All These Things... - By Stephanie McFadden

May he give you the desire of your heart
    and make all your plans succeed.
May we shout for joy over your victory
    and lift up our banners in the name of our God.

May the Lord grant all your requests.

Psalm 20:4-5 NIV

   About a year ago, I met a fellow pre-school Mom who loves to scrapbook.  We had the great idea of hosting a one-day event with a handful of other local scrapbookers- we were talking about having food catered in, crafting together and meeting some new friends. For a variety of reasons, this event never got past the initial brainstorming phase, but I could not get this idea out of my head or out of my heart- and I had no idea why. This type of public event is WAY out of my comfort zone, so why was I so motivated to do something so “crazy”?
This past spring, I learned of another scrapbooking event to benefit a local family. Teresa is an avid scrapbooker and her husband is battling colon cancer. They are a happily married Christian couple living in Oxford with their three kids. Even though I did not know her personally, her story hit me pretty hard since I saw similarities with my own family- we, too, are a happy Christian family of five and Rick had a health scare not that long ago. I wanted to at least go to give my financial support. Unfortunately, this event didn’t happen either.

About 2 months ago, I still couldn’t shake the idea of a scrapbook get-together, so I decided to try one more time. It seemed like I had approximately 15 ladies that were interested. Once I started looking into a location, I noticed that finding an affordable venue that was semi-close that could hold about 10-20 of us (which requires a good amount of room! We crafty-people take up a lot of space!) and included tables, chairs, and appropriate lighting was a real task!

My daughters’ former preschool was held at local church only a few miles from my house. The church has a large open community room in the back of the building- this was the room we were thinking of using the year before.  I still had connections with the Pastor and quite a few of the preschool teachers- so I sent an email: Would it be an option for a group of approximately 15 crafty ladies to use your facilities for twelve hours on a Saturday, and if so, how much would you charge?

I got an email back almost instantly from the Pastor: Yes, they would love for us to use the room...for free.  Free. We were willing to pay, but the Pastor would not accept any donations to the church or preschool, but he loved the idea of money going to a local charity to help families in need.  Together, we decided to have all the entrance money go towards Blessings in a Backpack of Oxford (a local chapter of a nation-wide organization that feeds low income kids on the weekends) and since Teresa’s event never came to be, we decided to have a raffle with all proceeds going to her family. To keep costs down, we would not have food, making this affordable for our community.  All of the money that came in would go back out to help our local families.  I contacted the Blessings team and Teresa and both were excited for any donations we would raise.

We had a location. We had a date and time. We had our charities. We had a purpose.
And just like that, God had opened a huge door.

If this event was going to happen, I knew I couldn’t do it alone. I gathered up a few of my crafty girlfriends and some other volunteers to make up my “team”.  I know this group was fashioned by God because we complimented each other with our different talents: from organizing to decorating to volunteering to go door-to-door of local businesses (Thankfully God put that lady in my group because that was something I am not comfortable with!). Together, we made a great team.  Where one of us lacked, another excelled.   This was such a well-rounded group of wonderful ladies. God gave me exactly who I needed to make this event a success.

I posted a note with our plan on a few local facebook groups- almost instantly we had small business owners offering their services, raffle items, donations, and money. Before we even posted a sign-up flier, we had 20 local businesses willing to help us. 
God was opening that door just a little wider! Things were starting to really come together.

The flier was posted and registrations started coming in, however, I was not getting the participation I was hoping for. We estimated we could hold 40 crafters. My initial goal was 15 people, but I was really hoping for at least 20 crafters and would be thrilled if we had 30 ladies signed up for our first event. By the end of the “early-bird” sign-up deadline, we only had 18 people.   I kept telling myself that it was $200 for Blessings they didn’t have before- but I wasn’t satisfied. God had already put this on my heart and opened so many doors- I knew He wasn’t done yet.

So, I prayed. I prayed for more wonderful crafty ladies to join us and help raise money for these charities. I prayed for His will to be done. I prayed for His help. I prayed for Him to help me do what He needed me to do.

....and God responded in a huge way.

November 25th at 9 am, our doors opened.  The community room was packed with tables and chairs to host the 43 registered crafters (and more ladies were on a waiting list!). Our 13 vendors packed the sides of the community room, the hallway, and the upper level of the church building. 52 different local organizations and businesses contributed to our event.  We gave away 70 donated prizes in various drawings, raffles, and games. Each crafter left with a packed goodie-bag full of donated samples, treats, and trinkets.  The main raffle, consisting of 45 AMAZING prizes, allowed us to raise $792 for Teresa’s family.  The entrance fee and other games/donations allowed us to raise $921 for Blessings in a Backpack.
1 day. 12 hours.

Over the last few days, I have received many “good job” and “I’m so proud of you” messages... but I can tell you with a certain heart, this was not because of Me.   MY plan was a group of 10-12 people getting together to scrapbook, God’s plans were so much greater than I could have ever imagined. I am humbled and overcome with amazement that He, the creator of the universe, could use me and my love of pretty paper as a starting point to host such a successful event for so many deserving families. I have such a full heart for this amazing community I live in, for the people that I am surrounded by, and for the protection and promises of our Lord.

But once again, God’s not done- in fact, I have the feeling this is just the beginning.  My “team” is already talking about hosting a reoccurring event every Spring and Fall. Less than 12 hours after posting a “save the date” note for a potential date in April, we already have 22 people wanting to sign up and help out and many businesses are already willing to donate...to an event we haven’t even started planning!

I love to scrapbook and God gave me the desire to share my hobby with others. I couldn’t have done this alone, so He equipped me with what I needed to succeed- He sent me the right people and businesses to help me where I lacked and to fill in the missing pieces.

I just wanted to scrapbook..... and funny enough, I never even took my scrapbook stuff out of my bag!

This event opened my eyes to see where else I can use my talents, hobbies and passions to help others. I hope that others can see past me and my many faults... and they can see His light shining through because I want to give all the glory to Him. I know this is so much more than ‘me’.

You are no different. You are capable of turning those small ideas into life-changing moments. You have talents and hobbies and passions too. Listen to those desires God placed on your heart and believe that with Him, anything is possible.

You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.

2 Corinthians 9:11-12 NIV

If... Then - By Stephanie McFadden

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with your heart. I will be found by you”

Jeremiah 29:11-14 NIV

An “if/then” statement is a sentence that contains a conditional clause (the “if”) and a consequence (the “then”). If a certain condition is true, then a particular result happens. IF you throw an object up, THEN it will come down.  IF you put wood into to a fire, THEN it will burn.  IF listen to your Mama, THEN she’ll be happy :)

Jeremiah 29:11 is one of those “fridge magnets” quotes- one of the “good” bible verses that you see printed over and over again. I’m not disputing that it’s a wonderful verse-- The message is a promise from God- it’s to the point, uplifting, and powerful: God has a plan. His plan is perfect. He has a purpose for us. He has a plan specifically designed for me and you.

What I find interesting is that you never see the next two lines on the “fridge magnet” ... yet God is still talking. (One thing I have learned in my Christian life.... when God talks, y’all better listen!)

In these verses, God gives a series of conditional (if/then) statements. However, since He’s God, there is no need to state the conditional clause.  He doesn’t say “if” because He is stating a fac- He’s not offering a suggestion or variable. These are commands and promises. His works are not conditional on what we do or what we fail to do (probably because He knows we will eventually fail!) Regardless of our actions, He is God and will continue to be a constant in this ever-changing world.  In His mind, there is no “if” ... it just “is”. God DOES know the plans for our lives. He WILL protect us. He DOES give us hope, and He WILL give us a future. 

“then you will...”

If a certain condition is true (God has a plan for each one of us), then a particular result happens (We will call on Him. We will pray.) In the conditional clause, God is promising us that He has a plan and He will protect us. He is already doing His part: now it’s our responsibility to follow through with the rest of the statement- we need to provide the result.  We are to call on Him and pray to Him constantly because he’s constantly fulfilling His promise to us.  

IF we call on Him and IF we pray to Him...THEN He WILL listen.  

I know the “if” and “then” words are not actually in the biblical text, but it is implied.  If a certain condition is true (You and I call on God and pray to Him), then a particular result happens (God will listen).  Simple concept, yet absolutely amazing: If we pray, then the same God that created the day and the night will hear us. If we give Him praise, He will listen. If we cry out for help, He will listen--- and all we have to do is pray.  I love this line because there are many times where it can feel like God doesn’t hear our prayers--- yet, this one simple statement from God promises us that He DOES hear us- He hears EVERY prayer to Him.

 IF you seek God with your heart... THEN you will find Him.

Again, it’s an implied “if/then” ;)
Generally, you need to look for something in order to find it. However, this is not like finding your misplaced sunglasses.  Since we cannot see God with our eyes- we have to find Him with our hearts.  Our current society is trying to convince us that we don’t need God- it seems for every desire to prove there is a God, there are five theories “proving” that He doesn’t exist.  Following your heart because you KNOW there is a God, yet alone have a relationship with Him, is a very challenging and unpopular task. God, once again, speaks and we need to listen:  If a certain condition is true (Seek God with your heart), then a particular result happens (You will find Him). 

 “I will be found by you”

In only a few lines of scripture, God is giving us a very basic idea how to obtain a relationship with Him:  We need to trust that God’s plan is the best plan for our lives. We need to believe that He knows us and loves us enough to guide us along that path. We need to talk to Him through prayer and, in turn, He will listen to everything we have to say. We must continue to actively search Him and read/study/know/believe His Word.  We need believe in God with our entire hearts so there is no room for doubt or sin or anything else that keeps us apart from our Lord.  

IF we believe in Him and all of His promises, THEN He will meet us right where we are, and lead us to where we need to go.

....and following God’s plan for our life is the best place we can be!

The B Word - by Carolyn McFadden

What is the definition of the B Word? 
You know - the definition of "Believe."

To Believe is " to accept something as true."

Ok, folks, with that in mind, read this short story:

"The Lord regretted that He had made human beings on the earth, and His heart was deeply troubled. 

So the Lord said, 'I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created. . . for I regret that I have made them.' 

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord." (Genesis 6:5-8)

And read this:
(God said to Noah) 
"Everything on earth will perish. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark." (Genesis 6:17-18) 

Are you getting the drift? 

Noah did NOT end up like EVERYONE ELSE.

Why?

Because Noah believed God (he "walked faithfully with God"), and his faithfilled belief 

that God would do what He said He would do

made a HUGE difference in his outcome.


But, hey, it didn't just happen that way for Noah. Abraham simply 

believed that God would do what He said He would do, 

and, as a result, God gave Abraham a credit of righteousness; and afterwards, God called Abraham "his friend." 
(James 2:23)

Wouldn't you like a credit of righteousness from God? 

Wouldn't that be cool if God called you "his friend?"

And then, there's the people who lived in Nineveh. 

Those folks had become so evil that God planned to destroy all of them, but then they heard the prophet Jonah tell them God's dooming plans for their town. 

They heard the Word of the Lord, and they immediately changed their ways. They became sorry for their sins and asked God for His mercy. 
(Jonah, Chapters 3 & 4)

Why did that town do that? 

The town of Nineveh did that because they, like Noah and Abraham, 

believed God would do what He said He would do, 

and here is the result of their belief:
"When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He relented and did not bring on them the destruction He had threatened."
(Jonah 3:10)

Are you getting this? Are WE getting this?

God may bring about horrors for sooooooo many others because they don't believe Him, but if YOU believe HIM, it can make a HUGE difference in YOUR life! 

and . . . 

God may bring about horrors for sooooooo many others because they don't believe Him, but if I believe HIM, it can make a HUGE difference in MY life! 

The Bible tells us that the Lord "is the same yesterday, today and forever." 
(Hebrews 13:8)

That means that Abraham and Noah and the town of Nineveh aren't any different in God's eyes than you and I are. 

It means that if you and I choose to 

believe that God will do what He says He will do, 

that OUR lives can be transformed into vessels that prove to those around us that God "is real" and that "He rewards those who diligently seek Him."

How diligent do you and I want to be in searching through the Bible for all of God's promises and then believing that God will do what He says He will do?

As we live through life's challenges, if we will just continue to attend to the goal of believing that God will do what He says He will do, God WILL reward us.

Today, let's do ourselves a favor.
Let's just believe HIM!

I'm better than a servant. Besides, that whole "servant thing" doesn't apply to job hunting - (by Carolyn McFadden)

I'm taking a break this week from The Beatitudes to talk about "job hunting."

I just can't believe how many people I've talked to in the last month that are searching for a job. Some seem thrilled just to find a job, while others seem frustrated at not being hired for that one job they've worked so hard for.

So that no one will be disappointed, let's take a look at how Kingdom Living can make all the difference in the world when it comes to searching for and accepting that job offer.

Jesus tells us:
"But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves." (Luke 22:26)

In today's economy, everyone wants to start out at the top. People go to college, they excel at their college classes, they become totally aware of their strong points; and then, they enter that world of "seeking a job."

Frustration sets in immediately as they're told again and again:

"You need to start with this job, and after you've proved how grateful you are for that job, we will consider you for the next baby step up the ladder to your success."

Reality is a hard pill to swallow UNLESS we begin to see life and people and circumstances from God's point of view. Then, and only then, can our mundane job (a job we didn't even want because we knew we were qualified for so much more) become one of the greatest adventures we will ever take for God's Kingdom Living.

THE TRUTH IS, God's main goal for us is not to plop us into that job that we're so highly qualified for.

God's main goal for us is to build the character of Christ into our minds and into our hearts.

That character begins with a genuine attitude of gratefulness for the small, seemingly insignificant opportunitues that come our way.

Whatever job we're given, let us take it and "run with it"!!!!!!

Let us work at that job as if "we're serving the Lord, not men."
(Colossians 3:23)
(Ephesians 6:7)

The character God will build in us as we do that (with all of our heart and with all of our energy) will bring rewards for us that we simply cannot fathom!

Isn't it time we rearranged our goal?

For example, is our goal to get the job that we deserve, or is our goal to grow in our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

(2 Peter 1:8 )
"For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

God's Kingdom always starts at the bottom because that's where we can grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 16:10
"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much..."

Let us become consumed with
God's job - - God's Way.

We can find that WAY by learning Matthew 25:14-31 inside and out. While this parable sounds like just a reference to money, it also applies in our search for a job. God rewards those who are faithful with the small things and faithful in that which they have been given.

Gratefulness and the DRIVE to make THE MOST of what we're given can be the greatest ADVENTURE we'll ever take.

We may wish we were in different jobs, want more influence or feel that no one knows or understands us. HOWEVER, we can be assured that God sees our faithful service and that in HIS TIME, He will reward us.

Jesus tells us:
"But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves." (Luke 22:26)

Serve

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4:10-11

What are we doing to serve God?  What are we doing to serve God's people?  Are we just riding the wave after simply receiving the gift of salvation without actually serving God?

It's funny.  While I was growing up, I always perceived "serving God" as some form or talking to people, or witnessing to people, or inviting people to church.  While those are definitely great ways to serve, these are somewhat of a problem for me.  I am about as introvert as one can be.  I am anti-social.  I cannot carry on a conversation with someone else for the mere purpose of social interaction for longer than a span of about 5 minutes.  After about 5 minutes, my batteries are completely dead, and I have to go re-charge for about 2 hours before I can converse for another 5 minutes.

Just today at church, someone stopped me jokingly to tell me that she noticed I really am anti-social.  I simply hide in the corner.  and she noticed it because my son does the same thing in the nursery.  He simply hides in the corner and plays with his toys.

So, for me, this form of service simply doesn't work.  Being introvert is not a sickness, or something that needs to be fixed.  It is simply who I am.

Fortunately, for me, I've learned over the years that there are countless ways that we can serve God without actually having to socially talk to people.  Some of those things are:

- run sound or media for your church

- teach sunday school (yes, I know....but teaching is not a social activity.  In fact, over the last few years, I've learned that some of the best speakers I've ever heard are extremely introvert, and cannot carry a social conversation with someone outside of a classroom setup)

- see / meet a small need for someone who may not have expected it.

What are you doing to serve God?  Are we using the talents that God has given to us to serve the people around us?  Today, let's think on this.  Let's think of new ways that we can use our skills to serve God, and to serve others.

So, you've lived a good life? Good enough for heaven? - by Carolyn McFadden

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
(Mathew 5:17)

And it's a good thing that Jesus fulfilled God's legal requirements for us, folks, because if He hadn't, you and I would be "gonners." 

You ask, "What do you mean by that?"

Well, to answer you, let's start with the meaning of the Greek word translated “fulfill” in Matthew 5:17. That Greek word comes from the root word "pleroo," which means “to make full, to fill, to fill up … to fill to the full” or “to render full, i.e. to complete.” 

As Jesus lived His life, He “filled to the full” the Holy requirements of the Laws of God.

Jesus came to fulfill God's Law. He fulfilled that law in two ways, and BOTH those ways are necessary to save our hides from severe consequences.

How so? 

First, He lived under the law perfectly. He obeyed every bit of the law. And His perfect righteousness is imputed to us. 

Second, He paid our legal obligations by dying in our stead. Because of all of our sins, God's Law requires that we die and spend eternity in hell. But now, we don't have to face that.

That’s right! Jesus fulfilled that obligation for us by what He went through on the cross. Jesus did not destroy the law that condemns us; He, instead, fulfilled all of the law's requirements so that we would no longer face the eternal punishment for our sins IF we have received Christ and HIS WAYS into our hearts. 

Now maybe some of you are thinking this way:

"Wait a minute! Hold on there! I'm basically a good person. I try very hard to love my family and take good care of my kids. I show my parents respect. I don't drink to excess. I fast forward through all the bad spots on the TV shows, and I help out at the church. I also give money to the church, and I give other people stuff, too, when they need it. So don't be telling me I deserve to go to Hell when I die. Hell is not for good people like me. I try as hard as I can to do the right thing most of the time."

OK. I get it. You're kinda insulted that anyone would think that you're the kind of person that deserves Hell for all of eternity. 

Well, I got news for you. You are exactly that type of person. You fit the bill perfectly, and so do I. 

How so?

Well, let's see, when was the last time you refused to believe God? I ask that because of this scripture verse:

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16

The key word there is "believes."

The Greek word for "believe" is PISTEUO. That word means all of the following:

a) to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliance upon

(sooooo the last time you were concerned about something or worried about someone, did you set that worry aside and completely trust and rely upon Christ to have the situation fully under His control?)

b) to have confidence in and to enjoy confidence in 

(sooooo when you were scared last time, did you throw your fear out the window and ENJOY the confidence you had in Christ to fully protect you?)

c) to entrust 

(sooooo the last time your child got himself into a jam, did you entrust his care into God's hands? When was the last time you prayed, "God I totally trust You, so please do WHATEVER it takes to save my child"?)

d) to have committed to obey

(sooooo this morning, did you commit everything you say today to the sole purpose of demonstrating God's love and forgiveness to every person you talk to? Remember, to demonstrate that love, you must genuinely show patience, kindness, no envy, no pride, no rudeness, and no remembering of any past offenses.
"Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loves another has fulfilled the law - Romans 13:8)

Still feeling like you've lived a good life? Good enough for heaven?

Well, let's go through the checklist:

FIRST, did you overeat yesterday or did you eat something that would spike your insulin level or add to your cholesterol? Remember, the Bible says "you're fearfully and wonderfully made by God," so did you respect God's creation today and eat only healthy items that would feed your body with nothing but nutrition?

SECOND, have you lusted today? Watching two minutes of commercials would do it? Did you think more highly of someone because they "looked good"? Read any romance novels lately? 

I saw the following excerpt on the subject of lust, and it makes perfect sense:

"When a beautiful woman walks in the room or flashes on a screen or billboard, all eyes are transfixed. While men might be thinking about sex, a woman might be thinking, 'I wonder what it would be like to have such a body?' Men WANT the body, women want the BODY. They want the body that attracts everyone. Lust can be either a strong feeling of sexual desire, or a strong desire for something."

THIRD, have you shown pride this week? In other words, who got the credit, you or God? When someone told you, "Thank you," did you eat it up, or did you turn and thank God for 100% enabling you to do that? 

FOURTH, did you commit murder recently - the Sermon on the Mount type of murder where Jesus says that if we're just angry with someone we've already committed murder in our hearts? If you boiled over or yelled after some idiot cut you off in traffic or after your spouse refused to do his/her fair share in the kitchen, then you are guilty of murder.

FIFTH, did you commit idolatry today? I'm not talking about worshipping a picture of a golden statue of a bull or calf. Nancy Pearcey said it this way:

"Scripture treats the topic of idolatry far more subtly. An idol is anything we want more than God, anything we rely on more that God, anything we look to for greater fulfillment than God. Idolatry is thus the hidden sin driving all other sins."

Our idols can be our children, our spouse, our physical attractiveness, our money, our job, or even our friendships. We may look to money or comforts to fill a space that belongs to God. All of these things are not inherently evil, but they become a problem when we begin to believe that they satisfy us more than God can satisfy us.

Jesus said, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."

It's a good thing that Jesus fulfilled God's legal requirements for us because if He hadn't, you and I would be "gonners." 

Compared to God's holiness, I haven’t lived a good life? I havent lived a life that's good enough to earn heaven? I know I fall short!!!!!! 

Thank You, Jesus, for fulfilling the requirements of God’s Law for all of us. We soooooo didn't deserve Your sacrifice!!!!!!

God is not asking us if we'd LIKE to be Salt and Light - by Carolyn McFadden

Salt and Light
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
(Mathew 5:13 - 16)

We are the Salt and Light God has planned for the world. God is not asking us if we'd like to be Salt and Light. He told us that we ARE Salt and Light. 

We are it. He has no other plan. 

When Jesus spoke of salt, He was saying the world is decaying, and it needs THE INFLUENCE of salt to stop the decay.

When Jesus spoke of light, He was saying that the world is in darkness, and it needs THE INFLUENCE of light so that men will see clearly the right path they should take.

When I googled this verse in Mathew Chapter 5, this is the point that came through somewhere in 90% of the articles I found that talked about salt and light.

Christians are TO INFLUENCE a decaying, corrupt, dark world. There is NO ONE ELSE that God has planned to do this. 

If we Christians do not INFLUENCE a decaying world with God's preserving salt and if Christians do not INFLUENCE a dark world by lighting it up with God's wise rules and principles, NO ONE ELSE WILL!!!!

I know, I know.  You helped out in the soup lines for the poor last Christmas. You also headed up the VBS program last summer. You were there for every function the church had for any kind of outreach event. And honestly, that's awesomel!!!

But if we really want to stop the decay in the world or light up the dark perspectives filling the hearts and minds of so many, we need to: 

a) stop the rot that's spreading inside the music and entertainment coming into our homes

b) light up our family relationships with genuine forgiveness and patience. 

c) give our children the time they so desperately need to just talk to us. 

d) start looking at our spouses' perspective on life instead of just seeing life "our way."

And our influence needs to be genuine and daily.

The families in our country are rotting away with the decay of Satan's beliefs. 

The families in our country are walking and talking in the darkness of a crooked and depraved generation.

Families need to INFLUENCE other families by BEING salt and light in their own families.

We ARE salt and light. If we fail our own family members by becoming unsalty or by hiding our light under a basket, God has no other plan. We ARE His Plan. 

How much are you influencing your family because God doesn't have another plan?

You're it!

And I need to practice what I preach.

Are you looking forward to suffering persecution? - by Carol McFadden

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Mathew 5:10-12)

I know what you're thinking; you're thinking:

"Wait a minute! Hold your horses! I want to grow in Christ-like character, but suffering persecution? Is THAT part of what I signed up for?? I really didn't count on THAT being part of the package!"

Sooooo, the answer to your question is
Yes! If you develop the attitudes we've been talking about in the Beatitudes of Mathew 5:1-9, then the end result will most assuredly be to suffer persecution.

Why?

Well, the truth is, that as you succeed in becoming more holy in character, the powers of darkness will know that you are succeeding in furthering God's kingdom, and THAT will cause Satan and his angels to bring into your life situations of suffering.

HOWEVER, Satan does this only at God’s permission and within God’s appointed limits.

This is made clear in Daniel 2:20:
“Daniel answered and said: ‘Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings.’” 

And Daniel 4:17, “The Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” 

So where does all that leave us Christians today?

"For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Philippians 1:29).

“For this is commendable, if because of conscience towards God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully” (1 Peter 2:19).

And to drive this truth even farther, those aren't the only places in the Bible that God promises you "the blessing" of suffering persecution. Jesus continues this assurance in John 15:20: “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” 

And in 2 Timothy 3:12, the promise is spelled out again: “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”

You say: "Well, why doesn't God stop me from being persecuted?"

The answer to that is simple. The Church thrives in the midst of persecution, and it becomes packed out with fair-weather Christians when it is NOT suffering persecution.

Moreover, Christians are called to be the “light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). 

We are called to reflect the attitudes in the Beatitudes EVEN WHEN we find ourselves in the midst of suffering persecution for the sake of Christ. 

Yes, Christians are to live as examples of Christ's character even under difficult circumstances. Paul told us this when he addressed the followers of Jesus who suffered in his day:

“And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe” 
(1 Thessalonians 1:6-7).

How should a Christian feel about suffering for God’s Kingdom?

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
(Hebrews 12:2)

Sooooooo, are you looking forward to suffering persecution?

Probably not. I know I'm not, but if Jesus promised that my sufferings can't even compare to my eternal reward, I'm choosing to believe Him. He can see the big picture, the whole picture, even though I can't. 

Oh, Lord, apart from You I can do nothing. Thank You for being the Author and Finisher of my faith.

The Door - by Stephanie McFadden

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep....  If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 

John 10:7, 9 (ESV)


Ahhhh... the Door. They’re ‘things’ that can be opened and closed for a variety of reasons.  They’re made of a variety of materials. They can be different shapes/sizes/colors. They consist of different mechanisms/hinges depending on its implied functions.
Physically, the refrigerator door keeps the cold air in and the warm air out. You close the door when using the bathroom for privacy. You open the door when your guests arrive to let them inside. You shut the doors of the kid’s messy room or the pantry door to hide clutter.
Doors can also be symbolic: The phrase “Behind closed doors” can be implied for privacy, intimacy, secrecy. The phrase “opening new doors” means showing a way of access or opportunity. The phrase “when one door closes...another one opens” denotes an end, a change and a new beginning.

Either physically or symbolically, the door is a barrier separating two sides.

It wasn’t until our visit to the Ark Encounter, that I really started thinking about how God uses a ‘door’ in the bible to symbolize the division between life and death. 

In the book of Genesis, God instructs Noah to build an ark with one door. Noah, his family, and all the animals entered the ark through that one door to be saved from the flood. Inside the ark door, were the people who found favor in the eyes of the Lord; outside the door was the wickedness of the world followed by total destruction.  The door kept those whom obeyed God safe. 

In Exodus 12:22-23, Moses relays God’s message to the people: to keep their family safe from the last plague in Egypt, He told them to paint the blood of a sacrificed lamb on the doorframes of their homes.  Inside the doors were God’s people; outside the doors was death.  The blood on the door kept those whom chose to obey God’s word free from harm.

In John 10 (and in the other gospels), Jesus tells the Pharisees that He IS the door- he’s the barrier between life and death. Since death is the penalty for sin, He would willingly die for us because He knew His blood was/is the only blood that could be shed to cover our sins. He knew He was the only way to eternal life.

Just before Jesus’ last breath, the curtain (the door!) of the temple was torn in half- this physical door was removed to symbolize that we are once again allowed to have a personal relationship with God. We were allowed in, we were allowed an eternal life.
When Jesus died, his body was placed in a tomb. The stone door was shut. However, when the stone was moved, opening the tomb- it was discovered Jesus rose from the dead and returned to Heaven.  Inside the tomb was death, but now the stone (the door) was no longer holding death in-  There was life on the other side.

Jesus said “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6 NIV
Jesus is the ONLY entrance to an eternal life with God. He is our one door to salvation- the door separating eternal life from eternal death. All we have to do is ask for His forgiveness and trust in Him and he’ll let us come inside. 

The question is.... what side of the Door are you on?

Respect

Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

1 Peter 2:16-17

It's almost awkward to read this at first.  It was written almost 2,000 years ago, yet it almost looks like it could start with "Americans."

How relevant is this for us today?  Look around.

You see people all over facebook lashing out and disrespecting our leadership, whether it is our job, our city, our state, our country, etc....people are trashing our leadership.  When questioned, what do they say?  They justify their actions by simply saying "I have a right to free speech."

Is this the way God wants us to live?  When we trash our leadership on social media, is that what God wants?  After you're done writing a novel on facebook publicly destroying and disrespecting someone in authority, do you really think God is looking down on you saying: "good job!  you got that one right!!"  No!!!!

Even though I really don't think it is necessary, I'm going to paraphrase this verse just a little bit to help us understand it better in our culture:

Americans, live as free people, but don't use your freedom of speech as an excuse to go onto facebook or go out into the streets to disrespect the authority that God has allowed to be in those positions.  Instead, show respect to your leaders, support other believers, fear God, and honor your president.

Today, before we think about logging into social media to say something that cuts someone else down, or disrespects our leaders, let's remember what the Bible says here, and let's remember that our leaders are in place because God allowed them to be in place.  Therefore, for us to show disrespect to our leadership is to disrespect God Himself.

Shalom! - by Carol McFadden

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
(Mathew 5:9)

Peacemakers (the Greek word here is "eirenopoios") means to MAKE peace.

The classical Greek word for peacemaker actually means "ambassador." 

However, the Hebrew emphasis for peacemaker in Mathew 5:9 refers to the peace that the Jewish people wished upon each other when they greeted each other with the Hebrew word "shalom. " 

"Shalom" refers to an inner completeness and tranquility brought on by sharing in God's countenance and protection.

According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, "shalom" means “completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.” It is actually translated “success.”

But whose success? 

Shalom refers not only to a successful peace between individuals or nations, but it FIRSTLY refers to a successful peace "within an individual." 

But how can an individual gain that kind of peace and success?

Psalm 1:1-3
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.

Before we can prosper as God's ambassadors bringing peace between two individuals or between two nations, we have to FIRST be at peace with ourselves which cannot happen until we are at peace with the Lord, a peace established in a relationship with Him that is grounded IN HIS WORD.

(Romans 5:10))
For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

JESUS is:
The Word (John 1:1)

and

The Way, The Truth and The Life (John 14:6).


FIRST comes reconciliation with God.

SECOND comes a relationship with God.

Both are established through the truth of God's Word, and both result in genuine peace.

We cannot negotiate a genuine peace between two people or between two nations without first being individually reconciled to God.

There is a saying that originated during the Renaissance that I heard a lot growing up in the 1950's. 

"Don't put the cart before the horse."

Don't put external peace ahead of internal peace. If you do, friendships will collapse, nations will soon be at war again and you'll end up with a broken down cart and a runaway horse. 

Shalom!

Build - by Stephanie McFadden

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;  if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;  if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.     

Romans 12:4-8 NIV

My confession this week: I. Love. Legos. They’re amazing toys- sturdy, well-manufactured, colorful, fun, non-screen-time entertainment.  They are also educational: improving hand-eye development, fine motor skills, logic, and other problem-solving challenges.  

However: a Lego brick by itself is kinda boring.  Think about it. What can you do with just this piece? 

Answer? Not much!

but.... add a few more pieces and look what you can make: layered pyramids with stairs

Let’s add some more: a car with moving pieces!

And.. Let’s add a LOT more legos to make life-sized statues: 

The red lego brick by itself is just a brick. It’s only when various pieces come together that you can see the real beauiy of this toy: If you have a few more blocks, you can create a step pyramid. If you take that single red piece and add a things like a windshield, roof, “lights”, doors, steering wheel, seat and wheels, your can build a great car!  If you take that single red piece and join it with thousands of pieces of all shapes, colors and sizes, you can form a huge statue, like a picture right out of a movie. Isn’t it incredible that a single little block can join together to form such a variety of amazing things?

In a way, we are a single Lego block. We are part of God’s brand new lego set- we’re a pile of unassembled blocks of different shapes, sizes and colors. Not one brick is more or less important than another- He knows that all the pieces are needed to make a finished product. We are designed to work together – He holds the instuction book. He gave us the the ability to lock and join together with other “blocks” to form His beauiful masterpiece...one piece at a time, step by step. 

So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.

Romans 12: 4-6 Message

If we are Legos-- It doesn’t matter if you are a 4x4 red brick, a 1x6 blue brick, or a clear window block- we are all important in the eyes of God.   Use the talents God gave you and join with others to build up our families, our communities,  our churches, our world. Together, let’s build up the body of Christ.  Let’s team up and work together for a common goal- for the glory of God. 

The Law

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.

Romans 3:19-20

There are 2 interesting points being made in these 2 verses:

- Every one of us has failed under the law of Moses.  None of us are innocent, therefore none of us are better than anyone else.  We have all failed, and the punishment for our failure is death.

Many of us know and understand this.  This is why Jesus had to die on the cross.  He died so that we would not have to die for our sins, and we can have the opportunity to live forever with Him, if we surrender our life to Him.

- One of the reasons that it's still very important for us to understand the law of Moses is so that we are aware that we have actually failed.

This is a very important point.  How many people in the world don't even realize that they need saving?  I think many would agree that, if someone doesn't know they are in trouble, they will have no desire to be helped.

Most people in the world do not realize that they are subject to the laws of God, as written in the Ten Commandments.  That is not just a nice children's story.  That is the law of God.  If we do not recognize that as the law of God, then we will not understand that we have failed that law, and are on our way to an eternal death separated from God.

Many today just say:  "I'm a good person.  I give to the church.  I'm nice to people.  As long as I try to be a good person, I'm sure I'll be just fine."

Many people do not realize the danger with living in this way.  No matter how good we are, or how many nice things we do, or how hard we try, we have still failed, and if we do not recognize that we have failed based on the ten commandments, we will not realize that we even need something to save us from an eternal death!

Today, let's make sure we understand the datum.  Let's make sure we fully understand that the law of God, written down by Moses, still exists today, and that the punishment for disobeying even 1 of those laws just 1 time in our life results in eternal death separated from God in hell.

Once we have a full understanding of the consequences of this, and we let it truly sink in, there will be a natural understanding for the significance of Jesus coming to this earth, perfect, and dying a horrible death so that we don't have to.

Suit Up! - by Stephanie McFadden

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but ... against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms ... Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.        Ephesians 6:11-12, 16-18 NIV

This past weekend, Rick and I took the kids and the new camper from our home in Michigan down to Kentucky to see the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum. Let’s just say that was an... um... adventure.  
During the course of the weekend, we had quite a few... errr...disturbances-in-the-force, if you will: just some highlights? On the way down to KY, after our dinner stop, the truck caught the edge of a curb. Well.... the truck went up, and the trailer did not. So now we have some nice-size scratches and a small hole in camper shell (did I mention that this was the maiden voyage of our brand-new camper?).   Thanks to some crazy weather, our drive down took almost twice as long as google maps projected. Over the weekend, we found many things wrong with our new camper, our kids were acting up and whining/complaining most of the time, and even the propane lines from the bbq grill sprayed on Rick’s hands (he’s ok!). On the way to the Creation Museum, our middle child got car sick (thankfully there was a Walmart nearby to buy her new clothes and some cleaning supplies!)... it just seemed like one little thing after another.... We were all stressed, frustrated, and annoyed. 

As the weekend was unfolding, I couldn’t help to think of the irony: we wanted a God/biblical-based vacation...and yet this was shaping up to be a difficult trip- This was not the vacation I planned. Why were our good intentions shaping up to be bad memories?

I think there are a couple of possible explanations: Maybe we were just having a string of bad luck-Things happen: this was a result of a couple of dumb choices and a few “oopsies” along the way...or Maybe God gave us a few ‘bumps’ in our journey to save us from some more serious ‘mountains’ in our path. ...or maybe Satan was throwing us a couple of his ‘flaming arrows’ to distract us from God.

The bible tells us that our largest battles will be against Satan.  We know that Satan will lose in the end, but we also know he’s not going down without a fight.  The only way we can prepare to stand against evil is to be fully equip ourselves with all the tools God gives us: The Armor of God- His Truth, His Love, His peace, our faith, our salvation—His word. Once again, knowledge is power.  

I love The Message version of these verses:

Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare.    Ephesians 6:13-18 MSG

With this trip, we wanted to grow our knowledge of the Bible and strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ.  We were taking our children, the next generation of Christians, and giving them a tangible thing to remember for (hopefully) years to come.  This trip could be starting points of discussions between Rick and I, our kids, and even these devotionals for weeks to come. We wanted to strengthen our family by spending time together. Grow together, learn together, pray together.  I have to imagine the devil wasn’t thrilled with us taking that additional step to grow our relationship with Jesus.  But.... this weekend, Satan didn’t win. Satan will never win.

When evil (no matter how large or small) is attacking, we need to remember to keep the focus on God and rely on His tools: Grab your shield, your belt, your breastplate, your helmet, your sword, and your boots.... by golly, we’re gonna need it all!   Let’s make sure to keep growing in our faith so we can add chains and plates to our Godly Armor.  Let’s make our faith is so strong that Satan’s arrows cannot get through- let’s extinguish those flames and make them ineffective. Let’s study God’s word, pray, and strengthen our relationship with Jesus.  Let’s Suit Up!