Let your soul sing

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"Let your soul sing" By Diane Webb

Psalms 30: 12—"To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent; O Lord my God; I will give thanks unto thee forever."

Giving thanks leads to singing praises to God in your soul. Has your soul ever praised God? Have you been so thankful your soul sang? Giving thanks to God is the pathway to singing in your soul. This sounds like intense happiness—such joy that the soul would honor God with song. What are you thankful for? How long does it take for you to recite your list of gratitude? Are you thankful for clean, easily accessible, safe water? Are you thankful for the electricity to cook with? Are you thankful for indoor plumbing? Are you thankful for vehicles to take you where you need or want to go? Sometimes we take for granted these everyday things that make up the very infrastructure of our lives. What about food? How many of us really have to worry whether we will have enough to eat today? What about our bodies? Even if suffering from illness or disability, we still have much to be thankful for physically. If we can't hear can we see? If we have lost our legs do we have arms? Can we smell? Does our heart and lungs continue to keep us alive? What services are in your community to be thankful for? Do you have doctors and pharmacists? Is there a hospital within driving distance? Can you call for emergency help? Do you have law enforcement and fire stations? Then there is nature—the beach, the mountains, the sunrise and sunset, the birds, the trees, grass, and animals. How is your family? The list goes on and on. Sometimes people say they have nothing to be thankful for. These people are usually well fed, able to walk on their own, and have healthy family members in the home—they have a home. People who say they have nothing to be thankful for are not thankful for what they have. They miss out on the joy of praising God due to an unthankful spirit. How do you feel when you give someone something or do something for someone who does not say "thank you"? Imagine how God may feel when we forget to thank Him. We need to wake up being thankful we are alive. We should thank God for being able to get ourselves out of bed. Every step of the day is full of wonderful gifts and blessings. The amazing things in our world that we enjoy—telephones, televisions, radios, computers, vehicles, appliances, restaurants, airplanes, and all the other great inventions we take for granted. If you are not thankful then chances are you are complaining. When we are complaining we cannot praise God. Complaining cancels out praise. The most important thing we are made to do is to praise God. That is our primary responsibility. Praise is a type of prayer to God. When you praise God then God is present with you. He listens to praise and thankfulness. Let's not forget to be thankful today and every day. Remember that praise is a prayer. Spend some time every day simply praising God without asking for something in return. Be joyful in the life He gave you and be thankful for what you have. An "attitude of gratitude' has healing benefits. What we focus on increases therefore if we focus on the blessings and goodness of our life then guess what grows! Every morning name ten things you are thankful for before you get out of bed. Continue adding to the list throughout the day and you will find it impossible to be depressed or anxious.

God, I am so thankful for all you have done for me and all the great things I enjoy in this world. I have a wonderful family, a nice home, a good car, and plenty of food to eat. Help me, Lord; remember to have a thankful heart so my soul, too, can sing praise to you. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen

Recognizing Satan’s tricks

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"Recognizing Satan's tricks" By Diane Webb

Ephesians 6: 11—"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil".

The armour of God, if you remember, includes: truth, righteousness, Gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and scripture. All of these are needed to fight the sneaky tricks of Satan. What exactly are the strategies of Satan? Some are as follows: lies, confusion, secrecy, doubt, division, and fear. Lies include the ones from others and the ones we tell ourselves. It's like Satan is whispering things in our ears then we think thoughts that are not true. Since they seem to come from our own mind we don't always realize the mistruth of it. Lies create doubt; doubt creates fear; fear creates division; division creates confusion; confusion feeds more lies and the process of deception continues. Be on the lookout for these signs that Satan is behind the problem or issue: slight distortions of truth, questioning self or scripture, work done in secrecy, anything that causes confusion, anything that upsets the unity in the church or between Christians, and anything that produces fear, anxiety, or worry. Do not make decisions based on doubt. Recognize doubt is from Satan not God. God inspires confidence (not arrogance). Anytime you begin to doubt—yourself, your calling, or the scripture—you can be sure it's a "wile of the devil". Fear is another trick of Satan. Never operate out of fear. Fear is designed to make you run, fight, or freeze (do nothing). Running from God is not a good idea (ask Jonah). Fighting God is useless (ask Pharaoh). Doing nothing is despicable (ask Pontius Pilate). Discord among brother's and sister's of Christ accomplish Satan's will not God's (remember Cain and Abel). Confusion keeps God's work from being accomplished (see 1 Corinthians 14: 33). How might these things show up in your day to day life? Perhaps you are called to speak or lead at your church. At first you accept feeling honored to be an active part of the worship service. You have one week to prepare. During the week you being to think things like: "I am not qualified to do this", "I am going to make a fool of myself", "I am not the right person", "I am not smart enough" and so on. This doubt has been created by Satan to keep you from exercising your gift or calling. Doubt keeps you from realizing your spiritual potential. Secrecy is one wile of the devil most of us do not recognize as a tool of Satan. Satan works in secrecy whereas God works out in the open. A tool of Satan is to convince people to keep things secret—not to tell or involve others in the discussion or solving of a problem or issue. Many families are destroyed because of secrets. Sure, it may be somewhat embarrassing to talk to a pastor or Christian counselor about the problems you are having but once Satan's cover is blown the healing process can begin. The vast majority of secrets are the result of Satan's work. Doing things out in the open where everyone can see it is a safeguard against Satan's purpose. Do not agree to get involved in any activity if secrecy is one of the requirements. Pray for guidance or ask your pastor to help you sort through some of these things. All of the wiles of Satan create some confusion which prevents us from moving forward with God's work. 1 Corinthians 14: 33 states, "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints". 2 Timothy 1: 7 says "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind".

Dear heavenly father, today help me recognize the tricks of Satan and not to fall for them. If I am already in the grip of some of these I rebuke them now in the name of Jesus. Help me, Lord; fight the wiles of the devil using the whole armour of God. I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

Celebrate Life

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"Celebrate Life" By Diane Webb

Psalms 30: 11—"Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness".

How much joy have you experienced in your life? How long did it last? Have you ever experienced pure happiness over something? Have you ever celebrated just being alive? In this verse, the psalmist continues to write about his recovery from a life-threatening illness--one in which he obviously thought he'd die from. It's like he got a second chance--one he did not expect to have. He had already prepared himself for death yet he lived. Those around him must have been celebrating along with him. What appeared to be an impending funeral turned out to be a celebration of life. Have you ever thought you were going to die? Was it an imminent car accident, a house fire, or--like the psalmist--a serious illness? What went through your mind those moments you thought life was coming to an end? Did you go to the doctor fearing the worst and instead get a good report? If this has never happened to you imagine what it must be like to be days, minutes, or hours from death and know it—like a prisoner on death row. People who know they are going to die go through a process of preparation—mentally, spiritually, and physically. They make amends with people, they make arrangements for their loved ones, they get their finances in order, and they plan their own funeral. What would be your list of priorities if you knew you were going to die? Many people put off thinking of their own death or the death of those they love. Others think about it too much as if that's all they are living for—to die. The psalmist was obviously happy when he realized he was going to live a while longer. He was appropriately thankful to God and celebrated his recovery. We are all dying sooner or later. Some us will die unexpectedly and others of us will die after a long illness. In either case, we die to be with our God which is nothing to fear and cause for celebration itself. In the meantime, we all need to be mindful of the preciousness of life and how, in an instant, we can experience a sudden death of a loved one or we could die ourselves. We need to stay in a state of readiness while at the same time being joyful of our life while we have it. We need to be thankful for the minutes or days we are given to enjoy God's creation, spend time with those we love, and continue doing our life's work on earth. All too often we take our life for granted. We wake up and we go to bed without ever having given thought to the grace allowed us. Some people go to bed and do not awaken again—or awaken to something terrible. Others never make it to bed one night or they go to bed in mourning. We are not to be fearful of the uncertainty of our days or nights yet we all need to be thankful for life itself. No matter what is going on, what you do or don't have, and what your life is like—life is precious and is cause for celebration each and every day we are given. Let's be careful not to take life for granted. Let's not assume we are exempt from tragedy. While it's a good thing not to obsess about death, a healthy appreciation for life is warranted. As you go through today, look at life as a precious gift and be joyful because you have been given another day.

Dear Father, thank you for life and another day to do you work on earth. Thank you for the joys in my life—too numerous to count. Thank you for the people in my life and all the many blessings you've gifted me with. Help me, Lord, be more appreciative of this life and those blessings. I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.

“Have mercy”

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"Have mercy" By Diane Webb

Psalms 30: 10—"Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me; be thou my helper."

We've all asked the Lord to have mercy and help us. Fortunately, God is free in his mercy for those who ask and He is able to save us—often from ourselves. Usually when we need rescuing by God, we have made a poor choice and are suffering the consequences. We all can think of circumstances where we prayed for God to "make it right"—we know we are wrong, we repent and we beg God not to let us or those we love suffer from our mistakes. Other times we ask for mercy because we are in pitiful situations we did not create ourselves but one in which only God can help. God, however, expects us to show mercy to others as well. If we want to receive mercy He expects us to give mercy to others. There are times we are called to help someone who has gotten themselves into a bad situation. They recognize their mistakes, repent, and need help making things right again. Don't we ask for God's help when we don't deserve it? Don't we receive God's mercy when we have messed up? Why then, is it so hard for us to suspend judgment and show mercy to others? If someone has gotten themselves in a bad situation of their own making, we may feel we don't need to help. It's true we don't always need to rush in to rescue someone from their mistakes. There are times when it is best to stand back and let people figure their own problems out. On the other hand, it's also true we are not to always refuse either. The difference lies in whether we have made a decision to punish or judge another person. It is never our place to judge or punish. Making them suffer a little before we help is judging. There are times when it is appropriate to let people get themselves out of the trouble they have created. Other times, it's important to have mercy and reach out a hand to help. If you are in doubt, spend a few hours or even a day praying about it. It's a good idea to pray before any decision anyway regardless of its relevant importance. When deciding whether to help another person it is very important to pray first. If we help when we are supposed to stand back we may be interfering in God's work. On the other hand, if we stand back when God wants us to help we are being disobedient. Look for feelings in yourself when discerning. If you are feeling pity versus compassion it's best to stand back a little. Compassion looks over at another person as an equal whereas pity looks down on someone. When we have pity we feel superior, stronger, and better than the other person. This is not coming from a right place to do God's work. Any time we feel better than another person we are not operating within God's will. The dynamics in such "help" is destructive. Again, it's important just to pray your way through these decisions and let the Holy Spirit lead you appropriately. The main thing to remember is that it is not our place to judge others and to decide if someone needs to suffer the consequences for their mistakes. This is God's jurisdiction. We are to demonstrate compassion and mercy towards others. Compassion and mercy does not necessarily mean you have to do what the other person is asking you to do.

I ask, Dear Father, for your guidance in the area of mercy and charity. Help me show mercy like you show mercy to me. Help me recognize when it is your will for me to help and when it's your will for me to stand back. Help me provide help from the right place in my heart. Don't let me interfere in your work by helping when you don't want me to. Don't let me refuse help when it's your will I help. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

To resist or not to resist

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"To Resist or not to resist" By Diane Webb

Ephesians 6: 12—"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places".

No matter who it is that is coming against you, please remember—all battles are spiritual. With this understanding, you will approach the person or issue differently. If you find yourself arguing about a price in a store, think about it from a spiritual perspective. When you are being treated unfairly, think about it from a spiritual point of view as well. Sometimes we get caught up in issues and address them from a personal agenda which gets us off on the wrong track. If you are having conflict with another person, it is a spiritual issue not a personal one. When facing forces of evil—in whatever form it takes—stand firm and be willing to resist. Sometimes taking a stand means not to bend to pressure or run away from the situation. Taking a stand can mean don't quit. Tell yourself, "I do not give up and I do not give in". This is not the same as when being tested by God. When being tested we need to submit. We need to take on the philosophy of non-resistance so God can work on us. In other words, if it's from God then we submit but if it's from Satan we are to resist. We never submit to Satan and we never fight God. How do you know which is which? You know through discernment. Discernment comes through prayer, the reading of scripture, and the application of scripture. God will never violate or contradict scripture. He will not ask you to do something that goes against his word. No matter how great the outcome may appear, if it involves a violation of scripture then it is not from God. When faced with conflict, ask yourself "is this from God or from Satan?" Anger usually accompanies wrongful words or actions. If a situation or person is provoking your anger then respond carefully. Remaining calm, cool, and collected is the Christian way. Any stand we take in our fight against evil need not be nasty, rude, or hateful. We can take a stand with a Christian attitude and be even more effective than if we were threatening and yelling. In all situations we must present ourselves in a Christ-like manner. You know when you are resisting God because as soon as you stop resisting things suddenly get better. Sometimes we resist God for years and years thereby increasing our own struggling. Usually, the resistance is our effort to be more comfortable or in fighting against the character traits God wants us to demonstrate—like self-control or patience. Galatians 5: 22 points out the character traits God wants us to demonstrate as evidence we are cooperating with the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Post this list somewhere you can see it regularly because it will help you discern how to recognize if a situation is from God (thereby requiring submission) or from Satan (thereby indicating a need to resist). People who take a stance of either resisting everything all the time or giving in to everything all the time are misguided some of the time because the same approach is not called for in every situation. As said before—if it's from God do not resist; if it's from Satan then resist. In either case, never violate scripture in your response. If you are confused about what to do, look at the fruits of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22 and this usually will make it more obvious to you in most situations.

Dear heavenly Father, help me recognize the difference between a test from you and a stumbling block from Satan. Help me fight when I am suppose to fight and submit when I am suppose to submit. I ask for discernment, Lord, to help me face life's battles today. Protect me, God, from spiritual wickedness in high places. I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.

Your job

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"Your job" By Diane Webb

Psalms 30: 9—"What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise the? Shall it declare thy truth?"

While we are still on earth, we have the opportunity to love and serve our Lord. We have the chance to share the good news with every person we see. In death, our job will be to praise and worship God for eternity. Now, however, we are to spread the good news—the gospel of Jesus Christ—to all corners of the earth. David writes this Psalm after recovering from a serious, life-threatening illness. He praises God for his healing and points out that while yet alive he can continue God's work on earth. When we pray for healing what is first in our mind? Is it our children, our spouse, or our grandchildren? We want to see our children and are grandchildren grown. We want to grow old with our spouse. Do we stop and think what our real purpose on earth is? Remember, what is on earth is temporary and we will see our family again in heaven anyway. Our purpose on earth, really, is to spread the gospel to those who have not heard it before. We can spread the gospel by our lives and the way we treat others. We can share testimonies with people. We can live a life that openly declares "I am a Christian". We can provide an example of how Christ would have us live. We can be His representative to others. We can pray for people, help people, love people, and serve God with all gladness. Perhaps, the next time we pray for healing—for ourselves or others—we can remember the healing is needed to allow more time to spread the gospel of Christ. If the person we pray for is not a Christian, then they need more time to accept Christ. These both are good reasons to ask for healing. Always ask the Holy Spirit to lead your prayers for you. Sometimes, you may find yourself praying for something you had not thought of before. Maybe you end up being led to pray for someone you have not prayed for before. Be mindful of the primary focus of a Christian life—Jesus Christ. God's desire is to save every soul from Satan. He has saved us so that we might lead others to Him. We all may not be called to be preachers but we all are commissioned by Jesus Christ as his disciples. We are all ministers of the faith. The next time you get upset think of the real purpose for your life. The vast majority of things we get upset about have nothing to do with God's work on earth or his heavenly kingdom. They are just traps set for us to get our focus off God. Look for God's will in every situation. Ask for the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Do not be shy about using the spiritual gifts you have and the power of the Holy Spirit in your daily life. The spiritual tools and weapons God gives us are for our work in His kingdom. Whether it be singing, teaching, serving, or ministering, it is all for the glory of God. Your job is to spread the gospel of Christ. If you are a parent, the spiritual growth of your children is your responsibility while they are in your care. Whether your children grow up to be doctors, lawyers, or factor works is not significant. What is important is where they are spiritually when you are done. The measure of our success on earth is not in wealth, fame, status, or power; it is in the number of people we have inspired to believe and accept Jesus as Christ. May God help us all in this awesome task.

Father, thank you for the gifts you've given me. I am blessed with so much talent and opportunity. Lord, help me recognize my gifts and never forget my purpose on earth. Keep me focused, Lord, on your will and your kingdom. In Jesus' name I ask and pray, Amen.

Help by not helping

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"Help by not helping" By Diane Webb

Ephesians 6: 13—"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand".

We all need to feel we've used what we have available to us in our life battles. It's one thing to fail and yet another to fail without having given it your best fight. We know, when it's over, we did not do what we could have done. We do not have closure. God has given us weapons for our fight with temptation and evil. Sometimes, we chose not to use the weapons we have. It's almost as if we don't want to put up much of a fight. Maybe we misunderstand and think there is another way. Taking a stand means we have used whatever methods are within our power to hold our position and not be forced back. Any battle you find yourself requires discernment to determine what you are being called to do. Nothing is more disastrous than going into a battle God has not called you to be in. Just because a cause is a good cause does not mean it is your cause. We must understand all battles are not ours. Too many times we get caught up in issues, problems, or causes that were meant for someone else. While we are off trying to make a stand where we don't belong, we have left our own post unguarded. Knowing when to sit it out is every bit as important as knowing when to take a stand. Sometimes, others try to pull us into their battles and we simply don't feel the call to get involved. People say, "Aren't you going to do something" as if every battle is ours. There are some great causes to fight for and certainly no shortage of battles to get involved in. Be sure when you take a stand against evil that God has approved of your involvement. Getting involved in other people's battles can be a hindrance to God's purpose. Perhaps God is working on an individual to help them build up their stewardship abilities. Maybe this person needs to learn to control their impulses which inevitably leave them short before the end of the month. Imagine if, when you give them money, food, or pay their light bill, you have disrupted God's process which then has to start over. Sometimes helping people is not really helping them. Just because you have to ability to solve someone's problem and they ask you to, does not necessarily mean it's God's will for you to do so. Be mindful of the possibility the problem is for them to learn and grow in faith. Sure, they may think God sent you to them to make up the difference in their budget. However, it's just as likely God meant for them to cut back on expenses, cut out that movie, reduce the number of fast food purchases, or stop an addiction in order to make their own budget balance for the month. Most times God wants you to help someone he shows you the need and he prompts you to offer help. This will feel completely different than when you receive that frantic phone call begging you for money. Charity is a planned process. If you get a request it's wise to wait before giving an answer. Allow yourself at least 24 hours to pray, read the scripture, and discern if you are suppose to provide assistance. Anyone who will not allow you 24 hours to pray about a decision is probably not a person you are meant to help.

Father, help me discern when I am to sit and when I am to stand. Give me clear guidance, Lord, in when I am to help someone and when I am to stand back so you can finish your work in the situation. Thank you, Lord, for the abilities and resources you've given me. Help me be a good steward by only using my talents and resources doing your will and your will alone. In Christ's name I pray, Amen.

God knows

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"God knows" By Diane Webb

Psalms 30: 8—"I cried to thee, O Lord; and unto the Lord I made supplication".

Who is the person you turn to in times of trouble? Who is it you first think to call? If you are scared, hurt, or sick—what person do you want with you the most? Is it your spouse? Is it one of your parents? The psalmist was gravely ill when he cried out to the Lord and made his request for healing. He did not call on his mother, father, best friend, or neighbor. He called on God. God healed him and he lived on to write psalms 30 which was used to dedicate the temple. God heals. Sometimes God heals in miraculous ways. We hear story after story of people going back to the doctor after having more tests run only to find the problem is no longer showing up. We've heard testimonies of people who go into surgery only to have the surgeon declare there is nothing to operate on. Then there are the people who are not healed this side of life. We may personally be suffering the effects of illness for which we have prayed for healing and, as of yet, have not received. Sometimes we forget that no matter how grand life on earth may seem at times, it is only temporary—just a tiny blink on the map—of our total existence. When we get to heaven, we will wonder why we wanted to stay so long on earth. The glory of eternity will be more magnificent than we can imagine. The best part of eternity will be that we can be with God and see the face of Jesus. We can stand at the throne and worship God. Will we understand everything the instant we enter heaven? Will we have to ask God the questions we've always wanted to know or we will have complete knowledge as soon as we arrive? We all have a list of questions we want to ask God: Please explain the trinity to us; Help us understand why our friend's daughter had to suffer and die at age five--what good came of it; Remember that time, God; my friend was diagnosed with cancer--We all prayed and prayed and she was not healed; Help us understand. Maybe we will have to ask these questions one by one; or maybe we will realize the big picture at once. Regardless, we still pray for healing on earth and we still rejoice when we, or someone we love, receive a miracle. We all trust God and his infinite wisdom when someone we love passes on to live in glory. As Christians, we cannot lose. If we live we live; if we die we live. Either way we live. Only God knows why some of us live longer than others. Only God knows why some people suffer more for no apparent reason. We all know people who seem to just have the worst of the worst all the time. It does not always seem fair. It is not always fair. Sometimes, we have to just expect not to understand things. The good of it may not be realized in our lifetime on earth. We may not live long enough here to fully understand the meaning and purpose of our own suffering. However, we all have that day to look forward to; that day we come face to face with our creator. On that glorious day, we can praise Him, worship Him, and ask Him! In the mean time, we continue to pray as the Holy Spirit leads us, for the will of God in our lives and in the lives of those we love.

Heavenly Father—I thank you for the miracles in my life. I thank you for the answered prayers-- too many to name. Help me accept, Lord, that I can't always understand why things happen the way I do. Help me remember that you know what you are doing; and all I have to do is to trust you. Help me, Lord, trust you in all things. In Jesus' name I pray--Amen.

Stand your ground

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"Stand your ground" By Diane Webb

Ephesians 6: 14—"Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness".

"Stand your ground" when you are clothed in truth and righteousness. Do not give up and do not give in when you know you have done nothing wrong. So many people are too quick to give up in order not to cause a fight. Well, the fight has already been caused and we, as Christians, are called to do our part. It's up to us to stand firm in the truth and not give in just to avoid conflict. It does not mean aggressively pursue someone or to be on the offense—attacking others; and it does not mean to be argumentative just for the sake of arguing. It means to not allow others to push you back or make you retreat. This is not to be stubborn and hardheaded but to maintain your ground when you are on the side of righteousness. Many of us can think of examples where we said "I'm sorry" when it was really the other person who was in the wrong (and we knew it); or said, "You're right" when you knew good and well they were not. Standing your ground can be a quiet but effective way to demonstrate your unwavering faith in God's promises, in righteousness, and in truth. It could mean to simply look at someone and not respond at all (instead of being apologetic or conciliatory). Sometimes the easier route may appear to be just to keep the peace and maybe this is the thing to do in some circumstances; however, to always give in to keep the peace is not always the right thing to do. If you give in all the time, then there are likely times you are giving in when God would have you take a stand for truth. If no one took a stand the unrighteous would be completely free to take over anything they chose to (which would be everything). When you are wrapped in truth and protected by righteousness you are asked to stand not retreat in the face of onslaught. It sounds hard but with the protection God gives you it is simple. The vast majority of people who are trying to push you around are so use to people giving in they are easily disarmed when someone simply does not move or waver in their position; Especially if you don't respond at all verbally—just look back at them. Sometimes silence is the most powerful and effective response to people. Perhaps they are trying to bait you into an argument; maybe they want you to expose your weaknesses as you talk anxiously. Try this the next time someone says something rude or insulting (which is often said with a smile to conceal the mean intent)--Just smile back and say nothing. This is standing your ground. You don't have to move forward and actively engage in the battle. You don't have to come back with a good argument. You just simply have to stand your ground and not allow someone to push you from your position. It's no coincidence Ephesians 6:14 advises covering your loins with truth. The loin area is one of the most tender and vulnerable areas of the human body. It's the one place we do not want to suffer a physical blow. It hurts. God realizes we are exposing our vulnerable areas when we stand our ground. The truth is often attacked with lies and the lies are usually about those areas we care about the most. God understands the significance of standing firm in the truth. There is no better protection than truth and righteousness; therefore stand.

Dear heavenly Father, help me recognize those times I am to stand my ground. Help me stand firm in the truth and trust in righteousness. It is my way to make peace, Lord, even if I know I am in the right. Help me, Lord, know when you would have me stand firm and give me the faith to do so. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Forgiveness

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"Forgiveness" By Diane Webb

Psalms 30: 5—"For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning".

In this verse, David assures us God's anger does not last long and is for our own good; by morning, everything will be alright. It's hard to think about the morning when you are having a bad night--especially if it is the result of sin and separation from God. If you have felt disconnection from God you know it is a lonely, desolate feeling. The weeping is gut-wrenching. David had become arrogant in his blessings and God turned away from him. David, of course, repented and his relationship with God was quickly restored. In David's case, God did turn away. In most cases, we are the ones turning away or ignoring God. God, through the Holy Spirit, continues beckoning us back; He makes it clear he loves us and wants our relationship with Him restored. This is not what happened in David's case. Can you imagine what it must have felt like for David to suddenly find himself without God's favor? Not only that, he was the object of God's anger. It did not take David long to remember where his life and his prosperity sprang from. The last part of this verse, "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning", is what is most familiar to people. Few of us recognize the first part and what it was all about. God, however, does not hold a grudge. When we say we are sorry and ask for forgiveness he gives it quickly and freely. He does not bring it up over and over again the rest of our lives. When we are forgiven, we are forgiven. Why, then, do we remember the wrongs of others long after they have said they are sorry? We are not talking about those who never apologize; but there are those who have apologized and we still have the anger in our hearts towards them. We all can think of a time we made a mistake, apologized, yet the person just would not let it go. We offered to make amends but that was not good enough. It's like there was no way to make it right again. At these times, it's best to just move on yourself and let that individual deal with whatever it is they are dealing with. When we apologize from our hearts and have offered some sort of reasonable amends or restitution, we are done. If God can forgive us completely then we must be confident in our heart that we do not owe the rest of our life to someone we've wronged on earth. If someone is holding something over your head and you have already done your part, do not allow them to manipulate or control you with the past. You have to be the one to say—"I've done my part and the rest is between you and God not me". Some people take an apology as a license to abuse. Anything you've done wrong is really between you and God anyway. If you have made peace with God, let God lead you on the best way to deal with the person you may have wronged. There are times God will lead you to apologize or make amends. Other times He may lead you to simply move on—to let it go. So many people over-apologize and beat themselves up year after year over something they've repented for hundreds of times. There is a certain point where you have to forgive yourself and accept God's grace. If God can forgive us of so many things—and you know the magnitude of your misdeeds—why can't we forgive ourselves and others the same way?

Father, thank you first and foremost for forgiving my sins through Jesus Christ. Remind me today, Lord, of my forgiveness. Help me forgive myself and others the same way you have forgiven me. Don't let me use someone elses apology against them nor let others use mine against me. I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.

A House Divided

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"A House Divided" By Diane Webb

Ephesians 6: 15—"And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace".

Studying the gospel provides peace which helps you fight the powers of darkness in your life as well as in the church (the body of Christ). Thinking of the peace of the gospel as a pair of shoes is an interesting analogy. Shoes provide basic protection for the feet to enable the feet to support the body. Without shoes, our feet would get sore and possibly injured as we walk from place to place. Shoes are not the most obvious things we wear but are an essential component of attire. The gospel therefore is being portrayed as an indispensable piece of clothing in the spiritual warfare armor. Peace, by the same measure, is not always obvious but provides the basic support and protection for the feet of the body of Christ. The advice Paul gives in his letter to the Ephesians is to the church as a whole and to the individual church members who make up the church as well. There is no substitute for reading the Bible and, as Paul says, the gospel which is the good news of Jesus. The body of Christ is the church and therefore as individual members study the gospel they develop peace within themselves. When peace is inside your heart (and covering your feet), you are not likely to participate in conflict or division of the church; nor are you likely to take part when others argue. Paul seems to already know how divided churches can become between themselves and among each other. The body of Christ is weakened as churches argue, divide, and split. Many sermons on Sunday morning are preached against another denomination rather than for Christ. It's as if we are afraid of another part of the body of Christ. It amounts to our own leg being threatened by our arm; or our knee feeling our elbow needs to go. If the body of Christ is divided, how can it stand strong against the influences of Satan? It cannot. Matthew 12: 25 says, "And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself cannot stand". Satan attacks the kingdom of God by dividing the body of Christ—the church. A Christian is any person who believes Jesus is the Christ as promised in the Old Testament—the Messiah. A Christian church, then, is made up of members who believe this basic truth of Christianity. Every time a Christian puts down another Christian or talks against another Christian denomination, he or she is participating in the division of the body of Christ. When you get mad at someone in your church, especially the pastor, the first thought is to walk away from that church. We walk with our feet. This is where peace comes in. If we have the gospel of peace on our feet, we will not walk away from those we disagree with. We will not divide the house. We will listen patiently and with a uniting approach we will demonstrate the gospel of peace. We will sow seeds of harmony rather than seeds of discord. There are many churches that have divided with half the members leaving to start their own church because of a disagreement having nothing to do with the gospel. These disagreements are sometimes about what color the carpet should be and who's father "lost their crop" to help build the church back in the day. It all starts with an individual who has not prepared themselves with the gospel; a person who is not wearing the proper shoes to protect their feet from the shards of Satan.

Dear heavenly Father, please help me be a tool of harmony rather than discord. Help me to be a part of the building up of the body of Christ and not participate in tearing it down. Help me Lord prepare myself with the gospel of peace. Let me, God, walk with shoes of peace where ever I go today. In Christ's name I pray, Amen.

Waiting

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"Waiting" By Diane Webb

Psalms 27: 14—"Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart; wait, I say, on the Lord".

It's hard to wait, especially when things are tough where we are. When we are in a bad situation, many of us first think to run—get away from it. We start looking at the employment section of the paper and brushing up our resumes. We start visiting other churches. We start looking for an attorney. We begin looking for homes for sale or rent. Sometimes we are supposed to leave a bad situation. Other times we are required to wait it out. Waiting for the Lord to do his work on you—especially when He is building up your skills—is not always pleasant. This verse promises God will strengthen you while you wait on Him. He is working in you and on you. The working on you is the part that sometimes gets difficult. We love it when God works through us. We feel honored and important for God to be able to use us. It energizes us and we feel great. But how can He use us unless he prepares us and builds up the very skills we need to do His work? The skills have more to do with character traits and personality than technical skills. He needs us to have the right attitude--the right spirit, when we represent Him in this world. When you have the urge to run from a situation; pause briefly to discern what God wants you to do. Sometimes He tells us to stand firm and sometimes he tells us to wait on Him. Today's verse is about waiting on the Lord. There is the encouragement to "be of good courage" and the promise God will strengthen your heart as you wait. The "wait" is emphasized. Patience is a wonderful quality to have but most of us are not born with it. We have to develop it over time. We've all be warned not to pray for patience yet patience is the very thing we need the most. Being patient with a person and a situation that is not exactly inspiring patience sends a great message to those who are watching. Nothing is more impressive than someone maintaining their composure in the midst of chaos, conflict, or crisis. The "strengthen your heart" part has to do with keeping you strong so you won't get discouraged. Besides impatience, discouragement is something else that keeps us from developing the skills or traits we need to do God's work. Discouragement serves no positive purpose. It only brings you down and it brings others down around you. Through Psalms 27: 14 we therefore learn the importance of being patient while the Lord is working on us and allowing Him to build us up so we will not get discouraged while we wait. With our focus on God and his purpose, we can be strong, cheerful, and patient. What wonderful gifts for simply waiting. Think about this the next time you are in line at the store. The longer you have to wait the better it is. Think, "I am waiting on the Lord" while you sit in the waiting room long after your appointment was scheduled. Look around and see what the Lord has set before you while you wait. Perhaps you are meant to talk to the lady sitting next to you or the man standing behind you. While you wait you are learning patience and building strength against discouragement. Maybe the reason you always seem to catch the red light, get behind the log truck, or get in the line that needs a price check is that God is working on you—building up your patience and strength. Praise God!

Dear Lord, I thank you for the work you are doing in me and on me. I don't always appreciate the skills I am learning during some of the waiting periods in my life. Thank you, Lord, for the opportunities you give me to learn and grow in both patience and optimism. I praise you today. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Have Faith

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"Have Faith" By Diane Webb

Ephesians 6: 16—"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked".

Picture yourself holding a very large shield. As people throw darts at you, the things bounce right off the shield. The worst ones are dissolved upon contact. Imagine this shield's size is in direct proportion to your faith. As your faith grows so does your shield and your ability to deflect what others say or do to you. Ephesians 6: 16 calls faith your shield and says you can overcome the darts of the wicked using this shield. Faith is your shield of protection—your defense. As long as you have faith in God, what others say or do does not have the power to harm you. You can have faith God will take care of any problem you may be experiencing. You have the ability to strengthen your shield by increasing your faith. Each time your shield stops a dart, you will grow in your faith as well. How do we increase our faith? How many times have you been told to "have faith" or "step out on faith"? Faith is based on a belief in someone or something. Faith is a belief in something that cannot be proven by traditional methods. Believing the sun will rise every morning is not really a demonstration of faith. Believing God will provide for you when you honor your commitment to tithe, even on thin months, demonstrates faith. Taking that job the Holy Spirit is leading you to take in spite of it being less salary shows faith. Faith is not going to be found in your head—by thinking things through. Faith lives in the heart—where the Holy Spirit resides. Many times it will not appear logical, practical, or wise to move based on faith. This is why it is so important. Faith demonstrates your total belief in God, and in what His word tells you. Living a life based on this belief is faith. Faith cannot be explained, proven, validated, or justified through scientific means. If it could be then it would not really be faith. Faith is when you believe something and make decisions based on that belief even though it cannot necessarily be explained why. Have you ever prayed a prayer and immediately began making plans for the prayer not to be answered? In other words you get a back-up plan in place "just in case". Is that faith? Sometimes the very words of our prayers indicate disbelief the prayer will be answered. What is this telling God when you pray? Always prayer with confidence your prayer will be answered according to God's will. Pray like you really believe God hears and answers prayers. Avoid the tendency to add, "But if you don't" to your prayers. People may let you down but your heavenly Father never will. Faith is a very powerful thing in the hands of a Christian. Faith is your defense against the onslaught of Satan and it is also the source of your strength and own power to fight back. With faith, you are able to trust God to be God and do that which only God can do. Faith allows you to believe in miracles and when you believe in miracles guess what? You receive miracles. God can open up the floodgates of blessings for you and your family. All you have to do is live by faith. Believe in God, believe in what God can do, and believe he loves you enough to move in your life. You are special to him and are just as worthy of miracles in your life as anyone else. Your faith can prompt miracles the same as it did for Moses, Abraham, and Jacob.

Lord, have mercy on me and increase my faith. God, I want to trust you in everything; I truly believe your word. I pray today Lord, for a chance to demonstrate my faith in you. I want to show you, Lord, I can and will make decisions based on my faith in you. In Jesus' name I pray today, Amen.

You are unstoppable

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"You are Unstoppable" By Diane Webb

Psalms 27: 3—"Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident."

Have you ever felt you were surrounded by enemies—people who meant you harm? Have you been attacked-- physically, verbally, or emotionally? David speaks of being surrounded by an army and not being afraid. He says even if he is attacked by this army he will remain confident. Knowing someone wishes you harm—even if it's not physical—is unnerving. Many people are threatened by those who are closest to them. We may have people who are jealous and therefore try to bring us down in one way or another. We may be in a group of people who are threatened by us because of our talents and try to make us feel inferior. We may be talked down to or lied about by our own family members. When you are not the kind of person to want to put someone else down to feel better about yourself it's difficult to understand why people do this. Enemies who threaten us physically are easy to think of as enemies. People who simply eat away at our sense of confidence by cutting remarks, sarcasm, or name calling may not be so easy to see as enemies. People who are against us are against us all the time. Even if they are nice on some days it does not mean they are no longer our enemy. Regardless, there is no need to fear. You can be confident in yourself even when you have people like this in your life. You do not have to let the words or actions of others tell you how to feel about yourself. Think of David whose own son rose up against him and tried to have him killed. How hurtful that must have been for David to experience. All enemies who came against David were people he had been very close to and loved. David was being attacked verbally (through lies and slander) as well as physically (through armies trying to find him and kill him). He had moments of great despair yet always turned to God for his strength, safety and security. In the end, he put his trust in God and in God's will for his life. When you feel threatened, remember your salvation and remember David. Pray to God for guidance, strength, and confidence in your ability to face what you have to face. Trust that everything put before you, as a Christian, is approved by God. Nothing can happen to you that God has not allowed as long as you have given your life to Him. You do not have to be perfect, just trying—to the best of your ability—to follow God's will for your life. Think of Job who did absolutely nothing wrong and withstood an attack in which he lost everything and everyone dear to him. Sure, he got it back and more but the new family was not the same people as the old family. The people he lost were gone from his life on earth. It seems strange God would allow tragedy to occur in our lives. However, knowing the skills we need to gain and the areas we need strengthening, God knows what he is doing. We do not have to understand, we only need to trust. We can be confident, like David, that God is with us through whatever we face and he will not lead us down a wrong path. We need not fear anyone or anything. Even if we die, we will live forever (John 6: 51). If death cannot stop us then what on earth can?

Dear Lord, help me today to always remember you know what you are doing. Remove from me all fear of people and restore my confidence in myself through you. Help me trust that you know what you are doing and you can and will protect me from my enemies—even in the middle of battle or conflict—you will look out for me. I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.

Pray for all of us

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"Pray for all of us" By Diane Webb

Ephesians 6: 17, 18—"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto and with all perseverance and supplication for all saints".

If Christians prayed using the word of God at all times, on every occasion, and for all believers everywhere what an impact there would be on the world! What a difference it would make in each of our lives! According to Paul in Ephesians 6: 17 & 18; we are to pray in the spirit (silently) about everything all day long. Specifically, we are to pray for other believers all over the world. Have you ever prayed in the morning and felt really good about being covered for the day? Then, later in the day something happens and you react without thinking? Afterwards you realize it is not what God would have had you to say or do? Sometimes that one Morning Prayer just is not enough to get us through the day. Perhaps Paul understood the difficulty of maintaining our Christian walk when we are in the midst of this world. Obviously he realized how "under attack" Christians are. Our greatest protection is our salvation. Our greatest weapon is scripture. Combine scripture with prayer and you have tremendous power in the spiritual battles you face. The spiritual battles naturally manifest as encounters with people or other day to day situations. For some people the battle is in fighting their own thoughts or feelings. The words of scripture are extremely important to include in your prayers. These words are in the Bible for a reason and they are not just words when put together as they are in scripture. No matter what you face, there is a scripture that can help you as part of your prayer life to become the ultimate power you need. This is why it's such a great idea to memorize key scripture. The scripture can be used throughout the day as a silent prayer to get you through what you have to face. We are all facing some sort of personal battle all the time. Finding the scripture that helps you and using that scripture throughout your day until the problem is resolved is one way to work through and overcome your personal battle. Then, of course, there will be another personal issue to overcome. You can select another scripture to memorize and do the same thing over and over again. We always need a scripture to be meditating on and using throughout each day (or night for some). Which one you need or can use with what you are facing is unique to you and your situation. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give you guidance in the selection of your word for the day (or week if you need the same one longer). The Bible repeats the theme of Paul's advice many times to ensure we get the message. We are advised to learn scripture to the point it is in our hearts (memorized and spontaneously recalled). We are to pray using scripture throughout the day. This is both our defense and our offense in times of trial. Why not spend today praying in the spirit for other believers all day? The power of two people praying in accord is specifically mentioned in the Bible (Matthew 18: 19). Imagine if ten, twenty, or fifty people were praying in accord today. We all need prayers and if, as believers, we remember to pray for each other all day, it will make a difference in how the day goes. This battle we are all in called life is a difficult one but if we stick together, perhaps we can all feel stronger and less alone.

Father, forgive me for anything that might hinder my prayer today; I pray, Lord, for all believers everywhere; help us all today to remember each other and to pray for each other. Give each of us the scripture we need today to face what each of us are facing. I ask in Christ's name, Amen.

Whom Shall I Fear?

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“Whom shall I fear?” By Diane Webb

Psalms 27: 1—“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

Are there people in your life you are afraid of?  Are you easily intimidated?  Do you get uneasy when you may have offended someone?   Are you are afraid to speak up?  How many times have you said, “I am afraid of what they might do”?  Some fear is intentionally created by others such as when a supervisor drops hints about wide-spread lay-offs.  Other fear comes from inside like “I hope they aren’t mad at me”.  Second guessing yourself is fear.  Doubt is fear.  Worry is fear.  Why are other people’s opinions so important to us?  Where did this come from?  David, in Psalms 27:  1 says there is no one to fear.  Look to God to light the darkness and to find hope.  Look to God to find strength.  When you are focused on God and put your trust in Him there is no need to fear.  When you need strength to face fears or people who intimidate, manipulate, or threaten you; look to God again.  Seriously--with God on your side who need be afraid of people?  Nothing can happen to you that God has not approved and will see you through.  He has plans for you and your life.  Every person he allows into your life is there for one of two reasons—to help you learn a lesson or to learn a lesson from you.  As you face people; especially those who you are uncomfortable around; ask yourself “what am I supposed to be learning from this person?” If you don’t see the lesson, then ask “what is this person meant to be learning from me?”  There are no meaningless events in the Kingdom of God.  Even when we exercise free will we end up where God wants us sooner or later.  We may take the long path around—a detour—but everything we do has meaning.  Sometimes we have to take the classes several times before we learn the lesson.  This is because we are not looking to God to light the way.  We try to make it on our own in the dark; or perhaps we rely on our own strength then fail.  We still learn something from the experience.  Never underestimate the impact you may have on others even when you aren’t aware of it.  Have you ever had a person come in and out of your life so fast you wonder “what was that all about?”  Maybe that person had to learn something from you.  Years later you may find out how much their brief time around you meant to them.  Follow the light God has ahead of your path and rely on his strength and his strength alone.  You have nothing to fear. When things happen you can be sure it’s God’s will.  There is a greater purpose.  There was a lady who had a large fenced in yard with two dogs.  One day, as she was coming home from work the dogs got out as she was pulling her car through the gate.  As she witnessed both dogs bound off down the road in her rear view mirror she prayed, “Not my will but thine be done”.  One dog made it home and the other one did not.  She had peace in her heart because she truly believed it was in God’s hands and she trusted God knew what was best.  No, she did not understand it but one day she will.  Sitting around fretting over things and being afraid of other people or events is unnecessary.  God is your light, your hope, and your strength.  Trust the outcome to Him and have faith he knows what he is doing.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for all the many times you got me back on the right path.  I am sorry for being so hard-headed sometimes.  Please, Lord, help me see and follow your light; help me rely on your strength.  I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Never hunger again

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"Never hunger again" By Diane Webb

John 6: 35—"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."

Have you ever eaten or drank something that did not satisfy you? Did you find yourself looking around in the kitchen for something else and nothing seemed to be what you were craving? Even if you did find what you were looking for, several hours later you were looking again. We eat and we drink to stay alive--over and over again. It never lasts. No matter how much we eat or drink today, we will still be hungry and thirsty again tomorrow (or sooner). Jesus talks to the crowd of the loaves and fishes the day after he feeds them. They are back again looking for more food. Even though they had been fed by miracle food, they were still hungry the next day. Jesus explains that He is the real food they need. They are lacking in spiritual food but don't realize it yet they know who to go to. They do not understand though; and many of his disciples, who are listening in on the conversation, are confused as well. Jesus says that those who belong to him are drawn to him. That is the hunger and thirst for spiritual food. Haven't you had times in your life where you were hungry for the word of God and thirsty for His presence? Nothing else satisfied. It seemed you could not find enough services to go to, enough songs to sing, or enough prayers to pray. The only thing that satisfied you was the word of God. You read the Bible and finally felt you were being fed. Sometimes we get mixed up and think it is physical food and drink we need like the people Jesus fed with the loaves and fishes. We mistakenly think if we eat a wonderful meal we will be satisfied. After this does not satisfy, we need to realize it is spiritual food we crave. Being fed spiritually is the food and drink Jesus referred to in John 6: 35. We have all had times where we felt we could not get enough of the word of God. We wanted to hear more sermons yet it did not completely hit the spot. Sometimes, we don't really need a sermon which is based on scripture yet a lot of words from the preacher. Sometimes we need the pure, undiluted, unfiltered, un-interpreted word of God. Specifically, we need the New Testament words in red. The Old Testament is magnificent and certainly God's word but hearing the words of Jesus is hearing it straight from God himself. We can identify with Jesus because he is a man as well as God. We can relate to him. The New Testament is the good part. It truly is the bread of life. When we feed from Jesus—his words—we grow. We have permanently benefited from the food and it will not wear off. We, of course, want more food but the food we eat of the word satisfies each and every time. We learn and grow as we eat this food and drink it in. The next time you find yourself craving something to eat (and it's not really meal time and your stomach really isn't hungry) go to the Bible instead. See if it is really spiritual food you are craving and only think it is physical food you want. Snack on the word of God instead of hitting the vending machines, chips, cookies, or fruit. Go to Jesus and never be hungry again. Believe in Him and never thirst again—halleluiah!

Dear Heavenly Father, help me today to seek spiritual food rather than physical food. Help me recognize when I am craving spiritual food and lead me to the passages I need. Father, you know all things and understand my needs better than I do. Help me Lord seek your word--the food and drink I really need. I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.

Test your testimony

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"Test your testimony" By Diane Webb

Psalms 25: 21—"Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee".

David often speaks in term of protection from God. He uses battle, armor, and soldier imagery regularly. In today's verse, he does not use any military equipment by way of illustrating God's protection over us. Instead, he simply says he will be preserved by integrity and uprightness because his hope is in God. Who would think of integrity and uprightness in terms of protecting yourself? Integrity is keeping in line with your moral and ethical values. Acting with integrity is being true to your word and true to Biblical principles. A lack of integrity can open the door to harm and downfall—for yourself or whoever is watching you. Have you ever stopped doing business with a company or person after seeing signs of dishonesty? Do you trust someone whose words do not match up with their actions? Integrity is when your outside demonstrates strong values on the inside. Your actions do show what you really believe on the inside. So many people demonstrate the opposite of what they say they believe. This erodes trust of others and blemishes the Christian faith you stand for. We are all ambassadors for Christ. An off-color joke sends a bigger message than wearing a cross on your lapel. Talking unkindly about another person is your testimony whether you mean it to be or not. There once were two ordained ministers who were part time pastors and worked full time in the secular world. They were good friends outside of work and used their positions at work for personal gain. For the sake of illustration we will call one Darrel and the other Bobby. Bobby's supervisor, Denise, was supervised by Darrell. Bobby had classes at seminary out of town two or three times each week. In order to get paid mileage for his trips to seminary, he arranged to see clients of the organization on the same days he had classes. The only problem with this arrangement is that the clients, based on company policy, were only suppose to be seen twice per month—not twice per week. Denise refused to sign the travel forms. Of course, her supervisor, Darrel, signed them for Bobby because he had agreed with Bobby's plan the whole time. Eventually Denise left the organization completely due to the lack of integrity by her supervisor, Darrel, in regards to the young pastor, Bobby. What type of example were these two ministers setting for others? Did it make Denise want to attend either of their churches? What did it say about the two denominations they represented? What if Denise had not been a Christian? Would she have wanted to be a Christian based on the example of the two pastors working in her organization? This illustration is glaring because it involves ordained ministers. However, we are all representatives as Christ and as such are held to the same standard as pastors in many respects. We need to be acutely aware of how our words and actions represent our faith. Any act that demonstrates the opposite of the Christian values you say you ascribe to can prevent another person from accepting Christ. What would the consequences be for such a thing? Always strive to keep your actions in line with Biblical principles. You are never "off duty" from being a Christian. Stay true to your Christian beliefs and let this show in everything you say and do. Ask yourself--"if I did not tell people I was a Christian, did not wear a cross, did not carry my Bible in public, or give any other indication of my faith except in how I treat others and maintain my integrity, would it be clear to others I follow Christ"? Remember, you may be the only gospel someone else reads.

Dear heavenly Father, help me today, Lord, to be a good witness for Christ. I pray everything I say, think, and do will be a testimony for my faith. Oh God, please never let me be a stumbling block to others. I ask in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

There are no white lies

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"There are no white lies" By Diane Webb

John 8: 36—"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."

Sin makes us slaves. Ask anyone who has ever struggled with an addiction and they will tell you they felt like the substance controlled them. Every day was planned around when and how to get the thing they were addicted to. Over time it escalates and you are willing to sin even more because of your addiction—lie, steal, and sometimes kill. Slavery to other sins are less obvious but enslaving non-the less. It's so easy to tell little "white" lies and think nothing of it. Eventually, you may not even consider it a lie. You may decide it's the kind thing to do—to lie to someone you love. Jesus promises freedom from slavery—the slavery of sin--whether it be an addiction, a habit of lying, or any other act that dishonors God. Only He can truly free us from sin. Jesus tries to explain his truth to the people in John chapter eight but they do not seem to understand. He sounds frustrated when he tells them in verse forty three, "Why do ye not understand my speech?" He goes on to say those who do not believe the truth are of the devil who is the father of lies (verse 44, 45). Jesus explains since he is from the Father they would believe him if they were of the Father. On the surface it appears the people may have just not comprehended what Jesus was saying. However, Jesus makes it clear why they cannot understand—because they are of the devil who is the father of lies. Jesus does not seem to mince words in John chapter eight. He makes it clear that if your father is God you will recognize the truth when you hear it and all lies are from Satan. He implies believing a lie is no better than telling a lie—both are of Satan. Have you ever tried to tell someone something you know to be true yet they don't believe you? It can be very discouraging. We don't seem as bothered when someone understands what we are saying and then decides to disregard it. We at least feel comforted in knowing they had all the facts. Jesus, however, is holding people to a different standard. He is not excusing them from rejecting the truth even if they don't appear to understand the message. Imagine Jesus speaking directly to you and not believing him. What a wasted opportunity these people had. How many people hear the word of God today and still don't believe. Is it hopeless? The way Jesus talks in this chapter it seems hopeless at first—he says they are children of Satan and as such cannot hear or recognize the truth. However, he goes on to say he can free them from their sin and make them completely and truly free. Only then will they be able to hear and recognize the truth of God. He can free us as well from the lies of Satan—even the lies about lies. He can adopt us into his family like the son of a slave owner can free the slave and make the slave part of his family—with all the benefits of a natural born child. By believing and accepting Jesus, we become adopted into his family. By renouncing sin and accepting Jesus we can be free—free to hear the truth, free to understand the truth, and free from the entrapment of sin. Pray today for deliverance from sin—large and small. Make a promise to God and yourself to recognize the truth and honor the truth in all things said, thought, or done.

Father, I know I am a sinner saved by grace. I ask you today to open my eyes to the truth and help me recognize any sin in my life including those I don't normally think of as sin. Reveal to me the truth and help me, Lord, always speak with honesty and integrity. I humbly ask in Jesus' name, Amen.

False teachers

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"False teachers" By Diane Webb

Psalms 25: 5—"Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day."

It's difficult sometimes to know what the truth is. Especially if you are dealing with people who do not always tell the truth. Perhaps they believe they are telling God's truth but are misguided themselves. Perhaps they intentionally misquote scripture to achieve their own purposes rather than to glorify God. If you have been exposed to false teachers or false teachings it gets confusing. So many people are victims of religious abuse--being abused in the name of a religion—either from the pulpit or in the home—through a wrongful application of scripture. How can you tell the truth from false teachings? One way is to look for the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are the result of the Holy Spirit's presence in a life. The fruits of the Holy Spirit can be found in Galatians 5:22--love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are all indicators someone is in line with the Holy Spirit. These are your signs to determine if something is God's truth or is it a false teaching. If you are worried someone you love may be getting off into a wrong religion or denomination, look for these fruits in their life. If the fruits are present, they are close to God through the Holy Spirit. Have you ever met anyone who was longsuffering? They don't complain, or whine, or even talk about their pain and unhappiness. Contrast that with someone who broadcasts their unhappiness to everyone they see. What about self-control? How many major religious leaders have been exposed lacking self-control in significant areas—such as keeping their marriage vows? What about faithful? To be faithful is to be dependable—close in allegiance, and loyal. Someone who is undependable, breaks promises, or lies to you is not demonstrating faithfulness. We can spend all day listing the opposites of the fruits of the Holy Spirit because they are easy to recognize. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are also obvious. Look at your own life in comparison to this list of fruits. Are there areas you are still lacking in? Many people approach these fruits as something to work on directly. They work on controlling their emotions, controlling their anger, and controlling their own behaviors. Remember, the fruits are the result of cultivating an ongoing relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. You cannot improve the fruits by working on your relationship with the fruit. You would not try to improve your peach tree crop by fertilizing the peaches after they have been picked. You would improve your peach crop by working on the tree that produces the fruit. You must work on your relationship with God and develop ongoing closeness with Him. The closer you are to God, the more of the fruits you will have. It's an ongoing process. Do not be misled by people who are not teaching God's truth. Feel the guidance of the Holy Spirit and as you develop your relationship with God you will also develop the ability to discern His truth. The more time you spend with God, the better you will recognize His truth. In John 10: 27 Jesus says, "My sheep know my voice". By following Jesus, we learn His voice and can more quickly spot an imposter. False teachings sometimes sound good on the surface but leave a feeling of unease on the inside. The sense of peace is broken thereby alerting you to the falseness. Peace is one of the fruits therefore the truth will lead to peace. Develop your relationship with the Holy Spirit (the tree) and the fruits will follow naturally.

Father God, I pray today for the Holy Spirit to fill me with your truth. Help me recognize false teachings by looking for the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Bring to my mind quickly any false teaching I have been misled by. Show me, Lord, your truth. In Jesus' name I ask and pray, Amen.