X The Self Movement by Heather Clark

 

The world around us has fallen into this “you” movement. Publicizing and promoting the words me, myself, and I through radio, television, and social media. As Christians we have to be careful not to fall into this movement, but to move for God. The question is… do you want more of you or more of God? You can’t be both full of yourself and full of God; they conflict each other. The flesh has different desires than that of the spirit. The Bible says in Luke 9:23 that we are to DENY OURSELF if we want to follow Jesus.

You see God doesn’t want us I.N.D.E.P.E.N.D.E.N.T. Hopefully you caught the song I was referencing, but God wants us dependent on him. In fact, God didn’t create us to be independent, hence why he made Adam a helper (Eve). I’m guilty of falling into this trap; not wanting others to win, because selfishly I want to win. It’s human nature, but I end up hitting a wall every time. Why? Because the devil can pick off the loan sheep. You best believe the devil wants us to be all about “self”. We’re easy prey that way. To him that’s what we are – prey, that he wants to kill every single day. This is why we must be cautious with what we’re filling our minds. I’m in the business of helping others win, because I now know that when I help them win, I win. The fulfillment in self gain is short-lived; fulfillment in helping others win is eternal.

As humans we think we have control and we like thinking this. While we are lulled into a sense of security, the flat-out truth is we don’t have it! In fact, the only security we will ever have is God. God is needed. Whether you’re for you or for God, you can’t stop His plan. God doesn’t need us, but we absolutely need Him. I urge you to live to fight the battle that has already been won. Every day brings forth an opportunity, an opportunity to win! Don’t get caught up in the false comfort of living just for you.

God did not create us to stay in our comfort zones, to stay hidden, or to keep quiet. He created us to go, to go change the world, to save lives, and to speak up. Yes, life gets tough, it has challenges, and sometimes it may even leave you wondering if God loves you. He does (JN 3:16) and when we fall in love with God, we will fall in love with our life and the journey. The best choice we could ever make is to live for God and DIE to SELFIE.

Are you wearing Jesus? - Debbie McGrath

Galatians 3:27 says: "All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."  We wear Jesus! And those who don't believe in Jesus note what we do! People make decisions about Christ by watching us. When we are kind, they assume Christ is kind.  When we are gracious, they assume Christ is gracious. No wonder Paul says in Colossians 4:5, "Be wise in the way you act with people who are not believers, making the most of opportunity."

When you surrender a parking place to someone, you honor him.  When you make an effort to greet everyone in the room, especially the ones others have overlooked, you honor God's children.  When you speak kind words to others, you honor Christ. Do your best! You can't control the attitudes of others-but you can manage yours!

THE ROOT OF SELF IS PRIDE

By: Diana Bortis 

  We all have special talents and gifts that God has blessed us with. For me, one of those gifts is creativity and I am so honored that the Master of art and design gave me a tiny, microscopic snippet of that. He blessed me with this gift and I soon found that my pride got in the way of using it for His glory. A few months ago I took the plank out of my own eye to realize I was using my precious gift for my own recognition, attention, approval, favoritism, and my own selfish pride. It's so sad to say but I was so wrapped up in my own awesomeness and self greatness that I felt God was further from me than ever in my life. Deuteronomy 8:14 says, "Your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God."  Praise the Lord this lesson God was teaching me only lasted a few weeks and not months, or years. But for some it does last that long, maybe even a lifetime. In a world full of self-seeking attention, acceptance, selfies, followers, and all about me, me, me its so easy to slip into the pool of pride and some don't even realize they are in it. Pride leads to so many insecurities, broken friendships, family issues, letting go of that one grudge, and so many other problems but at the end of the day are all those things worth losing over our own pride?  The best news is that breaking the chains of pride is much closer than most think. 1 Corinthians 13:4 says, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." Having the true love of God in your heart defeats pride. Pride gets pushed to the side and trampled when you seek Jesus and when you give God the recognition, attention, favoritism, honor. Gods' love and faithfulness will never leave your side. I pray to always have the true love of God in my heart and instead of seeking honor, preference, approval, attention, (the list goes on and on) from people. I want to seek them from God and give that attention to The One who deserves them ALL.     Lay pride down at the cross and see how God will work in your life!  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.  James 4:10  

God intends to get work done through YOU!... by Heather Clark

What's motivating and driving you everyday? Many of us don't know. We're living our day to day lives stuck on auto-pilot. We're letting other things control us. Why? I believe it's because most of us have lost hope, lost ourselves, and don't believe we have any power to do anything different. This is why most of us just coast. We don't stand out or blend in we're just there. If this is you let me ask you this... Do you think you were born to be unhappy, in constant sorrow, coasting, then just to die? No! No one was born with that destiny, however that will be the destiny of most. Most of us will let having too much fun and other circumstances stop us and get in the way of our true destiny.

Everyone is born with the ability to make an impact. We all contribute to society in some way. There are billions and billions of people on earth, but there's not another you. Isn't that crazy?! Only you can do what you were put here to do. So now the question is do you know what you were born to do? Our sole purpose is to help others with our gift. The gift that was given to us by God. Trust me when I say you have something that someone else needs and vice versa. Figure out what that is and go share it. This doesn't mean your life will be all rainbows and butterflies from here on out, but it does mean it will be worth it.

Sometimes in life you have to endure some pain for the overall good. Let me put this in perspective. Jesus! He knew what he had to do and what had to be done. He had to be crucified in order to save us all and he allowed it, because of his love for us. He endured the pain so that we may have everlasting life. This is exactly why you have to remind yourself that it's not about you, when we suffer and go through things we don't understand. No one knows better for you than God, and he intends to get work done through you.

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. Jeremiah 29:11

A Word to Women of the World by Anne Graham Lotz

January 22, 2017

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.  Proverbs 9:10

My oldest granddaughter, Ruth Bell, just turned fifteen. She is spectacularly beautiful, with a sweet, strong spirit. One of the birthday traditions in our family is that each of us gives the one who is being celebrated a Bible verse. The verse can be one of blessing, challenge, instruction, promise, or exhortation.  My selection of the verse I felt led to choose for Bell this year was affected by what I saw on news reports the day after the Inauguration of the 45th President of the United States.

Various news outlets played video and audio reports of hundreds of thousands of women all over the world marching in protest of President Trump. It was an incredible sight to see women flooding the streets, not only in Washington, but also in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, London and dozens of other major cities. They were peaceful, vulgar, at times obscene…marching for what? They claimed to represent all women, yet a common denominator seemed missing, unless it was fear of President Trump and the possibility that he may interfere with their right to easily accessible abortion for anyone and everyone, at any time, and for any reason.

When I opened my Bible the morning following the march of women, this is what I read in my previously scheduled devotions for the day: Proverbs 9:13-15, 18:  The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge.  She sits at the door of her house, (wives, mothers, soccer moms) on a seat at the highest point of the city (in the workplace, in leadership positions), calling out to those who pass by…But little do they know…that her guests are in the depths of the grave.  

My heart aches for many of the women I saw marching…women who have joined a “movement” that is deceptive and in the end, will be destructive and lead them to a spiritual and moral “grave.”[1] I pray earnestly for them to turn to the one, true, living God, who is the only One who can give them the deep, permanent peace, love, hope, and security we all long for.

With these sights and sounds still fresh on my mind, the verse that I have chosen for our beloved Bell is one I share with you, too: Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.  Proverbs 31:30

My prayer for beloved Bell…and for the women of the world…is that as she fears God and seeks to grow in her personal knowledge of Him, she would become a woman of great wisdom and understanding who shuns evil and serves Him faithfully.[2]

Abilities over Appearance... by Heather Clark

Today we're often judged on our appearance rather than our abilities. When will we say enough? I'm fed up with this whole surface over soul. T.V. commercials, radio, magazines, friends, and even partners too, all say and promote this be you, but be perfect too... And even worse in the midst of trying to embody the right amount of athleticism, beauty, brains, and popularity; we lose ourselves.

I mean after we have a face full of make up, the hair color for that month, and the body that's in style, do we even know who we are anymore? A society caught up in looks... for what? Can someone answer that for me? Why are looks so important and more important than being real, having a heart, and even great character? Being so caught up in my looks should've killed me. It robbed me of my identity. I became so disconnected with who I actually was at my core. Quit societys' standards and its definition of normal. Stop trying to be perfect in every way.

Perfection is unattainable. You lose more than you ever gain. You lose who God created you to be, and if we could reach perfection he would've never sent us Jesus. If you follow the world and define yourself by its standards, you will never be good enough. You will always come up short. All the security, worth, and confidence you will ever need is found in God. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be pretty, however we shouldn't focus so much on that, that we lose who we are. There's a balance with everything. Join me in quitting societys' standards that are forever changing, and instead focus on being drop dead gorgeous on the inside. Inner beauty, that beauty lasts forever.

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. - 1 Peter  3:3-4

New Year, New You... by Heather Clark

We hear it every year, new year, new me…We set these goals to be faster, lose weight, become successful, and so forth. My question is always why… why do we wait for a new year to finally decide the changes we want to make and see happen in our lives? Is pointing out our flaws really a good way to start our year?

I personally don’t believe New Years day should be different than any other day. Don’t get offended with me, as I don’t mean to steal your joy or excitement for the New Year! I love holidays as much as everyone else, in fact any reason to get together with friends and laugh I’m all for. But how often do we set our New Year’s resolutions and then fail after a couple months? It happens all the time because without a serious mental breakthrough they will never work. You see it’s more than just saying and writing on your calendar your goals. We have to address the underlying issue.

For example, if you’re into double cheeseburgers on the regular basis and you want to quit fast food going into the New Year… you have to figure out why it is you order the cheeseburgers in the first place and go from there. I guess what I’m saying is; is that we should turn away from old resolutions and focus on going into the New Year with a new mindset or attitude that will allow us to make better choices. Stop being so harsh on ourselves and writing these long-to-do lists of what needs to change, and start doing things that feel right for us and our lives.

This year lets not get so caught up in all our bad that we forget all the areas in which we’re good. New Year resolutions are not meant to focus on our flaws but rather to keep improving. I hope everyone has a Happy New Year, and remember this life is a gift from God!

2017 here we go!

The Book of Hosea can teach us a lot! by Mandy Greer

In the beginning of the Book of Hosea it talks about God telling Hosea to marry a promiscuous woman. Hosea marries Gomer and conceived three children. The children were all named by God. But she was not faithful to Hosea. It then goes on to talk about God speaking to his people and the promises that were given to Abraham. A new leader will bring Israel and Judah back together. In Chapter 2 it talked about the punishment and restoration that took place. God is the ultimate judge in life. In this chapter Hosea mentions that God will decide what to do about Israel. In this case, he wants his children to argue with their mother and that he wants Gomer to return to him. Gomer will pay for her sins. But God never stopped loving her.

This parable teaches us that God is always in control. We will be judged for our lives. But God loves us with a very special love. A love that we cannot understand. How wonderful is that? Even though we can stray away in life, God will always love us and be here for us. We need to repent of those sins and start fresh daily.

We are God's people! When we are born, we need God. But throughout life, we allow things to take the place of God. It can be things like social media, our family, work, TV, and any number of things. But what we need to realize is that we need to make time for God, every day! This is not a "when I feel like it" statement. This should be a blessing to us. Being able to have time with the ONE who created us and who has so graciously given us life, should be honored and respected. We should look forward to that time. God loves us so much that he sent his Son to die for us. We may stray away but know that God is here and will never stop showing that love. We need to slow down in life and meet with him daily.

I pray for everyone reading this that you will allow your time with God to be special. I pray the Holy Spirit fills you and gives you peace and love in your life. You are so special and created for a purpose. You are God's child and are blessed. I pray we all can slow down in life and really take time to spend with our Heavenly Father and thank him for his love and blessings.

God bless each of you.

Naughty or Nice... by Heather Clark

It is make or break it. Your whole year has built up to this point. Children will wonder if they will get a car or celery? Candy or coal in their stockings. As Christmas gets closer, they will then try extra hard to suck up to the gift givers, call up relatives they haven't spoken to in a few months, refrain from attacking their siblings; no matter how annoying they seem to be, and try to make an A in their classes.

But what is the real meaning of Christmas? Is it the gifts, the trees, the lights, the cards, the dinners, the shows, family time, stockings, and Santa? For many people that is certainly not it. They don't have the money, they don't have the kids to buy presents for, or maybe they're missing a loved one no longer around. Despite these things Christmas is still a holiday that brings much joy, because it is a time when we're reminded of God's great love for us.

Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of Christ. God sent his son Jesus into the world to be born. He sent his son into this cruel hard world so that one day he would bring salvation to us all, otherwise we all would've died in our sins. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Regardless of what is happening in our lives we can be happy knowing Heaven will be our home one day. I want to encourage you to invite Jesus into your heart this year, and to remember it's not the gifts, trees, lights, or even Santa but rather Jesus is the reason for the season. Enjoy your family and friends and thank God for sending us his one and only son. 

Have a Merry Christmas!

Do you Desire a Changed Life? by Debbie McGrath

Salvation is not the end - it is the beginning of a changed life.
A changed life involves a journey toward a deeper relationship with Christ.
Every day we should desire:

• To learn, understand and apply God's Word to our lives     
• To obey God's command
• To store God's Word in our heart
• To evangelize - sharing Christ with others
• To encourage other believers
• To renew ourselves spiritually every day

Every single one of us should be closer to Christ today than we were a year ago,

or even a month ago.  

How do you make sure that your spiritual life is thriving and not stagnant?

The first thing is you have to be a self-feeder and teach others to be a self-feeder.

We have to read our bibles - not just on Sundays - but we strive to read our bibles

daily!  Bible study and prayer are the basic keys to having a deeper relationship with God.  

When we spend time in God's word, the goal is not to learn new information, but also be transformed by what we are learning.  We should expect to be challenged by what we read. 

Note to remember: As you study and grow, being a self-feeder - you are not merely learning for your own benefit, but also for the benefit of others.

Living a life of Thanks-living!

While many associate Thanksgiving Day with family, overeating and over-shopping, it should propel us toward a heart of gratitude. It is a time to consider God's goodness, grace, and provision for us. He is the Author of encouragement, help, and hope. I like to think of Thanksgiving as trust-giving and thanks-living.

It is an act of trust-giving to be thankful even in the hard places of life. When things go well it is easy to forget to pause and say thank you to the Giver of those good things. Thanksgiving should not be a one day event, but a life committed to thanks-living each day. Paul exhorts us to give thanks in all circumstances. He said the Bible points us in the right direction. "Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope" (Rom 15:4).

God's covenantal relationship with us is the basis for thanks-living. God said, "I will maintain My love to him forever, and My covenant with him will never fail" (Ps 89:28). The psalmist said, "He provided redemption for His people; He ordained His covenant forever- holy and awesome is His name" (Ps 111:9). We partner with God when we affirm that we are holding on to Him and His goodness. Our thanksgiving testifies to others that He is worthy of trust.

Thanksgiving is a lifestyle, not a day. Can we commit to willing everything that God wills and cultivating a grateful heart that finds the goodness of God in all things even the hard things?

May you be blessed daily with a heart ready to praise God for all things in sincere trust-giving and thanks-living. 

Written by Sylvia Gunter

His Presence Refreshes- Debbie McGrath

Acts 3:19 - teaches us that "times of refreshing" come to us when we spend time in God's presence.  Until we come to the place where we want God's presence more than anything else, Satan will have an edge over us.
Once we see God's truth Satan loses his advantage and we begin making radical progress in our relationship and fellowship with God.

Most of us will try almost everything else before we finally learn that what we need is not what god can give us, but God Himself. These times often represent years of frustration and misery.  But thank God, His Holy Spirit lives in us, teaches us, and reveals truth to us as we continue to study, read, and listen to the Word of God.

God wants to bring a refreshing into your life, like a mighty wind.  Do not be poverty-stricken in your soul when the answer is so close.  If you are too busy to spend time with God, then make some adjustments to your lifestyle.  Do not get burned-out, upset, weary, and stressed-out when times of refreshing are available to you.

Learn to separate yourself from the busyness of life to spend time with God the way Jesus did.  I tell people. "You had better come apart and spend time with God before you fall apart."  I encourage you to take those personally and do the same!

How do I "pray without ceasing?" by Rachel Wojo

I read this and had to share.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. I Thessalonians 5:16-18

If you’ve read this verse and thought, “How do I really do that?” then you’re not alone. Should you never leave your prayer closet? Should you walk around with your eyes closed? We know that this type of prayer life is not humanly possible, so what did Paul really mean when he said to pray without ceasing?

Whenever I spend time in nature, I think about what it must have been like in the garden of Eden. Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool of the day. Imagine that! To physically walk with God. To be close enough to feel his breath as he spoke. To hear his voice speak directly to you and then respond with your own words while looking him in the eyes.

Adam and Eve lost this beautiful fellowship when sin entered the world. And since then? Every one of us are born longing for the return of intimacy and deep relationship with our Creator. We may not recognize the desire for what it is, but as Christians, we know that the more we are searching for is a relationship with Jesus.

But how do I pray without ceasing?

Prayer is the communication tool of an intimate spiritual relationship. Back to our introductory verse, Paul is telling us to maintain an attitude of prayer because prayer contains different methods of communication. Keeping a prayer-like attitude means to be purposeful and conscious of times to connect with the Father and not only talk to him, but listen. It means to be aware of his presence and how he is working in my life personally. It means to have my heart so in tune with his that I won’t miss the moments throughout the day that are available to give him praise, listen to his voice, and ask for his guidance.

So how can we practically do that? We can analyze our daily living and make the most of the opportunities we have. We can practically look for ways to keep a prayer attitude throughout the day and make the choice to do so. Easier said than done, right? Let’s take a look at these ways to truly “pray without ceasing.”

1. Enjoy scheduled times of prayer.

I know, this is not new news, is it? Daniel turned to Jerusalem three times a day to pray. Many of us have been taught to pray before meals, a natural time to remember to give thanks. We teach our children a bedtime prayer. Keeping scheduled times of prayer is one way to communicate with our Father.

2. Be a noticer of things to be thankful for and breathe thanks to God.

Choosing to consciously give thanks for life, breath, and all good things is a beautiful way to practically follow through on the command to pray without ceasing!

3. Give God your worries.

It’s easy to foster a spirit of worry and forget to give our cares to the Lord. Train yourself to trap initial thoughts of worry and turn them around to thoughts of prayer. An example of this for me is when I begin to worry about my daughter, Taylor, and her special needs. When I feel myself getting anxious over her terminal disease, I try to immediately give that thought to God. It might sound like this:

“Lord, you know it’s easy for me to worry over the details of Taylor’s disease. I ask you to prevent her from having seizures and give her the quality of life only you can give. Give her continued strength and help me to remember that you are in control of every detail of our lives. We love you, Lord and we know that every breath we take comes from you. Thank you for it. Amen.”

I’ve found that the sooner I trap these thoughts and catch myself before the downward spiral of negativity hits, the stronger my prayer life grows.

4. Open your eyes to the needs of people whose paths you cross and lift them up in prayer right then.

While I’ve tried to become more aware of opportunities to pray aloud for folks right on the spot when they have needs, the timing is not always appropriate. I don’t want to make someone else uncomfortable with praying aloud, especially if I don’t already have a relationship with the person. When I’m in the grocery store and I see people with canes or oxygen masks or any other hint of physical impairments, I try not to rush through and look over their needs, but instead, I want to remember to pray thoughts of mercy and grace for them. A simple “Lord, be with them” is one more way to keep a prayer attitude.

5. Keep a prayer journal.

Writing out our prayers is a wonderful way to choose a life of prayer. Using and keeping a prayer journal is a topic very close to my heart. One benefit of keeping a prayer journal is that we more easily remember what we write down. This practice will help us choose an attitude of prayer even when we aren’t wholly engaged in practicing prayer.

6. Use tangible tasks to remind us to pray.

Life is full of daily maintenance. There are tasks we do over and over and over again that can be monotonous yet they are purposeful. Transform the mundane task into a simple time of prayer. One way I’ve enjoyed teaching this point in the past is through the task of hand washing. When I wash my hands, I focus on the cleansing and I ask God for forgiveness for my failures and shortcomings. What a fabulous way of using a daily chore to become a prayer trigger!

Praying without ceasing isn’t impossible as we initially think upon reading the Bible verse. To pray without ceasing is to keep our hearts open before the Lord in communication with him. Have these ideas helped you? Which one stands out to you? I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments today.

Reading thru the Bible with Holly - Hosea 1

HOSEA 1 - Holly Matthews

Today’s study is one that touches me every time I read it. Hosea’s obedience in the midst of such rejection is humbling. I can only imagine the ridicule he must have received from friends and family for choosing his wife according to God’s instructions. God used Hosea and his family to illustrate how He pursued both Israel and Judah. Hosea’s wife abandoned him repeatedly, just as Israel and Judah abandoned God, just as I abandon Him at times too. Hosea drags his wife out of sin over and over. He redeems, or buys her back, from each degrading situation she gets into. Jesus has done the same for each of us. He has bought us back, paid all of the debt we owe for our disobedience and given us a ridiculous inheritance. Reading Hosea always fires me up. In today’s throwaway society, finding someone who pursues us and refuses to give up is a rarity. How can we walk away from Him?

Reading and blogging thru the Word of God - Holly Matthews

So I started this blog to hold myself accountable for daily Bible study and reflection. Right now, I am using The Divine Mentor, by Wayne Cordeiro to guide my meanderings.  My hopes are that I can reflect on Scripture and how it applies to my life.  Since I plan to publish a few, I also hope that my thoughts ring true with others as well.  While I am no Bible scholar, I have studied with appetite and apathy for many years.  Since I spend so much time with technology, I should FINALLY use it  for accountability.
– Ozykha

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”  Hebrews 4:12

My tech? Foolish? No way!

July 1, 2016
My universe becomes smaller with every new app and tech tool.  Do I use them to grow closer to my Source?  Not usually.  I’m beginning this blog in attempt to keep myself accountable to both God and me.  Anyone else who comes along for the ride must receive my apologies up-front.  It is abundantly clear that I am no pro, just attempting transparency.  My responses to Scripture begin with my studies through The Divine Mentor, by Wayne Cordeiro, recommended to me through my church.
Isaiah 1
What a sick world we live in today.  As Revelations tells us that in the latter days people will become lovers of themselves, we have birthed a generation of selfie-loving children.  Our desire to have all of our “friends” know exactly what we are doing/thinking/feeling at any given moment of the day is a disease of epic proportions.  Isaiah has much to say to us in this present condition.  We are the sinful nation in 1:4, with bruises, sores, wounds and without health.  He warns that the offerings of the people were hated by God because they were from a heart of iniquity.    How many times are my offerings like those in Isaiah 1, with dirt ground into my soul by the steady trampling this world offers, a weekly trip to Pamplona?  And how do I get clean and healthy, knit back together?  By reading God’s Word consistently and with the desire to understand it through my personal microcosm and macrocosm.   Thus my challenge to ignore the NUMEROUS distractions surrounding me through the same tech that can help free me.
Isaiah warns that the choices we make will shame us to blushing over them.  He’s right.  God however does not limit his prophet to words of doom alone.  We are redeemed, chosen, wanted.

Isaiah 2
“Stop regarding man…for of what account is he?” – v. 22 ESV
Isaiah warns that we will worship the creations of our own hands.  How about the creations that fit in our hands?  Access to anything, including the path to darkness and separation from all that is Good.  I love my smartphone, my tablet, my laptop AND my desktop.  I keep shopping and to-do lists on them and check with friends and family daily, possibly hourly.  My tech employs visual and auditory reminders of the numerous responsibilities and goals I have set for myself, therefore driving me further into this world and, in spite of the apps I have to assist me, away from my Father.  For what account are our tools and toys?

Isaiah 3
“…the Lord God of hosts is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah support and supply…”    –v. 1 ESV
In the battle against worldliness that his people fought in this chapter, God warned that he would take away supplies and allow them to go down a path of total foolishness, a path in which their leaders were ridiculous.  Who leads me?  Our society sometimes chooses its leaders by convenience, or surface appearance.  “You have a cloak; you shall be our leader, and this heap of ruins shall be under your rule;” – v.6 ESV.  The leader in this reference even refuses the mantle of leadership.  I allow myself to be led by any number of foolish people and pursuits.  Later in this chapter, God explains that in their foolish choices, the people will lose all the empty trappings of prosperity that they have collected, including… beautiful HAIR!  I can recount many times I have been humbled by the loss of whatever unwise choice I was grasping (thankfully, I’m not bald).  I have always thought that God kept me on a tight leash, one that I willingly put on myself.  I don’t get very far off the path before I stumble and fall, ensuring that I stay close for my own safety.  I need that plan, I fear.

Titus 3
“…and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people,”    –v.8 ESV.
I thank God for this man and his Inspired words of wisdom to other believers in his time… er, mine too.  My day’s previous readings warn of dangers in my world.  Titus reminds me of all the wonderful things to which I should aspire.  God’s wonderful Word never leaves us with just a negative.  There is always hope in our Savior.  I should aspire to these good works, not because they save me from anything, but because I want to be a conduit of Goodness to those around me.  How I am thankful for being surrounded by others who want the same!  I am thankful to have found a church which provides myriad of opportunities to do good in both my microcosm and macrocosm.
-Ozykhan

Busy Monday Mornings - Focus on God - by: Phuong Schuetz

Monday greetings friends,

A few hours into the day and I am overwhelmed thinking about the tasks before me. My mind spirals in various directions. Where do I begin? I weep in my mind so people can't see how I feel. Then, I remember Aesop's Fable of the Turtle and the Hare. Slow....and steady.....wins the race.

Friends, living by faith is a slow and steady course. Consistence and persistence is key. Focus on God. He will keep your faith strong. You are not competing against others, only yourself. Run your race with faith in Jesus.

Don't give up!

Yearning For God - from Focus on the Family

Day 4

TALKING TO GOD

Thank God that He loves you and wants you to learn to talk to Him through prayer. Ask God to teach you how to pray.

DIVING IN

Make three sets of note cards with the following words/phrases on them: grandparent, best friend, your pastor, grocery store clerk and a neighbor’s cousin. Spread out first stack according to the person you talk to most at the top and the person you talk to the least at the bottom. Arrange the second set in the same way, with the person you most want to be around at the top. Line the third set next to the other two, with the person you most miss at the top. Compare how similar your lists are.

GOING DEEPER

Prayer is simply talking to God, who loves you and wants what is best for you. Just as you may miss someone you love when he is gone, your spirit misses God when you do not spend time talking to Him. The Bible often says that this longing to be with God is like being thirsty or hungry. Psalm 42:1-2 says, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?" You can go to God in prayer and find Him, just as the deer finds water in a stream when it is thirsty.

TALKING TO EACH OTHER

* What do you think about when you are hungry or thirsty?
* How is being with God similar to being with a person you love? How is it different?
* How might you tell that your spirit is thirsty to be with God?

John 4:14 says, "but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."