"Knowing Love"

"She said she usually cried at least once each day, not because she was sad, but because the world was so beautiful and life was so short." ~Unknown

I often think of the lives that have appeared in my own. Some of those people have blessed and honored me by remaining, while others, for various reasons have not been able to. You wish that you could keep all those you meet that you connect with, but the truth of the matter is, you won't be able to. Some will stay, and some will move on. You may stay, and sometimes you may move on. Life is full of all kinds of change.

I often shed tears over those I have lost—either some in death, or others on to other avenues of their lives. It's never easy to lose a beautiful relationship of any kind once it's been established. 

Sometimes it hurts to love someone. Sometimes we hurt those we love. We humans are such complex creatures that way—capable of so many different things. So why then do we risk loving one another at all if we are often so disappointing? Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 

This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from Him anything we ask, because we keep His commands and do what pleases Him. And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us. The one who keeps God's commands lives in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us. 1 John 3:16-24

"Perhaps our eyes need to be washed by our tears once in a while, so that we can see Life with a clearer view again." ~Alex Tan

This life of ours is full of risks to take. Sometimes we will win, and sometimes we will lose. Sometimes it's worth it, sometimes it's not. However we'll usually never know till we try at all; and we'll probably not get very far without risking at least a little. But such is life. 

Loving people is a huge risk. As humans we long to be loved in return and our hearts are often broken and scarred when it isn't. But again sometimes we'll get it, and sometimes we won't. Either way we may never know for sure unless we take that first step, which is often scary and intimidating…

Love can be a beautiful and harsh thing—at times it can be healing, while other times it can be downright dangerous. I can't guarantee human love is always good as I wish I could. But I will say so of God's. In terms of my own life He's been the only hope and comforting need for me to hold onto at all times. He's there even when I don't call for Him. He's there for me for both the good times and the bad. I fall down, and He's the one beside me to help me back on my feet. That's a rare thing to say of anyone. So it makes me genuinely happy knowing there is at least and always will be one kind of love out there that is always true…God's love for simple, broken, and tainted little me… I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; He saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them. Psalm 34:4-7

Though our feelings come and go, God's love for us does not." ~C.S. Lewis

I think it is safe to say we will all love at least some point in our lives. I believe it is as natural to us as breathing. But the question is how will you love? Or rather, what will love mean to you? 

God is my Hope. It's a feeling I just know. It's a relationship I've discovered, and I firmly believe it's the real deal. As for the love between you and God, well that is something you'll have to examine for yourself. 

I pray you each find genuine love in your relationships with your friends, families and significant others. However, I caution you. We all want to feel loved, valued, and appreciated by others; yet sometimes in our rush to feel so we take the risk in order to search it out, and at the first small sign of it, jump on board. But sometimes what we think we need might not necessarily be beneficial. Sometimes what we want might not necessarily be what we truly need. This can be a tricky area, for the feelings of being loved can often 'hinder' our perceptions of our reality. When we are confronted by such moments, my advice is to attempt to ask ourselves if such love opportunities are the true kinds of love we need (is it genuine love?). Another good idea is to evaluate what genuine love really is. So therefore assess the risk factor beforehand (it also helps to procure others' opinions); try to determine whether the risk is worth taking (for not every risk or opportunity will be)--but you most certainly could explore it. 

If you choose to give out love, and receive it yourself for awhile, realize there is the unfortunate possibility that you might be disappointed at some point. If that does happen to you, (or it already has), I pray you are not embittered because of it. It is an easy thing to do, to build up walls around your heart—but as C.S. Lewis put it, it is not healthy, and it most certainly isn't something God longs for you. "To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable."~C.S. Lewis

Whether you find genuine love or not, I hope and pray you do find it with our Father. God loves you unconditionally, and truly values you His creation; He alone knows your full worth and potential. And above all, He knows your heart; He can help fill it and mend it whole again. How many can say that and really mean it? 

Let go of the hurt and the scars. Let Him come into you and let His love set you free and wash you clean. Let Him show you what real Love is.* The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them…The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:17-18

…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10: 22-25

"If you find the mirror of the heart dull, the rust has not been cleared from its face." ~Rumi

"Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within." ~James Arthur Baldwin

"For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it." ~Ivan Panin

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:11-12

Enveloped in His Love, 

Whitney

"My Valentine"

I have been privileged to grow up in a world of love. Not many can say that.

I was checking out a non-profit organization called "To Write Love On Her Arms" (http://www.twloha.com), and was reading the stories about the depressed, hurt, and lost individuals who found Hope again. These stories of redemption inspired me to write this particular Daily Bread.

There are so many people out there who are alone and hurting. Maybe it is even you. And while I cannot offer you all the answers that you seek, I can direct you to One who can: Jesus. He wants to be your Valentine. He wants to give you Love. But not just for one day. He won't be the guy who is there for you one day, and gone the next. He won't be the girl who says she loves you and then dumps you for someone else. He won't abuse you, He won't abandon you, He won't hate you, or cause you pain. He is Love, and He is Hope.

How do I know you ask? Well to be honest I haven't experienced the same painstaking stories as so many individuals out there, but I have experienced a Gift that would change my life forever. And this gift is for everyone.

Gift, you ask me? Flowers? Chocolates? Oh goodie you think.

No, this is not a worldly gift that only satisfies for a moment. It is not the kind of gift you only get once a year on the world's version of Love Day. Nor is it a gift that leaves you feeling even emptier inside. This is a gift that cleanses your heart, your mind, your spirit, your life. We can't erase from memory what we have done in our past. But we can be made new again, with a new purpose in mind, and grow from the hurt and pain we have experienced into beautiful people of God.

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting mens sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

This gift is True Love. Jesus gave it when He died on the cross for you. For all of us. He gives it day after day as more and more are drawn to Him. He gives it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He gives it to all of His loved ones, because He loves us. He loves you.

God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

This love is so true, so holy, so genuine, that you want it to fill you up forever. You want to it to overflow and you want to drink it up.

So while some of us may not have experienced such soul-wrenching feelings as many out there have, we often find ourselves drifting away from Him regardless. Not drinking in the Love anymore. Why? How could we stop? Is it because we are not as "lost" as others? Phishtosh. The reality is, we are all lost.

We all need His gift of Love. There is hope for all of us. So if you are searching for something, and you don't know what it is, come to the Father right now, and He will give you what you seek. He will fill you up with the fire and love that will heal you and restore your broken pieces.

He restores my soul;
     He leads me in the paths of righteousness
     For His name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
     I will fear no evil;
     For You are with me;
     Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:3-4

The question is now, what are we going to do about it? Will we take His gift? What will we do with it? Will we take Him as our loved one? He did. And He is ready when you are ready to come to Him.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

So if you fear you are lost, and that no one cares for you, and all you want to do is make it all go away, just remember that there is One who will always hold you in His arms and tell you how much He loves you. It's not a fluke, it's genuine. Once you experience it, His Love will help set you free from the shackles holding down your soul.*

Feeling the love,
Whitney

"CompassionArt"

This message is, I must admit, not much of a "message" at all in the traditional sense. It is actually an advertisement; it's the article writer (and myself) trying to persuade you into buying a product. So then, in that case, why am I sharing it here today? Well, read on and see for yourself. I think you'll understand soon enough!

It seemed like a crazy idea at the time – gathering twelve of the most skilled Christian songwriters for a week-long retreat in rural Scotland. They'd pay their own way, write together and give up all claim to any royalties earned from the songs.

Crazy.

Then it got a little more crazy; within a few weeks of the retreat the writers were back together once more at London's Abbey Road studios to record 14 songs in just three days, emerging with the spine and heart of an album.

Even more crazy.

And then things got interesting; would the publishers, labels managers and countless other industry personnel join in? Would the Christian scene unite to do something they'd never attempted before? Would they forgo income so that money could be raised to help fight poverty around the world?

The answer was a 'yes'. A very loud one.

And now, a few months later CompassionArt the album is set for release. Featuring 14 songs that stretch and inspire, joining the dots between faith, music and action, CompassionArt brings the heart of worship a little closer to meeting the needs of a world in pain. All proceeds generated from the CD, book and song royalties will support the work of 16 initial Charities over the lifetime of these songs. The four headline projects are Stop The Traffik, Watoto, Ray Of Hope and Hand Of Hope.

The brainchild of Martin and Anna Smith (of the band "Delirious?"), the songwriters including Paul Baloche, Steven Curtis-Chapman, Stuart Garrard, Israel Houghton, Tim Hughes, Graham Kendrick, Andy Park, Matt Redman, Michael W. Smith, Chris Tomlin, Darlene Zschech. Several other additional guest performers: Kirk Franklin, Amy Grant, Joel Houston, Christy Nockels, Leeland Mooring, tobyMac and CeCe Winans.

Also included with the cd is a packed dvd – including a 50 minute documentary, trailers, videos and pdf downloads of song and chord charts for all of the tracks. As well as all this, the writers united to produce a book- The Art of Compassion; a twelve chapter unraveling of the trail of worship, hope and justice found in each of the writers' lives.

Back to the album though; what does it all sound like?

Hope, justice, peace, enlightenment and truth. Grooves and tunes and melodies that work under the skin and into the heart.

Put it another way; these songs sound like the future.

"These songs sound like the future." I like that; but I would like to put it another way. "These songs sound like the heartbeat of God." These Christian artists have come together and used their talents, skills and passions to truly put their faith into action. I find this incredibly encouraging - but I also find that it challenges us to put our faith into action as well.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

If you'd like to buy one of these music albums or the book that goes along with it, please click here to purchase one. However, I find that this can challenge us to do more than just open up our pocketbooks. It can challenge us to open up our hearts and minds, just like these Christian artists did, to help those in need. We all have our different talents, our passions, our areas of expertise - but the question is, will we look for creative, ingenuitive ways to use these unique qualities to build up the body of Christ and carry out Jesus' ministry of love?

For Further Study: Read Matthew 25:31-46

• From this verse, we are shown what truly following Jesus looks like. What does it look like?


• Who in our lives are "hungry, thirsty, strangers," etc., and what specific needs to they have?


• Now let's be creative! In light of 1 Co. 10:31 above, how can you take your own talents, skills, and passions ("whatever you do") and use them to meet the needs of others? Now is when things really get exciting!

Blessings in Christ,

Andrew

"Study Tips"

I hate taking tests.

But I'm a bit on the lazy side though too, for I tend not to study as hard as I should. Even so, tests, as most of you would probably agree, are not fun to take.

I used to take piano lessons from my mom, and she'd tell me over and over "practice makes perfect". If you didn't practice all the time, then recitals wouldn't go over very well would they? And what would you actually learn?

The Bible talks about Christ's second coming, but unfortunately we don't know when that will be. (Read Matthew 24:3-31 Tribulation/End Times, Second Coming)

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24:26-44

"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

"And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'

"Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. Matthew 25:1-13

So Christ tells us to "be prepared" at all times. If we aren't, we'll be like the five foolish virgins—locked out and kicking ourselves for not having been prepared.

Or practiced enough.
Or studied up enough.

You're nodding your heads now aren't you?

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 24:45-51

So we need to be ready every minute of every day—not just when we go to Church, or read our Bibles. Every minute of our life that goes by means one more minute till either the second coming or the end of your life. I don't say this to scare you. Only so reality will dawn in your brains, your hearts, and your souls.

Ready to study? Let's go!*
Whitney

"A Tape For Al Jazeera"

The following article is taken out of the March 2009 edition of the Voice of the Martyrs magazine.

I have found it to be an inspiring account of God working to protect His people even in the most dangerous of circumstances as we seek to reach out and glorify His name. I hope you find it the same!

A Tape for Al Jazeera

In Chapter One, Article 2 of the Constitution of Afghanistan it states, "Followers of other religions are free to exercise their faith and perform their religious rites within the limits of the provisions of law."

But for people like "Farid," that promise of religious freedom rings a bit hollow.

It was just before dawn, about 5 a.m., when Farid and five other Muslim background believers gathered in his home for praise and prayer. Their small house gathering was typical of most secret Christian meetings in Afghanistan today. As they worshiped, sitting in a circle on the floor, a knock on the door interrupted them. Six men armed with Kalashnikov automatic rifles and a knife stormed in.

Pointing rifles at the group, the men forced Farid to the floor. Using a strap, they tied his hands behind his back.

"When they put the knife to my neck I thought God had appointed this time for me to die," Farid told our VOM workers. "And then I prayed, 'God if this is the time for me to die, these people who want to kill me, I forgive them.'

"I didn't want my blood to be on their hands. I wanted God to forgive them and I wanted them to come to Christ as a result of my death."

Farid said he heard God's voice instructing him to stand up and leave the room.

When he stood up he noticed his hands were no longer tied. The straps had fallen to the floor. As he walked toward the door, two armed men stood in the way and told him he could not leave.

"One of them men shot at me with his Kalashnikov, but his gun jammed - it didn't fire. It jammed twice, then fired after I left the room."

Farid escaped while bullets whizzed in his direction. he remained unharmed. The leader of the terrorists, however, was shot in the confusion. The terrorists fled the scene and when the police arrived they made an amazing discovery.

"They went to the room where we were praying and found a bag there. When they opened the bag they found an Al-Quaeda flag, two swords and a video camera inside the bag," explained Farid. "The police told me the terrorists were going to behead us Christians, videotape it and show it on Al Jazeera."

The terrorists knew Farid was winning Afghan Muslims to Christ. They intended to broadcast the video throughout the Middle East to warn missionaries, evangelists and former Muslims they would be killed if they converted or attempted to convert Afghans to Christianity.

"This is a Muslim country and it's been for more than 25 years that they've been fighting for Islam and they don't like non-Muslim people people coming in to preach. In the Quran it is written that if somebody rejects Islam, you must kill them."

Farid remains steadfast despite this violent threat. His desire is to see Muslims in every corner of Afghanistan surrender their hearts to Christ. One way we help evangelists like Farid spread the gospel is by providing Bibles translated into Dari and other indigenous languages.

What an amazing story of God's grace, provision and protection! I hope you find this as encouraging as I do and can rest in the knowledge that God is in control of any and every situation; if it is His will for us to remain alive and spread the Word, nothing in this world (or in the next) can stop us!

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2

For Further Study - Read Acts 7:54-60

• Unlike Farid we read about today, Stephen the Martyr was not miraculously delivered from death. Why do you think this was so?
• God, obviously, did not intervene. But He did provide Stephen the strength and encouragement that he needed to cope with going through his own execution. How did God do this? (vs. 55, 56)
• How can we be encouraged to go through our own struggles when we, like Stephen, look to heaven and focus our eyes on Jesus Christ? (Hebrews 12:1)

Read Acts 8:1.

• How might Stephen's death have impacted the heart of the man (Saul) who would later go on to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles and ultimately pen much of our modern day New Testament?
• Notice how God used Stephen's death, a terrible occurrence, to bring about His purposes. How can this give us hope when bad things happen to us? (Genesis 50:20)

Blessings in Christ,
Andrew

"Who Are We In God?"

I was reading an excerpt from the book "Pure" by Christian Artist Rebecca St. James, and it really touched me. I hope it reaches out to all of you too.

We live in a culture that speaks the sermon of selfishness all the time. It places so much emphasis on self-help, self-worth, self-this, self-that. Because many people spend much of their time trying to please others, they're uncomfortable in their own skin and don't know who they are. Unfortunately, they derive their sense of worth based on what they do or don't do for others. It's all based on a false and conditional love. We can get so wrapped up in our selfishness that we can't see beyond ourselves to find our worth in God—who we are in Him.

Several years ago I embarked on a five-week long life-changing experience in Switzerland. I needed spiritual, emotional, and physical recuperation, and I found it at L'Abri (which means shelter), a community study center where Christians and non-Christians can seek honest answers about God and His purposes for their lives. It was there that the Lord spoke to me of my God-worth to the point that it was replacing my self-worth. Before this experience I don't think I had ever really discovered the sense of wholeness in God that I felt there.

One of the things I had to confront in my life was the issue of perfectionism. When you are a perfectionist you tend to either push yourself all the time to be better, or you are in failure mode and about to give up, believing that you'll never succeed. My tendency was to live with a sense that God was disappointed in me—that I was not good enough. Through study and prayer and time alone with Him, the Lord assured me that I am loved and secure. I know that I'm His princess, accepted and cherished.

If you've read The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien, or have seen the movies, you're familiar with the creature Gollum and his obsession with "my precious," the ring. He was willing to do anything to keep it, and then went to great lengths in an attempt to reclaim it. Ultimately, his selfish fascination with the treasure cost him his life. Unlike Gollum, God's love for us is purely selfless because He was willing to give up what's most important to Him—His only Son—to redeem you. He cherishes you as His precious creation. The apostle Paul put it this way:

"Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him" (Romans 5:6-8, The Message).

How much time do you spend in the morning each morning thinking about how others will perceive you based on what you look like today? How could you spend some of that time contemplating your worth in God's eyes? Look in the mirror and realize how precious you are to Him.

Rebecca St. James

God loved us so much He was willing to not only sacrifice His Son for us, but He also forgave us all our sins.

"Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool. Isaiah 1:18

Here I am Lord, and I'm drowning
in your sea of forgetfulness
The chains of yesterday surround me; I yearn for peace and rest
I don't want to end up where you found me and it echoes in my mind,
Keeps me awake tonight

I know you cast my sin as far as the east is from the west
and I stand before you now, as
As though I've never sinned
But today I feel like I'm just one mistake away
From you leaving me this way

Jesus can you show me just how far the east is from the west
Cause I can't bear to see the man I've been come rising up in me again
In the arms of your mercy I find rest, you know just how far the East is from the West:
From one scarred hand to the other.

I start the day the war begins - endless reminding of my sin
Time and time again your truth is drowned out by the storm I'm in
Today I feel like I'm just one mistake away, from you leaving me this way...

I know you've washed me white, turned my darkness into light
I need your peace to get me through, to get me through this night
Can't live by what I feel but by the Truth your Word reveals,
I'm not holding on to you but you're holding on to me,
You're holding on to me

(Casting Crowns, "East To West")

As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12

God loves you so much, He sent His Son to die for you. That my friends is the definition of real true love. Stop trying so hard to be someone else. If you're running from God, and searching for something to fill you up, know now that God is waiting for you to come to Him, and He will give you the peace and rest you need.*

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Thankful for His Love,
Whitney

"Spiritual Baggage"

Here is a verse that caught my eye recently that I thought we could all take a look at. It speaks about how even though we enter life with spiritual hindrances - attitudes, character traits, and just all-around nasty stuff - God provides us with a way to lay down these life-long burdens in real, tangible, life-altering ways. I hope we'll each take this opportunity to examine our own hearts for these kind of hindrances and respond accordingly to the call God is giving us here. 

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:3-7

Here in the first part of this passage, we see our former condition apart from the love of God. This is what I would like to call "spiritual baggage." We all have it - sometimes we are the victims of such things, and sometimes we are the victimizers, and this is a hindrance to us spiritually. But in this verse, we also see a hope, a way to escape this condition that we find ourselves in. This way of escape, of course, is Jesus Christ. But how does this change come? According to this verse, this change comes "...through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our savior."

So, you may be asking, what does this mean? Quite simply this: that when we come to Christ, He gives us God's Spirit, and through this Spirit, our lives begin to change. We are washed and cleansed. Something so deep and NEW happens within us that the closest thing we can liken it to is rebirth and renewal. This is what Jesus was talking about when He spoke about being "born again." He was not talking about physically being born again - rather, He was talking about a change within ourselves so deep and new that "reborn" is the only word that can adequately describe it. The bottom line of this is that Jesus brings us God's Spirit, and this Spirit brings us healing and restoration - rebirth and renewal - from these burdens that we saw listed above.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

So if you are tired of carrying those burdens around everywhere, those burdens of foolishness, slavery, malice, hate, etc., Jesus is the One who is willing and able to take those burdens away from us. He gives us rest and freedom, and when He went up to heaven, He send us His Spirit to be with us and offer us this radically new and fresh life change - this renewing and re-birthing of our souls. This is not just conceptual or metaphorical, either; this is the real, visible, life-trans-formative power of Jesus Christ in our lives here and now; and He's just waiting for us to come to Him and seek Him for it.

For Further Study: Read John 3:1-8

• In this passage we see Jesus teaching Nicodemus about being "born again." From today's study verse, what is the unavoidable condition of all who are NOT "reborn" or "born again" of the Spirit?
  
• In verse 3, Jesus makes it clear that this "rebirth" by the Spirit is a prerequisite for entry into heaven. Why do you think this is so?

• We cannot SEE the wind, but we can clearly see and acknowledge its presence by the effect it has upon the visible world (a tree swaying in the breeze, a devastating hurricane, etc.). According to these verses we read today, what visible signs might accompany the Spirit's presence?
• Do you see these visible evidences of the Spirit in your own life? If not, how can Matthew 11:28-30 above give you hope for this?

Blessings in Christ Everyone!
Andrew

"Where Do You Put Your Trust?"

How many times can you honestly look back on your life and say you put your trust in God to see you through something?

Do you trust people, or only yourself to get something done?

In spite of this, you did not trust in the Lord your God, who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go. Deuteronomy 1:32-33

If we put our trust in earthly things, including ourselves, everything will fall apart. But if we put our trust in our Heavenly Father who is eternal, He will work it all out. Everything happens for a reason; most of the time we don't understand why these reasons. But we need to know that God is in control, not us. He created us, He knows our every thought; He knows where we are going and why He has it planned that way. So, if we but trust Him, even though it's hard and seems a blind thing to do, we will feel the burden of responsibility lift from our shoulders. It may not all work our the way we wanted, or make much sense at the time, but hey who's will is it again?*

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 6:19-20

Trusting through the blindfold,
Whitney

"The Love-Wrapped Christmas Gift"

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 9:6

Tomorrow is Christmas Day, the day most of us will be waking up to find multicolored wrapped gifts lying under glowing trees. With heightened expectations, we will discover the wonderful surprises that await us in those boxes and bags; we will take pictures to savor the moments of glee; we will show our love to each other as each is given his or her gift; laughter will ensue, our bellies full of food and our bodies warmed from the fires and heaters; we cheer as our favorite football team fights the opposing team; these and other holiday traditions will be occurring. We are loved, and we show love to each other. We laugh and celebrate Christmas Day. We are thankful on this glorious day that we have something to share with others, that we can have a hope that can't be taken away...

But this day is more than the presents. This day is more than the fun and games. It's more than just a warm home, it's more than just being with one's family; it's more than so many of us from around the world celebrate it as.

Christmas. CHRISTmas.

Yes, while it many times is forgotten as just another story, the story of God becoming flesh as a small child, Jesus, is very real. It ought not to just be remembered one day out of the year, and it ought not to just be another story. It's life, the very life that is inside of each one of us...

Jesus Christ, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. God loved us so much, that he sent His son to be born of the lowliest of men, to be birthed into our world as we all are brought here. God loved us so much, that this child grew to be a King of Kings, a Man, a Human Man who would die a horrible death on our behalf. To die for our sins. And it all started on the morning of our celebrated Christmas Day...

So remember Jesus as you unwrap your gifts tomorrow. Remember and don't just remember it as a story that grows dusty with each passing year. Remember it as the life that is inside of you. Remember, because it was how God showed His love to us. You want hope this Christmas day? Well here it is, in the form of a small child so many years ago...

But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God." "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. Luke 1:30-38

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:9-14

Want an amazing gift this year? You'll find it not under the sparkling tree, but in a manager full of straw.*

Remembering His Love,

Whitney

"Where Will You Be Found?"

An oracle concerning Damascus: "See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins. The cities of Aroer will be deserted and left to flocks, which will lie down, with no one to make them afraid. The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, and royal power from Damascus; the remnant of Aram will be like the glory of the Israelites," declares the Lord Almighty.
"In that day the glory of Jacob will fade; the fat of his body will waste away... yet some gleanings will remain, as when an olive tree is beaten, leaving two or three olives on the topmost branches, for or five on the fruitful boughs, declares the Lord, the God of Israel." Isaiah 17:1-4, 6
I love the picture of the olive tree in verse six. When olives are harvested, the trees are shaken and the olives that drop from the tree are picked up by the harvesters. Well here in Isaiah, we see this used as a metaphor to show that Israel will be shaken, and only a few - a "remnant" - will be left, left on the very top where it is difficult to reach.
In that day the remnant of Israel, the survivors of the house of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them down but will rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob, will return to the Mighty God. Isaiah 10:20-21
So I want to ask us all today: what will happen when our tree is shaken? Will we be like the multitude who fall away with little resistance, or will we be prepared to grab a hold of God and stand firm? These words in Isaiah 17 were prophesied of the nation Israel, but don't think that the times of "shaking" are over. On the contrary, times of trials will come, and I hope and pray that we will all be prepared for this. Let the day not surprise us when hard times come and many people fall away from the faith, but let us with sober minds prepare for this day and do all we can to strengthen one another so that we will not fall away when difficult trials come.
In that day men will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands, and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles and the incense altars their fingers have made. Isaiah 17:7-8
So let me ask you: when the tree is shaken, where will you be found?
Grace and Peace,
Andrew

"Embracing the Beautiful"

"Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile". ~Albert Einstein. 

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. John 15:13

What does it mean to be a true friend?

Our history, culture, religion, actions, feelings, etc., play large roles in who we are as individuals. Without any of that, we may feel lost or lonely—with an identity, we can feel complete, secure, confident, etc. Identities help us to determine our thoughts, fears, choices, motivations, etc. But even well rounded identities that we create for ourselves don't have to define us; even if most of the time we allow them to.

Identities can help us in connecting with others of similar backgrounds--most of us enjoy the company of others--The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man." That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Genesis 2: 18, 23-24--so it makes perfect sense that we long to connect with others. For one thing, it gives value to our lives. "Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy ... it has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that gives value to survival". ~C.S. Lewis

For a species that longs for one another, sometimes how we can treat each other is alarming. Our actions and emotions often run away with us. Sometimes these actions get so out of hand, that we allow them to tangle with those we love…How could we allow that to happen? How could it be fair to take out such anger on each other, whether we feel the other deserves it or not? It doesn't seem that anyone should deserve such kind of abuse, and yet we all have been on both ends….Bottomline it's mostly due to the fact that we humans are fallible--we will fall and we will fail at things. We aren't perfect. But of course we can always strive to be better....

I have questions that I ask myself from time to time when I question my motives in a particular instance—for example, are we longing for companionship for all that that word means, or do we long for others in order to eventually further our own selfish desires? If we are going to show the world that we are "good Christians", shouldn't we show it through everything that we do and are? 

If we are striving to truly love one another on this earth, should not we do the same in our relationship with God? After all He should be our ultimate best friend. I know He wants to be with us—so are we ready to embrace such an amazing identity? One in God…beautiful…true…Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. Hebrews 12:9-10

Now, don't get me wrong—we will have problems with each other. Sometimes we have reasons, sometimes we don't. Does it have to mean we love those around us any less? No—but sometimes we do hurt them more than we may realize, even if all intentions were pure. If you do have a moment with someone, where you allow your emotions to be taken out on them, and you realize what you have done, don't wait. Talk to the one you may have hurt (even if you don't think they were)—discuss what happened, and share each other's feelings. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:25-27. Allow each other to learn and grow through such situations. 

But you know though, because we are all individuals with our own unique identities, we will all act and react differently. Something I say to a friend could be taken the wrong way, even if my intentions are pure. Sometimes it's really hard to strive to be a better individual and friend—for our pasts, presents, and futures are all and will be different somehow, and so we will all be affected differently.

How we express ourselves is unique as well. Being a true friend for example doesn't mean you have a guide book to refer to for every need your friend may have. Everyone is different. Some may choose to study their friend to see what they may need; still others may be there to cheer their friend, while still others could call their friend or write letters of support or good wishes. There are millions of ways to show you care, and still more millions of different/appropriate situations. None should be considered less than someone else's way. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on." Mark 12:42-44

So, how could anyone ever live up to the title of a 'true friend'? It seems almost depressing to think about how much we sometimes are not. Even if you don't mean anything by what you say or do towards someone, does it still make it right that it happened? Does any reason at all justify such hard actions toward others? Regardless, I think it is really important to talk about these things with one another as soon as possible. Don't let things sit or simmer. Don't carry grudges. Just show love whenever you can.

Examine your hearts today—see if you can understand who you are, especially in your relationships with others, and subsequently, they as well. Embrace the beauty of true friendship. Embrace true love. Embrace HIS love.*  

But the man who loves God is known by God. 1 Corinthians 8:3

Embracing the beautiful,

Whitney