Forgetting What is Behind

...One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and
straining toward what is ahead, I press toward
the goal to win the prize for which God has called
me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:13-14

It is never wise to live in the past. There are, indeed,
some uses of our past which are helpful, which bring
blessing. We should remember past mercies, that we
may have confidence in new needs or trials in the
future. We should remember past comforts, that there
may be stars in our sky when night comes again.

But while there are these true uses of memory, we
should guard against living in the past. We should
draw out our life's inspirations not from memory, but
from hope; not from what is gone, but from what is yet
to come. Forgetting the things which are behind, we
should reach forward to those things which are before.

To live in the past is to, perhaps, lose hope for
the future. Jesus said He could "do nothing because of
their unbelief. " It is especially difficult when one faces
loss. We become grounded, turkeys instead of eagles.
Our eyes should be on the goal...to win the prize for
which God has called me heavenward. Paul wrote
these words from prison while facing death.

God's Love

Your Identity in Christ

Should I Know Good?

“Why do you call Me good?” Jesus answered, “No one is good—except God alone.” --Luke 18:19

Eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was prohibited, and that prohibition is still in effect. We are not to eat from it, for to the extent that we know good, we will also know evil. We eat from the tree for the appeal that we will be like God. However, our problem is that when we set out to know and practice good, we know evil, and we do not do the good that we wish; instead we do the evil. In short, we cannot handle the knowledge that comes from this tree.However, if we are intent on knowing good without the pitfalls of evil, then we can set our hearts to know God. God is good. God is love. The knowledge and experience of Him is freeing.

- Mike Wells

Separating Light From Dark

Light is a special part of life.  And, Jesus as The Light of this world, is more than just special…He brings the spectacular to life.  Walking in The Light is our choice to take on Christ’s spectacular Life.

Michael shows us the difference between Light and darkness, and how our enemy tries to steal (the big thief) our walk in Jesus/Light.

God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good. --Genesis 1:17 & 18

The day that you received Jesus you received everything.How could you not? He is, actually, everything. Colossians 1:16, “For by Him all things were created, {both} in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created by Him and for Him.” Each day, since that first day, it has been the mission of the Holy Spirit to convince you that you are lacking in nothing. In opposition, Satan has taken it upon himself to convince you that you are lacking in everything, to persuade you that your job, mate, kids, situation, physical appearance, and position in life are all substandard. He also has to convince you that holiness, mercy, fellowship, maturity, blessings, and forgiveness must all be worked for, his goal being to have you so consumed with what you think you do not have that you will never recognize what you do have.

Sometimes I feel as though my office, wherever I happen to have it set up, is a place where light and darkness meet, and it is God’s gracious work to separate the two. My job is to witness to the work of the Spirit, the Jesus that is in believers. So many come to my office possessing so much, and yet they cannot see the blessings for obsessing on the negatives. They are men with beautiful families, children that are not rebellious, financial security, and a wife who puts up with and even loves them, despite their goofy behavior. Yet the devil has blinded them to the point that they cannot see positives in any of it; they sit there recounting the offenses they have had in life, the people who have let them down, and their failed attempts to be Christian. Every preacher must learn to be free from the fear of repetition.I am! What gets a person’s attention gets him! We are to obsess on what is true, right, pure, and lovely. I guess everyone is just self-centered enough to think only about himself! We mingle light and darkness to the point where we do not know the difference and all of life is gray. Pray for a word from Him that would separate the two!

- Mike Wells

Form Despair to Joy

My power is made perfect in weakness.
2 Corinthians 12: 9

Each year World Magazine chooses a Daniel of the year.
This year its cover is a full page picture of Joni Eareckson
Tada. She is sitting in a wheel chair, her arms and hands in
braces, but I am drawn to her radiant face. Fifty years ago,
at the age of 17, Joni dove into shallow water and broke her
neck. Suddenly this active teenager was in a small room at
the hospital on a striker frame which allowed the nurses to
turn her side to side. When she realized that God was not
going to heal her she fell into deep despair, even asking her
friend to take her life. She couldn't walk, eat by herself, get
dressed or blow her nose without help Finally Joni prayed,
"God if You won't heal me or let me die, then show me how
to live."

Fifty years later she says this about her unanswered prayers,
"It sounds incredible, but I would rather be in this wheel
chair knowing Jesus as I do, then be on my feet without
Him. That glorious but awful, beautiful but sad, terrible by
wonderful, day I broke my neck--because look what God
has done."

Joni came to embrace God's sovereignty in her suffering
and she founded a ministry, Joni and Friends, that has helped
hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities here in the
US and around the world. She has written dozens of books
promoting life instead of death.

In 2010 Joni was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer and
endured surgery and chemotherapy which weakened her all
ready frail bones. A new door opened to constant pain. Many
days Joni tells God. "I don't have the strength for this, but
You do. I can't do quadriplegic today. I cannot do it without
You." She has learned to boast in her weakness.

God has not passed her by. She says, "Thank you Jesus for
Your "no" to physical healing. It's meant that I am depending
more on your grace, its increasing my compassion for others
who are hurt and disabled...It has strengthened my hope of
heaven, and it's made me love you so much more...And I
would not trade it for any amount of walking."

Joni is a vibrant example of "victory in Christ." She
has surrendered to that which cannot be changed and lives
a full impactful life--even at age 67. Glory to God!

Hymn: Never Alone

Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on You and
in Your Name we have come...  2 Chronicles 14:11

"We rest on Thee" our Shield and our Defender!
   We go not forth alone against the foe;
Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender,
   "We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go."

Yea, "in Thy Name," O Captain of salvation!
   In Thy dear Name, all other names above;
Jesus our Righteousness, our sure Foundation,
   Our Prince of glory and our King of love.

"We go" in faith, our own great weakness feeling,
   And needing more each day Thy grace to know:
Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing;
   "We rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go."

"We rest on Thee"--our Shield and our Defender!
   Thine is the battle, Thine shall be the praise
When passing through the gates of pearly splendor,
   Victors--we rest with Thee, through endless days.

-
Edith G Cherry