* The Wonder of Being Human

by John Piper

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. --1 Peter 2:9-10

One day last week I when I was praying, I found myself thanking God for the wonder of being a human. We have the astonishing capacity to see and hear and feel, and then to think about all this amazing reality, and then to form judgments about it all and know right and wrong and good and bad and beautiful and ugly, and then to feel profound emotions of love and hate and joy and discouragement and wonder and hope and gratitude, and then to reason and plan our lives in ways that accomplish things. And best of all is to find all these wonderful human capacities caught up in knowing and loving and serving the greatest Being in the universe -- our Maker and our Savior and our God. It was one of those rare moments -- like a brief brush with eternity.

One of the great benefits of having a dog is the increased awareness that I am not one. I look at my dog, Sable, and think for a moment that she is kind and forgiving and humble and patient and loving and warm and gentle and happy and peaceful. Then I realize she's a dog! She does not know or reason or feel or judge like I do. She does not prize anything because of its true worth -- its relation to God. She doesn't know where she came from. She doesn't reflect on her identity and wonder who she is or what it means ultimately in God's scheme of things to be a dog. She doesn't think about why she's here and doesn't know where she's going.

She is a wonder, and can call forth amazing affection. But she is not a human created in the image of God. And as I think about her I am amazed at my own humanity. And at the incredible wonders of the humans I live with. To be alive as a human being with indescribable mysteries at every turn, and to have in front of us an eternal destiny of spectacular glory or inexpressible horror is a weight that can either press you down with fear and trembling or bear you up with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Whether it does the one or the other depends in large measure on whether you know the answer to the big basic human questions or not. Who are you? How did you get that identity? What are you here for? No dog or turtle or fish or squirrel or bird or dolphin or chimpanzee ever lost one night's sleep pondering those questions. Only humans ask these questions. Only humans kill themselves and kill others when they don't get true and satisfying answers to these questions.

Not often do we find such resoundingly clear answers to all three questions in such a small space as we do in this text of 1 Peter 2:9-10. Who am I? How did I get this identity? What's it for -- Why am I here?

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. --1 Peter 2:9-10

For a complete message on 1 Peter 2:9-10 go here.

* Finding Jesus

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. —Rev. 3:20

If I asked the question, “Where’s Waldo?” you might recall those popular children’s picture books from the 1980s. That little guy in the red-and-white-striped shirt and hat loved to hide in the pages amid a busy blur of images that made it nearly impossible to find him.

Thankfully, finding Jesus is a lot easier than finding Waldo. Jesus doesn’t play hide-and-seek. He says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock” (Rev. 3:20). You can find Him at the door of your heart—the core of your existence—waiting to come in. He doesn’t just want to meet you at church, or to be kept at bay on the outer edges of your life. Rather, He longs to be in the center of your dreams, deliberations, and desires. He wants a real relationship with the real you.

And as wonderful as that is, I need to warn you that it may be a little unsettling. Your heart is no doubt harboring a few things that He will want to deal with. But there is nothing that is more valuable than intimacy with Him. Welcome Jesus in and He will clear out the clutter until the air is fragrant and fresh with the purity, power, and pleasure of His presence.

Who’s knocking at your heart’s door? It’s Jesus! How wonderful is that! — Joe Stowell

Sweetest of all of life’s blessings,
Communion with Christ above,
Assured of His constant presence,
His matchless, eternal love.

Jesus is standing at the door of your heart—welcome Him in!

* Start With One Step

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READ: 1 Peter 1:10-16

I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. --Leviticus 11:44

"Be holy, for I am holy." --1 Peter 1:16

Is there any command more difficult to obey?

But how can we be as holy as God? After all, the reason we must trust Jesus as Savior in the first place is because we are not holy. "All have sinned," Romans 3:23 tells us. And even after we put our faith in Christ for salvation, how can we think about being as holy as God is?

The challenge of trying to match God in the holiness category can seem far too complicated to attempt. But if we yield to the Holy Spirit who lives in us and convicts us, we will grow.

Taking one step at a time should help. For instance, what is one thing you do or say or think that does not reflect God's holiness? Maybe you treat others harshly. Or you have a secret sin. Tackle that area today. Talk to God about it. Ask His forgiveness. Then, by His power, seek to overcome it.

Or think of this: What one thing can you do to enhance your relationship with God? The more time you spend with Him, the more you will become like Him.

Little by little, step by step, work to rid your life of unholy behavior. And strive each day to grow closer to God. As a believer in Jesus Christ, there is no greater challenge. — Dave Branon

Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God's children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.

For a Christlike walk, keep in step with Christ.

* Experiencing Spiritual Confusion

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Jesus answered and said, ’You do not know what you ask’ —Matthew 20:22

There are times in spiritual life when there is confusion, and it is no way out to say that there ought not to be confusion. It is not a question of right and wrong, but a question of God taking you by a way which in the meantime you do not under stand, and it is only by going through the confusion that you will get at what God wants.

The Shrouding of His Friendship. Luke 11:5-8. Jesus gave the illustration of the man who looked as if he did not care for his friend, and He said that that is how the Heavenly Father will appear to you at times. You will think He is an unkind friend, but remember He is not; the time will come when everything will be explained. There is a cloud on the friendship of the heart, and often even love itself has to wait in pain and tears for the blessing of fuller communion. When God looks completely shrouded, will you hang on in confidence in Him?

The Shadow on His Fatherhood. Luke 11:11-13. Jesus says there are times when your Father will appear as if He were an unnatural father, as if He were callous and indifferent, but remember He is not; I have told you - "Everyone that asks receives." If there is a shadow on the face of the Father just now, hang onto it that He will ultimately give His clear revealing and justify Himself in all that He permitted.

The Strangeness of His Faithfulness. Luke 18:1-8. "When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?" Will He find the faith which banks on Him in spite of the confusion? Stand off in faith believing that what Jesus said is true, though in the meantime you do not under stand what God is doing. He has bigger issues at stake than the particular things you ask.

* Forgive Us Our Debts

"Forgive us our debts" (Matt. 6:12).

Christians struggle with sin. That surely comes as no surprise. As you mature in Christ, the frequency of your sinning decreases, but your sensitivity to it increases. That doesn't mean you are more easily tempted, but that you are more aware of the subtleties of sin and how it dishonors God

The Lord instructed us to confess our wrongdoings when He said for us to pray, "Forgive us our debts" (Matt. 6:12). That's the believer's prayer for the Father's forgiveness.

John said, "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us" (1 John 1:8-10). That passage doesn't tell us how to get saved, as many have taught. It tells us how to distinguish believers from unbelievers: believers confess their sins; unbelievers don't.

The phrase "forgive us" in Matthew 6:12 implies the need for forgiveness. "Debts" was used to speak of a moral or monetary debt. In Matthew 6:12 it refers to sins. When you sin, you owe to God a consequence or a debt because you have violated His holiness.

When you sin as a believer, you don't lose your salvation but you will face God's chastening if you don't repent. Hebrews 12 says, "Those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives . . . . He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness" (vv. 6, 10).

If you are harboring sin, confess it now and allow God to cleanse you and use you today for His glory.

Suggestions for Prayer:

Write down why God's forgiveness is important to you, then express those thoughts to Him in praise.

For Further Study:

Read Psalm 38.

• What physical and emotional ailments did David experience as a result of his sin?
• What was his attitude toward God as he confessed his sin?

* So Others May Live

I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh. —Romans 9:3

In the film The Guardian, the viewer is taken into the world of United States Coast Guard rescue swimmers. Eighteen weeks of intense training prepares these courageous men and women for the task of jumping from helicopters to rescue those in danger at sea. The challenges they face include hypothermia and death by drowning. Why would people risk so much for strangers? The answer is found in the rescue swimmer’s motto, “So Others May Live.”

In Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, we read of a different kind of rescue that demanded extreme commitment and sacrifice. John Foxe records the stories of believers who suffered and died be-cause they proclaimed the love of Jesus. Knowing it could cost them their lives, these believers made the Savior known to a world in desperate need of Him.

The apostle Paul, himself a martyr for Christ, expressed his passion for the hearts of people this way, “I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh” (Rom. 9:3). Paul so longed for his fellow Jews to come to Christ that he was willing to sacrifice all, “so others may live.”

May we likewise embrace this passion for the eternal souls of men and women. — Bill Crowder

Rescue the perishing, duty demands it—
Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide;
Back to the narrow way patiently win them,
Tell the poor wanderer a Savior has died. —Crosby

The cross reveals God’s heart for the lost.

* Our Daily Bread--attitude reveals heart

"Give us this day our daily bread" (Matt. 6:11).

In America, praying for our daily bread hardly seems necessary. Most people need to pray for self-control to avoid excesses! But Matthew 6:11 isn't talking about food only. It is a statement of dependency on God and an acknowledgment that He alone provides all of life's basic necessities.

This passage of Scripture does not teach us to reduce prayer to a means of self-fulfillment. Today there are some dangerous streams of teaching that emphasize our right as Christians to demand things of God. But that misses the point of prayer altogether, which is to glorify God (John 14:13).

We are to give God the privilege of revealing His glory by meeting our needs in whatever way He chooses. If we demand things of Him, we are likely to become frustrated or to question Him when we don't get what we want. That's a serious sin!

Sometimes petitionary prayers (prayers of request) seem not only to lack faith in the inherent goodness of God but also to elevate humankind to a position of control over God. God, the Scriptures remind us, is omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipotent (all-powerful), the sovereign (all-control) ruler of the universe. For Christians to pray as if God were a puppet whose strings they yank with their prayers seems not only potentially superstitious but blasphemous as well.

The God of the bible--
the one true God
cannot be manipulated!

"When prayer is sold as a device for eliciting health, success, and other favors from a celestial vending machine, we may wonder what is really being merchandised. Is this faith or is it faith's counterfeit, a glib caricature of true Christianity?"

Guard your prayers! Always be aware of the enormous privilege you have to approach the infinite God and receive His gracious provisions. Yet always do so with His glory as your highest goal.

It has been said, “We came to Jesus on our knees, and we need to stay on our knees.” This simple phrase might possibly be the hardest to achieve. We still have a sinful hangover in this life that battles against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (cf. Ephesians 6:12)

When a follower of Jesus understands the spiritual battle we are in, there is a dependency on God, seriousness about life, and a strong heart desire that says, “…Thy kingdom done, Thy will be done.”

Suggestions for Prayer:

Read Proverbs 30:8-9. What attitude toward God do those verses convey? Is that your attitude in prayer?

For Further Study:

Read Matthew 6:19-34 and James 4:3. How might you respond to someone who says Christians have the right to demand favors from God?

* David: A Man After God's Own Heart

"You acted foolishly," Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD'S command." --(1 Samuel 13:13-14)

David was a man after God's own heart. He was a shepherd, a mighty warrior, a musician and to his downfall, a ladies man. The Bible gives many details of David's life and quickly dispels the idea that he was holy enough to be a man after God's own heart.

· He had many wives

· He was not always the best disciplinarian of his kids

· He lacked integrity. In the story of Tamar, David knew that she had been raped by her half-brother, but he did nothing.

· He committed adultery & participated in a murder. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and then to cover it up ordered her husband's murder.

Why in the world could David be called a man after God’s own heart?

There were many reasons David was a man after God's own heart. Here are just a few:

David had a contrite heart: he didn’t live in denial, excuses, and blame
After David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed to cover up the sin, God sent Nathan to him to confront him with his sin. We see the real heart of David in this incident. Many people when confronted with their own sin want to kill the messenger or deny responsibility, or blame others. But look at how David reacted:

Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die." --(2 Samuel 12:13)

David could have said, "Well Bathsheba should not have been bathing out in the open." Or he could have blamed the servants who went to get her for him. There are thousands of things David could have pointed to, but he didn't. He confessed his sin with a contrite heart.

David had a wiling heart towards God
David was willing to do whatever God asked him to do. As we have seen David had his faults, but God knew his heart. He knew that David loved Him and would do whatever He asked him to do. He wanted to please God more than man. He was willing to pay the price of following God.

After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: 'I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ --(Acts 13:22)

We can be encouraged that David was very human like all of us. He had hurts, habits, and hang-ups, he had temptations, he fell into sin, but he reacted in a way that was Godward. He quickly repented and his heart was sincere. To use the old expression, he got back on his horse. In this case, his horse was riding with His God.

More on why David was a man after God’s heart:

David loved the Word of God
"Oh, how I love your Holy law!" - Psalm 119:97
This psalm expresses his great love for God's Word - Psalm 119:47-48

* It protected him from sin - Psalm 119:11

* It revived him in affliction - Psalm 119:50

* It gave him great peace of mind - Psalm 119:165

David loved to pray
"I will call upon him as long as I live" - Psalm 116:1-2
His love for prayer was based upon the fact God had answered him before - Psalm 116:1-2

* It was based upon the fact that God had greatly blessed him - Psalm 116:12-13

* It was based upon the fact that prayer brought God close to him - Psalm 145:18

David loved to praise God
"Seven times a day I praise You" - Psalm 119:164

* He praised God because of His righteous judgments

* He praised God because of His greatness and lovingkindness - Psalm 95:1-7

* He was determined to sing praises as long as he lived - Psalm 104:33

David loved unity among the brethren
"Behold, how good and pleasant it is..." - Psalm 133:1

* David knew the value of good friendship and unity, as exemplified in the relationship he had with Jonathan - 1 Samuel 18:1

* He also knew the terrible pain of division within a family- 2 Samuel 13

David hated every false way
" I hated every false way" - Psalm 119:104

* His hatred was based upon his understanding of God's precepts - Psalm 119:104

* His hatred affected his selection of activities and friends - Psalm 101:3-4,6-7

David's heart sought after God. He quickly assumed responsibility for his horrible actions by repenting. When David understood his mistake, he correctly assumed responsibility for his poor choice. He sinned! He did not blame others to justify himself! David's attitudes have some powerful things to teach us about our failures.

* Remember Me

Remember me when You come into Your kingdom. —Luke 23:42

READ: Luke 23:39-43

Matthew Henshaw got his name into the Guinness Book of World Records in an unusual way. After swallowing a 15.9-inch sword, Henshaw attached a 40-pound sack of potatoes to the handle of the sword and held it for 5 seconds. (This is not recommended.)

Henshaw and others like him have gone to extraordinary lengths to have their names memorialized in the world’s most famous record book. The longing for immortality compels people to do many things—some remarkable, and some bizarre.

The immortality Jesus offers has nothing to do with anything we do. There is no salvation by balancing the records of good deeds verses bad deeds, as is the false teaching in some churches. There is only salvation by canceling records. The record of our bad deeds (including our defective good deeds), along with the just penalties that each deserves, must be blotted out—not balanced.

This is what Christ suffered and died to accomplish. The cancellation happened when the record of our deeds was “nailed to the cross” (Colossians 2:13). How was this damning record nailed to the cross? Christ became my damning record of bad (and good) deeds. He endured my damnation. He put my salvation on a totally different footing. He is my only hope. And faith in him is my only way to God.

In fact, after giving His disciples the authority to do truly remarkable things (Luke 10:17-19), Jesus said, “Do not rejoice . . . that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven” (v.20).

At Golgotha, an unnamed thief believed that message just in time (Luke 23:40-42). He understood that eternal life had nothing to do with what he had done—good or bad. It had to do with what Jesus was doing—giving His own life so that even the undeserving could be welcomed into heaven by God. The important thing is being remembered not by others, but by God. —

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood—
Sealed my pardon with His blood:
Hallelujah, what a Savior! —Bliss

Our lives matter because God loves us.

* Truth & Love Fit Together

Looking for a service opportunity? see below

What does the Bible say about how truth and love relate to each other? There are at least four ways of talking about this relationship.

1. Truth aims at love.

"The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith" (1 Timothy 1:5). Note: instruction is not the goal, love is. Instruction is the means. It is subordinate. Truth serves love. Education serves relationships - mainly the relationship between us and God, but also between Christian and Christian, and between us and unbelievers. The "goal" of all our education is love.

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider one another how to stir up to love and good deeds, . . . encouraging one another" (Hebrews 10:23-25, literal translation).

The aim of our "considering one another" and "encouraging one another" is that we stir up love. We mingle insight into "the confession of our hope" with insight into "each other," and the effect is stirring each other to love. The truth of doctrine and truth of people-watching unite to aim at love.

2. Love aims at truth.

"Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth" (1 Corinthians 13:6). Love is glad when truth is spoken. Therefore love aims at truth. It supports truth.

"Out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you" (2 Corinthians 2:4).

Here is an example of how love aims at truth. Paul is filled with love and it compels him to write a letter that was hard, and caused sorrow in him and in the Corinthians. But it needed to be said. So love said it. Love speaks the truth personally and doctrinally.

3. Love shapes how to speak the truth.

"Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ" (Ephesians 4:15). There is an unloving way to speak the truth. That kind of truth-speaking we should repudiate. But there is a way to speak the truth in love, and that we should seek. It is not always a soft way to speak, or Jesus would have to be accused of lack of love in dealing with some folks in the Gospels.

But it does ask about what is the most helpful thing to say when everything is considered. Sometimes what would have been a hard word to one group is a needed act of love to another group, and not a wrong to the group addressed. But in general, love shapes truth into words and ways that are patient and gentle (2 Timothy 2:24-25).

4. Truth shapes how to show love.

"By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome" (1 John 5:2). It is not always obvious which acts are loving. So John tells us some truth will help us know if our acts are loving.

One truth test for our love is whether we are keeping the commandments of God toward people. In other words, love cannot be cut loose from the truth of God's will. Truth shapes how to show love.

Let us pray that God will cause his love and truth to abound and mingle in us in all these ways for the glory of his truth-filled love and love-filled truth.

Looking for a service opportunity?
Rocky Peak Church has a Men's Breakfast Scheduled (see the dates and details below)
and Celebrate Recovery has taken on the role of service.

Our men can help in the morning prepare and serve breakfast
and the women of CR have stepped up to do the clean up.

If you are interested in serving Men contact Tom Taylor (thomas.taylor@cunamutual.com)
Women can contact Mary Pat Paulson at (thepaulsons@integrity.com)

FUEL Men's Breakfast Saturday, March 29th at 8:00am
Tickets are $5 online or on the patio Contact is Neil Johnson ext 108 or njohnson@rockypeak.org

* Honest Doubts

Looking for a service opportunity? see below

When they saw [Jesus], they worshiped Him;
but some doubted. —Matthew 28:17

Our experience tells us that people do not return from the grave. At the heart of our desolation when death strikes is the awful certainty that in this life we will not see our loved ones again. We attend funerals to honor their memory and grieve our loss, but we do not expect to be greeted at the door by the person who has died.

In light of this, it should not seem surprising that Jesus’ disciples were reluctant to believe that He had risen from the dead. Following the testimony of the women who had seen an angel, an empty tomb, and Jesus Himself (Matt. 28:1-10), “the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted” (vv.16-17).

Among those who were closest to the Lord and had heard His remarkable teaching and witnessed His powerful miracles, some doubted that Jesus was actually alive again. But the honest doubts of the disciples soon turned to joy and hope as they embraced the reality of their risen Lord.

What do we doubt about Jesus today? Does our experience tell us that our past mistakes, present struggles, or future prospects can’t be changed? With fresh memories of Easter, let’s trust that He can do all things. — David C. McCasland

Where Jesus reigns there is no fear,
No restless doubt, no hopeless tear,
No raging sea nor tempest dread,
But quietness and calm instead. —Anon.

One look to Calvary can dispel your doubts.

Looking for a service opportunity?
Rocky Peak Church has a Men's Breakfast Scheduled (see the dates and details below)
and Celebrate Recovery has taken on the role of service.

Our men can help in the morning prepare and serve breakfast
and the women of CR have stepped up to do the clean up.

If you are interested in serving Men contact Tom Taylor (thomas.taylor@cunamutual.com)
Women can contact Mary Pat Paulson at (thepaulsons@integrity.com)

FUEL Men's Breakfast Saturday, March 29th at 8:00am
Tickets are $5 online or on the patio Contact is Neil Johnson ext 108 or njohnson@rockypeak.org

* The Arrival of Jesus into the World!

The arrival of Jesus signaled the beginning of a new era. God entered history in a personal way, and made it unmistakably clear that he is on our side, doing everything possible to save us. It was all presented and worked out in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It was, and is, hard to believe—seemingly too good to be true.

But one by one, men and women did believe it, believed Jesus was God alive among them and for them. Soon they would realize that he also lived in them. To their great surprise they found themselves living in a world where God called all the shots—had the first word on everything; had the last word on everything. That meant that everything, quite literally every thing, had to be re-centered, re-imagined, and re-thought.

They went at it with immense gusto. They told stories of Jesus and arranged his teachings in memorable form. They wrote letters. They sang songs. They prayed. One of them wrote an extraordinary poem based on holy visions. There was no apparent organization to any of this; it was all more or less spontaneous and, to the eye of the casual observer, haphazard. Over the course of about fifty years, these writings added up to what would later be compiled by the followers of Jesus and designated "The New Testament."

Three kinds of writing—eyewitness stories, personal letters, and a visionary poem—make up the book. Five stories, twenty-one letters, one poem. In the course of this writing and reading, collecting and arranging, with no one apparently in charge, the early Christians, whose lives were being changed and shaped by what they were reading, arrived at the conviction that there was, in fact, someone in charge—God's Holy Spirit was behind and in it all.

In retrospect, they could see that it was not at all random or haphazard, that every word worked with every other word, and that all the separate documents worked in intricate harmony. There was nothing accidental in any of this, nothing merely circumstantial. They were bold to call what had been written "God's Word," and trusted their lives to it. They accepted its authority over their lives. Most of its readers since have been similarly convinced.

--Eugene Peterson, The Message Bible

* Sanctuary

A professional athlete built a palatial eight-bedroom home where he lives by himself. His secluded house includes a movie theater, a gymnasium, a swimming pool, and a five-car garage.

The athlete told The New York Times that he doesn’t view the $8 million estate as a monument to success. Instead, he considers it to be a sanctuary from his painful childhood memories of poverty and abuse. The young man is seeking something much deeper than luxury and entertainment. “Got to get my peace,” he said.

All of us know the feeling of being overwhelmed. When the present is daunting and the past is haunting, where can we turn for release? To whom do we go for comfort and peace?

The psalmist wrote: “Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; incline Your ear to me, and save me. Be my strong refuge, to which I may resort continually” (Ps. 71:2-3). God was his hope, his trust, and his hiding place in the storms of life (vv.5-8).

E. May Grimes’ poem captures that biblical theme.

A little sanctuary art Thou to me;
O Jesus Christ, beloved, I live with Thee;
My heart has found its everlasting home,
Its sure abiding place where’er I roam.

Few people can afford a mansion, but everyone who knows the Lord can find refuge and peace in His abiding presence. — David C. McCasland

A little sanctuary art Thou to me;
O Jesus Christ, beloved, I live with Thee;
My heart has found its everlasting home,
Its sure abiding place where’er I roam.

When we put our problems in God’s hands, He puts His peace in our hearts.

* Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

The Promise
What is the promise that we find in verse 6? "He will make your paths straight." The Hebrew term means "to make smooth, straight, right." Obstacles that are in the way are removed. Roads that curve back and forth are straightened out. Valleys are filled. Mountains are made low.

"He will make your paths straight."
Think of Israel at the time of the Exodus. The Egyptians are behind them. The Red Sea is in front of them. And the Lord God divided the waters so the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground. That happened again at the Jordan River as the children of Israel entered the Promised Land.

"He will make your paths straight."
In the Book of Daniel we read about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They refused to bow before the golden image made by King Nebuchadnezzar. So they were thrown into a blazing hot furnace. But when the king looked, he saw four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out without a burn mark on them, and they didn't even smell of smoke.

"He will make your paths straight." I also think of Daniel who continued to pray to the Lord God Almighty even though there was a command that no man should pray to anyone except to King Darius. As a result, Daniel ended up in a den of hungry lions. But the lions didn't touch him or bother him.

"He will make your paths straight."
We can think of the time Paul and Silas are in jail. They have been stripped and beaten and flogged. They are in an inner cell and their feet are fastened in stocks. But instead of feeling sorry for themselves they are praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners are listening to them. And God sent such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison are shaken and all the prison doors fly open and everybody's chains fall off.

The Three Commands
The first command is "Trust in the LORD with all you heart."
What does it mean to trust in the Lord? At the root of the Hebrew word for trust is the idea of lying helplessly on the ground. This is total submission to another of will, emotions, and desire.

We are to put our trust in the LORD.
This is the God who loves us in Jesus Christ. This is the God who is our Creator. This is the God who is accomplishing His plan to save His people. This is the God who holds the whole world in His hands. This is the God who determines times and dates and life and death.
-It wasn't Allah who loved me enough to send his only son to die for me.
-It wasn't Muhammad who took his cross and stamped "pardon" on my soul to save me from hell.
-It wasn't Buddha or Confucius who divinely inspired the writing of an infallible, inerrant Bible.
-It isn't the Rev. Moon who gives me a peace that passes all understanding.
-It isn't Merrill Lynch or Charles Schwab who provides my every need.
-It isn't some new age crystal that heals my diseases.
-It isn't the stars that give direction and meaning to my life.

It is the LORD who has done all of this.
He has proven time and time again that He can be trusted.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart."
Heart here does not mean the organ inside the chest. It means the inner person. It means the center of our intellect and emotion and will and conscience and personality. It means that everything in us and about us is to trust in God. It means total trust. It means we hold back no area of our mind or will or feeling. It means we trust God with every fiber of our being.

The second command is "lean not on your own understanding."
We see the Hebrew word for "lean" when blind Samson leaned against the huge pillars supporting the Philistine temple (Judges 16:26). We see it again when King Saul leaned upon his spear for support (2 Sam 1:16). It represents the idea of resting one's weight upon something.

"Lean not on your own understanding."
We cannot rest our weight upon what we think or feel or dream or imagine. We need to admit we don't know everything, we don't understand everything, and too often we are just plain wrong!

Getting to know God's voice requires spending much time in the Word and in prayer. A lot of what God says to us in His Word is simply too wonderful, unbelievable and incredible for us to believe. So our human understanding begins to ask, "How can this be? It is impossible!" Suddenly, our human understanding builds a hedge against God!

We see this with Sarah. God told the elderly Sarah she would have a child and become the mother of many nations. What an incredible, beautiful promise! But Sarah's human understanding quickly rose up and said, "Me, a mother at 90? Why, my womb is dead. My husband is an old man. It is impossible!" She laughed at the thought!

The third command is "in all your ways acknowledge him."
In everything you do, in everywhere you go, in everything you think, in everything you plan, at all times keep on confessing and recognizing God as the Lord of your life. Surrender yourself to Him so His plans becomes your plans, His will your will, and His desires your desires. He wants to rule supreme in your life.

* Any Rival Love: Idolatry--pt 2

See part 1

"What are we living for?

Things that kill and die, such as ourselves? Or things that give lasting life? Idols are things that kill. We die if we live for idols. We are truly freed from idols only by the power of God's grace, that is, by the free divine gift of God's friendship through Jesus.

Often we are unaware of the idols that kill us and, as a result, we neglect their deadly roles in our lives. Once we become aware of our idols, we still need power to be freed from them. We find ourselves, however, without the needed power within us. We need help from One who cares for us and has the power to free us. We need the power of an all-loving God. The Good News is that such power is in fact available to us.

Our having idols at all is a spiritual heart problem. It signifies distortion and corruption at the spiritual core of a person. It is, in the end, our failure to put first things first, in particular, the first One first in our lives. Left untreated, our idols empty our lives of peace, joy, and unselfish love.

Idolatry begins as theft from God, the gift Giver, as we value something or someone in a way that hinders the love and trust we owe to God. Idolatry turns back on us, however, to keep us from having what we need for true, lasting satisfaction in life.

In the end, the greatest human tragedy is idolatry. It diminishes and even severs friendship with God, the only Giver of lasting life and satisfaction. Out of the tragedy of idolatry come all other human woes, including addictions, worries, selfish fears, resentments, jealousies, hatreds, and so on.

God proves His love for us by sending us Jesus to befriend us, even to die for us in self-giving love. The provision of this unconditional, unearned love offers the kind of satisfying friendship that makes idols pointless and even repulsive.

It thereby frees us from idols in order to enable us to love as Jesus loves. As an antidote to idolatry, we need the loving friendship of Jesus, desperately and vitally.

It is available to us all as an gift we cannot earn from God. The crucial question is whether we will receive it on God's terms, on terms that renounce idols. These terms can be challenging for us, given our customary reliance on idols (see Mark 10:17-27), and given our tendencies toward enabling idolatry in others.

We do the latter when we encourage or ignore, rather than challenge in love, the idolatry practiced by others. In receiving Jesus as Lord, in contrast, we find the key to freedom both from idolatry and from the enabling of idolatry in others. We find freedom to live in unselfish love as we receive God's freely given love."

* Any Rival Love: Idolatry--pt 1

Raphael, Adoring the Golden Calf (1518-19)Palazzi Pontifici, Vatican

Love requires at least two persons: a lover and a beloved. Love requires both actions of initiation and of response, of giving and receiving. Obviously all of us who "love" both give and receive love in many ways and in many forms. Relationships that are all "giving" or all "receiving" are not very meaningful. Ultimately, God's "giving" love towards us calls for wholehearted response from us.

We can scarcely begin to imagine the nature of the relationships of love within the Godhead between the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. God is always whole and fulfilled within Himself. He has no need of a creation--but He has graciously allowed us to participate in that love which is His very nature.

Furthermore, God has created us male and female in order to display something of His inner image in mankind. God is not a sexual Being--unlike many of the pagan gods of mythology. The two sexes are not identical, and not mirror images of one another: they are "complementary."

God created mankind to live in fellowship with Him and to enjoy Him in many intimate, personal ways forever. We can only be truly ourselves and truly fulfilled when God holds the place of central importance in our hearts and lives.

Idolatry is any "rival loves" we allow do
damage to ourselves, to God, and to others.

Idolatry is the universal human tendency to value something, or someone--anything--in a way that hinders or rivals the love and trust we owe to God.

Real idolatry is a matter of what we love and treasure in our hearts that is other-than God. One of the subtlest idols for us is another human being! God is invisible, we would all prefer tangible lovers--it is very easy for any of us to allow any human being to usurp God's rightful place in the throne room of the heart.

Putting God first means loving and trusting God first, above all, and with everything we are and have (see Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). God has given us every good thing which we are and have.

Idolatry occurs because of our deadly
propensity for selfish, willful control and
for self-controlled security.

Satan's lie to Eve, "you shall be like God" has rooted itself into the heart of every man. It was the angel Satan who uttered the "I wills" of the first rebellion against the Creator: "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High." (Isaiah 14:1-14).

Pride follows close on the
heels of all human idolatry.

Tomorrow:
Any Rival Love: Idolatry-pt 2
What are we living for?

* Wait on the Lord

Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord! —Psalm 27:14

In Cantonese, a Chinese dialect, the word for wait sounds like the word for class. Making a pun on this word, some senior folks in Hong Kong identify themselves as “third-class citizens,” which also means “people of three waits.” They wait for their children to return home from work late at night. They wait for the morning sun to dispel their sleepless nights. And with a sigh of resignation, they wait for death.

In the Bible, the word wait is more an attitude than an activity. To “wait on the Lord” is to trust Him. Psalm 27 is David’s exuberant declaration of faith in God. He sees the Lord as his salvation (v.1). In times of danger, he knows for certain that God will hide him (v.5). He remembers that God has asked him to seek His face, so he asks God not to hide from him. For, like a child, he longs to see God’s approving face (vv.8-10). In his darkest moments, David declares: “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (v.13).

Though no one knows how life will unfold, we can decide to trust God and to focus our mind on Him. For to those who wait on the Lord, the promise is given: Our heart will be strengthened (v.14). — Albert Lee

I know not what the future holds—
What in one hour may be;
But I can wait while it unfolds,
And trust implicitly. —Elliott

Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. —Isaiah 40:31

* Mind, Heart, Will—The Formula for Healthy Growth

Mind, Heart, Will—The Formula for Healthy Growth

In recovery (Bible) and life in general, there is a trilogy all of us have to consider:

M Mind

H Heart

W Will

“But God be thanked, that you were the slaves of sin,
but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine
which has delivered you.” --Romans 6:17

This verse is powerful!

It is also one verse that is much disrespected. When not taken seriously, it leads to imbalanced living. In a nutshell, it says this—
1. Make sure you believe the truth about what the gospel is and what the Bible teaches about living.
2. Make sure you ask yourself, “Do I really believe what I have been taught?”
3. Live from the heart after the heart has been informed by the mind.

The history of the church has been imbalanced in points 1 & 2 above.

Point 1 Imbalance:
Some might embrace Christianity because of its theology and metaphysics. They embrace great debate and discussion about man and his world. Christianity for them becomes an intellectual hobby. Sadly, the mind touched without the heart is tragedy. Usually these people lack the grace of God and basic human kindness. They experience no grace in their own lives and cannot offer it to another. One would hardly go to someone like this if they were in trouble, only to hear well formed arguments and particulars on certain doctrines, explained in great detail. Sympathy would be missing here. A man like this can defend the gospel better than most, but it does not impact his personal life.

Point 2 Imbalance:
There are some that focus too much on the heart of the gospel. The gospel appeals to the emotions. When life brings about a disaster, the gospel is to make life better. The focus is on an emotional experience only. Some particular sin is committed which they try to get rid of but can't get away from it. The message of deliverance appeals to them greatly. An incomplete presentation of the gospel can lead someone like this astray after the initial experience has left. Then they are wondering where God went. They feel abandoned by God.

The Desire for Head/Heart Balance
There seems to be a definite order to the powers of mind, heart and will. The verse in Romans supports this as does many other portions of Scripture. First we see the fact that man was a servant of sin, but is no longer that. Paul says that the form of doctrine that came to them—‘you have obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine delivered to you.’

In recovery, we should keep in mind Paul’s position of head, heart and will. The heart is always to be influenced through understanding—the mind (sound doctrine), then the heart, then the will. That is the order. We must avoid appealing to the heart or will without the mind. The greatest part of God’s image in man is his mind, with the capacity for apprehending truth. God has endowed us with that. Yet, God forbid if we end it with the intellect! It starts there, but it goes on. It then moves to the heart and finally a man yields his will to Christ.

Looking at Mind, Heart, Will for Recovery

M - Mind
First, we need to analyze our thoughts about our life and identify all irrational and unrealistic beliefs, thinking, or ideas which are at the root of hurts, habits, and hang-ups. Once we have identified the "sick'' thoughts, then we need to replace them with healthy, rational, and realistic thinking, beliefs and ideas. This is the renewing of mind. We need to think rightly. It starts with an understanding of the gospel message and then seeking God’s will for our life. Then it leads to understanding what God wants for our lives, which leads to God’s Holy Word and growing in Christ. In short, we need to think correctly!

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.--Romans 12:1-2

An example of “old man” thinking:
To be successful or happy in life I need to make a lot of money, have a sexy spouse, and be admired and respected by others.

An example of “new man” thinking:
To be happy in life I am to be poor in spirit, to be humble. I am to serve others, to think of others as more important than myself. I am to be a giver of my money and time to build the kingdom of God.

H - Heart
Second, after our thoughts have become healthier, more rational, and realistic, we then need to identify all of our “sick” emotions and feelings which were based on our old “sick” thoughts and then integrate our "new'' healthier thoughts with our emotions and feelings. That way we have healthier, more rational and realistic emotional and feeling responses to our life resulting in victorious.

An example of “old man” emotions/feelings:
When I see nice clothes on someone or an expensive car on the road I feel a desire to own these items. I feel these are symbols of respect. I feel more secure if I own these. I will be accepted by others. I will feel powerful.

An example of “new man” emotions/feelings:
My identity is in Christ. I have been bought with a price. Christ owns me now, not the flesh and the devil. I am no longer a slave of other’s opinions or the world’s idea of what success is."

The above are G-rated emotions/feelings. All in recovery know that the heart can be wicked and very dark. Many have fed their emotions with deadly poison. It is foolish to believe (thinking) that many years of feeding oneself poison—drugs, alcohol, sexual activity, materialism, anger, violence, etc.—can be eliminated quickly. We are completely forgiven in Christ, made new creatures, and God’s grace works differently with some, but in large part, most of us have a lot of work to do in the area of emotions/feelings and live under the complete control of the Holy Spirit.

W - Will
Third, only after we have altered our “sick” thoughts and “sick” emotions can we change our “sick” actions and behaviors. Once we have developed a healthier, more rational, and realistic thinking and emotional life, we can take actions and exhibit behaviors which are healthier, more rational and realistic and result in victorious living.

WARNING: We cannot change our actions or behaviors before we have changed our emotional and feeling responses to life. When people change their actions because it is the “correct” thing to do (mind) without feelings (heart) which go along with them, then their recovery falls flat and dies. We need to change our thoughts and emotions before our actions become “authentic” and have greater “staying'” power.

In today’s information saturated culture, there is no excuse for not having strong doctrine (a set of biblical beliefs). There is a lot of biblical ‘junk food’ for the mind as well, but there are also tremendous sources available. Yet, the hardest part of recovery is the heart. Emotions and feelings that have been fed poison for so long they keep begging to be fed. This is why COMMUNITY--fellowship, accountability/sponsor, church going, friendship, healthy social activities are so crucial for recovery and growth in Christ.

* The Miracle Of Restraint

We love Him because He first loved us. —1 John 4:19

In Dostoevsky’s novel The Brothers Karamazov, Ivan Karamazov refers to “the miracle of restraint”—God’s choice to curb His own power. The more I get to know Jesus, the more that observation impresses me.

The miracles Satan suggested to Jesus (Luke 4:3,9-11), the signs the Pharisees demanded (Matt. 12:38; 16:1), the final proofs I yearn for offer no obstacle to an omnipotent God. More amazing is His refusal to perform, to overwhelm.

God’s terrible insistence on human freedom is so absolute that He granted us the power to live as though He does not exist. Jesus must have known this as He faced the tempter in the desert, focusing His power on the energy of restraint.

I believe God insists on such restraint because no pyrotechnic displays of omnipotence will achieve the response He desires. Only love can summon a response of love. “I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself,” Jesus said (John 12:32). He said this to show the kind of death He would die. God’s nature is self-giving.

Why does God content Himself with the slow, mysterious way of making righteousness grow rather than avenging it? That’s how love is. Love has its own power—the only power capable of conquering the human heart. — Philip Yancey

That leaden night on which He was betrayed,
The One by whom the universe was made
Reclined with friends, took bread and stretched a hand
Of love to him who His demise had planned. —Gustafson

Revenge restrained is a victory gained.

* See All Evil

It is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. —Ephesians 5:12

While waiting at the doctor’s office, I read an article about the importance of freedom of speech. The writer suggested that producing obscene movies and pornography is good because it helps us to see our own potential for evil. He believes that naively thinking we are innocent is worse than knowing about and watching evil.

This rationale for evil is disturbing, especially for those of us who follow Christ. God doesn’t expect us to avoid all contact with wickedness. Jesus—God in the flesh—loves sinners. But in the book of Ephesians, Paul said: “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret” (5:11-12).

Our responsibility is to expose evil by living a life of “goodness, righteousness, and truth” (v.9), and by not taking part in “the unfruitful works of darkness” (v.11). Hendriksen’s New Testament Commentary says that the conduct of believers as children of light exposes the deeds of those in darkness and reveals the vast contrast between the two.

It’s not realistic or wise to hide in a “holy cocoon.” But we don’t need to see evil to understand our propensity to sin. Expose the darkness by living in the Light. — Anne Cetas

Lord, keep us from entanglements
That choke Your Spirit’s work within,
So we can then reflect Your light
Into a world that’s dark with sin. —Sper

Children of the light will not be comfortable in the dark.

* Prayer: Don't Limit God

by
John MacArthur

As a child I was taught to pray with my head bowed, eyes closed, and hands folded. Even as a young man I thought that was the only acceptable mode of prayer.

In my seminary days I sang in a quartet that traveled to various churches throughout the United States. The first time I traveled with them we had a prayer meeting in the car, and the driver prayed with his eyes open. All of us were glad he did, but I wondered if God really heard his prayer.

I have since learned that praying with my eyes closed is a helpful way to avoid distractions, but it isn't mandated in Scripture--nor are most of the other limitations people often place on prayer. For example, some people want to limit prayer to a certain posture, but Scripture tells of people praying while standing, sitting, kneeling, looking upward, bowing down, and lifting up their hands.

Some try to limit prayer to certain times of the day, such as morning or evening. But in the Bible people prayed at all times: morning, evening, three times a day, before meals, after meals, at bedtime, at midnight, day and night, in their youth, in their old age, when troubled, and when joyous.

Similarly, Scripture places no limits on the place or circumstances of prayer. It tells of people praying in a cave, in a closet, in a garden, on a mountainside, by a river, by the sea, in the street, in the Temple, in bed, at home, in the stomach of a fish, in battle, on a housetop, in a prison, in the wilderness, and on a cross.

The point is clear:
There is no specific correct mode or kind
of prayer, and prayer isn't limited by your
location or circumstances.

You are to pray always. That includes any kind of prayer, on any subject, and at any time of the day or night.

Suggestions for Prayer:

Make a list of your current plans, thoughts, and concerns. Have you made each of them a matter of prayer? Commit yourself to sharing every aspect of your life with God.

For Further Study:

Read Psalm 136. Note how the Lord is intimately involved in the lives of His people.