"Are You Waiting to be Called?"

Back when the telegraph was the fastest method of long-distance communication, a young man applied for a job as a Morse Code operator. Answering an ad in the newspaper, he went to the office address that was listed.

When he arrived, he entered a large, busy office filled with noise and clatter, including the sound of the telegraph in the background. A sign on the receptionist's counter instructed job applicants to fill out a form and wait until they were summoned to enter the inner office. The young man filled out his form and sat down with the seven other applicants in the waiting area. After a few minutes, the young man stood up, crossed the room to the door of the inner office, and walked right in.

Naturally the other applicants perked up, wondering what was going on. They muttered among themselves that they hadn't heard any summons yet. They assumed that the young man who went into the office made a mistake and would be disqualified.

Within a few minutes, however, the employer escorted the young man out of the office and said to the other applicants, "Gentlemen, thank you very much for coming, but the job has just been filled."

The other applicants began grumbling to each  other, and one spoke up saying, "Wait a minute, I don't understand. He was the last to come in, and we never even got a chance to be interviewed. Yet he got the job. That's not fair!"

The employer said, "I'm sorry, but the last several minutes while you've been sitting here, the telegraph has been ticking out the following message in Morse Code: 'If you understand this message, then come right in. The job is yours.' None of you heard it or understood it. This young man did. The job is his."

We are so busy living in a world that is full of noise and clatter, like that office. People are distracted and unable to hear the still, small voice of God as He speaks in creation, in the Scriptures, and in the life and work of Jesus Christ.

So I ask you, as I ask myself, "Are you listening, or are you waiting to be called? Do you hear the Lord when He speaks to you?"

Submitted by Sharon Beougher

--Author Unknown

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

--Author: God

Received Grace

Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, ² which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, ³ concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, ⁴ who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, ⁵ through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake, ⁶ among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;⁷ to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ because I have RECEIVED GRACE. When God came into my life, He changed me. He changed my desires, wants, outlook, goals and perspective. He showed me that He loved me and had a plan for my life. I was an insecure child who never lived up to the expectations of those around me. It seems that there was no hope and that I would never please anybody or amount to anything. I understood myself to be stupid and unworthy. I was a complete disappointment to those who knew me. When I began to seek this God of hope, He came to me. He showed Himself to me. My friends and I used to wonder how He could find us in the hills of Tennessee, but He did! God helped me see that Jesus loved me and that with His help, I would always be received in the eyes of the Father. With His love, I would be received for ever and ever. Through the death of His Son Jesus, I received grace and am forever His! He is proud of me! Though the world many wonder why I'm here, God never wondered why He created me. He knew what He was doing and in fact, was pleased. How could one who has RECEIVED GRACE ever be ashamed of the gospel? I do not know!

Today, celebrate with me that I am not ashamed of the gospel because I have RECEIVED GRACE from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Not only is He risen, but He is risen in me!

I pray that you have RECEIVED GRACE as well. If not, His grace is available for you!

lavished love

"I exalt You, my God the King, and praise Your name forever and ever…I will speak of Your splendor and glorious majesty and Your wonderful works. They will proclaim the power of Your awe-inspiring acts, and I will declare Your greatness. They will give a testimony of Your great goodness and will joyfully sing of Your righteousness" (Psalm 144:1, 5-7). 

Last weekend, I was in a wedding of one of my best friends from college and her husband. One of my favorite moments was at the rehearsal dinner when people gave toasts to wish the couple well. This was especially neat, since my friend has the love language of words of affirmation. Her now husband gave the last speech, and it was neat to see how he could go on and on about his soon bride-to-be. The whole weekend, in fact, the couple could be found showering compliments on each other.

One thing that I want to do this Easter is seek this deeper relationship with God where I just overflow in praise to Him. I think there is something powerful in thanking Him not only for blessings like family and friends, but also for who He is. It reminds us of how great He is, and it also gives worship and honor to Him. It can also be a witness to others that His people are comforted in His presence.

Kelli Martin

Let the memories and praise of Him resonate within you. It can do something within us and also can be such a witness to others to see how our Savior comforts us and refreshes us like cool springs. He loves us not just in mind - He loves us in action, words and truth, as we see when we remember the cross He sacrificed on for us. Yes, He loves us directly.

What are some reasons you have found peace in Him? What do His names mean? Praise Him for who He is. If you are going through a tough time, praise Him in advance. Let this love spill out and let others see that our Savior is here through the tough times and the good. He is always here to speak to us.

Let's remember the love that He lavishes on us, and let's lavish our Savior in love. He is risen! He is risen indeed.

Check out this song by All Sons and Daughters on YouTube: "Hear the Sound"

Let Us Love One Another

“But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having thus a fond affection for you, we were well-leased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us” (I Thessalonians 2:7-8).

My parents did a good job making sure that my sisters and I were raised by making God and church a priority in our lives. However, in my high school years, I realized that I as just going through the motions of attending church and other activities, all the while thinking that I was a Christian. I was very willing to go to church, I was a pretty good person, did not get mad easily, and usually had a fairly good disposition. After all, that is what a Christian is….right??? WRONG!

During my high school years, I started babysitting regularly for a couple down the street from my house in Charlotte, North Carolina. As I babysat, every Wednesday night they would come home with joy and excitement about this new church they were helping to start. I was puzzled about the fact that they thought it was fun. They invited me numerous times to visit, and I finally decided to go. I was struck at once by the warmth and friendliness of the people at the little mission church (by the way, it was called Sharon Baptist Mission). I could see joy and genuine interest in God’s Word through the members. I went back a few times and then went to a very small Bible Study with the youth (which happened to be just two other people). They asked me if I had ever invited Christ to come into my life to forgive me for my sin and to be the Lord and Savior of my life. Though I had been through classes and had been to church, I never had made this personal decision. I prayed with them that night and then knew for certain that I was a Christian. I was filled with peace and also with a desire to read my Bible.

The friendliness, warmth and genuine concern that people had for me at that little church was what attracted me to go back to the church. Then the Lord used the teaching there and the personal interaction in Bible study to bring me into a relationship with Him.

Lord, help us to remember the fact that you love us and accept us unconditionally. Help us to do the same as we seek to love and accept those who come into our life. Help us point people to you. In Jesus name, Amen.

Sharon Beougher

HeartCall - A Helpful Tool to Seminary Student Wives

"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and he Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20).

Seminary Wives Institute is a program for student wives at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. Founded by the president's wife, Mrs. Mary Mohler, it is designed to equip ministers' wives to be better prepared when they leave seminary with their husbands to go to a place of ministry. The three year program consists of 4 six-week course segments of twelve instructional hours per year as well as opportunities for condensed classes. Courses vary from Discipleship, Old and New Testament Survey courses and Worldviews to courses in Hospitality, Marriage and Family, Parenting, etc.

One of the courses I have the privilege of teaching is Leaderhip I--which is actually women and evangelism. Over the years I have used HeartCall as part of the curriculum for this and was able to add Gifted2Go along with it this year. The feedback I got from the 35 students in it this term was that it was a simple method that gave them a tool to use in sharing the gospel. Many in the class had never memorized Scripture in their lives and said they were glad to have been trained in it, especially memorizing the verses to go along with Hope Believe Turn and Call!

The students memorized the verses to go along with the simple diagram, were given two HeartCall tracts to give away during the six weeks and were given a HeartCall Bible to give away as well. If you have not looked carefully at these materials, take a good look. This is one tool to help us all be obedient to carrying out the Great Commission!

Sharon Beougher

Not Ashamed: 16 reasons from Romans 1-16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16, NASB

I've been listening to Dr. Ed Young's sermon podcasts on Romans and reminded of how much this book of the New Testament has to offer. So when Nancy Taylor asked if I'd teach her Life Bible Study class at Houston's First Baptist Church, I was thrilled to hear that they had also been studying Romans. Yesterday, I was blessed to meet this great group of ladies and share with them not only the HeartCall way to present the gospel, but teach them 16 truths (one from each chapter) from Romans on why we are NOT ASHAMED of the gospel of Jesus Christ!

In the months to come, on this blog, I will be posting 16 reasons we are not ashamed and I encourage you to begin reading in Romans and looking for the answer to the question, "Why are we not ashamed of the gospel?"

It's a bit hard to define not ashamed, but the idea here is that because of what Christ did for us, we are not to hide what we believe and why we believe it. If we really know that Christ is alive, we want to tell it. In Romans 1, Paul tells us that we are set apart for the purpose of the gospel (good news of Christ). Because of Christ, we want to tell others! Especially during this Easter season, let's look for ways to get to know people and share with them the difference that Christ makes in our lives!

Start reading Romans and see what you find. I'd love to hear so post it on our Facebook page at Jaye Martin Ministries or send us an email through our website, www.jayemartin.com/contact.

Happy Easter season! He is Risen!

who is this king of glory?

"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."
-Psalm 18:2

With the new film "Captain America" coming out in theaters soon, I was reminded of heroes. There are many tales of knights, crusaders, warriors, kings and the underdogs who came out to win victoriously. What is your favorite story of a hero? Maybe the people who housed escaping Jews from the Holocaust? This thing that stands out among heroes - what is it about them? Bravery? Valor? Honor? Strength?

What stands out most to me is their passion that they have for living for more than just themselves. That makes them heroes to me. And you know, I have most found this hero in Jesus Christ. He is God who came to earth to not just show us the way to go but to rescue us.

• He came, not ostentatiously but humbly in a manger. 
• He came, not only to love just those who were thought of as well-respected in community or those in power, but also to love the weak, the brokenhearted, the widows and the children. 
• He came, not at a yell but with a message filled with hope, forgiveness and God's plan to redeem, rescue and guide a weary world.

We can so easily fall into the siren tune of turning away from our Creator and Savior, and yet - and yet, He sees us fully and wants us back. He wants us back enough to sacrifice for us. In fact, He is the sort of God Father to run to us with open arms like the prodigal son's father. He wants us to believe in Him - to trust in Him and to ask for His help because He is wise and good.

Knowing this hero is monumental.

Who is this King of glory?

I think Third Day's lyrics below and the words in this link - "King of Glory" sung live by Third Day - capture Him well.

"Who is this King of glory that pursues me with his love
And haunts me with hearing His softly spoken words
My conscience, a reminder, of forgiveness that I need
Who is this king of glory who offers it to me?

Who is this King of angels, oh blessed Prince of Peace
Revealing things of heaven and all its mysteries
My spirit's ever longing for His grace in which to stand
Who is this King of glory, Son of God and son of man

His name is Jesus, precious Jesus
The Lord Almighty, King of my heart
The King of glory

Who is this King of glory with strength and majesty
And wisdom beyond measure, the gracious King of Kings
The Lord of earth and heaven, the Creator of all things?
He is the King of glory, He's everything to me"

How will we respond to such love, such bravery and such sacrifice? Will we trust Him with our lives?

sound teaching?

³ As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, ⁴ nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. ⁵ But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ⁶ For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, ⁷ wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions. 1 Timothy 1:3-7, NASB

In the last few weeks, it seems many discussions in my world have been about what God does and does not say about any given topic. It is sad that so few churches are teaching sound doctrine. In Paul's letter to Timothy, he begins with asking Timothy to remain in Ephesus so that he can instruct the church about God's teachings. It seems that the early church was chasing after strange things. Isn't it amazing that we are still doing the same? I challenge you to open the Word or click on this link to read the rest of 1 Timothy 1. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+timothy+1&version=NASB

When we don't know what God's Word says, we open ourselves to "fruitless discussion" (v.6). It is especially sad when this fruitless discussion is led by those "wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions" (v.7).

Lord, forgive us. Forgive us when we stand to teach and do not know what we are talking about. Forgive us when we engage in discussions and do not point others to your Word. Give us understanding for how you want us to live and help us to hold to the TRUTH of your Word, regardless of the consequences. And help us do this with love and respect.

Lord, give us Your Words and Your love.

Is His joy enough?

"What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— ² and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— ³ what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. ⁴ These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete." 1 John 1:1-4, NASB

Isn't 1 John just wonderful? I always suggest that new believers read it first. Simply put, Jesus was there in the beginning of time. See John 1:1-5. He is the Word in flesh, the Word of Life. God sent Jesus so that we could see God. Jesus showed us how to live and how to die. "Who God is" is manifest in the person of Jesus. We know - we have seen and heard -  this truth. As a result of this, we have fellowship with God through Jesus Christ. When we have this truth in us, we have His joy, and thus our joy is complete in Him.

I ask you today what I am asking myself. "Is my joy complete in Him?" Am I looking for a great response to my actions? Am I looking for what I can do next? Am I looking for a sign that God is in my life and blessing my ministry? Unfortunately, the answer to all these (for me) is yes! Yes my joy is complete in Him but yes, I am looking for all the rest. Not good. My joy needs to be complete in Him. Period.

I ask you today, is your joy complete in Him? Is He enough for you? If so, help others see this great truth! It is not how many tweeter followers or facebook friends we have, nor it is how many books we write or places we go. Jesus is complete in Himself and we can be complete in Him. Let's choose His joy in us again today.

You know you are loved!

He is here - wherever you go

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9, NASB).

In the midst of me digging into one of my first new year resolutions, God keeps reminding me to rest in Him and to remember Him. He is here.

Where are you today? He, our God, is here for all of us. He came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). When we seek Him, we will find Him (Matt. 7:7, Rev. 3:20).

He
How would you describe God?
He is present (Psalm 139:7-10).
His character is constant, He is faithful (James 1:17, 2 Timothy 2:13).
He is bread and living water - He gives strength and nourishment (John 6:35, John 4:7-42).

Is
As a verb, "is" reminds me that God's love is active.
Let's praise Him with our voices and with our lives. Let's share Him with our testimonies and with our hearts. Let's pray for a more active faith, because our Redeemer lives.

Here
What situation are you in? Whom have you come across this week?
He is here:

• for our friend and for the foreigner
• for the executive and for the busboy
• for the person we serve in volunteer efforts and for the widow on our street

He is here - here to save the world, to draw close to a world in need for more of Him. 

Our God manages the world and yet He makes time - He wants time - with each person He created. 

Let's share "He is here" with our hearts that crave more of Him, and let's share "He is here" with others who don't know Him yet as Lord and Savior.

He is here - wherever you go. Amen.

Great songs: "Be Still My Soul" by Page CXVI and "How Deep the Father's Love" by Page CXVI

Great passage: Isaiah 61:1-4

Take the HeartCall SHARE Challenge

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:36-39, NASB

February is almost here. Some of us love it; some of us hate it. Our perspective may be related to our season of life: happily or unhappily married, single or single again, unattached or widowed, and the list goes on. Let's turn February into a love fest. Instead of focusing on what we wish we had, let's focus on what we do have...God's love!

 

God's love is what we really live for. It is what gets us through the good and bad times. It is the reason we live and the joy of our lives. Let's live as though we believe that truth! Let's get our perspective straight and this season, let's share the love of the Lord!

 

God's great commandment (listed above) is to love God and love people. We share His love by showing it in every way - believing, giving, caring, sharing, helping, hoping, working, playing, etc. Let's look for ways to show our neighbors (and others) that we love God so much that we want to share His love with them!

 

The HeartCall SHARE Challenge is this: Share God's Love. Give the HeartCall Bible. Show love to others and share the Word with them. Even if you don't have the new HeartCall Bible (https://www.jayemartin.com/shop/heartcall-bible/31/), share the HeartCall message of hope!

If you do, share your story with us at www.facebook.com/JayeMartinMinistries or go to our SHARE page at www.jayemartin.com/share and submit your story on the form at the end of the page.

 

Let's turn February into a HeartCall month of God's love!

 

You know you are loved,

Jaye

 

Give the Bells, Give the Word

"Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Luke 6:38, NASB

On Sunday, a lady came by the preschool desk (my volunteer job) and gave a knitted bell to my co-worker and to me. To my knowledge, I have never seen her before but she was passing on the spirit of Christ during this Christmas season. She reminded us to give the joy of Christ to others.

In the last few days, I have given out several of our new HeartCall Bibles. These use our logo of a heart, cross and an arrow to share the gospel message. I am amazed and how many who say they will read it! Today I gave one to two ladies who spoke little English. I also gave them a copy of the HeartCall Spanish-English tract. They seemed grateful and interested. I pray that God uses His Word to reach the hearts of His kids, as well as those who want to know Him.

Regardless of how you give during this Christmas season, whether it be by knitting bells or giving Bibles, I pray that when you give, you will share the joy of the Lord and the promise of salvation. It IS the Christmas season and it was...and still is...an announcement of great joy! Ring the bells! Share the Good News! Pass on the love of Christ every way you can!

Merry Christmas to all,
Jaye

You can order HeartCall Bibles and other resources at www.jayemartin.com/shop. If you would rather give so we can train people to go, visit our give page at www.jayemartin.com/give. Blessings to all!

a spark on an ordinary, dark night

"The shepherds began saying to one another, 'Let us go straight back to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.' 

So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as he lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child…

The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told to them" (Luke 2:15b-17, 20, NASB). 

Aisles and aisles of red, green and white was all I could see for a while. My shopping cart was popping out with the same colors as I emerged from this sea and approached the check-out line. Then - in the middle of this busy day - a man at the check-out begun talking with me about Christmastime and church. And there it was - a glimmer in the middle of the day of Christ, our Savior, who was part of God's plan to sacrificd Himself as a ransom for all. This message is for all people. Even on the seemingly most normal of days, God is at work to spread this message, to save us and  to draw us all closer to Him.

That night, I was reminded of the shepherds' reactions in Luke 2, the night of Christ's birth:

• First, they were terrified by the angel that visited them in the fields (v. 9). Who wouldn't be? A heavenly creature appeared during their work shift and in the dark.
• They went to see what the angel had told them (vv. 15-16). After hearing the angel's message that the Savior was born in Bethlehem, they decided to check it out. They were filled with joy to see that what the angels had told them about Jesus was so accurate.
• They praised God and told others what the angels had told them about the Child (vv. 17-18, 20). And they brought glory to God.

I pray that God helps us see each day - no matter how ordinary or how unusual it seems - as a time that He can move and bring light along with His love. I pray He gives us His heart, along with the words to share what He has shown us about Him, this good news for all people, that our Savior is here.

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord'" (Luke 2:10-11). 

the hope of Christmas

My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah. Psalm 62:5-8

On this cyber Monday, you may catch yourself glancing at all the sale messages in your inbox or on Facebook and for just a moment think that your hope is in finding the perfect gift at an unbelievable price and that securing it will give you and others the ultimate gift of hope for a cheery season. Be not mislead. While the ads promise all these things, in our hearts we know that the only real hope we have is in Christ.

 

Christ is the perfect gift. He is all knowing, all understanding, all sufficient, all powerful, and

full of hope!

 

The psalmist says to wait in silence for God only; and reminds us that our hope is in Him. No matter what the Christmas season brings, we are not shaken if we hope in Him. He is our rest, strength, salvation, refuge and more. As we pour out our hearts to Him, He meets us at our point of need.

 

Amy Grant's song, I need a little silent night, really speaks to me. http://www.metrolyrics.com/i-need-a-silent-night-lyrics-amy-grant.html#startvideo

Take a moment and listen. Let's live the hope we know we have. Let's share it with others so they too may have the hope of Christ this Christmas.

 

Hope in Christ is the first chapter in our new work, HeartCall New Heart: What it Means to Believe. Find it in the shop. Bless someone this Christmas with our Fresh Start Kit: this book, the Bible, the journal and our new devotional book. www.jayemartin.com/shop.

 

 

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). 

God's stream or Twitter stream?

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
² But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
³ He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3, NASB)

Today I was blessed by the simple truths found in Psalm 1:1-3. I was reminded that God wants us to bask in Him, His wise counsel and in His Word. I am not to be under the counsel of the ungodly. I am to meditate on Him and His law. When I do, I will see the fruit of His love and wisdom in every area of my life.

Last night, I looked at my Twitter feed. I do love social media. I love seeing the clips and thoughts and things happening. I love the photos on Facebook and I love to keep up with people. The difficult side is that I just don't have the time to see all the posts and to respond to each one. The further challenge is that I can be distracted by those who are not responding to me. Not good! I found myself frustrated by the need to promote and connect with thousands of people. I also found myself discouraged that I was "not where I needed to be" in getting the word out about my ministry.

Yet this morning, there it was...God's Word. Ready to instruct and encourage me. My worth is not found in Twitter or Facebook! Not a new thought but a timely reminder. My concentration needs to be on God and His Son; when it is, I delight in Him and He delights in me. His streams of water are better than any Twitter feed.

Spend time with Him today.

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) 

Sarah Pierson - A Shining Light at a Public School

Last week, Cypress Ridge High School in Houston, TX, did a spotlight on Sarah Pierson! Sarah is an incredible young adult who has a passion for the Lord. She teaches at Cy-Ridge and has been a shining example for Christ. I included the first page of the newsletter but read the second page and thank God for Sarah!

Way to go Sarah! We are so proud of you!!!

What are you doing to shine for Christ? Let's pray that our lights are shining bright!

The Joy of the Lord Is Your Strength

"The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10b, NASB). 

There is a popular slogan by Under Armour that says, "Protect This House." I think what it means is that as we exercise, we are helping our body by keeping it healthy. There are many other ways to seek physical health and protection. Where do you run for strength and protection?

Lately, this verse above has been on my mind. God sent Ezra and Nehemiah in these days to restore Jerusalem in very realistic, visual ways, as they rebuilt the temple and the city walls, respectively. The focus in this chapter is that as Ezra read God's law out loud, the people began weeping.

Why were they weeping? These people were weeping at the reading of God's Word and as they realized their sins. I think God's Word can be challenging and lovely at the same time. We can see He is holy and deserves the utmost respect and worship, and I think the people may have felt regret or sadness over their sin.

Kelli Martin

What did Ezra say about it? He asked them to not grieve or mourn. I think the purpose here is that God, in that moment, was there to restore His people not just physically but also spiritually. It was also time to start the festival of booths. God was proving His faithfulness to restore His people.

He can restore us today as well, as we turn to Him in belief and with a heart of repentance. He gave His Word out of love, so that we could know Him more. It is good to be sorrowful over our sins so that we see the need to turn from them and toward God, but we must trust that God also lets us turn to Him and come to Him. He is a forgiver. Let's embrace that and walk in faith in that.

Let's take a moment to praise Him because He has shown how He wants to restore us. Let's share with others, by word and by action, our source of joy and strength.

Check out all of the first part of chapter 8 in Nehemiah here: Nehemiah 8:1-12 (NLT)

God's Voice

- C.S. Lewis

"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you" (Isaiah 43:2a, NLT).

"And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20b, NLT).

The quote above from C.S. Lewis is one that I repinned on Pinterest earlier this week. I felt that God was in a moment of silence about something I've been praying about for a while, but I knew I still trusted Him. Even when we don't hear Him responding about a certain prayer, He is there.

Not long after that, God reminded me how He speaks. Several things began happening, and He brought verses like this to my attention: "The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over many waters" (Psalm 29:3, ESV). You see, God has a voice that can even thunder. The verses and things that have been happening this week came in such great timing. My Savior has spoken. 

Kelli Martin

God may seem silent, or His voice may seem like thunder. Either way, He can't go against His nature. He is Immanuel, God with us. 

As you go today, remember the second half of Matthew 28:20,"And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (NLT). It comes in great timing in the passage, at the end of the Great Commission. Let's praise God that He's at work not only in our lives but also around the world. Let's pray He reveals to us what He wants us to do next to be a part of His good, grand plan.

Recommended music: "Savior's Here" by Kari Jobe
Recommended reading: Psalm 29, Matthew 28:18-20, Isaiah 43