I petition for eyes to see true,
to look upon the world as a compassionate man,
hearing beauty in each voice a loving kindness,
and may i feel full of service,
a love for all beings–
beloved invest me with your grace.

Descend upon me oh divine love,
shower me with light to turn away my shades of woe,
for all my hassles are illusion–
i only wish the strength to live a peaceful life.

My darling muse drives my quest,
striving for command of my self i struggle against my own madness,
and i have learned well by heaven’s great example,
the quiet sublime way of simple existence,
the moment of the tranquil smile–
i live for this realization,
my foundation of silent joy.

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Matt 14:31 (ESV)

When I was learning to drive, one of the most important lessons was to tuck my elbows in when I was looking over my shoulder to merge. The reason was, it’s natural for you to start to turn the direction you’re looking. I had to tuck my elbows in so I would stay going straight until I knew it was safe to change lanes.

It’s the same with our faith. Our faith will always follow our focus. Peter learned that in this story. When he saw Jesus walking on water, he asked Jesus to command him to come and walk with Him. Jesus said "come" and Peter got out of the boat. So far so good.

Peter got a few steps before he started thinking about what he was doing. Did I mention that this was during a storm? When Peter took his eyes off of Christ and started to look at the waves, he started to sink. His faith left Christ, and he was doomed.

Our faith is only as strong as what we are putting it in. We put our faith in what we are focused on with our spiritual eyes. When we are focused on Christ, then we can do anything that He asks. When we shift that focus to something else, then we start to fail. For Peter, Jesus was able to step up and save him, that won’t always be the case for us. It is best if we just keep our focus on Christ, and follow where ever He leads.

Consider This…

Where is your faith focused? Are your spiritual eyes on God or something else?

Pray that God will help you keep your focus on Him so that your faith will stay with Him.

TODAY’S VERSE
“But each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life.”
Psalms 42:8 (NLT)

“Either way, Christ’s love controls us.”
II Corinthians 5:14 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
What are you passionate about?  What consumes you? What forces do you allow to shape your everyday experience? You have a choice you know. You can decide what you are going to allow to guide you. The Psalmist chose to look at life through the lens of God’s almighty love. His love is there everyday waiting for your discovery. Jeremiah said that God’s mercies are new every morning. Here the author says that every day God pours His unfailing love upon him. He couldn’t help but sing songs of praise and share life with Almighty God who gave him life. Paul shares how the “love of Christ” controlled him. Likewise, God’s love for you is unlimited. It is unfailing. His grace is sufficient for all you need in this life. Don’t go another day without it. How sad it would be to live your whole life in paradise and never go outside. Stop today, acknowledge His love, give Him your praise. Spend time with God and let His love control your life.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank You for Your love. I thank You that Your love for me is unfailing. I ask that Your Holy Spirit would guide and direct my life and that the love of Christ would consume and control me. Thank You, Father, in Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable ~ if anything is excellent or praiseworthy ~ think about such things. Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

A synonym is a word that means the same thing as another word. For instance, “peaceful” and “calm” would be synonyms. But I have noticed a disturbing trend happening with words, which come from our theological truths, being twisted into meanings and uses that should never be allowed.

I recently heard someone say something was “wickedly fun.” They were using the word “wicked” (which means foul and morally repugnant) to mean “delightful” (which means bringing great joy).

This started me listening to how our words are being used ~ particularly words springing from within the faith ~ and thinking and wondering where we’re headed with our culture. OK, so I know where our culture is headed, but I still can’t help but wonder at it.

Just listen to commercials and prepare to be shocked. Food is described as “sinfully delicious.” A TV program is touted as “a devilishly good time.” A comedian is praised for their “hilariously irreverent” routine. A producer cheerfully announces that “we can do what we want because nothing is sacred anymore!” Blasphemies abound.

A tedious event is referred to as having been “as boring as a sermon.” Or the announcement is made that “temptation never looked this good.”

I can’t count how many advertisements for slasher/horror movies announce that “evil has a new face…” or new name… or new mailing address… But the point is made that “evil” is, somehow, “entertainment.”

Even people who refer to it as a real place still make Hell out to be rather like a bad hair day. I heard a talk show host, some years ago, say to a very obnoxious guest, “There are some days when I believe Hell is right here on earth and it’s having to deal with people like you.” While I understand the frustration, it still doesn’t come close to the eternal horror described in Scripture.

My problem is that when we use words in this way, we demean the reality of the ongoing battle in which we live ~ we belittle the fact that real people are dying and going to either Heaven or Hell. And we sit by and do nothing. Perhaps we’ve heard it all so often that we’ve ceased to hear it any more. But we really need to get a handle on the fact that the choices people make do have very real eternal consequences.

So, because I think this trend is very wrong, I’ve come up with my own new word for this twisted application of these theological word interchanges: Sinonym.

I don’t expect it to catch on; I only expect it to help me remember to watch my own mouth (and along with my mouth, to guard my mind). Someday,  I’ll have to answer to God for my every stray word ~ do the words I use really speak the truth I believe? Because my mouth is the overflow valve on my mind, my thoughts must be focused on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, or praiseworthy. Then I must guard against becoming immunized to the sting of hearing the heresy of these sinonyms.

Perhaps I’m being overly nit-picky.

Perhaps the devil is in the details.

Bharathanjali: Senior personalities in the art field felicitated

It was Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s 84th birthday this Monday and it is a ritual by Acharya Choodamani Anitha Guha where she felicitates and honors exponents in the field of arts for their commendable contribution. The awards were conferred upon by Dr.Pappu Venugopala Rao, Secretary, Music Academy and Prof. Sudharani Raghupathy, Founder, Director, Bharathalaya. What started as honoring young artists 8 years ago has now turned to the older people. Says the ever-smiling Anitha Guha, “Being an ardent Sathya Sai Baba devotee, I try following his saying ‘Love all, Serve all’. This is something that I can do to my artistic family from my side and it is not an award function. It is just a thanksgiving function from Bharathanjali to the doyens of the art field.”

This year being the completion of 20 years of Bharathanjali and 10 years of Bharathanjali trust, around 8 personalities like Yagna Raman, Former Secretary, Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Karthik Rajagopal, Founder-Secretary, Vice President, Karthik Fine Arts, D.S.Ramanujam, Former Secretary, Karthik Fine Arts, Leela Sekar, Chairperson, I.D.A, R.Srinivasan, Senior Executive IOC (Retd.), Member, LAC, TTD, Chennai, Nandini Ramani, Bharatanatyam Exponent, Managing Trustee- Dr.V.Raghavan Centre for Performing Arts, K.Hariprasad, Lecturer in Vocal Music, Kalakshetra, Dr.Gayatri Kannan, Principal of Nrithyodaya. The title given to each awardee was uniquely titled by Anitha Guha herself like Sathya Parama Kala Poshaka Sundaram, Sathya Gandharva Gana Sundaram and Sathya Gana Kokila Sundaram. “These people have been with us helping with our productions from time immemorial and that is why I thought of felicitating them.”

Coming to Anitha Guha’s function and going back home without seeing a dance performance from Bharathanjali sounds ridiculous. Students with the perfect Nritha and Abhinaya gave a few performances which kept the audience in rapt attention. One fact what quite evident and true, Anitha Guha is definitely a boon to the artistic community as she has groomed her students very well.

Chennai Online Reference

I Kings 19:11-13 (NLT)

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Everyone has an opinion. Even those people who choose not to openly share their thoughts and convictions concerning life have them. It is not uncommon for others to freely share their experience and knowledge to aid a friend, acquaintance, and sometimes even an absolute stranger in making it through a challenging circumstance. God’s most solid Christians have moments of uncertainty when the outside counsel of others seem appropriate only to create thunderous roars of endless banter. The storm that is created in one’s mind dulls all reasonable thinking as anxiety and fear rise up from the enemy. The endless chatter rattles the mind until a proverbial earthquake effect is created shattering all that was once firmly grounded as truth. The burning fire of man’s inspection and dissection of life created by the tinder of a sin-based assessment threatens to overtake the controlled-burning of the Holy Spirit. The question even becomes unclear in the dust and rubble of doubt. Hiding away in hopes of disappearing, you hear it. It’s different from the other voices. It is quiet and still. The gentleness breaks your heart in a new way as the comforting peace of God sweeps over you! It’s Him, It’s the Lord! He hasn’t forgotten you! He has just been waiting on His Turn to be heard! Are you listening?

Elijah was on a “mountaintop” of ministry when he suddenly found himself hiding from his enemies in a cave. How did that happen? His head reeling with the warnings of the people, his faith was now completely buried in the rubble of the words of others. All well meaning, yet not necessarily accurate in assessment! It was true that there were threats against his life. Elijah and the prophets were making headway for God. But in these warnings, fear and doubt was harbored and now this mighty man of God was cowering in a cave high on a mountain. In his solitude, God came forward to be heard. He asked His Child, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” See God didn’t tell him to go there, to hide and to relent. God did not tell him to be scared and retreat. The Lord never once introduced the notion of death to Elijah. But the enemy did through the words of others. My friend, the enemy of your soul is using the same tactics today that he did that day in the life of Elijah. God’s promise for you is alive and well. The Truth that your God spoke directly into your heart is not subject to the opinion of others. His purpose is clear in your mind because it is in the care of the Holy Spirit until the time of readiness. Others will not understand no matter how inclined they may be to think so. Your greatest purpose is revealed in one-on-one communication with God. Don’t let the words of others steal your victory today! God is whispering to you! Forget the noise! He is peaceful and sweet in His Great Love for you and will not add to the pressure but dismiss it completely!

Ezekiel 3:22-23 (NLT)

Then the Lord took hold of me and said, “Get up and go out into the valley, and I will speak to you there.” So I got up and went, and there I saw the glory of the Lord, just as I had seen in my first vision by the Kebar River. And I fell face down on the ground.

Is God calling you to the valley today? If it has become impossible to think in the midst of clamoring opinions, rattling insights, and pounding pressure, it is definitely time to turn off the noise and listen for your Father! The Lord will speak directly to you concerning any and every situation if you will just separate yourself from the noise. His Voice is quiet and peaceful and His Words are truth! They will make your path straight and open His Kingdom to you right now, right here. When you do this, you will see the Glory of God! Your answer will be clear and certain! Peace will be yours! Purpose fulfilled and Promises revealed! Listen, Jesus is calling you to the valley. He wants to speak to you today!

Jesus said to them, “Why do you cowards have so little faith?” Then he got up, gave an order to the wind and the sea, and the sea became very calm.

Matt 8:26 (GW)

It is easy to have faith when the sea is calm and the skies are clear. It is something else entirely when the waves are crashing and the storm is blasting around you. Real faith weathers the storm.

Life is full of storms. Some can seem never ending. It’s bad enough that we have to face them, but when God doesn’t seem to care, and we feel left alone, then it’s all too easy to give into despair. The storm that the disciples found them selves in here was very real, and very big. The fact that Jesus was in the boat with them didn’t seem to help matters any. It actually seemed to make things worse for them.

When they woke Jesus us, they accused Him of not caring. They thought they were going to die, and He hadn’t done anything to prevent it. I don’t think Jesus’ response what quite what they were looking for. He wanted to know why they didn’t have more faith. Yes, the situation was not the way they wanted it to be, but they hadn’t died yet, now would they. He calmed the storm, not to save their lives, but to show them that He was in control along.

When we are in a storm of life, we have to remember that God is in control and that He loves us. Just because thing are not the way we want them to be does not mean we can loose faith. It is these times that show us what our faith really is like. It is how we see what God can really do. We need to be thankful for the tough times.

Consider This…

How is your faith in the storms? Do you trust God to see you through it, or are you angry that He has not calmed it yet.

If you are in a storm right now, pray that God will give you peace and remind you that He is in the boat with you. If you are not, pray that God will build your strength so that when it does come you can weather it well.

1Ch 16:34 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Today is Thanksgiving. Most of us have a lot to be thankful for.

Many have families around them and will gather around the table to share a feast. There are also many who have no family and/or no feast to share. We will be serving Thanksgiving dinner to some 300-400 people/families in our community. As I pour their drinks I will be praying that hey will come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord and that they will be able to give thanks to God for His gift. After we finish serving we will go to our daughters house and share a feast with 5 of our 8 grandchildren. The children are already planning to say at least one thing for which they are thankful. Whether you find yourself alone, with friends or with family, be sure to make this a day of thankfulness to God. He is good and His love does endure forever. Praise His glorious name.

This post continues with the splendor and dignity of merging mutual rewards into a successful marriage.

I can’t repeat this often enough: Sex does not bond men. However, investing himself bonds a man. Rewards earned keep him invested, because rewards encourage more of the same behavior. Excuses and denials discourage sexual episodes but not the male sex drive.

Pre-marital sex for a couple takes the crown off her marital majesty. It suggests others may have known her, implies she may be bribing him, and reduces reward-ability if they do marry. None may be fatal, but each weakens her holding power for a lifelong marriage.

For sex with her to be a reward, he has to invest himself. A small investment for sex with her may be somewhat rewarding, but does it make him want to live with her forever? A man’s devotion springs from actions, such as investing himself in something—hobby, woman, job? The greater his investment of himself, the greater is his reward.

Husbanding and fathering require rewards to keep a man loyal and dedicated. Rewards imply more to come, which keeps his attentions on the one providing rewards. Sex is not truly a reward unless conquest has been worked for, and subsequent events are encouraged and not reluctantly given.

In the end, the investment of his independence comes from withholding her ultimate asset until he makes the ultimate commitment of marrying her. It sounds so simple, but few relationship accommodations are more difficult.

The majesty, the splendor and dignity of sex? It rises with lifelong devotion and dedication to one another. It feeds off romantic intimacy, if the proper foundation was laid earlier.

I Thessalonians 5:16-18 (Message)

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.

Are you stressed out yet? Do you have at least five lists concurrently running? Is the turkey really thawed or are you in for a real surprise today around dinner time? Will your in-laws become out-laws? Will all your leftovers fit in the refrigerator? How can there possibly be more that your children could want after last Christmas and why in the world can’t it be compatible with the previous game system? Seriously, are ten Christmas parties and three productions absolutely necessary to welcome the newborn King? With heart racing and numbers crunching, anxiety building and depression looming as the holiday season officially arrives, I would like for everyone to stop! Take a deep breath and let it out! Now breathe in again and allow the Holy Spirit to cleanse the clutter from your mind. Today is Thanksgiving which literally means to “give thanks.” However, you may already be overwhelmed with the new arrival of the season that the concept of being truly thankful has been lost. The truth is all the details that create “the” perfect holiday with all the delicious foods, overworked cooks, reduced budgets and pressing details do not promote the heart of the holiday that your Heavenly Father intended. He hardly was thinking of Butterball when He called His Children to be thankful. In fact, God directly links cheerfulness with thankfulness and prayer. The more we are able to convey our appreciation to the Lord the more joy we experience in everyday life. It really is quite simple and does not require a detailed menu, extended guest list or meticulous time schedule, it is a moment of peaceful quiet when all these meaningless things are pushed aside and God’s Child says, “Thanks Dad! I am happy just because you are the Lord of my life! I am content in the blessings you have placed in my life and long only for that which comes from you!”  These simple words will bless God’s Heart!

There is a dinette set which was the first piece of “new” furniture that was purchased for our home. Perfect for a large family and a small space, it fit neatly in the eat-in and its cozy bench for our little girls perfect. It has served our family well over the past several years and endured many family meals, school projects and only the Lord knows what else. It has many blemishes from its years of faithful service and there is an ongoing discussion of replacing it. But this table’s marks are images of great triumphs and victories of God’s great love and care for our family for if you look closely it bears the inscription our little girl who struggled for a long time to write her name until Her Heavenly Father said enough and touched her little body! The awkward letters proclaim the healing touch of God. It is a powerful reminder of a God who is mindful of me. When I wash away the crumbs or sit to grab a bite to eat it reminds me to be thankful for God in all things even those things that to others may prove unsightly. Today stop and look around and allow God to remind you of how He met you and loved you and cared for you! The turkey can wait, the football game recorded but this moment will be wasted if not claimed.

Colossians 4:2 (NLT)

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

Be on alert! The people and things that comprise your home and your life are gifts directly from the Hand of God to you His Child! Let that which surrounds you promote a continuous prayer of thankfulness for it marks God’s constant inhabitants in your life. His Blessing has sustained you and His Favor maintains it with the promise of a fabulous future. The joy and peace of this holiday season begins in a moment of being truly thankful exactly where you are with precisely what you have without the pressure to perform and the need to satisfy others. Breathe in His Peace today and you will exhale praise and thanks to Jesus the One who loves you most and was willing to show you with His Life.

Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.

Acts 10:33, NIV

I was reading in the Bible about Cornelius, the centurion. Had I lived in the time of the early Church, I would have loved to meet this man. In Acts 10 we learn that he was a devout man, prayed regularly and gave generously to the people. We also read that all his household followed in his footsteps. Everyone agreed that he was a good man.

Most of all, Cornelius listened to God. An angel came to him with a message; he was to fetch Simon Peter, who would teach him the ways of the Lord. From that moment on Cornelius gave himself no rest, until Peter had come to his household. He practically dragged Peter into his house. Not only that, but he made sure that his family and friends were there to hear the message too. ‘Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.’ They were eager and reverent listeners!

Are we people who listen? Do we know how to come expectantly into the presence of God? Do we sense when God wants to talk to us? We all need to ask ourselves these questions. Cornelius’ story teaches us to pray, to be quick to obey when God gives a command and to be teachable – to be humble.

But the part that thrills me most in this story is, although we may do all we can to follow God, He is also involved in our lives and doesn’t leave us to struggle on by ourselves. Cornelius was following God with all his heart, but to move forward he needed God’s special word at this particular moment in his journey.

‘He (Peter) will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved’ (Acts 11:14). This message was a matter of life or death for Cornelius. He recognized it and God rewarded his obedience. ‘While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message’ (Acts 10:44).

Are you taking time to listen carefully to all that God wants to say to you?

Prayer: Father, I thank You that being a Christian means walking with You. It’s not just me trying to follow You, but You ‘follow’ my progress too. Lord, would You please help me to recognize Your presence and Your voice. Would You help me to pray and expect You to answer? I love You Father! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Student’s Desk Devotion

Psalm 103:1-5

Praise the Lord, O my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits—

who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Prayer

Lord, we thank you for your holiness. That you stand above all things, and as such, you have authority over what happens. So we praise you that you forgive our sins. You heal our diseases, and you do not abandon us in our struggles, but you restore us. Lord as we continue to look at Jesus’ miracles, may we learn something more of Jesus. Help us understand how Jesus helps us in our struggles, especially with loneliness, and may we yearn to be in relationship with you.

In his name we pray, amen.

Mark 5:24-34

A large crowd followed [Jesus] and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

“You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’”

But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Jesus: the end of loneliness

Have you ever felt lonely? Have you ever felt like you’ve been pushed to one side? Have you ever felt exclude, or not welcomed?

Perhaps it has been as a result of the way we’ve been treated by family, or friends, or work mates. Perhaps it’s come from the people who care for us. Wherever our loneliness has come from, it is real.

We feel loneliness because we are social creatures. We want to feel and know that we matter to someone. And so often the relationships we crave are just beyond our grasp. And it’s not just because we have a severe disability or a speech impairment that we can’t access a fulfilling relationship. All of us crave more than what another person can give.

We feel loneliness because we are designed for relationships that we either can’t access, or are not fulfilling, or both.

So let me tell you about the ultimate relationship. A relationship that is accessible, and is fulfilling. What relationship would that be? A relationship with a Jesus. In this particular instance we’ve just read, it starts with a woman. Let me tell you about this woman.

This woman is on the outside of outsiders. Mainly because she has a severe medical condition. Because of her medical condition, she is not to come in contact with anyone. In fact she is not to be anywhere near anyone. She is not permitted even to talk to anyone! She can’t go shopping. She can’t worship God with other people. She can’t even see her own family! Would you agree that this is one of the most lonely people ever to have existed?

Yet, she has heard something about Jesus. She has concluded that Jesus can heal her. She’s got it in her mind that if Jesus can heal her, then, she will not be lonely anymore. She wont need to live on the outskirts of town anymore. She’ll be able to live like anyone else. Yet Jesus is about to give her something much better than what she has conceived of. Yet before Jesus takes her there, she is about to go on an extraordinary journey of faith.

Faith begins by recognising who Jesus is. This woman recognized that Jesus possessed a God-like character, and all she needed to do was touch his clothes. And this belief leads her to do extraordinary things.

In the story, we read there was a crowd around Jesus. And remember I said before that because of her medical condition, she wasn’t to be anywhere near anyone? Yet we find this woman in the middle of the crowd. Whoa! How did she get there? Her faith got her there.

But then she does another extraordinary thing. She touched Jesus. Remember I said before because of her medical condition, she was not to come in contact with anyone? Now Jesus was known to be a teacher, a healer, someone doing the work of God. Jesus was the last person she should have been touching. How DARE she deliberately touch Jesus??? She dared to touch Jesus by faith, and she was healed.

Faith is audacious. Faith is daring. Faith goes against convention. Faith is belief put into action. And this is the kind of faith that this woman had.

It is this faith that Jesus builds on to bring this woman to a greater understanding of who he is.

While the basis of the woman’s solution to her loneliness was being healed of her medical condition, Jesus solution was to bring her into a relationship with himself.

Jesus knew power had gone out from him, and he stops and asks the impossible. “Who touched my garments?” Jesus asked this because he wanted this woman to know that what just happened matters. That she matters. That her faith matters. And Jesus does this in the most incredible but simple way. By speaking with her.

Do you realise that this is probably the first time in 12 years that someone spoke with her? It’s an extraordinary moment for this woman. For once this woman was being treated like a person, not like a medical condition. The relationship that she had craved was fulfilled by Jesus. Notice that Jesus called this woman his daughter! To call someone ‘daughter’ is very intimate. And it’s entirely appropriate because she has entered into the ultimate relationship. This is why Jesus says to her “…your faith has healed you.” Being physically healed to resolve her loneliness was not going to work. She needed to enter a personal relationship with Jesus founded on faith. The kind of faith this woman had. And now she had the ultimate relationship – friendship with God.

Loneliness is a problem we all face. Even we who know Jesus will struggle with loneliness from time to time. Maybe allot. It’s not because we are faithless. But because as Christians we still crave relationships with each other we can’t access or are unfulfilling. The difference Jesus makes is he brings an end to our loneliness by drawing us into a relationship, into friendship, with God. This relationship is founded on faith. Faith that recognises Jesus for who he really is. Faith that is radical. Faith that allows us to be daring even in the face of adversity.

The Bible makes it very plain that we matter to Jesus. We matter so much to Jesus that he died for us and paved the way for a new life, and in that new life, loneliness will be a thing of the past. So as Christians, when we feel lonely, our loneliness should not end in despair, because we know we matter to Jesus. We know we matter to God. We know the things that are happening in our lives matter. We also know we have new life with God where loneliness will be no more. So when we feel lonely, what a gift, what a mercy, we have in being able to reflect upon the relationship we have with God. Not only that, but we can also help others who struggle with loneliness. We can say to the person we understand their struggle, and we can tell them about the friendship with God made available to them by Jesus and bring an end to their loneliness.

Loneliness has its end in Jesus. What a mercy that we matter to Jesus!

© The Student’s Desk, 2009

(I wrote these two short opinion pieces about a year ago. They seem really appropriate today, so here they are ~ enjoy and ponder, and ponder how you will answer the call for genuine faith in God through Christ)

Don’t Forget Why You Came

The Rise of the Evangelical Ecumenacult in America

There are many fine interfaith organizations in our nation. They have been formed for specific purposes, and to meet specific needs. From food banks to urban renewal, these groups have formed as a way to pool the available resources, which are often limited, to better serve the community in which they exist.

So, a coalition will form, for instance, to reclaim a park from gangs and violence to make it a safe place for the neighborhood to enjoy. So a voodoo priestess will work beside a Catholic nun, to paint out the graffiti. A Jewish rabbi will bring members of the Synagogue to work beside a group of Buddhists to pick up all the trash. And the Nazarenes, Lutherans, Shamans and Methodists will all work beside Baptists, astrologers and Mormons to repair the playground equipment.

The entire neighborhood comes together and works to accomplish a project that benefits the neighborhood. This coalition then takes on another project. And then another. The neighborhood begins to flourish. Everyone recognizes that they can get so much more done when they work together.

They meet for a common prayer time to pray a special blessing over the area. “After all,” they say, “we’re really a lot more alike than we are different.” So they come together to affirm the various ways of interacting with the Eternal, because it makes the neighborhood work better. “After all, we’re really not all that diverse, are we?”

As a coalition, they show no preference for one way over another ~ that’s not their purpose. They uphold and encourage the varied religious institutions in their neighborhood. They agree that everyone should have the freedom to follow his or her individual faith in our nation ~ and in our neighborhoods.

Unfortunately, we have a tendency to forget why we came together. We move from having days of working side by side, to days of common worship. We have ceremonies that place the God of the Bible on the same level as the Hindu pantheon of deities.

The Israelites followed this same pathway to destruction of the original Temple. They began with God. Other people worshiped gods who were not God, so they recognized the One, true God and the non-gods. Then they began to recognize that the non-gods were very important to these other people ~ so it became God and the lesser gods. This grew into the notion of God as a sort of Super-God over all the gods. This developed into a pantheon of deities who were all on pretty much even footing…

So they came together to affirm the various ways of interacting with the Eternal, because it made their neighborhoods work better. After all, they were really not all that diverse, were they?

Then God allowed the Babylonians to destroy the Temple and carry the Chosen People into captivity for a taste of what it is really like to be in a region run by a despot with too many gods.

I believe we are on the brink of seeing this same sort of object lesson play out in our own nation. There are many reasons for this, and one is ~ in my own opinion ~ the rise of the Evangelical Ecumenacult, which threatens to destroy the very reason we first called ourselves Evangelical. Does anyone remember back when we thought we had THE good news?

While I’m not calling for some sort of Christian jihad, I do think that one of the destructive markers of the Christian faith is the willingness to go along with others in this very fallen world. If we are all going to reclaim the park from the gangs, I would expect the Christians to be in the midst of those who are not Christians… But I would also expect them to remember that they came together to reclaim the park.

Then, if someone wants to talk about matters of faith, I would also expect the Christians to be ready to give a reason for their hope…

We must never forget why we came in the first place. This will also make it easier to remember in Whose Name we showed up.

Don’t Forget Why They Came

The Fall of the Evangelical Church in America

There are many denominations in our nation. They were formed out of specific movements or to meet specific needs. Sometimes stepping away from another group in favor of a different interpretation and application of Scripture; sometimes stepping into an area to better serve a specific segment of society.

At the core, each is looking for a way to better know God, and a way to better make Him known. Some view the sanctuary as a place for the faithful to gather for worship, discipleship, exhortation and encouragement. In this pursuit, they have, over the years, tended to become very exclusive. So, not wanting to be in the position of restricting others from the Good News, they open themselves to allow others in ~ after all, “How will they hear except someone tell them?”

This means that all kinds of people come in. And we do all we can to make them feel welcome. We don’t look down on them for their piercings and tattoos. We look past their shameful lives and welcome them into our church building. We aren’t going to be the ones to tell them they’re sinners; they know they’re not perfect. Besides, they might not stay around long enough to hear the Good News.

As we do this, we come to view the sanctuary as the world in a microcosm ~ only with a Christian theme. We make our meetings “safe places” for people who are far from God. We avoid saying anything divisive. We avoid speaking in absolutes. We never speak of decisions as being in the realm of ultimate things.

With great love, and in the Name of Jesus, we welcome them into our lives. We invite them to become involved in the life of the Church. We hold them dear to ourselves. We see them thrive in the organization and we rejoice with them with each new accomplishment. Eventually, we ordain them and let them teach us from our own pulpits.

Sadly, though they are treasured members of the congregation, we never managed to get them into the family of Jesus. And because we gave up our moral absolutes in order to make them feel welcome, those absolutes are no longer in place as we make our decisions about how to run God’s Church.

Now, I’ve condensed decades, generations ~ even centuries ~ into a few short paragraphs. But, this is how we have come to a place where John and Charles Wesley would never recognize ~ indeed they would likely renounce ~ the churches bearing the Methodist name. And I’m not here to pick on only the Methodist brand name. Look at how liberal the other old-line Protestant denominations have become. If Martin Luther were alive today, he’d roll over in his grave!

I’m not calling for any hate crimes. I’m not calling for any stonings. I’m simply pointing out a very sad truth: In an effort to be more loving, we have neglected to tell people the truth.

In that process, a once vibrant congregation became a social club. The ordinances became choices in an array of ways to experience God. The sanctuary became a venue. Repentance became optional. Salvation became a buzzword. And the cross became merely decorative.

People once came to our churches with a certain respect for them. People knew that they were coming into the presence of God; they expected to be confronted with the Truth. And we, in turn, respectfully gave up our theological reasoning.

Now I’m not calling for Christian exclusivity, or a bunker mentality. One of the distinctive markers of Christ’s presence in our lives is our willingness to get along with others in this very fallen world… But I would also expect us to remember that they came to us because we are followers and teachers of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. They came to us because we have the Good News.

We must never forget why they came to our churches in the first place. This will also make it easier for us to remember Who they came looking for.

TODAY’S VERSE
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!”
Psalms 100:4 (ESV)

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”
Philippians 4:6 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It would seem, from our human viewpoint, that it is easier to give thanks to God when everything is going well, than it is when we have conflict and trouble in our life. When there is sickness, discouragement, failure, misunderstandings; when all seems to be lost, how can we give thanks? But thankfully, we have so much more that a human viewpoint. We have a Heavenly vantage. We see through the filter of God’s power, grace, mercy, peace and love. The privilege of knowing God transcends our circumstances. Who are we to enter His gates? What have we ever done to be invited into His courts? And yet we are. Our most precious and mighty God has invited us to know Him and to love Him and with that, we give thanks. And so, even when there are things to worry about, even when we have great needs, we can pray to our Heavenly Father. And with our prayers, we can give thanks. Oh that today, God would receive from our lips an offering of thanks.    

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I give You thanks for who You are. I give You thanks for Your grace, mercy, peace and love in my life. I give You thanks for making me Your child and promising to never leave me or forsake me. I praise You and thank You in Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. Genesis 3:6

Thanksgiving, for United States’ folk, is coming.

Then come the holidays . . . and the parties . . . and the baking . . . and the sweets . . . and the . . . .

Before we know it, we will be looking at New Year’s resolutions and many of us will climb on the scale, look down at the numbers and say,“That’s not good. I’m going to have to lose weight in the New Year.”

The same thing happens every year. Why? The bottom line is this: we’re just not very good with temptation. Look at the verse that began this devotion. Eve saw something that looked real good to eat, and she ate, and her husband . . . he thought it looked pretty good, too. And he ate.

You see, we’re not very good with temptation.

If that’s your story, this devotion is coming to the rescue. We’re giving all you chocolate lovers the news you’ve been hoping would arrive.

There is a chocolate sale going on that helps you lose weight. It’s called Lola chocs. The stuff is 100 percent natural and tastes like normal chocolate (or so I’ve been told). It’s got extra ingredients that help a person feel full. Two Lola chocs before a meal and you won’t feel like eating very much.

Now I haven’t tasted the stuff so I can’t recommend it, but I do have to say the chocolate, because of the microscopic algae they use in processing it, is an interesting shade of green. See, it’s working; you don’t feel nearly as hungry, do you?

Maybe Lola chocs can help us with the eating temptation, but what are we going to do with the millions of other temptations the devil and the world dump before us? I doubt if there’s a chocolate that can help with all those.

The truth is we’re not very good with temptations. Oh, as Christians we resist, but we still slip, stumble, and fall. This is precisely why we sinners need to approach the Lord and say, “Be merciful.” It is why we need to be so very thankful for the birth of the Savior who is good news of great joy for the world . . . for us . . . and for everyone who isn’t very good with temptation.

Salvation over temptation — that is something for which to be most thankful.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, we humans aren’t very good with temptation. We try to avoid the wrong, and we often end up doing it anyway. Today we give thanks for the Savior who has managed to avoid the temptations that trip us up. May we give thanks for Him this day and always. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Happy Thanksgiving! God’s greatest Blessings to you all,

Vince, Betsy, Megan and Erica

Jesus said, "What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this? Bring the boy here."

Matt 17:17 (MSG)

You will notice that this verse comes from the same passage as the verse for Monday. What was going on was that some people came to Jesus and told him that there as this demon posed boy, and they couldn’t get the demon out. They wanted Jesus to do it. They thought it was to hard for them.

We see a different Jesus than we learned about in Sunday School. This is not the lovy dovy Jesus what says everything is fine. This is a God who can and does get mad at His people when they refuse to get it. Jesus knew that they had not really tried.

Before they even started, they thought it was too much for them. They did not have the faith. Also, they did not see this as a problem because Jesus would always be around to do the hard stuff for them. This is why Jesus was mad.

He wanted them to step out and do the hard things. He wanted them to take a risk. He wanted them to put their faith into action. He wanted them to trust that God would give them the strength to do what they were commanded to do. He wanted them to grow up.

Consider This…

Are you taking the easy way out of life? Are you waiting on other people to do the hard things for you? Are you still acting like a kid?

Pray that God will help you to grow up. Pray that He will give you the courage to do the hard things.

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 24

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 25

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?  27

Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 31

(For all these things do the Gentiles seek;) for your heavenly Father knoweth you have need of all these things. 32

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 33 (Matthew 6:24,25,27,31-33)

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6,11-12, 19

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:2-4

If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

But godliness with contentment is great gain.

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 1 Timothy 6:3-9

Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Philippians 3:17-20

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 1 John 2:15-17

But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. Mark 8:33

Why multiply scriptures and give no explaination? Because the Word of God is clear, because if ye wrestle ye wrestle not against flesh and blood, but rather fight against God.

What does this have to do with the title: Focused Prayer? Because as long as we are caught up in life and the things of this world we cannot pray as we ought, we cannot focus as we ought on the things that we should be focused on while we’re yet focused on the things concerning this life. The greatest commandment in the Word of God is this:  “…thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:” Mark 12:30

When we focus on the things concerning the kingdom of God, then God will add those things unto us that we need to make it in this life.

Again addressing the topic… if all our prayer efforts are for financial help and gain for ourselves, for our own person agendas and things that will profit us the kindgom itself will suffer great lack. Therefore Paul said, “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” Philippians 2:4

Our focus should be on the things of God and bearing one another’s burdens. This is the way the church should operate. Again I quote Paul, “Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.” 1 Corinthians 10:24

You could perhaps convince yourself by reading that whole passage that Paul was only saying that in a particular way, but Paul this is too similar to what he said in Philippians above and what he taught and practiced throughout his ministry to be thrown out.

My prayer for myself and for you all who love God is that we love Him wholly and live a life that is pleasing to Him, seeking those things which are above and not the things on the earth (ref. Colossians 3:1-2) that God Himself may be magnified and glorified in us.

Scripture:

John 9:8-12 Then the neighbors and the people who had seen him previously as a beggar began saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some people said, “This is the man!” while others said, “No, but he looks like him.” The man himself kept insisting, “I am the one!”  So they asked him, “How then were you made to see?”  He replied, “The man called Jesus made mud, smeared it on my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and was able to see”

Observation:

The people had a place for this man – it was on the ground begging.  That was his “job”, his lot in life.  This was expected of him to such a degree that once he was healed, some cease to recognize him, because the blind are not healed.  And when he insisted that he was the same man, they asked how the change happened and his factual account of mud in his eye, washing and then receiving his sight described not just an opening of his formerly dysfunctional eyes, but a change in social status among the people.  For we know that blindness – as other maladies – was presumed to be caused by the sin in one’s life or that of one’s parents (John 9:2, 9:34) – so this was a work of forgiveness – as are all miracles works of grace – as well as a personal, physical miracle for the man.  He was no longer on the ground, no longer asking for alms so he might survive. 

Application:

Do we look on the afflicted or downtrodden as people who BELONG afflicted or downtrodden?   Is it the major part of their identity in our eyes?  If so, we need to know the blind can see and the lame can walk.  As much as it was this man’s lot in life to sit and beg for however long he did so, it was also people’s caste assignment to put him on the ground, under foot, so as to speak.  Is that where we think some people belong?  If so, we need to know that they will one day stand.  We need the eyes of faith that bring encouragement to the ones brought so low.  We need to get on the ground with them so that God would use us to life them to their feet and made the mud that helps them see.  Our outlook must be for restoration, for transformation towards God’s glorious purpose.  Do NOT give up on the hopeless ones, for they are not hopeless in the least. They may one day be the people God one day uses to heal US, so get over it.

Likewise, if it becomes the expectations of others that WE remain on the ground and underfoot, take heart, for God’s Son has appeared and has become the Lifter of our heads and the Healer of our disease.

Prayer:

Father, let us embrace the lowly, ennobling them with encouragement and tender treatment.  Where bruises have been their lot, let us envision them healed.  Where there is blindness, grant that we could lead them into the light.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Hebrews 12:13-15 (Message)

Work at getting along with each other and with God. Otherwise you’ll never get so much as a glimpse of God. Make sure no one gets left out of God’s generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God’s lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God’s blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.

There is a lifetime between man and God that is to be filled with moment after moment. How this time is spent will dramatically affect the process of preparation for the Kingdom of God? Time is different there as are God’s priorities. Once a person becomes saved, their hunger and appetites change based on the promise of God concerning their life and purpose. Suddenly those things that once satisfied or numbed the longings are just not enough. Consecrated lifestyles separate man from the worldly comforts that once temporarily satisfied the carnal desires. Now all of that seems insufficient. These new longings can only be filled by that which is found in the Presence of God but will never be satisfied with a discontent heart. When God is at work it often appears as though, He is not working at all because His Ways are different from the world’s way. Therefore it is a challenge to maintain  faith when taken to the very edge of possibility, dangerously close to failure and beyond the help offered by others or one’s own hands. It is the release of all self-control and total reliance on the ability of God. It is at this extreme where one may experience the temptation to abandon the pathway set before them by the Lord and take the easy way out. Those who remain on course with a content heart will meet God!

Successful advertising is the key to commercial success and the promotion of company products and services nationwide. The more exposure a company receives the more their product sells and the higher the profit. The corporation that is able to make their product a household name that is coveted by many, directly benefits the establishment. Once we are saved, God begins to show us the greatness of His Purpose designed for us and suddenly we become discontent with the things around us. His Plan is to woo us into a consecrated life of service to Jesus that we may experience the incredible blessings of His Kingdom. Our selfish need for immediate gratification, however, will almost inevitably lead us to make impulsive decisions if our heart is not satisfied in the Lord. God is looking for sanctified lives with righteous standards to make His Dwelling Place and to prosper. He will exalt those who are able to separate themselves from self-promotion and invest in long term commitment to Kingdom Goals.  One tiny seed of discontentment can completely derail a journey to the Promise of God. A sanctified life is marked by a peaceful heart that is content to be productive and conducive to spiritual blessing. Those who remain in right standing with God will begin to prosper and be vessels of abundant overflow. No need for religious lifestyles but simply maintaining the right position to obtain and redirect God’s Blessing!

Psalm 65:4 (Amplified)

Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You choose and cause to come near, that he may dwell in Your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple.

On those days when you feel frustrated that God is taking too long or maybe your blessing seems just out of reach, close your eyes and open your heart. Those who God calls to be sanctified and set apart for His Use are truly happy, fortunate and to be envied. However, when discontentment settles over our eyes, we fail to see the Hand of God at work. The weeds it produces choke out all spiritual growth and allow doubt to cover the pathway to victory. Inspect your heart today and ask the Holy Spirit if discontentment has crept in. It is easy to spot as it is marked by bitterness, envy, jealously and pettiness that steals from the beautiful courts of God’s Dwelling Place – your heart! Ask the Lord to reveal those bitter seeds of discouragement that are threatening the exponential growth and unhindered freedom that is yours!