EJSWANSON : To See Those Far From God Filled With Life In Christ

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600

IT’S NEVER TOO LATEJob 5:8
"If I were in your shoes, I'd go straight to God, I'd throw myself on
the mercy of God. After all, he's famous for great and unexpected
acts; there's no end to his surprises. He gives rain, for instance,
across the wide earth, sends water to irrigate the fields. He raises up
the down-and-out, gives firm footing to those sinking in grief. He
aborts the schemes of conniving crooks, so that none of their plots
come to term. He catches the know-it-alls in their conspiracies- all
that intricate intrigue swept out with the trash! Suddenly they're
disoriented, plunged into darkness; they can't see to put one foot in
front of the other. But the downtrodden are saved by God, saved
from the murderous plots, saved from the iron fist. And so the poor
continue to hope, while injustice is bound and gagged."Have you ever had someone give you a warning against something you
were doing? Have you gotten to the point where you are afraid it's too late
to turn around because you've turned left when you should've turned
right? Don't be discouraged, it's never too late to turn around and run full
force back into the arms of the loving father who created you. God doesn't
find anything that you've ever done; to be a surprise. He knew your
decision and he immediately began to work on the plan he had to get you
to turn back around. God knows the people who lead his people astray
and he says that he will abort their schemes. And God will rescue you
from their traps. He will raise you up, and give you firm footing once
again. He will not allow you to sink completely into every word they say.
God's whisper can be heard in the quiet of your heart. And although
things may be chaotic and loud around you, if your heart is quiet God will
speak. God has a tendency to send Godly counsel to his followers, a
great example of this is when he sent Godly counsel to Job. Job had lost
everything, and was beginning to lose his very own life, and God was fully
aware of this, this was not a surprise to him, he knew what he was doing.
So with love God sent Godly friends to help Job lift his spirits and to let
him know that God was in control. So no matter what path you've headed
down and whether or not you've fallen a little left of living right, God wants
you. He wants nothing more than to give you the life he's planned you to
have. But it's up to you to decide whether your life is going to be a piece
of artwork made by man, or a masterpiece made by God.Extra time in the Word: Job 5DISCUSS ON THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW
In what ways has God used an apparently bad situation to make somthing
good in your life? What things have you been capable of accomplishing
because of past pains? Has it hurt your relationship with God, or helped
it? (No wrong answers :])

BACKSTABBING

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600

BACKSTABBING

Matthew 26:3-5,14-16
"Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in
the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they
plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. 'But not during
the Feast,' they said, 'or there may be a riot among the people.'
"Then one of the Twelve-the one called Judas Iscariot-went to the
chief priests and asked, 'What are you willing to give me if I hand
him over to you?' So they counted out for him thirty silver coins.
From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over."

As I continued in my years , I've had some experiance with
friends backstabbing me. I don't know about you, but it's not a really good
feeling when that happens. You put all your trust into that person and they
disappoint you. At that time, you may feel lonely. You're not alone. We've
all felt it. That reminds me of a song that says just hold on, there's help on
the way. It's called Hold Fast.

Extra time in the Word: Matthew 26

DISCUSS ON THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW
In what ways has God used an apparently bad situation to make somthing good in your life?
What things have you been capable of accomplishing because of past pains? Has it hurt your
relationship with God, or helped it? (No wrong answers :])

How has a friend of yours "backstabed" you when you didn't expect it? What was
the situation? How have you dealed this situation?

GOD’S VISION

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Ephesians 3:20-21 says, "Now, all glory to God, who is able,
through his mighty power to work within us, to accomplish infinately
more than we might ever ask or think. Glory to Him in the church,
and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever!
Amen."

I am a day dreamer. I could waste hours imagining myself in different
situations of wealth, success, service, love, anything-you name it, and I
always get a little disapointed when I think about how unlikely it is that the
things I imagine will come true. But according to Ephesians 3:20-21, God
is different. He has a tremendous vision for the Church as a whole, and
for each of us individually, that is much more incredible than we could
ever hope to imagine or come up with on our own. Plus, his vision for us
is made perfectly possible by God's mighty power in our lives. So, we
never need to be afraid to dream big when it comes to God because we
can bet that God is dreaming bigger.Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you
that you have plans for me that are much greater than I know, and thank
you that I do not have to limit my dreams for your kingdom because I have
the oppertunaty to live by your power and not my own. Please accomplish
your vision in me and my life. Amen.

Extra time in the Word: Ephesians 3

DISCUSS ON THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW
In what ways has God used an apparently bad situation to make somthing
good in your life? What things have you been capable of accomplishing
because of past pains? Has it hurt your relationship with God, or helped
it? (No wrong answers :])

Second Chances

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Psalm 30:2-3 GOD “My God, I yelled for help and you put me together. GOD, you pulled me out of the grave, gave me another chance at life when I was down--and-out.” (MSG) This has become one of my favorite scriptures. There have been times in my life when I have needed another chance at life. I have made some bad decisions in the past and really messed up. No doubt I was down-and-out. That is when I yelled to God for help and you know what? His promise is true; He gave me another chance at life. Regardless of what you have done in your life to mess things up, God's promise is true for you. If you'll just yell for help and repent of your sins, God will give you another chance at life! Extra time in the Word: Psalm 30 Discuss in the comment section below: Describe your desire for God. What's it like? Are you satisfied with the level of intensity of which you long for God? How can you grow to love Him and long for him even more?

God Is On Our Side

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Nahum 1:7 “GOD is good, a hiding place in tough times. He recognizes and welcomes anyone looking for help.” (MSG) Let's face it; life can be hard at times. There are times when we mess up and create problems, others can create problems for us and then there is just life. Regardless of how things have come about, hurt is still hurt. We have a God who loves us deeply and unconditionally. During those tough hurtful times we need a place to go and hide from the storm. God has promised to be that place. The cool thing is He recognizes anyone looking for help and that includes you. You can be assured today that God is on your side so do not give up. Run to Him; tell Him your problems, hurts and troubles. Ask the Lord for the peace that only He can give. Extra time in the Word: Nahum 1 Discuss in the comment section below: Describe your desire for God. What's it like? Are you satisfied with the level of intensity of which you long for God? How can you grow to love Him and long for him even more?

Hearing God's Voice

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Isaiah 6:8 “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us.’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’" This is the ultimate commitment to Christ that we all need to make but should be taken seriously. It feels so good to know that you are working on the side of the Creator of everything. I've already felt God's call and have been willing to let Him use me as a co-leader of a Bible study at my school last year. If you feel God calling you to do that, you should try to do everything possible to try to do that for Christ. The song that goes with this is “I'm For You” by tobyMac. Extra time in the Word: Isaiah 6 Discuss in the comment section below: What is God calling you to do, not just with your life in the distant future, but right now, even today? How will you respond?

The Prayer of a Righteous Man

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Matthew 21:22 “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” James 5:16b “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” Our family is currently looking to possibly move. So we are praying a lot. Whether we should move, if so, in how long, which house will it be, those kind of questions. But I can attest to the fact that there is power in prayer and God will give you what you want if you believe he can and will, and if you're patient. Sometimes God will answer prayers right away, sometimes it takes a couple years. He just wants to see if you're willing to be patient. Extra time in the Word: Matthew 21:18-22 Discuss in the comment section below: Do you believe James 5:16 when it says that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective? First of all, what qualifies as a "righteous" person? Second, if you believe it's true, why don't you pray more than you do?

God's Standards

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. This is the standard to which we are to measure all our thoughts. If something isn't true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy, it should have no place in our minds or in our lives. God calls us to a high standard of living -- holiness. God knows what's best for our lives and our relationship with Him, so maybe we should listen to His standard more often instead of our own or our friends'. Extra time in the Word: Philippians 4 Discuss in the comment section below: Do you think you can go just one day without actively entertaining thoughts that conflict with this verse? Why or why not? What do you think about most regularly that is not true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy?

The Old Has Gone, The New Has Come

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” Sometimes we forget who we are in Christ and start living life as who we are in ourselves, which isn't much of anything when compared to Christ. We are no longer slaves to the world, to our sinful habits or even to ourselves. No, we belong to God and through His power at work in our lives we can live lives that reflect a new creation, a new work He's doing in our lives to teach us how to be more like Him. It doesn't say you "will be" a new creation, as if it takes place sometime in the distant future. Rather, it says you already are a new creation, right here and now. Maybe you should start living like it. Extra time in the Word: 2 Corinthians 5 Discuss in the comment section below: What in your life is still not very Christ-like and how can you turn over that area to God? What do you need to do through God's strength to more clearly reflect the new creation that you already are?

You Are God's Masterpiece

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Psalm 139:13-16 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. God made you! He thought of you long before you were even born and He continues to think of you even today! Maybe you think poorly of yourself, your self-esteem is shot, and you consider yourself to be a big screw-up. Psalm 139 says otherwise. You are a masterpiece, the handiwork of God himself. Disliking yourself is like telling God he made a mistake when he created you. There is nothing wrong with how God made you -- what's wrong is your perspective of it. God accepts you and loves you and hopefully you can learn to do the same. Read the whole chapter of Psalm 139 below to see more about what God thinks of you. Extra time in the Word: Psalm 139 Discuss in the comment section below: Do you view yourself the way God sees you?

God Is There In The Difficult Times

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 62:5-8 “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” There's really not too much to add to these verses. Read them over several times and try to grasp the profound dedication and love God has for us. Are you going through a big struggle in life? God is there, loving on you, protecting you and giving you strength. Do you know someone else who needs encouragement? Pass this message from God along to them. Extra time in the Word: Matthew 11:28-30 Discuss in the comment section below: How do you handle difficult times?

Freedom From Sin

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Galatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” This feeling of freedom from slavery and the bind of the enemy is truly amazing. It feels like you are not living for just anything -- you're living for the Lord and your rewards in Heaven. And if you invite Christ into your life, consider yourself a firm holder of a reservation to Heaven. Now you can live your life telling people what God has done in your life and live out the love God wants to show people - a genuine love that doesn't look at the outside, but the inside. The song for today is “I Am Free” by the Newsboys. Extra time in the Word: Galatians 5 Discuss in the comment section below: Are you living for God? How can you live for Him even more than you already do?

Asking God For Help

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Hebrews 11:6 “Without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Philippians 4:6-7 “Don't worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” I don't know about you, but I generally never want to ask for help. I am sometimes too prideful to admit to anyone, even God, that I need their aid. Yet, God tells us to do otherwise. God says that it is an ultimate act of faith in God to ask for help. If we truly have faith, will we not be eager to pass our requests on to our all-powerful God? I struggle most in bringing requests to God that seem too easy for me to not do them myself, or too trivial for God to worry about. I think "Oh, I can do THAT! I don't need help; I don't need God. I can handle it myself!" However, God tells us that it is a sign of respect and definitely a mark of humility and faith to bring even the small things to God. Extra time in the Word: Hebrews 11 Discuss in the comment section below: Do you think you can ask God for the wrong thing? Do you think there is a right and wrong way of praying? Why or why not? If so, what is the right and wrong way of praying?

Do Not Be Afraid

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Psalm 91:1-4 “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” That is such a great passage of comfort for us Christians. This is great assurance to make sure we know that our God will always, always be there when we need His help. I think we all need to hear that God loves, cares for us and wants to see us succeed. This reminds me of the song “God is Watching Over You” by Phil Joel. Extra time in the Word: Psalm 18 Discuss in the comment section below: What are you must afraid of? How can you trust the Lord to take care of you through that fear?

Thanking God

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Genesis 1: 1-2 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth. Now the Earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” Romans 1:20 “Since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” I'm on vacation right now and 4 days ago my family and I went to the creation museum in Kentucky. As we enjoyed our "walk through the Bible" I was amazed by how much God created. I mean think of it; every bird, fish, plant, animal, everything. God created it all, including us. We're created in God's image. I encourage you to pause and take a moment to thank God for all the beauty that He's placed in our lives. Extra time in the Word: Colossians 1:15-16 Discuss in the comment section below: Which of God's creations really makes you want to thank him? Do you thank God enough for all the magnificent creations that surround us?