+Living Life God's Way+
                                 1/1/2004
                       http://livinglifegodsway.com

                          Happy New Year In Our
                     Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!!

   Praise Him for all that is past. Trust Him for all that is to come.
                               Joseph Hart
              ______________________________________________

                                Yesterday
    "You shall not go with haste,....for the Lord will go before you,
             and the God of Israel will be your rear guard."
                               Isaiah 52:12
     Security from Yesterday. ".....God requires an account of what is
past" (Ecclesiastes 3:15). At the end of the year we turn with eagerness
to all that God has for the future, and yet anxiety is apt to arise when
we remember our yesterdays. Our present enjoyment of God's grace tends
to be lessened by the memory of yesterday's sins and blunders. But God
is the God of our yesterdays, and He allows the memory of them to turn
the past into a ministry of spiritual growth for our future. God reminds
us of the past to protect us from a very shallow security in the
present.
     Security for Tomorrow. "....the Lord will go before you....." This
is a gracious revelation - that God will send His forces out where we
have failed to do so. He will keep watch so that we will not be tripped
up again by the same failures, as would undoubtedly happen if He were
not our "rear guard." And God's hand reaches back to the past, settling
all the claims against our conscience.
     Security for Today. "You shall not go out with haste...." As we
forth forth into the coming year, let it not be in the haste of
impetuous, forgetful delight, not with the quickness of impulsive
thoughtlessness. But let us go out with the patient power of knowing
that the God of Israel will go before us. Our yesterdays hold broken and
irreversible things for us. It is true that we have lost opportunities
that will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety
into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past rest,
but let it rest in the sweet embrace of Christ.
     Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into
the invincible future with Him.
            My Utmost For His Highest; Oswald Chambers; 12/31
          _______________________________________________________


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

01 January


Hope for a Changing World

Titus 2:11-15

We live in a world that is changing rapidly and uncontrollably. Feelings of
instability, insecurity, and inadequacy surround us, but we have an enduring
source of hope: God does not change. His power and love, expressed to us through
His immutable Word, have remained constant.

When we have God living through us, we can have a sense of stability, regardless
of storms blowing about us. God’s provision of hope—carried out by His Spirit—is
part of our salvation. One of the responsibilities of the Holy Spirit is the
renewing of our mind. He empowers us to think about our circumstances as God
does. Unless we observe the difficulties and instabilities in our life as God
looks at them, we will never be able to see the best plan for dealing with our
trials and stresses.

In order for the Holy Spirit to do this work effectively, we must be studying
the Word of God. Our reading will reveal how God works in the life of believers,
what He expects from His children, and how He expresses His love and power.
Then, when we are most in need of reassurance, the Holy Spirit can bring to mind
the principles and promises we have read. Anchoring us to the Bible is an
important work of the Spirit of God.

The Holy Spirit is absolutely essential to the Christian life. Sent by the
Father to be our constant companion in this life, He helps provide stability by
giving direction and showing us the wisest and most joyous way to live.

Charles Stanley

Titus 2
11   For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
12   instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live
sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,
13   looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great
God and Savior, Christ Jesus,
14   who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify
for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
15   These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one
disregard you.



In His Mercies,

Becky

http://www.geocities.com/inhismercies/

Isaiah 38:17Behold, it was for my peace that I had intense bitterness; but You
have loved back my life from the pit of corruption and nothingness, for You have
cast all my sins behind Your back.








---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Find out what made the Top Yahoo! Searches of 2003

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Our Daily BreadJanuary 1, 2004
Restoring The Years
Read: Joel 2:12-27
I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten. —Joel 2:25
Bible In One Year: Genesis 1-3; Matthew 1


---------------------------------

How many years have you lost to the locust? Have self-indulgence, sensuality,
sinful motives, and personal ambition robbed you of joy, peace, and
fruitfulness? Perhaps you feel discouraged when you think of all the time that
seems to have been wasted, never to be reclaimed.
If so, consider the words of the Lord through the prophet Joel. God told the
people of Israel that even though they had been disobedient to Him and had been
disciplined through a plague of locusts, there was still hope. The Lord said
that He is "gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness" (Joel
2:13). Then He promised, "I will restore to you the years that the swarming
locust has eaten" (v.25).
When we confess our sin to the Lord, He is quick to forgive our past and fill
our future with hope. He can bring good out of our wasted years. He does that by
teaching us humility through our failures, and by helping us to understand the
weaknesses we have in common with others.
Although our previous years may have been blighted by sin, God is eager to
restore us and give us much fruit from our labor. What we have learned from the
past can now result in productive service for Him and heartfelt praise to Him.
The year ahead is filled with hope! —David Roper
Forgive me, O Lord, for all of my sin,
Please make my heart pure and cleanse me within;
To You I confess, my ways have been wrong;
Restore now my joy and fill me with song. —Fitzhugh

No matter how dark your past, with Christ your future is bright.




---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Find out what made the Top Yahoo! Searches of 2003

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

02 January


Hope for a Changing World

Acts 8:26-35

The people of this world are starving for true hope while we who are Christians
are filled with hope and the light of God. It is up to believers to be available
so that we can share our message of encouragement with unbelievers.

There is absolutely no hope in this life or in the life to come, apart from a
relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. Because of Christ, we have
righteousness before God and the promise of resurrection—all because Jesus died
in our place. Whatever hope we need for living now and throughout eternity comes
through Him.

According to Romans 5:6, Christ died for the ungodly—each and every person who
will ever live. So what was Jesus’ plan for getting His message of salvation to
all of these people? In Matthew 28, He commissioned the saved to share the Good
News with the lost. As a matter of fact, spreading the word of God through
people is the only method given in the Bible. Jesus said, “Go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations” (v. 19). His disciples went without question. The
Lord is still calling us to go, whether our field is in a faraway country or at
our own workplace.

When God calls us, He doesn’t want excuses or pleas to wait; He wants our
obedience. If we are surrendered to Him, the only thing we can answer when He
calls us is “yes.” Could it be that God wants you to lay aside your plan for
your life and take up His call—spreading hope to a rapidly changing world?


Charles Stanley

Acts 8
26   But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south to
the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.)
27   So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official
of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and
he had come to Jerusalem to worship,
28   and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the
prophet Isaiah.
29   Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot."
30   Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you
understand what you are reading?"
31   And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited
Philip to come up and sit with him.
32   Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:
           "HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER;
           AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT,
           SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH.
33
        "IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY;
           WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION?
           FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH."
34   The eunuch answered Philip and said, "Please tell me, of whom does the
prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?"
35   Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached
Jesus to him.



---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Find out what made the Top Yahoo! Searches of 2003

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Our Daily BreadJanuary 2, 2004
Noble Plans
Read: Isaiah 32:1-8
A generous man devises generous things, and by generosity he shall stand.
—Isaiah 32:8
Bible In One Year: Genesis 4-6; Matthew 2


---------------------------------

There's a difference between saying, "I would like to visit England sometime"
and saying, "I'm planning to visit England next week." One statement expresses a
desire; the other indicates definite preparation.
So often we enter a new year with hopes, desires, and resolutions that can be
the seeds of positive change. But the key to what actually happens in our lives
is in making definite plans. That involves thought, purpose, and effort.
Isaiah wrote about a future time when "a king will reign in righteousness"
(Isaiah 32:1). This prophetic passage tells us about the coming rule of Christ,
but it also gives us a principle that we who bow before Jesus as King can apply
today. Isaiah contrasted the schemer who "devises wicked plans" with the
generous or noble person who "devises generous things" (vv.7-8). As Christ's
followers, we are to be generous people.
What plans have we made for increased generosity during this new year? Are we
only hoping to give more time and attention to others, or have we made some
specific commitments? If we want to help a person or a cause financially, have
we written the first check?
This is a great time to make noble plans that honor God with our vision and
generosity. —David McCasland
In Jesus' name our prayer we raise,
Whose guiding hand has blessed our days;
And may we, Lord, in godly fear
Serve You throughout this coming year. —Anon.

God's plans include you. Do your plans include God?





In His Mercies,

Becky

http://www.geocities.com/inhismercies/

Isaiah 38:17Behold, it was for my peace that I had intense bitterness; but You
have loved back my life from the pit of corruption and nothingness, for You have
cast all my sins behind Your back.








---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Find out what made the Top Yahoo! Searches of 2003

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

+Living Life God's Way+
                                 1/2/2004
                       http://livinglifegodsway.com

                                 [Image]

       God guides us, despite our uncertainties and our vagueness,
        even through our failings and mistakes....He leads us step
        by step, from event to event. Only afterwards, as we look
          back over the way we have come...do we experience the
            feeling of having been led without knowing it, the
               feeling that God has mysteriously guided us.
                              Paul Tournier
               ____________________________________________

                           Security in Eternity
  The lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock,
     in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my
                               stronghold.
                                Psalm 18:2
     The key to experiencing security in your life is to depend on things
that are eternal, not temporal. Christians often feel insecure because
they are depending on temporal things they have no right or ability to
control. For example, some people rely on their money for material
security instead of relying on God's promise to supply all our needs.
The safest place to keep money a few years ago was a savings and loan
institution. But many have failed and the security people had placed in
them was shattered. Only eternal investments are secure.
     I believe God is shaking the foundations of the world. Natural
disasters are on the increase, kingdoms are being toppled, political
boundaries are being redrawn, and anarchy reigns in many poor countries.
Scripture warns us that such conditions would precede the second coming
of Christ (Matthew 24). This shouldn't alarm us; we should be excited.
Christ's return will be the day of the church for those who have stored
up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21).
     Security only comes from relating to that which is anchored in
eternity. Jesus said that we have eternal life and that no one can
snatch us out of His hand (John 10:27-29). Paul declared that nothing
can separate us from the love of God in Christ (Romans 8:35-39) and that
we are sealed in Him by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14). How much
more secure can you get than that? When your ultimate trust is in
temporal values and relationships, you are always subject to insecurity
because these things are subject to failure and can be lost. The
greatest sense of security you can experience is the byproduct of taking
a firm grip on values and relationships which will endure as long as God
Himself.
Lord, my Rock, thank You for the peace and security that comes from
trusting in You instead of temporal values.
                Neil Anderson's Daily In Christ; 8/18/2003
        __________________________________________________________


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Tangled Hair

Beth was sitting at an airport terminal, waiting to board a plane. She was
sitting there with several other people who were also waiting, whom she did not
know.

As she waited, she pulled out her Bible and started reading. All of a sudden she
felt as if the people sitting there around her, were looking at her. She looked
up, but realized that they were looking just over her head, in the direction
right behind her

She turned around to see what everyone was looking at, and when she did, she saw
a stewardess pushing a wheelchair, with the ugliest old man sitting in it, that
she had ever seen before. She said he had this long white hair that was all
tangled and such a mess. His face was really, really wrinkled, and he didn't
look friendly at all.

She said she didn't know why, but she felt drawn to the man, and thought at
first that God wanted her to witness to him. In her mind she said she was
thinking, "Oh, God, please, not now, not here."

No matter what she did, she couldn't get the man off of her mind, and all of a
sudden she knew what God wanted her to do. She was supposed to brush this old
man's hair.

She went and knelt down in front of the old man, and said  "Sir may I have the
honor of brushing your hair for you?"

He said "What?"

She thought, "Oh great, he's hard of hearing." Again, a little louder, she said,
"Sir, may I have the honor of brushing your hair for you?"  He answered, "If you
are going to talk to me, you are going to have to speak
up, I am practically deaf."

So this time, she was almost yelling, "Sir may I please have the honor of
brushing your hair for you?"

Everyone was watching to see what his response would be. The old man just looked
at her confused, and said "Well, I guess if you really want to."

She said, "I don't even have a brush,  but I thought I would ask anyway."

He said, "Look in the bag hanging on the back of my chair, there is a brush in
there."

So she got the brush out and started brushing his hair. (She has a little girl
with long hair, so she has had lots of practice getting tangles out, and knew
how to be gentle with him.) She worked for a long time, until every last tangle
was out.

Just as she was finishing up, she heard the old man crying, and she went and put
her hands on his knees, kneeling in front of him again looking directly into his
eyes, and said "Sir, do you know Jesus?"  He answered, "Yes, of course I know
Jesus. You see, my bride told me she couldn't marry me unless I knew Jesus, so I
learned all about Jesus, and asked Him to come into my heart many years ago,
before I married my bride."

He continued, "You know, I am on my way home to go and see my wife. I have been
in the hospital for a long time, and had to have a special surgery in this town
far from my home. My wife couldn't come with me, because she is so frail
herself." He said, "I was so worried about how terrible my hair looked, and I
didn't want her to see me looking so awful, but I couldn't brush my hair, all by
myself."

Tears were rolling down his cheeks, as he thanked Beth for brushing his hair. 
He thanked her over and over again.

She was crying, people all around witnessing this were crying, and as they were
all boarding the plane, the stewardess, who was also crying, stopped her, and
asked, "Why did you do that?"

And right there was the opportunity, the door that had been opened to share with
someone else, the love of God. "We don't always understand God's ways, but
be ready, He may use us to meet the need of someone else, like He met the need
of this old man, and in that moment, also calling out to a lost soul who needed
to know about His love."

Author Unknown





In His Mercies,

Becky

http://www.geocities.com/inhismercies/

Isaiah 38:17Behold, it was for my peace that I had intense bitterness; but You
have loved back my life from the pit of corruption and nothingness, for You have
cast all my sins behind Your back.








---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Find out what made the Top Yahoo! Searches of 2003

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

+Living Life God's Way+
                                 1/3/2004
                       http://livinglifegodsway.com

                             Weekend Edition


       If you have ever loved a person enough to find joy in making
      sacrifices for that person - then I beg you to give Jesus this
      kind of love. He Himself is longing for you to do so. He loves
       you with more than the love of friendship. He loves you the
         way a bridegroom loves his bride, and nothing but total
       surrender will satisfy Him. He has given you all of Himself,
        and He asks for all of you in return. For you to hold back
         anything will grieve Him to the heart. For your sake He
         poured out all He had, and for His sake you must do the
              same. Be generous in your surrender! Meet His
                   measureless devotion for you with a
                       measureless devotion to Him
                            Catherine Jackson
              ______________________________________________


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

03 January


Beyond Ourselves

2 Corinthians 1:8-11

“Give me a break! Lift the pressure. Do something!” Have you ever cried out to
God in this way? Many people live and work in situations for which there seems
to be no relief or way out of hardship. They experience a constant, crushing
strain whose cause could be anything from poor family life to physical
discomfort from illness.

God promises His children a practical and readily available source of strength.
When we are in need of great might, God provides a supernatural energy that
expresses itself intellectually, morally, physically, and spiritually in the
life of the believer. What is the source of our strength? Jesus Christ. When we
by faith received the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, He came to dwell
in us in the person of the Holy Spirit.

We do not have to beg and plead for God to provide us with the strength to face
difficult circumstances; He has already given us the gift. Our acknowledgement
of weakness and our confession that we need Christ opens the door to the
unsurpassable power of God flowing through us. Declaring that we have come to
the end of our own capacity allows the Lord to demonstrate His provision and
protection over his children.

There are experiences in life that are beyond our control and our limited
strength to endure. If we don’t know the key to persevering, we will stumble and
fall. It is essential that we continually grow in our Christian life by studying
God’s Word and seeking His will.


Charles Stanley

2 Corinthians 1
8   For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came
to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that
we despaired even of life;
9   indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not
trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;
10   who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on
whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us,
11   you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be
given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the
prayers of many.



---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Find out what made the Top Yahoo! Searches of 2003

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Our Daily BreadJanuary 3, 2004
"I Smile"
Read: Psalm 118:14-21
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away;
behold, all things have become new. —2 Corinthians 5:17
Bible In One Year: Genesis 7-9; Matthew 3


---------------------------------

A few years ago, singer Russ Lee came out with a song titled "I Smile." When you
discover how his life was changed by Jesus Christ, you'll know why he sings a
song that says, "I smile when I think about the way You turned my life around. I
smile when I think about the happiness in You I've found."
When Russ was 17, his days were wasted on drugs, alcohol, boredom, and pain. His
life was full of self-inflicted trouble and hopelessness. One day, while
listening to an old rock song called "I Can't Get No Satisfaction," he realized
that this described his life. Two days later, a friend invited him to church.
There Russ heard that real satisfaction comes from knowing Jesus Christ, so he
reached out in faith to Him.
So, what was the first thing Russ did after trusting Christ? According to the
book Touched By The Savior by Mike Yorkey, Russ said, "I walked back out to my
car. In the trunk was a garbage bag filled with drugs I had been selling.
I won't be needing these again, I thought, and I was right. I threw the bag
away. From that day forward, God transformed my life from the inside out. I
became a new creation."
No wonder Russ Lee can sing with exuberance, "I smile." Can you? —Dave Branon
BECOMING A NEW CREATION
Admit that you are a sinner and ask for God's forgiveness (Romans 3:23). Accept
the free gift of eternal life, paid for by the death of Jesus Christ (Romans
6:23).

A song in the heart puts a smile on the face.




---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Find out what made the Top Yahoo! Searches of 2003

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

People who need the Lord sometimes come to a place called "wits end" before they
cry out unto the Lord.
"Psalm 107: 27-30 tells us:  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken
man and are at their wit's end. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble,
and he bringeth them out of their distresses.  He maketh the storm a  calm, so
that the waves thereof are still.   Then are they glad because they be quiet; so
he bringeth them unto their desired haven."


Are you standing at "Wit's End Corner?" Christians also can sometimes feel they
have arrived at "wit's end".  Call out unto the Lord and he will answer.  He
will lead you unto your desired haven as he did those of the Bible.

  Let the words of the following poem speak to you today.  The words will
minister to your heart and are words to be shared with others.   God is able and
will help you or those you care for walk away from "wit's end" to their "best
friend" Jesus.  Where else can we really go but to the Lord?  He will give help
in time of trouble.
Yes, He is able!



WIT'S END CORNER

Are you standing at "Wit's End Corner,"
Christian, with troubled brow?
Are you thinking of what is before you,
And all you are bearing now?
Does all the world seem against you,
And you in the battle alone?
Remember--at "Wit's End Corner"
Is just where God's power is shown.

Are you standing at "Wit's End Corner,"
Blinded with wearying pain,
Feeling you cannot endure it,
You cannot bear the strain,
Bruised through the constant suffering,
Dizzy, and dazed, and numb?
Remember--at "Wit's End Corner"
Is where Jesus loves to come.

Are you standing at "Wit's End Corner"?
Your work before you spread,
All lying begun, unfinished,
And pressing on heart and head,
Longing for strength to do it,
Stretching out trembling hands?
Remember--at. "Wit's End Corner"
The Burden-bearer stands.

Are you standing at "Wit's End Corner"?
Then you're just in the very spot
To learn the wondrous resources
Of Him who faileth not:
No doubt to a brighter pathway
Your footsteps will soon be moved,
But only at "Wit's End Corner"
Is the "God who is able" proved.
--Antoinette Wilson

Do not get discouraged; it may be the last key in the bunch that opens the door.
Stansifer





---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Find out what made the Top Yahoo! Searches of 2003

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Our Daily BreadJanuary 4, 2004
Always For Us
Read: Ruth 1
If God is for us, who can be against us? —Romans 8:31
Bible In One Year: Genesis 10-12; Matthew 4


---------------------------------

Naomi, her husband, and their two sons left Israel and moved to Moab because of
a famine (Ruth 1:1-2). One son married Ruth, the other married Orpah. Eventually
Naomi's husband and sons died (vv.3,5), so she decided to return to Israel. But
she felt that her daughters-in-law would be better off staying in Moab
(vv.6-13). She tried to dissuade them from going with her by saying, "No, my
daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord
has gone out against me!" (v.13).
Was Naomi right in her thinking about God? Perhaps the family had displayed a
lack of faith by moving to pagan Moab, but God certainly was not against her. He
proved this by wonderfully providing for her and Ruth after they returned to
Israel. (Read the rest of the book—it's short.)
You may be unemployed, terminally ill, have a disabled child, or care for a
loved one with Alzheimer's. God hasn't promised to keep us from such problems.
But He has proven that He is always "for us" as Christians by what He did
through Jesus (Romans 5:8-9). Nothing, not even death, can separate us from His
love (8:35-39).
The Lord is never "against us," not even when He chastens us (Hebrews 12:5-6).
He is always for us! —Herb Vander Lugt
Our God is always there for us—
Receiving every prayer,
Delighting in our words of praise,
Responding with His care. —Sper

The One who died to save you will never be against you.




---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Find out what made the Top Yahoo! Searches of 2003

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

When you flee from temptation, be sure you do not leave a fowarding address
behind!







In His Mercies,

Becky

http://www.geocities.com/inhismercies/

Isaiah 38:17Behold, it was for my peace that I had intense bitterness; but You
have loved back my life from the pit of corruption and nothingness, for You have
cast all my sins behind Your back.








---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Find out what made the Top Yahoo! Searches of 2003

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

God has blessed you to make you a blessing.
He wants to give through your hands,
smile through your face, care through your heart,
speak through your voice and shine through your eyes.
Like bread, He will break you and multiply you...
like a cup of cool water, He will pour you forth...
like a well planted tree,
He will make y ou fruitful to every good work.

~Roy Lessin

"And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy
name great; and thou shalt be a blessing."
Genesis 12:2







In His Mercies,

Becky

http://www.geocities.com/inhismercies/

Isaiah 38:17Behold, it was for my peace that I had intense bitterness; but You
have loved back my life from the pit of corruption and nothingness, for You have
cast all my sins behind Your back.








---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Find out what made the Top Yahoo! Searches of 2003

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

+Living Life God's Way+
                                 1/4/2004
                       http://livinglifegodsway.com

                             Weekend Edition


     I need Thee, O Lord, for a curb on my tongue; when I am tempted
      to making carping criticisms and cruel judgments, keep me from
      speaking barbed words that hurt, and in which I find perverted
         satisfaction. Keep me from unkind words and from unkind
        silences. Restrain my judgments. Make my criticisms kind,
         generous and constructive. Make me sweet inside, that I
         may be gentle with other people, gentle in the things I
        say, kind in what I do. Create in me that warmth of mercy
         that shall enable others to find Thy strength for their
         weakness, Thy peace for their strife, Thy joy for their
          sorrow, Thy love for their hatred, Thy compassion for
         their weakness. In thine own strong name, I pray. Amen.
                              Peter Marshall
              ______________________________________________


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

+Living Life God's Way+
                                 1/5/2004
                       http://livinglifegodsway.com

                                 [Image]

                             Reaching For It!
                         Making The Most Of 2004

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor
                                  rests.
                                 Luke 2:14
Reach Up!    "Glory to God in the highest....."
     To "Reach up" is to say, "God, I'll trust your heart."

    * The life that says Glory to God in the highest is a life that says,
      I am "satisfied" with you, God.
    * The life that says Glory to God in the Highest is a life that says,
      "your opinion" matters most to me.

     Titles that make God worth reaching for:

    * Defenders of widows and orphans; Jeremiah 49:11
    * The God who heals; Psalm 147:3
    * The God who sees; Psalm 33:13

     For every character trait of God given in the Bible there is an
instruction to "imitate" it.

Reach In!    "....on earth peace to me...."
     To "Reach in" is to say, "God, you can work on my heart."

    * Reaching in requires a "listening" ear"; Matthew 17:5
    * Reaching in requires a "humble" heart"; 1 Peter 5:5
    * Reaching in requires "another person"; Ecclesiastes 4:9

Reach Out!    "...with whom His favor rests..."
     To "Reach out" is to say, "God, I'll share your heart."

    * God is saying to us, "I want you to go," and reach out
    * God is saying, "I'll go with you."
    * God is saying, "it will be worth it all."

    sermon by Leonard Lee at Bayside Church; Granite Bay, CA; 1/4/2004
    __________________________________________________________________


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

06 January


A Clean Heart

1 Peter 2:8

To understand how we can have a clean heart, let’s first think about what
happens when your hands are dirty: you wash them. In fact, you undoubtedly wash
them multiple times each day, even if you cannot see any dirt on them. You wash
them either because they feel dirty or because you can just sense that they are
not clean.

Once we have received Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, we are clean in His
eyes, but that does not mean we have once and for all attained sinless
perfection.

As we venture forth into the world, we will naturally get a little “dirt” on
us—during any particular day, we can think wrong thoughts, make hurtful
comments, or manifest inappropriate attitudes. We remain clean only as long as
we are obedient, which means that we can get dirty all too easily. For this
reason, the Lord told Peter, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but
is completely clean” (John 10:13).

The Scriptures speak of cleansing “by the washing of water with the word.”
(Ephesians 5:26). Spiritually, the way our hearts become clean is by using the
Lord’s “bar of soap”—the Bible. A heart must be clean in order for the Holy
Spirit to work in it. God’s living Word has been given to mankind as an
instruction book and a means to keep us clean by revealing our wrong thinking or
behavior. As Scripture speaks to our heart, we confess and repent, which is how
the cleansing takes place. (1 John 1:9) Have you washed yet today?


Charles Stanley

1 Peter 2:8  and "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense."


---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Our Daily BreadJanuary 6, 2004
The Great Potter
Read: Jeremiah 18:1-6
As the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand. —Jeremiah 18:6
Bible In One Year: Genesis 16-17; Matthew 5:27-48


---------------------------------

One definition of the word attitude is "the angle of approach" that an aircraft
takes when landing. Author Chris Spicer writes: "Attitudes are to life as the
angle of approach is to flying." He adds, "Attitude is the way we choose to
think about things; attitudes will cause us to react and behave in a certain
way." He also says that attitudes are not inborn or accidental. They are learned
and absorbed reactions; therefore they can be changed.
During my thirties, the Lord began convicting me of my wrong thinking toward
myself, others, and life—negative, self-pitying, and bitter thinking. With the
help of God's Word, I recognized my need for change in three main areas: my
attitudes, actions, and reactions. But I feared I couldn't change. One day I
read in Jeremiah 18 how the potter refashioned some marred clay (which is what I
felt like) into a different vessel, as it pleased the potter. What I couldn't
do, my great Potter could! I only needed to be cooperative clay.
Today this vessel is far from finished. But as I put myself in the Potter's
hands, He keeps working on me and shaping my attitudes and actions. I call them
Christ-attitudes, Christ-actions, and Christ-reactions.
The great Potter can do the same for you. —Joanie Yoder
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay;
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still. —Pollard
© 1935 Hope Publishing Co.
A change in the heart brings a change in behavior.




---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

+Living Life God's Way+
                                 1/6/2004
                       http://livinglifegodsway.com

                                 [Image]

     What does God measure about individuals? Most of us incorrectly
believe that God measures the number of people or size of your ministry;

   or the number of people you convert; or the length/duration of your
       ministry. There are two measurements that Scripture reveals.
                      The answer might surprise you.

     What does God measure?

   1. Your heart - Do you have a heart that follows the Lord? (This
      measurement is consistently found throughout the Old and New
      Testament. God records on numerous times whether or not people kept
      or lost their heart.)
   2. The people you produce - He's looking for quality fruit based on
      the utilization of your giftedness. (This measurement ties
      beautifully to the "Character That Counts message of developing
      men/women who are rich in character and integrity.)

              from Rod Handley;  www.characterthatcounts.org
       ___________________________________________________________

    Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts,
     and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way
                               everlasting.
                              Psalm 139:23-24
     Life is more than looking good. There is much more emphasis in
society on our outward appearance and how we are perceived by others.
Although it is great to look nice, it certainly does not make us
valuable. Our true worth lies within, and God sees it all, the good, bad
and the ugly that others are not able to observe. We don't hesitate to
dress in the latest fashion and strut through the mall, a restaurant or
church. We certainly are not ashamed, and even hopeful that we will be
seen and admired. I wonder if we would have the same confidence if our
thoughts and hearts were exposed for all to see as plainly as the
clothes we wear. The things we do to impress other people don't impress
God. While they may evaluate us by external things, God is searching in
the dark and hidden areas that are damaged and in need of repair. He is
aware of our imperfections as well as our strengths and weaknesses, and
working to perfect all.
Prayer: Lord you know my every thought and my words before I even speak
them. Search out the hidden places that no one sees and if there be
anything unpleasing to you, remove it. It is you who I desire to impress
and to please in my life. You know the good and the bad of me and I pray
you will continue working in the obvious and hidden parts of my life.
Amen.
              God Today Devotions; Cheryl Curtis; 8/17/2003
              _______________________________________________


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

+Living Life God's Way+
                                 1/7/2004
                       http://livinglifegodsway.com

                                 [Image]

    He who truly trusts in God will wait in God's time, use God's means,
       and walk in God's way, even though it may seem round about.
                              David Clarkson
                 _______________________________________

                         For Such A Time As This
       "For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and
                               deliverance
  will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's
          house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come
                 to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
                                Esther 4:14
     On October 3, 1991, Frederick Chiluba assumed power in Zambia's
first democratic election, achieving a landslide victory. His first act
as newly elected president was to call for a Celebration of Praise and
to establish a Covenant with God before his people. He declared himself
and his country subject to God's rule and asked for God's blessing. In
1996 he was reelected to the presidency of his African nation. God had
His man at the right place at the right time.
     History is filled with examples of God's perfect timing, but none is
as dramatic as the story of Esther. Before anyone even knew about the
need, God was preparing this young woman to be in the right place at the
right time. Only a person with Esther's character, occupying a position
as close to the throne as she did, could have accomplished the salvation
of the Jewish people. God made sure it happened.
     God is never caught unaware. When things develop at what may appear
to us as a breakneck speed, God is always one step ahead. At the right
time He maneuvers circumstances, removes obstacles and raises the right
people to accomplish His will.
     Sometimes the future can appear very uncertain. You may look at your
situation and wonder how it's all going to work out. Don't allow
yourself to be intimidated by the unknown. You have this assurance: at
the right time and in the right place, God will provide for your need.
If this is a troubling time for you, trust God. Even now He is preparing
someone to help you for such a time as this.
     If God was faithful to you yesterday, you have every reason to trust
Him for tomorrow.
         Lessons On Living Devotional by WoodrowKroll; 8/17/2003
      ______________________________________________________________


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Our Daily BreadJanuary 7, 2004
Joy List
Read: John 15:9-17
These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your
joy may be full. —John 15:11
Bible In One Year: Genesis 18-19; Matthew 6:1-18


---------------------------------

Writer C. W. Metcalf was working as a hospice volunteer when he met 13-year-old
Chuck, who was terminally ill. One day Chuck gave Metcalf half a dozen sheets of
paper with writing on both sides and said, "I want you to give this to my mom
and dad after I die. It's a list of all the fun we had, all the times we
laughed." Metcalf was amazed that this young boy on the verge of death was
thinking about the well-being of others.
Metcalf delivered the list. Years later he decided to make a list of his own.
Surprisingly, he found it difficult at first to compile his "joy list." But as
he began looking each day for the moments of laughter, satisfaction, and joy,
his list began to grow.
Any joy list that we compile will no doubt include many references to the
presence and power of Jesus Christ. No matter what our circumstances, joy is His
gracious gift to all who trust Him. Even as Jesus faced the cross, He looked
beyond its agony to the glad result of His sacrifice. He told His disciples,
"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your
joy may be full" (John 15:11).
Why not begin your own joy list today. It can be a good reminder of the Lord's
faithful love and the gladness of heart He brings. —David McCasland
Because life's circumstances change,
Our happiness may not remain;
But if we're walking with the Lord,
Our inner joy He will sustain. —Sper

To multiply your joy, count your blessings.




---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

+Living Life God's Way+
                                 1/8/2004
                       http://livinglifegodsway.com

                                 [Image]

       It is through dying to concern for self that we are born to new
    life with God and others; in such dying and rebirth, we find that
          life is lent to be spent; and in such spending of what
            we are lent, we find there is an infinite supply.
                                Glenn Olds
                 _______________________________________

                        Things I Cannot Understand
              Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
                   things too wonderful for me to know.
                                 Job 42:3b
     If there was any man on earth who had reason to question God's Love,
it was Job. He lost his family, his health, and his wealth - all at the
same time. His friends came to his side only to question his
spirituality. God had already answered the question of his integrity.
Job was described in the opening verses of the book as "blameless and
upright" (Job 1:1), His calamities were not born from sin. Job
acknowledged God's right to do anything in his life until one day he
could take it no longer. He questioned God's motives.
     God answered Job, but not in the way he wanted to hear. God answered
him with a series of questions that represents the most incredible
discourse of correction by God to any human being. Three chapters later,
Job realized that he had questioned the motives of the Author of the
universe, the Author of love. He fell flat before the Creator and
realized his total depravity. "Surely I spoke of things I did not
understand, things too wonderful for me to know."
        Have you ever questioned God's activity in your life? Have you
  questioned His love for you based on circumstances that came your way?
  The cross at Calvary answers the love question. He sent His own Son in
replacement for your sin. If you were the only person on earth, He would
  have done the same. His ways cannot always be understood or reconciled
  in our finite minds. That must be left for a future time when all will
be understood. For now, entrust your life to Him completely. Embrace Him
                     in the hard times and the good.
               Today God Is First by Os Hillman; 8/14/2003
            __________________________________________________


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

08 January


A Balanced Schedule

Ephesians 5:15-17

We often think seconds are not very important. But seconds tick away into
minutes, minutes into hours, and hours into days. We have all been amazed at how
swiftly days turn into weeks, months, and years. Think of it this way: a
seventy-year-old has lived the equivalent of about two billion, two hundred
seven million, five hundred and twenty thousand seconds!

While you read that last sentence, about five seconds of your life elapsed, and
you can never go back and decide to use them differently. As small as they are,
seconds are precious because they are a creation and a gift of God. How we use
even these small time increments makes a difference. Since our heavenly Father
has a plan for each life—that we live it for His purpose and His will—then we
must consider how we spend not just years, months, and days, but even minutes
and seconds. And the time to decide is now, before any more of your life passes
by.

Understanding the value of each moment, the apostle Paul urges us, “Be careful
how you walk . . . making the most of your time, because the days are evil”
(Ephesians 5:15-16). In essence, he is instructing us, “Take advantage of every
opportunity God gives you—don’t waste your time!” Let Jesus be your role model
for keeping a balanced schedule—He knew that spending time with the Father was
the most important thing He could do. Follow His example, and begin each day in
the Father’s presence. He will help you arrange your schedule and can make every
second count.

-Charles Stanley

Ephesians 5
15   Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16  
making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
17   So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.



---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Our Daily BreadJanuary 8, 2004
Our Home Is Ahead
Read: Hebrews 11:8-10
By faith [Abraham] dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country.
—Hebrews 11:9
Bible In One Year: Genesis 20-22; Matthew 6:19-34


---------------------------------

Now that I'm getting closer to the end of life's journey, I'm thinking more like
a transient. I suppose it's natural. Abraham first described himself as "a
foreigner and a visitor" when he was buying a burial plot for Sarah (Genesis
23:4). Time and death make you think about such things.
Most elderly believers say the same thing: There's no home for us this side of
heaven. Like Pilgrim in Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, once we've caught sight
of the Celestial City we can never be content with anything less. Like Abraham,
we look for a city whose builder is God (Hebrews 11:10).
In Tolkien's The Lord Of The Rings, as Frodo and the other hobbits set out on
their great adventure, they sing, "Home is behind, the world ahead." But for
Christians, it's the other way around: The world is behind; our home is ahead.
There are no valleys of weeping there, for "God will wipe away every tear from
[our] eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be
no more pain, for the former things have passed away" (Revelation 21:4). That
promise makes the present journey easier to endure.
Put another way, it's the hope of going home that keeps me going. I can hardly
wait to get there! —David Roper
I have a home in heaven above,
From sin and sorrow free,
A mansion which eternal love
Designed and formed for me. —Bennett

The more you look forward to heaven, the less you'll desire of earth.




---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT
WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING
LIFE.

The oriental shepherd was always ahead of his sheep.  He was in front.  Any
attempt upon them had to take him into account.  Now God is down in front.  He
is in the tomorrows.  It is tomorrow that fills men with dread.  But God is
there already, and all tomorrows of our life have to pass before Him before they
can get to us.
F. B. Meyer



---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

The Good Shepherd





He who is the Bread of Life began His ministry hungering.  He who is the Water
of Life ended His ministry thirsting.  Christ hungered as a man, and fed the
hungry as God.  He was weary and yet He is our Rest.  He paid tribute, and yet
He is the King.  He was called a devil and He cast out devils.  He prayed and
yet He hears prayer.  He wept and He dries our tears.  He was sold for thirty
pieces of silver, and He redeemed His people.  He was led as a lamb to the
slaughter, and He is the Good Shepherd.  He died and gave His life, and by dying
destroyed death.


Author Unknown


---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

+Living Life God's Way+
                                 1/9/2004
                       http://livinglifegodsway.com

                                 [Image]

     It seems to me, as time goes on, that the only thing that is worth
     seeking is to know and to be known by Christ -- a privilege open
      alone to the childlike, who, with receptivity, guilelessness,
                       and humility, move Godward.
                             Charles H. Brent
             _______________________________________________

                          Focus on the Positive
       When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay him homage,
                       Haman was filled with wrath.
                                Esther 3:5
     A group of people were shown a large sheet of white cardboard with a
small, black dot in the center. The leader of the group asked them,
"What do you see?" Everyone responded that they saw a black dot. "Yes,"
replied the leader, "but what about all the white cardboard around it?"
     It's easy to focus on the "black dot" and forget the rest. Haman
did. We aren't told why, but he was elevated above all the other princes
in the land (Esther 3:1). Since it took place shortly after the plot on
the king's life was discovered, he may have taken credit for uncovering
the scheme. Authority, wealth, and recognition rolled into his coffers.
He enjoyed having others bow and scrape before him, it bothered him
extremely when Mordecai refused to join the group. In fact, after
sharing with his family and friends about all his wealth and honors, he
concluded, "Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai
the Jew sitting at the king's gate" (Esther 5:13). One negative
outweighed all the positive.
     How foolish we are when we allow a single flaw to destroy the many
blessings that God has brought into our lives. We discredit our family
when all we can see are their faults. We show disrespect for our pastor
when we focus on his weakness and forget about his many strengths. Most
of all we do a disservice to God when all that is negative engulfs us
and all that is positive escapes us.
     Are you letting the negatives in your life outweigh all the
positives? Try focusing on all the good that comes from your
circumstances and thank God for that. You may be gratified to discover
that the "white space" in your life is far greater than the "black dot."
                Concentrate on counting your blessings and
             you'll have little time to count anything else.
         Lessons on Living Devotional by Woodrow Kroll; 8/14/2003
       _____________________________________________________________


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

09 January


A Healthy Body

1 Corinthians 6:12, 19-20

We all know there is an undeniable relationship between our health and our
ability to realize our full potential. We may labor to have a clean heart, a
clear mind, and a balanced schedule, but without a healthy body we simply cannot
do our best. And good health will be enhanced when we begin to think about our
bodies the way God does.

In the sixth chapter of first Corinthians, Paul teaches that our bodies belong
to the living God. (verses 19-20) As a result, I have to decide whether I will
take care of my body or whether I will ignore or abuse it. None of us would walk
into church and deliberately make a big mess, smearing red or black paint all
over the place. We wouldn’t do that because we respect the church building as a
place where God’s people worship. Then consider this: the human body which is
indwelt by the Holy Spirit is far more important than any house of worship that
ever existed.

Nevertheless, people often assume that neglecting or mistreating their body is
their prerogative. Whether the issue is substance abuse, abortion, or unhealthy
habits, many people will say, “This is my body. I can do with it whatever I
want.” But as we read in Scripture, it is not your body. Although you can do
what you please, you will pay the price. Sin has its consequences, and sin
against the body can inflict a penalty that lasts for generations. Ask God to
help you regard the body as He does so that you will care for it appropriately.

-Charles Stanley

1 Corinthians 6

The Body Is the Lord's
12   All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things
are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.
19   Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in
you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
20   For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.



---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

THE LORD BLESSSED THE LATTER PART OF JOB'S LIFE MORE THAN THE FIRST.
JOB 42:12


                     THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
       OUR STRUGGLES MAYBE GROWING PAINS OF A DEEPER FAITH.