Jesus Listens

What do you think about prayer? Do you think that God really wants to talk to you? Do you think He really wants to hear what is on your heart?

The answer is, yes, He really does. He is an attentive counselor who listens to you. You understand this picture if you know what it's like to sit and talk to someone who really knows how to listen. They hear you. They get it. You can see in their eyes that they're tracking with you. Psalm 116:1-2 tells us "I love the LORD, because He has heard my cries. Because He bends down and listens."

Picture your closest friend, turning his ear to you, and you cup your hand around your mouth and whisper your need. That's the picture. God knows exactly what's going on in your life. He’s aware of your needs and your heartaches and your worries about the future. God totally gets it - that one truth has inspired and comforted and ministered to God's people through thousands of years of history.

Not only is God listening to your prayer, but He will give you wisdom about the difficult season of your life if you ask Him for it. James 1:5 tells us, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." That phrase "without reproach" means literally that God won't sink His teeth into you. God won't be like, "What? What are you asking Me that for!?" He's not the impatient parent who doesn't have time for you or the irritable boss who snaps back. No, He's the attentive counselor, listening to you. Hebrews 4:16 assures you to, "with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Take to heart the comfort of Psalm 62:8: "Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace,

that we may receive mercy and find grace to

help in time of need." - Hebrews 4:16

Be Blessed & Be A Blessing to One Another!

Dawn

PLAYING THE FOOL

Life is filled with choices—dozens, hundreds, even thousands of choices each and every day.Maybe you are at a fork in the road of your life where you are facing an important choice right now. Perhaps it is a decision regarding a relationship or a career. Maybe it is something else.Whatever decision you must make, make the right choice. Choices produce consequences, and actions produce reactions.We find a clear and tragic example of this in the life of Saul, Israel's first king. His life is a study in contrasts.

He started his reign in victory and ended it in humiliating defeat.His life stands as a warning that you cannot rebel against God and get away with it. Your choices and actions will catch up with you—maybe not today, maybe not even tomorrow. But sooner or later, the Bible says, your sin will find you out unless you repent.Saul's story begins with the nation of Israel, which until then had been ruled by various judges, along with prophets who would give the word of the Lord to them. But the people grew tired of that. They wanted a king, because other nations had kings.So they complained to the prophet Samuel.

As God instructed him, Samuel warned them of the consequences of having a king. Still, they were intent on having one.Samuel brought Saul before the people of Israel and told them: "Here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have desired . . . If you fear the Lord and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the Lord your God" (1 Samuel 12:13–14 NKJV).Not long afterward, Saul began an inexplicable course of self-destruction. He became a victim of himself—full of impatience, pride, rebellion, and jealousy, ultimately leading to attempted murder.

Over a period of years, he descended from being a great leader to being a paranoid tyrant. And when he directly disobeyed God's command, Samuel said to him, "You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart . . . " (1 Samuel 13:13–14 NLT).After this, Saul went from bad to worse. It wasn't long before David emerged on the scene, and Saul began to relentlessly pursue him out of paranoia and jealousy. Saul eventually died a pathetic death on the battlefield, taking his own life.Saul started well, but he finished badly. In effect he wrote his own epitaph when he said, "Indeed I have played the fool and erred exceedingly" (1 Samuel 26:21 NKJV).We too can "play the fool." We play the fool when we disobey God, even in the smallest matters. Spiritual decline is gradual. It is not for us to pick and choose what we like about God's will for our lives. It is for us to do what the Bible teaches.We play the fool when we attempt to justify the wrong we have done. More than once, Saul blamed others for what he had done. He was more concerned about the opinions of people than the opinion of God.We play the fool when we forget that how we finish is more important than how we start.

Finishing well is important. Saul forgot that.We play the fool when we allow hatred to control our lives instead of love. Saul's jealousy ultimately destroyed him. He thought everyone was out to get him, but he was self-destructing.We are all going to slip up in life. We are all going to make mistakes. We are all going to sin. But you don't want to look back on your life one day and think, I threw my life away by the stupid choices I made.The question is, can you learn from your mistakes? Can you say, "That was such a bitter experience, such a hard pill to swallow, I pray that I will never do that again"?If so, you have learned something. Something good will have come out of something bad.But if you go back and do the same thing again and again and again, then you are falling backward. And ultimately, you are going to play the fool.


BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER!

DAWN

WORSHIP IS A WITNESS

From Harvest Ministries

What an attractive group the early church was to a lost and watching world as they learned, loved, cared, worshipped, prayed, and helped out one another. The world watched and paid attention, and people came to faith. So witnessing is not just something we do; it is something we are.

There is a direct connection between worship and witness. We are being watched by the outside world. And the outside world marvels when a Christian can praise God when they are going through hardship. It is a powerful testimony.
Sometimes that outside world even joins us in the pew. So what kind of worshipper are you? What kind of a witness are you? You may think it doesn't matter, but actually it does, because unbelievers are checking things out. Maybe someone sitting near you has never been to church before. But while the worship was going on, you are preoccupied. You are chatting with a friend or daydreaming or texting. It is important to pay attention and engage during worship, because unbelievers may be watching you.
I can speak from personal experience on this, because I came to faith as a result of Christians who worshipped. No one invited me to their meeting. No one broke the gospel down for me and explained how to come to Jesus Christ. But when I saw a group of Christians sitting on the front lawn of my high school campus and singing songs to Jesus, I watched them and thought, They have something I don't have. It opened my heart to hear and believe the gospel message that was given that day.
There is a connection between our worship and our witness. So let's be a good one, and let's make sure that our heart is in the right place with God.

Be Blessed & Be a Blessing to One Another!

Dawn

The Sacrifice of Praise

There are times when we are not in the mood to praise God. But did the first-century believers always feel like praising God? They were harassed. They were beaten. They were mocked. And that was all before breakfast. Yet they worshipped the Lord nonetheless.
The Bible doesn't say to give thanks to the Lord because you feel good. Rather, the Bible says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever" (Psalm 106:1). The Bible also tells us to "offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name" (Hebrews 13:15).

Yes, praise and worship can sometimes be a sacrifice. There are times when we are down or depressed or things aren't going well, when there is a hardship or a tragedy, and we don't want to thank God. But do you think Job felt like praising God when he lost everything? He lost his family. He lost his home. He lost his possessions. He lost his health—all in one fell swoop, in effect. But what does the Bible say he did? He "fell to the ground to worship" and said, "I came naked from my mother's womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!" (Job 1:20–21). Now that is the sacrifice of praise.

The sacrifice of praise is also something we are to verbalize. Notice Hebrews 13:15 says that offering a continual sacrifice of praise to God includes "proclaiming our allegiance to his name." We need to verbalize our praise to God. It is not that God needs praise from us, but He wants it. And He tells us to verbalize our praise.

"Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice

of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name"

Hebrews 13:15

Be Blessed & Be A Blessing to One Another!

Dawn

Preparation for Greater Service

In Luke 17:5, the apostles asked Christ to increase their faith. The Lord told them that if they had faith as small as a mustard seed, they could do great things. God does not enlarge our faith instantly. He begins with what little we have and proceeds to grow it.

Elijah was in a faith-building program. The Lord gave him increasingly difficult challenges of reliance and obedience. Back at the brook, the prophet had to depend on the Lord for his own survival. But at Zarephath, he trusted God to provide for both himself and a widow. And in today’s passage, he served her in an even larger way by raising her son to life.

Each act of believing God and the ensuing step of obedience resulted in increased opportunities for Elijah to serve the Lord and others. Raising the dead may seem like the height of his ministry, but it was to be followed by an even greater opportunity to influence an entire nation for God. Elijah was about to face the biggest spiritual battle of his life (1 Kings 18)—all his previous demonstrations of faith and obedience were the Lord’s way of preparing him.

God wants each of us to be influential in His kingdom. He knows which faith challenges to present so that we can be entrusted with even greater tasks.

The Lord will provide occasions for you to believe Him and respond in obedience. These situations are what we call “problems.” Begin to look at each difficulty as an opportunity designed by God specifically for the purpose of increasing your faith so He can do great things in and through you. READ 1 Kings 17:17-24

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing to One Another!

Dawn

Protect Your Joy

James 1 tells us that above all other human traits, endurance is the characteristic that God is trying to build into your life and mine. Perseverance. Steadfastness. Keep on going. Continue making and keeping the commitments of life. No matter how hard, don't quit.

Endurance is the funnel through which all Christian virtue flows. If God can just get me to not be a quitter, He can get every other good thing into my life. If I won't quit my marriage and I won't quit my kids and I won't quit my job and I won't quit my church and I'm not going to run around thinking the grass is greener somewhere else; I'm going to believe, this is where God has me! This is where I'm going to put down roots and plant my life and make a difference; if I'll stay right here under the pressure, it's unbelievable what God could do in my life. But I've got to be willing to commit for the long haul in order for God's trials to have their purpose in my life.
I want to share a cool related verse in James 1:12, "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life."

While I think there are literal crowns that we'll receive from the Lord, I'd like to suggest that the "crown of life" means the quality of life which God promises to those who love Him. If you endure, if you stand the test, there'll be a better life for you on the other side of this trial. Your best and most fruitful days are ahead. Your most God-glorifying days are ahead. God has a purpose for every difficult thing that you face, and if you hold up under it you're going to receive the "crown of life." It's a quality of life that comes to those who successfully pass the test - those who love Him. For some people it will be in eternity, but for most people it'll be at some point later in this life. Protect your joy - remain under the pressure and don't let this trial steal what's ahead.

Be Blessed & Be a Blessing to One Another!

Dawn

Matters of the Heart

Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart.
—Matthew 15:18

Every time Susan opens her mouth, it sounds like the blare of an ambulance siren. This TV commercial uses humor to indicate that a dental problem could reveal a more serious physical ailment. So she’d better see her dentist soon!

The commercial made me think about what comes out of my mouth when I open it. Jesus said that our words come from our heart (Matt. 15:18). He offended the Pharisees when He said, "Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man" (vv.11-12). They thought they were right with God because they followed strict rules, including ritual cleansing of their hands before eating and eating only "clean" foods. Jesus upset their pride.

Jesus upsets our pride too. We may think we’re godly people because we go to church regularly or pray, but then we gossip or talk about people behind their backs. James 3:9-10 says, "With [our tongue] we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men . . . . Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. . . . These things ought not to be so."

If a siren blares from our mouth when we open it, we need to examine our heart and ask the Lord to forgive us and to help us be a blessing to others. Try saying this prayer...

Lord, cleanse our hearts so what we speak
Will be reflective of Your grace;
And help us to control our tongues
So we’ll not bring on You disgrace. —Sper
Every time you speak, your mind is on parade.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing to One Another!

Dawn

Why Fellowship?

Christians tend to throw around the word "fellowship" a lot, as in, "Let's have some fellowship," or "We'll be meeting in the Fellowship Hall." But what does this word really mean?
When Acts 2:42 says the early believers "continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship" (emphasis added), it uses the Greek word koinonia, which could be translated, "fellowship," "partnership," or "communion." It also can mean "to be generous." So fellowship encompasses all of these ideas; it is far more than socializing.

Anyone can socialize. Anyone can get together and rally around their passions, whatever it is they might have an interest in. But the fellowship that the Bible speaks of is not that kind of gathering or social interaction. It is different altogether. It is people getting together to talk about the things of God.

Fellowship is praying together. It is serving together. It is giving together. It is aging together. These are the fibers of fellowship. And fellowship with God and with His people go together. As we get to know God through His Word, we will long for fellowship with other believers. The stronger your vertical fellowship, the stronger your horizontal fellowship will be. As 1 John 1:3 says, "That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." If you find yourself out of fellowship with God, then you will soon find yourself out of fellowship with other believers.

So if you want to be like one of the early believers in the first-century church, then you need to not only love God and study His Word, but you also need to spend time with His people in fellowship.

That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
— 1 John 1:3

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing to One Another!

Dawn

Our Deadliest Disease

Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, by telling the truth. Make your confession and tell me what you have done. Don’t hide it from me."
20 Achan replied,

"It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 Among the plunder I saw a beautiful robe from Babylon,[a] 200 silver coins,[b] and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound.[c] I wanted them so much that I took them. They are hidden in the ground beneath my tent, with the silver buried deeper than the rest."

22 So Joshua sent some men to make a search. They ran to the tent and found the stolen goods hidden there, just as Achanad said, with the silver buried beneath the rest. 23 They took the things from the tent and brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites. Then they laid them on the ground in the presence of the Lord.

24 Then Joshua and all the Israelites took Achan, the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, tent, and everything he had, and they brought them to the valley of Achor. 25 Then Joshua said to Achan, "Why have you brought trouble on us? The Lord will now bring trouble on you." And all the Israelites stoned Achan and his family and burned their bodies. 26 They piled a great heap of stones over Achan, which remains to this day. That is why the place has been called the Valley of Trouble[d] ever since. So the Lord was no longer angry. Jos. 7:19-26

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was identified in 2003 in Vietnam. By the time it was brought under control, SARS had spread globally and killed nearly 800 people. One reason for the high mortality rate was that the virus was not recognized initially. But once recognized and understood, SARS was contained.

An even more dangerous disease is on the loose in our world—sin. It too is difficult to bring under control because many people do not recognize its deadliness. And many dispute the Bible’s diagnosis of sin.

In Joshua 7, we read the tragic story of Achan. We may recoil at the extreme way God dealt with him. Against God’s command, he had taken some of the spoils from Jericho and hid them in his tent (v.21). He and his entire family paid with their lives (v.25).

Thankfully, God does not deal with us in that way. If He did, none of us would remain alive. Yet we must never underestimate sin’s deadliness. It sent Christ to the cross for us.
Like SARS, the first step to deal with sin is to recognize it for what it is. Receive with gratitude the gift of eternal life. Then "put to death your members which are on the earth"—the selfish things that displease God (Col. 3:5). That’s the way to deal with our deadliest disease.

The Remedy for Sin
Have you received Christ’s gift of salvation? He died for your sins and rose from the dead. He offers forgiveness to all who believe in Him (Rom. 10:9). Sin is a heart disease that can be cured only by the Great Physician

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing to One Another!

Dawn

Follow the Template

We tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ.
Col.1:28

Not every church is going to be a large church, but every church should be a growing church. On that final day, Jesus is not going to say, "Well done, good and successful servant. By the way, how many numbers were you running?" Rather, He will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

I believe the church exists for three reasons: the exaltation of God, the edification of believers, and the evangelization of the world. Another way to think of it is upward, inward, and outward.

Upward. The church exists for the exaltation of God. This idea may come as a revelation to some people who think they exist to find personal happiness. The Bible says, "Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself" (1 Corinthians 6:19).

Inward. The church exists for the edification of other believers. The apostle Paul said his goal was not merely to evangelize, but to warn believers, teach them the wisdom God had given him, and present them to God mature in their relationship with Christ (see Colossians 1:28).

Outward. The church is called to evangelize the world, which is the natural outgrowth of exalting God and edifying other believers. Healthy sheep will reproduce themselves.
The church is not to emphasize one of these at the expense of the other or take them out of order. You see, we are not to customize the church. We are to follow the original template Jesus gave us.


Be Blessed and Be a Blessing to One Another!

Dawn

Prescribed by the Great Physician

Prescribed by the Great Physician
*****************************
The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember..
Noah was a drunk, Abraham was too old, Isaac was a daydreamer, Jacob was a liar, Leah was ugly, Joseph was abused, Moses had a stuttering problem, Gideon was afraid, Samson had long hair and was a womanizer, Rahab was a prostitute, Jeremiah and Timothy were too young,
David had an affair and was a murderer, Elijah was suicidal, Isaiah preached naked, Jonah ran from God, Naomi was a widow, Job went bankrupt, Peter denied Christ, The Disciples fell asleep while praying, Martha worried about everything, Mary Magdalene was..., The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once, Zaccheus was too small, Paul was too religious, Timothy had an ulcer..AND Lazarus was dead!

Now! No more excuses! God can use you to your full potential. Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger. In the Circle of God's love, God's waiting to use your full potential.

1. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.

2. Dear God, I have a problem, it's Me.

3. Growing old is inevitable ... growing UP is optional.

4. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.

5. Silence is often misinterpreted but never misquoted.

6. Do the math .. count your blessings.

7. Faith is the ability to not panic.

8. Laugh every day, it's like inner jogging.

9. If you worry, you didn't pray . If you pray, don't worry.

10. As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home everyday.

11. Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.

12. The most important things in your house are the people.

13 When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.

14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.

15 He who dies with the most toys is still dead


Be Blessed and Be a Blessing to One Another!

Dawn

The Comforter Has Come

By:
Alan Riley

In the 13th and 14th chapters of John's Gospel, Jesus attends to some important last things before He goes out to the Garden of Gethsemane and from there to the cross. Chapter 13 begins with the statement that Jesus knew the hour had come for him to leave this world and return to His Father. So, in light of that, what He did and said next were of the utmost importance.

The first thing he did was to wash the disciples feet, to reinforce the message to them that He - the Son of God - came as a humble servant and they needed to do and be the same. He then predicted His betrayal by Judas and His denial by Peter. The words from Jesus saying He would be betrayed by one of them, denied by another and put to death were understandably distressing to the disciples.

So He reassured them with the beautiful words that begin Chapter 14: "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in Me." (John 14:1, NLT). Jesus went on to tell the disciples that they would do even greater works than He had done during His earthly ministry. Then told them that when He went away, He would send the Holy Spirit to them, Who would teach them all things and remind them of what Jesus had told them. He told them He was leaving them a gift - His peace, which is not peace that the world gives but the peace of God.
Some versions of the Bible translate the Greek word Paraclete - used here for the Holy Spirit - as "Comforter." Others translate it as "Helper." Still others as "Counselor" or "Advocate." Which one is correct? All of them. All of these titles describe the ministry of the Holy Spirit to a believer.

He is our Comforter. When our hearts are heavy and we don't even know how to pray or what to pray for, the Bible says that the Holy Spirit comes along side us. "If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves." (Romans 8:26-27, The Message)

He is our Helper. In Romans 8:26, Paul says that the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. Writing to the Philippians he says, "I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance." (Phil 1:19, NIV) Writing to his beloved son in the ministry, Timothy, Paul said, "Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you - guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us." (2 Tim 1:14, NIV). The Holy Spirit help us to manifest the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives, enabling us to be more like Jesus.

He is our Counselor and Advocate. This word brings to mind a defense attorney who is pleading our case before a judge, or one who strengthens and fortifies us. Or one who guides us and advises us. "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:26 NIV)
It is ironic and sad that one of the biggest, if not the biggest rifts in the Body of Christ in our day is over the ministry of the Holy Spirit, specifically over the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit. Whatever your feelings on the subject, you will join me in recognizing that division in the Body of Christ was certainly not God's intention when He sent the Holy Spirit to us.

No matter which side of the theological street you live on, all of us can agree that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to comfort, help, teach and counsel us as we strive to become more like Jesus.


Be Blessed and be A Blessing to One Another!

Dawn

The Heart of the Gospel

Therefore,since we do hold and engage in this ministry by the mercy of God [granting us favor, benefits, opportunities, and especially salvation], we do not get discouraged (spiritless and despondent with fear) or become faint with weariness and exhaustion. We have renounced disgraceful ways (secret thoughts, feelings, desires and underhandedness, the methods and arts that men hide through shame); we refuse to deal craftily (to practice trickery and cunning) or to adulterate or handle dishonestly the Word of God, but we state the truth openly (clearly and candidly). And so we commend ourselves in the sight and presence of God to every man's conscience.

But even if our Gospel (the glad tidings) also be hidden (obscured and covered up with a veil that hinders the knowledge of God), it is hidden [only] to those who are perishing and obscured [only] to those who are spiritually dying and veiled [only] to those who are lost.
For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers' minds [that they should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God.

For what we preach is not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves [merely] as your servants (slaves) for Jesus' sake.
For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as [to beam forth] the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God [as it is manifest in the Person and is revealed] in the face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). 2Cor. 4:1-6 (AMP)


When E. Stanley Jones, well-known missionary to India, had the opportunity to meet with Mahatma Gandhi, he asked a searching question of India’s revered leader: "How can Christianity make a stronger impact on your country?" Gandhi very thoughtfully replied that three things would be required.

First, Christians must begin to live more like Jesus. Second, the Christian faith should be presented without any adulteration. Third, Christians should emphasize love, which is at the heart of the gospel.

These insightful suggestions are the key to effective evangelism around the world. As messengers of God’s love, we are to be human mirrors who reflect without distortion a growing likeness to our Lord; we are not to walk in "craftiness" (2 Cor. 4:2). If our lives reflect an image that is spiritually blurred, the truth of saving grace may not be clearly communicated (vv.3-5). We are also to share the biblical essentials of our faith clearly. We must not handle the Word of God "deceitfully" (v.2). And our lives are to be marked by love for God and others (1 John 5:1-2). Let’s be sure that we reflect a clear image of Jesus’ likeness, the truth of God, and love. — Vernon C. Grounds

Called to be salt and light in this world, Called to preserve and to shine,
Called to reflect the glory of God— Oh, what a calling is mine! —Fitzhugh
The primary reason for living in this world is to reflect the likeness of Chris

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing to One Another!

Dawn

The Consequences of Sin

Christians tend to categorize sins, rating some as small and inconsequential, but others as huge and far-reaching in the damage they cause. In reality, no one sins in isolation. Each disobedience to God affects not only the sinner but also countless others in both the present and the future.

If we were to separate Adam and Eve’s sin from its context, few of us would convict them of great transgression. All they did was swallow some fruit from a tree with a "do not eat" sign. Today people think nothing of ignoring commands—even biblical ones.

But God has a totally different view of our sins. Each one is followed by negative consequences. Adam and Eve’s disobedience led to pain and frustration in two basic areas of fulfillment—relationships and meaningful work. The whole earth fell under sin’s curse, and every person born since then has entered the world with a sin nature that alienates each one from the Lord.

That first rebellion plunged humanity into a terrible condition. Civilization is now plagued by countless ramifications of the innumerable sins committed by human beings throughout the ages. Is it any wonder the world is in such sad shape? Sin not only causes suffering; it robs us of God’s best. The Garden of Eden is closed and locked to sinful mankind.

The good news of Christ’s grace and forgiveness is our only real hope in this fallen world. Though unpleasant, focusing on sin’s consequences is necessary at times to remind us of the greatness of our salvation and to move us to obey God, even in the small things. Each obedience is huge to Him.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing to One Another!

Dawn

Where Are You?

At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt

shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.
When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man[a] and his wife

heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the

Lord God among the trees. Then the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?"
He replied, "I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid.

I was afraid because I was naked."
"Who told you that you were naked?" the Lord God asked.

"Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?"
The man replied, "It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it."
Then the Lord God asked the woman, "What have you done?"
"The serpent deceived me," she replied. "That’s why I ate it."
Gen. 3: 7-13 (NLT)

After not listening to God, Adam and Eve found themselves in a terrible predicament. Their first reaction was to cover up rather than "fess up." Fig leaves can never hide the root problem of sin, but even today, we still try this approach (v. 7). Instead of acknowledging and confessing sin, we often attempt a quick surface fix of the situation.

Adam and Eve’s second response was to avoid God. They knew they were guilty of disobeying, but instead of coming to Him to reestablish their relationship, they hid from Him in fear (v. 8). We can do the same thing when sin breaks our fellowship with the Lord. Have you ever found yourself avoiding prayer and time in the Scriptures because you were struggling with sin and felt guilty?

A third reaction was to try and avoid personal responsibility by blaming others (vv. 12-13). Shifting guilt to another person can’t remove it. We are each responsible before God for our actions, regardless of the circumstances or who else is involved.

Despite Adam and Eve’s sin and their evasive ways of handling it, the Lord came to them (v. 9). Our sin is never large enough to keep Him away; our Father still calls to us and asks, "Where are you?" He knows what we have done and why, but He questions us so that we can come to realize our desperate state.

Never let guilt or shame keep you from God. He continually seeks those who have made a mess of their life and speaks to them through His Word, His Spirit, and His people. Forgiveness and a restored relationship await all who are willing to listen and respond with confession and repentance.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing to One Another!

Dawn

You Were Chosen

With all due respect to blood relatives, there is something powerful about being chosen. If you were adopted into a family, you were chosen. Your parents looked around and said, "We want her." Or "We choose him to be our son." Did you know that adoption's legal bonds are so strong that an adopted child cannot be disowned?

If you are married, then you also know the wonder of being chosen. Out of all the world your spouse chose you to share their name, to share their life, to share everything good and bad that they would encounter for the rest of their years.
But even these powerful bonds can't compare to the truth that God in His infinite grace chose to set His love upon you!

Some people struggle with this truth. They're like, "How dare God choose one person and not choose another!" If that bugs you, you still have a lot to learn about God. "How dare the clay say to the potter, ‘Why have you made me like this?'"(Isaiah 45:9). If God wants to make one vessel for honor and one vessel for dishonor (2 Timothy 2:20), that's what it means to be sovereign. I can't explain that to you. All I can tell you is that when people resist the truth about God's sovereignty to choose, it has led to two errors.

The first error people say is "A loving God wouldn't choose certain people and thereby reject others." So their rationalization leads to the idea that God chooses everyone. Yet John 1:12 says— "only those who receive Him are given the authority to be called the children of God."

Other people say God doesn't have anything to do with it. It's totally us. We're the ones that choose. If you know the Lord, it's because you choose." Of course that's not what the Scripture teaches either. Here are two verses that prove otherwise:

Psalm 91:14: "Because He has set His love upon me, I will set Him on high. Because He has known my name"

Ephesians 1:4: "According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world"
Somehow, before the world was made, God looked into eternity future and chose to set His love upon you. Your inner assurance shines through when you are convinced that God is personally committed to you. For no reason you can claim, you were on His most wanted list.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name,

he gave the right to become children of God

John 1:12

Be Blessed & Be a Blessing to One Another!

Dawn

The Living Word

The Bible is the most amazing book ever written. God used human beings to record His thoughts and words on paper so that we could know Him (2 Peter 1:20-21). The One who spoke the universe into existence still speaks just as powerfully through the pages of the Bible that you hold in your hands.


At the moment of salvation, believers receive the Holy Spirit, and the lines of communication with the Lord are opened. Whenever the Scriptures are read, the children of God are capable of hearing His voice, and the Spirit enables them to understand and put into practice what they have heard.

The Lord says His Word is so effective that it always accomplishes the purpose for which He sends it (Isa. 55:10-11). The Bible is not just a good book with comforting verses. It is active and alive and "performs its work in [those] who believe" (1 Thess. 2:13). The Word of God has the power to change our lives if we will believe Him and do what He says.

God uses Scripture to transform us from the inside out. His Word has the quality of a sword that cuts through our hearts and judges thoughts and intentions, delivering light to the darkness hiding in our souls. This Book tells us not only who God is, but also who we are.
Sometimes life’s concerns can deafen our spiritual "ears." Before reading Scripture, ask God to help you hear and understand what He’s saying. As you believe and obey, your spiritual hearing will become more acute, and your time in the Word will be an intimate conversation with the Lord

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

Heb. 4:12-13

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing to One Another!

Dawn

"GOD'S WILL GOD'S WAY"

Many great men of God stand out to us as we read the Bible.

There was Moses, the great lawgiver who received the Ten Commandments from God on Mt. Sinai. There was Joshua, the powerful military leader who led the Israelites into the Promised Land. There was David, who was the greatest king Israel had ever known. Elijah was one of the great prophets. Peter and Paul were mightily used of God.Yet all of these looked to Abraham as a man of faith.So what lessons can we learn from this man who was called God's friend? When we are first introduced to Abraham, God has told him, "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show
you" (Genesis 12:1 NKJV).

Abraham was raised in a pagan culture that believed in many gods. God knew that for Abraham to stay in his country with his family would be detrimental to his spiritual growth. In fact, his family and friends would not help, but hinder, him.Jesus said to the man who wanted to delay following Him because of his family, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62 NKJV). In the same way, God was essentially saying to Abraham, "You have to make a clean break. You have to leave now if you are going to move forward spiritually."The timing of Abraham's call by God was significant. It occurred shortly after the destruction of Babylon and the dispersion of the nations. Humanity had done its best, and God brought its plans for the future to nothing.Yet God's plan for Abraham was, "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing" (Genesis 12:2 NKJV).

The Lord's commands are rarely accompanied by reasons, but they are always accompanied by promises.There are times when God will speak to you and tell you to do or not do something, and it may not make complete sense at the moment. When the Lord initially told Noah to build the ark, it didn't make sense at the time. But it made perfect sense later.And when the Lord told Abraham to leave his family and country, it didn't make sense at the moment. But he would later understand the plan and purpose of God.The Lord was essentially asking Abraham to trade in one thing, and He would give him something else in its place.

But God's trade-in deals are not the same as what we would expect from our local car dealer.It would be like approaching a Ferrari dealer, wanting to trade in your Pinto with 200,000 miles on it. As you're admiring the red convertible, the dealer says, "Take it—straight trade." That is a good deal.God was saying, "Abraham, you leave these things for Me, and I will give these things to you. It is a straight trade, but you must keep up your end of the deal."Yet many times we don't want to do that. God tells us to turn our back on sin and to turn away from people who could drag us down spiritually. If we do, He will bless us.Unfortunately, this is not what Abraham did. He sort of obeyed, but not completely. God told Him to leave his country, separate himself from his relatives, and go to a land that God would show him. Abraham did leave his country, but he did not separate himself from his family. Nor did he go where God told him to go.

We read that he took his father Terah and his nephew Lot. The name Terah means "delay" and it was a delay for Abraham. Bringing Terah along resulted in a delay of at least five years in a place called Haran, which means "parched."Until Abraham obeyed God in what he previously had been told, we read of no further command from God.Has God told you to do something? Have you been dragging your feet? Have you been partially obeying?Partial obedience is actually disobedience.


God is a stickler for details, and if He tells you to do something, then you need to do all of it—not just what you personally agree with or are comfortable with. We need to do God's will in God's way and in God's time.



Be Blessed and be a Blessing to One Another!

Dawn