🏳️‍🌈✝️ When you live in union with Christ Jesus you are complete

Rainbow Pastor David

05/31/2018

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HIS SUFFICIENCY!  IN UNION WITH ME you are complete.  In closeness to Me you are transformed more and more into the one I designed you to be.

I know that you often feel incomplete, as if some vital part of you is missing.  When this is just a feeling, not a conscious thought, you respond in many unproductive ways, comforting yourself with food, seeking entertainment, searching for yourself in the mirror, and so on.  All the while I am with you, patiently waiting for you to remember Me.  If you continue to go your own way - seeking satisfaction where there is none - you
become increasingly frustrated.

When a child of Mine calls out to Me, I never fail to respond.  I may not provide instant relief, as if I were a genie, but I go to work immediately, setting in motion the conditions you need.  I help you gain awareness of what you have been doing:  seeking fulfillment in worldly ways.  In response to your neediness, I offer you My glorious riches.  When you have settled down enough to think clearly, I invite you to come near Me, where you can find completeness.
 

"Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."  James 1:4
 
"He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them."  Psalm 145:19
 
"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."  James 4:7-8 

🏳️‍🌈✝️ Put God First

By Oswald Chambers

05/31/2018 

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Jesus did not commit Himself to them…for He knew what was in man. —John 2:24-25

Put Trust in God First. Our Lord never put His trust in any person. Yet He was never suspicious, never bitter, and never lost hope for anyone, because He put His trust in God first. He trusted absolutely in what God’s grace could do for others. If I put my trust in human beings first, the end result will be my despair and hopelessness toward everyone. I will become bitter because I have insisted that people be what no person can ever be— absolutely perfect and right. Never trust anything in yourself or in anyone else, except the grace of God.

Put God’s Will First. “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God” (Hebrews 10:9).

A person’s obedience is to what he sees to be a need— our Lord’s obedience was to the will of His Father. The rallying cry today is, “We must get to work! The heathen are dying without God. We must go and tell them about Him.” But we must first make sure that God’s “needs” and His will in us personally are being met. Jesus said, “…tarry…until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). The purpose of our Christian training is to get us into the right relationship to the “needs” of God and His will. Once God’s “needs” in us have been met, He will open the way for us to accomplish His will, meeting His “needs” elsewhere.

Put God’s Son First. “Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me” (Matthew 18:5).

God came as a baby, giving and entrusting Himself to me. He expects my personal life to be a “Bethlehem.” Am I allowing my natural life to be slowly transformed by the indwelling life of the Son of God? God’s ultimate purpose is that His Son might be exhibited in me.

More from My Utmost for His Highest,here

🏳️‍🌈✝️ The Sheep and the Goats question Jesus as to when they saw Him

Written by John W. Ritenbaugh

05/31/2018

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"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 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.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."  Matthew 25:31-46

Understanding the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats lies in their surprised responses. Both the sheep and the goats respond, "When did we see you in need and help you?" (verses 37-39, 44). This parable contains two lessons.

The first lesson is that neither the sheep nor the goats are surprised at the place Christ assigns them. A careful reading of the parable shows that clearly. They do not respond to the place that Christ assigns them, but they express surprise at the reasons He gives for His judgment. A vital question to Christians is, on what does He base his judgment? The basis of His judgment is how they treated Christ! Of course, their treatment of Christ manifests itself in how they treated those in whom Christ lived, those who had His Spirit.

The second lesson is no less important than the first. Jesus, our Judge, eliminates the possibility of hypocrisy obscuring His judgment of the sheep and the goats. If the goats had thought that treating their brothers in the faith would have gotten them into the Kingdom, they would have done it. What is the lesson? Jesus is interested in love from the heart, not a false love.

The true love of God is seen in the sheep. As the sheep respond to their brother's need, they are united in their distress and at the same time unwittingly, unconsciously, without hypocrisy, align themselves with Christ. Apparently, they are not even aware of what they were doing. This is a kind of love that cannot be faked or put on. "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).

The reaction of the goats is quite different. They have little sympathy for God's way and remain indifferent, Laodicean, to their brethren. In so doing, they reject their Messiah, their King, since He lived in the people whom they would not serve. The goats are condemned because of their sins of omission.

Because they had developed their relationship with Christ through prayer, Bible study, fasting, and obedience, the sheep have love through a regular infusion of the Spirit of God. "[T]he love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:5). A godly life always comes down to the basic things. The sheep are simply unconsciously and unaffectedly good, kind, sympathetic, and concerned, attributes of character that cannot be feigned.

— John W. Ritenbaugh

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🏳️‍🌈✝️ The Danger of Small Deviations

Written by The Apostolic Faith Church

05/31/2018

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I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. – Ephesians 4:1

Scientists now say that a series of slits, not a giant gash, sank the Titanic. The opulent, nine-hundred-foot cruise ship went down in 1912 on its first voyage from England to New York. Fifteen hundred people died in the worst maritime disaster of the time.

The most widely held theory was that the ship hit an iceberg, which opened a huge gash in the side of the liner. However, an international team of divers and scientists recently used sound waves to probe the wreckage, buried in the mud under two-and-a-half miles of water. Their discovery? The damage was surprisingly small. Instead of the huge gash, they found six relatively narrow slits across the six watertight holds.

Small damage, invisible to most, can sink a great ship. And “small” deviations from the moral principles of God’s Word are even more dangerous, for they carry eternal consequences.

We live in a world where corruption, dishonesty, and immorality are increasingly commonplace. However, God’s Word establishes certain lasting principles that are fundamental and universal. For instance, the Ten Commandments give us some moral absolutes. These principles do not change with circumstances, cultures, or eras in history, and they are the foundation on which the Christian life must be lived. 

Paul counseled the believers at Ephesus to “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Ephesians 4:1). Our values, our worldview, and our ethical behavior must reflect our commitment to Christ and who we are as Christians. How do we make sure this is the case? We begin by grounding ourselves in the Word of God. When we face an ethical question, we should search the Bible for what it says on that particular subject. We must maintain a close walk with God, making sure nothing hinders us in receiving guidance from Him. We should listen carefully to our consciences and to the Spirit of God as He speaks to us. Finally, we must obey what we know, responding to what God asks us to do. 

Remember, integrity is built and maintained as we diligently apply God’s principles to our choices in life. We must guard against the small “slits” in our integrity that would imperil our Christian testimony. As we live each day as sanctified people who are controlled and guided by the Holy Spirit, we can depend on the power of God to direct our responses to each situation that comes our way.

 

🏳️‍🌈✝️ ALL THE TREASURES OF WISDOM and knowledge are hidden in Christ Jesus

Rainbow Pastor David

05/31/2018

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WISDOM!  ALL THE TREASURES OF WISDOM and knowledge are hidden in Me.  So I am relevant to absolutely everything!  The world is such a fragmented place, with many voices calling out to you - claiming to have answers.  When you are learning or experiencing the new things:  it is vital to stay in communication with Me.  I can help you understand things from My perspective:  drawing on My magnificent wisdom.  I want you to examine everything in the Light of biblical truth.

If you keep Me central in your thoughts, you can discern order and design in a seemingly chaotic world.  There will continue to be things you cannot comprehend, because you live in a broken world.  So you must leave ample room for mystery in your thinking. Acknowledging the limits of your understanding opens the way to profound worship. This will encourage your heart as well as the hearts of your fellow worshipers.
 

"My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."  Colossians 2:2-3

 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."  Proverbs 9:10  NKJV 

🏳️‍🌈✝️ Trusting in the Name Above All Names

Written by Craig von Buseck

05/31/2018

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"Bed rest," Dr. Omar declares. "The bleeding is caused by placenta previa — a condition where the placenta is located too close to the uterus' opening. Unless this is reversed it is likely that you'll lose this baby."

You don't always receive the words of your doctor -- sometimes not at all. But they must be considered. Yes, they are often like the taunting from a giant across the field of battle. "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field."

But you know who you are. You are part of the army of God — the one true God who created the universe.

How can this uncircumcised Philistine dare to say the things he is saying about your God? When he taunts you, he is coming against the Holy One of Israel — because you are His child, and the apple of His eye.

Yes, you know who you are — but the words must be considered.

While the threats try to fill your mind, other words are ignited in your conscience; familiar words of life that crowd out the words of death.

"He will live and not die, and declare the glory of the Lord."

"No weapon formed against us shall prosper."

"If God is for us who can be against us."

Fight, we will. Yes, we will consider these words, and we will talk back with more powerful oratory — "The Name that is above all names."

And so, bed rest it is. For while our weapons of warfare are not carnal, we will not put our God to a foolish test. Yes, we trust that God is well able to heal — through the hands of a physician, or any way He chooses.

After two days in bed, the bleeding persists. Three, four, five days and no change. We miss church on the sixth day, and the brethren are asked to pray.

The seventh day comes and still no change. Then the telephone rings. "We have been seeking God for a healing in our own lives," the brother tells us. "We've been reading a book that talks about the bathing prayer."

"Bathing prayer?" It sounds familiar, but I'm not quite sure what it is.

"The book was written by Francis MacNutt. In the bathing prayer, you play worship music and just pray until you don't feel like praying anymore."

Praying through — I remember the concept from church. "Sure, come on over."

Worship tapes come in the mail every other month from Integrity music. They are soothing and inspiring. They usher you into the presence of God. We decide to play one of those while we bathe the baby in prayer.

The brother and sister come to the door. We live in an upstairs apartment so I go down to greet them. Mother is already in the 'hot seat' when we come into the room. That's was what we call it at cell group — 'the hot seat' — the chair in the middle of the room that people sit in when it's their turn to receive prayer. I turn on the worship tape and we start to exalt the Lord.

No matter what the enemy is yelling across the battlefield, our hope is in God. We will go forth in praise to meet our foe.

The battle is the Lord's.

In time, the enemy is engaged. We will not receive the report of the evil one. One by one we pray as the Holy Spirit places the words on our hearts. When one is finished the others worship along with the recorded choir, or pray in tongues — allowing the Spirit of God to pray through us in a heavenly language. And then another prays in English, declaring the promises of God over the baby and Mother.

A half an hour goes by. Then forty-five minutes. Suddenly, a great boldness sweeps over me. The Devil will not have this child. Goliath will not feed our bones to the dogs. I begin to prophesy.

"This child will live and not die, and declare the glory of the Lord. For this child will have the spirit of David. He will be bold. He will not shy away from the lion or the bear. He will not allow the words of the giant to go unmet. He will have a warrior spirit within him. The Spirit of the Living God will be upon him and he will do great exploits in His Name."

"Yes, the Name that is above every other name."

Twenty more minutes go by, and then things grow quiet. We had prayed through. The tape comes to an end and the room is silent, other than a whispered: "Thank you, Jesus."

Suddenly the brother speaks. "I don't normally do this," he says awkwardly, "but as you were giving the word of the Lord, I felt like God said this baby would be a boy."

Mother nods her head, smiling. "Yes," she agrees, "and the Lord said that we were to name him David."

It is a moment. Each person in the room is confident that we have met God. Tears fill the eyes of the sister and she squeezes both of our hands tightly.

Two more days go by and it is time to visit Doctor Omar again. Would the giant have any more words?

"I don't know what to say," he exclaims, smiling and shaking his head. "The placenta is no longer compromised and the bleeding has all but stopped."

We smile with him and give glory to the Name that is above all names.

David is in third grade now. He should be in second, but he finished Kindergarten in less than half a year, and first grade in the other half. His teacher tells us that he races through his lessons in school and has to wait for everyone else to finish. "If it weren't for the trouble with his handwriting, I wouldn't have any difficulty with him at all," she tells us.

Whose report will we believe? The report of the warrior who says, "The battle is the Lord's."

  

More from CBN, here 

🏳️‍🌈✝️ Which God Do You Serve?

Written by Greg Laurie

05/29/2018 

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A group of seminary students were given the task of organizing the Ten Commandments in their perceived order of importance. Interestingly, these students felt that the sixth commandment, "You shall not murder," should be number-one on the list. The seventh commandment, "You shall not commit adultery," was also placed near the top. But the group relegated the first commandment, "You shall have no other gods before Me," to the bottom of the list. They didn't think it was all that important.

In God's listing, however, it is a different story. He puts this commandment at the top of the list. But why is it the number-one offense to God? It comes down to this: If you have broken this one, then everything else will fall apart.

One day a man came to Jesus and asked Him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" (Mark 12:28 NLT). Jesus responded,

"The most important commandment is this: 'Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these." (verse 29, NLT)

With that statement, Jesus essentially summed up the Ten Commandments: Put God in His rightful place. Make Him number-one in your life.

Could this be said of us today? A survey revealed that 76 percent of Americans believed they had been completely faithful to the first commandment. In other words, they might have problems with some of the other commandments, but for them, the first commandment was not a problem. But is that true? It's hard to say.

You see, everyone has a god. Everyone, including atheists, bows at some altar. We don't all worship the true God, but we all worship. Everyone has something they believe in, some passion that drives them, something that gives their life meaning and purpose. For some, their god is possessions or money. Others worship their bodies. They worship at the church of the perfect physique. Still others worship success or pleasure or relationships. But we all worship someone or something.

With the first commandment, God was establishing the fact that He is our God and was showing us His place in our lives: "I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. You must not have any other god but me" (Exodus 20:2-3 NLT). It is amazing how much can be revealed by a simple little pronoun such as "I." Only one letter long, it conveys a profound and fundamental truth about who God is. When He said, "I am the Lord," He was, in effect, refuting all other belief systems, including pantheism, polytheism, deism, and new-age thinking. When God says, "I am," He is revealing that He is a being, not a mere force of nature. He says, "I am. . . . I feel. I think. I care."

God is not an impersonal force, as pantheism would teach. Nor is He one of many gods, as polytheism claims. God said, "I am the Lord your God" (emphasis mine). As 1 Timothy 2:5 reminds us, "For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity-the man Christ Jesus" (NLT).

In contrast to the teaching of deism, which says that God has no interest in the affairs of men, the first commandment shows us that we have a God who sees and hears and cares. God reminded Israel that He had blessed and protected them up to this point: "I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery."

The Bible says that God is a jealous God. By "jealous," it doesn't mean that God is one who is controlling and demanding and flies into a rage without the slightest reason or provocation. The jealousy the Bible is speaking of is the jealousy of a loving Father who sees the possibilities and potential of His children and is brokenhearted when those things are not realized, or worse, are wasted and squandered.

Jesus said, "And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?" (Matthew 16:26 NLT). Is God number-one in your life today? Or, are you allowing other gods to crowd Him out?
 
 

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Reproduced by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie, PO Box 4000, Riverside, CA, 92514. 

Greg Laurie pastors Harvest Christian Fellowship (one of America's largest churches) in Riverside, California. He has authored several books including the Gold Medallion Award winner, The Upside-Down Church, as well as Losers and Winners, Saints and Sinners and The Best Is Yet to Come. You can find his study notes in the New Believer's Bible and The Seeker's Bible.

Host of the Knowing God with Greg Laurie television program and the nationally syndicated radio program A New Beginning, Laurie is also the founder and featured speaker for Harvest Crusades—contemporary, large-scale evangelistic outreaches, which local churches organize nationally and internationally. Laurie has also appeared on CNN'sLarry King Live, ABC World News Tonight, Fox News, and MSNBC, sharing how the Bible is relevant for people today.

Whether speaking or writing, God has gifted Pastor Laurie with the ability to apply biblical principles to current events in a way that is relevant and easily understood by people of all ages, from all walks of life. The trademark of a Greg Laurie sermon, book, or broadcast is his contemporary, yet straightforward style and format. He resides in Southern California with his wife, Cathe.

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🏳️‍🌈✝️ The Safest Place to Be

Written by Dianne Neal Matthews

05/29/2018

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The disciples could hardly believe their ears. Had Jesus forgotten how the Jews in Jerusalem recently tried to kill him? Why in the world would he want to put his life in danger by going back to Judea? (See John 11:1-16) But Jesus had just announced his intention to go to Bethany in response to a message that his friend Lazarus was sick. This news alarmed the disciples since Bethany was a mere two miles from Jerusalem; they tried to change his mind. “Rabbi, not long ago the Jews wanted to stone you to death,” they reminded him. “Do you really want to go back there?”

Jesus answered their questions with a metaphor that contrasted walking in the light versus walking in darkness. He explained that people who walk during the “day” don’t have to worry about stumbling because they have the knowledge of God’s will to guide them, but those who walk in the darkness of their own understanding and self-reliance are likely to fall. Jesus understood what his well-intentioned disciples did not: as long as he submitted to God’s plan for his life, no harm could come to him until the appointed time of his crucifixion. Jesus had no need to fear his enemies.

God has given each one of us a purpose and specific work to accomplish for him. As long as we’re doing our best to follow his plan for our life, we don’t need to worry about our safety. Nothing and no one on the earth can successfully interfere with God’s purposes. But it’s dangerous to leave the light of God’s truth and walk down a path of disobedience. It’s foolish to let ourselves be guided by the world’s standards and advice or by our own understanding if those things contradict God’s Word. That would be like traveling down a rocky road on a dark night with no source of light to guide us; we can expect to stumble and fall.

Any time we stray from God’s will, we make ourselves vulnerable to temptations, Satan’s traps, and spiritual deceptions, leading us to make unwise choices that can bring serious consequences. The only truly safe place to be is in the center of God’s will for our life. As long as we follow where he leads, we’ll be protected—even in situations that appear threatening or dangerous to human eyes. Letting our decisions and movements be shaped by obedience to God will set us free from fear concerning our welfare and safety. We may have to walk through some dark valleys on our life journey, but even in the shadow of death we have the security of knowing that we are never walking alone. The Light of the world is always right there with us.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me. Psalms 23:4 (NKJV)

Ask yourself: Am I walking in the safety of God’s will for my life, or have I strayed from the path of his commands? 

This Devotion is adapted from Drawing Closer to God: 365 Daily Meditations on Questions from Scripture with permission. (Baker Books) © 2010 Dianne Neal Matthews.

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🏳️‍🌈✝️ Our Heavenly Father will supply ALL YOUR NEEDS

Rainbow Pastor David

05/29/2018 

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TRUST!  I WILL SATISFY YOUR NEEDS IN A SUN-SCORCHED LAND and will strengthen your frame.  I have perfect knowledge of your body's condition.  Your frame was not hidden from Me when you were made in secret.  I handcrafted you Myself; you are fearfully and wonderfully made!

I am the Gardener, and you are My garden.  Even when you are enduring sun-scorching trials I can satisfy your needs and keep you well-watered, like a spring whose waters never fail.  To receive My unfailing provisions, you need to trust Me and thank Me - no matter what.

I, your sovereign Lord, will guide you always.  I delight in watching over you and helping you walk in My ways.  Remember, though, that you also have responsibility:  to follow the guidance I provide.  It is essential to study My Word, for I am vibrantly present in it.  the closer you live to Me, the easier it is to find and follow My path for you.  This way of living is not only for guidance but also for matchless enjoyment.  I will show you the path of Life; in My Presence is fullness of Joy; at My right hand are pleasures forevermore.
 

"The LORD will guide you always, He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.  You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.  Isaiah 58:11
 
"Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."  Psalm 119:105

🏳️‍🌈✝️ Jesus was accused and hated by the "Church"

Written by Martin G. Collins

05/28/2018 

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Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns." Luke 22:52-53

This tragic situation shows unbelief to be destructive, ugly, and cruel. Christ possessed all the power to serve—to heal and to bring peace—yet He was seized and bound to suppress His good works. He lived, died, and rose again so that one day He could fulfill His own inspired words from Isaiah 61:1: “He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.” Yet, his captors and eventual slayers, in their ungodly malice, could see His good words and works only as threats and Him only as an enemy, a man to shame, wound, and kill.

People are no better today. Christians are prohibited from praying in many government buildings or at public gatherings, and they are sometimes prevented from speaking the truth because man's laws have, in effect, seized and bound such activity. The powers of darkness have influenced this world to hinder and persecute Christians just as Christ was.

Finally, Jesus' captors took Him into custody despite being witnesses to the greatest Source of knowledge and truth ever manifested on earth. Foolishly thinking they were superior-minded to Christ and His disciples, these men's actions will forever be a shameful tribute to unbelief (Romans 1:18-22). Had they truly known Him and the truth He brought, “they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (I Corinthians 2:8).

— Martin G. Collins

More from The Berean, here

🏳️‍🌈✝️ Turn those WORRIES into pray and witness the power of JESUS

Rainbow Pastor David

05/28/2018

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WORRY!  AS YOU GIVE YOURSELF more and more to a life of constant communication with Me, you will find that you simply have no time for worry.  You may be skeptical about this statement.  It seems you always find time for worrying.  It's a beast you've been battling in your own strength for years!  This has been counterproductive.  The more you've tried not to worry, the more anxious you've become.  So now you're worrying about worrying!

You definitely need My help in this battle.  Your best strategy is to stop focusing on the problem and put more energy into communicating more with Me.  This approach will help you achieve freedom from all sorts of negative tendencies, including worry. The idea is to replace hurtful, self-defeating behavior with something wondrously positive - communicating with your Creator and Savior.

Because I designed you, I know how you function best: in rich communication with Me.  As your Savior, I also know how you function worst.  Remember that I died for every one of your sins.  Don't just talk to Me; listen to
Me as well.  I speak to you through My Word, My Spirit, My creation.  As you discipline yourself to communicate more with Me - praying perseveringly - you will find your worry-time vanishing.
 

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?  Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?"  Luke 12:25-26

 

An anxious heart weights a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.  Proverbs 12:25 

🏳️‍🌈✝️ The Day I Stopped Living for Jesus

Written by Micca Campbell

05/28/2018

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“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3 (NIV)

There was a quiet hurt in my heart for decades. For some reason, being a Christian wasn’t working out like I had hoped. I was lacking real peace and intimacy with God like I’d seen in others. Deep inside myself, I knew there had to be more to a relationship with God than what I was experiencing.

What’s wrong with me? I wondered.

Daily, I struggled with secret thoughts and desires. Worse than the struggle, I found myself promising God I would give up some sin, only to repeat said sin the next day. It was a never-ending cycle.

Regardless of my sincerity to keep my vow, I failed religiously. I lost my temper with my children. Willpower evaded me. After consuming an entire bag of Oreos, I wrestled with feeling fat, Defeated, Worthless. At times, I even hated myself.

Wasn’t Jesus supposed to liberate me from all of this?

Perhaps you can relate. You desire to do right, but no matter how hard you try, you can’t.

Desperate to understand the reason behind my confusion, I turned to God’s Word for insight. In due course, I came across our key verse.

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3).

It was an “aha moment” for me. Jesus not only saved me, but through His power, I’ve been given an inexhaustible heavenly resource that enables me to live a godly life.

This is good news! You and I can do what pleases God when we depend on the Holy Spirit.

Otherwise, it’s impossible to conquer temptation and sin or gain victory over ungodly habits or hurts. We must depend solely on God’s supernatural power to do in us what we cannot do ourselves.

Suddenly, it all became clear. There was never anything missing from my relationship with God. He hadn’t left me unequipped. I was simply trusting in my own ability instead of relying on God’s supernatural-ability in me.

It’s no wonder I was frustrated. True Christianity isn’t about me living for Jesus; it’s about letting Jesus live through me.

Trying to live the Christian life in my own strength was exhausting and discouraging. Once I began relying on the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ life was free to flow through me. Now, I have what my heart longed for most — an intimate relationship with God.

If you’re wondering, Can God really free me from my ungodly habits that I’ve tried so hard to change? Empower me to let go of past hurts? Survive life’s storms? Experience intimacy with Him and develop an unshakable faith? The answer is, “Yes!”

There comes a time, perhaps it’s today, when we must give up control, stop trying to be good enough and let God be God in us — doing what only He can do, leading us where He will and conforming us into the image of His Son for His glory.

I can honestly tell you the life Jesus promised is real. A supernatural change takes place in our lives when we stop trying to live for Jesus and let Jesus live in us.

Dear God, I give up trying to do right. I can’t. Forgive me for trusting in myself instead of You. Today, I surrender all my efforts and give you complete charge of my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Truth For Today

Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (NIV)

1 Peter 1:3, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (NIV)

Related Resources

Have you been waiting to see the fruit of God’s promises? As the biblical resources from Proverbs 31 Ministries intersect with your day-to-day life, we hope they’ve helped you keep believing God’s promises … even when things don’t work out as planned. Will you help us continue to walk alongside you and many others by making a donation to Proverbs 31 Ministries? Click here to learn more.

Connect

Connect with Micca Campbell on her blog for more about living the Christian life in God’s power.

As the 21-year-old mother of an infant son, Micca’s world was shattered when she lost her husband to a tragic accident. In her darkest moment, she discovered God’s remedy for our deepest fears. Get your copy of Micca’s book — An Untroubled Heart — for yourself or a friend who needs a reminder of God’s goodness in the darkness.

Reflect and Respond

The only person to live without mistakes is Jesus. This is why He joined His life with ours. In what ways have you been trying to live a godly life in your own ability? How will depending on the power of Christ in you make a difference? Share your thoughts in the comments today.

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