He Chose Us Anyway

Psalm 139:1-6

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.  You know when I sit and when I rise;  you perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.  Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.  You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

In my estimation, one of the most amazing things about God’s grace is that He knew what he was getting when he saved us.  He knew the mess we would make of friendships, the times that we would be less than “salt and light” at work, and the millions of other ways that we would choose our own way over His, to our own detriment.  But he chose us anyway!

God has searched your heart and knows you and he (still) passionately wants you to engage in a relationship with Him.  He’s not like people you have met before that like you at first but turn away as soon as they find out that thing about you that you think makes you unlovable.  He already knows about that thing, AND LOVES YOU.  He asks only that we come to Him and he will take care of the rest, no cleaning up required, He’s already taken care of that.

He has made us for relationship with Him and all our efforts to fill that need with other things (or people) never satisfy.  Come to the One who already knows you and loves you, He’s waiting with arms wide open.

-Renee Moreland

This week (from Andrea):
How will God’s complete knowledge of you change how you perceive yourself and how you relate to others?

Radiant's First Shift at The Source

Embrace. Equip. Empower.

Those words that describe the mission of The Source for Women also sound familiar in the ears of the Radiant Life Bible Study Class at Houston’s First Baptist Church because we have taken them on as our focus as well.  In fact, our class began at the beginning of this year as an effort to embrace women where they are, equip them with the love, hope, and power found in the Word of God and empower them to live their lives fearlessly for His glory and the advancement of His kingdom.  

Even in the early planning stages, before the class met for the first time, a partnership with the Source was already on our hearts.  With such identical purposes, we felt that adopting a shift at The Source would be a wonderful opportunity to put feet to this vision and we were not disappointed.  

On the day of our first shift, from beginning with prayer and devotion with Ms. Galatha to holding the hand of a young mother with Sarah and praying, we were overwhelmed at the impact that this ministry is having and will have on the community.  We were also fortunate enough to see a client come in and be blessed with items from the material assistance room.

We are all so thankful that The Source has allowed us to come alongside and serve in some small way for this amazing work that is most definitely impacting the community for Life and the Gospel.  We look forward to future shifts where we can again be blessed by witnessing a one-day snapshot of the difference that The Source for Women is making every single day.

A big thank you to all the ladies who volunteered. For upcoming Radiant volunteer opportunities at the Source, contact Susie Reynolds.

Boundary Lines

"The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage" ~Psalm 16:5-6

I learned a little something about boundaries last week.  I recently adopted a dog and overall he is a GOOD dog.  He is house trained, he listens to the word "No," and he is just generally not a loud dog (which I appreciate a LOT early in the morning).  However, I had to be reminded the hard way that he is still a puppy, still only a year old, and still has a lot to learn and mature into.

I thought I would do him a favor and leave him on the patio while I was at work, you know give him some room to stretch his legs so he wouldn't be stuck in a small kennel all day long.  I wanted to give him freedom, I wanted to let him have more space, extend the boundary lines if you will.  Then the storms rolled in…

You see in Houston we have a saying, "if you don't like the weather, just wait a few minutes and it will change." And so it did.  I probably should have known it was going to be stormy and I probably also should have known that shepherd dogs do not like storms, but I didn't.  I thought the sun umbrella I put up would be enough to shelter him but Rex (that is his name) didn't have the same reasoning.  The storms freaked him out so much he dug up 2 heavy stepping stones and 2 brick garden borders, ripped up the bottom of my fence, and escaped into my neighbor's patio losing his collar in the process.  This wouldn't be as impressive if it weren’t for the fact that Rex only has 3 functional legs…he was bound and determined to find a safe place and landed himself in a strange garden.  Lucky for me he was back on my patio by the time I got home (I guess he didn't like it over there?), I was able to reach the collar with a ladder and a rake, and my neighbor didn't have any damage that warranted fixing (he ate some bushes…oy vey).  

The Damage

Needless to say I went through every emotion in the spectrum.  Joyful he was ok, angry at the damage, concerned that he wrecked my neighbor's property, and terrified of our future together.  Could I handle a dog?  Am I just a bad owner?  Lots of tears flowed and when the tears subsided there was laughter.  "He's a puppy," my dad reminded me, "he might just have to be in the kennel for a while."  

Rex needed boundaries and I needed to give them to him.  Not only that, the boundaries of a kennel would be good for him and my property, the home I have made before he came along.  He won't be kenneled while I am at work forever.  Eventually he will be allowed to stay out on the patio again, but that will come with maturity.  

I remembered back to the life I had when I first came back to Church, there were a lot of boundaries I had to live within because of my past, because I was "new" again to living a life that reflected Christ.  I had to re-learn everything; I had to start out at the infant stage again.  But I didn't have boundaries because I was being punished.  Remember I was in Christ as a believer and therefore not condemned (Romans 8:1), I was free (Galatians 5:1). The boundaries I had been given through convictions from God were to strengthen me, remind me of who I was in Christ and the power that came with.  I had to mature, I had to grow up in my faith, and God used those boundaries to protect me and lead me.  

The amazing thing is some of those boundaries have changed and moved.  But I remember His protection and the purpose for those boundaries when they were initially set and it makes me all the more grateful of God's work in my life and increases my desire to obey His commands and submit to Him with my whole life.

"The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage" ~Psalm 16:5-6

Think on that verse for a minute...  What a glorious thought, pleasant places, a goodly heritage.  What a promise! To know that God has placed specific boundaries for our good, that are good for us, and that are specific to us.  Don't look on His boundary lines as restrictions, but as guard walls from things you are not mature enough to handle yet.  Let Him show you how good He is within the kennel (so to speak) so that when you are put out on the patio, given room to stretch your legs, you remember His faithfulness in providing for you, honor His creation around you, and give Him glory in your obedience to His commands.

Katey Hight
My blog: http://sneakersandphylacteries.blogspot.com/

And just for fun, this is my sweet Rex :)

Significance or Sameness

Do you ever look around at your life and wonder why God still has you in the place that you are?  Whether it be with work, relationship status, or ministry, we can find ourselves looking around asking, “ok, now what?”  When we look around and compare ourselves to everyone else, we see people changing jobs, getting married, and deciding to move to Africa, but we just seem to be called to stay on the same path and keep on going.

What God has called you to do and the ways you serve out your purpose on this earth do not have to look like anyone else’s.  In fact, significance and sameness do not often coexist.  Your faithfulness to remain and be led by the Holy Spirit in your workplace may be far more impactful in the lives of those around you than running off to the next big thing.

What may look like a time of stale drudgery from the outside could be the work of God to mold and shape you into the beautiful creation that He has made you to be and prepare you for things to come.

Ephesians 2:10- For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

As Andrea discussed in Sunday’s lesson, both Paul and Moses experienced times where absolutely nothing changed (Mo in the wilderness, and Paul in Arabia) but God was doing a great work in their lives and honing their skills for even greater impact and significance.

We are also daily being discipled by the world regarding how we should spend our time, talent, and treasure.  Our culture both yells and whispers what we should value, work for, and prioritize.  But the world has a completely different trajectory in mind for us than God does.  (There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end leads to death (Prov. 14:12).  Instead of listening to the constant barrage of suggestions from the world, what kind of an impact could we make for the kingdom and the flourishing of everyone around us if we tried something different?  What if we listened to the Word of God instead of trying to be like everyone else?  Could we perhaps live lives of eternal significance?  We have a choice before us each day, are we going to choose significance or sameness?

Romans 12:2- Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Challenge for the Week:

At the end of this week, ask yourself 3 questions (courtesy of Andrea Kim):

1. What kingdom impact did the Lord do THROUGH me this week?

2. What kingdom impact did the Lord make ON ME this week?

3. Am I closer to Jesus than I was last week?

-Renee Moreland

Compared to What?

From an early age, we have constantly compared things all day every day.  And let’s face it, as women the thing we compare the most is ourselves to each other.  But why?

We compare because we have an inherent need to know that we are worth something.  We need to know that we are valuable to someone.  In the world’s economy, something’s worth can only be determined by comparison to something else.  So we compare and compare until we are simultaneously proud and disgusted with ourselves.  It’s exhausting and drains our lives of the meaning and purpose we were meant to walk in.

In God’s economy, however, each member of the human race is equally and immeasurably valuable, so valuable in fact, that Christ himself left heaven to come save us from ourselves.  In His view, your successful mentor at work and a starving child in Rwanda have EXACTLY the same value because they are made in His Image.  As much as we would NEVER admit it out loud, the fact that everyone around you is equally valuable may rub your pride the wrong way, we all want to be special.  But the truth of the matter is that YOU ARE, we are are all unique with God-given differences and personalities that allow us the to be special, but of equal, unfathomable value to the Lord. (Psalm 139: 13-16)  Aligning ourselves to this view of humanity frees us from thinking everyone is our competition. 

The blessings and successes of others do not diminish our value or our God-given purpose on this earth, our value is found in Christ alone.

But before we are tempted to think that we are all just super awesome in every way, it’s important to remember that our value has nothing to do with anything we’ve ever done.  Even on our best day, we come nowhere close to holy and are all at the mercy of God’s kindness (Rom. 3:23).  God showed this kindness by Christ’s death on the cross and the transferring of his righteousness to our accounts.

So let’s quit comparing.  Let’s pray this week for God to give us eyes to see ourselves and others as He sees us.

Challenge this week:

Believe that God has enough blessings and resources for you irrespective of the performance, behaviors and worthiness of others.


-Renee Moreland

The Blessing of Obedience

In John 10:10 Jesus tells us that He has come so that we can experience a full life. Some translations say an “abundant” life. The Greek word used here actually means “super-abundant (in quantity) or superior (in quality); exceedingly; beyond measure.”

If you talk to most Christians today, though, sadly you’ll find that very few of them would describe their lives as truly abundant. Blessed? Sure. More fulfilled than someone who doesn’t know Jesus? I certainly hope so. But super-abundant? Overflowing? Extravagant? …Not as often as we’d like.
But why is that? What causes the disconnect? And more importantly, what’s the key to experiencing a super-abundant life?

The answer is simple – obedience.

Now, please notice, I said “simple,” not “easy.” Even as believers, the sinful nature wars with the Spirit inside of us (Romans 7&8), so we don’t always choose God’s way. Our free will rears its ugly head and we choose to do things our own way. It happens so often that I’m afraid we begin to accept it as just part of what it means to be human. And maybe it is, but we’re also told that as believers in Christ we’re new creations (2 Cor. 5:17), so we know it doesn’t have to be that way.

But, how does this struggle with the sinful nature prevent us from experiencing the super-abundant life Jesus promised us?

Well, because God is a gentleman. Since He’s the one who gave us free will in the first place, it makes sense that He doesn’t choose to override it in order to make sure we respond to Him in obedience. He doesn’t force anyone to accept Christ’s payment for their sins and receive salvation, and He also doesn’t override free will and force believers to choose the path He wants for them either.

Not only is God a gentleman, He’s also a loving Father. Jesus sets an example for us in Mark 14 by calling God “Abba,” a Hebrew word that can be translated as “daddy.” Paul tells us in Romans 8:15 and again in Galatians 4:6 that we have the privilege of addressing God in this way as well. It’s beautiful and it’s intimate.

But we need to be careful not to make the mistake of thinking that because God is loving that He is also a permissive, lenient parent. Permissive parents are extremely attentive to their children, but they lack rules and discipline. That is not the case with our Abba Father at all. Is He gracious? Yes! Merciful? Yes! Lenient? Absolutely not!

It’s an important distinction to make because although God has allowed us the free will to choose to be disobedient, the blessings of the abundant life come through obedience. If we staunchly refuse to submit to His way of doing things, if we persist in trying to live life on our terms, we can’t get mad at God when aren’t experiencing the blessings of the super-abundant life Jesus talked about.

How many times have my conversations with God sounded something like this?

“Father, I need Your help. My finances are a mess and I need You to provide me with more money.”
“I know your needs, my child, and I’ve promised to provide for them. What I want you to do right now is cut back on what you’re spending and also use some of the money I’m already providing you with to bless other people.”
“I really don’t think that’s going to work for me, God. I’m going to go ahead and keep spending my money exactly the way I have been and exactly the way I want to, but I really need You to send me more of it anyway, OK?”

“Father, I’m feeling really anxious and stressed out right now. I don’t know what’s going to happen next. I need You to work everything out for me.”
“I’ve promised you that I will never leave you or forsake you. To help with the anxiety about the future, though, get in my word and you’ll be reminded of all the times I’ve come through for my people in miraculous ways in the past. Start memorizing scripture verses so you can use my word as the spiritual sword it’s meant to be and build up your shield of faith to stand against those fearful and anxious thoughts.”
“Sorry, God, I really don’t have time to get into your word. My schedule is really busy and my favorite show is on TV right now. But why don’t you just go ahead and take away the anxiety anyway?”

“Father, I really want You to bring me a husband. I’m tired of being single.”
“You need to trust that my plan for you is best, whether that includes a husband or not. While you’re single, you can begin to learn your true value by drawing close to me and letting me shape you into the woman I want you to be. That way, if and when I bring you a husband, I can use the two of you as a team to bring me glory and further my kingdom.”
“That sounds great and all, but honestly, I just want the husband. In fact, just so you know, that’s basically all I’m going to talk to You about until You bring him to me.”

Now, of course, I’d never actually voice my responses the way I have here, but we all know that actions speak louder than words! I hate to think how many times I’ve robbed myself of experiencing an abundant life full of peace, joy, and intimacy with God all because of my stubborn insistence on doing things my way. How many doors have remained nailed shut to me because I refused to step out in obedience and trust my Heavenly Father with the results?

And what about you? Odds are I’m not alone in this struggle. Take a quick heart check. Is there some area of your spiritual life where you’re stubbornly refusing to do things God’s way and yet you’re angry with Him for not working things out according to your plans? What would it look like if right this moment you decided to walk in obedience and surrender to His leading? What doors might God be waiting to open for you if you’ll just trust Him and be obedient?

Now, please don’t think I’m promoting obedience as a formula for getting God to do what you want Him to do. God is not a big genie in the sky just waiting to grant our wishes when we rub His bottle the right way. Obedience’s partner in this process is surrender, and specifically the surrendering of our will to His. The abundant life isn’t achieved when we convince God to get on board with our agenda for our lives, but instead when we surrender our agenda and submit to His plans for us.

The super-abundant life Jesus spoke of in John 10 is available to every believer. It’s not just reserved for a few special “super Christians.” God longs to shower extravagant blessings on His children, but surrender and obedience are essential to the process. The blessings may not take a form that we expect, but we can be certain blessings will come. Our Heavenly Father always honors obedience.

-Nita DeBorde

     

Before You Speak

This past week I was preparing for our mid-week Bible study and the Lord placed on my heart a couple of hard concepts and a perplexing question:

1. You will speak what is in your heart (Matthew 12:34)
2. Your heart is deceitful and cannot be trusted (Jeremiah 17:9)
3. Well then, how do I control my speech?!

There must be a way! Can we tame it, teach it to be better? James 3 says that no person can do this...well that is a bit discouraging, and yet we are called to, as believers in Christ, have speech that honors Him and encourages one another (Colossian 4:6, Ephesians 4:29).

Gossip

I know from personal experience that one thing all humans struggle with is gossip, speaking about other people when they are not present. It is often passing comments but even small words hold weighty thoughts and emotions. Do we ever question the impact of our words not just on the subject but also on the person we are speaking to? Have you ever wondered if your speech about others effects how the person you're speaking to sees you? How often are we found to be hypocrites by silly, thoughtless speech? During the study another convicting passage came up...

Careless Words

"I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned." (Jesus) 
~Matthew 12:36-37

Uhhh...YIKES! Can anyone say ouch?! EVERY CARLESS WORD...I don't know about you but I would be in a lot of trouble if it were not for Jesus' saving grace. However, that does not exempt me from being responsible for my speech on this side of my salvation story! We do not have a free pass as believers to say what we want, we are called to a higher standard, called to be a witness and example of Christ in this world.

You may have heard the old phrases "preach the Gospel and if you have to, say something" or "actions speak louder than words." Both have valid points, but don't miss the fact that in order for the Gospel to be heard it must first be spoken AND words can quickly damage any witness you have made with someone who doesn't know the grace and mercy of Christ. Your speech, your tongue, is powerful and can be amazingly destructive and, unfortunately, untamable on our own.

So again I ask, what can we do?!

The Tongue and The Heart

How do we solve this problem of "the tongue?" If our speech comes from the overflow of our heart and our heart is untrustworthy, can we get a new heart? Can it be replaced? Made new?

YES!!!!

"And I will give them a new heart to know Me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart." ~Jeremiah 24:7
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." ~2 Corinthians 5:17

Praise God for His provision, He has made a way for us! Let us receive as those IN CHRIST the gift of a new heart, a new creation. He has also given us tools to fill ourselves with His thoughts, focus on higher and better things, to crowd out the "old self" so there is no room for it to control speech any more. He also will also help us in guarding our mouths if we ask Him (I suggest really praying over Psalm 141 if you struggle with speech as I do).

I'll end with a useful acronym that hopefully will applicable for you...

Before you speak:

• T - is this true? (Philippians 4:8)
• H - is this helpful? (Ephesians 4:29)
• I - is this inspiring? (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
• N - is this necessary? (Proverbs 17:27)
• K - is this kind? (Colossians 4:6)

I hope this encourages you to know that even though it seems so hopeless to try to restrain your tongue on your own, the Lord has the power to change you and sanctify you to be more like Himself each day! Keep going and don't be discouraged when you stumble, get back up and finish the race He has prepared for you.

-Katey Hight

Check out Sneakers & Phylacteries for more from Katey!

Taming the Text

Before Andrea had so much as given the introduction of the lesson in class on Sunday, I knew I was in for more “ouch” than “amen”.  You see, she was talking about the power of the tongue and I just happen to have a chronic case of MMD (Motor-mouth Disorder).  I have seen time and again the healing and the destruction that can be produced by the things we say. 

But what about the things that we communicate without saying a word?  What about the words that we type?  While the words we say with our mouths are incredible powerful, the words we form in other media can be equally impactful for good or bad.  So much of modern communication is through text and email.  Even though we may be using our thumbs, all the same issues of the tongue still apply, or to put it another way…

Out of the overflow of the heart, the thumbs type.

Most of us can text about as fast as we can type on a keyboard or even talk, for that matter.  And we have these handy little devices that allow us to instantly speak our mind to anyone and everyone, no matter what mood we are in, with absolutely no cooling off period.  The results of this hastiness, however, can last long after we press “Send”.

For instance, just this week a text I sent to a coworker could have been a case-study in hasty, argumentative, know-it-all communication.  And now because I had to prove I was right to the other know-it-all, the relationship is now strained.  Someone whom I have been praying for opportunities to share Christ with has now seen the icky overflow of my know-it-all, insecure heart instead of seeing Jesus in me.

Social media-our text message to the world.

If you think that the words you say with your mouth and can only be perceived by those within hearing distance is powerful, think of the impact of your social media accounts.  What among our daily stream-of-consciousness babble is building others up, tearing others down, or causing someone to stumble?

The tongue can’t be tamed, our words in whatever form can’t be tamed, so what are we supposed to do?  Just as Andrea spoke about in the lesson, no amount of self-help techniques will give you power over your tongue.  This can only be done with the help of the Holy Spirit, who is freely given to all those who believe in the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Please be praying with me this week…

Lord, please tame our tongues and our texts.  Please let the words that flow from us be kind, true, and necessary.  Let anything we say or communicate glorify You and make your name revered among those who interact us.  We pray that your Spirit would flow through us and speak life into those around us.  It is only by the power of the blood of Christ that we are even able to come to you at all.  We love You, Lord.  Amen.

-Renee Moreland

Fearfully and Wonderfully (Not Frightfully & Weirdly) Made

“13 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.

15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;

16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were written all

The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.”

Psalm 139:13-16

Fearfully and wonderfully made… these are probably two of the hardest words in the whole Bible for me to believe about myself.  The First Book of Renee reads differently, it says frightfully and weirdly made. 

But as we walk through these verses we’ve heard a million times, lets actually take a moment to let them sink in…

“For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.”

Really?  Even that thing that made me weirdly short, or tall, or fat, or thin, or plain? 

Yep.

“I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;  Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows that full well”

We were made both fragile (fearfully) and amazingly resilient and complex (wonderfully).  Then we are reminded, just in case we forgot, that the Lord’s works are wonderful.  Everything He does is good, including how he made you.  Even the complexity in a single human cell is enough to merit praising God for his creativity.

“My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;”

Even the circumstances of our birth, whether they be common, miraculous, or traumatic, even then God knew us and was knitting together chromosomes to make you exactly the person you were meant to be.

Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were written all the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.”

Even the experiences we’ve had and the moments that defined us, even the days that have yet to define us, the Lord already knew about them before we took that first gasp of breath.

So who are you going to believe? Yourself and your anxious, self-conscious thoughts, or the holy, inspired Word of God? 

Take a moment right now to meditate on these verses and let God's Word soak into all those cracks in you heart that insecurity is keeping wedged open.

And the next time that self-loathing thoughts invade, let’s remember that God formed us the way we are ON PURPOSE and He’s pretty convinced that He did a good job.  

-Renee Moreland

Forgiveness Is Not Forgetting

Too often I have listened to a lesson on forgiveness and have felt the weight of guilt and condemnation (forgiveness-guilt if you will). Lies from the enemy creep in and whisper "you're not over it...what they did still stings so you couldn't have forgiven them...you aren't friends with them any more so how can you think you forgave them..."  Deep within my heart I know I forgave them, I remember the long and painful process, but something still lingers, something still hurts, still festers when "that person/situation" arises yet again. Am I alone...does no one else ever feel this way?

Where did we get the saying "forgive and forget?" It is ridiculous! That isn't how the human brain works. Our powerful, beautiful brain remembers things, especially hurts. There is no DELETE button, no magic function to erase what we have gone through. And, encouragingly enough, it isn't a biblical command. Yes, we are called to forgive, but the God that made our brain and wired it perfectly did not grant us the ability to forget. WHY? Maybe it is for protection, to learn from hurts of our past, to grow and mature beyond them. Maybe it is to remind us that no human is perfect, that we are all sinful and fallible creatures. Whatever the reason, I have had to learn and relearn that forgetting does not automatically accompany forgiveness. And I am thankful for the godly men and women who have taught and counseled me through seasons of both unforgiveness and forgiveness-guilt.

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."
-Ephesians 4:32

I recently went to a small bible study where Marty Sholars, a Christian counselor, spoke on forgiveness. She gave so many valuable insights into biblical forgiveness but the one that brought tears to my eyes was "forgiveness is not forgetting." She spoke of the imagery of a scar. In cold weather the skin around a scar can tighten causing tenderness in the area. That tenderness was not a sign of a wound but of the fact that the wound was healed and no longer bleeding. She also spoke of what Jesus showed the disciples when He visited after His resurrection...HIS SCARS! Proof of who He was and what He went through on our behalf. Proof that He loved us enough to sit on that cross and die for our salvation and His glory. 

WOW, bring on the misty eyes! I can honestly say there have been two distinct instances in my life where I felt betrayed by people I loved and cared for and I described the emotional pain they caused as being cut open. Betrayal in friendship, to me, is much like two people sewn together in a strong bond and having that bond ripped apart. Graphic I know but I think the people we hold the closest are the ones that have the potential to cause the most damage, the largest wounds that take forever to heal and leave the biggest scars. In both cases we reconciled (hold on, we'll get to this concept) our friendship and again I was hurt, our friendship was damaged and eventually ended. I worked through forgiveness in counseling and have been praying for them for years now (please don't read that as boasting, it is still hard to pray for them but the Lord softens my heart to them every time I do).

And still the scars tighten and are tender when those people enter into my life. I don't know if that will ever go away or if I will ever be called to be in a relationship with either person again but I know this, my scars are a sign of healing from God alone. I never want to harm their reputation nor do I wish any ill towards them. The Lord helped me to forgive them of what they did to me and He forgave me for my ugly heart towards them after being hurt. 

"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive other their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."
-Matthew 6:14-15

The other topic that spoke to me was how she distinguished reconciliation versus forgiveness. Forgiveness is between you and God, sometimes the person who hurt you has no idea they did so. Sometimes it is not appropriate or necessary to point out the hurt they caused. And sometimes it is not an option if the person is no longer with you. Many times during depression people hurt me who had no intention of hurting me, simply because of the way my brain reacted to things people did or said. I had to forgive over and over my misunderstandings and anger towards people who had no idea what I heard and felt in their words and actions. 

Forgiveness frees up our hearts to receive God's grace and conviction. It takes the weight of justice off of us and puts it onto God, who is the only righteous and just judge.

"If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying 'I repent,' you must forgive them." - Luke 17:3-4 (emphasis added)

Reconciliation is between you and another person. It allows the hurt to be known, addressed, forgiven and the relationship mended to continue. But when that covenant is broken again and again it may be that person is not good for you or you may not be called to reconcile if they show no remorse/repentance for their actions. BUT, forgiveness is never an option, it is always commanded and always blessed. Do not stand between God and that person thinking that your forgiveness will somehow condone their behavior. God alone will do the work of conviction and justice, you need only forgive and step aside. As my teacher Andrea said this week, "tattle on them" and then pray for them. Lift them up to the Lord and ask that He do work only He can do, change hearts and mature believers.

I hope that encourages you to free up your heart from unforgiveness and from forgiveness-guilt. The Lord will never condemn you but He will bring conviction, learn to tell the difference and at all times pour out your heart to Him. Tattle to the Lord on those who have hurt you, forgive them, pray for them...then write down the date you forgave them and when Satan tries to make you think you haven't forgiven them, pull out that date and remind yourself of the faithfulness of God who walked with you through the healing process.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they sall be comforted." -Matthew 5:4

-Katey Hight

Sneakers & Phylacteries 

http://sneakersandphylacteries.blogspot.com/?m=1

What's Holding You Back?

Ephesians 3: 20-21 states, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Do you believe it? Better yet are you ready to achieve the goodness that God wants to lavish on your life?

When I read through His word I see and feel his promises.  I’m filled with excitement by the truths that God declares he will be able to do in us and through us because of his mighty power. Sometimes, I have to stop and wonder though what’s holding me back from living the life that God has called me too? What are the road blocks that prevent us from receiving, believing, and achieving the goodness God has for us? Let’s take a look at 3 stumbling blocks.

• DOUBT “Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.  When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.  Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”  Peter asked God to tell him to come.  Peter got out of the boat and did exactly that.  However, when he saw trouble, turmoil, and trials he lost sight of God’s great power.  How many times do you doubt God’s great power?

• FEAR – For me fear is like a forest. It starts out as an ever so innocent seed. A thought of “I’m a little scared” sometimes it grows from a previous experience. If this seed is not uprooted it grows, it grows into a tall tree, it builds upon itself reaching higher and higher. Eventually one day I look around and find myself in a forest of fear. Its dark, it’s cold, and there is no light. It’s almost as bad as living in a cave. Fear prevents me from living in the light and it hinders me from moving forward.  When I feel my fear factor building in around me I think of David.
  

  “As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it.  Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear.” 1 Samuel 17:23-24. “David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.  Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.” 1 Samuel 17:45-46, 48-49.” 

How many times do we forget that we come against our strongholds with the name of the Lord Almighty on our side?

• LAZINESS - I’ll start that diet tomorrow, I’ll do my quiet time in the morning, I’ll begin researching about new jobs next week when life slows down.  The strong holds of laziness tells us that we can always do it tomorrow, next week, or in a few days.  It calls us to be sedentary.  Life doesn’t begin sitting still and things don’t get accomplished by not doing anything.  

Can you identify your biggest road block? Ask God to give you discerment to recognize it, strength to overcome it, and courage to never allow it to be a stumbling block again for we are God's worksmanship created to do good things which God prepared in advance for us to do. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10) 

So long roadblocks, it’s time to pass you by!  

-Rebecca Search

-Originally posted on Rebecca's Blog, Searching for Joy

Forgiveness Starts With You

Forgiveness…it’s hard to give, it’s hard to receive but in the end it can be life changing! I have recently been going through a study and one week we focused completely on forgiveness! With one step, forgiveness can take away all of the rubble that has been left behind from ship wrecks and can ultimately change our lives and the direction we are heading!

But how am I supposed to forgive them for this horrible thing? We must first start at ground zero – with you. We are not perfect people – yet God gives us an endless supply of forgiveness!

Conviction
Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress. My sight is blurred because of my tears. My body and soul are withering away. I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Misery has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within. Psalm 31:9-l0
You must first acknowledge and know that you are a sinful person (as are we all) that needs the grace of Christ Jesus – our Savoir!

Confession:
Oh Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your rage. Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak. Heal me, Lord, for my body is in agony. I am sick at heart…I am worn out from sobbing. Every night tears drench my bed; my pillow is wet from weeping. My vision is blurred with grief. Psalm 6:1-3, 6-7a
You must identify what is the truth and what is right --straight in the face, then you must confess your sin to God. God knows everything about us before it happens (Psalm 139:16) – but He wants us to confess it and hand it over to Him.

Repentance:
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. 1 John 1:9
Once you have confessed you sin – you can’t go right back to doing that sin! You must repent of your sin and turn away from it to face the Lord (Psalm 34:5).

Acknowledgment of Authority:
I – yes, I alone – am the one who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and will remember them no more. Isaiah 43:25
You must know and truly believe in your heart of hearts that the death of Jesus has paid the price of our sin – you must believe that because of that ultimate sacrifice that was made that ALL of your sins are forgiven through his blood (Isaiah 1:18).

Request for Forgiveness:
People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. Proverbs 28:13
This is the easy part – ask the Lord for forgiveness – you just have to do this once and then it is wiped away – and in His eyes like it never happened (Jeremiah 31:34).

Acceptance of Forgiveness:
I have swept away your sins like the morning mists. I have scattered your offences like the clouds. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free. Isaiah 44:22
You do it once. Then that’s it right? For God – yes, for you – it might take some work to have peace about it. There was one year that I was struggling with something that I had done. I knew that I must confess it and hand it over to God and ask for forgiveness. I felt the weight of my sin lifted from me Easter 2012 when I was at the Maundy Thursday service at my local church, but I still have to remind myself that I am forgiven and that Christ has made the sacrifice to pay for my sin – oh what a precious gift to be given!

Forgiveness of Others:
If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15
Forgiveness is a flowing process – we receive forgiveness from God – so we must allow that forgiveness to flow through us out to others. We are given an endless amount of forgiveness – to a point that it is overflowing to those around us – we gotta let it flow! We must forgive as we have been forgiven (Matthew 6:12).

An excerpt from Beth Moore's Jesus, the One and Only:

We have a sin problem. We are powerless to help ourselves. Give the right set of circumstances and the wrong state of mind, each of us is capable of just about anything.

I can remember being so devastated over a sin I had allowed to ensnare me that I repeatedly begged God to forgive me. I was repentant the very first time I begged; I confessed my sin with great sorrow and turned radically from it. Still, I continued to plead for forgiveness.

One day God spoke to my heart and said: “Beth, my child, you have an authority problem. You think you can do your part, which is to repent. You just don’t think I can do my part, which is to forgive.”

I was stunned. I began to realize that my sin of unbelief was as serious as my prior sin of rebellion. I wept and repented for my failure to credit Him. With the authority He possessed to forgive my sins. It was eye opening.

My constant re-confessions did not bring me relief. They only made me more miserable and filled me with self-loathing. Relief came when I decided to take God at His Word.

If you have truly repented – which means you have experienced godly sorrow and a subsequent detour from the sin – bathe yourself in the river of God’s forgiveness. Christ has authority to forgive sins right here on earth, you don’t have to wait until heaven. You can experience the freedom of complete forgiveness right here, right now. Fall under Christ’s authority and accept His grace. You’ve been paralyzed long enough, child of God. Hear Him say to you this day: “Friend, your sins are forgiven…I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Luke 5:20, 24

Go out and live in the freedom that God has given us with His forgiveness! Once you have accepted His forgiveness and are walking in the freedom you have received from Him, you will have an overflow of grace to forgive those who have wronged you.

-Megan Polis

The Struggle

While Christians in the Mideast are giving up their lives for the sake of Christ, I am met with the realization that daily I am sometimes unwilling to give up even the little temptations that I know hold back the ability of the Spirit to work through me.  This causes me to wonder, would I give up my last breath, too?  And the obligatory self-loathing ensues.  In Romans 7:19-25, Paul launched into one brain-bender of a pity party, too:

“For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do.  Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but it is the sin that lives in me.  So I discover this principle: When I want to do what is good, evil is with me.  For in my inner self I joyfully agree with God’s law.  But I see a different law in the the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body.  What a wretched man I am!  Who will rescue me from this dying body?  I thank God through Christ Jesus our Lord!  So then, with my mind I myself am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh to the law of sin."

Clearly this man who DID go on to give his life up for the cause of Christ is STRUUUUGGLING with a capital UGH and evidently dealt with a “thorn in the flesh” along the way. (2 Cor 12:7-9)

Cue “The Accuser”… as if we didn’t already feel bad enough on our own, Satan roams about seeking whom he may destroy with his “special set of skills” which includes accusing believers before God and everybody, day and night. (Rev. 12: 10)  As we know, most lies contain a nugget of truth, otherwise no one would ever fall for them.  So the Father of Lies (the Devil) takes our screw-up(s) and proceeds to convince us that we are disqualified from being useful for Christ because of them.  If not forever, he at least makes us to feel that we need to sit in the penalty box for a bit before God can use us again.  The dirt has to wear off of our hands with time before we can be made clean enough to handle things like the Word of God and prayer, or so we think.  But the truth is that through the saving work of Christ, we are as clean as the freshly fallen snow!

Confession and repentance are necessary parts of our walk and growing in Him but our qualification as servants of the Most High God has nothing to do with us and EVERYTHING to do with the completed work of Christ on the cross. Just in case we were uncertain, he even said on the cross, “It is finished” to prevent any confusion. (John 19:30)

So what?  What does this mean to us moving forward? How does this play out in real life? What can I do when I feel defeated in this cycle of failure? 

1) Restart your dialogue (prayer) with the Father immediately, if not sooner.  Repent (agree with God about your sin) if you haven’t already.

2) When thoughts invade and accuse, recognize their source, and let the enemy of your soul  know that you may have screwed up for the 786^th time, but the blood of Christ covers all your sins and has already paid the price for them.

3) Look for a way to turn your failure into a victory.  The Lord redeems our broken places and uses them for good.  He not only binds up the brokenhearted (Isaiah 61:1), he uses our brokenness to help others.  Kind of like today, when I screwed up for the 786^th time and God still allowed these words to flow through my hands, my weak, grimy, painfully human hands and into your heart, through the power of the Spirit, for His glory.  So look for a way that your experience can help someone else and so serve the body of Christ.

-Renee Moreland