Rebellion: The Enemy of True Freedom

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. From His presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their works.  And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.  And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. ~ from Revelation 20

Oh beloved, it is true.  Man – to a man – is a rebel.  There is within us, this deeply seated desire to have our own way, and to have our own way at any price.  And many of us know exactly what this is like.

We have heard, and even know the very good news of the Gospel that Jesus has come to set us prisoners free.  However, the downside (we think) for us rebels, is that He wants to set us free His way.  He wants to set us free through His Love and work for us, in His Strength, and by His Spirit.

We though (many of us) drove ourselves into a mindset and behaviors that left us nearly dead.  We put chemicals in our bodies, while neglecting the same.  We cast off any restraint.  We would not listen to anyone.  We would not look to anyone for help.  In short, we rebelled.

Oh, many of us tried to do this in the name of the freedom we thought we had to live our own lives.  But in taking our own trip into our own ideas of what freedom is about – we found ourselves in a place we never expected.  We were in an inescapable trap, of our own making.

Said simply: in trying to set ourselves free, we failed.

It does seem to this fool of a writer, that this rebellion is the very thing of which G_d wants us to repent.  We tried to do things our own way, and messed up badly.  And then, note that in the passage in Revelation 20, those at the final and horrible White Throne judgment are judged similarly according to their works, and not necessarily just according to their sins.

Can we see it?  What G_d is always judging is not our actions, but our hearts.   Will we be willing to surrender to His goodness, and find the true freedom we have always sought?  Or, will we rebel against His great Love and plan of redemption and attempt to stand before Him on our own merits one day before the Great White Throne?

Oh brothers, we may think the stuff we are doing is because we are free.  But aren’t we just rebelling against the freedom He has for us?

Two words:  Stop it.

And a few more words:  Let Him quell the rebellion within you.  Make the one final choice to let Him set you free.  His way.  For He truly is The Way and The Truth and The Life. – Makala Doulos is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent Freedom Fighter Blogger

Daily Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles 10-12; Luke 1:39-56

Quote of the day:  The Bible everywhere takes for granted Israel’s ability to obey the law. Condemnation fell because Israel, having that ability, refused to obey. They sinned not out of amiable weakness, but out of deliberate rebellion against the will of God. That is the inner nature of sin always, willful refusal to obey God.
~ A.W. Tozer

Verse to Memorize: But the path of the righteous is like the light of the dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like a deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. Proverbs 4:18-19 ESV

Unseen Protection

And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night. (Exodus 14: 19-20, emphasis mine)

The Israelites were trusting God to deliver them from bondage in Egypt. Every time Moses had been obedient to God and confronted Pharaoh things appeared to get worse instead of better. Now it appeared that they were finally out of Egypt and on their way to the Promised Land. But God did something unexpected and illogical in their eyes. He led them in an indirect route. Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt (Exodus 13: 17-18).

Often God acts on our behalf and we are clueless as to why. I smile when an unbeliever says that if there were really a God He wouldn’t do this or that. As if we mortals could comprehend the working of the mind of God! The Bible assures us that His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways higher than ours.

I have long since my conversion quit trying to figure out His ways according to my logic. What I do know is that God hedges me in from in front and behind. This was evident in the case of His people. His intention was to destroy the entire Egyptian army once and for all. And to protect His people He put a wall of darkness between their enemies and themselves. I have to ask myself this question, “How many times has the Lord protected my life when I could not possibly see or understand?”

Father, I ask forgiveness for ever being afraid, and thank You for Your unseen protection. Chaplain Jim Freed is the Director of Men’s Addiction Recovery Ministries at America’s Keswick

Keswick, America’s  (2012-12-13). Real Victory for Real Life Volume 2 (Kindle Locations 10498-10519).  . Kindle Edition.

Daily Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles 7-9; Luke 1:21-38

Quote of the day: The best way to break a BAD HABIT is to build a GOOD HABIT. – Pastor Mark Batterson

Verse to Memorize: But the path of the righteous is like the light of the dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like a deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. Proverbs 4:18-19 ESV

So…Where Does It Go From Here?

“Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:31-32 (NKJV)

So it’s the next day after a weekend of “Power and Purpose” tent revival and this laborer is in a mindset of wonder. When that tent arrived it felt like a triumphal entry of sorts. There were many prayers lifted up, that Egg Harbor City needed to wake up out of its deep spiritual sleep. I went back to the site where the tent was erected at Lincoln Park in Egg Harbor City. Over by the park gazebo was one of the locals, leaning up against its railing having coffee, he waves at me and says, “It was somethin’ else wasn’t it?” “That it was” I replied then I took a moment to reflect and started to walk to my truck.

 In the short distance from where I was to my truck a thought came across my mind…The Road to Emmaus. And not so much the whole story but the part where they ask this question “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” Over the three days and three nights that this event took place that park was full of people “talking Torah”. For the most part there was no distinction of denomination during these conversations. Just folks talking about the need for salvation in our lives and the importance of God being welcomed in the community again as well as getting people back into corporate worship.

It was spontaneous Christian fellowship that came with spontaneous Christian hospitality. Those two disciples on the road also experienced this first hand with The Savior Himself. Who else would be better suited to open The Scriptures up then Jesus Christ? And as He tells them of Himself, His life, sufferings, death and resurrection these two disciples become fervent in spirit, though they did not see Him. His words came with such evidence, such power, and sweetness that their hearts glowed within themselves. Their affections were heightened and the Word was like a burning fire within them. We could say that they knew somewhat what it was like to be baptized with fire. Amen?

During his lament over the ridicule he was receiving, the prophet Jeremiah said this, “If I say, “I will not mention Him, or speak any more in His name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.” (Jeremiah 20:9) None the matter of his circumstance, Jeremiah would remember YHVH’s previous deliverances. And as he waves his personal liberties, Paul would write this in 1 Corinthians 9:16, “For if I preach the Gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!” I would say fines examples of men holding on to His Word in their hearts.

As I surveyed the worn-out grass where people trended and danced upon (yeah there was dancing) I mediated on the spiritual uplifting that was present here. It was as if Jesus Himself had been in our midst, opening up Scripture and sharing those things that concerned Himself, but He used us to do it. And just as Jesus cleansed the Temple of its dishonesty so Lincoln Park was cleared out of its dishonesty (for that moment) and just like the story the spiritually blind and lame came to this place for healing. But…now that it is over where does it go from here? Did revival take root in this small town? I guess that will be an exercise in the faith of His people.

Daily Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles 4-6; Luke 1:1-20

Quote of the day: “What can stop this work of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Only one thing—our refusal to allow Him to work in us. Once we are born again spiritually, we cannot remove the Holy Spirit from our lives, but we can willfully choose not to respond to Him as He seeks to lead and guide us daily.”—Charles Stanley

Verse to Memorize: But the path of the righteous is like the light of the dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like a deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. Proverbs 4:18-19 ESV

Have you checked out the November Discovering Victory Podcast? You will be blessed to hear three brief meditations by the late Pastor Bill Raws. Check it out today!

Psalm 101 – David’s Standard of Conduct

Shortly after coming to America’s Keswick, the Board and I spent considerable time thinking and praying through the Core Values of America’s Keswick. It was a fun but helpful process to nail down the things that matter most to our ministry.

I want to suggest to you that King David did the same thing in this Psalm. He carves in stone 7 “I Will’s” that mattered most to him:

1. I will be careful to live a blameless life – vs.2
2. I will lead a life of integrity in my home – vs.2b
3. I will refuse to look at anything vulgar – vs.3
4. I will hate all crooked dealings; I will have nothing to do with them – vs. 3b
5. I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil – vs.4
6. I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbor – vs.5a
7. I will not endure conceit and pride – vs.5b
8. I will keep a protective eye on the godly, so they may dwell in safety – vs.6

This is a list that would be a great one to put on a 3X5 card, on a screensaver, or even in your car. It’s a way to help hold as accountable in our walk. And speaking of accountability, maybe your accountability partner can ask you how you are doing with your list of “I Will’s!

David was a man after God’s heart – but my guess is that he wished when he walked out on the terrace that fateful night he had remembered his list!!!
Don’t drop your guard! Keep this list close to your heart!

Running the race with joy,

Bill Welte
President/CEO

Daily Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles 1-3; Jude

Quote of the day: Whatever you give your attention to …. you also give power to. Choose wisely what u will focus on today. – Priscilla Shirer

Verse to Memorize: But the path of the righteous is like the light of the dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like a deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. Proverbs 4:18-19 ESV

The Power of His Presence

I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD. (Jeremiah 1: 8)

When God places you and me in dangerous or difficult circumstances, He does not abandon us to face the challenge alone. He knows that we are incompetent to deal with them and takes note of our personal inadequacies. When we receive an assignment from Him which we consider to be beyond our capacity, we often have reactions which could be described by the expressions: “Who, me?” “You’ve got to be kidding.” “I can’t.” “That’s not fair.” etc. We need to consciously consider several things in responding to His assignment.

1. Remember His person, i.e., Who it is assigning us. It is the LORD, the sovereign , self-existent One. He declares Himself as the almighty, unchanging God.

2. Recognize His power as revealed in His Word and demonstrated in the lives of His people. History bears witness to His taking supposedly inadequate people, humanly speaking, and placing them in supposedly impossible situations (i.e., Moses, Gideon, D. L. Moody, etc.).

3. Rely on His presence. Along with His presence comes the enablement to meet the challenge of the assignment. We see this in the statement to Jeremiah in our text. He was being called by God to a most difficult and unpopular assignment. His reaction was that he was not mature enough to handle the task. He was fearful of the anticipated opposition. God’s answer was in terms of His divine presence and His promise – deliverance.

In commissioning His disciples, our Lord combined the statement of their responsibilities with the facts of His authoritative power and His assured presence (Matthew 28: 18-20). They faced a task for which they in themselves were entirely inadequate.

The writer of Hebrews relates these facts to his readers and to us when he quotes the words of the Lord, I will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13: 5b). In verse 8 he declares that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Rev. William A. Raws’ last writings were in our devotional, REAL VICTORY FOR REAL LIFE, available from Amazon.com

Keswick, America’s  (2012-12-13). Real Victory for Real Life Volume 2 (Kindle Locations 10419-10440).  . Kindle Edition.

Daily Bible Reading:  Ezra 3-5; 2 Timothy 2

Quote of the day: Lord Jesus, though I’m prone to wander, you’re bent on pursuing me… relentlessly. – Pastor Scotty Smith

Verse to Memorize: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

 

What do you drive?

“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20

I must admit I’m one of “those guys” who feels that the vehicle I drive somehow identifies me. I know some will agree and some could care less what they drive, neither is wrong just trying to make a point.

My Dad would drive anything that ran, he would say “I don’t work for a car, a car works for me”.

Sometimes I think we should have that attitude towards the gifts and talents God has given us. We shouldn’t work for the gifts, the gifts should work for us. It’s “Christ in us, the hope of glory”, we are just along for the ride, if God’s your copilot, move over.

We sometimes get caught up in the vehicle (gifts and talents) and lose focus on the destination. It’s not about the car we drive, it is about the One who gave us the car.

In this passage in Luke 10, Jesus is reminding the disciples not to lose sight of the destination. There is still a harvest for us to reap. We shouldn’t be consumed with everyone else vehicle and lose sight of the common goal we all share, to seek out the lost and share the Good News!

Times are changing, and so are ways to minister. A good road map to follow comes from a Sunday school lesson I heard recently regarding our calling.

We have to be careful not to lose focus of;

It’s Purpose: Glorifying God

It’s Priority: Worship and obedience

It’s Message: Proclaiming the good news of salvation by grace alone,

by faith alone, through Christ alone.

It’s Ministry: to spread the gospel to the lost and bring the saints to maturity.

Evangelize, Edify, Equip, & Exalt

But we can change,

It’s Methods and means: they need to be dynamic, flexible and open to change. Providing they don’t violate the churches’ purpose, message or ministry.

Daily Bible Reading: Ezra 1-2; 2 Timothy 1

Quote of the day: Just when I feel like I’m DREAMING BIG, God does something to show me that my dream is FAR TOO SMALL for the Almighty! — Mark Batterson

Verse to Memorize: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

Now That It Has Happened…

 “And now for a little while grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage.” Ezra 9:8 (NKJV)

It is an amazing thing to watch YHVH connect the dots and when He does it in the Christian community it becomes something inexpressible. Since I became unemployed God has had me serving in many circles and the most recent circle was an event commonly known as the “Tent Revival”.  In the 1800’s the revivals or “camp meeting’s” brought church to the American frontier and by the 1920’s they became circus-like. With their fiery messages, peppered with the need for redemption, tent revivals were used to fill the pews of Baptist and Pentecostal churches. By the 1960’s T.V. took over the tent revival and now they have their own television networks. Go figure…

Anyway, I was privileged to participate and watch as a whole community of Christian’s pulled their resources together to evangelize Egg Harbor City. And like I said YHVH connected a few folks from here, a few folks from there and created an event that lead to a stake being pounding into the ground at the site where this revival took place. The celebration that happened after this really took me a-back; after all…I am not Pentecostal (okay so I do proclaim an “AMEN” or a “That’s Right!” once in a while). I belong to the Matthew Henry fan club so this really was something I ain’t use to seeing, doing or thinking is Biblical. So I had to go look this up and it lead me to Ezra.

So by a decree given by a Persian king, God’s people were returning to Judah and when the seventh month came the people gathered as one man in Jerusalem. So Jeshua and Zerubbabel with their brothers built an altar to the God of Israel, set it upon its foundation and there gave up burnt offerings. Now if I stay here for the moment I could say that, in parallel, this was like the tent revival. Even though this is meant for the nation of Israel, we could say that when we answer the call of salvation God could use us by gathering us together to give testimony to His glory in our lives. I guess in some circles this, instead of burnt offerings, is what it is like to offer up a sacrifice of praise. Hmm…

So I arrive at the ninth chapter and there I find Ezra having to write that the people of Israel have not separated themselves from the abominations that the people of the lands commit. He tears his clothes, rips out the hair of his head and beard then in the evening offering he stretches out his arms and lifts up a prayer of intercession and confession. In it I see where the mentioning of a peg (stake) comes into the dialogue. A remnant of Israelites left their bondage (again) and through God’s grace were allowed to stake their place in His holy place. And as Matthew Henry would advise, “We are to reckon it a great comfort and advantage to have stated opportunities of worshipping God.” So, all you who are redeemed…stake your claim!!

So, through God’s grace that stake has its place and it’s nothing we do of ourselves, unless you wanna add the sledge hammerin’ you gotta do to get it the ground. In 1893 the race for the 42,000 allotted plots in Oklahoma happened and “Sooners” got there first…people weren’t happy. How is it that we have lost sight that the earth is the LORD’S and the fullness thereof? Do we dare to call YHVH a “Sooner”?  May it not be so but in the bigger picture let’s not get too hasty when people are called to hammer stakes in the ground to bring this back to us by way of reminder…Our God Reigns!! Amen? – Chris Hughes is a weekly Freedom Fighter blogger and is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy

Daily Bible Reading: Zephaniah 1-3; Colossians 4

Quote of the day: “In too many of our churches, you can detect the attitude that anything goes. It is my assessment that losing the awareness of God in our midst is a loss too terrible to be appraised.”—A.W.Tozer

Verse to Memorize: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

 

Communication

See Matthew 18:15

We live in the most amazing time of all history. Technology and science are more advanced than ever. From deep space exploration to understanding the most finite workings of the human body.  And communications.  From cell phones to emails, texts, tweets & Facebook. The list goes on and on.

But how does God view all this in light of such texts as Matthew 18:15?

Conflict resolution is a very difficult issue for most of us. Its taught at The Colony of Mercy to every man in the program and encouraged as THE way to deal with personnel problems. But where has technology taken us and how do we “miss” what God intended for His people?

Look at the passage—“go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.”  Go and tell him—not text, not tweet, not email—not even call on the phone—go to him. We need to really consider this with the understanding that God is timeless—he knew that these forms of communication would someday arrive and yet he made it very clear how He wants us to deal with interpersonal issues—face to face. We don’t have the latitude to “modernize” the Scriptures to fit our weaknesses. A text is so much easier to do because we don’t have to face the person we are “concerned” for. But God wants no breakdown in communication. Electronic communications are flat, one dimensional and open to interpretation. When I see a person’s face, I can much better understand what he is communicating and the heart behind that communication. I can also answer any concerns immediately rather than sit and stew over them making something out of nothing.

In Genesis 3:8-  we see that God was in the garden face to face with Adam & Eve. Before the fall, God set the example of how He wanted communication to take place—in person. God of all creation came down from His most high place to speak with man one on one—the exact same way He wants us to communicate especially when we are concerned for each other.

One last thought—“go and tell him his fault between you and him alone”.  Our goal is restoration and forgiveness in the Matthew 18:15 process.  If we use electronic communications, everything is “in the cloud” and “recorded” forever & everyone.  Ps 103:12 says God will remove our transgressions as far as the east is from the west. How can this happen for us as people if we put private matters out there for the whole world to see & as a continuing reminder to those we address? We need to stop making excuses and communicate the way God has called us to. –Steve Schmidt is a regular Freedom Fighter blogger and a graduate of the Colony of Mercy. He also serves on the full-time staff of America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: Habakkuk 1-3; Colossians 3

Quote of the day: The heart of man is revealed in temptation. Man knows his sin, which without temptation he could never have known; for in temptation man knows on what he has set his heart. The coming to light of sin is the work of the accuser, who thereby thinks to have won the victory. But it is sin which is become manifest which can be known, and therefore forgiven. Thus the manifestation of sin belongs to the salvation plan of God with man, and Satan must serve this plan. Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Verse to Memorize: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

A Balanced Life

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

I don’t know about you, but doesn’t life somehow seem to get out of control?  The task list becomes so long you don’t think it possible to navigate through it. The calendar fills up with more commitments than we planned. Balancing work, ministry, and family because overwhelming.

Welcome to a new week of Freedom Fighters. Maybe your life feels “out of control.” So what I want to share with you this morning from “God’s Little Devotional Book” (Multnomah Press) my resonate with you. Here are the signs of a balanced life:

Self reliant but not self-sufficient.

Steadfast but not stubborn.

Tactful but not timid.

Serious but not sullen.

Unmovable but not stationary.

Gentle but not hypersensitive.

Tender-hearted but not touchy.

Conscientious but not perfectionistic.

Disciplined by not demanding.

Generous but not gullible.

Meek but not weak.

Humorous but not hilarious.

Friendly but not familiar.

Holy but not holier-than thou.

Discerning but not critical.

Progressive but not pretentious.

Authoritative but not autocratic.

Well how are you doing on the balance scale? Are there areas listed above where you need to work on balance? Why not prayerfully work through that list through with grid of Proverbs 3:5-6.

Running the race with joy,

Bill Welte
President/CEO

Daily Bible Reading: Nahum 1-3; Colossians 2

Quote of the day: There are two things to do about the gospel: believe it and behave it. —Susanna Wesley

Verse to Memorize: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

Surrendered to the Wrong God

 “And I said to you, ‘I am the LORD your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.’ But you have not obeyed My voice.”  Judges 6:10 (ESV)

And the children of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, again. I like how 18^th century theologian John Gill puts it, “Openly and publicly, boldly and impudently, in the very face of God, and amidst all the good things they received from Him…which was the fruit and effect of the long rest and peace they enjoyed; and which is often the case of a people favored with peace, plenty, and prosperity, who are apt to abuse their mercies, and forget God, the author and giver of them; and the principal evil, though not expressed, was idolatry” And we haven’t missed a beat since Genesis 3:5…”For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

 

Yeah, well we know the difference between good and evil now, don’t we? And yet there is this need to plop ourselves down on the throne and think ourselves higher than we ought to think. We do it over and over again, expecting different results (can someone say…INSANITY?) and when it doesn’t go our way, we shake our fists in the air and ask…WHY? Like The Almighty is holding out on us and we need to let Him know our disappointment in Him. We treat God as if he is a vending machine that contains our favorite bag of potato chips (I like salt and vinegar by the way). We put our money in, make our selection, the bag slowly inches it’s way to the edge, with anticipation we wait to hear the bag fall and then…it’s stuck between the ledge and the glass. Grrrr!!

This is what happens when, under the divine inspiration of ourselves, we surrender to the wrong god. And who is that god you may ask…YOU!! I need to plead guilty to this as well. And it’s not that it is some new revelation I am having, as this behavior has been going on for thousands of years. I got re-reminded of it while I was teaching our church teens about what we can glean from the story of the Good Samaritan.  The following example of how we behave as a society now really hit home with me. In a nutshell, we have become too attached to what only matters to us and will have no problem walking by those in need. We think it is someone else’s problem to solve, besides we have our I-pod’s connected to our heads, we can’t hear the Holy Spirit convicting us.

Romans 1:28 tells us, “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” This means that since we erase God out of our minds, He render’s us incapable of approving what is good and disapproving that which is evil. Like the end of the Book of Judges says, “Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.” If that is the case then not only am I shaking that vending machine until my bag of chips fall but it will give me a free bag for my troubles. After all, doesn’t this machine know who I am? Doesn’t it know who it’s holding out on?

When we shut out the voice of truth our lives become self-centered instead of Christ-centered. We become these Christian islands where only like-minded people get to live. Problem with that is…too many islands each with too little population. Sounds kinda lonely doesn’t it? But that’s why Jesus came out with only two commandments to live by. Love the LORD YOUR GOD with all your heart, soul, and strength and love your neighbor as you love yourself. Then you both can sit on the beach of an island and share and bag of chips…if you agree to salt and vinegar I got a beach for ya!

Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 19-20; 2 John

Quote of the day: “To forget yourself does not mean to forget to thank God for His gifts. Nor does it mean that you never think of anything that has to do with you. It means that you do not make yourself the center of your world.”—Fenelon

Verse to Memorize:  The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever more. Psalm 121:7-8