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

Leaders, Grace and Peace?

"Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my god in all my remembrance of you" Philippians 1:1-3, NASB.

 

This past weekend, it was my honor to again be with Ashley Allen and the wonderful women of North Carolina. As we looked at the lessons of evangelistic leadership from Philippians, I began with these verses. Paul wrote to overseers, so as you can imagine, the book is packed with truths to take to heart. I love that he begins with the simple words of grace and peace. "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." I asked these leaders if they were giving grace and peace to those under their leadership. So simple, so profound.

 

What is grace? It is the free and unmerited favor of God. As a leader, I have to ask myself the same

question. Am I extending grace to others? Grace is the gospel message. It is the reality that in God's grace, He has blessed us with the gift of salvation, the gift of Himself. I must always extend His grace to everyone by my words and my actions. As a Christian, it is the best place to start.

 

What about peace? Do I carry the peace of God in every situation all day long? When I continue to find editing errors in the resources, how am I responding? Regardless of what happens, I need to always look to God for His peace so that I can extend it to others.

 

Grace and peace to you, my friend. May He fill you with His salvation and His Spirit so that you can pour it out on everyone.