Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
James 4:13-14

Good fishermen will leave out early in the morning, when it is dark, calm and quiet outside. Fishermen don't sleep in and they don't waste time hitting the snooze button. They make the most out of all the time that is available in their day. Their wake up call might come so early, in fact, that they could get a glimpse of a morning fog.

Just like that momentary fog on the water, our time here on earth is evaporating. Are you spending your life putting off the things God wants you to do, thinking that there's plenty of time? Or are you seizing every moment and making good use of every minute?

In the verses above, James is telling us that time has no guarantees. He's challenging us to focus on what we can do today.

What are some of the things you have been procrastinating? Who has God laid on your heart and asked you to reach out to? Don't delay. Life is too short and too uncertain. So take every opportunity you can to find and fulfill your God-given purpose here on earth.

By Ed Young

An Ordinary Man By Ed Young

Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
James 5:17-18

Elijah, although ordinary, was used in extraordinary ways. Through a simple but powerful prayer, he changed the spiritual direction of an entire nation. Elijah knew how God was going to use his power to influence this nation and he was committed to doing whatever God asked him to.

God can use you in the same powerful way. But you've got to take the time to listen to God when he speaks. Can you hear him? Or is the hustle and bustle of life drowning him out? If you do hear his voice, are you committed to doing whatever he asks?

Because we are all such self-involved creatures, it's easy to forget that our purpose for being here is not for our own personal fulfillment and happiness. We were put on this earth to bring God glory, not ourselves.

If you're living with a self-centered attitude, your potential is sadly limited. But if you commit to do whatever God asks you to, then any ordinary life can truly be used in amazing and extraordinary ways.

Confidence in Prayer by Ed Young

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
1 John 5:14

The Bible not only has answers for life, but also tells us step-by-step how we can get even more out of life. God takes an interest in you as a person and is standing by, ready to hear your prayers, if they are the right ones.

How can you be confident that you're praying the right prayers? You have to know God well enough to know what he would ask for. Prayer isn't asking for what you want. It's putting yourself in a position to want what God wants. And that happens as you begin to know God better. As you get to know him better, you will be given the wisdom to know how to pray according to what he wants you to have.

Be confident in knowing that God hears your prayers. Rather than worrying if he hears you, work on getting to know him better. Show interest in who he is. Read his Word. Continue to pray. Because as you do, you will discover that God has more blessings for you than you could ever imagine

Waiting on God

READ | Psalm 33:20-22

Because our God is an all-knowing, wise, and loving heavenly Father, we’ll always benefit when we follow His schedule. However, waiting on Him can feel difficult.

Throughout the Bible, we read of people who experienced delays before God acted on what He had promised. In the following examples, notice how patience and obedience led to blessing:

1. Noah was told to build an ark because a flood was coming. When the rain did not arrive, his neighbors must have thought him a fool. Yet Noah trusted God and continued to work (Gen. 6:12-22).

2. After reluctantly agreeing to approach Pharaoh about releasing the Jewish slaves, Moses learned it would take a number of warnings before God’s plan would be fulfilled (Ex. 7:1-7).

3. Jesus’ disciples were told to wait in Jerusalem until they received the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4).

When I was a young boy, I learned the importance of patience. After having me plant some seeds in her garden, my mother explained what would happen. First, green sprouts would appear, and then the plants would develop. I kept a close watch on that area, but nothing seemed to be happening. One day I decided to dig up those seeds to see if there was any progress. I found no plants at all. My impatience did not produce any fruit.

The Lord has a plan for each of us, and the timing of every detail is always right. Are you living according to His schedule?

Received by Dr Charles Stanley

Do you need to be uplifted

Psalm 40:1,2 - "I waited patiently for the LORD; He turned to me and
heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand."

There are 7 (count them!), 7 actions in these two versions: two for us
and 5 for the Lord. Having gotten ourselves in difficult situations (such
as a slimy pit full of mud and mire) our actions are to wait patiently
and to prayerfully cry out to the Lord. Look what the Lord then does: He
turns to us, hears our cry, lifts us out of the pit, puts our feet on a
rock and gives us firm ground on which to stand. Is that a great ratio or
what? We do two actions and He does five in return! What a mighty God we
have! Have a blessed week in Him, waiting patiently while crying out to
Him in prayer. He WILL answer with plenty of action! That is His promise!

In Touch bible study

Defeating False Teachers

Read 2 Peter 2:1-3

Outside a grocery store one evening, I watched two young men confronting
soppers with an erroneous statement about scriptural teaching. Anyone who
seemed vague about Christian faith was invited to learn "what God really said"
at a bible study. I was not invited. Infact, the men abandonded me quickly
whe I used the Word to defend my beliefs.
A false teacher wants to create uncertainty in his listeners. In order
to gain followers, he must persuade his audience that he possesses knowledge
they lack. The people who accept this misleading information as asolute truth
will usually return to the false teacher for more. Having followers strokes
his ego and provides "proof" that he is right.
Thise who have a sound doctrine won't be led astray. That's why it is so
important for our faith to rest on biblical truth--for example, Jesus Christ
died for the sins of mankind, the Holy Spirit dwells in believers, and
Christians will be resurrected bodily. Defeating false teachers take smore
than "my pastor says..." When confronted, we must defend our faith with
Scripture we ourselves have studied. By regularly reading and applying God's
Word, we will be better prepared when confronted with untruth.

EARLY LIGHT
Building a sound doctrine protects believers from misleading messages and
arms them to defend the faith. Do not be caught unprepared. If you haven't
already started, begin to study the Bible today. Should you need help, ask
your pastor or a godly mentor for guidance.

Psalm 119:130

The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

--Psalm 119:130
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Sometimes the right path is not so difficult to find, we just need to know where to begin our search -- the reading of God's words. The right way is very seldom just the property of the bright, wise, and scholarly. It is very clear if we will but look for it!

MY PRAYER...
Holy Father, thank you for making your will known through your words in Scripture. Bless me today as I open your word. May I find not only the answer to my questions, but may I find you and your precious will. Through Jesus I pray. Amen

By Max Lucado

"Since God has shown us great mercy, i beg you to offer your lives as a living sacrifice to him."
Romans 12:1

Resentment is the cocaine of the emotions. It causes our blood to pump and our energy level to rise. But, also like cocaine, it demands increasingly large and more frequent dosages. There is a dangerous point at which anger ceases to be an emotion and becomes a driving force. A person bent on revenge moves unknowingly further and further away from being able to forgive, for to be without anger is to be without a source of energy.

hatred is the rabid dog that turns on its owner.

Revenge is the ranging fire that consumes the arsonist.

Bitterness is the trap that snares the hunter.

And mercy is the choice that can set them all free.

TRUST

Trust
David Langerfeld
Jul 30, 2008


Trust

A new school Principal was checking over his school on the first day. Passing the stockroom, he was startled to see the door wide open and teachers bustling in and out, carrying off books and supplies in preparation for the arrival of students the next day. The school where he had been a Principal the previous year had used a check-out system only slightly less elaborate than that at Fort Knox.

Cautiously, he asked the school's long time Custodian, "Do you think it's wise to keep the stockroom unlocked and to let the teachers take things without requisitions?"

The Custodian looked at him gravely and said, "We trust them with the children, don't we?"

Trust. A simple and short word, but one that implies so much. If I trust someone in one area, but not in another, have I really trusted them? Can trust be area specific? I know confidence can be, but trust implies the whole package.

How do you trust God? Do you, as many people do, trust Him for your salvation, but you don't trust Him to take care of your daily needs? Do you trust Him to forgive you of your sins, but not to help you in personal areas that you lift to Him in prayer? In other words, do you trust the Lord for the big things, but doubt Him (distrust) for the relatively little things?

We need to make a decision right now! Do you trust God for EVERYTHING or do you pick and choose where you trust Him? How does God want you to trust Him? I'm so glad that God forgave me of ALL my sins, not just the ones He thought about, rationalized, and made a decision based on my life experience or my worthiness.

God can be trusted in ALL things; we need to show Him that we trust Him in ALL areas by giving Him our WHOLE life, not just certain areas.

" Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In ALL your ways acknowledge him, and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

Press on

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14 NIV

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
The way to walk a tightrope is to keep one's sight on the goal, not on the ground or what is behind. The way to walk with Jesus is to keep our eyes on the goal, his victory waiting for us when he returns, not on the ground (our failures) and not what is behind (our accomplishments). The goal of the Christian walk is to keep walking toward Jesus until we walk with him in heaven.

MY PRAYER...
Lord, I look forward to the day when you call me by name and walk hand in hand with me. Until that day, help me fix my eyes on what you want me to be and not what I've done. By your grace I ask it. Amen.

Weekly study

Romans 4:1-2
"What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God."
NKJV

Life Lesson
Good works are not the basis for salvation but are the fruit of salvation.

There is absolutely no work that we can do to earn our salvation. If there was, we would glorify the work and not God. Think about it. We all are quick to place our faith in the wrong things. We place our faith in jobs, money and family. Suddenly, those things become our priority instead of the very God who gave us those things.

James 2:14 "Dear brothers and sisters, what's the use of saying you have faith if you don't prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can't save anyone." NLT
Although salvation is not earned, works are a good indicator of what you believe. Friend, if you say you are a Christian, but there is no fruit demonstrating it, then you need to take a serious look at your priorities.

Pastor Dave Mcgee
Calvary Chapel
www.reachthetriad.com

Get Along

"Get along with each other, and forgive each other. If someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13

Unity doesn't begin in examining others but in examining self. Unity begins not in demanding that others change, but in admitting that we aren't so perfect ourselves....

The answer to arguments? Acceptance. The first step to unity? Acceptance. Not agreement, acceptance. Not unanimity, acceptance. Not negotiation, arbitration, or elaboration. Those might come later but only after the first step, acceptance.

Grace for the Moment
Max Lucado>

Grace for the moment

"He who follows righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness and honor."
Proverbs 21:21 NIV

In our world, contentment is a strange street vendor, roaming, looking for a home, but seldom finding an open door. He moves slowly from house to house, knocking on doors, offering his wares: an hour of peace, a smile of acceptance, a sight of relief. But his goods are seldom taken. We are too busy to be content.

Not now, thank you. I've too much to do" we say. "Too many marks to be made, to many
achievements to be achieved..."

So the vendor moves on. When I asked him why so few welcomed him into their homes, his answer left me convicted. "I charge a high price, you know. My fee is steep. I ask people to trade in their schedules, frustrations, and anxieties. I demand that they put a torch to their fourteen-hour days and sleepless nights. You'd think I'd have more buyers." He scratched his beard, then added pensively, "But people seem strangely proud of their ulcers and headaches."


Grace for the Moment
Volume II

Healing Our Land: A Call to Prayer and Action

by Charles F. Stanley www.intouch.org

Many government buildings in Washington, D.C., have Bible verses etched into their walls. Our coins carry the inscription, “In God we trust.” The president and other government officials are typically sworn into office with a hand on the Scriptures. All of these are signs of our country’s Judeo-Christian foundation.

Yet despite our heritage, many current government leaders take a cynical view of religion. Certain legislation and judicial decisions seek to remove or marginalize faith-based influence. Morally, our society has drifted far from biblical standards. We continue to squander the blessings God has bestowed upon this great nation, and as a result, we are in danger of losing them. The Lord will not continue to prosper a nation that violates His laws and refuses to honor Him.

Now, before you get discouraged, let me reassure you that this judgment is not inevitable. After King Solomon dedicated the temple the Lord explained how to restore the land if Israel strayed from its devotion to Him. Second Chronicles 7:14 says,
[If] My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

While this promise was for a specific people, place and time, we can apply the same principles when we intercede for the United States. There are three ways we can take action to help our country avoid possible judgment:
We must humble ourselves. At its heart, humility is the recognition that we need God. Although we are a great nation, we can’t take credit for our status without acknowledging the Lord’s help.

We recognize that we do not deserve His goodness but plead for His tender mercies nonetheless. If we have been spiritually apathetic, negligent in prayer, or deliberately disobedient, we must confess and receive the Father’s forgiveness. Only when we are contrite do we begin to appreciate our merciful God in glorious new ways.

We must intercede for our land. Talking with the Lord is a natural outgrowth of humility, because prayer is a simple declaration of dependence. Crying out to God reveals our deep and abiding need for Him. Our intercession should go far beyond a quick, half-hearted, request for the Lord to intervene on our behalf. Instead, we must pray with urgency and desperation. We should be motivated by a burden to see God reach any who are hurting, broken, or lost without a Christ-centered moral compass.

Scripture also commands us to intercede for those in government. Paul wrote, “I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Tim. 2:1-2). I encourage you to pray for the President, those who counsel him, and our elected officials. Intercede for each Supreme Court justice by name. Find a list of your local authorities and pray specifically for them. Ask the Lord to guide their decisions and lead their lives. Prayer is the most effective way to influence our nation’s destiny.

We must seek God’s face. Ask, “Lord, how can I make a difference in the lives of those who don’t know You? How can I be part of the solution rather than part of the problem?” There are two primary ways to influence culture. First, ask God to use you to reach others with the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. With His guidance, befriend those who don’t know the Lord, and demonstrate His love to them in tangible ways. When the Holy Spirit gives you opportunities, tell others what Christ has done in your life.

Second, take a stand for truth. When you ask God to make you an influence for righteousness in our culture, He may lead you to something specific. As Christians, we must be willing to defend our freedoms and get involved in our communities. Sometimes that means boldly taking an unpopular moral stand, fighting legislation that contradicts scriptural principles, or electing officials who will uphold our values. Other times it means reaching out to a neighbor or coworker in need. You may be surprised at what God leads you to do. But as you follow the Holy Spirit, He will use you to impact others in a powerful way.

You are part of the kingdom of heaven, but you are also part of this awesome country, the United States of America. God wants us to humble ourselves, seek His face in prayer, and repent of our selfishness and sin. He desires to heal our land, just as He did for ancient Israel. May the Lord touch your heart with this challenge, anoint your lips with truth, and empower your arms for service. May God bless America.


What are your thoughts on this as an American? or as a Christian?

What does your mouth say?

Romans 3:13-14
"Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit"; "The poison of asps is under their lips"; "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness."
NKJV

Life Lesson
We should seek to glorify God with what we say.

A forest fire can start by very simple means. All it takes is one small spark landing on dry timber and quickly lives are displaced or even destroyed. James 3:5 reads,
"Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!" NKJV

If you have ever witnessed a forest fire, then you have probably noticed that individual embers can soar to incredible heights and travel enormous distances - far greater distances than you would think.. My friend, the words that come out of our mouths do the same. Words of gossip and cursing travel far and wide, causing destruction wherever they go, whether to the heart of a child or to the ears of an adult. Words of grace; however, build up, encourage and glorify God. Our words can hurt people; they can derail lives, ruin reputations and sidetrack the work of God. They can also glorify God and lead people to Him. The things that we say carry much farther than we may ever know and once we speak them, we cannot take them back. Speaking again of the tongue, James 3:9-10 reads,
"With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so." NKJV

Friend, do you speak words that build or words that destroy?

Pastor Dave Mcgee
Calvary Chapel of the Traid
www.reachthe traid.com

Be Transformed...

Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will."

OK, so we can pretty much succeed in not "conforming to the pattern of the world." But how can we be transformed by the renewing of our minds? One big help I have found is to be in God's Word on a daily basis. Another way is to study God's Word and fellowship with other believers on a regular basis. It is very hard to "isolate" ourselves from the world - we do have to be in the workplace, we have to take business trips, we need to visit unbelieving family members, etc. With God's Word in our inventory and repertoire, we can be firmly insulated from the world while not isolated from it.

Bitterness is it's Own Prison

"if you forgive others for their sins, your Father in heaven will also forgive you for our sins''
Matthew 6:14

Bitterness is its own prison.

The sides are slippery with resentment. A floor of muddy anger stills the feet. The stench of betrayal fills the air and stings the eyes. A cloud of self-pity blocks the view of the tiny exit above. Step in and look at the prisoners. Victims are chained to the walls. Victims of betrayal. Victims of abuse.

The dungeon, deep and dark, is beckoning you to enter... You can, you know. You've experienced enough hurt... You can choose, like many, to chain yourself to your hurt... Or you can choose, like some, to put away your hurts before they become hates...
How does God deal with your bitter hearts? He reminds you that what you have is more important than what you don't have. You still have your relationship with God. No one can take that.

Grace for the moment
Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year
Max Lucado

July 2, 2008

WEDNESDAY

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? "I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."
Jeremiah 17:9-10 NIV

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Jesus told us that what is in our heart ultimately works its way out into our activities. The great wise man told us to guard our heart because it is the spring well of our life. Jeremiah wants us to know that God knows our heart. We want to stress the importance of what goes into our hearts because it really makes a difference in what goes on inside our heart. Invite the Lord in to what you do, think, read, watch, and hear and ask him to remove those things that are not worthy of your time and interest.

MY PRAYER...
Righteous Father, please help me guard my heart and be wise enough not to place things into it that would rob it of its devotion to you. I want to be pure through and through. Please search me and help me remove everything that would steal my devotion from you and ruin my influence with others. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

FORGIVENESS FREES THE SOUL

FORGIVENESS FREES THE SOUL

"IF YOU SUFFER FOR DOING GOOD, AND YOU ARE PATIENT, THEN GOD IS PLEASED
1 PETER 2:20

Is there any emotion that imprisons the soul more than the unwillingness to forgive? What do you do when people mistreat you or those you love? Does the fire of anger boil within you, with leaping flames consuming our emotions? Or do you reach somewhere, to some source of cool water and pull out a bucket of mercy - to free yourself?

Don't get on the roller coaster of resentment and anger. You be the one who says, "Yes, he mistreated me, but I am going to be like Christ. I'll be the one who says, "Forgive them, Father, they don't know what they're doing."

Grace for the Moment
Volume I
Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year
Max Lucado

By Max Lucado

The Lord will keep you from all harm -- he will watch over your life the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121:7-8 NIV

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Our lives are not lived alone. The Lord is with us personally. He holds each of our futures and our safety in his hands. We live to serve him and go to be with him when we die. The Lord will keep us from all harm!

MY PRAYER...
Mighty Protector Rock of my salvation. Thank you that my future is secure with you. Make this assurance the convicting power in my life to turn over my future and my life to you. Through Jesus I ask this. Amen.

Fathers do not exasperate your children instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:4 NIV

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Mothers have such an inside road with children that it is interesting that God commands fathers to be about the work of spiritual nurture. I don't believe he means to exclude mothers. No I think he assumes they'll do their part. But the father's influence and intentional training is so essential.

MY PRAYER...
Abba Father may my children come to find you in me. Through Jesus I pray. Amen

Max Lucado

As a father has compassion on his children so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. Psalm 103:13NIV

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Compassion. Not pity not anger not shame not impatience not intolerance not rejection but compassion is what God my Father gives to me. He cares for my pain enough to enter into my world and share it in Jesus.

MY PRAYER...
Father of Mercies and God of all Compassion thank you for not only knowing and caring about my struggles and problems but sending me help in Jesus and the Holy Spirit. By one I know your love and mercy and by the other I know your might and power. May your Spirit of compassion be found in my relationships. Through the grace of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Father's Day

What Makes a DadGod took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,And so, He called it
... Dad

~~Author Unknown.~~

Think about this one

"No one is like the Lord our God, who rules from heaven." Psalm 113:5

On a trip to the United Kingdom, our family visited a castle. In the center of the garden sat a maze. Row after row of shoulder-high hedges, leading to one dead end after another. Successfully navigate the labyrinth, and discover the door to a tall tower in the center of the garden. Were you to look at our family pictures of the trip, you'd see four of our five family members standing on the top of the tower. Hmmm, someone is still on the ground. Guess who? I was stuck in the foliage. I just couldn't figure out which way to go.

Ah, but then I heard a voice from above. "Hey, Dad." I looked up to see Sara, peering through the turret at the top. "you're going the wrong way," she explained. "Back up and turn right."
Do you think I trusted her? I didn't have to. But do you know what I did? I listened. Her vantage point was better than mine. She was above the maze. She could see what I couldn't.
Don't you think we should do the same with God?

Grace for the moment - Volume II
Max Lucado

What does this say to you?

Matther 12:31.

every sin or blasphemy can be forgiven-except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which can never be forgiven. Anyone who blasphemes against me, the Son of Man, can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.