* Love Will Wait

Jane Welsh, secretary to Scottish essayist Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881), married him and devoted her life to him and his work. He loved her deeply but was so busy with his writing and speaking that he often neglected her. Some time into their marriage, she became ill and suddenly died.

In a new book by John Ortberg, I read that after the funeral Thomas went alone to Jane’s room and looked at her diary. He found these words she had written about him: “Yesterday he spent an hour with me and it was like heaven. I love him so.” On another day, she wrote, “I have listened all day to hear his steps in the hall, but now it is late. I guess he will not come today.” He wept brokenly, realizing his neglect of her and her desire just to talk with him.

As I read that, I couldn’t help but think, God loves me dearly and waits for me to fellowship with Him. How many days do I forget Him?

The Lord welcomes our worship, our prayer, our praise. He has told us in His Word to pray all the time (1 Thess. 5:17). As He did with the church in Laodicea in Revelation 3, Christ knocks on the door of our heart and patiently waits (v.20). He listens attentively for our call, our cry, our prayer. How often does He wait in vain?

We can know that God is watching,
Always present, everywhere,
And with hope and joy and patience
He is waiting for our prayer.

Talk with God—He longs to hear from you.

* Prayer Walk --May 3rd

click on image for full view

Prayer Walk
Saturday, May 3, 2008 8-11 a.m.

As valley area residents, we live in the unofficial capital of pornography. Within 1 square mile, there are over 150 producers. We are known for this! Wouldn’t it be cool to let God change this? We won’t be protesting in any way, but coming to God in repentance.

We will be strategically walking and praying over several pornography producing companies and asking God to break the chains that bind those involved with and exposed to pornography. We will ask God to bring His light to shine brightly in these valleys! Come and let God use you to make a difference in the community.

We will be starting our prayer walk at the Chatsworth Train Depot,

10038 Old Depot Plaza Road • Chatsworth, CA 91311

We meet at the south end of the parking lot near Lassen St.

For more information contact Brian at ext.190 or bmorehead@rockypeak.org


The following quotes are from actual discussions on the subject of pornography and represent how many view this topic. This is what the world says is O.K., just curiosity or sadly good for a young person.

“Honestly, it's almost a right of passage in American culture, to see that material, especially in middle school. Which would be around 12-13. Again I am not advocating it, however it has become such a concrete part of society, mainly for men, that I couldn't think of a world without it. And to say that it might harm someone is just ignorant. Considering that generations before mine have been subjected to this stuff at an early age and there has not been an increase in rapists or people with sexual problems. I think it's just all malarkey.”

“An increased availability of pornography has led to a more peaceful community, so let’s embrace it rather than censor it.”

“Why are certain politicians so up in arms over pornography? Is it simply the pressure from Christian lobby groups or do they truly believe access to pornography leads to exploitation of the soul? I, like many others, went through watching porn and produced no harm but simply provided an outlet for adolescent confusion and urges best kept to oneself until an adequate blood supply was diverted to the brain.”

Like all unholy distortions, the sinful heart takes something legitimate and twists it into evil and self-fulfilling actions. The above quotes demonstrate why trying to rationally discuss a subject like pornography can be in vain. When the heart wants to sin it will rationalize something any way to feed it's lustful appetite, like an addict doing whatever it takes to get the next fix!

These lies are what happens when the mind is darkened and without the light of Jesus Christ. Pornography is a direct violation of God’s holy law, and His holy law is good for us. Pornography defiles the body. It destroys marriages. It stains the mind. It leads to more destructive behaviors. It is a secret sin that lies behind the eyes.

Yet, this industry has negatively impacted the Church as well. Many claiming the name of Christ are addicted to pornography and have suffered the consequences in their lives. Like all sins of the flesh, it not only impacts the "self" but all those living closely by. This is NOT an isolated sin--it impacts the actions and thoughts of those who are caught in its addiction.

Below are facts on the porn industry, key scriptures about the subject, and God's view of marriage & sex.

The Porn Industry
It is staggering how much actual money flows through porn and how many people are involved in this industry:

• 89% of porn is created in the U.S.
• $2.84 billion in revenue was generated from U.S. porn sites in 2006
• $89/second is spent on porn
• 72% of porn viewers are men
• 260 new porn sites go online daily

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT PORNOGRAPHY?

Song of Solomon 2:15 says, "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes."
Foxes sometime in search of food would enter into the grape orchards and devour the grapes and spoil the crop. However, the little foxes were too small to reach the grape bunches so they would chew on the vines and it would kill the whole vine. Instead of the farmer just losing his crop, he would lose his vine which was more disastrous. Spiritually some things we do or allow that we might think are little or insignificant can also be disastrous for us.

One of the most devastating problems that has ensnared many good people is the sin of pornography. Many of these same people will testify that they were ensnared with just a "peek." This one "little fox" led to their downfall. Many, out of curiosity, just went to a site to see what was there. This is one of the devil's tricks to get people ensnared. Satan, is the power behind this attraction to forbidden sexual images.

People that are trapped today can tell you there is an evil "drawing" that compels them to return again and again. Many are desiring to be free, but seem hopelessly gripped by this evil desire. We want to share the good news -- there is a way out through Jesus Christ.

In the U.S.A., as well as many other nations of the world, our societies have become the most sexually saturated societies in human history. Sodom and Gomorrah might be the only exceptions. America's pornography industry is not only pervasive, but powerful as well. It generates billions of dollars in revenue annually. That is a tremendous amount of people buying the filth never mind those who lurk and never pay. It’s pandemic!

God has called the church to be the answer to the problems facing those addicted to pornography. God hates this sin, but He loves the sinner and wants to set them free. Many marriages are being destroyed by this evil, as after the addiction of pornography has set in, then the normal marital relationship with their spouses is no longer satisfying.

Many husbands then want their wives to partake in bizarre sexual behavior with them or use sexual toys as stimulants. Some couples even watch erotic videos together to arouse each other before they engage in sex. These abnormal approaches to what God intended to be a wonderful relationship, defiles them.

Instead of finding satisfaction... guilt, shame, and dissatisfaction set in. True love and intimate sharing is replaced with raw lust. What God meant to be the most beautiful experience between two people becomes a hellish depravity. God can, and will restore this relationship if they will call on Him. There is absolutely nothing that is outside of God's ability to forgive, deliver, heal and restore.

Key Scriptures on the Subject
Proverbs 11:22
As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

James 4:7-8
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Romans 6:12-18:
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Slaves to Righteousness

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:18-20
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

God's View of Marriage & Sex
Click on the above for a detailed message on this topic. Many are trying to fight a battle without knowing why God designed things a certain way. It is important to tell the "why not" but also to share the "why."

As Christians, we need to know the depth of why God's standards are what they are. We need to be convinced deep down that God's view of marriage and sex is best. This is a battle of addiction to self-pleasure that is so much a part of our culture that to discuss otherwise is seen as odd. That is how far the other way our culture has gone! Which is why discussing and living God's standards seems strange and open to ridicule. Without proper armor, who can win this battle?

* Our Inner Compulsion

Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. —1 Corinthians 15:58

What's the greatest novel ever written? Many readers would vote for Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace, which, depending on the edition, can run well over 1,000 pages. Even after his novel was finished, Tolstoy continued to write—often until he was on the brink of exhaustion, unable to sleep, and on the verge of a breakdown.

One day a friend asked him why he kept writing and driving himself to the edge of exhaustion. He reminded Tolstoy that he was a wealthy Russian count with servants at his beck and call, and that he had a secure future.

Tolstoy explained that he kept writing because he was the slave of an inner compulsion and had a consuming desire deep within his bones. He felt that he had to keep writing or else he would go mad.

The apostle Paul experienced a similar compulsion, except that his drive was God-motivated. As he explained to his friends in Corinth, "the love of Christ compels us" (2 Cor. 5:14). His was a burning passion, an emotional fire, a spiritual force that made him share the good news of Jesus and His death and resurrection.

Such dedicated zeal has characterized many of our Lord's followers throughout the years. May a spark of that fire burn in our own hearts.

Fill Thou my life, O Lord my God,
In every part with praise,
That my whole being may proclaim
Thy being and Thy ways.

The good news is too good to keep to yourself.

* When Silence Speaks Loudly

We rightly disparage Job's three friends for their insensitive response to his suffering. Yet when they came, they sat in silence beside Job for 7 days before speaking. As it turned out, those were the most eloquent moments they spent with him.

Instinctively, I shrink back from people who are in pain. Who can know whether they want to talk about their predicament or not? Do they want to be consoled, or cheered up? What good can my presence possibly do?

Tony Campolo tells of going to a funeral. By mistake he ended up in the wrong parlor. It held the body of an elderly man, and his widow was the only mourner present. She seemed so lonely that Campolo decided to stay for the funeral. He even drove with her to the cemetery.

At the conclusion of the graveside service, Campolo finally confessed that he had not known her husband. "I thought as much," said the widow. "But it doesn't really matter. You'll never, ever, know what this means to me."

Most often those who suffer remember the quiet, unassuming person. Someone who was there when needed, who listened, who didn't keep glancing at a watch, who hugged, touched, and cried. In short, someone who was available and came on the sufferer's terms, not their own.

In our shattered times, anguish relents
Not at mere idle words spoken in vain,
But rather from the silent eloquence
Bestowed by those rare souls who share our pain.

Often, the best comfort is just being there.

* A Matter of Perspective

A friend of mine recently left overseas with his wife and four kids as a missionary. He was in Europe for twelve years and came back to the States for a year furlough. He raised the support needed and now just arrived in Nepal. My friend is a rare breed--his aim is to reach those who are forgotten.

What makes him unique is he and his wife are "pretty people." At 40 he could model for an athletic sportswear company and his wife could do a cover for some fashion magazine...even after four kids! Both of them could have chosen a much easier life path.

He had an opportunity to work in Colorado as an engineer. His brother works for the company and makes a strong six-figure salary. Speaking three fluent languages would allow him to be highly marketable.

He chose to me a missionary with his wife.

His story can serve as a needed reminder for us in America. A lot of times reminders like this seem to be affiliated with a 'guilt by association' ploy...that not intended here.

It is a willingness to look outside of our own perspective and give thanks, which is so needed for recovery...
* to take our eyes off our own lives for a time
* to gain perspective
* to search our hearts
* to seek personal holiness
* to ask God for the bigger picture

Here's his latest newsletter.
(I will not post what the name of his missionary team is in efforts to ask for support...if you are interested, private email)

Dear Friends,
In this remote region of Nepal, every baby is born in a stable. The sad irony is that the 50% who survive past their first birthday have never had the chance to hear about the God who loved and cared enough to also be born in a poor stable. Minimal clothing, no available health care, no running water, electricity or roads. Daily survival is the main focus of these destitute people living with no hope for the afterlife.

It was into this harsh and dreary environment that the student team from Switzerland hiked, an altitude of 12,000 feet, snow covering their tents at night. Originally unsure that the supplies were going to be transported as needed, we are happy to report that it arrived.

The team was able to equip EVERY home in the village with a solar-powered light and the new smokeless stove, carried in on the backs of the villagers.

EVERY child received a pair of shoes, clothing and sweater along with desperately needed school supplies for the year. And most importantly, a Nepalese pastor will be making the 12 hour hike to minister to the village regularly.

As a matter of perspective, let's reflect on our culture and their culture.



This young girl received her FIRST
pair of shoes given by a missionary...............................


The abundance of choices for
a young girl in America are abundant



The family's first stove
carried in by missionaries.......................................



The convenience of turning
lots of knobs for many of us.

Ask God to search your heart...to listen to Him, seeking ways to replace the lesser for the greater.

Personally, I am still reflecting on the passing of our sister in Christ Toni, asking God to use her life as a way to help me see that which really matters. I know I will have to give up the lesser for the greater.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.--Romans 12:2

While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporary; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” ......–1 Cor 4:18

* In Memory of Toni Cotter

This is both a sad time and blessed time.

Our dear sister in Christ, Toni Cotter has passed and is with Jesus now. Many of you know Toni was stricken with cancer and recently the condition worsened.

Today’s devotion is in her honor. Please take a moment to thank God that He chose Toni and that she is in now in eternal peace.

Knowing Toni gave her life to Jesus is why we can rejoice. She is where there is no pain and suffering. She is truly at peace. May Toni’s life remind us all of our destiny and be used to bless us even now.

We know that Heaven is the spiritual realm in which the glory of God's presence is revealed, and in which dwell the angels of God, and all believers like Toni who have departed this world (Heb. 12:22-24).

We know that heaven is a place which human words are inadequate to fully describe. Ezekiel could only describe what the glory of Heaven was "like" or "resembles" (Ezek. 1). In reporting on his apparent visit to heaven, the apostle Paul said that he "heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak" (2 Cor. 12:4). What he saw was not only impermissible but impossible to describe in human terms! The Apostle Paul said that we shall be "astonished" when we see the Lord at His coming in glory (2 Thess. 1:10)!

Praise God Toni is now astonished!

Heaven was Toni’s immediate destination after death. To the thief on the cross, Jesus said, "Today you shall be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43). Paul said that "to be absent from the body (is to be) at home with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8), and that should he depart this world, he would "be with Christ" (Phil. 1:23).

Praise God Toni is at home with the Lord!

Paul spoke of "the hope of righteousness" for which we wait (Gal. 5:5); the expectation of being made wholly righteous. In Romans chapter 7 he spoke of being released from the internal struggle against indwelling sin, through being set free from our mortal body (Rom. 7:23-24).

Praise God Toni is now made wholly righteous!

One day we will see Him "just as He is." And when we do, there will be something about our vision of Him that will purify our hearts from all sin and bond us eternally to Him!

Praise God Toni is purified!

There is no disunity in heaven because "perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). When we fully apprehend the perfect love which God has for us, and are cleansed from the sin that presently indwells us, our relationships with one another will finally be what God intended them to be.

Praise God Toni knows the bond of unity with other believers as God intended!

At the end of his beloved "Narnia Tales" C. S. Lewis describes the events that transpire as the characters in his story enter Heaven :

"The things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story, which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before."

Praise God Toni will live forever as she begins Chapter One of eternity!

We will miss you Toni and your life counted!

* Come Sail Away

We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. —2 Corinthians 5:8

Dorothy, an elderly woman, was near death. She loved the Lord and longed to be with Him. The nurse told her family that Dorothy would probably hold on until she could see her daughter, who was on her way to say goodbye. The nurse said, "It's as if Dorothy has one foot here and the other in heaven. She wants to take that last step soon."

That reminds me of the following beautiful description of dying by Henry van Dyke:

"I am standing at the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck of white cloud, just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other. . . . And just at the moment when someone at my side says: 'There, she is gone!' there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: 'Here she comes!' And that is dying."

Even more comforting for the loved ones of a believer who dies are the words of the apostle Paul: "If our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Cor. 5:1). We can rejoice in our sorrow knowing our departed loved ones are now present with the Lord (v.8).

The death of people whom we love
Brings sorrow and deep pain;
But if our loved ones know the Lord,
Our loss becomes their gain. —Sper

Because Christ lives, death is not tragedy but triumph.

* The Value of Mentoring

The following story is about the value of mentoring…

My introduction to the world of dog shows began with my first German Shepherd. She joined me in the spring of 1955. She was my best friend and constant companion. Having been raised with family dogs all my life and having read almost every dog book ever written, I thought I was pretty savvy. Actually, I was a really good pet owner.

I didn’t know I didn’t know much until 1957 when I decided to join a dog training class with “Kadee.” That class led to membership in a dog club. Then I discovered that attending dog shows was really fascinating and was an endeavor in which my entire young family could participate.

I realized I knew nothing about dog showing. I didn’t even realize that my dog, although AKC-registered, wasn’t a show dog. I didn’t know what to do in the show ring! I was a rank amateur!

Fortunately a wonderful couple recognized my interest, appreciated my lack of knowledge and took me under their wing. They became my mentors and the time they spent with me, the hours spent poring over GSD Reviews in their den on Sunday afternoons, are indelibly imprinted in my memory.

That’s how I learned about my chosen Breed. I was like a sponge, soaking up every morsel of information that they were willing to share. I read the books that they suggested. I took their advice, and, because I was willing to learn, others started sharing what they knew to me. It wasn’t long before people were asking me to show their puppies for them.

Most of what I know today about breeding and showing I can still attribute to my friends in those long-ago days who were willing to help a rank amateur. Today, those friends and what they shared mean so much to me; they still impact what I do in terms of dealing with newcomers to our Breed. Thanks to them, I learned the value of having a mentor. Now I am in a position to return that favor to others.

A number of years ago, a lady joined one of my training classes with her Corgi. She became interested in titling her dog in Obedience. Then she attended a Herding Test and qualified her dogs. Now, years later, she has held several offices in the organization and she has chaired the annual Herding Instinct Test for several years! I am proud to have mentored her.
________________________________________________________________

Mentoring is another word for discipleship; discipleship another word for sponsor. One of the best ways to determine a Christian leader is to ask who they are mentoring. If they are not spending any significant time with someone, then all they are doing is dispensing knowledge similar to a parent who knows their child's favorite sport, but never participates in it with them. That is not Jesus' way at all.

Jesus' command for all believers is to make disciples. It is not optional.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."--Matthew 28:19-20

Making disciples is much like assuming the responsibilities of being a parent and probably the most neglected relationship in the church today.

We disciple:

· Until they learn to feed themselves, you make sure they are fed.

· You teach them how to feed themselves as soon as possible.

· If they get into trouble, you help them -- even if it is inconvenient, because they are your top priority.

· You train them to do what they need to do.

· You teach them what you know.

· You help protect them from danger.

· Mostly, you must spend time with them because people learn best by example.

Your goal is to eventually reproduce yourself into another who can also stand on their own and reproduce themselves.

Celebrate Recovery has some very strong guidelines built-in because growing properly is tremendously important if we are to reproduce our lives into someone else.

First we need to take care of ourselves
“You can’t impart what you don’t possess.” This is why it is very wise to not get into a significant relationship with the opposite sex for at least a year when in recovery. We need to make sure we are able to walk consistently with God before trying to walk with another.

Develop a relationship with a sponsor or spiritual parent
Like a child needing guidance and support, so does a new Christian or a recovering Christian. This is a crucial relationship. Many of us did not have parents who mentored us, much less spiritual parenting. We need this relationship to be able to give ourselves away to someone else. Too many people in the church are walking alone! We need to take this relationship seriously.

Ask God if you are ready for a mentoring relationship.
Do you desire to grow?
Are you willing to count the cost?
If you are, ask God for a mentor. Seek and you shall find, ask and you shall receive. Those who don't have don't ask. Those who don't ask don't desire.

Do you desire to grow in Christ so you can reproduce your life into another's life? If not, what's more important? What is a better way to make your life count before God?

Disciples are those God is entrusting to you, that He may train them though you.
Training has not been accomplished until the desired action is being practiced.

* The Cushion of the Sea

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Matt. 5:9).

There is a phrase called, "the cushion of the sea." The ocean surface is often greatly agitated, but as you descend, the water becomes increasingly calm. At its greatest depths the ocean is virtually still. Oceanographers dredging ocean bottoms have found animal and plant remains that appear to have been undisturbed for hundreds of years.

Similarly, Christians can experience a cushion of peace in their souls regardless of their troubled surroundings. That's because they belong to God, who is the source of peace; serve Christ, who is the Prince of Peace; and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who is the agent of peace. Galatians 5:22 says, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, [and] peace." When you become a Christian, God grants you the gift of peace.

God is not only the source of perfect peace, but also its purest example. Everything He does is marked by peace. First Corinthians 14:33 says He is not a God of confusion but of peace. In Judges 6:24 He is called Jehovah-shalom, which means, "the Lord is peace." The Trinity is characterized by a total absence of conflict: perfect oneness, perfect righteousness, and absolute harmony. It is impossible for God to be at odds with Himself!

God wants everyone to know that kind of peace. He created the world with peace and sent His Son to offer peace. Someday Christ will return to establish His kingdom and reign in peace for eternity.

In the meantime turmoil exists for all who don't know Christ. They have no cushion for their souls. You, however, have peace with God through the death of Christ Jesus, and as you obey Him, His peace will continually reign in your heart. Don't ever let sin rob you of that blessed cushion. Only as you experience peace within yourself can you share it with others.

How are you doing today? What is robbing you of peace? What are three things you can do to gain more peace today? If you have an accountability partner, let them know what you did?

Robbers of Peace
Relationships with family
Continual sin--those thorns that won't go away
Relationships at work
Relationships with neighbors
Neglect of self-care--exercise, eating right, rest, enjoyable activities
(_____________) fill in what else robs you of peace

Suggestions for Prayer:

• Thank God for the cushion of peace He has provided amid difficult circumstances.
• Ask God to use you as an instrument of His peace today.

For Further Study:

Read Isaiah 57:15-21, noting how God encourages the repentant and warns the wicked in relation to peace.

* Drawing Near

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded --James 4:8

Do you remember the time when you entered a new relationship with God? Your appetite for truth was insatiable, you attended every Bible conference you could, and you were faithfully involved in every ministry and program the church had to offer. Everything you learned about God filled you with joy and ignited zealous activity. The phrase, “You’re on fire for the Lord” was a description of your life.

Like any new relationship,
with time the flame can grow dim

If the flame has worn out, what happened? Did you lose the wonder of worship as the years passed on? Life grinds on monotonously and church attendance becomes rote behavior--sing, listen to a sermon, greet a few people with handshakes and smiles, and go home.

If that sounds familiar, return to God by submitting to James' imperative: "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded" --James 4:8

Some practical encouragement on how to draw near to God.

Understanding Worship

Worshiping God is the essence of being a Christian. Jesus explained that point to a Samaritan woman this way: "An hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers" (John 4:23).

If we are Christians, we are worshipers. Our hope of eternal life is really an anticipation of unhindered, unadulterated worship. "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" (John 17:3). With that in mind, we evangelize the lost to gather more worshipers. Worship then is at the heart of everything we are and do.

Tragically, many Christians today have set their affections on the temporal things of this world, exchanging their great privilege of knowing God better for that which is mundane.

King David had the best this world had to offer-money, power, success, fame-and yet he said, "One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple" (Psalms. 27:4)

Worship is an overflow of a mind
renewed by the truth of God.

Proper worship makes God's Word become discovery rather than dry and lifeless study. When you discover a great truth about God, you meditate on that truth-mulling it around in your mind-until it captivates your whole thinking process. That in turn will lead to worship.

Study the Bible with the goal of discovering the wonders of God. Once you latch on to some great truth, fill your mind with it and ponder it in prayer before God.

Turn your heart back to God
The failure to worship God in spirit and in truth is not just an unfortunate lapse in spiritual enthusiasm, it is a sin. To love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, and mind is not the greatest suggestion in the Law, it is the greatest commandment (Matt. 22:36-40). Confess your sin and clear your conscience.

Prepare yourself
Let's look at Hebrews 10:22. "Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." We are to draw near "with a sincere heart." That speaks of a genuine heart, devoted to pursuing God with your whole heart.

Draw near "in full assurance of faith."
Each of us has to be willing to say, "I'm coming to God in full confidence that I am saved fully by faith in Jesus Christ." We can be fully assured that God accepts our worship, not because of what we do, but because of what Jesus for us at Calvary.

Draw near "having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience."
Come to God with the knowledge that you are unworthy to be in His presence. The only reason anyone can come to Him is the blood of Christ, which was shed on the cross as a cleansing for sin.

Draw near having "our bodies washed with pure water."
This is the daily cleansing by the Word of God that brings to light sinful thoughts and exposes sinful behavior. Before you worship, confess the sins that God uncovered through His Word so you can draw near in purity.

* Lessons from a Mutt!

Sally

Recently I took on a rescue pup named Sally.

Sally is about 6 months old and might as well be a wild animal. She has no domestic skills whatsoever. Destined for the death chamber in a kill shelter she was rescued by the good people at Labs & Buds. Can't say enough about these people. If you’ve ever known someone involved in dog or animal rescue, there is a vitality about them that is infectious.

Sally has taught me many life lessons so far. I’d like to share a few.

* Respect Boundaries!
Sally withdraws any time my hand comes near her. She forces her face into the corner of her crate. At first this was okay, but after the first day I really wanted to get in and pet her. As I approached her crate and reached into the opening, she immediately fled to the back corner. All I could think of was, “Why does she reacts this way?”

The story cannot be good at all.

I decided that Sally is protecting herself for a good reason. To force myself upon her would be violating her space. No matter how much I wanted to help her, I needed to first respect her. And her body language was clear—STAY AWAY FROM ME!

It occurred to me that if I keep trying to pet her, it was more about ME then it was her. That is selfish.

Doing good still has its limits and
cannot violate the law of respect.

* Patience Produces Fruit
Sally requires a lot of patience. She would be considered “slow” in the educational system. Yet I know otherwise. Her life history clearly impacts her learning. If she is worried about being hit or harmed, then how can she feel secure to receive love? Every time I try to pet her, I get the idea that Sally is saying to me, “Don’t hurt me…and if you don’t hurt me this time, you will hurt me sooner or later.”

But if we hope for what we do not
yet have, we wait for it patiently

* There is a Community that Cares
Sally has no idea how many people love and care for her. She lives in the moment of whatever she feels. Before I picked up Sally from the vet, she was rescued from the kill shelter in Los Angeles, was operated on at a care clinic, and then transported to a vet in Reseda.

I had to make the necessary phone calls, pick up a large carrier, fill out paperwork at the vet, take her home, call the rescue group, and set up her new home. Since her arrival, there was a visit from one of the rescue workers and the following day from a trainer that was concerned about her reclusive behavior. There have been trips to the pet store for food, collars, and a leash..

All this for a dog!

Sally has a committed community that loves her. She will never realize all the people involved in her life, people that want to see her healthy and recovered from her troubled past. They want her to live life to the fullest!

If we are made in God’s image, and all these people spent this much time on a dog, doesn’t that reflect the tremendous love of God for us? Why would God create people with a desire to reach out, to support, to care, to love…and not do the same Himself?

A new command I give you: Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Sally has made these verses come alive for me;

Psalm 91:14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

Matthew 25:35-36 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

I guess life’s lessons can walk on four legs!

--Joe Ventura

* The Coat of Security

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matt. 5:8).

By the time Jesus arrived, Israel was in a desperate condition spiritually. The Jewish people were in bondage to the oppressive legalism of the Pharisees, who had developed a system of laws that were impossible to keep. Consequently, the people lacked security and were longing for a savior to free them from guilt and frustration. They knew God had promised a redeemer who would forgive their sins and cleanse their hearts (Ezek. 36:25-27), but they weren't sure when He was coming or how to identify Him when He arrived.

The enormous response to John the Baptist's ministry illustrates the level of expectancy among the people. Matthew 3:5-6 says, "Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea, and all the district around the Jordan; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins." The uppermost question in everyone's mind seemed to be, "How can I enter the kingdom of heaven?"

Jesus Himself was asked that question by many people in different ways. In Luke 10:25 a lawyer asks, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" In Luke 18:18 a rich young ruler asks exactly the same thing. In John 6:28 a multitude asks, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" Nicodemus, a prominent Jewish religious leader, came to Jesus at night with the same question, but before he could ask it, Jesus read his thoughts and said, "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

As devoutly religious as those people might have been, they would remain spiritually lost unless they placed their faith in Christ. That's the only way to enter the kingdom.

Still today many people look for relief from sin and guilt. God can use you to share Christ with some of them. Ask Him for that privilege and be prepared when it comes.

Suggestions for Prayer:

• Pray for those enslaved to legalistic religious systems.
• Be sure there is no sin in your life to hinder God's work through you.

For Further Study:

Read Galatians 3.

• Why did Paul rebuke the Galatians?
• What was the purpose of the Old Testament law?

* Let Us Not Forget To...

"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another"-John 13:35

This is a powerful verse! It is so simple, and so often missed. How in the world could Christians miss something so obvious? I’ve often wondered why there are so many denominations and churches. When I became a Christian in college I asked many “childlike questions.” Looking back twenty-five years, many of them I still ask today.

My church experience is vast. For the first eight years of my journey I sat under one of the best bible expositors of the past 100 years. I learned more Bible than many in a Christian college. I am grateful for this learning experience and have never questioned God’s sovereign choice in putting me at this church.

During this time, my head grew and grew, but my heart issues were not touched beyond the surface. There are many reasons for this. One of which was because all I ever did was a hang around college age students like myself. When the "old wise man" was all of twenty-four, there wasn’t a lot of life experience to draw on.

One afternoon I got a knock on the door. It was two Jehovah’s Witness. We spoke at length and being a church-goer, I invited them in. I loved the discussion. After they left I felt they were more committed to lies than I was the truth and decided to further my biblical understanding, so I went to enroll in Bible college.

Meeting with the dean of students, I was told to move forward after my college degree and attend seminary. So I did. I moved to Indiana within six months.

I experienced a lot of tension in seminary. Professors were asked to leave. The counseling program was closed. It was as though all my heroes were lost when I got too close.

After seminary I moved back to California. I was part of a church that split in six months. I went back to my old church and served in the single’s ministry as well as the junior’s ministry, teaching a fourth grade Sunday School class.

With all this involvement, I didn’t really know people beneath the surface. The church was so large and active that sharing hurts, habits, and hang-ups was difficult.

I caught a bad cold and was absent from church for three weeks. No calls. Then another week went by. No calls. Then another. I received three calls once and that was it. After thirteen years in the church I got three calls.

Did I feel sorry for myself? You bet! I didn’t miss a church service in almost thirteen years, attended every Sunday morning and evening service, every Friday for Bible study and all the social events.

Three calls!

After church one Sunday evening I visited my parents. When I walked through the front door both my folks and their friends were sitting in the dining room enjoying conversation and eating snacks.

I felt alone. Was church just a series of sermons? Why did seeing my parents engaged in conversation with their friends speak to me so much and tap into a loneliness within? What was right about their evening together? What was wrong about my evening?

I felt all of these questions within a minute of walking through the front door!

I thought of this verse; "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another"

I had knowledge of one another. I had knowledge of Paul, James, Peter, Timothy…but did I know love for one another? I knew so many people at church...but did I have love for one another? It was a humbling moment.

1 Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

I could outline 1 Corinthians 13, break down its syntax, apply proper hermeneutics to gain a clear understanding…but did I have love for one another? Did I experience love for one another?

Three calls!

With all the Bible knowledge, I had little wisdom. I was at a church that seemed to seek more knowledge. There is nothing wrong with gaining an understanding of Scripture, but that is NOT the goal! Learning music theory, odd time signatures, and memorizing complex pieces of music is NOT the goal…playing beautiful music is!

I’ve learned the measure of spiritual maturity is not a full head, but a full heart. We need both, but the greatest of these is love!

This was why I was so struck when I visited my parents. There was a sense of community. A sense of fellowship. A sense of relationship. It was knowledge applied! There was love for one another and it was contagious. I wanted it.

I the midst of doing church together, I need to not forget to love one another. There is a difference. I am grateful for those who understand this far greater than I ever will.

They are contagious!

-Joe Ventura

* The Bible & Depression

Depression for the Christian can be a game of guilt. How can those who have received the gift of life be depressed? Aren’t we to die to self and to take up our cross daily?

The heart is very complex and everyone has a different story. Anyone who gives flippant advice to someone in need can be very hurtful. A wise man guards his words, seeking first to understand before speaking. When someone shares their heart condition, this is a place of honor before God, that He would use you to listen first, and then possibly offer words of encouragement to someone in need. When someone opens up, usually the pain if far deeper than the words expressed initially.

What does the Bible have to offer one struggling with ongoing depression?

First, the topic is clearly addressed. The word depression is not usually used in translation, but the topic is seen from Old Testament to New Testament.

The first place most think of turning to is Psalms where the heart is revealed and emotions expressed vividly.

Psalms 42:11
Why are you downcast, O my soul? . . . Put your hope in God . . .

Depression is the "common cold of the mind". It jars us like an emotional whiplash. It's a flashing signal that something is wrong in a person's life or relationships. Depression is a natural response to some kind of real or perceived loss. It also can be a feeling that has no attachment to a significant event or cause. This type of depression is more ongoing and usually associated with someone struggling with depression.

The first question a Christian often asks when they seek help for depression is "Is depression a sin?”

There are some Bible greats that suffered from depression.
Moses, (Exodus 18)
Elijah, (1 Kings 19)
Jonah, (Jonah 4)
David (Psalms 69 and many others).

If you study the lives of these men you will notice that all of them had not taken care of themselves physically. They were exhausted, without proper food and sleep. Emotionally they were afraid, or felt inferior to the job, or were angry with God for loving their enemies. God never condemned them. He sent someone to help them carry the load, or He made them get food and rest before he restored them.

We see that it is an honor to be used by God in someone’s life who comes to you in need. Do you see this as a sovereign act? A direct call from God? It truly is an honor and very humbling. Many ask God for a significant life, but fail to see the importance in the little things that aren’t big and bold, that don’t have the attachment of applause associated…just the quiet call or note from someone that says, “Can we talk?”

The depressed person needs hope and continual reassurance. Many of David's Psalms begin in great depression but they end with "I will trust in God." Depression dims our perspective of how God is working in our lives. To win over depression a person will have to trust in God, change his/her thinking, learn to forgive themselves and others, accept themselves and circumstances and lastly humble themselves to seek help. God can take this "dark night of the soul" and transform it into great spiritual growth and commitment. Other might need medical attention if symptoms persist.

More biblical reference to depression:
Psalms 34:17-22; 40:1-5; 69
Isaiah.43:1-7; 61:1-3.

If someone comes to you sharing their story of depression, here are some helpful tips;

1. You are not their doctor.
It is not up to you to cause change, so there shouldn’t be pressure, just concern. Be careful not to delve too deep into their issues. Be watch eye on their language. Note any reference to harming themselves. If you feel a deep concern, call someone you know that is more experienced in these matters. If they present a state of being that is so despondent, keep them in your company until you can get help. Make it clear you are concerned and want to get the best help needed.

2. Make sure you have the time to engage at the level they present themselves at.
If not, be clear upfront that you are limited in time and offer to either talk at another later (soon) or try to find someone to help. If you make a commitment to call, then by all means call them back! Ask them if you could pray, even over the phone, Christian or non-Christian. Make your prayer short and to the point. Don’t ramble on for minutes. Keep in mind the prayer is for their blessing and God’s, not your ingenious insights to the problem at hand. Humility is always the wise rule. It is the Holy Spirit that causes change.

3. Do not listen only to tell them what worked for you!
Avoid inside-out advice; “Here’s what I did…” or “ I think you should…” Unless someone asks you for advice, avoid the temptation of making yourself feel better by rescuing the needy soul. Even if they do ask for advice, be wise. Stay within your limitations. Speak with the awareness that you are in front of the elders at your church. Would you say the same things with this awareness?

4. Ask questions.
When listening, wait for the appropriate pause, and ask a question rather than speaking at the person. Talk about their symptoms, their feelings, and what is going on in their mind. It's ok (if they allow it) to talk about their confusion, forgetfulness, suicidal thoughts, procrastination, social withdrawal, physical pain, loneliness, lack of self worth.

5. Don't be judgmental or overly directive
Listen and care. Help them to realize that although this is very personal and painful, they are not alone, you are there for them and most of their symptoms are shared by other depressed people. To show empathy for another person is to place yourself in their situation. You cannot know what they are feeling or experiencing unless you genuinely listen to them without being judgmental or overly directive. Although their emotions and feelings might seem foreign to you, for them these feelings are real and can be justified given their experiences and the emotions caused by the depression.

6. Be prayerful.
Be in prayer as you listen. Ask God to give you confidence and peace, to speak through you, to give you a spirit of encouragement and wisdom, that your words be healing, that you have self-control in what you say, that you don’t feel pressured to fix.

7. Specific ways to help
* Take a walk together.
Walking together is a way to bond with a person. There is a common rhythm or cadence set when you walk with someone which fosters a synchronization of mind and of mood. A break or lapse in conversation during a walk is not as awkward as it might be in other situations. Depression has a way of locking one down. A walk gets them out of the house and gets the blood flowing. It gives a person a sense of acceptance that you would take the time to come over and walk with them.

* Help them with areas of procrastination
This usually is something beneath the surface. Ask them after their initial story has passed, maybe after walking for a time if they have any pressing items that need to be done; paying bills, shopping for food, doing dishes, mowing a lawn, get an oil change for their car. It is these “little things” that weigh on a person.

* Ask them if they would like a call at a later time.

* Ask them how you can encourage them.

* Have a clear ending to your time.
You will most likely have to take the initiative here. Try not to close your time littered with clichés like;
-- Hang in there, things will get better
-- All things work together for good
-- What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger

Ask them if you could pray (quick prayer), give them a hug, and tell then you appreciate their confidence and trust.

A final note…
Be aware that someone could get attached to you. They can start calling daily. Make clear boundaries. This can be very hard for some. Tell them you want to think over the idea of being an accountability partner. Give them an assignment. Ask them to read some Scripture you assign or to start journaling, to walk 30 minutes each day, to make a list of the foods they eat for a week. This will make them take personal responsibility in their recovery.

* Being Filled with Mercy

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy" (Matt. 5:7).

Like the other beatitudes, Matthew 5:7 contains a twofold message: to enter the kingdom you must seek mercy. Once there, you must show mercy to others.

The thought of showing mercy probably surprised Christ's audience because both the Jews and the Romans tended to be merciless. The Romans exalted justice, courage, discipline, and power. To them mercy was a sign of weakness. For example, if a Roman father wanted his newborn child to live, he simply held his thumb up; if he wanted it to die, he held his thumb down.

Jesus repeatedly rebuked the Jewish religious leaders for their egotistical, self-righteous, and condemning attitudes. They were intolerant of anyone who failed to live by their traditions. They even withheld financial support from their own needy parents (Matt. 15:3-9).

Like the people of Jesus' time, many people today also lack mercy. Some are outright cruel and unkind, but most are so consumed with their quest for self-gratification that they simply neglect others.

Christians, on the other hand, should be characterized by mercy. In fact, James used mercy to illustrate true faith: "What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,' and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself" (James 2:14- 17). He also said mercy is characteristic of godly wisdom: "The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy" (3:17).

As one who has received mercy from God, let mercy be the hallmark of your life.

Suggestions for Prayer:

• Thank God for His great mercy.
• Ask Him to give you opportunities to show mercy to others today.

For Further Study:

Read Luke 10:25-37.

• Who questioned Jesus and what was his motive?
• What characteristics of mercy were demonstrated by the Samaritan traveler?
• What challenge did Jesus give His hearer? Are you willing to meet that challenge?

Jesus ONLY asks of us what He first did for us!
He lived the life, so when He spoke of the life,
it was powerful. Others could disagree with
what Jesus taught, but nobody could ever accuse
Him of not living what He taught. No one!

* Listen To His Promptings

After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. —Acts 16:7

by Marvin Williams

On Friday, my day of rest as a pastor, the Holy Spirit prompted me to call a young single mother in our faith community to see if her car had been repaired. I had some reservations about making the call, but I obeyed.

Little did I know that my obedience would help save her life. She said later: "Friday at work I was planning on taking my life; but in a time of need, I believe God was there for me. He had Pastor Williams call me, and just by listening to his voice, I knew that God loved me."

The apostle Paul must have had reservations when the Holy Spirit prompted him and his team not to go into the provinces of Asia and Bithynia. Instead, they felt the Spirit's call to go into Macedonia to preach the good news. In each situation, they obeyed the Spirit's promptings. As a result, Paul and his team were instrumental in giving birth to a new faith community in Philippi (Acts 16:11-15).

As believers in Christ who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:22), our desire should be to please Him. May we not grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30) by ignoring His gentle promptings. When we obey Him, we might be used by God to lead someone to Christ, to disciple new believers—or even to help save somebody's life.

Holy Spirit, we would hear
Your inner promptings, soft and clear;
And help us know Your still, small voice
So we may make God's will our choice. —D. De Haan

Make the right choice: Obey the Spirit's voice.

* The Art of Doing

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.--Ephesians 4:22-24

We are told repeatedly by Paul to put off the old person and to put on the new. How does one do that?

The answer is actually rather simple. One must intend to do it, and then one must sensibly implement the means. Putting on the new person, growing in grace, is something we must do. Appropriate action is the key. True, as Jesus said, "Without me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) But it is also true that if we do nothing it will be without him.

The path of spiritual growth in the riches of Christ is not a passive one. Grace is not opposed to effort. It is opposed to earning. Effort is action. Earning is attitude. You have never seen people more active than those who have been set on fire by the grace of God.

Paul, who perhaps understood grace better than any other mere human being, looked back at what had happened to him and said: "By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me." (I Cor. 15:10)

Grace cultivates the will and helps to develop it in godliness. It does this by working with all the dimensions of the self. But one has to be open to that, and above all, one has to be turned toward God and acknowledge [his or her] dependence on Him.

The disciplines of the spiritual life are simply practices that prove to be effectual in enabling us to increase the grace of God in our lives.

A discipline in any area is something in my power that I do to enable me to do what I cannot do by direct effort. This is the general nature of discipline, and there is simply no area of human attainment--from playing a musical instrument, to sports, to speaking a language or being friendly--that does not require discipline.

Disciplines are not law, they are wisdom. We have to learn how to do them, and we always fail at the outset. But to fail here is not to sin. Disciplines are for followers of Jesus who intend to learn from Jesus how to live their whole lives in the kingdom of God.

A Few Important Efforts of Following Jesus
Solitude and, within it, silence to expose ourselves to ourselves and to provide a natural context in which to listen to God. This allows my inner compass to stop whirling in response to the demands of others. The elasticity and wholeness of my soul is restored as I grow "still and know that God is God." (Ps. 46:10)

Fasting and, within it, meditating upon God's Word. Fasting is "prime self-denial," a way to expose "how much of our peace depends upon the pleasures of eating." Superficial peace, too. Meditating secures in our lived experience the conviction that "we have meat to eat that the world does not know."

Chastity to train the eyes and the imagination—the eyes of the heart—to see God's sons and daughters as our brothers and sisters.

Secrecy about doing good and being good in order to mortify pride, walk in humility, and relieve ourselves of the need to be the center of attention or to tout our spiritual resume in public.

Study of God's Word in order, as Calvin put it, "to dig up the treasures buried there" and live off them. God has put the Bible in our hands as a kind of owners' manual for tuning and running a healthy life in the kingdom. It's always wise to read the manual.

Worship and, within it, celebration—feasting, dancing, singing at God's glad invitation—in order to mortify despair and to draw us into joyful repose in the household of God. Because we all become like the one we worship, blessed are those whose God is the Lord!

Deliberate consciousness that the first heaven is the air around us, that God is alive in it, and that, bidden or unbidden, God is awfully present there. All prayer, including short prayer ("Help, Lord!"), is inescapably and gloriously local.

Confession of our sins to each other as well as to God. This mortification of the old self is, of course, open to terrible abuse. Who but God can bear to know not only what I said, but also what I almost said? Still, if you confess to a friend that you lied to him, your confession will "marvelously enhance" your ability to get it straight the next time.

The Results Over Time
Fasting becomes feasting on God, meditation on scripture becomes celebration. Religion is no longer an additional burden to be carried in an already overburdened life, but is replaced by a joyous confidence that God is present and prevailing in every situation of life and death.

* The following was a gathered from several articles by Dallas Willard