STEP INTO DARKNESS

By Christine Cain

God has a purpose and a destiny for our lives. Not so that we can reach a safe nirvana on here on earth but so that we could take risks and make a different in our generation. Let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our father that's in heaven (Matt. 5:16).

TEN BEFORE ELEVEN

by Milan Ford

I made a startling discovery not too long ago. My oldest daughter, now four, asked me late one afternoon to read the brand new Dr. Seuss book her grandmother had just sent to her in the mail. Being a big fan of Dr. Seuss ever since I was a kid, and even a bigger fan of the sparkle in my daughter's eye whenever she would ask me to read to her, I quickly obliged.

So I sat my daughter next to me on the couch, opened the new book, and began to read. But just before I was about to turn over the first page of the book, it happened.

On page 4, it happened. On page 9, it happened.
And on page 14 and 15, it happened again.

I stopped reading and asked my daughter if it was okay if we could take a little break. Puzzled as to why I stopped so suddenly, she slowly and (as any four year-old would) reluctantly agreed. I put the book down and went into bedroom where my wife was sleeping, and frantically tried to wake her up, something I wouldn't normally do.

After she woke up and turned to me with that 'this-really-better-be-good' look on her face, she asked me what was wrong. I took a deep breath, and then told her...

"...I keep SKIPPING words."

I explained how while reading to my daughter, I kept skipping over certain adjectives and prepositions as if I had already read the book before, making many of the sentences I was reading to her incomplete and at times, confusing. It was though my eyes were in a race to the finish each page, which caused me to have to go back at times and reread certain words.

While my reaction to this newfound discovery was one of fright, my wife's reaction was totally different. She burst into laughter and told me in a very calm and reassuring tone...

"...I've known THIS (about you) for some time now."

Overjoyed that my wife was not going to send me to the local psychiatric ward, I began to wonder if I was the only one with this problem. But after flipping through a few religious television channels later that evening, I realized it wasn't me at all. This is a problem most in the Body of Christ have today.

I would argue that over the past five, perhaps even ten years, when it comes to providing the Body of Christ with a renewed hope and faith in God, no passage of scripture has been referenced and recited more than Jeremiah 29:11. I'm sure you've heard of it:

"For I know the plans that I have towards you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Sunday after Sunday, and at times, channel after channel, millions of believers all over the world are encouraged with the message of an all-knowing, all-powerful God who loves us and has plans to give us a successful and bright future in Him. To know that God, despite all of our shortcomings, would be mindful of us in such a way is truly incredible.

However, what is interesting about this particular passage of scripture is not the words that are found within it, but rather in the words that come BEFORE it.

Take a look now at VERSE 10: "For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform my good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place..."

Did you catch that? If not, allow me to help you.

The entire 29th chapter of Jeremiah consists of a letter that was delivered to the King of Judah by the prophet Jeremiah; a letter that prophesied that the land of Jerusalem (all 10,000 of its citizens) would be taking captive by the infamous tyrant and ruler of Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar. I dare you to do a background check on him; he's got quite the record.

Within this letter, God shares with Jerusalem that while He indeed has thoughts and plans to prosper them, their future successes will only come AFTER a period of great trial and pain.

A period that lasted seventy years.
(So why is that important to remember on today, you ask?)

Simply because I want you to know that SUCCESS, while something we all desire and often dream of, does not happen overnight. True success (in God) comes through process.

Now more than ever before, we as believers must exercise patience not only with the reading of God's word, but also when it comes to our personal lives and goals. Our desire to get to the end of our struggle must not be at the expense of truly appreciating our struggle.

You are in the middle of a great story. One that is marked for great success.
Just remember, as it is with math, or the pages of a children's book, so it is with scripture:

TEN always comes before ELEVEN.

Scripture Of The Day: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." - Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

THE PLACE OF TEARS

by Os Hillman

"My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death" (Mt 26:38).

Often the place of our greatest pain becomes the place of our greatest triumph. Gethsemane was the place of Jesus' greatest trial. Three times He asked the Father to let this trial pass. It was not to be. The Father sent His Son to the cross to pay a debt owed by humanity.

Jesus was faced with His own temptation to quit, to not fulfill His destiny, to run from his assignment. It was a personal battle to persevere. Sometimes we face situations that cry out "Quit! I cannot endure anymore!" We want to throw in our towel of what little faith we have left. We conclude that this faith thing simply does not work.

"Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him"(Lk 22:43). After Jesus asked the Father if this cup could pass, an angel was sent to Him to comfort Jesus. The Father's answer to Jesus' prayer was "No." But, His compassion to His Son came in the form of an angel. Some temptations seem they are more than we can bare. However, God tells us: "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" (1 Cor 10:13).

If we persevere we often realize later the place of our greatest battle becomes the place of our greatest victory. It would be here, on the Mount of Olives, near the Garden Gethsemane where Jesus ascended and would return triumphantly, not as a sorrowful soul, but a triumphant Savior. The battle He won in Gethsemane would result in the triumphant entry to be Lord of the universe.

God will use your greatest failure or greatest sorrow to be a powerful force in your life and the lives of others. Your Valley of Baca (weeping) becomes springs for you and others. You will go from strength to strength (Ps 84:6). It is in the dying that the new springs are allowed to come forth and a new strength emerges.

If you find yourself in your Garden of Gethsemane, lay yourself at the feet of the only one who can sustain you. Entrust yourself to your Heavenly Father. Let Him determine your fate. It will ultimately become a place of victory.

CHANGING OUR PARADIGM

by Os Hillman

"While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, 'Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.'" Acts 10:19-20

Peter had never preached to the Gentiles. In fact, he believed it was against Jewish law to associate with the Gentiles. God needed to change Peter's attitude about this, so during the night God gave Peter a vision that showed him it was permissible to preach to the Gentiles. The Spirit came to Peter and informed him that some men were about to come visit him, and he was to go with them. He went with them, and the Lord did great miracles in the lives of Gentiles through Peter.

Sometimes we are so bent on our particular belief that the Holy Spirit must do something miraculous to change our paradigm.

I was once asked to attend a conference overseas. At the time, finances were such that the very idea was ridiculous to me. The very next day a man I had met only once before informed me of this event and asked if I would come if my expenses were covered. I was dumbfounded! The Lord had sent a messenger to change my paradigm because He knew I didn't have the faith to think of the possibility. He knew I needed help.

Do you need a paradigm shift in some area of belief? The Lord still intervenes in the lives of His people every day. Don't be surprised when God begins to change your paradigm by giving you a vision or sending you a messenger of His choosing.

OUR PLANS AND GOD'S PLANS

by Os Hillman


"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21

Have you ever heard of someone who spent years of preparation for one vocation only to end up doing something completely different? Perhaps this could be said of you. Quite often we have in our minds what we believe we want to do only to have a course correction. Often the course correction comes through a major crisis that forces us into an area that we would never have considered.

Such was the case for Samuel Morse. Born in 1791, Morse grew up desiring to be an artist, and he eventually became very talented and internationally known. However, it was difficult to make a living as an artist in America during that time. A series of crises further complicated his vocational desire when his wife died; then his mother and father also died soon after. He went to Europe to paint and reflect on his life. On his return trip aboard a ship, he was captivated by discussions at dinner about new experiments in electromagnetism. During that important occasion, Morse made the following comment, "If the presence of electricity can be made visible in any part of the circuit, I see no reason why intelligence may not be transmitted by electricity." In the face of many difficulties and disappointments, he determinedly perfected a new invention, and, in 1837, applied for a patent that became what we know today as the telegraph. He also created Morse code. It was only later, after many more setbacks and disappointments, that his projects received funding.

Samuel Morse later commented, "The only gleam of hope, and I cannot underrate it, is from confidence in God. When I look upward it calms any apprehension for the future, and I seem to hear a voice saying: 'If I clothe the lilies of the field, shall I not also clothe you?' Here is my strong confidence, and I will wait patiently for the direction of Providence." Morse went on to create several other inventions and can be recognized today as the father of faxes, modems, e-mail, the internet and other electronic communication. ["Glimpses," Issue #99 (Worcester, Pennsylvania: Christian History Institute, 1998).]

God's plans may not always seem to follow our natural inclination. Perhaps God has you taking a path that may not lead to His ultimate destination for you. Trust in the Lord, lean not on your own understanding, acknowledge Him in all you do, and He shall direct your path (see Prov. 3:5-6).

GOOD CHOSE YOU LONG BEFORE YOU CHOSE HIM

by Rick Warren



"Dear friends, God the Father chose you long ago and knew you would become His children." 1 Peter 1:2 (LB)

God says your salvation is no accident. He chose you long before you chose Him. He took the initiative. The Good News translation puts it this way: "You were chosen according to the purpose of God."

Why would God choose you, or me, to be a part of his family? Because he is a God of love. He is a God of grace. The more you understand grace, the more you're going to be amazed by it. God chose you. Did you deserve it? Not a chance. Do you deserve to go to Heaven? No way! Are you good enough to be in God's family? No. He just chose you. And that's good news.

On what basis did He chose you? First Peter 1:3 says, "For it is His boundless mercy that has given us the privilege of being born again so that now we are members of God's own family." God chose you based on his mercy, not your performance. You'll never earn it. You'll never deserve it. You couldn't work hard enough for it. You couldn't be perfect enough. It's only because of God's grace and mercy that the Creator of the universe says, "I want you in my family." If that doesn't encourage you, you'd better check your pulse.

YOUR SOURCE

by Rod Parsley



And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. —Deuteronomy 8:17

When things are going well, it could be easy to take credit for your prosperity. You may think it is your job or your college education that has given you the ability to get wealth. Your intelligence and cunning are not the source of your supply: God is.

During times of great need, you can't depend on anything of this world, including your job or your education. People who hold several degrees and have worked for corporations for decades have been fired from their jobs, thrown into the workforce, and are finding that their age and experience are not a help, but a hindrance.

The woman sick with an issue of blood spent her

living—everything she had—on physicians, relying on their intelligence and education, but only grew worse (Matthew 9:20). We are warned not to forget God in our abundance, or we will eventually lose everything (v. 19).

Realize exactly how dependent you really are on God, for He alone is your true source.

Jesus, You are my source and my supply.
You are my resource and my resupply.
I need You over and over again to renew
and revive my life. Without You my life
loses its charge and vitality. Amen.