Family Friday: Busy? Be Still and Know That I Am God...

Written by Mrs. Krysten Vestal

Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God…”

     Two of the most difficult words to hear as a child are “Be still.”  I’m sure we can all remember numerous times throughout our childhood when we received this admonition.  Even as adults, our nature is to be active physically, emotionally, and mentally as we face the day to day challenges of everyday life.  Most of the time, we are bombarded with the “busy-ness” of life and things that scream urgency but are,in reality, not that important.      My dad always encouraged us to see and recognize the difference between those things that are “urgent” and those things that are “important.”  Important things like our daily walk with God, prayer, focusing on Him, caring for our homes and families are most important, but often neglected.  Why does this happen?  I believe we are constantly bombarded with things that seem “urgent” like emails, social media, television, pinterest, etc.  Those things are not wrong unless we get our priori-ties out of order. 

    The Bible admonishes us to “be still.”  When was the last time we have stopped everything to focus on our Heavenly Father who truly makes everything possible?  I admit in my own life it is a daily challenge to choose to “be still.”  However, I have found that if we choose daily to start the day with God “being still” in prayer, Bible reading, and focusing on Him, the rest of the day goes a whole lot better no matter how “busy” we are!

 *When was the last time we released the pressing issues of life to God?

 *When was the last time we just enjoyed being in God’s presence? 

 *When was the last time we have been quiet enough to hear the whisper of God?

 *What would happen if we would truly “be still.”

Try it!  Take the challenge for the next 5 minutes.

 *Let the immediate and the urgent things drop.

 *Release and relax in God’s presence.

 *Be still & be quiet.

 *Focus on the greatness of our God. 

Thoughtful Thursday: Autumn Blessings

Autumn Blessings 

by Deborah Ann Belka

(Source)

 Autumn brings to the soul relief,
as hot Summer days, slip to an end
God sent the season for weary hearts
to restore, repair and mend.

Unlike the Autumn trees,
that shed their changing leaves
God sent the season for failing hearts
to adhere, embrace and cleave.

Just as with the Autumn winds,
there comes a new refreshing rain
God sent the season for fraying hearts
to increase, grow and gain.

The Autumn sun is slow to climb,
and dips much earlier into the night
God sent the season for sleepy hearts
to rise, shine and awake in His light.

God gave to us the Autumn season,
so we could have a respite and rest
for it is the season for our beset souls
to see how much we are blessed!

~~~~~~~~~

Psalm 16:9

“Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.”

Monday's Message: Reconciliation

2 Corinthians 5:18-21

¹⁸ And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

¹⁹ To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰ Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

²¹ For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Reconciliation means to reestablish a close relationship; a person’s behavior becoming acceptable to another after a time of separation. In this passage we see that we have been reconciled to God through the death of Jesus Christ. We already know and have discussed that we were sinners and that through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we can be forgiven of our sins. And we know from verse 17 that when this happens we are new creatures, born-again children of God, filled with His Spirit.But here we see it described as a reconciliation, reestablishing that relationship between God and Man that we lost when Adam sinned.

Now, this reconciliation is in two parts, the ministry of reconciliation and the word of reconciliation. First, it is the ministry, or the administering of, reconciliation. Notice verse 18 …who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; this refers to the gift of salvation, Notice that it was given, it cannot be earned. Romans 6:23 says,For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. We were sinners, guilty in the sight of God, worthy of death. But God, through His Son, Jesus Christ, reconciled us to Himself. He did this by putting our sins onto Christ, and the righteousness of Christ, onto us. Some would call this the bait and switch, but it is not a con game, because that would imply that God or we benefited illegally. But God is a God of justice and sin requires the penalty of death, as Romans 6:23 says,Forthe wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. God, knowing His law, paid the penalty Himself in the person of Jesus Christ, and because Jesus Christ did not deserve to pay that penalty, He could then apply it to the sins of the world. Read verse 19 again,To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and verse 21;For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.Since Jesus had no sins of His own to pay for then He could pay for our sins. Like a spotless lamb, as a picture of faith in the coming Messiah, was slaughtered for the sins of Israel, so Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, was slaughtered to pay for the sins of the whole world. The wages of sin is death…

The only requirement, faith. Ephesians 2:8-9 says,Forby grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:Not of works, lest any man should boast.Why is faith required? Because for a person to be saved they must believe they are lost. And if a person does not admit they are lost, then they cannot be saved. John 3:16-18 says,For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Look in the Bible, from Cain to the Pharisees, we see Man trying to work, to earn his way to Heaven. But it is impossible, because the penalty of sin is death. So if you try to be good enough to go to Heaven, you will fall short as Romans 3:23 says, For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The only Man that has ever been justified in the sight of God was Jesus Christ. For only He lived a sinless life, because only He could, because He was also God. And because of His sinless life he became the perfect sacrifice for sin. And what does the Bible say of us, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. When we come to God,admitting that we cannot save ourselves, that we do not deserve it but we ask His forgiveness, realizing that because Christ already paid for our sins on the Cross, we can have that forgiveness, only then are we truly saved. God says that salvation cannot be earned, it must be given, and it can only be given when we admit that it cannot be earned.Only then will we be truly reconciled to God.

The second part of reconciliation is the word of reconciliation. Read the last half of verse 19 through verse 21 …and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Believer, you and I have been given an amazing gift, the gift of reconciliation. But this is not just Jesus reconciling us to God, although that is an unspeakable blessing. No, this is us, as Christ’s ambassadors, preaching the word of reconciliation to the lost. Paul was telling the Corinthian church that if we have been saved, if we have been reconciled to God, then God has a job, a ministry for us. The ministry and the word of reconciliation. That is why Jesus’ last command is called the Great Commission. Jesus told the disciples to go out and preach the gospel to the whole world, that Jesus Christ has made a way to Heaven, to make disciples that can also go out and preach the gospel of reconciliation and make more disciples and so on through the ages until He returns. We have a command from Jesus, a ministry that He has given to us, to preach the gospel of reconciliation to a lost and dying world.

That is what I leave you with believer, if you have trusted Christ as your Savior, rejoice in your reconciliation to God, that he has not imputed your trespasses to you but instead has imputed the righteousness of Christ to you. And go out as Christ’s ambassador, and preach the same word of reconciliation that you received, to a lost and dying world. Not only preaching, but praying for them, as well, that they too may be reconciled to God! Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Family Friday: Snap Out Of It!

Written by:

Mrs. Laurie Whitehouse

                                                                  SNAP OUT OF IT!

Psalms 101:2  “I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.”
Last Christmas I woke up very early in the morning to spend some time with the Lord before the festivities of the day began. Christmas has always been a family day for my family in which we spend the whole day together opening gifts, eating, playing games, and enjoying one another’s company. As I read my Bible and prayed during the quiet morning hours, the realization of the transitions I would face in 2016 began to flood my emotions. Our oldest of four children is already married, our second son is getting married in May, and our daughter (although not engaged at the moment of this writing) will undoubtedly be married by the end of the year leaving our youngest son who is 18 at home. Christmas 2016 will be decidedly different than the Christmases we have had for the past 27 years. The tears poured down my cheeks, as I asked the Lord to help me not be an emotional basket case. Finally, I thought to myself, “You can get up, dry your tears, and make a good memory of this day, or be a silly, emotional mess. Is that what you want your kids to remember?” I determined at that moment how I wanted to be remembered. I got up, dried my tears, turned on Christmas music, lit the candles, and began cooking. We all went on to have a wonderful Christmas day, and no one was the wiser in knowing that mom had an emotional start to the day! 

Psalms 101:2 reminds me how important behaving rightly in my home is to my family. My testimony to my husband and children far outweighs my testimony to anyone else on earth.  My family is my number one ministry.  Although my kids are older now (18, 21, 22, and 27), it has been my goal to have them remember me as happy, joyful, active, industrious, even-tempered, fun, funny, sensitive to their needs, and spiritual.
Many years ago I memorized these words to a song that impacted how I felt about being a mom:
Up before dawn and out the door
What in this world are we striving for
We already have much more than our time affords
Struggling up the ladder offers us little reward
If we’re heroes to strangers and strangers to our children
We won’t stand blameless before the Lord.

He said, “Suffer the little children; for such is the kingdom of Heaven.” 
Oh, you know He loves the little ones.
So mothers and fathers, let’s follow the Saviour
And cherish the treasures we have in daughters and sons.

I would often recall this song when our children were little because we had chosen for me not to work so that I could be home, and we were financially struggling; and now I recall the lyrics when I think of the inheritance of the testimony I long to leave my children (they might not get much more! Lol!). Being a wife and a mom is a one-shot deal. I hate the stereotype, which unfortunately is often earned, of a woman
being grouchy, silent, worried, moody, and emotionally out of control—even though we have all been there. I don’t want to leave those images as my legacy to my family.  

Here a few tips that help me when I need to snap out of negative emotions:  

* Take your grievances, sorrows, and pain to the Lord. He knows and cares about what is happening in your life. He truly is the Friend that sticks closer than a brother.
 

* Meditate on a verse that helps you. This year I have claimed Ephesians 3:16 “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;”
 

* Play some peppy Christian music. Music helps lift my spirits.
 

* Challenge yourself to keep your negative moods at a minimum. I decided long ago that I won’t waste days being upset at situations. If I am mad, I try to get over it quickly. If I am upset, I won’t let my worries affect my whole day. Although we all have situations to deal with, we also have a life to live. I long to be known as a happy person.
 

* Decide how you want to be remembered in life. You are making memories with your family every day. Your children will remember things about you that you will not remember.

Even when I get in “one of those moods,” I need to realize it and ask God to guide me out of it so that I can be what I am supposed to be for my family—a happy wife and mom! 

We Pray Wednesday: How to Pray for your Pastor (Part 3)

            One of the people that need our prayers more than any other person that you may know would be a pastor.  Pastors bear their own burdens and the burdens of the many members of their church.  They wear many different hats and sometimes several at the same time.  These men of God need our prayers daily and sometimes several times daily.  This list is not a complete list nor is this thought original with me by any means.  Here are several things we need to pray daily for our pastor.  It may take time to pray through the entire list every day, but praying for some of them over a period of time will be beneficial to your pastor and to you.

21.  Pray that your pastor will not give in to discouragement, but will deal with inevitable criticism and conflict by committing himself into the hands of God, who judges righteously.

22.  Pray that your pastor will practice servant leadership, edifying the congregation with wisdom and serving with God’s love.

23.  Pray for spiritual unity in the church staff and among the spiritual leadership of the church.  Pray that the enemy will not be allowed to create divisions, strife, or misunderstanding among the church leaders.

24.  Pray that God will give your pastor a clear, Biblical vision of what your church can be and should be for His glory and that he will communicate that vision clearly and confidently to the church.

25.  Pray that your pastor will seek God for personal revival and revival in your church and community.

26.  Pray that your pastor will think Biblically, with the mind of Christ.

27.  Pray that he will earnestly seek God’s will and be committed to instant and complete obedience—ready for God to work powerfully in and through his ministry.

28.  Pray that he will strive for personal excellence and will believe God for all He wants to do in the congregation.

29.  Pray that your pastor will be a man of faith and have a passionate love for God, not giving in to worries, fears, or an uptight and anxious spirit.

30.  Pray for God to provide for the financial needs of your pastor and his family.  Pray that he will be a wise steward of both personal finances and church funds.