REMINDER

And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the middle of Jordan, as the LORD spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
JOSHUA 4 : 8

Spiritual memory is crucial in the Christian life. Do you vividly recall times when you know God spoke to you? It would be tragic if, in your haste to advance in your Christian faith, you neglected to leave spiritual markers at key crossroad of your life. Without the help of these marker, you will lose your spiritual bearings.
   The Israelites experienced a tumultuous pilgrimage. Their doubt that God was powerful enough to give them victory cost them forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Then God miraculously parted the water of the Jordan River so they could pass over and continue their conquest. God knew that at times the Israelites would face intimidating enemies and would need a reminder that He was powerful enough to protect them. The Israelites might be tempted to think they made a mistake entering Canaan. For this reason God instructed them to build a monument on the banks of the Jordan River. Whenever they returned to this spot, they would see the monument and be reminded of God's awesome power. This marker would give then confidence to meet the new challenges they faced.
     A spiritual marker identifies a time of decision when you clearly know that God guided you. Can you remember the moment you become a child if God? Were there specific times when He called you to His ways of living? Can you point to times when He clearly guided you in a decision? Were there times He spoke powerfully to you about a commitment you should make? Keep track if these important moment! Regularly rehearse them and notice the steady progression in the way God has led you. This will help you understand God"s activity in your life and give you a sense of direction as you face future decisions.

The Real Deal

Christ rose again the third day. . . [and] was seen by over five hundred brethren.
1 Corinthians 15:4-6

Sometimes cleaning out Grandpa's attic pay's off. For an Ohio man, it pays off in the discovery of a more than 100 year old set of mint- condition baseball cards. Appraisers placed the cards value at $ 3 million.
   One key to the high value of those cards was the fact that they were well preserved. But beyond that, the true worth of the cards rested in the fact that they were authentic. If they had been fakes or counterfeit no matter how good they look tiled they wouldn't have been worth the cardboard they were printed on.
    The apostle Paul had something similar to say about  Christianity: He said that our faith would be completely  worthless and counterfeit if Jesus' resurrection were not the real deal. It took bravery and confidence in God's plan for Paul to say, if Christ is not risen,  then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty (1 Corinthians 5:14) and if Christ is not risen,  your faith is futile; are still in your sins! (Verse 17).
    The Christian faith rests on the authenticity of this story: Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead. Praise God for the clear evidence of Jesus' death and resurrection (vv.3-8). It"s  the real deal, and we can stake our eternity and our total dependence on God on its truth.

Buffing up your musscle

When a strong man armed keeps his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come on him, and overcome him, he takes from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divides his spoils.
LUKE: 11: 21-22

Jesus' offer of His kingdom was the star around which His entire ministry revolved. He didn't care about simply winning as argument; He cared about winning lives. He longed to drive His point into the people's hearts.
 The armed "strong man" is the Davil, who stakes his claim in a person' s life. Christ, "someone stronger," overpower s the strong man, assumes his command, and distributes his plunder. So who is greater? Who is worthy of our allegiance? Surely the conqueror Christ. Jesus climaxes His point in verse 23:
"He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatter."
 We are either for Him or against Him. We either gather or scatter, do good or do harm to His cause. We can't publicly pledge allegiance to His kingdom of light and privately make allegiance with Satan"s kingdom of darkness. There is no middle ground. And It"s not enough to merely clean up our behavior. A person can tidy up his or her life, yet neglect to put Christ at the center which, as Jesus warns, can lead to frightening results. Read the (verse, 24 - 26).
 What exactly is Jesus telling us?
First: unclean spirit prefer to inhabit human bodies rather than to wander aimlessly through the neitherworld (waterless places).
Second: a life that is clean but without Christ is still helpless against the Adversary: it has no armor of God, no prayer, no protective presence of Christ.
Third: a subsequent demonic encounter can be worse than the original one.
 We can't trifle with demons. Mere intellect or will power have no effect on them. They will not be shaken free apart from Christ's intervention.

Becoming a Living Sacrifice

Do not conform any longer to the pattern if this world. . .
ROMANS 12:2

WHEN PAUL WROTE to the Romans, he spoke of Sacrifice something that both Jew and Gentiles understood clearly. Though the readers were already familiar with sacrifices, Paul introduces a new and radical idea. Present our bodies as living sacrifices.
     Your body---not a dead hunk of meat purchased in the market is what he says should be given to God. Surprisingly, the Bible says a great deal about the human body. But what does it mean to present your body as a living sacrifice? The problem with living sacrifice us that they keep crawling off the altar, so whatever offering you make has to be done every day. Daily you must yield control of your life to Him who has redeemed you--- control over what your eye beholds, what you think about, what your hands touch, where your feet take you.
     God made all the parts of your human body, and He pronounced them good. Our reasonable response to what God has done, according to Paul, is act of the will. Your body is God's gift to you, and giving it back to Him is the highest form of worship and the greatest possible sacrifice. Why is this difficult for us?
     Sacrifice placed on altar s were consumed by fire. Living sacrifice in the same way, sometimes feel the consuming fire that purifies and conforms them to His image. Sadly, some of these living sacrifices prefer to crawl back into their caves of darkness and lust.
      Does God ask too much? Or do we simply give too little? God"s great mercies deserve our reasonable service.

On Earth as it is in Heaven

Your kingdom come, Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6:10

In heaven, God's will is the only priority. A word from God brings angels to do His bidding, immediately and without question. Jesus instructed us to pray that God would accomplish His will in our world in the same way. This means that God's purposes would be preeminent in our homes, our business, our school, our churches, and our governments.
    Jesus taught His disciples to pray that God's purposes be carried out in the world around them. In modeling how they should pray, Jesus was teaching, His disciple how to share God's heart. He demonstrates this again at Gethsemane when He prayed, "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" (Matt.26:39). It is as we seek God's kingdom on earth, and not our own purpose, that we gain the same mind as our heavenly Father. We become colaborers with God by praying faithfully in agreement with His desires.
    As you seek the Lord's will, He will guide your praying. He will invite you not only to pray, but also to become involved in His activity as He answers your prayer. If He places a burden upon you to pray for an individual's salvation, that burden is also His invitation to join His activity in that person's life. Prayer will prepare you tone servant through whom God can bring about His will on earth. Pray that the Lord's absolute rule on earth will begin in your life. Then watch to see how God uses you to extend His lordship to others.

FAITH THAT BLESSED

So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Galatian 3:9

Over the last few months my backyard bird feeder hasn't been much to look at. No visitors except a few hardy sparrows. In fact, the other day I spent many long moments by the window, feeling a little blue, hoping to see a few birds.
     Suddenly the bird feeder was abuzz with new and different friends. Finches flew out of nowhere, mockingbird showed up, a couple of red-breasted robins hopped by to join the party, and two doves perched on a nearby fence to wait their turn for the birdseed.
     I sat there wide-eye and with the biggest smile. Without thinking, I exclaimed, "Thank you. Lord, for the birds" It struck me that the entire backyard party was organized by the Lord Himself, Just when I needed a lift, He brought by an array of brightly colored, happy birds. Doves and robins don't drop in by chance if the Lord notices when a sparrow falls, then surely He directs their flight paths.
     It"s simply a matter of faith---faith to observe God's hand in absolutely everything that happens. Faith to believe that the flashing wings of a blue jay fluttering across the yard is a gift orchestrated personally by the Lord.
     What a way to live! Those who are able to see God's sovereign hand in great or small things are full of joy. Look around you today and have faith to see His gift's. You will be b!Essex.

Jesus Pre-Cross Crash Course

However, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it to you.
JOHN 16:13-14 AKJV

Have you ever crammed for a "now or never" exam? On Bible? Unless you're a seminary student, probably not. But you were thrust into such a situation? You'd probably panic. That's no doubt how the disciples felt the evening they enjoyed the Last Supper with the Lord Jesus. Up until the end, evening had been warm and personal there was even that touching moment when Jesus washed their feet. But the mood shifted when Jesus spoke those strange words to Judas, "What you are about to do, do quickly." Judas left and from that point on, the tone of the evening changed. It was as if the Lord realized He had pressing things to say and only a short time in which to say them.
    He spoke about vines and branches, peace and persecution. So much packed into those few hours! How would the disciples remember it all? Jesus knew their dismay. But the Lord also knew that everything would become clear. That's why He promised them the Holy Spirit. The Spirit would be teacher and guide.
     Are you any different from the disciple? Not really Sometimes you  feel that God is pouring million- gallon of truth's into your one-ounce brain! Spirit will help you to understand. He will bring God's to your mind and memory, making all thing clear