your children, when you don't have electricity for your home (in this nation), or when you can not pay to have water in your house, you find yourself more apt to seek Jesus because he is the only thing left in your life. The reality of the situation is more likely to make us seek Jesus because we realize that there is not enough loving coming from people so we come face-to-face with our greatest point of physical need. This is where God is able to do so much more with us.
We, as christians, should see this as a call to action locally, regionally, and globally. I have to determine that in my own life, my purpose is not just to attain more for myself but to make sure as many, as possible, are feeling the love that God has shared with me. My choices for what I do when walking in "green pastures" should be directly related to how many people I can help as I walk along the way.
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twh
March 24: Green Pastures: They Require Action
1 Corinthians 10:23–11:16; Psalm 23
Love and complete reliance on God are interrelated concepts. When we discover what love really means, we want to praise God for it. When we learn to rely on God for all our needs, we see just how loving He is as He takes care of all aspects of our lives. And this love makes us want to show love to others.
It’s those who don’t have who are most apt to come to Jesus. They’re most in need of love. For this reason, it’s hard for us who do have—a home, a car, enough food for a week—to fully understand reliance on Christ. It takes a different type of discipline.
This is why it’s still shocking to me how many people absolutely love Psa 23. It’s comforting, I suppose, and that’s why: “Yahweh is my shepherd; I will not lack for anything. In grassy pastures he makes me lie down; by quiet waters he leads me” (Psa 23:1–2). I think so many of us love it, though, because we’re aware of how frail and vulnerable we really are. It could all be gone in a moment. Disease catches up to us, and death will eventually get us all. We often forget just how important love is in all this, and we fail to recognize why Psa 23 has a special place in our hearts.
We are in the top percentile of wealth in the world. Many of our families own more than one car. Nonetheless, the death around us and the diseases we see show just how quickly it can be gone. And for this reason, we can recognize how crucial love is. Love carries people through hard times. It brings them to depend on God. Paul tells us we could have all sorts of incredible spiritual gifts, but if we don’t have love, there’s no point (1 Cor 13:1, 13).
And when Paul speaks about love, he’s not talking about something we say or even feel; he’s talking about something we do. Love requires us to give all things; or in Paul’s words, it “rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor 13:6–7). So, those of us who understand relying on Psa 23, even in our wealth, must help those who rely on its promises but are yet to experience them. They are people all over the world, waiting for us to “bear” their burdens with them. They are the hurting, the voiceless—the people who need us to show real love.
How can you show love to the hurting and voiceless in the world today? God has called us all to action—that is what love means. So how will you act? - John D. Barry
Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
]]>God may have allowed us to be tested so we would change our lifestyles. When he corrects us, it is not because he is withholding things from us but instead, it is so we can enjoy what He has in store for us. With sin, comes pain and agony but with God, we receive joy and peace.
Trusting in His faithfulness is one massive step to living a life, not free from pain, but with the promised protection that we can make it through anything thrown at us.
Thank you Jesus for sacrificing so we can be heirs in the same promise.
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twh
Read | 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 When plans are frustrated or life just seems to fall apart in some way, it’s not uncommon for people to wonder, Has God deserted me? Why hasn’t He answered my prayers? Deuteronomy 7:9 offers encouragement with assurance of the Father’s faithfulness: “Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments.” Five attributes of God make this possible. First, He knows everything, including our needs, thoughts, frailties, and desires—past, present, and future. Next, the Lord is all-powerful, so nothing is too hard for Him (Jer. 32:17). Then, He exists everywhere at once and is never beyond reach. In addition, our heavenly Father cannot lie. Everything that He says is true and 100 percent reliable. Lastly, God is unchanging. The world around us and our circumstances seem to be in a constant state of flux. And the Lord may even modify the way He chooses to interact with mankind in different generations. But His character is always the same. So when Scripture tells us that God is faithful, we can rest confidently upon that promise. Circumstances often prove painful. But even when situations seem overwhelming, believers can trust that our sovereign Lord knows all, is in control, and lovingly works everything for His children’s good. We can rest confidently, knowing that the unchanging God of all creation is taking care of us. - Charles Stanley |
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Read | Matthew 8:23-27
In today’s reading from Matthew 8, the men who traveled with Jesus on a stormy night asked something that ought to make us sit up and take notice: “What kind of a man is this . . . ?” (v. 27). We would do well to ponder that same question. Then we’ll begin to see the big picture of who Jesus is.
The Lord and His disciples were making their way across the Sea of Galilee to the region of the Gadarenes. Then a powerful storm hit—imagine a violent wind causing such turbulence that waves were covering the deck of their wooden boat (v. 24). Even the experienced seamen on board were certain that their death was imminent.
But Jesus was sleeping. He was resting quietly during a storm so frightening that the writer chose the Greek word seismos to describe it. (Our phrase “seismic activity,” which is used of earthquakes, comes from the same root.) What kind of man is this who can sleep while the boat heaves and pitches? The answer is, the One who created the seas and knows how a storm brews and what energy causes a wave to stay in motion. That’s the kind of man—a divine Being cloaked in humanity, who rebuked the winds and sea so that they became perfectly calm.
Scripture indicates that both the air and the water were instantly stilled. Such is the power of Jesus, the Creator and Lord over the universe. All the Bible stories about Him add to the big picture that He is the only man worthy of glory, honor, and praise (Dan. 7:13-14; Rev. 5:12) - Charles Stanley of InTouch Ministries.
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More important is to make those prayers on behalf of someone else. In the spiritual realm, it can be the difference maker in how soon angels reach someone in need. It can be the beacon to remind God of his promise to his children.
I refuse to take on any arguments about whether everything is predestined or whether we can change fate. Those arguments are futile in my one life of living because of this: I have been in multiple situations, even within the last 7 days, where not only did my prayer but the added prayers of brothers and sisters in Christ have helped move the hearts and actions of people involved in our lives. People have changed their minds about issues. Things that could not be imagined have suddenly occurred to bless my family. It is not a matter of if prayer works, it is just a choice of whether or not we will do it according to God's word.
I know more than enough friends and acquaintances who have asked for a prayer, when in need, then seen their circumstances or their own hearts change for the better. I will not stop praying for you and I hope you will continue to pray for me.
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twh
March 20: We Don’t (Really) Mean It
“I’ll pray for you.”
We say it often, but how many times do we actually remember to do it? Our biggest downfall might not be a lack of compassion—it’s probably just not taking time to write down the request and not having a model of praying for others.
Some of us might feel like we’ve mastered the art of the task list, but it can still be difficult to keep up with praying for our friends. It’s easy to think, “God knows their needs, so it’s fine.” But that’s not the New Testament view of prayer: we’re meant to pray always (Luke 18:1; 1 Thess 5:16). And Paul himself regularly asks for prayers. If they weren’t important, he wouldn’t ask (Col 4:3). For this reason, it would be helpful to develop a system to track what people need prayer for, like a prayer journal. But what about the model?
When I pray for God’s will in my life, I’ve found that using the Lord’s Prayer works well when I’m having trouble praying. But I haven’t adopted a model for praying for others. Psalm 20 contains such a model, and the psalmist offers some beautiful words for others:
“May Yahweh answer you in the day of trouble.… May he send you help … May he remember all your offerings … May he give to you your heart’s desire … May we shout for you over your victory” (Psa 20:1–5). And then the psalmist goes on to proclaim God’s goodness and that He will answer (Psa 20:6). And this is the line I think I love the most: “Some boast in chariots, and others in horses, but we boast in the name of Yahweh, our God. They will collapse and fall, and we will rise and stand firm” (Psa 20:7–8).
“They will … fall … and we will rise.” We must pray for our friends with this kind of confidence. And then the greatest challenge of all: we must pray for our enemies as well.
How can you hold yourself accountable to pray for others? How can you use Psalm 20 as a model for prayer? - John D. Barry
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God stretched us and pulled at us to mold our lives closer to his desire. Knowing that he loves us was not enough. We had to be pruned by pain and agony into a darkness where God's light of truth was the only thing left. His truth about who we are, where we are and what we do had to be pounded into my head as the leader of the family. When you have nothing left, it is much easier to find God because there is no one else left to fix your problems.
Today is part three of a multiple link chain of issues we are facing. The thing that hurts the most about today's issue is that it directly involves my child. The pain is one that I can not take on for myself. There is nothing I can do to make this go away so again, God, I am at the foot of the cross.
I am glorifying you for what you have already done for me while at the same time, I am looking for your hand to protect my child.
You have assured me that you are here. You have given me the promise that no matter what occurs, you are in control. Everything that you allow to touch my life is meant as a building block to make me the best I can be through your will (Romans 8:28). When I fight that process, I only create delays along the way.
UPDATE:
Since I started writing this blog entry... things have already moved toward my blessing. God has already put his loving arms around my child, wrapped her in His grace, and given me & Crystal the peace that surpasses all understanding.
We asked a few prayer warriors to come alongside of us during this time. They were with us in spirit during the frightening moment and now they are able to rejoice with us and praise the God of Heaven for taking care of our little one. Thank you warriors for Christ! Thank you Jesus for loving my child so much and loving me despite my failures.
The devotional from the InTouch ministries was in God's timing because it speaks to our situation today. The last three days have been a demonstration that nothing is too hard for God. I love how Jesus makes the word so applicable in daily living.
~~
twh
My Assurance: God Is in Control Read | Jeremiah 32:17 During one of the most trying seasons of my life, I would sit by the fire with a dear friend and pour out my heart. Since this man was a good listener, he could sense when I felt discouraged, and he would remind me that God is in control. This truth became an anchor in my life; no matter how much the adversity intensified, I took comfort in knowing that my heavenly Father is sovereign. The Lord has absolute rule, control, and authority over the universe and everything in it. Scripture states that there is “one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all” (Eph. 4:6). Consider the assurances that this truth provides for believers. First, if God created everything and has complete power over all, then nothing can happen apart from His direction and permission. Second, we know from the Bible that He is intimately involved in our personal lives and cares about the details of each day. Third, Romans 8:28 guarantees that He makes something beautiful for His children from every circumstance—even situations that seem painful and wrong. If our loving Father protects us in this way, we can experience peace in the present and confidence about the future. In painful times, how do you view God? Especially during hardships and heartbreak, it’s important to remember that He is in control. Focusing on His sovereignty will give you the confidence to carry on. Reread today’s passage, paying particular attention to the power, love, and ability of your heavenly Father. - Charles Stanley of InTouch Ministries |
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Check out this link to an audio message based on Psalm 23.
]]>The way we perceive our earthly father is usually the first characters we assign to our heavenly father, whether it is true or not. This is all the more reason to demonstrate godly characteristics to our children.
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twh
Read | James 1:17-18 The Lord’s character is often distorted by the world. To unbelieving eyes, God can seem like a harsh ruler who is quick to condemn any disobedience. Somehow that false view has infected our churches as well. There are believers who approach the Lord as if He were a stingy old man doling out shreds of love, grace, and forgiveness. But spiritual poverty is not the Father’s plan for His children. At salvation, we received every good gift that God intends to give us: forgiveness, redemption, righteousness, a place in His family, and much more. There is a misguided notion among some believers that the Lord’s grace to us increases as our faith matures. If that were accurate, we would be earning His blessing though works. The truth is that spiritual growth broadens our capacity to recognize and enjoy His grace in our lives. It is sad that so many people feel unworthy to enjoy the Lord’s blessings. Thankfully, we do not have to merit His goodness, because none of us would be able to measure up. In fact, Scripture underscores the fact that God operates on the basis of His grace rather than our works (Eph. 2:8-9). Think of how big, wide, and deep His love is—He cares for us and showers us with grace because He wants to and not because we earn it. Our heavenly Father is not stingy—He lavishly pours out grace upon us. Instead of sampling meager bites of His Word and His presence on Sunday, we ought to devour whole “meals” every day. Follow the advice from the Psalms: “Open wide” so you can “taste and see that the LORD is good” (81:10; 34:8). - Charles Stanley of InTouch Ministries |
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She keeps it simple and clean without making it overly technical. For my fellow analytical, techno-geeks... the answer is, yes, I still like DPReview's product reviews but some times I want the basic question answered, "Why would I want to spend my money on this and what would it do to help me reach my goal?"
Considering Crystal and I have been shooting for about the same amount of time as this couple, I am also very keen on the author's thoughts to what might help to alleviate pains and soreness after decades of shooting.
Hope you appreciate it as much as we did. If so, be sure to sign in on her page with an appreciative thought or comment.
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twh
(images by Zofia & Co.)
We fall short of God's glory (Psalm 14:3) then try to apply our faulty, human efforts in a battle that is far beyond our physical reach. In our own minds, we think, "I know how to fix this" or "I bet this would take care of that issue." When in truth, anything good that we can accomplish is only that which is generated by God from the very beginning (Psalm 16:2)
If I will start each effort focused on God's desire first, I can at least start off in the right direction. If in my daily, hourly, second-by-second existence, I devote my whole heart (that means my mind, body and soul) to trusting in what God has said, then even when I stumble or fall down along the way, I will know that I am moving toward the purpose of Jesus (Romans 8:17).
With full likeness of Jesus as my destination, the journey through life is meant to bring me joy beyond comprehension (John 10:10). I just have to set my mind on giving up on what I think is best in trade for what He knows is best. (Proverbs 3:5-7)
LORD, although my road is starting out rough, I have chosen to follow you! (Joshua 24:15)
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twh
Why we do this to ourselves, over and over, is a mystery to me. Yes, I know it is because we have sin in our lives. Yes, I know it is pride, obstinance, a stubborn will or as the King James version of the Old Testament stated, we are a "stiff-necked people." Even knowing those factors, we find ourselves taking on the assumption that He has changed. In reality, it is not God that has changed but it is us. He has continued to love us and care for us every single day. His word is just as faithful and true as it was thousands of years ago when it was first spoken.
Our inability to grow up in our spiritual walk with God starts with that stubborn will. We want to live life our way, having it filled with blessings so we don't have to feel any pain. But in truth, growth comes with pain. For the life of me, I can not seem to get that through my thick head on most occasions. If I ever do, no one can imagine the blessings God already has stored up for me.
Why do I say that? Because when I start to accept that the bigger pains provide opportunity for greater fellowship with the owner of the universe, I will be ready to weigh into life with the mental attitude that my personal choices are weak compared to His omniscient view and endless love. It will be as if I were walking through storms but with God's force field setup around me. The bumps and waves will be felt but it will be like that of a mother giving birth to her child. The pain is intense for a short time but the reward will be exponentially more magnificent.
For me, it starts with a foundation of belief and trust that what God has said in the bible is the truth. If I can keep my focus on that one key point, then I will be able to live in the verse "all things work for the good of those who believe and are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)
So now I can start getting my praise on because I know this weeping is only for a time but joy will come.
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twh
Meditation Brings Blessings Read | Nehemiah 1:4-7 Our time spent with the Lord has a dramatic impact on our daily life. When we set aside periods to meditate upon His Word and listen to what He's telling us, we'll start to notice both subtle and dramatic changes taking place. First, we'll begin to gain a godly perspective. Certainly the apostle Paul was mindful of this; he actively prayed for himself and others to have the Lord's outlook (Eph. 1:16-19). When we start to see with enlightened eyes, the world—along with its joy and pain—becomes much clearer, as does our understanding of how to deal with circumstances. Second, spending time with God causes the pressures of life to dissipate. Jesus warned His disciples that they would face trouble in this world (just as all of us will), but He assured them that they had no real reason to be afraid. Why fear a foe that Christ has already conquered (John 16:33)? Third, meditation brings peace. In this troubled world, we frequently find ourselves in need of a tranquil heart, which can be attained only through Jesus (John 14:27). Paul tells us that the world is not even capable of understanding God's peace (Phil. 4:7), let alone able to offer us any kind of authentic serenity. While a desire for personal reward should not be our only reason for spending time with the Lord, there are indeed wonderful blessings in store for those who meditate on His Word. Tomorrow we will consider more of the rewards that await believers who dwell on the Scriptures. - Charles Stanley of InTouch Ministries |
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No matter what resource we search for, that resource depends on the one true source, God. Jesus tried to explain that to us over and over. He even said the same of himself "Now they know that everything I have is a gift from You." (John 17:7 NLT).
It's difficult to focus on God first because that means giving up control. Our first thought is to use what we have been given to solve the problems of the day, yet our true intent is to be so wrapped up in God that we would seek His desires before we start focusing on our own plan. That doesn't mean we will not have to work or that we will become mindless droids who never think for themselves. What it does mean is that our hearts and minds should be so wrapped up in God's word that His plan lays out the blueprint of how our mind operates.
No matter how you were brought up, you have developed patterns of actions that you do everyday. Those patterns came from the people you interacted with the most and from those who influenced you. In His love for each of us, God created a yearning within us for a relationship with him. Even though we often try to replace it with other people, things or activities, our primary purpose is to interact with God through prayer, worship and through His word. We should be so influenced by our relationship with Him that we follow his pattern when we think and when we react to life. It should be our first thought to seek His righteousness so when the difficulties of living on this earth challenge us, we are answering them not from our own plan but directly from the primary source, Jesus.
I am sharing this because for me, it is one the biggest challenges of my life. Remembering to start with God is not something we can do ourselves, it only comes when we have the Holy Spirit within us. When our own thoughts, will and emotions have been broken enough to allow God's spirit to guide us, we will search for Jesus first.
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twh
March 12: Cry Out Like the Psalmist
We often read the very bold psalms of the Bible without really reading them. We’re used to their cadence, their cries, and their requests. They seem appropriate in contexts where war, death, and enemies or mutinous friends were a daily reality. For that reason, these cries don’t always resound off the pages and fill our own lips, even when they should.
“How long, O Yahweh? Will you forget me forever?” says the psalmist (Psa 13:1). “Consider and answer me, O Yahweh my God” (Psa 13:3).
Often, when going through the difficulties of life, these cries should be our own. Instead, we try to lean on our own strength. We rely on the bravery and wisdom that we think rests deep inside us. We try to muster courage. We engage the fear. The psalmist acknowledges that this isn’t the way it’s supposed to be: “How long must I take counsel in my soul, and sorrow in my heart all the day?” (Psa 13:2).
Instead, we should be crying out with the helplessness that is closer to our true reality. The next time you feel anxious, stop and pray. Turn over your cries to the one who can do something about them. When you do so, acknowledge that God is your God (Psa 13:3). Acknowledge His steadfast love (Psa 13:3). He will hear you and answer you. And, as the psalm states, He will deal bountifully with you (Psa 13:6).
How are you trying to resolve the problems of your life? How can you turn to God in these moments? - Rebecca Van Noord
Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
]]>Every Christian is given the gift of the Holy Spirit to ascertain the meaning and understand exactly what God's message means in their own lives at that particular time of application (1 Corinthians 2:6-16). The most important factor is in whom we place our trust. If we are solely focused on what a person says instead of the source that provided the wisdom, we can fall into religious traps that keep us from seeing God's truth (Proverbs 3:5-8).
Having a consistent, daily prayer & meditation time with God will strengthen our mind. It will give us a keen awareness when someone, even those teachers that we love, speak for themselves and not of God's direction.
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twh
March 10: Jesus Christ (Meant to Be) the Superstar
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, is certainly incorrect (and rather heretical) in its portrayal of history, but it got one thing right: Jesus is meant to be the celebrity. He—no one else—is the Savior, the Christ, the Lord.
And that’s why the celebrity pastor movement is quite frightening. I don’t say this as a cynic, and it’s not that I’m primarily concerned with how these teachers are marketed (although that, too, can be scary at times); I’m worried about the way they’re received.
Certainly there are people who can be trusted more than others, and popularity is by no means a measurement of trustworthiness. But automatically agreeing with everything a teacher says puts the disciple in a bad position with the God they worship. It also puts the teacher in a position similar to an idol. Teachers who truly follow Christ would never desire such glory for themselves.
In the Gospel of John, we see Jesus glorified by the Father. Jesus was obedient to the Father, even to death, which is why He alone is worthy of our worship. “I have glorified you on earth by completing the work that you have given me to do. And now, Father, you glorify me at your side with the glory that I had at your side before the world existed” (John 17:4–5).
True teachers of the gospel want commitment—not to themselves, but to Christ and His cause. Jesus prayed: “Righteous Father, although the world does not know you, yet I have known you, and these men have come to know that you sent me. And I made known to them your name, and will make it known, in order that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I may be in them” (John 17:26).
In what parts of your life is God asking you to make a statement similar to Paul’s? What teachers are you adoring too much? - John D. Barry
Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
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Jesus isn’t simply a high priority or even the highest priority of our lives. He is the source of life. In the Gospel of John, Jesus teaches the disciples that they need to depend on Him for their very lives—both in the present and for eternal life.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him—this one bears much fruit, for apart from me you are not able to do anything. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and dries up, and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned” (John 15:5–6).
We rarely think in these terms today. However, the disciples faced persecution and even death on account of their faith in Jesus. Our lives, like theirs, will be held to the same measure. They are being held to the same measure.
Today, when you look at your life, and the lives of those closest to you, do you see fruit and abundance? Or do you see another picture? Are you like a dried-up branch, devoid of any good works that speak of a godly source? Do your relationships suffer because you are at the center, not Jesus?
Throughout the trials you face—whether big or small—cling to Jesus as the source and giver of life. May you remain in His love. And may His love fill you with abundance and cause you to bear fruit for His kingdom.
How does your life bear fruit? - Rebecca Van Noord
Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
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"I pray for you. You pray for me.
I love you. I need you to survive.
I won't harm you with words from my mouth.
I love you. I need you to survive!"
- Hezekiah Walker
We get caught up in our own understanding of what God's word says then we apply that to what others are doing or not doing. As the devotional below describes, "it's easy to equate knowledge with faith and then look down on new believers" but that doesn't just apply to new believers. We can mistakenly, use the same scale to measure anyone who doesn't think like we think or act like we act.
In truth, love has to prevail in every situation. Our love for God and our our love for others must be more prevalent than any other attitude. Remembering that we have all fallen short of God's measure is a good place to start. It doesn't mean that we acquiesce to sin. It does mean that we keep a close vigil by looking at ourselves through God's eyes and remembering how much God loved us when we never deserved it.
~~
twh
March 7: Concerning Knowledge and Eating Meat
It’s easy to equate knowledge with faith and then look down on new believers. Although we might not voice it, those who are less knowledgeable in their faith can seem weak. And sometimes, instead of practicing patience, showing love, and speaking carefully about the hope within us, we enroll them in Bible boot camp for dummies.
But Jesus shows that love is what leads to growth in faith: “If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and will take up residence with him. The one who does not love me does not keep my words, and the word that you hear is not mine, but the Father’s who sent me” (John 14:23–24).
Paul echoes this in his letter to the Corinthians: “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone thinks he knows anything, he has not yet known as it is necessary to know” (1 Cor 8:1–2). In reality, the opposite of what we believe is true: anyone who lacks love actually lacks faith (1 Cor 8:3).
Love defines our relationship with God and with each other. Christ died for both the knowledgeable and the weak, and both are caught up in His sacrifice (1 Cor 8:11). God has love and patience for the people whose own search for knowledge led us away from Him. And this should give us all the more love and patience for each other.
How can you practice humility and love with those who haven’t been in the faith as long as you have? - Rebecca Van Noord
Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
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We decide in our minds that certain types of people, certain levels of sin, certain attitudes about faith are less favorable to God or not as forgivable as others. We grade one sin as a higher or lower crime against God when, in truth, He can not abide by any sin and His son, Jesus died for every single type, style and method of sin.
That's where we lose the ability to share the gospel. Those who have not accepted the salvation offered by Christ's death and resurrection see us as being too intolerant, too political, too judgmental, too stuck-up and most of all, devoid of the very love we claim to promote. It's so critical that we accept the fact that God's love was meant for every person on this earth (and possibly any aliens that might fly in from Jupiter. OK, maybe not those from Pluto since it was demoted from planetary status, but you get my point.) This applies to our perception of everyone from the president down through congress, all the way to the beggar on the street. God's love is applicable to the Christian who's fallen behind in his personal time with God to the atheist or agnostic who doesn't believe the very word of God. Jesus stands at the door of every person's heart. He stands there knocking, waiting to be allowed inside. He is waiting, ever so patiently, for as many as will to open the door, allow him inside and to build a relationship with them. He wants to take the burden of life's difficulties off our shoulders and give us a load that puts him as the heavy burden carrier. Not everyone will accept God's loving sacrifice but it was made available to all who are willing to open themselves to it.
The love demonstrated by Jesus' death on the cross was done for me, you, him, her... yep, it includes her too. It is dedicated and focused on all who are willing to accept it. There's not one type of person or any brand of sin that God's love will not cover if the person truly desires to accept Jesus as LORD and savior.
Let's look at our selections of who we disdain. Look at those who we think are wrong and misguided or evil and unrighteous. Look at them and focus on this truth. We were once like them in God's eyes. We were missing out on the grace offered to us. How can we not love them even through the perceived faults we prescribe to them? Every day we get more and more grace, mercy & love demonstrated to us by our Father. Don't believe me, look to the fresh new day we all received with the rising of the sun. They are his creations too and deserve as much love as we can give them through the power of the Holy Spirit.
~~
twh
March 3rd
The unrelieved quest
Feed My sheep. John 21:17.
This is love in the making. The love of God is un-made, it is God’s nature. When we receive the Holy Spirit He unites us with God so that His love is manifested in us. When the soul is united to God by the indwelling Holy Spirit, that is not the end; the end is that we may be one with the Father as Jesus was. What kind of oneness had Jesus Christ with the Father? Such a oneness that the Father sent him down here to be spent for us, and He says—“As the Father hath sent Me, even so send I you.”
Peter realizes now with the revelation of the Lord’s hurting question that he does love Him; then comes the point—Spend it out. Don’t testify how much you love Me, don’t profess about the marvellous revelation you have had, but—“Feed My sheep.” And Jesus has some extraordinarily funny sheep, some bedraggled, dirty sheep, some awkward butting sheep, some sheep that have gone astray! It is impossible to weary God’s love, and it is impossible to weary that love in me if it springs from the one centre. The love of God pays no attention to the distinctions made by natural individuality. If I love my Lord I have no business to be guided by natural temperament; I have to feed His sheep. There is no relief and no release from this commission. Beware of counterfeiting the love of God by working along the line of natural human sympathy, because that will end in blaspheming the love of God.
Chambers, O. (1986). My utmost for his highest: Selections for the year. Grand Rapids, MI: Oswald Chambers Publications; Marshall Pickering.
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twh
March 1: A Bold God and a Bold People
Numbers 1:1–46; John 11:1–27; Psalms 1:1–6
Imagine a God so bold that He would say, “Take a census of the entire community of the children of Israel according to their clans and their ancestors’ house … from twenty years old and above, everyone in Israel who is able to go to war. You and Aaron must muster them for their wars. A man from each tribe will be with you, each man the head of his family” (Num 1:2–4). It wouldn’t be easy to hear God tell you that you must be ready for war.
Yet our daily decisions to follow God are not so different than the decisions and preparations Moses had to make. Every day we have opportunities to choose God—or not. It’s easy to agree to this as a principle, but living it is an entirely different story. How often do distractions deter us from actually hearing God? Yet if we can’t hear Him, we can’t obey Him.
It’s also easy to be distracted by sin, but following sinful ways will only make us like “the chaff that the wind scatters” (Psa 1:4). We must be a people constantly seeking God instead—a people that makes His law our “delight” (Psa 1:2). We must “meditate” upon it “day and night” (Psa 1:2).
We’re also distracted by wicked people prospering. It’s easy to think, “Why is that person is moving up in the world while I seem to be falling back?” But we must remember that this world is not “the dream,” and God will bring justice: “for Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish” (Psa 1:6).
What’s distracting you from listening to God and following Him? What are you going to do about it?
John D. Barry
Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
]]>The problem for us is living through the process. Because we are naturally sinful in nature, we bring our sin into the process. God doesn't work with sin because he is holy and perfect. It's not in his nature to accept sin within his process because again, sin brings with it chaos and chaos would generate unnecessary pain and despair into our lives.
The good thing for us is that the existence of sin within our nature is not the end of our story. It's not a case of "Oh no, I sinned and now I'm no good for God's purpose or plan." In his inexplicable love for us, God has provided a plan for our redemption. From the beginning of time, God had the plan in place for our redemption by sacrificing a part of himself through the life & death of his only son, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:11-12)
That single sacrifice of innocent human blood brought with it our ability to reach the Father in Heaven. God now had a way for us to walk with him in direct communication. His presence is now available to us through the mediator Jesus Christ. We no longer need human priests to communicate on our behalf because Jesus, the greatest High Priest, is there at the right hand of God making petitions on our behalf. He is sharing our worries, fears and concerns with God almighty. Whatever we need is available through the requests of Jesus if we just ask him (Matthew 7:7-11). We can simply ask Jesus to forgive us of our sins, turn away from those sinful practices, and receive forgiveness from God. It really is that simple.
So let's go back to the plans that God has for us. When we give our lives to Jesus, those plans are made known to us. Those plans are meant for the best results in our lives because God loves us and only wants what is best for us (Jeremiah 29:11). It is up to us to seek his will and be willing to actually do the things that God directs (James 1:22-24). If we fail to follow all the directions, we must ask God for forgiveness and boldly thank Jesus for the miracle of salvation that he has freely offered to all.
We can remember the lessons we learned from our mistakes but we can't focus our attention on them. After accepting the free, miraculous gift of salvation, our sins are forgiven and put away from God's eyes (1 John 5:11-15). Yes, their may be repercussions from our actions but our focus and our attention must be on the giver and not the gifts offered nor the repercussions of our own errors. God's gifts, both spiritual and material, come by his grace and are intended for his praise. Our success through the trials of life are only by his mercy. That, in itself, is enough cause to praise Him every day, every hour, and every minute of our lives.
With faith in Jesus, we can get back on God's path. I know it seems like I'm oversimplifying this but it is true to God's word. Maybe it's not easy, but it is that simple.
~~
twh
It speaks to my heart because it is the way Christians should treat each other and those who don't personally, know Jesus. We are bound by God's love for us. Through that love, we must be open to sharing our love & concern for others. Our prayer must be fervent, earnest and continual for all of God's children.
The words from my mouth should not harm others nor insult others. They must encourage and exhort the LORD in Heaven. They must exemplify the truth of Jesus' sacrifice for everyone. There is no other purpose for us than glorifying Jesus and expanding God's kingdom.
I'll pray for you. You pray for me. I love you. I need you to survive.
~~
cch
Lyrics from "I Need You To Survive" by Hezekiah Walker.
I need you, you need me.
We're all a part of God's body.
Stand with me, agree with me.
We're all a part of God's body.
It is his will, that every need be supplied.
You are important to me, I need you to survive.
You are important to me, I need you to survive.
I pray for you, You pray for me.
I love you, I need you to survive.
I won't harm you with words from my mouth.
I love you, I need you to survive.
It is his will, that every need be supplied.
You are important to me, I need you to survive.
WOW!! What a beauty! Be sure to like her page and see the new designs at Ventage Clothing
]]>by Charles Stanley of InTouch Ministries
Have you made a decision to follow God as a way of life? I’m not talking about obeying once in a while but rather, complying in every area to the best of your ability. Or do you find that you sometimes struggle to do His will?
Disobedience is not always wrapped in a sinful-looking package. It can be as simple as refusing to act upon what God has gifted, trained, and called us to do. Our resistance to His plan can bring misery and regret because we have only limited insight into the future. But God has promised to provide the guidance that we need:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your body
And refreshment to your bones (Proverbs 3:5-8).
Being obedient does not mean you and I will never make mistakes or face adversity. However, when trouble comes, the way will be straight, sure, and manageable because our trust is in God. The prophet Isaiah reassured us,
The LORD will continually guide you,
And satisfy your desire in scorched places,
And give strength to your bones;
And you will be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail (Isaiah 58:11).
Notice that both passages of Scripture speak of physical health and well-being. You may be living in complete obedience and yet are battling a serious illness. That situation does not mean you’ve done something wrong. But believers who refuse to trust and obey God will feel stressed, pressured, out of control, and fearful—such emotions often contribute to health problems. And disobedience can simply be a case of not trusting Him to guide your decisions concerning family, community, or job.
Obedience Is a Choice
I doubt that many of us adequately consider the impact our decisions can have on the future. Often believers make choices based on what makes sense. For example, the interest rates are low; therefore, it must be the right time to purchase a house. However, no matter how the circumstances look, our decisions must always be directed by the Lord.
In Luke 5, Peter was faced with a life-changing choice that, at first, appeared insignificant. Jesus had been preaching along the shore of the Lake of Genesert (also known as the Sea of Galilee). With His back to the water and the crowd pressing in on Him, Jesus had no place to go (v. 1). When the Lord climbed aboard Peter’s boat and asked the fisherman to move it off shore a little distance, the future apostle agreed. That was Peter’s first step toward obedience. You see, unlike salvation, obedience is not a gift but a process—something we learn over time.
After Jesus finished preaching, He had another request: “‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ [Peter] answered and said, ‘Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets’” (vv. 4-5). Going back out to fish during the heat of the morning didn’t seem wise to Peter. Every fisherman knew that the fish stayed on the bottom of the lake during the day.
People sometimes sense God’s leading but fail to see the logic in what He’s telling them. Such individuals have told me, “I just don’t know whether God wants me to do this. It simply doesn’t make sense.” You must trust the Lord—not overanalyze the situation to determine what you might gain or lose. As we hear His voice and submit to His leading, we build our faith and develop greater confidence in Him. Calculating, questioning, and doubting will not build the faith that He wants you to have.
Peter chose to obey Jesus’ unusual request to fish during the day. His catch was so successful that the nets began to break, and John and the others had to come help. The only words Peter could utter to the Savior were: “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” as “amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken” (vv. 8-9). Here is one truth on which you can stake your life: If Jesus asks you to do something, you know without a doubt that a blessing will follow—not only for you, but often for others as well.
The outcome of Peter’s faith was a new line of work—one that had an eternal purpose. Jesus said to him, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men” (v. 10). What is God’s will for you? Only His plan guarantees you maximum joy, peace, and purpose. The way He operated in Peter’s life is the same way He will operate in yours—step by step, guiding you in the process of obedience. This is an awesome way to live the rest of your life—in the shadow of the Father’s constant care, in the light of His truth and eternal glory!
Adapted from “In Step with God” (2008).
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(via How New York’s Recently Passed Model Law Could Change Fashion Week | Fashionista) image from Getty Images
That is why we have to depend on faith in the one who created everything. Some people believe it's just a crutch that is used to avoid reality. If that is their choice, it's OK... for them. For me, it's a choice of looking at the reality of truth; the constant flood of evidence that shows God made a plan, executed the plan and made a provision for me to not only live in the plan but to live more abundantly. Through Jesus Christ, he's provided a way for me to face the painful moments and see my way through them.
It's not done by faith in my abilities because I'm incomplete by myself. It's not done by faith in friends, family, riches, power or anything in this earth. It's only made available when I release my control to Jesus. When I give up my own motives and accept his directives, I have found the results are more beneficial for me and everyone around me. That's how I know my pains have a greater purpose because I have already lived through enough of them yet I am still here today.
Now that I am here and have made it through those troubles, what am I going to do with the life and experiences God has given me? What will I do as each new trial comes along? Tell someone else just how glorious it can be!
Do you really know how wonderful God's plans are for you? (Jeremiah 29:11)
~~
twh
Read | Ephesians 1:3-14
Everyone experiences difficulty in life. During painful times, we may feel as though God is not blessing us. But even then, we are experiencing many of His amazing gifts, despite the fact that they might be escaping our notice.
Below are several examples of blessings we can enjoy on bright or dark days:
• We are assured that our almighty God chose us before the foundation of the world(v. 4). He predestined us to be adopted as His children (v. 5). We can feel special and wanted because the Sovereign of the universe selected us.
• Jesus provided our salvation through His death and resurrection (v. 7). He redeemed us from sin that causes separation from God and ultimately leads to death. As a result, we receive a brand-new nature and daily forgiveness of iniquities (2 Cor. 5:17; 1 John 1:9).
• The Holy Spirit resides within us. He guides, warns, and fills us so we always have access to counsel or comfort. And because He also seals us, our eternity is secure (Eph. 1: 13).
• Our Father prepares an inheritance for us that is imperishable (1 Peter 1:4). We may experience momentary troubles, but we can look forward to living eternally in God’s presence, where there is joy and no suffering.
In painful situations, you might be tempted to conclude that the Lord’s hand isn’t resting on your life. But believers have wonderful spiritual blessings at all times. Without the four permanent gifts listed above, fear and emptiness would be overwhelming. Ponder these benefits, and express gratitude, even in difficulty.
]]>We don't like being corrected nor do we like being disciplined. In Hebrews 12, we are clearly instructed to see God's discipline in the light of the love he has for us as his children. That is encouraging because I think of why my children are disciplined at home. I often get angry over an action of sin that they may commit but I don't love them less. I will discipline them because I don't want them to grow into adults committing the same sinful actions which will have even greater consequences if repeated as an adult. If they learn to adjust their choices now, before they become too grave or too habitual, they will not live in the pain of their own misdeeds. I do this because I truly love them and because I have vision into areas of life that they can't see yet.
If any person, who is sinful in nature (although saved by grace) can love his children so much, how much more would a perfect God who is the definition of love, do for his children? (Matthew 7:9-11) Now I look upon my own condition and think of the pain I am experiencing. I realize that, like my children, some of my pain is caused by self-inflicted errors; decisions that I made which are now, consequently, the result of my own poor choices.
Now we have a redeemer who stands at the right hand of God (the position of authority) on our behalf continually providing forgiveness and acceptance for us. When God looks upon us, he sees his promised commitment to love us through the blood of his very own son, Jesus Christ. That gives us the freedom to accept correction in faith, knowing that God loves us. He loves us enough and cares enough to take the trouble to discipline us. If a father didn't care, he would allow his children to run rampant doing whatever they wanted and accepting the resulting punishment of their own misdeeds.
Then I think of my friends and acquaintances who don't have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Especially, those who have chosen to disregard the faith because they don't believe that the word of God, the bible, is true. They believe what this world tells them is truth but it is only a man's mathematical description of what he can understand. What happens when that man learns that his physical limitations restricted his spiritual capacity to accept what was beyond his understanding? How can a lost person comprehend the massive composition of God if they are not willing to accept the possibility that His word, as historical as it has been seen to be, is true.
A person's rejection of the word is the equivalent to rejection of the son of God because Jesus is the word of God brought into living flesh (John 1:1-5). Acceptance of that may come hard to some because many people don't want to believe that God would be that restrictive or that He even exists but it is by grace that we are saved, not by our own works. It is by the grace of God that we are given the opportunity to accept or deny his gift. By grace, God loved us so much that he refused to take away our free will which included our ability to choose him or to choose ourselves as lord over our lives.
We know we didn't create ourselves. We know we don't know everything. We can't be everywhere so, logically, why would we choose the lessor being as lord? The answer is in Sin... Sin is the lie that was told to us from the early existence of mankind. Satan, when he was still, an arch angel of Heaven, wanted to be like God instead of being under God's authority even though, as Lucipher, he had one of the greatest rankings among the angels (Isaiah 14:12-15). That was the same message of envy which Satan fed to Adam and Eve. They believed that they were worthy of more than God had given them so they chose to disobey God (Genesis 3).
Until a person comes to accept that God knows what is best and that through the bible, God has shown us a better way of living, he or she won't have the protection that Jesus provides. This isn't just a safety net for after death, this is about living out our current human life in the power of the Holy Spirit, a relationship received only after acceptance of the gift (Ephesians 2-3).
To my friends, I urge you to avoid the deception that comes from the flesh of human wisdom (Proverbs 3:5-7). I realize that in the past, the sins of men have attempted to tarnish the name and the true message of Jesus. As far back as the Crusades and before them, there have been those who would misuse and misapply the message of Jesus Christ but all is not lost to us who know our savior lives. Our faith lies in the one who created the church. If we search and meditate upon God's word, we are given insight and wisdom to see the truth (James 1:5-8).
Accept the truth today. Give over the control of your thoughts, emotions and will to The Lord Jesus for a better life and one for eternity.
~~
twh
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twh
By Dr. Charles Stanley of InTouch Ministries
Would you consider yourself a free person? More than likely, you would. But perhaps somewhere in the back of your mind, you wonder, Am I truly free?
We live in a country that has a rich heritage—one that is steeped in freedom and liberty. But many people are not living free lives. They are bound by invisible chains that prevent them from reaching their full potential. These shackles are made up of links that have been cast and shaped in the emotional fires of fear.
Once this deadly emotion captures a person’s heart, breaking its bond is difficult—but it can be done. Though fear’s grasp is strong, it is not greater than the power of Jesus Christ. The Savior told His disciples, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:31-32).
How do we break free from the bondage of fear? There is only one way, and that is through faith in Christ. But before we can do this, we must come to a point where we admit that we are battling a deadly foe and need God’s help.
I’m not fearful!
The young boy leveled his eyes at his mother’s gaze and said, “I’m not afraid. I want to camp outside with my friends!” His mother softened as she thought through the situation. He would be in the fenced-in backyard, within range of her hearing his every move, and more than
likely, she would be awake—watching to make sure he and his friends were safe. And if they needed anything, they could easily come inside the house.
This is exactly what happened. Somewhere around 2 am, she heard the backdoor open and close. She got up, grabbed her robe, and hurried downstairs to check on her son. As she flipped the lights on in the kitchen, she was greeted by the sight of her boy and two of his best friends—sleeping bags in hand along with a crumbled bag of chocolate chip cookies. Sensing their embarrassment, she asked, “Son, what happened?”
“There’s something out there,” her son replied. “I don’t know what it is, but it snarled at us. We could hear it in the yard. Maybe it was a big dog, a wild fox, or even a large bear!” Trying not to smile at the thought of their imagined foes, she said, “Why don’t you just sleep in the den and go back out to the tent in the morning? I’ll make pancakes for you when you wake up.” The mood of the group immediately brightened. She didn’t bother to mention the fact that the chances of meeting up with a fox or a bear were extremely low, especially since they lived in a densely populated city.
Fear attacks without warning. It tempts us to believe things that will not or cannot happen, and often leaves us feeling helpless and without hope. Each day, we are bombarded with words and messages that have the ability to stir thoughts of fear within us. Turn on the news, and more than likely you will hear a dismal rundown on the economy and many other items that strike notes of panic in your heart.
News organizations often broadcast with the goal of creating an emotional reaction from those who watch, listen, and visit their Web sites. To increase their audience, they target people with the messages that produce the greatest response. Therefore, if the fire of fear works, the flame is turned up.
From a worldly perspective, the future may look pretty bleak, especially if you decide to calculate your situation apart from faith in Jesus Christ. The fact is, if you do this, fear will reach out and grab your heart, telling you that the worst will happen and it will be beyond anything you can imagine. Don’t buy into the Enemy’s lies. The nightly news cannot give you a complete picture of reality—certainly not from a heavenly standpoint. And remember, nothing the Devil whispers to you is based on the truth of God’s Word (John 8:44). While we are facing very serious times in our nation’s history, we are not alone. God is with us, and He is never out of control.
The apostle Paul discovered this in a fresh way during a very difficult time in his ministry. Somewhere near the end of his second missionary journey, he was staying in the city of Corinth. He had left Athens to go to Macedonia, but something happened that almost caused him to stumble in his faith. The Jews resisted his teaching to a point where they “blasphemed.” Paul was fed up with their stiff-necked ways. He declared that he would no longer go to the Jews first, but instead would preach God’s message to the Gentiles (Acts 18:5-6).
At every turn, Paul faced opposition from the Jewish leaders. On several occasions, his very life had been threatened. He was tired and likely felt alone and worn thin emotionally—vulnerable to the destruction of fear. One night as he drifted off to sleep, God’s Spirit spoke to him, saying, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:9-10).
There we have it: one of the greatest apostles who ever lived, battling fear. But the verses that follow do not mention this again. Why? Paul changed his focus. He came face-to-face with the reality of his fear and chose to abandon it. Was this something he could do on his own? Absolutely not. There was no way he could move past the anxiety he felt without the assurance found in Jesus Christ. Once God’s Spirit spoke to his heart, the issue was settled, and Paul knew there was only one thing for him to do: complete the work God had given him.
The Enemy uses many things in an effort to distract us and prevent us from reaching our full potential—and fear is one of his choice weapons. He usually follows it with words of discouragement and accusation: “You can’t do that”; “You haven’t been trained”; “What would people think if you fail?” And that was his strategy in Corinth: Satan knew he would face ultimate defeat if Paul succeeded, so he tried to keep the apostle fearful. The Lord’s faithful promise, delivered at just the right moment, was all the encouragement Paul needed to continue preaching the truth of the gospel.
The right steps to overcoming fear
If you are going to overcome fear, the first step is to acknowledge and admit your anxiety. Confess, “Lord, I feel fearful, and I don’t know what to do. Please show me how to go forward from this point.” Next, ask God to enable you to conquer your fear. The more you understand your relationship with God, the more intimately you will relate to Him. Your level of trust will increase, and you will begin to notice the many ways He is at work in your life and circumstances.
Shortly before his death, Paul wrote an interesting word of instruction to Timothy. He reminded his young protégé, “God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Tim. 1:7). Fear doesn’t fit who we are as believers. It usually surfaces when we have the wrong response to disappointment and trial. God wants you to be victorious, not harassed or tormented by anxiety.
Let God remove fear from your life. He may choose to do this by placing you in a frightening situation where you feel out of control. But you do not have to worry, because the One who has promised never to let you go is holding your life in His omnipotent hand.
After you have given your worries to the Lord, meditate on His Word. David understood the power that was available to him through God’s personal promises. He wrote, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread? . . . My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear” (Ps. 27:1-3).
If you want to keep your confidence strong, study the Bible, apply God’s principles to your life, and walk with Him each day by faith. When you hide His Word in your heart, you will have the light of His truth to guide you—not only for your present circumstances, but also for eternity.
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twh
Revenge Isn’t Sweet
It’s easy to revel in vigilante justice, be joyful in the irony of someone getting “what’s coming to them,” or feel satisfied when “bad Karma comes back around” to others. The colloquialisms around the subject alone demonstrate our infatuation with justice. Joseph is similarly impassioned; he schemes against his brothers who sold him into slavery. At the beginning of Gen 43, Joseph’s brothers must go back to Egypt to request food from him—their younger brother, whom they do not recognize. Joseph waits for the youngest, Benjamin, to join them. What Joseph intends to do when he does, we’re not told.
When Benjamin and the other brothers arrive, Joseph is either moved with empathy or chooses to act upon his original plan of revealing himself in front of all his brothers (Gen 43:16, 29). Joseph even helps them financially, signaling that he somehow still cares for them (Gen 44). Yet it doesn’t seem that Joseph has forgiven them yet, because in Genesis 44, more evil schemes emerge.
The thought of others feeling the same kind of pain they have inflicted can cause us to feel remorse. But we’re always aware of the choice; we can choose to fight our instincts. We can recognize that instead of lashing back, the best answer is turning the other cheek. This may be easy for some, but for others—especially those who have been deeply hurt—abandoning the urge to inflict injury will require spiritual strength, prayer, and self-control.
Whom do you currently desire to see hurt? How can you let that feeling go? How can God help you release the situation to Him?*
-John D. Barry
*Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
]]>Here is a post from our friend, a local fashion designer, Megan Wilson. Megan loves Jesus and fashion... I'm pretty sure in that order but you never can tell about those designers. Just Kidding Megan!
The simple truth of that matter is that her notice pretty much called me out on a number of things that I need to change in my personal life. I don't want my children to lose the "reality check" that is needed in a world full of socially active networked people. It has to start with me in my house so I'm posting this for the rest of you to see.
Megan, thank you for the reminder and the permission to reuse this! (Check her designs out at http://www.facebook.com/VentageClothing)
"Instead of pouring into people, we pour our souls into a faceless machine, and then we wonder why we feel so empty at the end of the day.
Sometimes, I wish Facebook/Twitter/Tumblr/Instagram would crash for a day/week/month/forever just to get people face-to-face again.
I miss human interaction, I miss my friends, I miss the joy of hearing a story (for the first time) straight from the mouth of a friend. I miss the loud laughter of a friend when I tell a joke. I miss being able to go one hour without feeling the need to post something on the internet for attention (oh, the irony).
I miss phone calls, I miss letters in the mail, I miss hand-written invitations to birthday parties, I miss catching up with friends on Monday morning, I miss what social interaction used to be.
I want a large dinner table filled with all of you, I want to see your beautiful faces, I want to give you a hug and tell you how glad I am to see you, I want to see your bright smile, I want to hear the way your voice rises when you start to laugh, I want to be the one that made you laugh, I want to forget that I have a cell phone because we're having such a good time, I want our time together to stay only in our memories, I want to work harder to memorize that moment so that I don't need a picture, or a tweet, or a video.
Let the reality revolution begin." - Megan Wilson
You can see a few of her cool designs at http://www.facebook.com/VentageClothing
]]>This begins with humbling ourselves before the Lord. "Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land" Chronicles 7:13 NLT. We must remember that we are not self-provisioning. We have nothing without God. We can do nothing good without God. His place of presence and his level of existence is so far beyond our understanding that our dreams can not comprehend the completeness of his being. Yet even as the almighty God, he loves us independently and individually, so much that He sacrificed His own son for us. In that sacrifice, He bought us back. He paid the debt that we could never repay.
Now we can look to God as the Father who loves us. He loves us and cares for us so nothing that we need will be withheld from us. 9 “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. - Matthew 7:9-11 NLT.
When we cry out to God, we must first "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." Matthew 7:33 NLT. Our steps can start with
As we seek God's saving mercy, it should be as just a child with expectations of love and hope to be fulfilled.
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twh
January 16: Save Us!
Genesis 27, Matthew 20:17–21:22, Ecclesiastes 6:5–12
“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matt 21:9). Idiomatically, this means: “Save [me], I pray, the Son of David. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of Yahweh! Save [me], I pray, by the highest!”
When the people shout these words about Jesus as He enters Jerusalem, they affirm His divinely appointed role and His ability to save them. And the original psalm that this phrase comes from is about their God, Yahweh. Perhaps the people understood Jesus as one with God (Psa 118:25–26).
As He enters Jerusalem, Jesus’ actions align with Zech 9:9, which foretells of a savior-king who will enter on a donkey (Matt 21:5).
For first-century Jews, everything lined up to affirm Jesus as God’s way of bringing salvation, and they responded to Him as such. This prompts several questions: how often do we see the alignment between what’s happening and God’s plan? How many parallels or opportunities do we miss? And how often do we forget to say “save me”?
Whenever possible, and just like the whole city of Jerusalem during Passover, we should be stirred to ask, “Who is this?” (Matt 5:10).
What do you currently need Jesus to save you from? In what areas of life could you be missing out on Jesus’ presence? How can you make Him part of those areas of your life again? - John D. Barry**
**Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
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The easy way is often the least profitable in the long run. As an example, the message of salvation, was simple but it wasn't easy. A great price was paid for our life. Let's honor Jesus by choosing to live in his will.
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twh
Answer
Finding the right path to take in life is an ongoing challenge. It’s easy to flail in the realm of possibility rather than face the realities in front of us. Waiting upon the Lord is no easy virtue.
Jesus tells us, “Enter through the narrow gate, because broad is the gate and spacious is the road that leads to destruction … narrow is the gate and constricted is the road that leads to life” (Matt 7:13–14).
Although these lines are a proclamation of how we enter God’s kingdom—how we choose salvation back—they’re also a proclamation of how we continue to live for God’s kingdom. Whatever decision we face, and whatever odds that are against us, there is only one solution: following God’s narrow path. He has a providential way, a primary way for us, and we are asked to follow it. When we do, we’re gifted with the understanding that God is using us in the way He saw most fitting to make the most difference for others.
In Genesis 8:1–9:17, we’re shown how God honored Noah, because of Noah’s decision to follow God’s plans for his and his family’s lives. If we’re willing to follow God’s calling, He will work in the same way in our lives. He has a plan for each of us and although the blessings may come after great trial, like far too long on a boat with smelly animals, they will come—in this life or the next.
What is God calling you to? What do you need to do today to respond accordingly? (If you don’t know yet, pray. And if you do know, continue to pray.)**
--John D. Barry
**Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
]]>Listen, Build, and Listen Again
More often than not, what we want is not what God wants. We desire wealth, notoriety, or influence. In our ambition, we can lose sight of the very God who created us.
In the story of Noah and the flood, we see the same dichotomy: the world wants one thing and God desires another. The two aren’t congruent. In this case, selfishness has led to catastrophic levels of evil: “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence … all flesh had corrupted their way on earth” (Gen 6:11–12). So God tells Noah that He is through—He’s going to end it all. But Noah and his family will be spared if they’re obedient to God’s will.
Noah listens; he builds the ark. And God honors His work by closing the door (Gen 7:16). He’s there at the end, sealing the deal. Being faithful means getting an opportunity to witness the power of God.
When our ambitions aren’t guided by God’s will and His goals, the result can mean corruption or corrupting others. We might wonder how we got there, but in reality, we know how it happened: selfishness is to blame.
Instead of doing things our way, we must listen, build what God wants, and then listen again. We have a choice: we can seek our own ambitions—like wisdom or knowledge—or we can choose Christ’s way, realizing that “in much wisdom is much vexation, and [that the one] who increases knowledge increases sorrow” (Eccl 1:18).
Ambition alone does not offer a happy ending. The only ending that results in joy is the one that focuses on God’s kingdom and His desires. Rather than justify our current desires, we should acknowledge the dichotomy and the problem. Individual ambition may result in selfish desires, but a focus on Christ will result in blessings: “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God” (Matt 5:9).
What ambitions need to be set aside in your life? In what ways do you need to refocus your life on Christ’s goals? **
John D. Barry
**(Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.)
]]>I would be extremely surprised if you could say that you don't know someone who is in pain, whether that pain is physical, emotional, or financial. We all know someone who could use healing, encouragement or assistance. Do not let today go by without doing whatever you can to assist someone in need.
We have continually been blessed by others who followed God's direction to assist us. When they did, there were no words of gratitude that could describe the joy we felt or the pain/fear their actions relieved. Remember that God is the answer to all hurts and pain. God often works through the active obedience and submission of His people.
Am I ready and fully willing to be used for God's purpose?
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twh
Devotional from Charles Stanley of InTouch Ministries:
Read Mark 10:46-52
When in pain, we may question whether God cares or even knows about what we’re going through. Our adverse circumstances can give us a wrong view of Him. Scripture teaches that our triune God is omniscient. In other words, He knows all things. No action, person, or situation—past, present, or future—is hidden from Him (Ps. 33:13-15; Heb. 4:13). The Lord “searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought” (1 Chron. 28:9 niv). Because of His perfect knowledge, He knows us intimately and understands what we really need (Matt. 10:29-30). What’s more, God’s love and concern for us do not change, even if our pain has resulted from our own sinful actions. Jesus repeatedly demonstrated His Father’s care for people. He met with Nicodemus, one of the religious leaders, and without condemnation or accusation, showed him the way to the Father (John 3:3). Another time, the Lord visited Zaccheus, a man whose dishonesty had hurt many financially. And Jesus even initiated conversation with the Samaritan woman, a social outcast. He also delayed His journey in response to the cry of a blind beggar—He showed compassion to Bartimaeus and affirmed his faith. Because of Jesus’ life, we can be certain that our heavenly Father cares about us. God’s love extends over us, and He wants us to come to Him with our questions and pain. Don’t allow trials to cloud your thinking about God’s deep concern for you. Accept Jesus’ invitation and bring your burdens to Him (Matt. 11:28). |
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When we want to find knowledge or information, like most of the world, we go to our data source and do a search on the topic of choice. We try to get the most relevant information and the most current version at that. So why do we do the opposite when it comes to life decisions?
All of the things we seek in life are going to boil down to what we believe is true. If we believe that we can do something on our own, we will act based on the understanding that we know what we are doing. If we believe that our parents did what was best, we respond in the same manner as they did. Sometimes we respond in similar fashion not because we thought they knew the best way but because it is the only example we have; therefore, we mimic their actions, both good and bad.
If we know of a friend who has experienced a situation or has dealt with a similar problem, we seek their experience and ask questions to find their point of view. It as even gotten to point of listening to the advice of complete strangers who we can't actually define as humans that we know exist. Does this sound like exaggeration? Look at today's trends for the biggest systems of data sharing. We depend on Amazon reviews, Google reviews, and product news reports from paid advertising services to tell us what we should and should not eat, sleep, wear, drive, live, buy, etc. The list is endless.
To really make things worst, I bet half of the people who will read this will only see it because it will be posted to Facebook, Google+, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Now we are making life choices based on experiences from anyone. We follow trends of information, that many times, can't even be verified as valid. Please don't assume that I am saying we don't need these services nor should you assume that I am bashing the world of social media itself. The message is not to downgrade them but to lift our base standard of comparison to a higher level. My purpose is to remind us that we need to have a foundation of information that comes from a more reputable source than our own human based resources.
The ways of foolishness are not far from the ways of most of us at one point or another. If we say that we have never made a wrong decision, then we are foolish and lying to ourselves. Since we all have made, and will likely make more, incorrect choices over our years of living, we should be anxious to utilize the most comprehensive resource to guide our choices. What better resource could there be than the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, creator of wisdom... God? Why not use the directives provided by and protected by God... The Holy Bible?
These very same directives have lasted for over 6,ooo years and miraculously, survived the folly and foolishness of men. When it comes to being grounded, it is the single most comprehensive listing of wisdom and good direction known to exist today. I am not saying follow God and his words simply because a lot of people "try" to follow them; instead, I say follow God because His word has been found to hold the truth that is undeniable.
The bible has been verified in more ways than any other book on the planet. The reason the core values from almost every country, state, territory or government start with some base derivative of God's instruction is because it is the simple truth. And yes, I know that men have done much to corrupt and misuse the word of God but just because we don't do everything we are told to do, doesn't make God wrong. It just proves the point that we need to depend on a greater source of knowledge than our own wisdom.
More to come...
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twh
Each of us has our own spirit when we are born. It is one of personal, selfish desires. Yes, I do believe that babies are born with sin in their heart but God has a special grace for them until they are old enough to understand right from wrong. If you doubt that, leave two one year old babies in a play area with one toy. Watch how quickly one will dominate another to get what he/she wants.
At some point in our child's life, we as parents, can recognize that our children are no longer simply unaware of why they do things that are wrong. We actually see them with the intent of challenging authority, pressing for their own selfish desires, and demanding their way even though they have been taught something completely opposite. It is at these times that we see their inner spirit start to adapt ways of following sin. It is up to us, as godly parents, to adjust these paths before they lead to long-lasting damage.
This is another reason for brokenness within us. It is difficult for our own spirit, which doesn't vary much from the one we had as a child, to give up our control for another person's control. We have to be broken from within in order to allow God's Holy Spirit to guide us. The intent is to give over to God those things that God would manage best anyway. It is for our own good that He leads and directs our decisions. Just as it's best for our children to follow our guidance, for a period of time, it is best for us, as God's children, to allow Him to guide us forever. Why not? He know's all things, has all power, exists everywhere, knows everyone and is everlasting. That is a pretty good source of knowledge if you ask me.
Now we get to the point of the message, how do we know what God wants us to do? This isn't just about parenting, this is about everything and everyone in life. There is a source within us that revolts and wants it's own way. There is a source from God that wants only what is best for us and everyone around us. There is another source, Satan, that wants to lie to us and destroy us by allowing us to remain independent of God. The choice comes in who will we believe.
More to come on this...
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twh
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twh
Morning devotional from Connect the Testaments:
December 19: The Rechabite Saga
Jeremiah 35:1–36:32
We’re often slow to learn and quick to speak. We think we know God’s ways, but He can easily prove us wrong. Many of us have made this mistake: We think we’re living righteously, and then God slams us for our actions. He quickly deconstructs our worldview, calling into question our ethics, our way of being, our lifestyles. Why? Because even if we don’t think we’re breaking any rules, we might be living by our own choices rather than Yahweh’s will—and that is disobedience. The story of the Rechabites demonstrates this point.
Yahweh had requested that the Rechabites shun alcohol and live in tents, so they did. They obeyed this request until Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah, which they inhabited with the rest of God’s people. Then Yahweh sent them one final test: He asked His prophet, Jeremiah, to prompt them to drink wine. They resisted—and passed the test (Jer 35:1–11).
The Rechabites’ obedience stands as a model that shows the actions of the rest of God’s people reprehensible by comparison. Yahweh remarks to Jeremiah, “Go and say to the people of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, ‘Can you not learn a lesson to listen to my words?’ declares Yahweh. ‘The words of Jonadab, the son of Rechab, that he commanded his descendants to not drink, have been carried out, and they have not drunk until this day, for they have obeyed the command of their ancestor. But I have spoken to you over and over again, and you have not listened to me’ ” (Jer 35:13–14). God’s people had disobeyed Him by seeking other gods and committing other sins, but this line hints at the deeper problem: They had not carried out Yahweh’s basic commandment to listen to His will.
God’s people thought they were in the right. They believed they were behaving correctly. But in reality, they had disobeyed His basic commandments and then disobeyed His very will. Are you, like God’s people, living in disillusionment, failing to acknowledge that you’re living outside of God’s will?
Ask yourself: “Am I really on the right track? Is this really God’s will, or is it the manifestation of a false belief about my obedience that I’m creating?”
John D. Barry
Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
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As an African American in the southern states of the U.S., it has been interesting to see the evolution of our nation. We are far from where we should be but it is moments like these, when we see people take a positive stand against evil actions, that should make us proud. It wasn't but a few decades ago, in my own lifetime, that the negative behavior would have been embraced instead of discouraged.
Keep moving forward people... we are not remotely close to where we ought to be but we're certainly better than we were. Let all our comparisons be to that of Christ and not anyone else.
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twh
It is not uncommon for us to struggle, over and over, trying to overcome a sinful manner of living when the truth is that we really need to submit. We need to submit to the grace and mercy that Jesus showed by dying for us. Our physical efforts are futile against something that is spiritually based. That core attraction we have toward sin is part of who we are. That explains the need for death. The death of our personal will, emotions and thoughts allows us to accept the new life given to us by Christ, Jesus. We trade in our ways, which would eventually lead us to a permanent death, for God's ways which provide new life. It is a good life with abundances of peace and joy.
The life that we gain through His death is the one that we search for in relationships with so many other people but they can't fill that gaping wound. No human can fulfill what sin takes away from us. Acts or thoughts of sin, put a barrier up between us and God. However, God saw fit to allow that barrier to be removed (just like the tearing of the ancient temple curtains, from the top down, the day of Jesus' crucification) when God gave of himself through the death of His son. Once that barrier was removed, Jesus brought new life to all of those who believe in him through the resurrection. He is now the gateway for our new life. To receive this new life that can overcome our sinful nature, we must accept that Jesus is the only way to reach God, the only one to have died on behalf of all mankind.
Now there is freedom to walk away from sin. We can call upon the power of the Holy Spirit to empower us by the authority of Jesus.
Do you desire that power? Do you want to be freed from the grips of repeated sin? Do you know how that's done?
We will be overjoyed to assist you in knowing that there is an answer.
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twh
Another post from the Connect the Testaments Devotional.
December 16: Freedom
We like to think of ourselves as autonomous. Our modern culture champions freedom and the right to pursue happiness. But if we apply the concept of rights when we think about faith, following Christ can feel like religion, dogma, rules—a type of bondage that requires us to think and behave in ways that make our autonomous selves bridle.
Paul looks at the issue differently: “Do you not know that to whomever you present yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to whomever you obey, whether sin, leading to death, or obedience, leading to righteousness?” (Rom 6:16). He uses another analogy in his letter to the church in Rome—one that draws on the practice of the slavery within his own culture—to highlight the opposite view. If we live without God, he says, we have a debt that binds us. We are a slave to sin, and it’s the type of bondage that leads to death.
Yet, there is hope. Although we were slaves to sin, we can be redeemed from that slavery. Christ has paid the debt we incurred. He has set us free and brought us into a new bondage—not one that binds to death, but one that binds us to Him in life. If we believe this is true and put our trust in Him, we are no longer slaves.
As redeemed people, we’re called to a new life. While we once charted our own independent path—one that led to death—we can turn and follow a path that leads to sanctification and eternal life, a path that God charts just for us. While our path required a toll—death—Christ has paid that toll so we can walk in new life: “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23).
How have your old habits and patterns of behavior changed now that you’ve been set free? What still needs to change to reflect your new loyalty to Christ?
Rebecca Kruyswijk
Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
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December 14: Patient Endurance
Romans 5:1–21
In theory, it’s easy to provide answers to difficult faith questions. But when we face real trials, everything changes. We gain a new perspective on the Bible passages we’ve memorized; the Christian maxims we’ve passed on to others reverse and hit us full force. We don’t have the option to talk in hypotheticals. Trials require heartfelt faith and total reliance on God.
Suffering and trials are not punishment or neglect on God’s part. In fact, they’re quite the opposite. Paul describes how God works through trials to build us up in faith. And His work is not a quick fix or an easy answer. It’s a process, as Paul describes in his letter to the Roman church: “And not only this, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces patient endurance, and patient endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom 5:3–5).
In times of suffering, we aren’t meant to abandon mourning or put up an artifice of strength. We’re not supposed to conquer and overcome and become the next Christian success story. God uses these trials to work in us—a slow, evolving work that begins with endurance, creates character, and culminates with a hope that won’t disappoint. We don’t embark on such a process by ourselves. Throughout our suffering, “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom 5:5).
We will face trials and suffering in our lifetime—whether everyday difficulties or life-altering events. But affliction doesn’t separate us from God’s love (Rom 8:35). Indeed, God uses it to confirm His love for us. May Paul’s words give us comfort and perspective for the work God is or will be doing in us.
What trials or suffering are you enduring? How do Paul’s words shed light on your trials?
Rebecca Kruyswijk
Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
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twh
Thanks to one of our favorite team members, Fashion Stylist, Amanda Hajduk-Boyle, for sharing this on her Facebook page.
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twh
When we are in need, I am talking deep, deep need of daily things like food, clean water, shelter from the elements, a pair of shoes that keep our feet dry and warm, we desperately seek God's help and guidance. That commitment to be more like Jesus is there because we don't want any unconfessed sin in our lives to come between us and God's choice to bless us with the basic needs.
As Christians, we think of ourselves as trying to justify our faith with acts of goodness and mercy. It's as if we think we need to do these things in order for God to bless us. There is a biblical need for our faith to show good works, but it is about the heart and purpose of these things that is the determining factor. Do we do them because we want God to love us more and shower us with more or is it because we love Jesus so much that we want to please Him in every way?
We tend to love others in a similar manner, which is dangerous. We show love to others based on what we want them to think of us or to do for us at some point in time. God's love for us was unconditional and put in place before we were ever born on this earth. His sacrifice was put into a plan long before we knew who Jesus was. In that act we have our prime example for loving others. We must look upon everyone as Jesus did; people to be loved even before we know who they are, where they came from, where they are going, what they will have, or what they will do. That's an overwhelming thought! I must love you today before I meet you tomorrow.
My intimacy with God starts with my love for his son, Jesus Christ. My love for Him is demonstrated by my obedience to Jesus. My obedience is exemplified by love for you today.
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twh
It’s dangerous when we feel entitled. We may come to believe our communities are righteous while all those outside are not. This can even take place inside our faith communities—popularity or various achievements can create subtle feelings of superiority. We begin to believe it’s something we’ve done that brings us favor.
As he writes to the church in Rome, Paul explains that it’s not anything we do, anything we are, or anything we obtain that makes us right with God. His calling verifies this: “I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. Thus I am eager to proclaim the gospel also to you who are in Rome” (Rom 1:14).
Ethnicity was a big obstacle for the early church to overcome, as the church was now made up of both Jewish and Gentile believers. God promised Abraham that through him “all the peoples on earth will be blessed” (Gen 12:3). Christ’s redemptive work had finally made this blessing a reality. God’s favor was no longer reserved for those who might be educated or wise. Paul emphasizes that God can redeem those who—to us—might seem unlikely recipients of redemption.
But most important, our standing before God is not based on our goodness. Paul is eager to proclaim the gospel in Rome because it is belief in Jesus, the fulfillment of the promise, that makes believers righteous before God—“the gospel … is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16). Christ’s righteousness has become our righteousness.
If anything, this fact should eliminate any sense of entitlement we might harbor and prompt us to walk in humility with believers and non-believers alike. Our relationship with God is intimately tied to how deeply we understand our need for God. The gospel frees us of any need to attain or achieve. For this, we should be incredibly thankful to God and live with humility for Him.
Do you put stock in the things you think make you a “favored” Christian? --Rebecca Kruyswijk
Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Copyright 2013 Lexham Press. Lexham Press, 1313 Commercial St., Bellingham, WA 98225
We understand the business need for the size 0's and 1's but that's like everything else in this world… subject to change. Just like our automobiles are finally becoming more fuel efficient after decades of our country denying the need to make more economic transportation, the fashion industry can make a change to accept the need for a more diverse crew of models.
It's a money issue, like most things in business. The small standard sizes makes setting design samples more cost efficient.
What other steps do you think we can do to help the fashion industry move past the limitations of basing design standards on 0's and 1's?
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Unfortunately, I was editing pics right up until the time it started so I was late arriving but the content was so engrossing, I could have come in at any hour and received great insight.
The focus was on men having "teammates" in their lives. Teammates are other men who are providing accountability and true friendship. They provide the blessing and energizing that God desires among us. We're not just talking about a few guys hanging out together to talk about Monday Night Football or the latest BCS ranking (although that is always an available topic for later discussion). They described a deeper, more meaningful relationship, one where you get down to the needs, frailty, temptations, successes, blessings and prayers of another brother.
It specifically described how most men have a ton of "acquaintances" but less than 1 of 20 of those people are deeply involved in their lives past meager social talk. We spend our days in conversation with other guys and it may take an hour to get through the chatter while we are comparing sports, favorite cars, hunting performance, TV shows, politics, restaurant selections or even worse, wife bashing. All of this may come up but we never get to the heart of another man to see where God has him today. Where is he in his prayer life, his spiritual walk with Christ, his dedication to guiding his family to God's kingdom agenda.
When a person that I consider a friend asks me, "How's it going?" What do I reply? I don't mean you have to gush out every time someone walks by, but I am talking about those true moments when I have a chance to speak to a friend about a sincere mental weakness or spiritual temptation. Do I just let that issue slide?
For me, it took a moment to recount how many true friends I could identify within the categories. Don't get me wrong, this isn't just about who I knew, but who really knew me and in which category was I weak? Who could I say really knew the burdens of my heart and the challenges within my soul. It made me think long and hard about how I manage my relationships.
The guide broke it down into segments for us to categorize. The types of friends we really need:
Some have said that true wisdom doesn't come from personal experience but by watching other's experience. If we can avoid making the same mistake without having to experience it, then we have reached a new level of wisdom and maturity.
Can you identify your mentor, partner, protege?
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33 the Series: Interview with LeCrae an amazing music artist
]]>This is a simple quote that my daughter passed along to me. It was convicting in itself.
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These three locations can place us in turmoil if our destination doesn't match God's intended purpose and plan. We have tendencies to move things around so that we're better prepared to get to where we want to be. The key is that we have to make those moves only after conferring with God so that we are going in his direction. When we don't, we can find ourselves feeling inadequate, guilty, alone and desperate. That comes from walking away from the true fellowship with the savior, Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit, which is given to each believer, as a comforter is the person which allows us to feel adequate, accepted, forgiven, hopeful and never alone. That is where God's spirit can reside within us and imbue us with his holy power. From that gift of the Holy Spirit, we get our thankfulness for he knows what we need, when we need it, how much we need, and how to get the message through to God. The spirit gives us comfort in times of pain and trials.
If we don't recognize it, we are always going to be frustrated and disappointed, even to the point of being frustrated with God. Without thankfulness, we can't hear God speaking because we are too busy crying and fussing about our current situations. It has taken me decades to get to the point where I can actually believe that I'm truly thankful for my situation in life. No matter what that situation is, I am finding more and more peace through the belief that God is listening. I still get frustrated, scared, intimidated and fearful but knowing that the Son of God walked in my shoes at some point and lived victoriously, is comforting in itself. My advice to myself is to immediately look for what I can be thankful and start listing those things as soon as I can.
I may be facing times of poverty or times of plenty, but I can have faith that God is the orchestrator of this plan. Yes, I have the free will to make alternate choices but even when I do, the LORD is there to adjust my aim and send me on the right path. All I need to do is stop complaining and listen to him through his word, the bible, and give thanks for all things. Today, I give thanks to the one who gave it all for me… Thank you Jesus!
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The Benefit of Giving Thanks
What is the benefit of giving thanks? 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says that giving thanks "is the will of God concerning you." When you give thanks, you are in the will of God. When you are grumbling, you are outside of God's will. To give thanks is to position yourself smack-dab in the middle of God's will. This is critical because "We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)
We know beyond any doubt that God is working out His will in the lives of believers, and He is using the tough times for a purpose. Yet as finite beings, we sometimes find it hard to see the big picture - we tend to only focus on a piece here or a piece there. But our Father sees the whole picture and how everything interconnects. He is weaving all of the pieces together so that everything will work together in the process of accomplishing His larger, kingdom agenda.
Each of the circumstances of your life is an important part in God's kingdom portrait of your life. He mixes all things together to meet His divine purpose. Giving Him thanks is acknowledging His sovereignty and demonstrating a heart of faith in the truth that He is the master Planner and Architect ... working all things together for good to those who love Him and to those who are called according to His purposes.
Excerpt from "For His Kingdom" by Tony Evans
]]>Of course, there were those days when I made a decision based on what was most logical to me. Sometimes it turned out right. Sometimes it was in God's will because it was just the "right thing to do." Sometimes the humanly logical path still didn't produce a reasonable result.
If it wasn't a simple choice of good vs bad then the decision was much more difficult to make. Trying to see not only what is good but what is best, by God's standard, can be difficult for us. Human logic wants to follow what we want to see happen in life, most often, those things that don't cause us any discomfort or uneasiness. Making decisions in this way and without seeking God's path first, usually gets us into more trouble than we expect.
God is much more logical than we can ever imagine. As the message below will discuss, the difference is that God sees a much larger portion of the picture than we can know. That is where trust comes in. We must depend on Romans 8:28 to be true to it's word, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." With faith in Jesus and the commitment to trusting in His word, we can lean on knowing that even if God directs us to do something that the world sees as less than logical, He will make it alright. It may not be today's most convenient answer but it will be the best answer and yield the best results for us and those around us.
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Today's reading from Connect the Testaments:
November 27: When Hezekiah Gave Away the Farm
2 Kings 18:13–19:37
After the announcement that Hezekiah “did right in the eyes of Yahweh,” the next description comes as a surprise: “At that time, Hezekiah cut off the doors of the temple of Yahweh and the doorposts which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and he gave them to the king of Assyria” (2 Kgs 18:3, 16).
For a moment Hezekiah was a strong king over Israel—he abolished idolatry and refused to obey the king of Assyria (2 Kgs 18:4, 7). As 2 Kings 18:6 describes, “He held on to Yahweh; he did not depart from following him, and he kept his commands that Yahweh had commanded Moses.” But Hezekiah did not possess fortitude (see 2 Kgs 18:13–18). In an attempt to gain peace, he gave away not only treasures, but even pieces of Yahweh’s temple itself (2 Kgs 18:15–16).
We’ve all been in situations where it’s tempting to do anything for peace. Perhaps we’ve even compromised our ethics or values in these moments. But no matter the situation, giving away the farm like Hezekiah did is never the answer. Politicians often talk about “peace at all costs,” but our world is full of dilemmas that don’t allow for that option.
When desperate situations arise, we must have fortitude. We must seek solace in God and His will instead of giving in. If we make a decision based on the circumstances, it will be the wrong one. If we make our decisions based on prayer, we will make the correct moves.
Hezekiah could have relied on God when Sennacherib came knocking on his door and knocking down the cities of Judah, but he didn’t. He paid a high price for his decision; the cost was his relationship with Yahweh. Even death is preferable to that.
Sometimes our decisions are more important than we realize because they may involve our relationship with God. We must let that relationship drive our decision-making. Rather than being distracted by fear, anxiety, pressure, or even concern for anyone else, we must focus on God and His will; He alone will look out for us and others. We must give Him the opportunity to act. *
What decisions do you need God’s intercession for?
John D. Barry
(*) Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Here's my favorite part in the text though:
"The Lord's affection is absolute, unwavering, and sacrificial. Moreover, God's love is not subject to favoritism. He cares for the sinner as much as He does for the saint. In our human pride or our desire to be "somebody special," we may find that fact difficult to swallow. But God grants love to each person."
The rest of the information is shared in the excerpt at InTouch Ministries.
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Have you ever wondered if your life has a purpose? The Word of God says it does—one that is both noble and desirable: Every believer was created by God to love and be loved.
God loves you personally and individually, without limit or qualification. He desires to shower you with His affection and kindness. Let me assure you of several things:
God's love is the most important thing we can know about Him.
The very essence of God's being—in other words, His personality and nature—is love (1 John 4:8). It is the reason Jesus came to earth, lived a victorious life, and then died to restore man's relationship with the Father (John 3:16). The most important decision we can ever make is to receive this gift of God.
The Lord's affection is absolute, unwavering, and sacrificial. Moreover, God's love is not subject to favoritism. He cares for the sinner as much as He does for the saint. In our human pride or our desire to be "somebody special," we may find that fact difficult to swallow. But God grants love to each person.
The Bible tells us that the rain falls on the just and the unjust, and the sun shines on the righteous and the wicked (Matt. 5:45). This means that with or without faith in God, everyone experiences certain benefits and blessings from Him. But the person who receives Jesus as Savior is in a position to reap the blessings that accompany an outpouring of love into his or her life.
The Lord's love is not based upon what we do, what we have, or what we achieve. He freely gives it to us simply because we are His creation. You cannot win or earn more of God's favor—it has nothing to do with performance. Accept and delight in that truth.
The most important response we can make is to reciprocate God's love.
John said it simply and eloquently: "We love Him because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19, NKJV). And Jesus said the first and foremost commandment was this: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind" (Matt. 22:37). The only acceptable response to God's great outpouring of love toward you is to love Him back.
We can choose to rebel. And while this doesn't affect God’s nature, it will change us. Those who refuse to acknowledge and receive divine love cut themselves off from great blessing. Not only that, but such individuals typically yield to anger, hatred, and bitterness. To harden one’s heart toward God is the supreme act of rebellion—in doing so, a person hurts himself far more than he hurts others. Humbly receiving God, on the other hand, brings good into one's life.
Satan constantly tries to convince us that if we follow Jesus, we will have to give up personal freedom, identity, and pleasure. But those who live apart from God's love inevitably discover their rebellion did not make them any freer. They may not go to jail, but they end up in emotional or psychological prisons—caught in addiction or trapped by feelings of resentment. The longer they live separated from the Lord's love and mercy, the less pleasure they find in life. In that situation, it is easy to become cynical, jaded, critical, and in the end, apathetic to nearly everything.
But those who embrace and reciprocate God's love enjoy inner freedom they never imagined. They develop as individuals, discovering hidden talents and abilities. They experience true delight in God's creation and know the joy of perpetual discovery.
When we choose to love and obey God, we can be sure He will guide us toward doing what will bring about the greatest fulfillment in life.
God's love is our ultimate reason to hope.
If we know with certainty that God loves us and desires good for our lives, what is there to fear? Hope in Christ is for everyone. It compels us not to remain in a state of dread, doubt, or worry but to seek transformation by the Holy Spirit's power. Trust encourages us to anticipate God's best and look for the dawning of a new day.
Our heavenly Father is generous—even extravagant—in His love. Open your heart and let the Lord shower more of His good gifts upon you. You won't regret yielding your life to Him.
Adapted from "Discover Your Destiny" (1997).
]]>My work is to be focused. My tasks are to be diligently carried out through the power of the Holy Spirit living within me. It will give me ability to go beyond what I can perceive as possible if I believe (Mark 16:17-18).
Live this out now. Don't hesitate to be one with the Holy Spirit that is within you. Remove those things that hinder you from running the race (Hebrews 12:1-2). The sinful desires of this world exist, but not in dominion over those who believe in Jesus unless we let them.
We have been shown that there is power in the name of Jesus. We have been shown that there is forgiveness in the name of Jesus. With those two things alone, we have enough to live victoriously for Christ. He said that we could speak to mountains and they would move into the sea. That is power for his purpose.
In my life, I must use that same power to bring about the agenda that He has prepared for me. It is the same power that Jesus chose to surrender so that He could do God's will and be sacrificed on our behalf (John 14:30-31).
WOW!! What an amazing truth! The most powerful being in Heaven and on earth willingly chose to lay down His own omnipotence, to be brutally sacrificed so I could have life and share in that power. That is worth my praise and worship any day. It should be worth my sacrifice every day.
[UPDATE]
I love it when the word comes together in more than one devotional or more than one scriptural reference in my day. When I wrote the entry above, I was in pain and seeking God's healing. I opened up my CTT devotional and was given the insight to write the portion above. After the inspiration and journaling, I went to the InTouch Ministries Devotional and read the emailed message included below. They are so in line that I can feel the LORD's presence. I love that it isn't of my own doing but it is real evidence that God does speak to his children if we seek His voice and choose to know without a doubt, that He will answer (James 1:5-6).
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Humanly speaking, the apostle Paul had much to boast about—his qualifications are found in Philippians 3:4-6. However, he understood that impressive “credentials” are not what really matter. Paul rightly saw that knowing Christ and relying on Him are the source of genuine value in life.
Writing from places that were lowly in both a physical and emotional sense, the apostle is a triumphant example of how believers should view themselves—namely, as the Father does. The best way to do that is to recognize God as the source of our power: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (4:13).
Many of us know this verse by heart, but have we accepted its truth? To say “all things” may seem like a bold statement, but it is balanced. The emphasis is not on “I can,” but rather on the fact that I can through Christ—He supplies everything we need to carry out His plan for our life.
This verse is an important confession that we cannot do God’s will in our own power. But that does not mean we should simply sit back and become spectators. As Christians, we have a responsibility to obey the Lord’s leading in small matters as well as in “big” circumstances. What’s more, it is our hands, feet, body, voice, compassion, and desires that the Father will use to accomplish His ultimate goals for our lives.
Obeying by faith can seem frightening, but the comfort zone isn’t where godly people choose to spend their time. To do all things through Christ involves some risks, but you’ll discover that the rewards for obedience are deeply satisfying.
Copyright 2013 In Touch Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved.www.intouch.org. In Touch grants permission to print for personal use only.
]]>At that very moment is where I must remember the promises and the full commitment of God to take care of me regardless of what I think lies ahead (Matthew 6:33). That doubt causes weakness not just in me, but it weakens those around me. My wife, my children, my family, my friends and associates are all in need of something. They are all facing one pain or multiple situations of discomfort in life.
What if everyone carried that degraded value within them? What if no one were walking and speaking in the confidence of God's blessings? It would be a nightmare. We would have no encouragement. There would not be a single positive statement ever made about anyone or anything. Negative positions, ugly gossip and horrible selfish attitudes would make us run and hide from the world. Just think about it... if you had no one walking and talking in the peace of the Holy Spirit, forget about "the sky is falling, the sky is falling." It would be "There is no sky! It's all gone."
We need a way back to hope and the promise of a better way. In the ol' folks terms... "We need Jesus!'
November 20
0 Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul.”
— Lamentations 3:58
Observe how positively the prophet speaks. He doth not say, “I hope, I trust, I sometimes think, that God hath pleaded the causes of my soul”; but he speaks of it as a matter of fact not to be disputed. “Thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul.” Let us, by the aid of the gracious Comforter, shake off those doubts and fears which so much mar our peace and comfort. Be this our prayer, that we may have done with the harsh croaking voice of surmise and suspicion, and may be able to speak with the clear, melodious voice of full assurance. Notice how gratefully the prophet speaks, ascribing all the glory to God alone! You perceive there is not a word concerning himself or his own pleadings. He doth not ascribe his deliverance in any measure to any man, much less to his own merit; but it is “thou”—“O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.” A grateful spirit should ever be cultivated by the Christian; and especially after deliverances we should prepare a song for our God. Earth should be a temple filled with the songs of grateful saints, and every day should be a censor smoking with the sweet incense of thanksgiving. How joyful Jeremiah seems to be while he records the Lord’s mercy. How triumphantly he lifts up the strain! He has been in the low dungeon, and is even now no other than the weeping prophet; and yet in the very book which is called “Lamentations,” clear as the song of Miriam when she dashed her fingers against the tabor, shrill as the note of Deborah when she met Barak with shouts of victory, we hear the voice of Jeremy going up to heaven—“Thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.” O children of God, seek after a vital experience of the Lord’s lovingkindness, and when you have it, speak positively of it; sing gratefully; shout triumphantly.
1 Spurgeon, C. H. (2006). Morning and evening: Daily readings (Complete and unabridged; New modern edition.). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers.
]]>Once you know what God has called you to do, stay tuned in and focused on the goal. If that is His calling for you, then be assured, you can reach that destination because He wants you doing something that will achieve His plan for His glory. Believe me, He is going to get His glory even if the rocks have to cry out, "Hallelujah."
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NOTE: If you ask me why I would post something from someone I don't know, it's like gravity, it has an affect an everyone and it is still the truth regardless of the speaker.
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His defining point was to use scripture... nothing more, nothing less. Know it, recall it and express it to overcome the same spirit being which convinced one third of the angels to rebel against the almighty God. That powerful force is stopped by the word of the LORD. It's simple, maybe not so easy, but simple.
Our trust is in Jesus. "The Word became flesh and dwelt here among us" (John 1:14) so that means we can overcome the internal battles against the things that we know are not in God's will. I have a savior who has proved it by living out a life just like mine; challenged, sometimes oppressed, sometimes overjoyed and many times blessed but He did it so I could too.
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Here's the message for your own reading:
By Charles F. Stanley
What makes a person successful at resisting temptation? I believe the best way to discover how to overcome temptation is to look at the One who dealt with every temptation successfully and consistently. The writer of Hebrews wrote of Christ:
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin (Heb. 4:15).
Since Jesus successfully overcame temptation, we would do well to study his strategy for dealing with it. Unfortunately, we have only one clear passage of Scripture describing Christ’s encounter with temptation. We know from the Hebrews passage cited above that He was tempted more often than this, but the Holy Spirit chose not to include these in the Gospels.
Strangely enough, Jesus’ approach is so straightforward and simple that many believers tend to overlook it entirely. Others, after hearing it, make the most ridiculous excuses as to why they can not follow His example.
What was His strategy? After 40 days of fasting in the desert, Jesus used Scripture, and only Scripture, to resist Satan’s temptation (Matt. 4:1-11). This is hard for me to comprehend. The Son of God—the One who knows all things and has the power to do all things, the One whose words we study, memorize, and meditate on—never made an original comment during the entire interaction.
He never drew on his own wit. He never even relied on His own power. He simply responded with the truth of God’s Word. That’s all it took. Nothing fancy. Just the plain truth directed at the deception behind each of Satan’s requests. Jesus verbally confronted Satan with the truth, and eventually Satan gave up and left.
There are four primary reasons why a well-chosen passage or verse of Scripture is so effective against temptation.
First of all, God’s Word exposes the sinfulness of what you are being tempted to do. One of Satan’s subtle snares is to convince you that sin is really not so bad after all. God’s Word allows you to see things for what they really are.
A second reason the Word of God is so effective against temptation is that you gain God’s viewpoint through it. Since many temptations carry a strong emotional punch, you tend to get caught up in your feelings. Once you identify with the feelings temptation evokes, it becomes increasingly difficult to respond correctly. The truth of Scripture allows you to separate yourself just far enough mentally to deal with it successfully.
Another reason for turning to God’s Word in times of temptation is what one pastor calls the principle of displacement.1 This principle is based on the premise that it is impossible not to think about a seductive topic unless you turn your attention elsewhere. When you turn your thoughts to the Word of God during temptation, you do just that (Phil. 4:8).
If you don’t shift your attention away from the temptation, you may begin some form of mental dialogue: I really shouldn’t. But I haven’t done this in a long time. I am really going to hate myself later. Why not? I’ve already blown it. I’ll do it just this once, and tomorrow I’ll start over. When you allow these little discussions to begin, you’re sunk. The longer you talk, the more time the temptation has to settle into your emotions and will.
The fourth reason the Word of God is so effective against temptation is that you are expressing faith when you turn your attention to His Word. You are saying, “I believe God is able to get me through this; I believe He is mightier than the power of sin, my flesh, and Satan himself.” Nothing moves God like the active faith of His people.
To effectively combat the onslaughts of the enemy, you need an arsenal of verses on the tip of your tongue. Verses so familiar that they come to mind without any conscious effort on your part. If you have to dig them up from the caverns of your memory, they will do you no good. There isn’t time for that in the midst of temptation.
Begin memorizing scriptures that address the area that troubles you the most. Quote them audibly when you are tempted. When you speak the truth out loud, it’s as if you have taken a stand with God against the enemy. When I do this, I often feel a sense of courage and conviction sweeping over me. Remember, if the perfect, sinless, sovereign Son of God relied on Scripture to pull Him through, what hope do you have without it?
1. Bud Palmberg, “Private Sins of Public Ministry,” Leadership magazine (Winter 1988)
Adapted from “Winning the War Within: Facing Trials, Temptations and Inner Struggles” by Charles F. Stanley, 1988.
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You amaze me LORD! Yesterday, in one quick instance, you made a miracle happen for the sake of your glory and the blessing of your children.
I wrote in the blog what you did for us. I wrote it out because I felt that you only do these things to make us aware of your presence. Our testimony is to be a beacon that shines for all to see. It is meant to show others just how miraculous you are. It scared me after I finished writing it because I thought "If someone sees this, they may not trust us or want to work with us because we made a mistake, or seem inexperienced." But I know when I wrote it, I was still reveling in the wonder of God's amazing blessing. In other words, when I started looking through the world's eyes again, it seemed foolish to share that much of our personal trials, but while I was closely living and experiencing God, it was just an act of obedience. I choose to be obedient.
Because of challenges like that, I am beginning to see myself more and more as God sees me. That is not a positive any many aspects. Fortunately, Romans 5:8-10 says the view has been covered by the perfectly clean blood of Jesus Christ so I don't HAVE to live as though God has utter disdain for me. I see myself as wishy-washy and wavering all the time. Sometimes I am championing the word of God while at other times, I am quivering in fear of what lies ahead of me or crawling along in doubt of the power that God has bestowed upon me.
When the storms and trials of everyday living rise up around me, I often forget yesterday's blessing. It is that way even today, as I try to write this entry. My mind worries about circumstances and situations that I can't seem to fix. Many of them are of my own doing but the majority of them are out of my control or concerns for other loved ones.
That is why I say I am beginning to see myself more as God sees me. If God chose to look upon me, without the blood of Christ, He would see right through the personality wall that I put up to protect myself from others. He would look right into the sinful part of our hearts that says, "I want things my way and at my level of comfort without any side effects or consequences." That is the human, fleshly way of life.
Why not? Who doesn't think to himself, "I could do more good, if I had the power, wealth, influence, and ultimate time to do what I wanted?" We believe we would save the world from all it's horrendous wrongs. Only that wouldn't be true. We would only do that as long as it didn't conflict with our own comfort. We would do it as long as we didn't have to give up that very power, wealth or influence itself. It is basically the same mantra of Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12-17). As great an angel as he was, he still wanted God's praise for himself. He wanted to be, not a god, but the Most High God. That is what is within us all... That lies within me. Ugly, thought isn't it?
But here is why I love the LORD, Jesus Christ so much. He did give up that power, wealth and influence. He arrived here on earth in the flesh just as we are, to live within the power given to all men. What an amazing act of love! He wanted me to see that I could live as God as has provided for me if I follow His way. He sealed that plan into place by shedding His very own blood through a brutal sacrifice of dying on a cross. (The shedding of blood was the method, in those days, of making a binding covenant agreement.)
Even now, while I sit here mulling over my problems (and don't fool yourself, I know you have major problems too), I can know for certain that God doesn't see me as I truly am in my flesh. He looks upon me and sees the blood of His perfect son, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:8 said that the son of God gave His life for me. Romans 8:1 says there is no condemnation from God because of that sacrifice. Romans 8:31-34 says there is no one who can separate me from God after that price was paid and I accepted the gift. Romans 8:38-39 says there is no separation from God ever or at any point again.
So where do I get the idea that I can't succeed? From the world and Satan's minions. The circumstances that ride heavy upon my soul are of my own making because I have not leaned upon God yet. I have not rested in Him or I do not "abide" in Him because too often, I know it means giving up my way for His way but it doesn't have to be so. If I give up running the show as I see fit, I have been given the authority to succeed through the Holy Spirit within me (Ephesians 1:13-14, John 14:12-14). That power was transferred by the resurrection of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit. That physical man, the human being that was God in fleshly form, now sits at the right hand of God in the position of authority over everyone and everything. Even more, He took us with Him into that position of power (Ephesians 2:6).
It is up to us to take in that power and reside in it. It is up to me to live my life in accordance with God's word so that the authority passed along to me through Jesus, sets me free from the mindset that would hold me back. Those thoughts of being my own God are removed and substituted for the service to the one who has power, knowledge and control over all things. Better to be an authorized servant of the true King, than to be the king of a false and imaginary land of nothing.
Have you found yourself living as your own god or as a king without a kingdom? If so, follow the One true King, Jesus Christ, the LORD of lords, into a place of ultimate reward. There is no condemnation and no separation from God once we subject ourselves to Jesus.
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twh
Note this; however, at the end of that study, there was one last piece in the devotional where I felt God wanted me to share some of our current problems & prayers with our children (based on Deuteronomy 4:9). Don't get me wrong, I was not aiming to overwhelm them with every little detail, but the biggest headache and worry on my head, for some reason, needed to be shared with my children. That was the part of my study that I really skimmed over. God had blessed me with the promise that He would fulfill all our needs and that we could move forward with His assurance. He had given me insight on how to make the tactical decisions that would bring more glory to His name and expand His kingdom through our work. These were huge insights! The talk with the kids and prayer with them about our problems could wait until later, after I got working to implement this new understanding.
Now I couldn't, physically, get up without waking up Crystal so she got what I would call a quick verbal blast from me of the revelation. Brief, not too detailed, but definitely the energized version because I could not hold it in. I was excited to see God's plan be put in place and to see how it would start playing out. I would get to the part about the kids after I showered and got my next blog entry posted. (Some scriptures I had read a couple of days ago needed to be made available to a friend in need, so obviously, that needed to be done before going to talk and pray with the kids.) And so it went, the next thing, and the next thing kept building up a delay factor until it was the end of the day and I was dead asleep on the couch at 1:00 AM the next morning. Looking back, I didn't get one fourth of those "new revelations" completed. Most importantly, I never spoke to the kids about the problems or the prayers.
With all the issues going on, my heart was heavier with frustration and worry than it had been all week. It didn't make sense. Where was the energy and eagerness that I felt to do God's will yesterday? It went away when I let every little distraction (no matter how important I, personally, thought it was) get in the way with what God had directed me to do. He gave me a vision so I could be fruitful but He also gave me an instruction so I would prove faithful and obedient. My obedience was tied to my children's future and my own blessing.
Now let me bring in the reality of God's grace and mercy. I woke up this morning, read my bible study material and then, with a heavy heart, began to pray with Crystal. It was a painful request to God to say I didn't know anything and that I needed Him to fulfill His promise so I could maintain my walk-in-faith. I needed a fresh, new awareness that He was with me. Suddenly, Crystal informed me that we had less than a two hour window on a tax matter that was long overdue. It was overwhelming to us because taxes are not my forte nor Crystal's. We had missed being obedient regarding something very vital and it was coming back to haunt us.
Even my devotional reading was direct to the point... It actually read from Mark 12:1-34. That was a big scare. I read it before I knew that we had a two hour deadline so there was no mistaking God's hand in this. We then received a call from the tax office. We called our new accountant. We dug into Quickbooks and kept trying to find the answers. We got another call from the tax office and we asked as many questions as we could to figure our way out of this mess. Finally, between the accountant and the tax office, we figured it out and submitted what we had quickly laid out in a spreadsheet.
I thought about where we were overall. It was frustrating and I didn't like the way things were going. I told Crys that we needed to talk with the children & just try to be obedient. We would let them know a little of what was going on, not just about the taxes, but also about the other the looming changes that might occur.
We gathered in the living room as a family and the phone rang again. It was the tax office again, it was too late. The emailed spreadsheet didn't arrive on time. The matter was going to court. Unless something miraculous happened, we would be facing an even bigger financial problem.
Setting that aside, we kept moving forward with what God had told me to do yesterday. I read Deuteronomy 4:9 and explained to the children that I had been disobedient to God by not sharing this with them when He first told me. They listened intently as I recounted many of the miraculous things God had done for us over the last year just as instructed in the verse. I recounted how uncomfortable things had been but also more amazingly, how God had pulled us through each and every time. We were here, today, healthy and with a roof over our head all based on God's blessing. We explained that it was for their future belief that we were recounting the problems and the times that God had delivered us. The children needed to be able to see a standard of seeking God, finding Him, obeying Him, trusting Him and living in His abundant grace afterward. They need to know that the power of prayer is real & physical so when they get older, it will be first nature for them to abide in God's word, call upon the LORD and not be shocked when He answers them. I led them all in a prayer that referenced God's willingness to love and provide for his children. We prayed that we would be given the strength and courage to trust Him more with less doubt. I wrapped it up with tears flowing from my eyes.
All of us were still on the couch sitting together, when the phone rang not three minutes after we said "AMEN." It was the tax office again... I couldn't do anything but watch Crystal's eyes as she listened to their update. In my mind I thought, "Trust in Him. You have to believe in His goodness. You can't just sit there and say, 'it will be OK no matter what.' You have to believe and have NO DOUBT in God's willingness to provide and protect you. Keep the faith you big dummy!" And then she smiled when the words came out of her mouth. I can't remember if she said "no way" or "awesome" whatever it was, it was good news. The tax office had made the adjustments in time, reduced our burden and filed them for the records to show before anything would have to go to court. It was a miracle. The difference was over three times less what we originally faced.
Others will say this was a coincidence or some trivial matter but the truth is that was God moving on our behalf in response to prayer, faith and obedience. Now there is much more that needs to be done business wise. There are more papers to fill out and more plans to be prepared but the absolute first thing we had to do was to stop and praise Jesus for His goodness and mercy even to his children who were disobedient.
He spoke of this very same manner of love for His people in Psalm 107:9-32. The Psalmist describes all the gloom, darkness, rebellion, and disobedience of God's people but when they cried out for help, He saved them from their distress. My point isn't that we can get away with being disobedient. Instead, we need to remember that we will make mistakes and fall but we don't have to put ourselves in those positions because we have the power of Jesus Christ in us to live holy lives. If we do make mistakes, it is that same power of Jesus that presented itself in humbleness before the cross in sacrifice for our sins. Through that sacrifice, Jesus has appeased God's mandate for justice and given us God's grace & mercy in it's place. Through that grace we are saved from both Hell in the future and living in Hell on earth (see Romans 8:1 and Romans 8:31).
Have you received that grace openly and with all your heart. Have you looked into the depth of your soul to realize that your good emotions, your goodwill and your good thoughts are not enough to reconcile you with a perfect God. We must submit to Him and repent of trying to be our own God, believing that all experience can be controlled within our own efforts. Things above and beyond our control are working in places we can't see. We need a savior because, alone, we aren't strong enough to overcome what happens in the world. Trust Jesus. Trust in what He has done for you and me.
If you don't know him today, call or email us. We will gladly pray with you through the simple steps to building an everlasting relationship with the savior of all mankind, Jesus Christ.
Just a side note... when we finished praising God, my oldest daughter received this little message on her cell phone:
~~
twh
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twh
Nov 12, 2013
Wavering Faith
Read | James 1:2-8
(click here to go to InTouch Devotional Page)
The often-quoted first chapter of James teaches about responding appropriately to trials. In hard circumstances, the heart is purified and faith strengthened. However, in order to formulate a proper response, we must ask for God’s wisdom. James then slips in a principle: “But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind” (v. 6). In other words, believers shouldn’t vacillate between certainty that the Lord will respond as He has promised and fear that He will not. Wavering faith hinders God’s plan.
Unacknowledged sin is often a cause of wavering faith, as is our tendency to focus on circumstances rather than on Christ. But uncertainty can frequently be traced back to our own weak prayer life. Far too many believers present unspecific requests: “Lord, You know what’s going on with me and what I need. Please give me what I need.” When a believer is unsure of what he is requesting, he simply cannot be confident the Lord will answer.
Sometimes our need is obvious, and we can ask God for it by name immediately. In other circumstances, we must seek His will before we can know how to petition Him: “Father, You promised that if I trusted You and did not lean on my own understanding, You would direct my path. So, I am expecting to receive clear direction from You.” Since God longs for His children to make right choices, He has obligated Himself to show us His will when we ask. Whatever He impresses on your heart, begin to pray specifically and follow through faithfully.
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This is becoming more and more relative to my life. As I see the days go by and hear of more pain and agony from our friends, family, and associates, it begins to make sense to me. "When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things." 1 (I Corinthians 13:11 NLT)
I used to believe that it only meant a change in my attitude about material things but now I see differently. The childish things speak of the world itself. My heartaches and pains are often due to something physical, financial, or emotional but these are fleeting, short-term things. That doesn't mean they aren't real to me. What it does mean is that they are not the true source of injury. There is more going on in this world than our eyes can see or our minds can comprehend. There are powers and authorities in spiritual places that are fighting against the core of mankind, our souls and our own spirits.
Our souls are made up of our will, thoughts and emotions while our spirit exists even deeper within us. There are forces acting upon us that cause us to do things in the physical world in an effort to damage and kill our spirit. I see it everyday when the list of people we are praying for grows longer than I ever imagined it could. The list of people suffering in one manner or another becomes so great that I don't have enough time in the day to pray for everyone. Cancer, mental illness, dementia, heart attacks, strokes, financial stress, hunger, depravation, starvation, hatred, violence, bullying, racism, bigotry... the list of prayers requested from others is staggering. It is at these times that I know we need our savior, Jesus Christ. It is because of these things that I can willfully decide to put aside my personal desires and replace them with love for another.
Just before verse 11 above, Paul wrote in verse 3, "If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing." That is where I see us today. We have been living like this for thousands of years with just glimpses of love demonstrated toward each other; most often in times of crisis or devastation. Instead of loving this way daily, we seek glory and praise where we do not deserve it. We seek money and power at the cost of anyone in the world, as long as it's not at our own expense.
Now, Christian brothers and sisters, is our time to pray so we do not become what we hate. We cannot sit by, idly, while anyone is suffering or being left without their needs being met. I don't mean do this for just fellow Christians, I mean we must demonstrate love to everyone. In our hatred of the evil spreading in the world, we must stand firm and lean forward into the battle. We must arm ourselves with the full armor of God to protect ourselves. That armor is meant to be used as we march forward into the fray not to shield ourselves as we withdraw from society. The Word of God is our sword. It cuts sharper than a two edged blade separating good from evil. The Word is Jesus, Jesus is God (John 1 NLT) and God is Love (1 John 2:16 NLT). If my algebra holds true, then that means that the sword in our armor gear is actually LOVE.
We must dig deeper to truly love our neighbors. These efforts in humanism are good, but we can go a step further no matter what we are doing today. If I am serving one today, then I must move on to serve two. If I am giving to three people today, then it's time to give to four tomorrow. We must increase our efforts to share love so that the message of Jesus Christ serves to limit the effects of evil around us. We know that Christ has already overcome, but God put us here to serve by living out that message as our way of glorifying Him and expanding His kingdom.
What more can we do today?
~~
twh
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How to Turn Your Crisis into an Opportunity
By Dr. Charles Stanley of InTouch Ministries (click here for full article)
If we mess up and get off path, we worry that He won't accept us back without dire consequences... well, sometimes, our actions will have consequences. You can't jump out of a plane without a parachute and expect to fly without some aid but if we've trusted in God beforehand, then we prepared beforehand and we have a parachute to come down safely. God looks upon our wayward wandering as little children who don't always follow instructions. That's the difference, He loves us even though we sin, but he doesn't leave us to our own misguided wisdom if we trust in Him. He receives us back home with open arms and makes a fresh start for us with the dawning of each new day.
Check out this message from Charles Stanley's InTouch Ministries.
When We Are to Blame
As we saw yesterday, some needs are universal—necessities that are common to all people. Today, let’s focus on needs of a different kind: those that arise when we are to blame.
Think about the prodigal son. This young man had everything he could possibly want—he lived in a beautiful home, had plenty of food, and was raised in a wealthy and popular family. However, he unwisely set his eye on the one thing he didn’t have: prestige. He wanted to be his own man and get out from under the shadow of his father and older brother. Despite having the finest things in life, he wanted independence.
The result? This young man had a wonderful time, but only for a little while. He desired the joys that went along with success but paid no attention whatsoever to the responsibilities wealth required. Therefore, he drove himself into a world of pain and need that he’d never before experienced. And he had no one to blame but himself.
Hurting, hungry, and alone, the prodigal knew full well how and where his needs would be met. Then, accepting the blame, he turned and made the journey home.
When we are hurting, we often try to find someone else to blame. It can be heartbreaking to realize the fault is actually our own. When this describes your situation, can you, like the prodigal son, swallow your pride and turn back toward your heavenly Father? If you do, you’ll discover He’s already running out to meet you, ready to supply your needs again.
Copyright 2013 In Touch Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved. www.intouch.org.
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Taking into account the level of desire I have to relieve financial stress, you would think that I would be more in tune to follow God more closely. This is not to say that I don't believe in Him but Trusting Him requires more than mental conception. It requires the work of doing His will and sometimes that means not doing other things that might get in the way of or consume time that should be focused on His tasks.
That is where most of my concern begins regarding how I am following God's instruction. Am I doing the things to make God pleased with me because I ultimately want what I want? Do I see being obedient to God as a trick... If I'm doing this for God, then He will do this for me? Take into consideration 1 Kings 3:1-14. Unlike Solomon, who really wanted wisdom, do I just want to have wisdom because I know that it will bring me riches? Is it a direct reflection of James 4:3? I hope my heart is not, still, so shallow as to not really be honest with God or myself. After all that we have lost over the years, my soul should be more broken than that; especially after the Lord has corrected me so many times before now.
It takes a real awareness of who God is in the lives of others before I can understand what is right in my heart. Does the pain of those around me cause me so much hurt that I am willing to forego my own comfort so they may have peace? Is that really where I am or am I looking at this as a fair trade for my own blessings?
Check your soul and mind for what you are really lusting for because God is a jealous God and will have none of that within His temple.
~~
twh
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Some choices should be based solely on Scripture. We don't need to pray about whether or not to commit adultery, steal from our employer, or avoid paying the taxes we owe. For each of these, God has clearly laid out instructions for us in His Word. But on areas where Scripture is silent, the Holy Spirit desires to guide our steps along the specific path the Father has chosen for us.
For instance, whom should you marry? Which career should you pursue? What home should you buy? True, the Bible gives a few guidelines on these topics. It tells us to marry only fellow believers, to steer clear of jobs that require unethical behavior, and to avoid overspending. But we also need specific guidance from God in these areas.
The Prompting of the Holy Spirit
After we have received Jesus as our Savior, the His Spirit dwells within us to direct our steps—the choices and decisions we should make, the work we should undertake, and the new attitudes and opinions we should adopt. Jesus said that one of the primary roles of the Holy Spirit is to guide us into all truth (John 16:13).
Continue reading Wise Decision Making.
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Welcome Chris Strandburg to Nashville's modeling & acting scene. Here's a quick preview of what's coming from Chris' shoot with Faith Fashion & Photos fashion team:
Makeup & Hair: Char Braden
Fashion Stylists: Amanda Hajduk & Amanda Mishelle of A&A Styling
Creative Director: Crystal C Harris
Photographer / Retoucher: Timothy W Harris
©2013 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal laws.
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The looks were laid out by the talented Amanda Boyle and Amanda Jilek of Amanda & Amanda Styling. We had not worked with them as a team before but this was definitely the beginning of a great relationship. They were professional and full of great ideas.
Meko Davis, one of our fave artists to work with prepared the hair and makeup with her usual fantastic touch.
But the majority of the credit has to go to Aeriel who came into the studio and rocked the shoot as if she's been doing this for decades!
We loved shooting with her and hope we get to do this again soon.
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Sheer Yoga Pant problem likely to cause a big dent in sales to Lululemon.
]]>Yes, we are more blessed than many third world nations but when you are face-to-face with a mother who doesn't have the food to feed her child, you don't care anymore about where she grew up, who her parents are, or what put her in this situation. She's trying to do what she can to feed her baby. The programs meant for those in need are abused by some but there are many families who are truly desperate for more assistance.
Now we have to come to a realization that for every need there is an answer. The next question is whether or not we are going to do something about it and at what point in time.
Look for the movie "A Place at the Table" for more information regarding the hunger needs that exist in our very own backyard of the U.S.A. It is currently available on iTunes.
]]>How you dress could be used to identify you in a crowd? That's what Google and an application development group called InSight would have us believe. The next-gen social networking utensil created by Google is a super-spy-like pair of titanium glasses that provide notifications and data to help you see updates right in the corner of your eye. With just a glance up into the top of the glasses, you'll get the latest feeds and social networking info. InSight decided that integration with that same technology could very well pinpoint you or your girls based on the style and flair each is known for wearing.
A period of time used for training the fancy specs on what a specific person wears could lead to spotting your friends as the walk down the street or while blindly searching for a way out of the mob in a crowded concert. See what you think...
]]>Esseri came into the studio and in one quick session, pumped out this awesome transformation. If you have not seen her natural shots, she's a beautiful red head with a face and figure that most women could only envy. We will post a few comparative images in our next update.
Model: Esseri Holmes
Creative Director: Crystal C Harris
Photographer/Retoucher: Timothy W Harris
©2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law.
]]>When asked what type of music to play for Esseri, we were really surprised by her choice but once it was pumping through her, she just set the set on fire. More images to come from this quick set.
Model: Esseri Holmes
Creative Director: Crystal C Harris
Photographer/Retoucher: Timothy W Harris
©2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law.
]]>It’s an awesome day when we get to work with this model. She’s talented, beautiful and smart as whip! More images to come from this quick set.
Model: Esseri Holmes
Creative Director: Crystal C Harris
Photographer/Retoucher: Timothy W Harris
©2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law.
]]>The funniest part is that she doesn't really consider her talents to be that great. Well that's okay, we know it for her. Let's check out some of the shots from our last shoot with her.
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In the last 24 hours, Amazon announced their newest designs with HD display and two larger units that come extremely close to the iPad size. The new units are being priced from $199 on the smaller 7-inch HD units going up to $599 for an 8.9 inch 64 MB HD device that is 4G LTE wireless capable.
What draws our attention the most is the 4G LTE deal that they've worked out with AT&T. A one time payment of $50 provides 250 MB per month of usage for 12 months. NO MORE MONTHLY PAYMENTS! Amazon will also throw in an extra 20 GB of additional Cloud storage for your photos and music.
One negative that we've noticed is the lack of a still camera within the device itself. They do offer an internal front-facing video camera for use with Skype calls. Who doesn't include a camera with their latest & greatest technology? Oh well, I guess that's what our expensive DSLR is supposed to do for us.
For a photographer, this tablet is now a valuable consideration. Taking the high definition portfolio on the road with you to show anytime you have wireless connection with 4G speed is a good business tool for promoting your own work and/or project planning when you want to share ideas and concepts.
Check out the info from Amazon yourself and tell us what you think.
All images in this article are the property of Amazon.com.
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Now for the latest good news. Dropbox has decided to take their security measures to the next level by adding the option to use two-factor authentication. For those that don't know the term, it equates to having a password for the site (something you know) and a secondary piece of information that is generated (like a text message sent to your phone which would be something you have with you).
Here's an article from a security site explaining a little of the new functionality. CSO Online - Security
Of course, since we like Dropbox so much, we immediately went to the site to see how difficult it is to setup and maintain. The results are satisfying even though it's not the best method but it is much better than the original "password only" option.
Try it for yourself and let us know what you think on our Facebook Fan Page or on Google+
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That's enough headache in one day alone to make you want to drop all things "iCloud" related. Read from the Wired.com site for yourself because it's a long article and there are more related articles regarding how Amazon & Apple have responded since this went public.
So let's see how it started... How Apple & Amazon Security Flaws Led to My Epic Hacking by Matt Honan
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So today we’re breaking multiple molds. Two blog posts in one day and a suggestion to enter a drawing.
Now let’s get to why we think this drawing is different. Roger Cicala is the president of LensRentals.com. They are “THE SOURCE” for any photographer who needs help with gear. They have provided us with tools and service for years. They are the type of company that answers the phone when you call. How often can you call a service center and get the same people to provide you with advice or support for more than two instances these days. We love them!!!
Another quick point that I need to make is about Roger’s love for gear and gadgets. The man just can’t help himself... He is addicted. So this means if it’s gear that he owner or ordered, it’s in tip-top shape and probably fully loaded.
It’s a simple process to enter the drawing but read the rules anyway (just because you should):
1. Order something from LensRentals.com of $25 or more and use the code “Roger’s Folly”
--- OR ---
2. Like their fan page of Facebook
]]>The Business Journal reports:
Facebook Inc. revealed in its quarterly 10-Q form that of its 955 million worldwide accounts, 8.7 percent are not associated with living, breathing people, The Atlantic Wire reports.
That means 83 million of its purported users are duplicate accounts created by the same users, are classified as "undesirable," meaning the accounts are used for non-approved activities like spamming, or are "user-misclassified," meaning users have crated pages for a business or organizational entity or a pet.
Facebook did say, however, that the concentration of bogus accounts is considerably lower in "developed markets" like the U.S. and Australia.
So does it matter? I would add the interesting fact that the value of shares in Facebook have dropped almost 40% since they originally went public.
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Victoria's Secret has filed a lawsuit asking a federal court to decide whether it has to take the word "naked" out of its eye makeup kit.
Victoria’s Secret wants a federal judge to decide whether it has to strip the term “naked” from its cosmetics line.
The lingerie and cosmetics company filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Columbus asking for a judge to settle a dispute with Newport Beach, Calif.-based Urban Decay Cosmetics LLC, which sent a letter last month demanding that Victoria’s Secret stop producing and selling cosmetics that use the term “The Nakeds.”
Victoria’s Secret wants the court to decide whether it can use the term and for Urban Decay to pay for court costs and attorneys fees.
Victoria’s Secret, the lingerie arm of Columbus’ Limited Brands Inc. (NYSE:LTD), said in the lawsuit that it has used that term for cosmetics since June but began using it for lingerie more than two years ago. The lawsuit says the company owns a trademark for “The Nakeds By Victoria’s Secret,” which can be used for its bras and panties.
Urban Decay sent a cease and desist letter on July 18 and threatened further legal action if it did not receive a response by July 27, according to the lawsuit filed July 31.
Neither company could be reached immediately for comment.
Urban Decay sells a Naked branded line of cosmetics that it says feels “like wearing nothing at all,” according to its website. The company’s cosmetics, which range from liquid makeup for skin to lip glosses and pencils, are sold in 25 Ohio locations, including five in Central Ohio. Victoria’s Secret sells an eye makeup kit under The Nakeds brand.
Rick Rouan is Web coordinator for Business First.
]]>Written by Amanda Kerr of CNET News.
When a few hundred Dropbox users began receiving spam emails about online casinos and gambling sites two weeks ago, it seemed like something was up. And indeed there was.
The online file storage service confirmed today that hackers accessed usernames and passwords from third party sites and then used them to get into Dropbox users' accounts.
"Our investigation found that usernames and passwords recently stolen from other websites were used to sign in to a small number of Dropbox accounts. We've contacted these users and have helped them protect their accounts," the company wrote in a blog post today. "A stolen password was also used to access an employee Dropbox account containing a project document with user email addresses. We believe this improper access is what led to the spam."
When the problem first began earlier in the month, several Dropbox users posted on the company's Web site forum saying they received spam from email addresses only associated with Dropbox. By the time the company got a hold on the situation, 295 people had posted on the forum. The majority of the users were European, coming from Germany, Holland, and the U.K.
Dropbox has since put in place additional security controls to avoid a repeat occurrence. According to the company blog post, here are some of the steps it is taking:
The file storage service also recommends that users avoid using the same password on multiple sites, since it means that if one site has a security breach then all accounts could be at risk. As TechCrunch notes, Dropbox's security breach is eerily reminiscent of LinkedIn's mega-password leak in June.
]]>article by Steve Kovach for Business Insider
After Apple bought Siri a few years ago, many assumed it was the company's first step in a battle against Google's search business. It was a good assumption.
But at All Things D's D8 conference in 2010, Steve Jobs tried to put that speculation to rest by saying Apple had slightly different plans for Siri.
"[It's] not a search company. They're an AI company. We have no plans to go into the search business. We don't care about it. Other people do it well," Jobs told Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg.
Jobs was mostly right. Siri launched on the iPhone 4S in October as more of an intelligent virtual assistant than a searching tool. Siri is designed to set reminders, send text messages, make appointments, etc. Search is kind of part of Siri, but it relies heavily on Wolfram Alpha, a "knowledge engine" that usually does a great job at answering oddball questions like "What's the GDP of Greece?" but not so great at pulling up queries normal humans need.
That's why I was so excited when Google announced Google Now, a search-centric, voice-powered digital assistant for the upcoming version of Android called Jelly Bean.
I've been using Jelly Bean on a Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 7 for the last few days. And I can say Google Now is a lot more impressive than Siri. Google Now fills in all the gaps left by Siri, and does pretty much everything else a whole lot better. This is how search should work on mobile devices.
Screenshot
A few examples:
I was in San Francisco last week to cover Google I/O and meet with some other companies in the area. I had a meeting in Mountain View on Friday morning. Google Now sent me a notification about 45 minutes before my meeting that said I should leave if I wanted to make it on time. It even took traffic into account. Incredible.
The other night I was getting dinner with a few old journalism friends from college. We were talking about Jim Romenesko, and one of my friends wondered how old he was. I asked Google Now, "How old is Jim Romenesko?" The answer came up in less than a second.
I'm a Mets fan (unfortunately), so a lot of my sports-related Google searches are for the score of the latest game. Google knows this, so Google Now automatically sends me notifications with the latest score. I don't even have to ask anymore.
I took the red eye back to New York Friday night, and spent the hours before my flight drinking with some PR friends in San Francisco's Mission neighborhood. Based on my search history, Google Now already knew my flight number and kept me updated with gate information and potential delays.
And Google Now is fast. I spoke with Hugo Barra, Google's Android product boss, the other day, and he told me the Google Now team spent months shaving seconds off the response time. It shows. Not only is Google Now better than Siri at pulling up relevant information, but it's also nearly instantaneous.
Compare that speed to Siri. Depending on how well Apple's servers are doing on a given day, it can take several painful seconds for Siri to pull up an answer.
Google Now is exactly what I want in a virtual assistant. I don't need cutesy jokes and quips about which smartphone is the best. I need answers. And Google Now provides me with the answers I want. The end. (Sometimes I don't even have to ask. Google Now just knows what I need. Incredible.)
Now before all the Apple fans start skewering me in the comments, a few points:
Yes, I understand Siri is still in beta. But the truth of the matter is Apple doesn't promote it as a beta product. It's the flagship feature of it's top-of-the-line iPhone 4S. Just look at all those celebrity-packed commercials. It doesn't come off as a beta product, does it?
I also understand Siri will get a lot better with the launch of iOS 6, Apple's new mobile operating system, this fall. Siri will be able to give you sports scores, movie times, restaurant reviews, and more.
As I've been testing Google Now, I posted a few tweets about my experience. The response from Apple fans has mostly been "Yeah, well, Siri has personality! And people like that!" I'm guessing they're talking about Siri's ability to tell jokes and provide some witty back talk. Yes, that's pretty cool, and I'm sure Siri users get a big old kick out of it, but it's not useful.
As good as Google Now is, there's a huge, gaping problem. As I've written a million times before, Google and its hardware and carrier partners are notoriously awful at providing timely updates for Android devices. Jelly Bean launches in mid July, yet only about 7% of devices are running Ice Cream Sandwich, the current version of Android that launched about seven months ago. Almost everyone else is running Gingerbread, a version of Android that launched in late 2010.
At this rate, it'll be at least another year before most Android users get to take advantage of Google Now. Meanwhile Apple continues to sell tens of millions of Siri-powered iPhone 4Ss per quarter. Even though I think Siri is an inferior product, more people are going to be using it. And that gives Apple a huge advantage over Google.
And that stinks. iPhone users have no idea what they're missing. Android users probably won't get to try Google Now until they buy a new phone that comes pre-loaded with Jelly Bean.
I have no doubt that Apple will add better search features to Siri over time. But what most people won't realize is that Google has already beaten Siri with Google Now.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/google-now-better-than-siri-2012-7#ixzz1zrOyCH69
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When the investment for camera equipment, lighting equipment, studio rent, business insurance, health insurance, marketing expenses, taxes, licenses, professional service fees and all the other things I have failed to list here really start settling in on the mind, it can be horrifying. It could make a person run back to shooting pics of the dog in the backyard.
The key is a great business plan and good funding. One option for funding is a commercial loan or a business line-of-credit.
I’m passing along this article from the Washington Business Journal which will assist any small business owner with tips to pick a good lender.
10 things to ask before ... Selecting a commercial lender
Premium content from Washington Business Journal
Date: Friday, April 20, 2012, 6:00am EDT
Related: Banking & Financial Services, Entrepreneurs, Startups, How-To: Funding
We asked several experts what new entrepreneurs should think about when selecting a commercial lender. Next up in our biweekly manual of sorts for startup businesses: how to get LEED certification and how to choose an architecture firm.
1. How well do you know my market? Visit several lenders to make sure they are experienced and knowledgeable about your market. That will help you find loan officers who will be able to relate to you and can understand the needs and potential of your business. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. website is a good source for information on a lender’s location, size and history.
2. Who makes the final decision to approve a loan? There is no reason to be looped around when applying for the loan. A good lender will give you valuable feedback on the spot and handle your paperwork, rather than passing you on to a slew of other staffers. You need a direct line of contact. The further away from the decision-maker, the more hectic the process could become.
3. Where is your nearest location? The lender should be accessible. Some banks may be headquartered in another state, but have representatives in your area who know your market well. Remember, commercial lenders are like business partners, and a long-distance relationship can be toxic to your business.
4. Are you invested in my idea or business? Is there common ground? The lender should sit down with you and go over your plan. Look for someone who is showing a significant interest in you and is willing to invest in your idea and business for the long haul.
5. What kind of relationship do you have with other clients? Ask for references, particularly the names of people who own similar businesses, to get a feel for the loan officer and bank. References can tell you how the lender might deal with you or any situations that arise. If your company expands or stops growing, you need to know the bank is flexible.
6. How much capital do you have? If a bank is too large, you may become a number. Too small, and you may outgrow it. How long has it been doing commercial loans? And how well have those loans performed in terms of returns?
7. What types of services do you offer? Look for lenders that have multiple locations in your area and are FDIC-insured. See if they have experts who can serve on your board of directors. After hearing about all the services a lender offers, ask yourself if they fit your needs.
8. What do you look for in a borrower? This will help you determine if the bank fits your personality. One missed loan payment could trigger serious consequences or be no big deal.
9. Do you offer revolving credit lines? A revolving credit line allows you to borrow up to a certain approved amount, but it can be risky because most small businesses find that type of loan difficult to repay. However, a credit line allows you to re-borrow money you paid back. It is normally used to bridge short-term cash flow challenges. Term loans are disbursed in amounts. They are paid back much like a car loan and can provide extra money for, say, purchasing machinery or equipment.
10. How much collateral do you need? For real estate loans, businesses can only borrow up to 75 to 80 percent of what the collateral — the real estate itself— is worth. For working capital loans, which aren’t for real estate, borrowers may need to pledge collateral that is equal to the value of the amount they’re borrowing. In many cases, this will be the borrower’s home. Some people with established credit or enough money can get a loan without collateral. A good lender should be able to adjust the collateral to your earnings and business.
SouthComm Inc. will cease publication of Her Nashville, the locally based publishing company announced Wednesday.
The monthly publication covered women's lifestyle topics. The July issue will be the magazine's last.
"Nashville readers embraced Her for the last four years. Unfortunately, the advertising support needed to keep the free publication going just was not sufficient to continue publishing the magazine in Nashville," said Chris Ferrell, CEO of SouthComm. "I'm sorry we were unable to give Her a longer lifespan, but I am proud of the quality work our team did on the publication during its four-year run."
SouthComm will continue to produce Her magazines in Kansas City and Cincinnati.
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Birmingham Business Journal Article: 10 tips to get the most out of your LinkedIn profile
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Even though you feel alone
Even though your strength is gone
As your weary heart just tries to hold on
Even if your faith is lost
Even if its hard to trust
In a Lord, that would let the rain fall down
Trust in me now
Trust in me now
But really... this story would have definitely justified our investment in the waiver and possibly a pair of DEPENDS for my underwear! (I'll have to see if they offer those as a service option too ;)
Check out the full story in the link below.
http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/05/the-damage-waiver-bearly-covered-this-one
Image linked from LensRentals.com courtesy of Andrew Kane, www.moosephoto.smugmug.com
Posted by Tim
]]>Extremely cool reading - Brooklyn born model @DamarisLewis giving feedback on basketball!
You will most likely recognize all the stars at the Lakers games or the high profile fans sitting at courtside for the Knicks... but this, this is superb! One of my fave models in this business is showing the guys that she's got it going on in both heels and hoops.
Now if she can just give a little love for our teams... The Bulls and the Grizzlies (you know I have to give Tim's Grizzlies their respect after their spectacular work this season. I guess it comes from living in Memphis for so long :)
]]>Recent editorial work with model Amberley Harvick (@amberleyann) and Ana Liza Platt (@Ana_Liza) as MUA/Hairstylist
Amazing day of shooting with Amberley and Ana Liza. These ladies did a fantastic job and made the shoot super enjoyable.
Series Title: The Connection
Male Model: Spencer Neville
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Tim Harris
@2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
]]>Recent editorial work with model Amberley Harvick (@amberleyann) and Ana Liza Platt (@Ana_Liza) as MUA/Hairstylist
Amazing day of shooting with Amberley and Ana Liza. These ladies did a fantastic job and made the shoot super enjoyable.
Series Title: The Connection
Male Model: Spencer Neville
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Tim Harris
@2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
]]>Recent editorial work with model Amberley Harvick (@amberleyann) and Ana Liza Platt (@Ana_Liza) as MUA/Hairstylist
Amazing day of shooting with Amberley and Ana Liza. These ladies did a fantastic job and made the shoot super enjoyable.
Series Title: The Connection
Male Model: Spencer Neville
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Tim Harris
@2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
]]>Recent editorial work with model Amberley Harvick (@amberleyann) and Ana Liza Platt (@Ana_Liza) as MUA/Hairstylist
Amazing day of shooting with Amberley and Ana Liza. These ladies did a fantastic job and made the shoot super enjoyable.
Series Title: The Connection
Male Model: Spencer Neville
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Tim Harris
@2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
]]>Recent editorial work with model Amberley Harvick (@amberleyann) and Ana Liza Platt (@Ana_Liza) as MUA/Hairstylist
Amazing day of shooting with Amberley and Ana Liza. These ladies did a fantastic job and made the shoot super enjoyable.
Series Title: The Connection
Male Model: Spencer Neville
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Tim Harris
@2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
]]>Recent editorial work with model Amberley Harvick (@amberleyann) and Ana Liza Platt (@Ana_Liza) as MUA/Hairstylist
Amazing day of shooting with Amberley and Ana Liza. These ladies did a fantastic job and made the shoot super enjoyable.
Series Title: The Connection
Male Model: Spencer Neville
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Tim Harris
@2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
]]>Recent editorial work with model Amberley Harvick (@amberleyann) and Ana Liza Platt (@Ana_Liza) as MUA/Hairstylist
Amazing day of shooting with Amberley and Ana Liza. These ladies did a fantastic job and made the shoot super enjoyable.
Series Title: The Connection
Male Model: Spencer Neville
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Tim Harris
@2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
]]>Recent editorial work with model Amberley Harvick (@amberleyann) and Ana Liza Platt (@Ana_Liza) as MUA/Hairstylist
Amazing day of shooting with Amberley and Ana Liza. These ladies did a fantastic job and made the shoot super enjoyable.
Series Title: The Connection
Male Model: Spencer Neville
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Tim Harris
@2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
]]>Recent editorial work with model Amberley Harvick (@amberleyann) and Ana Liza Platt (@Ana_Liza) as MUA/Hairstylist
Amazing day of shooting with Amberley and Ana Liza. These ladies did a fantastic job and made the shoot super enjoyable.
Series Title: The Connection
Male Model: Spencer Neville
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Tim Harris
@2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
]]>Recent editorial work with model Amberley Harvick (@amberleyann) and Ana Liza Platt (@Ana_Liza) as MUA/Hairstylist
Amazing day of shooting with Amberley and Ana Liza. These ladies did a fantastic job and made the shoot super enjoyable.
Series Title: The Connection
Male Model: Spencer Neville
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Tim Harris
@2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
]]>Recent editorial work with model Amberley Harvick (@amberleyann) and Ana Liza Platt (@Ana_Liza) as MUA/Hairstylist
Amazing day of shooting with Amberley and Ana Liza. These ladies did a fantastic job and made the shoot super enjoyable.
Series Title: The Connection
Male Model: Spencer Neville
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Tim Harris
@2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
]]>Recent editorial work with model Amberley Harvick (@amberleyann) and Ana Liza Platt (@Ana_Liza) as MUA/Hairstylist
Amazing day of shooting with Amberley and Ana Liza. These ladies did a fantastic job and made the shoot super enjoyable.
Series Title: The Connection
Male Model: Spencer Neville
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Tim Harris
@2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
]]>Recent editorial work with model Amberley Harvick (@amberleyann) and Ana Liza Platt (@Ana_Liza) as MUA/Hairstylist
Amazing day of shooting with Amberley and Ana Liza. These ladies did a fantastic job and made the shoot super enjoyable.
Series Title: The Connection
Male Model: Spencer Neville
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Tim Harris
@2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
]]>Recent editorial work with model Amberley Harvick (@amberleyann) and Ana Liza Platt (@Ana_Liza) as MUA/Hairstylist
Amazing day of shooting with Amberley and Ana Liza. These ladies did a fantastic job and made the shoot super enjoyable.
Series Title: The Connection
Male Model: Spencer Neville
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Tim Harris
@2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
]]>Recent editorial work with model Amberley Harvick (@amberleyann) and Ana Liza Platt (@Ana_Liza) as MUA/Hairstylist
Amazing day of shooting with Amberley and Ana Liza. These ladies did a fantastic job and made the shoot super enjoyable.
Series Title: The Connection
Male Model: Spencer Neville
Creative Director: Crystal C Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer/Retoucher: Timothy W Harris
@2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
]]>Recent editorial fashion work with model Amberley Harvick (@amberleyann) and Ana Liza Platt (@Ana_Liza) as MUA/Hairstylist
Amazing day of shooting with Amberley and Ana Liza. These ladies did a fantastic job and made the shoot super enjoyable.
Series Title: The Connection
Male Model: Spencer Neville
Creative Director: Crystal C Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Timothy W Harris
@2012 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
]]>One of our lovely friends and frequent models needs your support. Vote for Dominique as the face of e.l.f. Cosmetics (via Explore Modeling - e.l.f. Cosmetics 2012: Dominique Bazar)
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Exotic Expressions Jewelry Lookbook shot by Crystal & Tim Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos studio.
Designer: Mercedes Stafford @iamtruth85
Model: Danielle Turner
MUA: Stacey Tackett
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith, Fashion & Photos
Photographer & Retoucher: Tim Harris of Faith, Fashion & Photos
©Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
Another image from the second line of advertisements.
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Exotic Expressions Jewelry
Designer: Mercedes Stafford @iamtruth85
Model: Danielle Turner
MUA: Stacey Tackett
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith, Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Tim Harris of Faith, Fashion & Photos
©Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
This was a second line of ads for the shoot. Danielle rocked her series of jewelry images.
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Exotic Expressions Jewelry Designer: Mercedes Stafford @iamtruth85
Model: Danielle Turner
MUA: Stacey Tackett
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith, Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Tim Harris of Faith, Fashion & Photos
©Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
This was a second line of ads for the shoot. Danielle rocked her series of jewelry images.
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Exotic Expressions Jewelry Designer: Mercedes Stafford @iamtruth85
Model: Ginger Lee @gingerlee
Model: Shannon Ruth Gomez
Model: Antoinette Mercedes
Model: Danielle Turner
MUA: Stacey Tackett
Creative Director: Crystal C Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Timothy W Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
©2011 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
This was the wrap up image for the shoot. All the ladies did such a wonderful job that it just had to be included in the production. Loved this shoot!
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For Exotic Expressions Jewelry
Designer: Mercedes Stafford
Model: Ginger Lee @gingerlee
MUA: Stacey Tackett
Creative Director: Crystal Harris of Faith, Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Tim Harris of Faith, Fashion & Photos
©Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
We loved working with Ginger for these shots. She’s kept everyone laughing and the mood light and lovely! Can’t wait to work with her again on our next project.
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For Exotic Expressions Jewelry
Designer: Mercedes Stafford
Model: Ginger Lee @gingerlee
MUA: Stacey Tackett
Creative Director: Crystal C Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Timothy W Harris of Faith Fashion & Photos
©2011 Faith Fashion & Photos, LLC; all rights reserved under U.S. federal law
]]>Faith, Fashion & Photos collaborating with @HouseofStella @Model_Brennan @Levi_Hayes
Title: Swordplay-1773. We’re adding more images from the shoot with Brennan and the wardrobe from the House of Stella.
When planning this shoot, Crystal, Stacy Pelerossi and Felicia Pelerossi got together to work out some ideas for wardrobe. This one-of-kind dress was designed, and created by Stacy Pelerossi. Looking that amazing, it just had to be among the pieces included. The awesome cut over the shoulder and the leather corset make this piece unique for a superb night of stylish activity! Be sure to check out House of Stella dot com.
And if you think that’s an awesome dress, just wait until you see Crystal’s Christmas present… shhhh!!!
Model: Brennan Hill
Wardrobe: House of Stella in Franklin, TN
Hair Stylist: Levi Hayes
MUA: Stacey Tackett
Creative Director: Crystal C Harris of Faith, Fashion & Photos
Photographer: Timothy W Harris of Faith, Fashion & Photos
Location: Faith, Fashion & Photos Studio
Spring Hill, TN
©2011 Faith, Fashion & Photos, LLC. All rights reserved.
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