"Lord, if . . . "

by John Collins, Administrative Pastor Harvest Christian Fellowship

"Lord, if you had been here . . . "

These are the words of Mary and Martha at the death of their brother Lazarus in John 11.

There, at that moment in time, when death was cruel and vile and heartless, they stood before what seemed an unbreakable valley of darkness. They wrestled with grief, and the grief was unbearable and unbeatable because grief can never be beaten, only experienced.

And so when Jesus came to them, they said it, "Lord, if . . . "

They both said it, at different times, but to His face. We get the sense that they most likely had said it among themselves, too.

"Lord, if . . . if you had only done this or that . . . "

It is the perfectly human response of a heart that is broken because hopes have been dashed and their world shattered. Someone they loved has been taken away. Life as they knew it was now different. They stood on the cliff of that dark valley and peered into the blackness and thought, "Lord, if . . . "

This morning, as I write this, my pastor and his wife (Greg and Cathe Laurie) stand on that cliff. They are suffering the loss of their eldest son, who was taken from this earth quickly and tragically Thursday. They are battling the unmerciful giant called grief and, like Mary and Martha and every human soul who has waged that battle, they are losing.

It is painful to watch for the end is not near, and with every merciless blow they cry out, "Lord, if . . . "

I have been in that ring before, but only as a young man of 16. My father had died of cancer. The last night of his life, I left the hospital with the words, "I'll be back to watch the World Series game with you tomorrow."

There was no tomorrow. I had missed those precious last hours with him. And I grieved, "Lord, if I had only stayed with him . . . "

"Lord, if . . . " is the cry of every forsaken moment, every unsaid word, every failure to perfectly love the ones we love and now can only remember.

"Lord, if . . . " is how we ask God, "Why?", when we know He won't answer, when we are unsatisfied and frustrated by "seeing through a glass darkly."

"Lord, if . . . " echoes in the darkness and, like all echoes, it returns with no answer. The price of life and love is death and separation. As C.S. Lewis once said, "That's part of the deal."

So where is Jesus? We ask, "Lord, if I must drink this cup of grief, where are you?" To that, we have an answer in Psalms 139:8-12:
"If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me.
I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night-but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are both alike to you." (NLT)

For Mary and Martha, the darkness and grief for Lazarus was temporary. Jesus allowed it so that His power over death could be made known at the resurrection of Lazarus.

Jesus was there, orchestrating His plan. Out of the darkness of that tomb came a foreshadowing of his own resurrection, which would give light and hope to all the world now that death was defeated.

Where was Jesus? He was there in the darkness of that tomb. And before raising Lazarus, He was with Mary and Martha, weeping with them!

Where is Jesus? He is forever in the midst of our darkness, in the black caverns of our life. He sees the grieving widow. He sees the grieving father and mother. He sees our pastor and his wife and He visits them in their grief. He knows the pain of the journey.

Isaiah said, "He is a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3 NKJV). It is comforting to know that our sorrows are His sorrows and that He knows the aching sense of loss and grief. God never promised to remove our grief, only to give it purpose.

Mary and Martha were united with Jesus in sadness, the grief of loss. And Jesus entered into that grief.

How sweet and comforting to know our God is with us in our moments of desperation. He is the King who bears the full, blunt force of our "Lord, ifs . . . " and then sits next to us with a loving arm around our shoulder and weeps.

It is in these moments with Jesus that we come to know that the darkness only hides His face. One day, when the darkness is gone, His face will be the light of heaven.

The Low Rank

But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Luke 22:26

This verse states a view that is so different than what the world practices. According to the world, a leader is to have special privileges and to be treated better than everyone else. A former employee of mine thought that she didn't need to do as much work because she had "paid her dues." It only caused dissent with the rest of the employees. Wouldn't you love to arrive at work someday and find your boss cleaning? Or how about the husband who doesn't feel like he needs to help around the house because he is the "king of his castle"? Wouldn't you love to have your husband cook you dinner after you've spent a long day with the kids? And what if he did that often? Now that's serving up love!

Why are these scenarios so unusual? I think that it's because we have a messed up idea of leadership-and a messed up idea about service. The world seems to see service as a form of weakness. Jesus tells us and shows us that service is a sign of strength-it takes inner strength to serve those around us. It's a very humbling experience. Leaders who think they are above serving are simply afraid of their weaknesses.

Christ tells us that our leadership should be different than what the world expects. We shouldn't gloat over being above anyone else but use our place in life to help others. The best leaders or teachers are the ones who can admit when they are wrong or they don't know the answer. Then, because they are leaders, they work to find the correct answers and lead people down the right path.Look at the leadership examples around you. Do they tend to be humble or haughty? Take a look at your own leadership style. If you're a parent, how do you lead your children? As a wife, how do you serve your husband? Husbands, how do you serve your wives? Service isn't just a sign of humility but of love as well. Good leadership requires love. It's a love outside of us-God's love. Ask God for his love to empower and guide your leadership and relationships with people. Follow him, for he is our ultimate servant-leader.

God Helps Those Who Help the Poor

Who is really poor?by R. Kent Hughes

And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 2 Corinthians 9:8 NLT

Plow WorkDr. Roy L. Laurin tells of a Christian businessman who was traveling in Korea. In a field by the side of the road was a young man pulling a crude plow while an old man held the handles. The businessman was amused and took a snapshot of the scene. "That is curious! I suppose these people are very poor," he said to the missionary who was interpreter and guide to the party. "Yes," was the quiet reply, "these two men happen to be Christians. When their church was being built, they were so eager to give something toward it, but they had no money. So they decided to sell their one and only ox and give the proceeds to the church. This spring they are pulling the plow themselves." The businessman was silent for some moments. Then he said, "That must have been a real sacrifice." "They did not call it that," said the missionary. "They thought themselves fortunate that they had an ox to sell!" When the businessman reached home, he took the picture to his pastor and told him about it. Then he added, "I want to double my giving to the church and do some plow work. Up until now I have never given God anything that involved real sacrifice."

Looking Ahead

Looking Ahead leadership_devo@newsletter.tyndale.com
The prudent understand where they are going, but fools deceive themselves.Proverbs 14:8

Bill Walsh, the former head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, was thought eccentric because of how extensively he planned his plays in advance of each game. Most coaches would wait to see how the game unfolded, then respond with plays that seemed appropriate. Walsh wanted the game to respond to him. Walsh won several Super Bowls with his "eccentric" proactive approach. He was a coach who looked into the future.
Looking ahead is the process of creating the future before it happens. People who learn to do it "understand where they are going." Like Bill Walsh, it involves deciding your actions in advance so that your life will respond to you. What are the benefits of such a proactive pursuit?
Looking ahead gives direction. It's like using a highlighter on a roadmap to indicate where you are, where you are going, and how you are going to get there. The highlighted roadmap not only provides information for where you are going; it also suggests where you are not going.
Looking ahead helps us to create rather than react. With each step along our journey, we are faced with a choice either to create or to react. Many people spend their entire days reacting. Like goalies in hockey, with pucks flying at us all day, we react. We react to news, cars in traffic, people, events, challenges, and obstacles. A better way involves making choices and following plans.
Looking ahead saves time. "One hour of planning saves three hours of execution." Planning yields a savings return. We only have twenty-four hours in a day and 365 days in a year. If we don't use them wisely by looking ahead, we will forever forfeit those gifts.
Looking ahead reduces crisis. Our daily lives have two controlling influences: plans and pressures. When we look ahead and choose to plan, we take charge and control of our days. If we fail to look ahead, we will spend our days in crisis mode. We will fall into a trap of panic planning-planning on the fly with no time to effectively map out a strategy.
Looking ahead maximizes energy. Failing to look ahead, we dissipate our energy on less important matters, improper agendas, and lost crusades. We waste our time on the trivial many. But preparation often energizes us!Be wise. Look ahead. It's eccentric but well worth the effort.

From His Perspective

"But Jesus looked at them and said to them, 'With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.' " - Matthew 19:26 I heard the story of an elderly minister who liked to visit people in hospitals. He often would take along a little, embroidered bookmark that he carried in his Bible. On the back of the bookmark were a group of tangled threads with no apparent pattern. He would hand this bookmark, with the back facing up, to those who were hurting or upset and say, "Look at that and tell me what it says."As they looked at all the tangled threads, they would say, "I have no idea what it says. It doesn't seem to say anything."Then he said, "Now, turn it over." As they would flip that bookmark over, they saw the words, "God is love." The minister would say, "Many times as we look at what God is doing, we just see tangled threads with no rhyme or reason. But from God's perspective, He is dealing with us in love, and He knows what He is doing."The next time you think it is all over for you, just remember how things turned out for Joseph. Just remember how things turned out for Daniel. No doubt things looked pretty dim when he was in the den of lions. It looked hopeless as well for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego when they were thrown into the fiery furnace. Things looked pretty grim for Peter when he was in prison. And things looked bleak for Martha and Mary when their brother died.You see, things can look bad at one moment, but then God will step in and turn events around. Then suddenly you'll look back and say, "Now I understand what God was doing."

Thinking Like A Leader

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.Romans 12:2

Some years ago a magazine pictured a man staring out of a window; the caption read: "Why does this company pay this man $100,000 to look out a window?" The answer: Because the lifeblood of any organization lies in ideas and creative thinking. Thinking is powerful. Flying a plane, air conditioning, cell phones, vaccines, the World Wide Web-without thinking, these would have been impossible. Everything begins with a simple thought.
Ideas are a great moving force of history. We are never free to do what we cannot conceive. Having a godly mind enlarges our thinking capacity. A leader's thinking must be shaped by the following:
Vision: What is our dream? Carl Sandburg was right: "Nothing happens unless it is first a dream." Vision is a process of the mind-it's mental, not visual. Vision is seeing what everybody has seen but thinking what nobody has thought. What is needed to build a pyramid? One person who can think and ten thousand people who can grunt.
Values: What is important? Values have to do with how we treat people, how we do our work, what is vital to us. Values are the standards, the principles, and the code of conduct that characterize the organization. Values aren't dreamt; they already exist. Leaders shape and form the organization's values. Some universities decide to pour sidewalks after students have first worn a path. Where are the well-worn paths-the actions, the beliefs, the attitudes-that matter most to you? Those are your values.
Venture: What are we willing to risk? Organizations that make a difference are willing to think outside the box. For example, a company that was in the well-digging business began to think in terms of efficient and effective means of making holes, and they soon discovered that lasers dug holes better than augers. They achieved the same goal but accomplished it more efficiently.
Vehicle: What will get us there? How can we accomplish our desired outcome? A dream without a strategy is merely wishful thinking, but with a strategy it becomes powerful thinking.
Victory: What will the celebration be like? A leader thinks like a champion. The end result is to move forward, to accomplish goals, to be God's faithful servant, to celebrate being a part of God's kingdom.Wake up and start thinking. Take off your nightcap and put on your thinking cap. Ask God to continually renew your mind.

God Will Wipe Away Sorrow Forever

God will wipe away sorrow foreverGodsdailypromises@leftbehindprophecy.com

Faith does not isolate us from sadnessSing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name. His anger lasts for a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may go on all night, but joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:4-5 NLTI am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid. John 14:27 NLTTruly, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy when you see me again. It will be like a woman experiencing the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives place to joy because she has brought a new person into the world. You have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. John 16:20-22 NLTBond of understandingThere is an immediate bond of understanding between people who have suffered similar hardships or losses. Parents who have lost children, widows and widowers, and families of terminal-disease patients, all find comfort and encouragement in the presence of those who have known similar pain. Paul urges believers to see opportunities for giving comfort as both a way to share the comfort of God and to use their own experiences of sorrow for good. We rarely know why suffering or trials enter our lives, but we can know that God wants to do through our sorrow. Who do you know right now who needs a word of encouragement or comfort that your experience has prepared you to give?

12 Sins we Blame on Others

by Ben Reaoch
It started in the Garden. Adam said to God, The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate. (Genesis 3:12)

The first man, caught in the first sin, turns to blame his wife. And he extends the blame to God as well! He implies that he would have remained innocent if God hadn't put Eve in the garden with him.

The blame-shifting in the Garden continues today. Our proud hearts send us desperately looking for someone else to point to every time we're confronted with our own sin. There must be someone else-our spouse, sibling, parent, boss, co-worker, pastor, friend, or God, himself.
We are so desperate to justify ourselves that we become irrational. Here are 12 examples.

1) Anger I wouldn't lose my temper if my co-workers were easier to get along with, or if my kids behaved better, or if my spouse were more considerate.

2) Impatience I would be a very patient person if it weren't for traffic jams and long lines in the grocery store. If I didn't have so many things to do, and if the people around me weren't so slow, I would never become impatient!

3) Lust I would have a pure mind if there weren't so many sensual images in our culture.

4) Anxiety I wouldn't worry about the future if my life were just a little more secure-if I had more money, and no health problems.

5) Spiritual Apathy My spiritual life would be so much more vibrant and I would struggle with sin less if my small group were more encouraging, or if Sunday school were more engaging, or if the music in the worship service were more lively, or if the sermons were better.

6) Insubordination If my parents/bosses/elders were godly leaders, then I would joyfully follow them.

7) A Critical Spirit It's not my fault that the people around me are ignorant and inexperienced.

8) Bitterness If you knew what that person did to me, you would understand my bitterness. How could I forgive something like that?

9) Gluttony My wife/husband/roommate/friend is a wonderful cook! The things they make are impossible to resist.

10) Gossip It's the people around me who start the conversations. There's no way to avoid hearing what others happen to say. And when others ask me questions, I can't avoid sharing what I know.

11) Self-Pity I'll never be happy, because my marriage/family/job/ministry is so difficult.

12) Selfishness I would be more generous if we had more money. Making excuses like this is arrogant and foolish. It's a proud way of trying to justify our actions and pacify our guilty consciences. And it keeps us from humbling ourselves before God to repent of our sins and seek his forgiveness.

Consider James 1:13-15, which leaves us with no way of escaping our own sin and guilt. We cannot blame God, for he "cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one." Instead, we have to accept the humbling truth that "each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire." This will end the blame game, and it will send us pleading for Christ's mercy and grace.

Full of Holes

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9

Every Christian is a vessel God has uniquely created for sharing a treasure with others. This treasure, referred to as the gospel of Jesus, is contained in "fragile clay jars" so it's "clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves." Paul uses the phrase "fragile clay jars" because as humans we are easily broken and we struggle with the most basic details of life. Yet we are called to pour out our treasure so that the world comes into contact with God.

God's works flow naturally from a person whose life has been totally committed to him. The key is to give liberally of what we've received, knowing that the Lord will continue to fill us so that we are never totally empty nor constantly overflowing. Instead, our container will be full of holes that continuously pour out the love of Jesus. As long as we are being filled by God daily, we will never have a problem serving those he wants us to serve (see Galatians 6:10).

However, these clay jars can eventually become empty from lack of use. Empty vessels serve little purpose other than taking up space. And the Lord does not want us to simply exist. As pastor Rick Warren has correctly noted, each person has been made for a purpose. When a follower of Christ is not connected to the source of these gifts, his or her desire for serving God and other people diminishes.

Think about your life-vessel today. How has it been used to store the goodness of God? Has that goodness flowed into other lives? Has God's measure of goodness in you evaporated from days and months of non-use? Or is your life a container full of holes, leaking the goodness of God continuously because you are continuously filled by the source that never runs dry?

Leadership DevotionalTyndale

True Conversion

"And when people escape from the wicked ways of the world by learning about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up with sin and become its slave again, they are worse off than before." - 2 Peter 2:20 Sometimes we hear about well-known people who claim to have made a commitment to Jesus Christ. Often, it is around election time. When they address Christians, they speak of their great faith in God. After the elections, we seldom hear about it again.Then there are people who say they are believers, but a month or two later, they go back to their old ways again. They say, "I tried Christianity, but it didn't work for me." But in reality, they never really found Christ.Others will turn to God when they hit hard times. Awhile later, you see them going back to their old ways, and you wonder what happened. I would suggest that many of these people never were converted at all. They went through the motions, but Jesus Christ never became a part of their lives. Often, they end up worse than before.When Jesus Christ truly comes into our lives, He takes up residence. And He doesn't just do a basic housecleaning; He does a thorough one. There is real change. But when a house has only been swept, that is, when someone has made only moral changes, he or she is still vulnerable to the Enemy. This is why we must recognize the futility of simply turning over a new leaf or making a few New Year's resolutions. We must realize the problem is deeper than our moral sins. We must get to the heart of the matter and have Jesus Christ take residence in our lives and change us from the inside out.

by:Greg Laurie

Christ will Return!

A heavenly visionAfter I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, "Salvation comes from our God on the throne and from the Lamb!" Revelation 7:9-10 NLT

Heavenly praise for the LambMany times our prayers tend to focus on this world and the struggles we encounter in our lives. God understands and accepts these prayers, but we must also direct our thoughts and prayers to the victory we will share with Christ. In Revelation, God gives us a splendid portrayal of that final victory. In a vision, the apostle John sees a magnificent scene: a vast multitude celebrating the triumph of the Lamb of God. Waving palm branches, the traditional symbol of victory, people from all over the world extol God for the salvation he had provided through his Son.As followers of Christ, today, we are privileged to be part of this multitude-the communion of believers. Because Jesus has overcome death, a new life of wholeness and peace through him has opened up to us. This is worth shouting about-praising God with all that is in us!

Heaven

Many who are first now will be last then.
Matthew 20:16What makes you great in God's book? While most people strive for attention, power, and status, Jesus encouraged his followers to do the opposite. What are you seeking?

King of kings and Lord of lords

On his robe and thigh was written this title: King of kings and Lord of lords.
--
Revelation 19:16
Our God is not just a distant, unknowable cosmic being--he is Lord over the universe! One day, everyone will recognize him for who he is, when his power is fully displayed. What a wonderful day that will be!

Christ Will Return!

A vision of heavenNow I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. And the one sitting on the horse was named Faithful and True. For he judges fairly and then goes to war. His eyes were bright like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him, and only he knew what it meant. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. Revelation 19:11-13 NLT Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne; Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but is own. Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee, and hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity.Crown Him
with Many Crowns,Matthew Bridges (1800-1894)
Crown Him with Many CrownsMatthew Bridges became a convert to Roman Catholicism at the age of forty-eight and published this hymn three years later under the title "The Song of the Seraphs." Godfrey Thring, an Anglican clergyman, added several stanzas to the hymn about thirty years later, with Bridges's approval. So a Roman Catholic layman and an Anglican cleric, who probably never met, were coauthors of a hymn about heaven, where Christians of every tribe and tongue, as well as of every denomination, will crown Him Lord of all.One of the aspects that Godfrey Thring felt was missing in the original was a stanza on the Resurrection, and so it was added. "His glories now we sing who died and rose on high, who died, eternal life to bring, and lives, that death may die."

Heaven

God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride. Isaiah 62:5


Sweaty palms, nervous hands, cotton mouth--typical symptoms of a man who can hardly wait to see his bride come down the aisle. That's how God feels as he waits for you!

What do we know about Heaven?

Scripture helps us to discover some of the beauty and wonder of Heaven. For example:
A place prepared for us: John 14:2, 3
Unlimited by physical properties (1 Cor. 15:35-49): John 20:19, 26
We will be like Jesus: 1 John 3:2
We will have new bodies: 1 Corinthians 15
A wonderful experience: 1 Corinthians 2:9
A new environment: Revelation 21:1
A new experience of God's presence (1 Cor. 13:12): Revelation 21:3
New emotions: Revelation 21:4
No more death: Revelation 21:4

The Bible devotes much less space to describing eternity than it does to convincing people that eternal life is available as a free gift from God. Most of the brief descriptions of eternity would be more accurately called hints, since they use terms and ideas from present experience to describe what we cannot fully grasp until we are there ourselves. These references hint at aspects of what our future will be like if we have accepted Christ's gift of eternal life. (Life Application Bible: What we know about Eternity)

So, what are YOU waiting for? Heaven is exclusive...you won't be able to just walk in. YOU have to make that choice before you die. HE is waiting for YOU...HIS arms are open wide, HIS eyes are longing for your face to turn toward HIM. Don't wait another moment. Take HIM into your heart and let HIM become LORD of YOUR life. Not sure how or need someone to walk with you? Call the church office today. Our number is: 686.5296. There are pastors in the office daily who would love the opportunity to help show you the way to Heaven. We don't want to be there without YOU.

Heaven Can't Wait

This life is filled with things to worry about, and we could easily spend every waking hour of our day worrying. Some of us do just that. But if we're followers of Jesus, we know there's far more to life than the struggles that confront us every day. We know there's life to come that will be worry-free. When Jesus told his disciples to trust him, he was reminding them to look at the big picture. Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many rooms ..." (John 14:2). One of the assurances Jesus gave his friends was the real hope of heaven. He was telling them that no matter what happened to them on earth, it would pale in comparison with the life to come. The words of the apostle Paul also remind us of this truth: "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). Longing for home Deep inside, we all long for this unseen place we've never been. In his book, "The Problem of Pain," C. S. Lewis calls this deep longing "the secret signature of each soul, the incommunicable and unappeasable want." We all have a longing for heaven, whether we know it or not. And heaven is waiting for the child of God. We have God's promise. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us there (John 14:3), and that's a key element in our comfort here on earth. When you're expecting guests in your home, you prepare the place ahead of time. You might know they like certain books or treats, so you customize the room. That way, when your guests arrive, they'll feel right at home. If we put that kind of effort into preparing a place for our friends, imagine the care God puts into preparing our eternal home! Our dwelling place When Jesus spoke of the place he has prepared for us, I don't think he was talking about bunk beds or cozy cabins. I believe He was referring to the new bodies we'll have when we go to heaven. Paul talks about this in 2 Corinthians 5:1-3: Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. The Bible doesn't tell us a lot about heaven, probably because it's so far beyond our comprehension. It would be like taking a 3-month-old baby, propping him up with pillows and saying to him, "Now I am going to tell you about Hawaii. Are you ready?" You get out a big book with gorgeous photos of the Hawaiian Islands. "Look. This is the island of Maui. See how nice it is?" The baby is just going to sit there, because he doesn't have the capacity to comprehend the information you're conveying. In the same way, when God speaks of the glories of heaven, there's no way we can fully grasp what lies ahead. Even the apostle Paul, who personally caught a glimpse of heaven said, "And I know that this man - whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows - was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell" (2 Corinthians 12:3-4). Heavenly hearts Jesus is preparing wonderful homes for each of us, and I find that to be a great comfort, especially in these troubling days. Some may call that "pie in the sky" escapism, but I believe the reality of our future heavenly home helps get us through the trials of this life. And the fact of the matter is when we truly are heavenly minded, we are the greatest earthly good. Those who've done the most for this world have usually had their hearts on the next one. Any honest look at history will reveal that those who have done the most for others are Christians who know the hope of eternal life. They're the ones who have started universities, built shelters and hospitals, and have gone into the war-torn and famine-ridden areas of the world with food, medicine and clothing. Think of men like William Wilberforce, a British politician who had an encounter with Jesus Christ. At first he thought he might be called to go into ministry, but he soon realized he could use his position in British politics to overturn a great evil - slavery. He dedicated much of his life to this cause and ultimately succeeded. His story is told in the powerful film "Amazing Grace." I've heard of a lot of church-affiliated hospitals, but personally, I've never heard of an atheist hospital. ... When we have the comfort of heaven, we put our worries aside and lay down our lives for the welfare of others. We're no longer bound by fear and anxiety, but freed by the promise of new life with God. When our hearts are lightened by this promise, there is no end to the good we can do.

The King Has Another Move

Ron DeBoer
Have you heard this story? It's been told by Christian speakers as far back as 1955 when Billy Graham told a variation of it early in his ministry. Two men are standing in front of a painting called Checkmate in an art gallery. In the painting, a man is playing chess with the devil. The devil is grinning ear-to-ear because he has the man cornered. The title of the painting, Checkmate, indicates that the game is over. The devil has won. His opponent has no more moves.
The first man looking at the painting wants to move on to other paintings in the gallery. But the second man, an international chess champion, wants to look at the painting longer, so he waves his friend on and tells him he will catch up later. The chess champion stares and stares at the chess board, then suddenly he steps back, flabbergasted. "It's wrong!" he exclaims. "There's one more move." He runs to his friend and together they look at the painting. "We have to contact the painter," the chess champion says. "It's not checkmate. The king has one more move."
*
When you look at Scripture, you will see that all through history, the devil has had God's people in what seemed like "checkmate." But God had another move.
In Exodus 14, with the Egyptians relentlessly chasing them, the Israelites, finally released to journey to the Promised Land, came to the shores of the Red Sea. They could see the dust from approaching Egyptian chariots on the horizon and hear the war cries of their pursuers. They had nowhere to turn. Their families would be killed; their possessions would be taken. Checkmate, right?
The King had another move. God says to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground" (Exod 14:15-16). We know the rest of the story. The Israelites get to the other side; the Egyptians drown when God closes the water alley.
In 1 Samuel 17, the Israelites and their leader, Saul, were terrified. The nine-foot-tall Philistine giant, Goliath, was taunting them and making fun of their God. The Israelites were in checkmate.
But the King had one more move. An insignificant little boy too small to fit into Saul's armor knocked off Goliath and delivered the Israelites. David, who knew a thing or two about being in checkmate, shows his deep faith when he says, "The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear with will rescue me from this Philistine!" (1 Sam 17:37).
In Daniel 6:1-28, King Darius threw Daniel into a lions' den because Daniel ignored the new law to pray to King Darius and instead prayed to God. In imagery reminiscent of the tomb of Jesus, a stone was rolled over the mouth of the lions' den and Daniel was left to be torn apart. You can't get much more "checkmate" than that situation!
But the King had another move. He sends an angel to close the lions' mouths. When King Darius finds Daniel safe, he says: "I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end"(Dan 7:26).

Perhaps you feel like you are in checkmate in your life. You are in debt. You've lost your job. Your marriage is in trouble. Someone you love is dying. You have an addiction that is eating you with shame.
Whatever your situation, you have to remember that God always has another move in your life. He can get you out of whatever you're in. He raised his own Son from death! Pray to Him. His love for you is unconditional, and he never turns his back on you. You have another move.
Even if your pain keeps you from finding the words to pray, the Holy Spirit will pray for you. Paul says in Romans 8:26: "And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words."
When it seems as if you can't move to the next square on the calendar, remember, the King always has another move.

Heroes

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33
In a column, reporter Bob Greene once opined on "How to Become a Hero." He described a Texas gem dealer who went to a mineral show in Arizona. There he met a man who wandered creek beds, looking for interesting stones. This man was displaying some of his finds in plastic containers.
Among the smaller stones the dealer saw a large rock, and that's all the displayer thought it was-a big rock. But this gem dealer knew otherwise. He recognized it as the biggest star sapphire he had ever seen.
Knowing that the owner had no idea of the true worth of the stone, the gem dealer bargained with him and paid $10 for the rock. Later he reported that it was worth $2.5 million.
And, noted Greene, this gem dealer has become a sort of folk hero because he found something of value and purchased it at the lowest possible price, without hinting to the original owner what was going on. Greene went on to say, "This is just a particularly dramatic example of the way so many people are getting rich these days. They don't do anything of importance or value; they just manipulate and sidestep and feint and parry. They make people think they are going to do one thing, and then they do another. The lesson seems to be that only suckers believe in putting in a day's work for a day's pay. The smart boys are the tricksters."
Unfortunately, Bob Greene is right. People's lives today seem consumed with lotteries, long shots, and insider trading...and a continuing saga of greed, bribery, extortion, and embezzlement.
As Christians, however, we shouldn't be too surprised. Jesus said that his values are the opposite of the world's and that people who follow him will be misunderstood. True followers of Christ won't fit into society.
The Bible says that who we are on the inside is infinitely more important than our outward appearance, the way we achieve our goals is as important as the goals themselves, and that seeking Christ and his kingdom is more important than being the richest person on earth. Greene concludes his column with these thoughts: "Let's imagine that the gem dealer sees the star sapphire and instead of purchasing it for $10, he tells the man of its real worth and urges him to get some advice about what a fair asking price is before selling it. I know, I know; that's not the way the world works. Maybe, though, he could have at least cut the poor rock-hunter in on his profits. But then he wouldn't have been a hero for these days, would he?"
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?

Don't worry about making it in today's world. Focus your attention on being a "hero" where it counts in God's eyes.

God's Generosity

God's Generosity
God is a god of abundance, not a god of scarcity. Jesus reveals to us God's abundance when he offers so much bread to the people that there are twelve large baskets with leftover scraps (see John 6:5-15), and when he makes his disciples catch so many fish that their boat nearly sinks (Luke 5:1-7). God doesn't give us just enough. God gives us more than enough: more bread and fish than we can eat, more love than we dared to ask for.God is a generous giver, but we can only see and enjoy God's generosity when we love God with all of our hearts, minds, and strength. As long as we say, "I will love you, God, but first show me your generosity," we will remain distant from God and unable to experience what God truly wants to give us, which is life and life in abundance.
HenriNouwen.org

Ingratitude

Ingratitude
Greg Laurie

"Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened."
- Romans 1:21
A man who was nailing down a loose shingle on a roof lost his footing and began to slip. Working three stories above the ground, he was terrified at the thought of falling to his death. He started shouting, "God, help me! I am falling! God, do something!" Just as he came to the edge of the roof, his belt loop caught on a nail and stopped him long enough to grab hold again. He shouted, "It's OK, God! I got caught on a nail."That is how we can be. We cry out to God. He answers our prayers. Then we say, "It's OK, God . . . everything seemed to work out." But do we ever stop and think that God might have worked through certain circumstances to come to our rescue? My point is, we need to put as much zeal in thanking God for what He has done as we put into pleading with God when we are in need.I heard about a hospital chaplain who kept a record of some 2,000 patients whom he had visited, all who seemed to be in a dying condition and showed signs of repentance. Among those restored to health, he felt that only two showed a marked change in their spiritual lives after their recovery. In other words, when these people thought they would die, they repented. But when they recovered, they forgot about God.What would you think of a person who always wanted things from you, but never offered a word of thanks in return? We can be that way with God, can't we? Let's remember to thank Him.

Show me Your glory...

Show me your glory...Send down your presence

There's a commercial on TV where a man opens up the drapes and finds himself eye-to-eye with a "king" offering a hamburger. The message is that this "king" is so concerned that you eat a good hamburger, he is willing to come to you to offer it.In a sense, that's what Jesus has done. Though being king of all creation himself, he came to earth as a servant. Why? He wants to know you, and he wants you to have the opportunity to spend eternity getting to know him. Jesus said, "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends" (Revelation 3:20, NLT).Imagine! Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords, wanting a relationship with you! And he hasn't sent a messenger; he's come himself.