When I really enjoy God, I feel my desires of him the more insatiable, and my thirstings after holiness the more unquenchable

Oh for holiness!
Oh for more of God in my soul!
Oh this pleasing pain!
It makes my soul press after God

Oh that I might not loiter on my heavenly journey!

Consider these few of the 70 resolutions of Jonathan Edwards, made by the time he was 20 years old.

• Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.

• Resolved, never, henceforward, till I die, to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God' s

• Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

• Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.

• Resolved, in narrations never to speak any thing but the pure and simple verity.

• Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.

• Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.

We could learn much from the lives and devotion of those who have gone before us in the faith.

     Jesus knew that his disciples would soon have their faith greatly

challenged.   So He gathered them together to remind them that they were chosen to be His followers, and to prepare them for life without His physical presence.  Judas was a disciple whose heart had not been changed; His actions were self serving.  Peter was a disciple whose love for Christ and faith in Christ were growing.

      Jesus washed the disciple’s feet to demonstrate the humility of His love.  He took the role of a servant in this act.  Disciples of Christ would be humble servants giving His love to the world.

     What is Jesus telling you about Himself and how should you respond?

     Enjoy being a humble servant as you glorify God today.

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

But not every situation calls for the nuclear option that Paul seems be "deploying" in Acts 13:9-10.

Different situations require different kinds of confrontation. Sometimes it might be a person who doesn't have all the information and has drawn wrong conclusions. I think you do your best to reason with them. Or, sometimes a person willfully distorts the truth. Depending on the magnitude of the situation, you'll need to decide the best way to go. But always ask the Holy Spirit to direct you.

Your situation may call for diplomacy. In Acts 17:2 we read that Paul "reasoned with them from the Scriptures." This same Paul who "lost it" (as he was "filled with the Holy Spirit") in Acts 13, reasoned in a different situation. Sounds strange I know, but both responses can be Spirit-filled responses, and it all depends on the situation.

Solomon put it this way in Ecclesiastes 3; there's: a time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace. So we need to ask ourselves: "Is this a time to keep silent, or a time to speak? Is this a time to love, or a time to hate some obvious evil? Is this a cause for hard confrontation, or is this a time for a softer, more diplomatic approach?

There's a right way and a wrong way, and it usually has to do with timing and/or your audience. Let's deal with this together this Sunday morning.

• Find a quiet place to rest in God's presence, away from all the distractions and noise.
• Generally speaking, how well do you follow directions that others give you (a boss, a parent, etc.)? What can make it so difficult?
• Read Luke 5:1-5. What was so absurd about what Jesus told Simon to do? How did Simon respond?
• Read Psalm 119:18, 33-37, and 59-60. What is David's response to reading the Word of God?
• Continue reading Psalm 119 this week. Look to see how David describes God's Word and reflect on his passion for it.

The Eucharist is much more than a place where we celebrate our unity in Christ. The Eucharist creates this unity. By eating from the same bread and drinking from the same cup, we become the body of Christ present in the world. Just as Christ becomes really present to us in the breaking of the bread, we become really present to one another as brothers and sisters of Christ, members of the same body. Thus the Eucharist not only signifies unity but also creates it.

I think one of the things about Jesus' parables that draws so many is that they speak to present-day situations.  Yes, some of the imagery reflects the norms and customs of the day.  However, Jesus' parables touch on our fragile human condition, and make it perfectly clear that we only have perfect peace through knowing, loving, and serving Him.

Have you ever been invited to a party that's the gala event of the year? It's one of those sorts of parties where the dinner is truly a feast, the entertainment is superb, and everyone who is everyone is  there.  Then, someone just shows up, who's on the guest list, while the party is in progress.  This guy is on the guest list, but he shows up in dirty, old, paint-smattered clothes.  It seems he didn't take the time to change into more appropriate clothes, and is now angry because he wasn't let in.

There's a lot more to this parable than grooming tips.  The wedding garment that the guest in Jesus' parable was supposed to be wearing, symbolizes how we are to "clothe" ourselves with Christ.  When all things are fully restored in God's Kingdom, this is compared to a wedding feast between Christ and the Church.  The wedding garment should remind us of how we need to let Jesus be the Lord and master of our lives if we are to be invited to His feast in heaven.

How many know of someone who wants all the "features and benefits" of salvation without acknowledging Christ? While we must believe in Him, that belief must result in an active faith. Only through an active, true faith can we experience the riches of God's grace.

. . .and he (Elijah) requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers,”

I Kings 19:4.

Suicide

This, of course, is a terribly sensitive issue and much too prevalent of a problem in our culture, even among professing Christians. At the outset I must say that suicide is the height of selfishness, cowardice, and cruelty. Is this too strong a statement? It is selfish because the one contemplating it, or who has gone through with it, is so preoccupied with himself, thinking too much about his problems, being so self-absorbed, given to such a degree of self-pity, that he forgets the impact this has on loved ones. It is cowardice because the person is unwilling to face up to his problems. He is not acting like a man, as it were. Instead he is like one cowering in a corner from fear. And it is the height of cruelty because of what it does to loved ones left behind in the wake of his self-inflicted demise. Parents, siblings, dear friends are left behind wondering, “Did we not do enough, did we not say enough, did we put too much pressure on him, did we not spend enough time with him, why did we not see this coming?” Friends and loved ones are left to sort through these questions, usually overwhelmed with a terrible sense of guilt for the rest of their lives. How cruel!

Am I being too harsh in my assessment of suicide? I think not, especially for the Christian. I say this because for a Christian to kill himself means he is denying the doctrine of God, that our gracious, Triune God is one of incomparable condescension, inexhaustible love, immutable goodness, unfathomable grace, unsearchable wisdom, immeasurable immensity, undeniable veracity, and unmitigated transcendence. Thus Isaiah was able to say, “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and who has marked off the heavens by the span. . .who has directed the Spirit of the Lord or who as His counselor has informed Him?” Isaiah 40:12ff. God holds the incomprehensible vastness of His universes in the palm of His hand.

Ravi Zacharias has noted how the red knot, a sand piper, begins his northern migration from Tierra Del Fuego each February, flies 9000 miles to the Hudson Bay, stops at the Delaware Bay in May, precisely at the time the sand crabs are laying their eggs, stoking themselves with 135,000 eggs each, to fuel the rest of the flight. Male and female red knots mate, the female laying exactly four eggs, both the male and female incubating them, the females flying 9000 miles back south, the males leaving one week later. After the new born red knots gain strength they fly without aid of parents back to the precise location of their parents. Astounding! Makes you want to fall down and worship the Creator, doesn’t it? Can we not, therefore, argue the lesser to the greater? If God can care for the red knot in such remarkable ways, then can we not trust our great Creator with our lives! Suicide is terrible because the person who does it fails to worship and trust our great God of creation and redemption.

Those contemplating suicide also fail to remember the doctrine of man. David rejoices and is in awe that God has placed man a little lower than Himself, and has made him to rule over the works of His hands, Psalm 8. The truth is, no matter what your lot in life, no matter how much you have, whatever your status, you are made in the image of God and thus the crown of His glorious creation. Especially since Ralph Waldo Emerson and his Essay on Self-Reliance, man has thought more highly of himself than he ought to think; and this with damning consequences. Yes, man is the crown of God’s creation but he is not transcendent. He is below God. He falls into terrible trouble when he forgets who God is and who he is.

And suicide is terrible because it denies the doctrine of Christ. Jesus is the Son of God but also God the Son. He is both 100% God and 100% man. He is sinless, though He was tempted in all things as we are. In His humiliation He came to earth as a man, suffered and was tempted, was beaten and scourged, was crucified, and experienced hell. In His exaltation Jesus was raised from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sits now at the Father’s right hand in glory, and He will come again on the clouds with glory, establishing His eternal kingdom on the new earth. All of creation will bow down to Him, ascribing to Him the glory of His name.

This is why Paul could say, “I am convinced that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that awaits us.” Paul has just finished telling the Romans that there is never again any condemnation for those in Christ, that they are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, that all they can ever need is summed up in Christ. So to commit suicide, or to entertain the notion of it, is a flat denial of Christ’s utter sufficiency. Our faith is far too small. We begin with ourselves instead of God and depression and suicide are often the result.

But what happens to those who commit suicide? Do Christians who have killed themselves still go to heaven? First, any unbeliever, anyone who is outside the body of Christ, who dies goes to hell. The issue is not suicide, rather the important thing is one’s standing with God. Are you covered in the righteousness of Christ? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? If not then you will end up in hell, no matter what you did or did not do, including suicide. Jesus said that those who believe in Christ are not judged but those who do not believe are judged already because they did not believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God. See John 3:17. What about the Christian who kills himself? He still goes to heaven. I know I am treading on dangerous ground here, for to make this statement could cause believers who want to kill themselves to go ahead and do it. I suppose those in such terrible mental, emotional, or physical pain, if knowing they are going to be with Jesus when they die, could opt for an early exit. But for me to say otherwise is to be less than biblical, and I cannot go there. A justified sinner, one declared not guilty by God through Christ’s imputed righteousness cannot lose His salvation. God has sworn His faithfulness to His people because He swore by Himself that He would be a God to us, and we would be a people to Him. Still, a Christian killing himself is the height of selfishness, cowardice, and cruelty. Surely, he who loves his neighbor as himself ought to refrain from bringing such anguish on those whom he loves. We need a strong, virile growing awareness of God and Christ, depending on the indwelling Spirit, to forge within us the strength necessary to stand firm when the waters of doubt and self-destruction come in like a flood. Constantly talk to yourself, affirming what you know.

FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS is a weekly devotional by Reverend Al Baker, pastor of Christ Community Presbyterian Church in West Hartford, Connecticut.

If you would like to add your, or someone else’s, name to the list to receive this weekly devotional (or be removed from it), please contact us at admin@christcpc.org. This and archived back-issues may also be found on our website.

He did not die in a conflict or during active duty.  In fact his time in the Corps was long past.  The soldier we put in the ground this week was 80 and his nineteen years of service happened many years ago.

We recognized him with a Marine Corps honor guard. Seven Marines performed a 21 gun salute and another played Taps on his bugle. The team crisply folded an American flag and presented to his eldest daughter.

The setting was a stunning fall scene with the trees beginning to show their fire.  While contemplating this scene, tears came as I thought about the sacrifice many men and women have made over the years.  Sacrifices not just of their lives, but of time away from family, the rigors of military service, the years taken from a career, and the many other things these men and women give in service to us, the citizens of the USA.

During this political season, I remembered that this man we were burying is one of the reasons we have free elections and freedom of speech.  We should thank him for the ability to debate issues and the ability to enter a voting booth.  Without his service these freedoms might not be available.  Although his service happened decades ago, it is directly related to our rights today.

Standing by the grave I reminded the attendees about his service.  I also reminded them the grave is not the end.  For the believer in Christ there is much hope for the future – for a life after death.

My text was John 11, where Jesus was comforting Mary and Martha about the death of their brother.  He said,

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  ²⁶ "And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"  (John 11:25-26 nkjv)

In response to Jesus’ question Martha said "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."

Jesus gives the same promise to us today; by believing in Him we can have eternal life.

We put this Marine in the ground today.  His life and service on this earth is over.  However, the promise of a next life is real.

Thank you and rest well my friend.

Okay.  So I told you about my awesome experience winning Cowboy tickets.  There's one other thing about the day at Texas Stadium that I really need to mention.  As I said in my last post, one of my best friends went with us on the trip.  This friend and I are very open and vocal on the "isn't God the coolest" thing.

In the three hours we were there before the game, we got to see lots of really neat things--the ring of honor, the players coming out for pre-pre-game warm-ups and stretching (yes, it is true that Tony Romo comes out like two hours early in just regular shorts and a long-sleeved T-shirt to stretch on the 40-yard-line... I know this because I was two rows up ON the 40-yard-line the whole time!).  Then the players started appearing in their jerseys.

Now, honestly, if you're not a Cowboys fan, I'm not sure this will translate, but there's just something about those silver pants and that helmet with the star.  (Hang on, I'm getting to the point. I promise.)  After awhile, we actually started seeing numbers we recognized.  "Hey, there's Marion Barber!"  "It's Patrick Crayton!"

Of course after their team stretch, they went back into the tunnel to make their formal entrance onto the field.  It's really difficult to capture the excitement in that stadium.  Electric would be a good word.

Then the game started, and something happened I hadn't expected.  I started realizing just how close these guys that I have watched on my TV were.  I mean they were RIGHT THERE!

I'm not talking, I could see them in person through binoculars if I squinted just right.  I'm not talking I knew they were in the same building.  I mean they were RIGHT THERE!

For awhile the excitement of the game took over, and I kind of forgot about it.  However, at some point in the middle of the third quarter, I just looked down at that bench filled with the Dallas Cowboys offense.  There was Tony Romo, and he was RIGHT THERE! talking to Jason Witten who was RIGHT THERE! 

In some kind of awe-struck amazement I turned to my friend and said, "Is it just me, or is it not totally crazy that they are RIGHT THERE!  I mean... Tony Romo is RIGHT THERE!"  (At first she laughed at me, and then she started joining in.  She snapped a picture about this time that had Witten and Romo standing jersey-to-jersey with only their names showing).  The experience truly was amazing.

It was only AFTER I got home, however, that I was thinking about how neat that had been, and I started thinking about how that experience might teach me something more about God.  Then it hit me.  Some day I will be in Heaven (Texas Stadium is cool, but I'm thinking Heaven will most certainly be even more astounding!).  And as I'm standing there in Heaven, I'm going to look around.

And standing just across the way will be St. Peter, and he will not be some picture in a book or memorialized in some words on a page.  He will be RIGHT THERE!

I told my friend about this revelation that night, and her face lit up because she understood how awesome this is going to be. 

I mean, think about it.  You'll be standing in Heaven, and Jesus Christ will be RIGHT THERE!

Now you tell me that's not going to be just the most awesome thing EVER!

The smell of the mixture of Taco Bell and Freschetta invigorated my senses and I only wished one of them could be open. But wait ... I looked again, and alas! They were open! I had never before seen any of these delectable eateries welcome me with such open arms during the devotional hour and I took full advantage
of this opportunity. It was an answer to my hunger prayers. I paid for my meal and sat down, almost in awe of my luck. Then I listened. The devotional was being played over the intercom. I thought this was the most genius thing BYU had thought of since this season’s Cougar United (oh wait ...). I wondered why BYU had picked this day and this devotional to be broadcast in this way, but I sure was chipper about it.

In conclusion, to the writer of the Oct. 6 letter “Food vendor employees”— yes, I do think it is fair for hundreds of people to work through the devotional just to stuff my face. If anything you can read it later, eh?

Cindy Ford - Littleton, Colo.

A portion of scripture that has always spoken to me about fulfilled dreams is Psalm 37:4.  

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

This little verse is nestled among several verses that will give us a good idea of what it takes to have our dreams come true! 

¹ A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. ² For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. ³ Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. ⁴ Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. ⁵ Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. ⁶ And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. ⁷ Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. (Psalms 37:1-7 KJV)

Looking at this portion of scripture, the part that always jumps out at me is that the Lord wants to give me the desires of my heart!  I've also come to realize that He not only fulfills the desires of our hearts (our dreams), He gives them to us in the sense that He directly places the desires in our hearts, so that He can fulfill them and we can find our satisfaction and wholeness in Him.  That is so exciting to me! 

The difficult part is sorting out which are the dreams that He has given me that will bear fruit, and which are vain imaginations on my part, which are things that may make me temporarily happy, but will not be of any consequence to the Kingdom of God, which are things that will distract me from God's true purpose as I try to attain something which God never had for me, and which are the desires that He has genuinely placed in my heart so that He can fulfill them.  I believe some of the answers to having fruitful dreams are found in Psalm 37:1-7.  When we truly know how to DREAM B.I.G., then we will no longer waste our time with fruitless dreams and needless disappointments.

Discern the voice of the Lord
Receive what He has for us
Exalt Him
Allow Him the right of way
Minister to others through what He has given you.

Believe
In
God

Discern the Voice of the Lord

As we first begin to search our hearts for what God has placed in us, it is necessary that we discern His voice.  It is urgent that we not only hear His voice, but that we recognize His voice.

Psalm 37 begins with an admonition for us:

¹Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.  ²For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.   Psalm 37:1-2

We are told "fret not".  The verse does not discount the fact that there is evil going on, but it tells us that "evildoers" and "workers of iniquity" should be of no consequence to us, mainly because of the fact that God already has plans for those folks!  Many times I believe we are distracted from hearing the voice of God because we are focusing on everything but God.  We are so busy worrying about our circumstances, that we simply miss His voice.  We don't even hear it at all.

• Rest and Wait (and PS, "fret not")

So, let's say we stop "fretting ourselves" how do we actually begin to hear what may be God's voice?  Let's look at Psalm 37:7

⁷ Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

How do we recognize His voice among the many voices (translate:  responsibilities, obligations, habits, opinions) that call to us on a daily basis?  This scripture tell us that we must "rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him."  The word "rest" in this particular scripture means to be silent or still.  It is necessary for us to simply be quiet and be still with the purpose of hearing from God.  If you've ever tried to have a personal, private, intimate conversation in the middle of a crowd, you will understand the necessity of quiet in having meaningful communication.  God is simply saying "Can we go somewhere that's a little quieter?"  I encourage you to turn away from your busy-ness and go somewhere a little quieter with God.

Another important part of this is "wait patiently."  It may be excruciating to wait for God's timing in many of our situations.  You may be tempted to tap your toe, twitch, writhe and jump around with anxiety - but we are told to "wait patiently" as we are resting, being quiet, and being still before Him.  His timing is always perfect.

PS - we are told "fret not" again - just in case we forgot!

• Be Fed

This Psalm was written by David, God's "Shepherd King".  As in many of the psalms, there is some imagery associated with sheep in the fields.  Psalm 37:3 tells us

Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

The imagery here is of lambs dwelling in safety and being led and fed by the shepherd. 

In the new testament, Jesus is our Shepherd King.  In John 10:27 Jesus Himself says that His sheep will recognize His voice.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: John 10:27

If we are truly a follower of Jesus, we are given the ability to know His voice and to follow Him.  As children of the New Covenant, our food is to be the Word of God.  With Jesus as our Shepherd, we can hear His voice and feed on the Word.

This scripture tells us that "verily thou shalt be fed."  The word "verily" in this verse implies a faithful steadfastness and steadiness.  I'm so glad that I will be faithfully and steadily fed with the good things that my Shepherd has for me.

I'm a Believer!

Laura

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."

-James 4:13-15

I hope this post finds you well. My last “Devotional Thought” post had to do with the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew, two stories from Luke, and Exodus 16, all demonstrating dependence upon Yahweh. Today I would like to further that motif, reflecting on my intentions of this blog as stated in my first entry, focusing on the use of language and actions. In my first entry to this blog I wrote to constructing new realities, and this is not the first reference of the use of language for building such constructs.

Here in Mexico you cannot finish a conversation without hearing the phrase: “Si Dios permite (If God permits/allows/wills).” Not only can you not finish a conversation without hearing it, you will often have it tagged onto something you just said (evidently you forgot to say it). “Latins speak the lingo,” as a once Latin American missionary once told me.

Most here are nominal Catholics; having only attended catechism as a child. Their nationality informs their religious affiliation, i.e.: I am Mexican, therefore I am Catholic. Catholicism here, is unlike that in the States, it is rote, uninformed, socially irresponsible, oppressive, and for the most part still functions as pre-Vatican II (these observances are my own and of my acquaintances here). Of course not all Mexicans are Catholic and being Catholic is not a prerequisite for using the above discussed phrase. The legitimacy of the statement, of course depends upon the faith of the speaker.

There are two polarities here that I sense: one with people believing and not speaking/doing, and one with people speaking/doing that which they do not believe in- something that is inherent in their culture, nothing more.

A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, "Son, go and work in the vineyard today." He answered, "I will not." But later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, "I will, sir." But he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?

-Matthew 21:28-32

Which behavior was more shunned by Jesus? Which one was upheld? Saying the right things or doing the right things? Orthodoxy vs. Orthopraxy. Obviously, though both inconsistent, Jesus preferred the one that repented from his prior statement over the one that used language of respect, yet did not fulfill his word. I propose that we should strive to overcome this dichotomy of orthodoxy and orthopraxy, of believing the right things and doing the right things. One should inform the other. Out of our beliefs should spring forward ethics. Let what we believe inform how we act and vice versa.

It is certain, a lot of people have not formulated their own formal theology, thus a number of people resort to, “We just have to trust our LORD, and know that we’ll never know it all.” I contend that we can attain higher knowledge of Yahweh and the Holy One’s will (for this perspective see especially Proverbs 1-9). Why is it that we often have to ask ourselves, “Why did I just do that?” or come to find out through someone close to us that our actions are incompatible with our faith. What we do shows what we believe, essentially they are inseparable. This is where many people would just assume omit benevolent acts and speech altogether or omit proclaiming their beliefs, for fear of being labeled a hypocrite.

Saint Jerome spoke of the believer as the one in whom the heart, the feet and the mouth all agree.

This should remain true for us today. This is something that we must exert much effort to attain. Yet, the apex, eventual outcome, or those who have progressed more should not hold those still in the journey/process hostage. Just because one has yet to bring their being, holistically speaking, under one’s set principles should not hinder them in trying. We should refrain from labeling a person a hypocrite, simply because his/her actions are incompatible with that which they express with their mouth. Social psychologists teach us that the use of language can and often does influence our behavior. Therefore it should be in our interest to rally each other on in both words and deeds.

How can we begin to synthesize all of these different thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs we have, let alone conduct our entire body in accordance with the principles that we esteem so highly?

Might this be were the person that says “Si Dios permite (If it’s God’s will), is on the right track- regardless of their innermost beliefs? It starts with just words of acknowledgement. . .words that create realities. After all, before Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, was granted access to the community of the redeemed he confessed Yahweh above all other gods (Exodus 18:11) with his mouth. And is it not true that Christians before they start on their new path in life confess Jesus as Lord with their mouth? Let our confessions be continual (Hebrews 13:15-16), enacting better realities, informing our actions, eternally enthroning Yahweh.

In the last post in this series, the focus was upon giving Yahweh the credit, and depending upon our Creator. In looking at the language involved in doing that, it should inform our everyday ethics, not just be a rote ritualistic practice of saying “grace” before every meal, but placing one’s existence in the palm of the Holy One, humbling oneself, and mirroring the Sustainer of Life’s foundation (Isaiah 16:5) and will with that of our own. Our God is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14, Deuteronomy 4:24), let us dismantle our storehouses. Let us no longer go it alone.

As Jesus insinuated in the passage in Matthew, as much as they can shape our realities, words are never enough- we cannot just proclaim Jesus as our Lord, Yahweh our life provider and sustainer, we cannot just speak out against the injustices done to our neighbors, we must act in accordance with those beliefs, with conviction.

Yahweh, help us to align our actions with your will. Help us to act with integrity. If we claim you as our God, we need to act like it. Give us the language of submission. Help us to compose sonnets, poems, and exhortations in your honor. Reveal the gifts that you have so graciously bestowed upon us, so that we might use them to Your glory. Allow us to sing, dance, and act to demonstrate the fullness of life that is available through You. Bring us into contact with those that have yet to become integrated with an Exodus community so that they might see the marvelous works You have done, and that we all might proclaim You God of gods. Remind us to continually rejoice in our deliverance and continually confess You as our God and Savior and Your Will: Justice and Righteousness.

To acting with integrity,

Amen.

--MLW

Micah 6:6-8

What's the implication of all this? That means the impetus is on you, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to put garbage like bitterness, jealousy, envy, lust, impatience, lack of joy, etc to death. God is better, and sin in reality has nothing to offer in terms of satisfaction.

Seriously... I have met the enemy, and he is me. Die, flesh, die!

Words are killing the American Spirit, not war or financial concerns. 

 James 5:2 For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.  3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.   But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire...

from Cal Thomas editorial Round Two-Boring

Did anyone detect a hint of optimism in anything the candidates said? Why didn't McCain, especially, list the number of economic downturns and recessions that America has overcome? Why didn't he mention the sharp drop in the stock market after 9/11 and note how it came roaring back? It was the same with the savings and loan debacle in the late '70s and early '80s. This is America. We always come back. If you can't make it here, you can't make it anywhere; shining city on a hill; bootstraps; we shall overcome. Rather than wallow in misery (and those who lived through the Great Depression would have gladly swapped places with us if they'd had a time machine), modern politicians too often indulge the indolent and self-absorbed.

A FRIENDLY WORD OR TWO...
A mini-message of faith from God's Word for your week!

A COLUMBUS DAY SHOPPING SPREE (An October 11 USA holiday)

This week, in honor of the USA-celebrated Columbus Day, and in honor of the great Italiano, his three little ships, and my America (for I discovered it too!!), this Italiano mama, who loves to shop and eat (not necessarily in that order), is going to take you all shopping! So all aboard...we're sailing back to Bible days and who knows what treasures we'll find!

Now you must understand that I like consignment shops, those little nooks where you can find pre-owned clothing at a price, a good price! So as we sail the sea (and I hope you're driving!!), should I see a sign that says "SALE!", we're stopping, putting down anchor, picking up our carry-alls, and heading for the shops.

First stop: A brass shop.

Second stop: A jewelry store.

Third stop: A men's clothing shop.

Would you believe, we haven't spent a penny! Curious?? See the full devotional for the real treasures we've found!

Scripture: "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)."

Prayer: "Lord, thank You for Your Word, where I learn about choices that godly men and women made; choices to rely on You, to serve You and to honor You. I choose to honor you and to receive from your storehouse all the good things You have planned for me, In Jesus' Name, Amen."

Copyright 2008 by Peggie Bohanon, Springfield, MO. All rights reserved.

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"The kind of ancestors we have is not as important as
the kind of descendants our ancestors have."

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FEATURED PAGES AT PEGGIES PLACE...
A featured page from Peggie's Place for you to enjoy!

Countries of the World Visiting Peggie's Place!

"Harry Potter: What's a Christian Parent to Do?"

Upcoming holiday celebrations at Peggie's Place:
Halloween: A Christian Perspective
Thanksgiving at Peggie's Place

...and a wonderful place to find e-cards to send your friends: E-card Corner at Peggie's Place

THIS WEEK'S TICKLES 'n TRUTH

"My Affliction" and "Meet Me in the Stairwell!"

"The Perfect Story" and "I Cried Again Last Night!"

"How It Happens--Church Policy" and "A Word With You--Ron Hutchcraft"

"The Mechanic and the Surgeon" and "Cast Out the Net!"

"A Man of a Few Words" and "Shake It Off!"

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FAITH FOR THE SOUL...
Devotionals by Peggie and featured at Peggie's Place!

Updated WordWalk devotionals

"Read the Report, Stupid!"
"On the Rocks...or the Rock?!?"
"Hidden Places of the Heart!"

"Left-handed Kid...Right-handed Lord!"
"Chocolate De-Light!"

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This Week's "WORDS FROM THE WELL"

"When Monsters Turn Your Mansion into Mayhem"

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DEVOTIONAL ARCHIVES - find over 500 devotionals in the archives below:

Words from the Well . . . Daily Bible Boosters . . . Tower of Strength

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FEATURED NUGGETS OF GOLD...
Sharing treasures found here 'n there on the Web!

"Times Fifty: Can a Clone Be an Individual?" - a short story

From the Pentecostal Evangel: Current articles

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"Too much of the Christian faith has become trimming on the dress of life
instead of part of the fabric."

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"Criticism is like dynamite. It has its place but should be handled only by experts."

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FOOD FOR THE FAITHFUL...
A raid-the-fridge recipe byte from cyberspace to you!

Hershey's Kitchen: Holiday recipes

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"Life is better when you open meals with a prayer instead of a can opener."

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FAVORITES FOR A RAINY DAY...
A Merry Mix of Christian and family-friendly recommended sites for surfing!

Annie's News Sources Page

Light a Candle against Terrorism

The Exploratorium's Ten Cool Sites

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"Criticizing another's garden doesn't keep the weeds out of your own."

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FUN 'N FAITH FOUND ON THE WEB...
A sampling of "fun 'n faith" Web articles or links!

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FOOTBALL IN THE FALL...by a Pastor!

Football in the fall. Basketball in the winter. Baseball in the spring and
summer. This pastor has been an avid sports fan all his life. But I've had
it! I quit this sports business once and for all. You can't get me near one
of those places again. Want to know why...

*Every time I went, they asked me for money.

*The people with whom I had to sit didn't seem very friendly.

*The seats were too hard and not at all comfortable.

*I went to many games, but the coach never came to call on me.

*The referee made a decision with which I could not agree.

*I suspected that I was sitting with some hypocrites -- they came to see
their friends and what others were wearing rather than to see the game.

*Some games went into overtime, and I was late getting home.

*The band played some numbers that I had never heard before.

*It seems that the games are scheduled when I want to do other things.

*I was taken to too many games by my parents when I was growing up.

*I don't want to take my children to any games, because I want
them to choose for themselves what sport they like best.

--Author Unknown; Selected from Sunday Funnies/Net153.com.

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The Perfect Pastor (Male and/or female).

The perfect pastor preaches exactly 10 minutes.

He condemns sin roundly but never hurts anyone's feelings.

He works from 8 AM until midnight and is also the church janitor.

The perfect pastor makes $40 a week, wears good clothes, drives a
good car, buys good books, and donates $30 a week to the church.

He is 29 years old and has 40 years experience.

Above all, he is handsome.

The perfect pastor has a burning desire to work with teenagers,
and he spends most of his time with the senior citizens.

He smiles all the time with a straight face because he has a
sense of humor that keeps him seriously dedicated to his church.

He makes 15 home visits a day and is always in his office to be
handy when needed.

The perfect pastor always has time for church council and all of
its committees. He never misses the meeting of any church
organization and is always busy evangelizing the unchurched.

The perfect pastor is always in the next church over!

If your pastor does not measure up, simply send this notice to
six other churches that are tired of their pastor, too.
Then bundle up your pastor and send him to the church at the top
of the list.

If everyone cooperates, in one week you will receive 1,643 pastors.

One of them should be perfect.

Have faith in this letter. One church broke the chain and got
its old pastor back in less than three months.

~by Father McGinn~

God@Work is a ministry of St Mark's United Methodist Church, 8550 Pioneers Blvd., Lincoln Nebraska 68520 U.S.A.

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"Don't take tomorrow to bed with you."

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FINIS!

That's the news from Peggie's Place this week. God bless!
Now sneak some chocolate, surf to "The Daily Doorstep"
for ALL the news--and see you next week!

Signed, "The Smiling Cybersaint!"
;-)

May HE always have the LAST WORD!

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me (John 12:32)."

Copyright 2008 by Peggie C. Bohanon, Springfield, MO. All rights reserved.

I feel as if I have emerged into the light of day after being in a deep, dark tunnel. Except, I didn't even know I was residing in this bleak passageway. I stopped blogging. I also ceased doing other things that make me feel whole. But, now I am feeling better. I know this because the other day, I suddenly noticed all the dust in my house and my living room rug that badly needs vacuuming. Where have I been? Why did I let my house deteriorate into this untidiness?

I am diagnosed with severe, clinical depression. My first bout with this illness took place about twelve years years ago. At that time, I ended up being hospitalized and out of work for about six weeks until medication stabilized my brain chemistry. There were two subsequent hospitalizations, each requiring that I lose time from work for another six to eight weeks, while my medication was again being altered. One would think I would have known “it” was happening again except, I don't and I didn't.

Clinical depression is insidious. It's like sitting in a room where someone is dimming the lights by slowly turning a rheostat switch. If this darkening is done imperceptibly enough, I end up sitting in total blackness without any memory of how “it” happened. And, the only way I know for sure I'm out of the dark is because I feel whole and alive again, later -- when my medication is once again altered. When my brain cannot keep up with the demand for the chemicals it needs for the necessary tasks in my daily life I can only see backward, not forward. During this depressed state, I don't know I'm there; everything feels hopeless and exhausting, and this appears to be just a natural part of my existence. In fact, I only know I have been depressed through hindsight, when the medication once again balances the chemicals in my brain – otherwise, I am not afforded any forethought or prior warning of this impending emotional deterioration.

I will be vacuuming my rugs and cleaning my house this weekend. I also made an appointment to see a dentist and I am going to get my badly needed eyeglasses. I even purchased a can of paint to do over my bedroom. Tasks, that had a fleeting presence in my mind, but were immediately dismissed because I was too fatigued and didn't care. Now I do. Thank God for bringing me back to life again.

Dear Father in Heaven, I thank You for sending me to my doctor, and for chemicals that make me whole again. Help me to never take for granted the gift of life You have given to all of us. Help me to tell my story in a way that will help Christians not be ashamed of having this illness.

Please read Christians and Depression Part Two, coming soon...

To visist anonymous site click here: Spiritual Battleground

To subscribe to this site click here: Simply Ecclesia

photo by SurLaMer

TODAY'S MESSAGE
Sowing and reaping is a universal law established by our Creator since the beginning of time. And it does not only apply to the blessing of prosperity and a lifestyle of abundance, but it is a principle intertwined with our attitudes, motives, and heart condition. No one will ever escape the harvest s/he has consistently sown... good or bad.

Are you searching for a better life? Are you trying your best to develop solid and enduring relationships with others? Are you committed to God's will in everything you say and do? Then remember that all it takes is a seed, a consistent one, and when you least expect it your harvest will be knocking right at your door.

Commit to sow good seeds every day... from the heart. Your harvest will be just as good!

TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for providing me opportunities to sow seeds of righteousness unto You and others. Teach me each day to check my deepest attitudes and motives so that my seed may always be a good one. I thank You in advance for my prosperous harvest, and I praise You for making me an instrument of grace unto everyone around me. In Jesus' precious name, amen.