What in the World?

In a devotional Sharon Jayne’s gives Biblical definition to the world. She notes darkness is waiting for us the moment we step out the front door, turn on the television, or listen to the 6:00 o'clock news. The world is full of darkness at every turn.

What exactly is the world? In the Bible, there are several definitions. One definition refers to all the people on the earth: "For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son (John 3:16). In some instances, the word "world" refers to planet earth itself.

Other times "world" refers to the world systems, values, and morals. Paul refers to these world systems when he says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world," (Romans 12:2). Jesus said that the "world" hated him and we shouldn't be surprised if it hates us as well (John 15:18, 19). Both refer to the world systems, values, or ways of thinking.

The Bible also tells us "that the whole world is under the control of the evil one" (1 John 5:19). It seems like we are "splitting hairs" here. But when we consider the power of the enemy and the pull of the world systems, they are almost one in the same. Right now, the world systems are being heavily influenced by the evil one.
But here's the hope! Jesus said, "But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). As long as we live in the world, we will feel its pull, but God assures us that we have what it takes to "overcome the world" (1 John 5:4, 5). We have the power of the Holy Spirit living in us and faith in the Victor who works through us.

A pearl to string: I get weary of the world’s pull. It stresses me even more when I see my friends pulled and yanked around by the world system. In my life time I’ve seen what I was taught and believed to be right become wrong. There is no stability in the world and its mores. I found the peace that passes all human understanding in Jesus. (Philippians 4:7) I don’t want to go back to that see-saw existence the world offers and keep wondering, ‘what in the world’?

There’s a love that leads me
There’s a love that frees me
There’s a love that heals me
And the love of Jesus is there for you too,

Lit by Sonshine,
Lyndi

Tug-A-War Trusting

When Paul and Silas were in prison the Philippian jailer asked them, "What must I do to be saved?" This is what salvation really means—giving ourselves up to God, taking ourselves out of our own keeping, and entrusting ourselves into His keeping (Acts 16:31). God wants to take care of us. He can do a much better job of that if we will avoid a problem called independence, which is really self-care.

The desire to take care of ourselves is based on fear. This is a revelation lesson for me that I share with you. Basically, it stems from the idea that if we do it, we can be sure it will be done right. We are afraid of what might happen if we entrust ourselves totally to God and He doesn't "come through" for us. I really didn’t view it that way but that is what this Scripture verse (Acts 16:31) has revealed to me. The root problem of independence is trusting ourselves more than we trust God. Oh my goodness… I don’t want to be like that… can I get a witness here?

We love to have a back-up plan. We may pray and ask God to get involved in our lives, but if He is the least bit slow in responding (at least, to our way of thinking), we are quick to take control back into our own hands. Is that called tug-a-war trust? What we fail to realize is, God has a plan for us too—and His plan is much better than ours.

If you are in charge of anything whether it is your home, your job, your class work or a ministry you know that even in being responsible and doing good a person can become askew to God’s Word and dependant on self. We eat daily for physical nourishment and I recommend for myself reading God’s word daily for spiritual nourishment. (Matt 4:4) Spiritual starvation creates independence and I’m learning that is not a place of trusting God.

A pearl to string: Reading the Bible is not just an intellectual activity; rather it is an act of “going to school with the Holy Spirit”. When we pray we are the ones talking to God but when we read His Word He is the one talking to us.

Have you heard from God lately?
Releasing my own keeping……
Know you are loved,
Lyndi

A Promise for Every Season

by Pastor James Ryle

“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

This passage of scripture has held our focus for the past few days. There is much to be found in its brief words, and I trust that our thoughts upon the matter have been more than helpful to you in your journey with Jesus.

One of may favorite things to do when studying a passage of scripture like this, is to delve deeply into the rich meaning of the Hebrew words (or Greek, for the New Testament), and then weave those definitions and insights into what I call a pastoral paraphrase.

I have done that with this verse, and here is what I now offer to you as “a promise for every season.”


“Those who bind together with the Lord, who intertwine with Him like strands in a rope, will experience the great exchange. They will find their weakness exchanged for His power; their unsteadiness exchanged for His firm resolve; their fatigue exchanged for his vigor and valor; and so on, and so on, and so on.

“They will discover that their inabilities have been exchanged for an increased capacity to produce whatever is needed in any given situation, with results that are always significant and fulfilling. They shall ascend to a higher place, and be active in effective ways.

“They shall move with speed and determination, without gasping in exhaustion, or tiring of the toil. They shall move with steady resolve along a path of purpose, not being depleted of energy, nor void of hope.”

Butterfly Kisses

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgZftrobqlg

The mere words suggest tenderness. A gentle flutter of love placed upon a cheek. It is also the name of a song sung by Bob Carlisle back in 2000. The song soared up the charts and received international recognition in both the Christian and secular music industries. The song was about the tender love between a father and his daughter, from her birth to her wedding day. Mr. Carlisle said, "I get a lot of mail from young girls who try to get me to marry their moms. That used to be a real chuckle because it's so cute, but then I realized they didn't want romance for mom. They want the father that is in that song, and that just kills me."

With Father’s Day around the corner how blessed any of us are to have a Father to celebrate with. Dad, that wonderful man that loved us and guided us through the jungle of life with wisdom & humor and butterfly kisses. That isn’t everybody’s story; fathers are missing in love action all over this world. What pain that brings to a heart.

A book written about one of the great comedians of this century, Groucho Marx, is entitled, Hello, I Must Be Going. Groucho used to say that when he was introduced to someone. He would be introduced, and he would say, "Hello. I must be going." He'd arrive at a party or a gathering and say to his host, "Hello. I must be going." That phrase became synonymous with Groucho's life. When you think about that, it's really not at all funny. It's too close to the way many experience life with a Dad in this modern day culture.

The Lord has made a promise to us. He is a promise Father to each one of us. As we invite Him into our hearts and abandon the riches of this world “He says to us, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5-6)

A pearl to string: A friend shared how her little one responds to her hugs: “This is my favorite place in the world: Inside your hug!”

May each one remain inside your hug Father God forever and ever,
Now that’s a butterfly kiss,
Walk in Sonshine and
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY TO ALL THOSE WONDERFUL MEN
WHO HAVE LOVED ABUNDANTLY,
Lyndi
Facts of Life: By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong.

THE POWER OF A HUG

There's something in a simple hug that always warms the heart;
It welcomes us back home, and makes it easier to part.

A hug's the way to share the joy and sad times we go through,
Or just a way for friends to say they like you ‘cuz you're you!

Hugs are meant for anyone for whom we really care . . .
From your grandma to your neighbor, or a cuddly teddy bear.

A hug is an amazing thing — it's just the perfect way
To show the love we're feeling, but can't find the words to say.

It's funny how a little hug makes everyone feel good;
In every place and language, it's always understood.

And hugs don't need equipment, special batteries, or parts . . .
Just open up your arms and open up your heart! ~By Jill Wolf

MEN OF INTEGRITY, PROMISE KEEPERS INVITES WOMEN

Promise Keepers Founder Coach McCartney recently spoke with CitizenLink.


Report by Josh Montez, staff writer


'I believe we'll see the beginnings of the greatest move of God in our lifetimes.'

Twenty years ago, Coach Bill McCartney gathered 4,200 men at the University of Colorado for the first Promise Keepers conference. At the time, he was head football coach at the school.

This summer, McCartney and tens of thousands of men — and women — will fill the university's football stadium to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Promise Keepers. “A Time to Honor” is scheduled for July 31-Aug. 1.

Based in Denver, Promise Keepers has reached more than 5.5 million men. In 1997, an estimated 1 million men gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

1. Give me a couple of highlights of what’s going to be taking place in Boulder at the end of July.

I believe we'll see the beginnings of the greatest move of God in our lifetimes. The secret to this outpouring of God's Holy Spirit is to revisit three key priorities embraced by the first-century Church: celebrating virtuous women; sharing resources equally; and honoring the spiritual fathers of the faith. We want to honor Jewish believers.
In the High Priestly Prayer in John 17, Jesus prayed we would be one as He and the Father are one. And then the world would believe that He sent Him. And it says in John 17:22: “The glory which you gave me, I’ve given them.” When Jew and Gentile are in one accord, the presence of God comes in extraordinary measure.

2. It sounds like something unique. You’re not just inviting the men this time, are you?

It’ll be the first time in 20 years that we’ve invited women. And the reason we’re doing that is the presence of God. If you knew that the presence of God was going to fall, would you exclude anybody? I want everybody I know and love to be there.

3. What else are you hoping to accomplish during this event?

The Church is divided (in how) we interpret the Word of God. It’s also divided racially. As a result of this incredible outpouring of God’s Spirit, we’re going to see the body come together, even as the days get more difficult.

4. What do folks need to do to get involved?

We encourage everybody who wants to experience the presence of God to join us. There is a registration fee, but no one will be turned away. We understand with the economy like it is, that many will want to come but they can’t afford it. Just tell them to register, and we’ll save a place for them. We’ll feed them, and we’ll send them home full of God.

5. It’s great to hear your vision. Did I leave anything out?

Single moms, single women — the culture has intimidated them. And we need to get them (to Promise Keepers) because when the presence of God falls, they’re going to be restored. And on Saturday, August 1st, we’re hoping as many as 11,000 young adults (will) be ministered to by contemporary artists and speakers. It’s going to be the same thing: invoking the presence of God so we can help (send) this generation to where God wants them to go.

FOR MORE INFORMATIONLearn more about the conference, and register today.

Watch a special Turn Signal video report about the event.

EXCHANGED VALUES

An old proverb says that "The world is a net; the more we stir in it, the more we are entangled."

Max Lucado tells the story about a prank that occurred years ago: A couple of prowlers broke into a department store in a large city. They successfully entered the store, stayed long enough to do what they came to do, and escaped unnoticed.

What is unusual about the story is what these guys did. They took nothing. No merchandise was stolen. No items were removed. Instead of stealing anything, they changed the cost of everything. Price tags were swapped. Values were exchanged. The pranksters took the tag off a $395.00 camera and stuck it on a $5.00 box of stationery. The $5.95 sticker on a paperback book was removed and placed on an outboard motor. They re-priced everything in the store!

The store opened as usual. Employees went to work. Customers began to shop. The place functioned as normal for four hours before anyone noticed that the values had been swapped.

A pearl to string: This can happen to us. Life can sneak by us and we find ourselves exchanging things that are important for those that, in comparison, are unimportant - the world honors success and hard work, so we devote ourselves to jobs we can't wait to retire from, while ignoring marriages that we entered into for a lifetime. We seek clean, healthy homes, but let them become dumping grounds for the pollution contained in some television programs, movies and popular music; and, we want our children to have strong character traits like honesty and integrity, but spend far more time taking them to athletic events and other activities than tending to their spiritual and moral needs.

Seeking "happiness" and acceptance, we buy into the world's values and do what is popular. In my youthful exuberance I jumped into life and went the way of the world. But if the world's values can produce true happiness, why is there a constant effort to create and promote new forms of amusement and entertainment?

As Erwin Lutzer observed ... If you are not nourished by the Bread from heaven, you will stuff yourself with crumbs from the world. How glorious it has been to learn that Jesus is the bread of my life. (John 6:35)

"What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36)

Point to the Lord and move in His direction
And know you are loved,
Lyndi

He will raise you up on eagles's wings

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run,
and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint."

Isaiah 40:31

The Law of the Garbage Truck

Paraphrasing excerpts from “Let the Garbage go by…” by David J. Pollay

While visiting New York City years ago we hopped in a taxi and took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.

Our taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. Our taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean - he was really friendly.

So I asked, "Why did you just do that? That guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"

This is when our taxi driver taught me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck.

"He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage -- frustration, anger, disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you.

A pearl to string: How often do you let other people's nonsense affect your mood? Do you let a terrible driver, uncouth waiter, curt boss, bratty kids or an insensitive acquaintance ruin your day? For an instant you're most likely set back on your heels. These are very stressful days and these things happen frequently. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.

Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)

"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing." (1 Peter 3:8-9)

The blessing of your smile in stressful moments becomes a blessing to others
Know you are loved,
Lyndi