The Beauty of Need

"For he trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. For he clung to the LORD, he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses" (2 Kings 18:5-6). 

With Thanksgiving coming up, I bet you've heard lately, "What are you thankful for?" At the same time, I have been seeing a flood of ads that suggest what we may need for Christmastime.

My prayer is that as we realize our blessings and our needs, we are drawn to an even deeper relationship with God. This may seem odd in a society that often praises independence and self-reliance. Yet, I know God is stronger than anything I can do myself. So, when I read the passage above, I long to have a solid trust in God like King Hezekiah's.

Hezekiah's trust was not only remarkable in itself but also stood out among his generation. How did he trust? Hezekiah clung to the Lord. He persevered in following God and keeping His commandments.

Kelli Martin

Wherever God leads you today, cling to Him. Remember His faithfulness and saving grace. Keep learning from His Word and following the Holy Spirit's guidance. Turn to the Lord in prayer and reliance. Express to Him your thanks and your needs in full trust of His listening ear, faithfulness and plans.

There's a world full of people who may be noticing their blessings or needs this season. In prayer, let's ask for moments to share about God, the One we trust with our lives. Let's share stories of what He has done in our hearts and lives, and what He can and wants to do in anothers' heart and life.

"Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah" (Psalm 62:8). 

Light Up the Night - Fearlessly

"Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?...the heavenly Father knows you need these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself" (Matthew 6:25b, 32-34; NASB). 

Do you have plans for Halloween night? Our church is encouraging people either to go to or help with the fall festival or to "light up the night" in their own neighborhoods. I love the phrase "light up the night." That's just what God does. 

No matter what you do on this night, let's just not forget that there's just something that stands out about God in contrast to fear, death and darkness:

• In contrast to fear, we find trust in Him: His kind of love does not feed on fear; rather, it encourages trust, hope and faith in Him and in who He is. He is full of goodness and faithfulness (Psalm 100). We can see His sacrificial, selfless love as He sent Jesus to die for us (Romans 5:8).
• In contrast to death, we find life in Him: He didn't stop there, though, as Jesus rose from the dead. He breathes new life to those who turn to Him in trust asking for forgiveness (Romans 10:9-10). He gives believers the Holy Spirit, and we are made new, as we are seen by Him as the forgiven, as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). And He continues to be there to forgive us.
• In contrast to darkness, we find light in Him: His light shines like a beacon in the darkness. He is full of truth, goodness and mercy. He brought light into the world, and He wishes to light our paths and guide us (Psalm 119:105). 

God is greater than any fear or worry we may have. He has kept His promises, and He won't stop now. He made us and loves us (Psalm 139:14). He desires a relationship with us that's full of life, truth and trust. 

Kelli Martin

Let's pray we see moments to share Him with others without fear. May we let Him shine into dark places. Let's burn for Him.

"O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:55-57, NASB). 

All Sons & Daughters' "Wake Up"

Matt Maher's "Lord I Need You"

Christy Nockle's "Waiting Here for You" (Live at Passion version)
Jesus Culture's "One Thing Remains"

Kari Jobe's "We Are" (Acoustic version) 

Perfect Peace (Isaiah 26:3)

“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You." Isaiah 26:3

The past few weeks, I feel as though my mind has been cluttered and chaotic. Between working, trying to do school work and wedding planning, it seems hard to focus my mind on accomplishing any one task because there are so many others to do.

While reflecting on this last night, the Lord called to my mind Isaiah 26:3, which says, "the steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You." In the ESV, it reads, "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you" (emphasis mine). There are three aspects of this verse that struck me:

perfect peace

for those whose mind is stayed on the Lord

because of their trust in the Lord 

Perfect peace is only available when our minds are focused and stayed on the Lord. Furthermore, when our minds are cluttered and chaotic (not in perfect peace), it is a lack of trust in the Lord. A proper trust in the Lord will provide proper perspective which will lead to perfect peace. When worry, anxiety and chaos are marking our lives, it is a result of not thinking rightly about the Lord and not finding full dependence on Him. In the midst of any stressful circumstance, chaos or hardship, perfect peace is available when we "set our minds on things above, not on things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:2).

Today, may we strive to fix our eyes (and minds) on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). May we resolve to keep our minds "stayed" on the Lord, placing our trust in Him. May we thank Him for His offer of perfect peace and look solely to Him to provide it.

 

Isaiah 46:9-11

"For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose, calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it." Isaiah 46:9-11

Kari Beougher

We can rest in the sovereignty and supremacy of our God. There is truly none like Him. In the midst of confusion and when we feel like we don't know the next step, we can be certain that God knows everything from the beginning to the end, even the things that have yet to happen. Not only that, but we can trust that there is nothing and no one that can keep the Lord from accomplishing what He has purposed or planned. Therefore, when circumstances or situations seem contrary to His character; when hardships or trials seem hopeless, when we feel uncertain of the future- we can have confidence in the plan of a God who can do all things. 

Proverbs 21:1 says, "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will." Government decisions, work situations and relational circumstances are all within the Lord's sovereignty. None can upset or frustrate His plans. He works "all things according to the counsel of His will" (Ephesians 1:11). We can trust that the promises of the Lord will be accomplished.

Today, may we say with Job, "I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted" (Job 42:2). May we rest in the sovereignty, purposes and plan of our good and gracious God. May we be comforted that the Lord is the one who directs our steps (Proverbs 16:9) and His purposes always prevail (Proverbs 19:21).

Love Deeply

"Now that you have taken care to purify your souls through your submission to the truth, you can experience real love for each other. So love each other deeply from a [pure] heart. You have been reborn - not from seed that eventually dies but from seed that is eternal - through the word of God that lives and endures forever. For Isaiah said, 

'All life is like the grass, 

and its glory like a flower;

The grass will wither and die, 

and the flower falls,

But the word of the Lord will endure forever'

This is the word that has been preached to you" 
(1 Peter 1:22-25, The Voice).

I like this version from The Voice. As new creations, we are made alive by God's grace as we have turned to put our trust in Him as Lord and Savior. The body of Christ can come together and have a pure love like He does, since He fills us with the Holy Spirit and teaches us more of who He is. He can renew our hearts and help us forgive, reach out to and care for those around us. He can give us new eyes to see others as His precious creations that He can give new life to as well. We have known and have been filled with His love, and so we have the opportunity to multiply the world with a kind of love like God has shown.

Kelli Martin

How can you love someone today or this weekend? Recently, I stopped to talk with a neighbor who has dogs and was shocked to find out she has had recent back troubles. I wished I was there closer to when the troubles first occurred. We exchanged cell phone numbers, and I hope that I can be there for her in the future. Is there someone around you who may even just need a smile or a hopeful outlook of God's purposes? Maybe there is someone near You who doesn't know the hope and peace our God Father and Savior brings.

Let's pray that God fills us with His love so we can extend it to others and point them to God who has shown us the deepest love we've ever seen.

A couple of worship songs: "Bones" and "Like an Avalanche" by Hillsong United (Live in Miami video with lyrics)
Photo from Pinterest and psweadoreyou.blogspot.com.

Trust in the Moment

"And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You" (Psalm 9:10, NASB). 

Have you heard of a quarter-life crisis? It may sound like a stretch compared to the more widely known mid-life crisis, but I used it when I graduated from college. It made me laugh. After spending most of my life in school, I was trying to make sense of just what I was to do with myself. So, since I have already claimed the term for another time in my life, I am left with having to identify the current place I am in as I face another fork in the road.

There is something to be said of a quarter-life crisis. Moments will come and go. Yet - there is something about those moments. There is a purpose for each one.

As God's, He has a purpose for our lives and for life in general. As I think back on the times that I thought were meaningless, confusing or simply a mess, I remember Him being there. He has always been there, even if I didn't seem to want Him there. If I wasn't close to Him in those moments, then He was there to bring me closer to Himself. I just had to respond, lean in and trust Him. He was there to forgive me, or to point me where to go or to give me strength for the next step.

Kelli Martin

So, I don't know what to call this fork in the road, but that's okay. I've found peace remembering God is in control. He's got this.

Child of God, no matter what moment you are in, remember He is Immanuel, God with us. Not only that, but He's given His children the Holy Spirit to help us here on earth.

Let's lean in and look through heaven's eyes today and trust in Him. Let's see a world that also needs His forgiveness, presence and peace and be there to point them to Him, our life-giver.

Stronger than Fear

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13, New American Standard Bible).

"Hope. It is the only thing stronger than fear," said the character President Snow in the movie The Hunger Games. He said this as he was trying to convince someone to reduce the hope of a people, a people who had rebelled against him in the past. Even though this is a fictional character, I see truth in what the writers had him say about hope - it is stronger than the sort of fear that the character sought to elicit on people.

In contrast to this character, God is real, and just, and He brings hope instead of aiming to crush it. Even though we cannot see the nail marks in Christ's hands and feet like Thomas did (see John 20:24-29), we can have faith in who God is and what He did through Christ, His Son. There is this pattern that the Bible takes in revealing God's identity and how He's worked to free us from the slavery of sin.

We can have a healthy fear of Him, in regards to knowing He is just and in having respect, honor, and trust in Him (Exodus 18:21, Psalm 115:11, Revelation 14:7). This mighty God is also our Counselor (Isaiah 9:6). We can fully trust in God for who says He is through His Word and how He's been faithful to fulfill His promises.

As we put our faith and trust in Him, we put our hope in Him. We can have full confidence in Him, and He will not leave us empty. In His nature, He can make this hope within us flourish.

Lord, thank You for being our hope. Help us increase our hope in You, and help us share the hope we have with others who need You, too. Amen.

"For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7, NASB).

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo from hungergamesmovie.org.

The Holy Spirit and the desperado

"'But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 
And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 
concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 
and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 
and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged'" (John 16:7-11, New American Standard Bible).

"For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit" (1 Peter 3:18, New American Standard Bible).

Have you heard the song "Desperado" by the Eagles? The illustration to the left is of the band, by Mark Stutzman (from www.rollingstone.com). The word "desperado" means criminal, but it reminds me of old stories about cowboys in the American wild west. I could be way off in my interpretation, but the desperado described seems to be about someone who seeks freedom by living apart from people and love (you can find the lyrics here, at azlyrics.com).

As believers, the Holy Spirit points out sin that separates us from God (John 16:8-11). The purpose of  conviction is to help us see our need for a healed relationship with God, our Creator, Savior, and King. God loves us, and Jesus paid the price for sin already. The hope is that we come to Him for forgiveness, restoration, and a closer relationship with Him.

1 Peter 3:18 explains that the end goal for the convicting is to make us alive in the Spirit. Is there some part of your life that is away from God? God wants us to desire Him more than sin and then put our trust in Him and His lead.

Lord, thank You for loving us enough to want to bring us back to Your presence, even when we sin. Convict us; help us see where we need more of You. May the Holy Spirit convict others, too, so they can also know and trust in You. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).

We ask God to remove strongholds

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, New American Standard Bible).

War, weapons, power, destruction, fortresses, captivity - what sort of war is going on? At this point in Scripture, people were arguing with Christians about whether Christ is the Messiah, the One promised to come to earth to restore God's reign. Christ, indeed, came to save the world from being separated from God through their sin, while satan wishes people to feel trapped in sin and away from the Lord.

Paul tells the Corinthians that these thoughts that questioned Christ and God did not need to be countered by the way the world wages war. Instead, He encouraged Christians to trust in God's power. God wishes to fight for His people, to win them to Him. As believers wanting others to come to have a relationship with God, we trust in God's power because we believe it is the strongest. The power of the Holy Spirit is far greater than the power of the devil that seeks to put barriers between God's creations knowing and trusting in their Creator.

Is there someone on your mind who does not have a relationship with God? Let's pray for God to remove any strongholds that block them from having faith in our Lord and Savior. We hope they will trust in God, our God who renews minds and teaches truth.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999)
Photo from http://my-god-is.com/

"Just as you don't know the path of the wind, or how [bones] develop in the womb of a pregnant woman, so you don't know the work of God who makes everything. In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hand rest, because you don't know which will succeed, whether one or the other, or if both of them will be equally good" (Ecclesiastes 11:5-6, Holman Christian Standard Bible).

This book, Ecclesiastes, has encouraged me this week. As I've been reading it more, it's reminded me to trust God more. He is omniscient; He knows everything in the past, present, and future.  Colossians 3:23 reminds believers to work for the Lord. Our work can be done with peace and confidence in God's lead, knowing that His power is perfect in our weekness (2 Corinthians 12:19).

Today, I'm moving, and I was feeling pretty anxious earlier this week as I thought of things to do to prepare for it. It's relieving that we can rest in knowing that God can give us joy and strength as we go through whatever today. The Holy Spirit is with believers to help. I pray that we remember to trust in Him and to tell others about His work in our lives.

chewing on patience

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9, NIV).  

Sharing the love of Christ is not always easy to do.  As we learn more about Him, though, we can see more of how to live and love like Him and how to share Him with others.  As we follow Him, I pray we show others more of who He is.  

In the above verse, I see how God is patient with us.  From 1 Corinthians 13:4-5, we can see that patience is a part of love: "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful" (ESV).  Even when I am stubborn to follow God, He has great patience with me.  This patience motivates me, since it helps me see how His love and wisdom are great.  I pray we all have patience as we seek to follow Him and share Him with others.

What have you seen about God lately that you can live out today, so others may know Him, too?

Prince of Peace

"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace"
(Isaiah 9:5-7, NIV).

God has shown me His leadership and faithfulness this week.  My week has started out feeling like a bit of a rush, since I have started new classes and a new job.  Papers are scattered across my desk, and I am still getting adjusted to waking up early to open the office where I am working.  However, God has been reminding me of His blessings all around, and He has been reminding me to rest and trust in Him.

He has given me a job that I did not think of looking for, where they train me and are taking the time to give me insider tips of how to roam the busy downtown scene.  In class, my teachers have given us time to read and absorb material before anything is due, and they are explaining things in more detail to make sure the other students and I understand.  It is a blessing, even though the week seems to be flying by! 

God  is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, and He knows what is going on in this world of people that He loves.  When we believe and trust in Him to take care of and guide us, He will, because we are His sons and daughters.  Praise God!  I pray that we continue to remember that we can rest in Him and share this with others in joy.

"Bring us love, You who are love.
Bring us peace, You who are peace.
We need love, oh, divine love.
We need your peace, merciful peace, yeah"
("Eastern Hymn," David Crowder Band).

Lift Up Jesus

"And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” John 12: 32, ESV)

"For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice" (John 18:37b, ESV).

It is so easy to get sidetracked with good and even great things. Easy to forget why we are here, easy to be overwhelmed with a huge to-do list, easy to forget the main thing - Jesus Christ and the incredible, incomprehensible sacrifice that He made for us in His life and in His death.

This week, I am going to concentrate on lifting up Christ. I'm going to try to keep from complaining about doing my dissertation, keep from being overwhelmed about the economy and how it is messing up our lives, keep from being discouraged that our house is still in the never-ending remodeling state, and keep from complaining that I am gone 3 weeks in April, keep from complaining...(okay I am stopping here).

I'm going to lift up Christ. I'm going to try to focus on the fact that I have ONE MAIN PURPOSE: to witness about Christ in my words, how I treat people, and how I live that out every minute of every day. If I'm quiet this week, you will know why. I am choosing to reflect on that fact this He is Risen and that I need to start living like it!

Will you join me?

"Trust no one, not even the finest saint who ever walked this earth, ignore him, if he hinders your sight of Jesus Christ." Oswald Chambers

"an anchor for the soul"

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe..." (Ephesians 1:18, NIV).

When I see a star, I tend to think of strength and confidence. I find myself putting my hope in this symbol when it is on a police officer or a flag, since it can create a feeling of security. I see, though, that this symbol does not ensure dependability. God, however, is always worthy of our hope.

If someone asked you to explain why you hope, what would you say? The other day, my friend expressed that she rather be sure of something rather than just hope in it. The dictionary defines hope in several ways. Yet, how does the Bible define hope?

The Bible teaches us that hope is not seen (Romans 8:24) and we must wait for it (Romans 8:25). As Christians, we hope in the promises made by Jesus Christ to love us and save us (1 Thessalonians 1:10). Hebrews 6:19 explains, "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure..." (NIV). The Bible speaks of a confident hope in God's promises because they are trustworthy and grounded in love.

Romans 5:5 explains, "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given to us" (NIV). The hope described here is not an unsupported optimism. It is a confidence in God's future promises and is based on God's love, expressed when He sent His Son to die for us to save us.

The Bible teaches us to hope in God, who, with His never-ending love, will always be there for us. Romans 5:8 explains, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (NIV). I pray that we will have hope and confidence in Christ and be able to show others His love.

a beautiful mystery

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6 (New Living Translation)

Click! (Pause) Click! Huff.

Click! (Pause) Click! Hmm.

The man next to me on the plane and I stared up -- the lights above us refused to work. We were both on our last leg of an eventful traveling experience. He seemed ready to sleep, and I was ready to read. As we waited to tell the flight attendant about the lights, we slowly began to talk. Within a few minutes, our conversation turned to a discussion about God.

My row-mate asked me what I believed about God's divine nature, and I explained that I think that God is three-in-one – God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. He said that is what he believed, but he recently talked with someone who believed that Jesus and God were one, but not the Holy Spirit.

His eyes got as big as the mandrill on The Lion King (Rafiki, picture link below) as he said, "He is God! We cannot always explain Him." We laughed as we talked about how we try to explain God sometimes, but our minds are not like His. He exclaimed, "We must just have faith!"

It was a relief to be reminded that God does not expect us to understand everything about Him. No matter how confusing some things are about Him – such as the idea that God can be three in one – we are free to choose to have faith in the all-powerful, all-knowing God whose love never ends.

I pray that even though we may never fully understand our Lord, we may grow in our faith in Him this year.

Isaiah 40:28-31
Picture from iGoogle's "Places to See"

Picture of Rafiki: www.normsoft.com/tim/pics/RafikiPic.jpg

a marathon to inspire

"The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him" (Lamentations 3:25).

In Lamentations chapter three, the spiritual leader Jeremiah points out how the power of God is greater than the power of the Israelites' enemy, the Babylonians. John Maxwell notes how Jeremiah, "dwells on his vision of God's plans: God will deliver His people and give them a hopeful future."

Jeremiah explains in Lamentations 3:22-23: "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not; they are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness."

About three years ago, my friend Jackie (pictured above on the far right as an "iPod") went into a coma after getting hit in her car by a drunk driver. About two years later, she came out of the coma. She is now out of it (praise God!), yet she is still in recovery and is not able to live on her own. However, this past week, I learned that she was able to participate in a marathon!

Her family, friends, and community have been lifting her up in prayer all of these years. I believe that her family's faith in God's divine power has helped them push through the doubts that could have held them back as they raised money to help Jackie recover. Today, they are thankful to see her alive once again.

As this year wraps up before the holidays, I have seen how God's power and wisdom are beyond my understanding and worthy of my trust. So much in my life has changed, but I have been blessed to see what He has revealed to me about HIs plans so far!

Psalm 37 explains: "Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and He will help you" (verse 5).

As we approach this season, I pray that we trust in the power of God and are able to share with others the unending love that He has given us!

The link to Jackie's story:

http://www.wfaa.com/sports/more/Woman-injured-by-drunk-driver-to-participate-in-marathon-78913677.html

where is the root?

In Luke, Jesus compared seeds thrown on rocks to people. He explained: "Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away" (Luke 8:13).

As followers of Christ, where is the root of our faith?

This past weekend, my friend wondered aloud why some people claim they are a Christian when they do not act like they agree with the Bible's teachings. My friend was frustrated that a friend of hers seems to go to church to please others. She explained that her friend did not live like she wanted to obey God's Word.

That night, I wondered to God, "Am I acting like I truly believe what You say?" Since then, He has been showing to me where I can improve in my confidence to live for Him.

Later in Jesus' story about seeds, He described the kind of seed that grew to maturity: "But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop" (Luke 8:15). I pray that God will help us learn more of how to live like seeds on good soil so that others see His goodness.

a golden sense

"The music is all around us. All we have to do is listen." –"August's Rhapsody," August Rush (Motion Picture Soundtrack)
This past Monday, as I left class on a mission to find water, a classmate stopped me to ask a personal question. The genuine sincerity of her response as I answered struck me. When we left our conversation, I felt that I could trust her.

How could I trust so quickly? I think it is because of the way she listened.

From the Bible's stories, we know that our God listens. In Luke 2:46-47, Mary and Joseph search for 12-year-old Jesus after a Passover feast in Jerusalem:

"After three days, they found Him in the temple complex sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all those who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers."

My roommate helped me find the Greek word for "astonish." It is pronounced existemi, and it means "to amaze... to astound out of one's senses."

In Luke's story, we see Jesus sitting with these men who taught the Scriptures, and they are amazed by this young boy's wisdom and understanding. John Maxwell explains in The Maxwell Leadership Bible, "He [Jesus] knew that to connect with people's hearts, He had to use His ears."

By listening to others, we can speak volumes about Christ's love. When the Holy Spirit shows us opportunities to use our gift of hearing, I pray that we show Christ's astonishing wisdom and love for others.

Do you have a story about the power of listening?

(Picure from marinebio.org)

focal point

As my family helped me unpack this weekend, I recalled that some interior designers suggest to choose a focal point when setting up a room. For example, a living room may have a fireplace or a piece of artwork as a focal point. By knowing a room's intended focus, it may be easier to unravel and communicate the vision for that room.

This makes me question, "What is my focal point, in spirit? Do I act out of habit - out of pleasure - out of love?"

1 John 4:16 (New Living Translation) explains,
"We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them."
I think what John is saying in that verse is that if we trust God to lead us, He will help us live out of love. As followers of Jesus, I hope that we seek to grow in our understanding of Him and in our love for the world. My prayer is that God gives us the courage to look at the state of our current inner guidance system, and I pray that we choose Him as our focal point.

Photo from http://www.masonryofdistinction.com/

the light of life

Fairly recently, I have felt that God has called me to help with Children's Ministry. This realization had left me a bit bewildered. As I talked to one of my friends, he seemed to pick up on this and reminded me of Jeremiah's calling.

Jeremiah explains,"The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.'

'Ah, Sovereign Lord,' I said, 'I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.'

But the Lord said to me, 'Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you, declares the Lord. " (Jeremiah 1:4-8)

I am amazed at how God guides us. When we trust His love, power, and sense of direction, He can do incredible things through us! We can be confident in His support – remembering John 8:12:

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'"

(photo from http://ecochildsplay.com/files/2008/09/sun-jar.jpg)