Abiding in the Word

“Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ,

does not have God;
the one who abides in the teaching,
he has the Father and the Son.”
2 John 1:9

So we are to abide not only in the Father and in the Son, but also in their teaching, that is the word of God.  When my oldest was 3 years old, I had had a rough morning and had been impatient with him.  He put his little fists on his hips and said, “You haven’t spent time with God this morning!”  And he was right.  That was one of those days where the morning got away from me and I had neglected my time with God and in His word.  Abiding means to stay there.  Are you staying in God’s word, reading it and meditating upon it?  Are you memorizing it and singing it?  Abiding in God the Father ad Jesus the Christ is about relationship, but abiding in the Word leads us to that relationship.  If you abide in God’s word, others will notice!

 

Endure

“Because lawlessness is increased,

most people will grow cold. 
But the one who endures to the end,
he will be saved.”
Matthew 24:12

Sounds a lot like the warnings and promises in Revelation2:7, 11, 17, 26 and 3:5, 11, 12, 21.  We usually think of enduring when we think of hardships.  Jesus is telling us in Matthew that hardships will come.  But we are to endure – to hold on, to keep faithful, to trust Jesus - in the hardships.  You can begin to prepare your heart now to endure in the hard times.  Abide in the word of God, spend time in praise and adoration, develop a relationship with God.  Build a pathway of trusting Jesus and when hard times come, you will know that you can rely upon the Eternal One.  Determine in your heart that you will be faithful until the end. 

 The good news?  You don’t have to do it alone.  God will equip you (Hebrews 13:20-21) and give you grace and joy in the midst.  I read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, and I don’t know that my faith would have held out throughout the tortures.  But they were people just like us, with the same God as us, and God allowed them to go to their deaths with dignity and grace.  And He was waiting for them on the other side, to rejoice with them, and to celebrate their homecoming.  Our hope and trust is what will get us through.  Decide now that no matter what this world will make you endure, that you will endure, and that you will be faithful unto the end.

 

Confidence

“Beloved, it our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God…”

1 John 3:21

 Walk in peace and joy knowing that your heart is right before God.  If people reject you or condemn you, but you know that you have stood with God in the truth of His word, then have confidence and peace.  Often our emotions are based on our circumstances.  Instead they should be rooted in God’s love and acceptance and in our private thought life of joy and praise before our great God!  Sing praise!  Rejoice!  And abide with Jesus this holiday season.

 

Tough Days

“But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness;

my heart shall rejoice in Your  salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.
Psalm 13:5-6

 That “But” is important because just before these verses, David is feeling rejected and forgotten.  He is begging God for deliverance.  But whether or not God delivers him quickly or not, David will praise the Lord.  I have  had a tough couple of days trying to adjust to new medicine that makes me cry and gain weight.  And there is still pain.  But I will also choose to continue to praise God and wait upon Him.  He has dealt bountifully with me and He is sovereign over all.  He is good and I will sing praises to His name. 

I hope that your days are filled with joy and not feelings of doubt or depression, but when those days come, keep clinging to God and His promises.  He will be with you always!  He loves you.  You are His.  This is only light momentary affliction compared to eternity!

 

God's Love for You

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us,

that we would be called children of God;
and such we are.  For this reason the world does not know us,
because it did not know Him.”
1 John 3:1

What great love!  The Maker of the Universe, the God above all, the King of Kings, loves you!  You are His princes and princesses!!!  The love of the Father is boundless.  He loves you because you are His.  You don’t have to earn it.  You don’t have to be ashamed.  You are righteous in His eyes.  Through the blood of Christ, you have done no wrong.  He is forgiving and kind.  His love will overcome this world and everything in it – the evil, the lust of the flesh, the intents of men’s hearts.  Just wait and hope and be faithful.  You Father loves you.

Lying

“I have not written to you because you do not know the truth

but because you do know it,
and because no lie is of the truth.”
1 John 2:21

 Whether the lie is to protect yourself, protect others, to get yourself out of an uncomfortable situation, or to avoid a consequence, lying is always wrong.  God asks us to walk in the light.  That light includes full disclosure of the truth.  It’s hard, but it is right.  Speak truth and your relationships will stay uncomplicated.  Be bold about truth and others will know where you stand.  (Be bold, but not obnoxious!)  Tell the truth in love.  Couch it in prayer.  God will be the Lord of the results and your conscience will be clear.  That is freedom!  And hopefully those around you will show grace and you will return that grace in turn.  But even if grace is not extended to you, your will still experience the freedom and right relationship with God.

 Remember John 8:32, “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”  I have experienced this in my own life as I faced the darkness of my past.  Once I was willing to look at it all in the light of the truth, it no longer had any hold over me.  Yes, I had to confess.  Yes, it was humbling.  But so much greater was the freedom of knowing and speaking truth. 

 Lying can become a habit.  If that is something that you deal with, turn it over to the Lord asking the holy Spirit to convict you when you lie.  Then be conscious of your words and determine to speak truth.  When you mess up, repent and try again.  It takes practice to overcome any habit.

 

The Mouth / The Heart

“For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.”

Matthew 12:24

Another way to check and see if someone’s heart is godly.  If they have a critical spirit, a caustic mouth, a need for constant drama, or they gossip or backbite, then you want to steer clear!  Don’t be fooled, if they are nice with you, but others tell you a different story, listen!  A heart filled with Scripture and love for the Lord will speak encouragement, joy, and love.  Check your words of late.  If you fall short, spend more time with God.  Filling up your heart with the right stuff, will make the bad stuff go away!  Where there is light, darkness must flee!

Matthew goes on to say, "...I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for ir in the day of judgment.  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words youw ill be condemned." 

before you speak.  Think before it comes out of your mouth.  This is a habit that is hard for some (Me!), but it can be learned!  What words should come from a heart set on God?  A quick study through Pslams will tell you the answer: praise, words of righteousness, songs of praise, and rejoicing. Today may the words of your mouth and the meditations of your heart be acceptable in the sight of God, your Rock and your Redeemer (Psalm 19:14).

Good Fruit

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good,

or make the tree bad and its fruit bad;
for the tree is known by its fruit.”
Matthew 12:33

 Great way to decide on friends and acquaintances!  Especially over the long haul.  We can all play good for a time, but eventually, when we are squeezed, our true nature shows itself. 

 

A Godly Man

“But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself;

The Lord hears when I call to Him.
Tremble and do not sin;
Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still.”
Psalm 4:3-4

Set apart = holy.  You were made holy and are set apart for the Lord.  You are His.  He hears your prayers.  Walk in righteousness and do not sin.  But rather think about the things of God – His works and His words, and be still.  When we are still, we will hear God.

 

Pretty simple directions to leading a godly life, but it takes years of practice and making it a habit.  God is there to hold up His end of the bargain.  Are you living up to your end?  If not confess, repent, and be set apart in your thoughts, words, and actions and call upon the name of the Lord.

 

Want Peace?

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;

seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness,
through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”
2 Peter 1:2-3

 That’s what we as humans want the most – grace and peace!  The answer?  Knowledge of God and Jesus.  When we have the true knowledge and base our lives upon that knowledge, God’s power grants us everything pertaining to life and godliness.  He can do this because of His own glory and excellence! 

 
Everything pertaining to life and godliness is a broad statement.  But I have found that it is true!  Yes, my basic needs are met and many of my wants, but even beyond that, He has given peace in the face of rejection, He has brought contentment in the moments of pain, He has guided us through times of despair and uncertainty.  When I am anxious, I look to God and His excellence and I am at peace to let Him rule and control!  Our God is good.  There have been times when I thought me needs were not met (especially the need for friendship) but He has drawn close and I have found the best friend ever!  Growing in godliness requires suffering.  He provides just enough to make us turn to Him, but not enough to break our spirit.  We may feel that we are being asked to trust beyond our ability, but then His Holy Spirit comes and we are made able!  He is ever near and He cares for us.

Fear

“But God has not given us a spirit of fear,

but of love, and power, and discipline.”

2 Timothy 1:7

I will always see a three year old Garrett and a two year old Nathan marching down the hallway past the basement door in Minot, ND and chanting this verse!  It worked.  Eventually they were no longer afraid to go by that dark doorway.

Discipline seems to get most of us.  But a life of discipline – doing what is right, reading God’s word, making Godly decisions, etc…will gain you great rewards.  Rewards of peace and love and power and self-respect and a right relationship with God.  Fear will keep you from these things.  Fear is Satan’s weapon.  It is not something that a Christian should put into their arsenal!  Remove fear far from you and trust in God Almighty!

God Cares

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,

that He may exalt you at the proper time,
casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:6-7

They that wait upon the Lord will gain new strength!  Waiting is the hardest thing that God asks us to do!  I often hear myself saying,” I don’t really care which way things go, but I want to know now so that I can adjust my life and thinking.”  God is teaching me to live one day at a time and not to borrow troubles from tomorrow.  But that takes practice and patience.  I can do it, and so can you, if we cast all your cares upon Him.  He cares for you and will take care of you in His infinite wisdom and timeless grace.  So don’t worry.  Wait with excited expectation about what God is going to accomplish in you, through you, and for you!

 

Job's "Pride" - God's Acceptance

“…because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has…and the Lord accepted Job.”

Job 42:8b-9b

 I was taught that Job did not sin, but then somewhere along the way, I heard the teaching that Job’s sin was pride.  That has been the prevalent teaching about Job for the past several years.  But we find at the beginning of Job that “In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” (Job 2:10b) and then in chapter 42 that God accepted Job without the sacrifice that He required for Job’s friends.  What this tells me is that honest questioning and arguing and even being angry with God is not a sin if our heart’s desire is truth and revelation.  Jacob wrestled with God.  Dara has wrestled with God.  I bet you have too!  But the wrestling is not sin.  Pride would come after God revealed Himself and one was to say, “Too bad, I will do it my way.  I won’t trust God.  I don’t believe Him.”  What pride that would be! 

 Jesus is still the answer.  If He is not enough, go to Him and ask Him to reveal Himself.  Be ready for a storm though.  That is how He answered Job.  God takes the tough things in life to draw us to Him.  Don’t resent the bad times, but rather use them to draw near to God. 

 

Jesus and the Law

 

“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets;

I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
Not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments,
and teaches others to do the same,
shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven;
but whoever keeps and teaches them,
he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:17-19

Grace does not annul the law.  Yes, we are no longer under the law for judgment, but God’s rules and regulations of the Old Testament are still His best for us.  In other words, God gave the law for the protection and provision of His people.  Those same laws when followed today still protect and provide for us.  We are not condemned by the law since Jesus’ blood paid in full for our inability to keep the law, but the law still has merit for victorious living.  It is really a matter of the horse and the cart.  If you put the cart before the horse, you will end up in the ditch!  If you put the law before grace, you will end up legalistic and unhappy.  Grace comes first and that gives us the desire to please God and have the ability to follow the law. 

 Choose to walk in the knowledge of God’s amazing grace which is forgiveness and freedom from guilt and shame.  But also choose to be wise and learn the laws of God, that you may know His protection and provision.

 

Thank You, God

“…and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross,

so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness;
for by His wounds you were healed.
For you were continually straying like sheep,
but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.”
1 Peter 2:24-25

Praise God!  Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice.  Thank you for the freedom from sin and guilt, from shame and rejection.  Thank you for healing my heart and making me whole again.  Thank you that even though I have strayed and may again, that you are watching over me, protecting me and providing for me.  Thank you that I can trust you with my soul – that your words and promises are forever and I know that I will spend eternity in heaven with you.  Knowing all of this gives me the strength to keep going day to day in spite of pain and ugliness.  Thank you, God, for You are good!

 

The High Road

“Teach me to do Your will,

For You are my God;
Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”
Psalm 143:10

Is this the cry of your heart?  Have you put all things under the cross and surrendered all circumstances to God?  Are you desiring to know His way in the midst of the world's loud voice?  Have you forsaken that which you have built, that God might build a better life for you?  In the midst of pain and confusion, disappointment and rejection, are you trusting God? 

The high road is level ground.  When you walk on it in the Spirit, you do not go up and down with every emotion and every situation.  You walk in joy in the presence of the Lord.  You walk in assurance of His deep love.  You know that it is Satan who is the authority on earth and it is he that causes pain and suffering.  You know that God is there, waiting to bring you peace in the midst.  That is level ground.  That is the high road.

 

Obedience = Success

“Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices

As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.

For rebellion is as the sin of divination,

And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the lord,
He has also rejected you from being king.”
1 Samuel 15:22-23

 Success = Obedience.

 

The only works that will stand the fire of 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 are those done in obedience.  A child in a wheelchair that gives a smile to every one she meets becasue she is being obedient to the Word of God will be as greatly rewarded as Billy Graham who won tens of thousands to the Lord.  Billy Graham was given much and was obedient with what he had.  The little child in the wheelchair was faithful with the little that she was given.  What are your gifts?  Whether they be big or little, "...do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to god the Father." Philippians 3:17. 

 

Do you want your children to be successful?  Teach them obedience first to you and then they will be obedient to God as they learn and grow. 

 

God does not spell out every step of the way, but He has given us guidelines.  First learn to be obedient to the Word of God, then ask God for further instruction.  Usually He gives it one step at a time so that we will rely on His relationship with us rather than just checking off a list of to do's.

Job

 Just a thought on Job today.  First of all, God did not do Job in, Satan did.  Yes, God gave permission but only because He knew that Job’s faith could handle it.  When tough stuff comes into your life, know that we live in Satan’s realm, but that God will only allow what He knows we can handle and He is there with us through it all.   Secondly, Job was real.  He got angry at God.  He got depressed.  But He never sinned.  When God did  approach Job, Job humbled his heart and bowed before God.  Thirdly, I am not Job.  You are not Job.  I pray that your storms will never be as severe as Job’s were.  But whatever this life does throw at you, know that if Job could face all of his tragedies, that God will also give you strength to face yours.  Lastly,” Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

 

Search Me

“Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.”
Psalm 141:23-24

 Once you have searched your heart before the Lord, confessed any uncleanness, then you are free from shame and condemnation of the past and free to move forward into the present with grace and peace.  Then if  you encounter hard times, you can know for sure that there is no punishment involved, just pruning.  Life happens!  We dwell in Satan’s realm.  When you live in a garbage pit, you will get garbage on you.  But, when your heart is right before God, you are clean in the midst!  Then your heart can hear God and He can surely lead you in the everlasting way. 

 Sometimes the searching of our hearts and the trying and knowing of anxious thoughts is painful.  But once, that surgery has been performed, you are free to move forward.  Philippians 3:13 says, “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  Ignoring the past, dragging it along behind you, pretending that it is not there, or allowing Satan to bring it up in your face with lies and doubt will not permit you to put it behind you.  Only when you have offered your past up to the Lordship of Christ and accepted His forgiveness and grace can you move forward.

 Lay it all out there before Christ.  He knows it all already anyway.  Just confess it, and then turn from it and move forward.  That’s repentance.  The shame, the sorrow, the heartache of the past will then stay in the past and God can lead you  in the everlasting way.  Surrender it to Christ for healing and wholeness.

Sanctification

  “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”

John 17:17

 Heard a great sermon on this on Sunday.  He quoted Greudem’s Systematic Theology:  Sanctification is being moved out of the realm of the profane and being put into the realm of the divine.  This passage includes to verb forms of the word “sanctify” the one meaning that it was a one-time done deal and the other meaning that it is an ongoing process until its completion.  We were sanctified at the moment of salvation; we are being sanctified (made holy) as we walk with the Lord until the day of completion in Christ (heaven).

 Notice that sanctification is imbedded in truth, and truth is the word of God.  Be there; be in it; live it.  God’s truth, His word, will renew your mind and heart and will bring you to the day of completion, completely sanctified in  Him.  I pray that you would desire no less.

 

Sacrifice of Praise

“Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God,

that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.“
Hebrews 13:15

 “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials…”

James 1:2

 Seems contradictory until you realize that the battle is in the mind.  Satan would have us complain and groan about the circumstances of our lives.  God would have us offer up praise to Him because He is in control and loves us.  When we sacrifice our opportunity to complain and gripe and replace it with words of praise and thanksgiving, the Holy Spirit responds and our emotions are lifted and become in line with the truth of who our God is.  Life is up and down.  You don’t have to ride that roller coaster in your thought life.  Live a life steady by turning everything into praise and let God handle life’s rough spots!

 

Trials

"The Lord trieth the righteous."
Psalm 11:5 (KJV)

"The Lord tests the righteous..."
Psalm 11:5 (NAS)

"The trials that come from God are sent to prove and strengthen our graces, and so at once to illustrate the power of divine grace, to test the genuineness of our virtues, and to add to their energy.  You would never have possessed the precious faith that now supports you if the trial of your faith had not been like  unto fire.  Worldy ease is a great foe to faith; it loosens the joints of holy valor and snaps the sinews of sacred courage.  While the wheat sleeps comfortably in the husk, it is useless to man; it must be threshed out of its resting place before its value can be known.  Thus it is well that Jehovah tries the rightreous, for it causes them to grow rich toward God." - Charles Spurgeon

Therefore we should rejoice when we encounter various trials (James 1:2).  If you are in a trial, turn it to God through praise and adoration.  Use it to seek the Scriptures for divine truth and drop to your knees in prayer for deliverance and understanding and grace.  You will grow closer to God and the fellowship with Him will grow sweeter.

The Battle

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,
but against the rulers,
against the powers,
against the world forces of this darkness,
against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 
Therefore, take up the full armor of God,
so that you will be able to resist in the evil day,
and having done everything to stand firm.”
Ephesians 6:10-13

You are no longer children when it comes to spiritual things.  Be ready to take up your armor daily and be prepared to war against satan – first in your mind and second in the world around you.  We must first overcome satan’s schemes and lies in our own lives before we can be effective in our world.  Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ and stand firm on the B-I-B-L-E!  God’s truth is our greatest weapon in our own defense as well as when we are witnessing to others.  Be aware of the battle.  Be armed and ready.  Fight the good fight and stand firm until the end.  The war is ours!  Christ is the victory that has overcome this world!

 

Intercession

“Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him,

since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
Hebrews 7:25

Jesus is standing at the right hand of the Father making intercession for you!  That is the Creator God, the Savior, Jesus is making your requests known to God the Father.  Jesus spends His time waiting to hear from you, for you to draw near that He might make intercession for you!  What a privilege!  What a gift!  What love!  Don’t leave Him waiting; take everything to Him and the praise Him for His goodness and faithfulness.

 

Temptation and Grace

“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.
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace,
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:15-16

 And we can know the mind of Christ and the Holy Spirit is within us!  We, too, can be tempted and withstand it because of our great God!  Grace is the answer here!  God’s marvelous grace!  Grace allows us to draw near to God, to call upon Him, for Him to indwell us, for us to have a relationship with God.  Because of grace, the divider is torn down and we have access to the Father!  Marvelous grace!!!  As you live and walk in God’s grace, you will give in to temptation less and less.  Be in an attitude of prayer and praise.  That will keep you in mind of God’s grace.

 Great study:  How often grace and truth are linked together in God’s word – OT and NT.

 

 

Our Hope is in God

“Then Job arose and tore his rose and shaved his head,

and he fell to the ground and worshiped.”
Job 1:20

 “Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm!

Nothing is too difficult for You, who show lovingkindness to thousands…great in counsel and mighty in deed.”
Jeremiah 32:17-18

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?”

Jeremiah 32:27

 “ For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.”

Hebrews 3:14

 Do you see a theme here?  These were all in my reading this morning.  God is surely in control. Hold onto your hope until the end.  Our faith is not in governments, but in God and He is still good, and He is still on His throne!  Hold on tight and worship!

Temptation

“How can a young man keep his way pure?

By keeping it according to Your word.”
Psalm 119:9

 There are so many temptations out there!  Especially for young, single adults.  Paul reminds us that “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you sill be able to endure it.”  The key?  Look for the way of escape!  Don’t justify or give excuses – RUN!  And how do you recognize a temptation to begin with?  Know the word of God.  And then rely on the Holy Spirit to lead and guide.

Pray for each other.  Satan is alive and would love to make any one of you stumble. We are in a spiritual war and wars are won one battle at a time.  Pray for me, too because I am not immune either!

 

Sweet Freedom!

“…and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.”

 Sweet freedom!  Free from guilt and shame, from judgment and condemnation, from sin and separation.  Free from the bondage of the law!  Free to live as sons rather than slaves.  Free to make choices and to follow God’s leading.

 I am teaching tomorrow on Holidays, Traditions, and In-Laws.  Christmas trees and Santa Claus will need to be addressed.  These are secondary issues and issues of conscience before God for each individual and family.  It is not a spiritual indication of your maturity or your faithfulness.  Be careful to allow others to walk in their conscience before God, not judging them if God has called them to a different lifestyle or tradition as long as it lines up with the word of God.  This is true across the board for education choices, number of children someone should have, how one is to dress, etc…  These are law, not grace.  Walk in grace not bound by law and in a relationship with God and He will convict you and train you through His word.  Don’t let others direct your conscience in these matters.

 

Our LIfe in Christ

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,

instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires
and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,
looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,
who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed,
and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession,
zealous for good deeds.”
Titus 2:11-14

A good treatise on the Christian life!  Our rebirth, our life, and the hope of the future!  You are a part of a people for His own possession.  You are His!  You are His child!  He loves you. Period!  The grace of God has appeared.  Grace is His forgiveness and pleasure of loving you just  because you are His!  He has redeemed (bought) you from your sins (every lawless deed) and made you His.  The good deeds and righteous living are an outgrowth of who we are in Christ, they do not save us or make us more precious to God.  He already loves His children with a love as wide as the skies!

 

Praise your God today in spite of your circumstances.  His grace is abounding and His love is unending!

Continue

“Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…

You however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of,
knowing from whom you have learned them,
and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings
which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
2 timothy 3:12-15

In spite of life’s circumstances, satan’s traps, and your own inadequacies, know that God is faithful!  Be faithful, don’t give in!  Keep taking the next step next!  Wait with eager anticipation for God to bring the victory!

 

God's Reputation

In the book of Esther after Haman is humbled by having to lead Mordecai around town on the king’s best horse, Haman goes home to complain to his wife.  Her reply? 

 

“If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin,

you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him.” 

Esther 6:13

 

The Persians had a knowledge of the Jews’ God!  That Haman’s wife said this is even more profound when you realize that Haman was the Jews’ enemy form the previous chapter. 

 

Do people know that you will succeed because they know the reputation of your God in your life?  Have you made God’s glory and greatness known that others realize that He is your success?

Contentment

“But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.”

1 Timothy 6:6

Contentment is the hardest attitude to cultivate, but one that is well worth it!  Contentment comes on the heels of thanksgiving and praise.  Contentment is a byproduct of humility.  Contentment looks forward to Heaven.  Contentment is saying, “I am at peace with my past, my present, and my future because Jesus is Lord over all.”  Godliness without contentment is just legalism.  True godliness is faith and trust not works.  Faith and trust leads to contentment. 

May you be content in whatever circumstance you find yourself in.  God will bless  that attitude and you will be at peace.

 

Fear

“God has not given us a spirit of fear,

but of love and power and discipline.”
2 Timothy 1:7

Fear is the opposite of faith.  But it is also a human emotion that must be brought under the authority of the cross by taking every thought captive and replacing Satan’s lies with God’s truth.  Fear often stems from the past.  Jesus is Lord over your past.  Give it to Him along with the fear.  He is Lord of your future.  Give it to Him along with your fear.

 I am afraid of bridges when driving in a car.  There is a bridge on I-10 in Louisiana that reaches the clouds before it comes back down!  The last time we went that way, I was driving and my husband was in the passenger seat sleeping.  As we approached that bridge I told myself that I was fine, that many cars over that bridge daily, that Jesus was with me, that I just needed to sing praises and trust God.  My mind was set on Christ.  My body, on the other hand, began to tremble and shake and I began to hyperventilate.  I finally woke my husband up and asked him to talk to me.  He talked me off the bridge and into the nearest exit.  I got out of the car and stood there shaking for about another 5 minutes.  But when it was over, I was able to laugh.  Fear, the emotion, took over, but faith won the day, and I think that I could handle that bridge if I ever have to again.  (Then again there is always an alternate route!)  That fear did not keep me from crossing over many other bridges since then.  This faith walk is a journey.  If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.  And remember that Jesus is Lord and will bring you love and power and discipline as you face your fears

God is Near

“’Am I a God who is near,’ declares the Lord,

 ‘And not a God far off?
Can a man  hide himself in hiding places
So I do not see him?’ declares the Lord.
‘Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?’”
Declares the Lord.”
Jeremiah 23:23-24

The answer: “Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there,
If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me…”
Psalm 139:7-12

Sometimes we don’t feel God’s presence and we feel like he has abandoned us.  But the truth is: He is there with you always.  Jesus said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Act upon what you know is God’s truth and not your feelings.  Take time to praise Him for His presence and His care.  Eventually your feelings will line up with the truth.  But stand on the B-I-B-L-E!

 

Our Righteousness

“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord,

“When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;
And He will reign as king and act wisely
And do justice and righteousness in the land.
In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell securely;
And this is His name by which He will be called,
‘The Lord our righteousness.’”
Jeremiah 23:5

It is interesting to note that Jesus will be righteousness and He will do righteousness.  He is the embodiment of righteousness, therefore His actions must be righteous!  What about you?  If Jesus is your Savior, then He is your righteousness.  You are righteous not because of who you are, but because of Whom you belong to.  If we are declared righteous before God, then we should be able to only do righteousness.  Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness?  Our pastor explained that this is not the verbs hunger and thirst for an immediate satisfaction that will quickly need to be replenished, but rather a hunger and a thirst that is vital for life a starving and a parchment that can only be satisfied through Christ, Our Righteousness.  Many believe that sin will always be a part of our life while still here on the earth.  I wonder.  If we are made righteous and able to do righteousness because of the Holy Spirit in us, can we choose to not sin?  I think that is sanctification and maturity in Christ.  I am not there yet, but as I grow, I should be aiming towards pure righteousness and not allow sin to reign, because where light is, darkness can not abide!

Again, God's Grace!

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,

Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 
Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
For He Himself knows our frame;
He is mindful that we are but dust.”
Psalm 103:7-14

What a powerful passage!  Indeed, He has not dealt with us as He should according to our sins, for the wages of sin is death!  Praise God for His forgiveness and lovingkindness  and compassion!  He is mindful that we are but dust, and understands our humanity, our inadequacy, our ineptness, and our sinfulness.  And yet…He forgives.  Fear of the Lord is not quaking fear of retribution, but rather awesome wonder of His power and His grace!   

May you walk in Him today.

God's Grace

“To this end also we pray for you always,

that our God will count you worthy of your calling,
and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power,
so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you,
and you in Him,
according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Thessalonians 11-12

This is my prayer for you this day.  I have been studying about the grace of God.  It is bigger and more powerful and more merciful and more amazing than I ever realized!  It is the great cloud in the Never Ending Story movie that overtakes the whole land.  It gets into every pore, leaves no other space, and totally invades a life and being, but in a very good way!  It is indescribable!  My prayer is that you will each know the grace of God in its fullness.

 

Hint of the day: Prayer for your children daily.  Use the prayers from the New Testament and prayer them over your children.  Pray that they might know the fulness of God's grace and the depth of His love.  When they know these two things, all else will fall into place!

 

Trust

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord.

For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8 (Sounds a lot like Psalm 1 though!)

God’s name is “I  AM”.  He knows.  Trust Him.  “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hears and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

HInt of the Day: We taught our boys that trust is easily lost, but hard to win.  One action can break trust, but it takes time and many actions to build it up again.  Take a glass plate or cup and show it to the children whole.  then break it and have them put it back together.  Ask them which took longer?  To break the plate or to put it back together?  Ask which one was prettier?  Then compare that to the breaking of trust.  God will never break His trust.  He is always whole and always relaible and alsways faithful.  It tragedy has struck and you feel that God has broken trust, look again at His promises.   

Joy and Delight

"Your words were found and I ate them,
And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart;
For I have been called by Your name,
O Lord God of hosts."
Jeremiah 15:16

The circumstances of these words by Jeremiah will humble you, and challenge you.  The Israelites  have turned their backs on God and have gone after idols for generations.  A good king would rise up and the people would turn back to God and then an evil king would turn their hearts away from God.  King Josiah was the last Godly king, then after a series of evil kings, God sent Babylon to takeHis people into captivity.  God says through Jeremiah in chapter 15 that some would be destined to death, some to the sword, some to famine, and others to captivity.  Jeremiah is sent by God to tell His people that judgment was coming!  Jeremiah was hated, rejected, scorned, cursed, and his life threatened because of his warnings of coming judgment.  He is called the "weeping prophet".  He wishes he had never been born, he complains against God, but he is obedient.  And in the midst of this he even declares that he finds joy and his hearts delight in the word of God!  He knows that God's word brings life and healing to those who will be transformed by it.  He knows that God is faithful to His children.  He knows that all things work for th good for those who love the Lord. (Romans 8:38)

 Jeremiah sees the rejection of the people as rejection from the people not from God. He knows that it comes through the hand of God, but he still chooses to trust God's heart of love to him.  These verses follow:

I did not sit in the circle of merrymakers,
Nor did I exult.
Because of Your hand upon me I sat alson,
For You filled me with indignation...

Therefore,  Thus says the Lord, 'If you return, then I will restore you -
Before Me you will stand...'"

Jeremiah acknowledges his emotions, his aloneness, but then turns back to what God says and stands and acts upon God's promise.

My prayer for you today is that you may know the joy and delight of your heart through the word of God no matter what your circumstances are.  You have been called by His name; You are His.  Rejoice!

Hint for the day: Introduce your children to Jeremiah by taking a cloth belt from a robe and burying it in the back yard.  Leave it for the day or for a rew days.  Then read the story about Jeremiah and his belt in chapter 13.Talk about how pride ruined Israel, but that through it all, God offered a way back to Himself - repentance and whole-heartedness.

God's Word

“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you…” Colossians 3:16a

 “…the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13b

 “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any, two-edged sword,

and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow,
and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” Romans 12:2

 Is it important to be reading and memorizing God’s word?”  According to these verses above and others, it is vital to our Christian growth.  It feeds us. it transforms our thinking into a Biblical world view.  It encourages us.  It teaches and trains us, corrects us and rebukes us. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)  Don’t let a day go by without opening God’s word.  In it we find the truth and THE Truth, Jesus Christ.  We learn the love of our Father, His mercy and grace, compassion and faithfulness.  Without the word of God, we would perish physically, and without it we will perish spiritually for lack of growth and understanding. 

Hint of the day: Let your kids see you reading the word of God.   Teach by example the importance of studying God's word.  Memorize it together as a family.  Make God's word the first thing you do each morning as a family; that puts it in a place of importance.

 

Thankfulness and Peace

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,

to which indeed you were called in one body;
and be thankful.”
Colossians 3:15

That little word, “Let”, is revealing.  It tells us that peace is available and waiting for us.  It only takes a choice to experience it.  That choice?  Thankfulness!  It is amazing how many times these two words, “Peace” and “thankfulness” are paired up in the New Testament.  They are linked together in our minds and in our hearts.  When we are thankful, then we experience peace.  Why is that?  When we are thankful in spite of our circumstances, then we are acknowledging God’s authority over our lives and accepting His will for our lives.  In this is peace.  Try it.  List all the things that you have to be thankful for.  Then settle in with a great big smile and a feeling of contentment.

Hint of the Day:   Thanksgiving is quickly approaching.  Begin now encouraging your kids to think about things that they are thankful for.  Let the younger ones trace their hands and write on each finger something that theya re thankful for.  The older ones can cartoon their thanks, or write a letter of thanks to God, or send letters of thanks to people that have touched them this past year.  Make thankfulness a part of every prayer.

Number Your Days

“So teach us to number our days,

That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.”
Psalm 90:12

We number our days by making each one count.  Deliberate and diligence study of the Word of God will make our days count unto wisdom.   Many a Christian will look back once life is over and realize that their days were spent in worldly pursuits exclusive of Godly pursuits.  Wisdom is gained only through fellowship with God the Father through Jesus Christ the Son and with the help and teaching of the Holy Spirit.  Talk to God today!

Hint of the Day: Kids have a hard time keeping track of time.  Help them out with a calendar or a basket of day counters.  When the boys were young and my husband went away on a work trip, we would wrap small presents, one per day he was gone, and put them in a basket.  The boys got a present a day from Dad, and as the presents diminished, they knew Dad was closer to coming home!  Sometimes Dad would leave paper plates with faces on them fo each child's breakfast if he had to leave before they woke up.  A few times he left them a treasure hunt with clues and a prize.  Even though he oculdn't be there, he loved them through his actions.  The basket of day counters is also great to help children count up to a big event.  Presents can be pencils, erasers, gum, etc.  Or stickers that they can then place on a calendar.

Made Complete

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception,

according to the tradition of men,
according to the elementary principles of the world,
rather than according to Christ.
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
and in Him you have been made complete,
and He is the head over all rule and authority…”
Colossians 2:8-10

The best way to guard yourself against philosophy, empty deception, tradition of men, and the elementary principles of the world is to know what the Bible says.  Know truth and lies will stand out.  They sound good, they are easier to believe than God because they don’t require obedience, and it’s what everyone else is believing.  But only in Christ are you made complete.  Only in Christ can you experience God, Himself in a close relationship.  Only in Christ do we have assurance of the end of all things because He is head over all rule and authority.  Only in Christ do we have heaven to look forward to.  And only in Christ can we make it through this life victorious, joyful, and loved.

 Hint of the Day: Explain to your kids that God created all of us with a God sized hole.  People try to fill that hole with success, careers, drugs, alcohol, sex, other religions, etc..., but only in Christ will we be made complete.  Only Christ will fill up that God sized hole. 

 

Overcome

“These things I have spoken to you,

so that in Me you may have peace.
In the world you have tribulation, but take courage;
I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

 Wow!  Peace is from Jesus, not from our circumstances!  If I could just live that daily, I would be ahead of the game! 

 

 The final promise that Jesus has overcome the world is looking ahead into heaven.  Live not for today or the circumstances of today, but rather for eternity!  In that is joy and peace.

 Hint of the day: When your circumstances are overwhelming, take time to praise God and thank Him.  He will bring your emotions into check and you will feel like rejoicing because He has overcome the world.  That's the true reality!

Bearing Fruit

Abide in Me, and I in you. 

As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine,
so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
John 15:4

How’s your abiding going?  Are you bearing fruit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?  It’s always good to stop and examine yourself occasionally.  If there is an area in your life that you are not being able to display the fruit, then make sure that you have turned that area over to God, and that you are abiding I Him.  Abiding just means to dwell there; stay there; live there.  /give everything to God.  He is safe and can handle your emotions, your fears, your dreams, your expectations, etc…

 

Hint of the Day:  There is a grat little book called My Heart, Christ's Home.  In it, the author takes you to different rooms of your heart and asks questions to help you decide if you are allowing Christ to be Lord over that area.  You can do this with your kids.  Walk from room to room and ask questions such as:  This is the living room.  This is where we spend our recreation time.  Are you taking Jesus with you when you are out with your friends?  When you are reading a book or magazine?  This is the kitchen.  Are you allowing Jesus to be Lord over your desires and urges such as eating?  Etc...

 

Pruning

" I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.

Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away;
and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.
You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you."
John 15:1 – 3

You are already clean.  You have been forgiven.  You have been bought with a price.  You have been made clean.  End of discussion.  You are God’s child.  Period.  There is nothing that you can do that will undo that!

Now, it is a matter of growing.  Put your roots deep into the Word and spread your hands in praise to the Son.  You will grow.  When hard things come, it is God’s pruning to train you in the way that He wants you to go.  He is preparing you for the day of harvest.  That day will come either in heaven or at the rapture.

You are God’s child.  You are going to heaven.  You can either limp in scarred and weary or bound in with a joyful heart.  That choice is yours and it all depends on the life choices you make here on earth.

 

Hint of the day: Even if you are not a gardener, there is so much to be learned by planting, watering, pruning, and harvesting.  Choose just one plant.  Tomatoes are good to start with.  Have your child help you to plant and tend to the plant. Prune off any limbs that are not producing or that are dead.  Teach your child that you do this so that the sap can get to the good parts of the plant.  Then read John 15: 1-9 to them.  Aplain ten bad  happen is not always punishment, but sometimes it's pruning.

 

Sealed with the Holy Spirit

"In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth,
 the gospel of your salvation - having also believed,
you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
who is given as a pledge of our inheritance,
with a view to the redemption of God's own possession,
to the praise of His glory."
Ephesians 1:13-14

"...you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise..."  This is huge! We were sealed - closed up, never to leave without Someone (Jesus) breaking the seal.  We are God's!  We are His children!  This is irrevocable!  And not only were we sealed, but we were sealed with the Holy Spirit.  This is the God who comforts, who teaches, who abides within us, who convicts.  I had a young lady that I am working with be tempted by alcohol which her father offered to her.  She is a new believer and told me her story expecting condemnation.  She drank a couple of sips and then felt so convicted that she turned and left feeling like a failure.  But, the Holy Spirit was in her!  He convicted her!  That was proof of her childhood!  She obeyed that conviction and changed her behavior.  She did not fail the test!  She triumphed!  And we rejoiced together.

The Holy Spirit is God's conscience within us.  He speaks to us teaching training, rebuking.  He is love, just like Jesus and God.  His conviction is out of love for our good!  Rejoice when the Holy Spirit is evident within you!  God's truth led to salvation, which led to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which is a sign of the promise of God's inheritance of heaven!  God redeemed us for His own.  Because of this, we praise Him and recognize His glory over the sin and chaos of this world.  There is hope!  There is forever!

Hint of the day: Listen to the voice of God within you.  Learn to discern His voice.  When we follow Him it becomes easier and easier.  This is also true about not following Him.  When we ignore God, it because easier to ignore Him the next time!  Teach your children that it is like a muscle.  If you don't use it the muscle will atrophy.  If you use it continually it will strengthen.  When your child is struggling over an issue, step back.  Ask him/her to pray about it and see what God says.  Then after they have heard from God be there to confirm and encourage and help them to be obedient.  My third son wanted to go on a mission trip when he was 13.  He didn't have the money.  We told him to pray about it.  He did and decided to use the money that he had been saving up for a surf boaord.  This was 1/3 of the money that he needed.  After making that decision the other 2/3 of the money came in from friends and church.  He went to Haiti and learned a lot there, but the lesson started when he heard and obeyed the Holy Spirit.

God has a Plan!

"In Him also we have obtained an inheritance,
 having been predestined according to His purpose
who works all things after the counsel of His will,
 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ
would be to the praise of His glory.
 Ephesians 1:10b-12

God has a plan.  We have obtained an inheritance!  God has an eternal plan and a "now"plan for your life.  That is good news.  I don't have to be in control!  God is!  He was on His throne during the flood, and He is on His throne now!  Sometimes we wonder.  We see chaos, and sin and perversion all around us.  We see God's people hating and fighting.  We see others turning to their own ways.  And we wonder - is God in control? 

His eternal plan for us is this inheritance.  By giving us an inheritance, God is claiming us as His sons and daughters!  This inheritance is eternity with Him.  Yes, it includes streets of gold, and a tree that produces a different fruit each month, and a stream of water and a place in heaven, but the essence of the inheritance is time forever with the Father!  That is precious and can't be taken away from us.  We must keep it in view at all times.  In the darkness of life on earth, there shines a great Light - Jesus!  And if we will stay in the Light and refuse the darkness, we will live a life free of sin and shame and guilt.  Grace was given.  Mercy was extended.  Our reward is sure.  Look to heaven in order to get through this life.  God is in control!

God has a "now" plan for us as well.  Your story is different than everyone else's story.  Don't look to others to know your path, look to God.  Don't compare, you will despair!  This is our human tendency - to look at what God is doing or has done for others and wish that we had the same story.  It is not to be.  God has a plan for your life different than all others because you are unique and special.  He will relate to you as differently as a father relates to his different children.  I had a reader.  He would read for hours.  Then he would be anti-social.  I would have to ground him from books and insist that he play outside and with others.  I have 4 non-readers.  I would have to sit them down and put a book into their hands.  I knew what each child needed and it was different.  God knows what you need and it is different! God is in control!

We all need the Father's love and the Savior's salvation.  But some of us need tough love and others need comforting love.  Some of us need hard circumstances to make us grow closer to God, others only need a nudge.  But know that God will work all things after the counsel of His will.  He has a plan and it is for our ultimate good - our eternal life.  And in the midst, whatever God allows to come into your life, it is for you to turn around into His glory.  Are you pain filled!  Praise God.  Are you paralyzed? Praise God!  Are you broke?  Praise God!  Has someone you loved died?  Praise God!  He promises to use all things in our lives for our good.  The circumstance may be daunting, but Praise God that He will use it to draw us closer to Him, to witness to others, to help us to shed our selfishness, to use it to comfort others in like situations.  He has a plan.  It includes the good, the bad, and the ugly, but always the plan is good because it will lead us to Him. God is in control!

Hint of the day: When something bad happens help your children to see the good in it.  a flat tire? - an opportunity to use a skill that you know and a chance to witness to those who stop to help!  Sickness? - a chance ot spend more concentrated time with God.  A friend who betrayed you? - a chance to realize that God was protecting you from deeper hurt down the road.  A thankful heart will turn any situation upside down.  Be thankful.  Your kids will catch it!

The Great Mystery

"In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will,
according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him
with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times,
that is, the summing up of all things in Christ,
things in the heavens and things on the earth."
Ephesians 1:8b-10

Lots of words!  What does it all mean?  The Bible is actually a mystery novel (non-fiction though!)  Throughout the Old Testament God makes references to the fact that even though the Old Covenant was made with a particular people, the Jews, that His Messiah would come to save all men.  It is in the histories, Isaiah, Psalms, and the prophets.  Look for it.  Words that declare that the Christ is coming and that all nations will be drawn to Him.

The great mystery of God is recorded for us in Ephesians chapter 3 verses 3-6:
     "...that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery...when you read you can                  understand my insight into the mystery of Christ...to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel..."

This was heresy and broke the pride of Israel.  From the time of Abraham they had been God's chosen.  They had been given the law.  They had been promised the Messiah.  They were the holy nation, set apart.  When Christ came, He came for all people.  No longer did the law have to be met.  It didn't matter to whom you were born, or where you were born.  Jesus came to all people including the Gentiles, but also not excluding the Jews.  He came to each individual rather than to a nation. 

"In all wisdom and [with godly] insight", this mystery had been on God's heart since before the foundations of the world was laid down.  He knew that He would have to send His own Son, that He would be killed, and that He would raise again and ascend into heaven to save all of mankind (those that were willing through faith to believe).  It was due to the "kind intentions of God's will".  God created man, He loves man, He desires that all would come to Him and be saved.  God's purpose since the beginning of time was to save mankind when the fullness of time came which was when Jesus was born. (Galatians 4:4)

The things in heaven and the things on earth includes all created matter.  God has placed all things, ultimately under the authority of Jesus Christ.  It is His.  Satan is ruling for a time, but only because God is allowing it that others might believe.  The final battle is coming!  Jesus will be the victor and all things will be His for eternity!  I am on the winning side.  I hope you are too!

Hint for the Day: Prepare your children for that day of Christ's return and the final battle.  We are given hints to what that will look like.  No matter what you believe about the end times, it is obvious that there will be hardship and hardness of hearts.  Teach your children that they must not be afraid of man, but rather God.  That God does not promise happiness and good times.  There are times when we stand only on what we know God says is true even when our circumstances don't look that way.  Faith in a jelly bean jar is easy.  Faith in the Roman arena facing the lions was not.  Build their faith not on feelings, but on the truth.  Truth will stand and God's word will stand.  Teach your children to stand.