The Perfect Tree

"The big pine trees make the prettiest trees," the little pine says to himself.

It is Christmastime in the forest, and all the trees are excited about the season. Their thick branches are covered with blankets of snow –

all the branches except for the little pine's, that is.

"Who would want such a little tree with such thin branches?" he says.

"Don't worry," says the biggest spruce in the forest, "someone will think you're special."

"All trees are special," chirps a little bird, sitting on a snowy bough.

But the little pine isn't so sure. His branches droop a little.

"Hey, wait for me!" calls Sarah. "I want to pick the tree this year!"

Her brother David scoops up some soft snow and makes a snowball.

"Not if I get there first," he shouts, throwing the snowball at a lamppost.

Dad and Mom follow as the family starts out on a snowy walk to the forest.

"Remember," says Mom, "it can't be too broad, or it won't fit through the door."

"And it can't be too tall," says David, "or it will scrape the ceiling."

"We'll know the perfect tree when we see it," says Sarah.

Soon the family arrives at the forest. The trees can't wait to see which tree will be picked.

The children race right past the giant spruce trees. They stop at the little pine.

"This one!" decides Sarah.

"Yeah! It's perfect!" says David.

The children dance around the little pine.

"Hmm," says Mom, "it's not too broad."

"And it won't scrape the ceiling," says Sarah.

"Looks just right to me," says Dad.

"See," says the biggest spruce, "someone thinks you're special already."

"They can't mean me," says the little pine. "Look at my thin little branches."

Dad examines the tree closely. "The trunk isn't very broad. It'll be easy to cut," he says.

"Be careful," says Mom.

"I'll be very careful," says Dad. "I won't hurt our tree a bit."

Dad begins to saw the bottom of the little pine's trunk.

"What beautiful, straight branches," says Mom. "Such a lovely little tree."

"See? They don't think your branches are skinny," says the biggest spruce. "They think you're special."

The little pine still drooped. "They think I'm special now. But wait 'til they get me home."

Once the little pine is cut, Dad carefully wraps it with twine.

"The twine makes sure the branches won't bend and break off," he tells the children.

David and Dad lead the way home with their new tree tied securely onto the sled.

"Where will we put the tree?" asks David.

"In front of the window," says Mom, "so everyone can see our perfect little tree."

"The decorations will be so beautiful!" Sarah says. "Our tree will be the best one ever!"

"I hope the decorations look right on my skinny little branches," the little pine thinks. "I don't want to disappoint my new family."

At home, Dad and David make a tree stand for the little pine. Dad puts a bowl of water at the bottom for the tree's trunk.

"What's that for?" asks David.

"To give the tree a drink," says Dad. "We need to take care of our perfect little tree."

Sarah and Mom watch as Dad and David get everything ready.

"Look," says Sarah. "People can see our tree from both front windows."

"You're right," says Mom. "Everyone will get to admire our beautiful tree."

"Oh, no," thought the little pine. "Everyone will see how silly the decorations look on me!"

Mom gets up from her chair. "Time to start decorating," she says.

"What can we do?" Sarah and David ask.

"Start with these," says Mom, scooting some boxes near the tree. Inside the box are brightly colored ornaments of all shapes and sizes.

"Ooh, they are so shiny," says Sarah.

"Some of them were Grandma's favorite ornaments," says Mom.

"What a lucky tree," says David, "to wear such special ornaments."

"I'll place the angel on the top," says Dad.

                                                                                                                                                    

The little pine is worried the angel will not be able to balance on his thin top branches.

David and Sarah hang shiny ornaments on the little pine's branches until the boxes are empty. Mom wraps the tree with garlands of red ribbon. The angel that Dad placed atop the highest branch proudly watches over everything.

"Isn't it the most beautiful tree you have ever seen?" asks Sarah.

"It certainly is," says Dad.

"How lucky we were to find such a special tree," says David.

The little pine perks up. "The family isn't disappointed. Maybe the big spruce trees were right."

David glances out the window. "Look!" he says. "It's snowing!"

"This is the perfect Christmas," says Mom.

The little pine stands proud and straight. "The big spruce trees were right," he thinks. "Being special doesn't always mean being the biggest or the most beautiful.

In the forest, I thought that I was a scrawny little pine. But now I know that I truly am special."

Don’t ever forget.

Your presence is a gift to the world,

You’re unique and one of a kind.

And don’t ever forget for even a day…

How very special YOU are!

God has created you for a purpose.

You are wonderfully and beautifully made.

Make sure you make a difference where you are and you do it today.



Attributes of God

There is one God, composed of the Holy Trinity, existing in fellowship, converging into one perfect omniscient, omnipotent entity;

a) The Father, Lord God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth.
b) The Son, who bore physical pain to shed His blood for our sins,
c) The Holy Spirit who is encompassing and ministers to our hearts and fills us with Joy. God is omnipresent, and is the alpha and omega.
Scriptural backing:
a) God the Father: Always knowing, Always Faithful. Ruler of Heaven, Ruler of the Earth. He is Holy, trustworthy, and lawful. Creator of Heaven and Earth. -Isaiah 37:16
b) God the Son: Born of a virgin, this perfect man was God in human form. His sole purpose was to save us from our ignorance and sin. He died an excruciating death, so that we may live. Because His blood was shed, we can claim our place in Heaven. He was buried and on the third day, He emerged, conquering death, and obtaining the key of Death from the enemy. He appeared to His disciples and Mary Magdalene and claimed His place at the right hand side of Our Father. He is The Truth, the Way, and the Life. -John 14:6
c) God The Spirit: God's personal Messenger. Our teacher and standard. He informs us of our sins and helps us to realize that we have sinned. He fills us with Joy, Love, and Faith. Our communicator with the Lord, He can relay messages to God, when we do not know the words to express ourselves. His very presence allows us to commune with God on a spiritual level, and experience a very real and personal relationship with Jesus. -Galatians 5:22
Lets learn about some of the characteristics of God:

God is Omniscient

Definition:
The attribute of God by which God perfectly and eternally knows all things which can be known, past, present, and future. God knows how best to attain His desired ends.
Meaning:
This, like omnipresence, demonstrates that man cannot hide from God because God knows all things. He knows the number of hairs on each head, He knows the heart and thoughts of every man. Just because no man is around to see us do wrong doesn't mean nobody saw it happen - God did. The proverbial tree falling in the forest that doesn't make a sound because no man was there to see it or know about it falling at that time, God sees and knows. Our intentions in the things we do are known to God. We need to be sure that our attitudes are congruent with our actions because God knows when we are doing things for the wrong reasons or motives.

Scripture Support:

Psalm 147:4,5
He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.

Acts 15:18
Known to God are all His works from the beginning of the world.

Psalm 33:13
The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.

Jeremiah 38:17-20
Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand. And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me. But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the Lord, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be will unto thee, and thy soul shall live

Romans 4:17
(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickened the dead, and calleth those things which be not though as they were.

Isaiah 46:10
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.

Matthew 11:21-23
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

Conclusion:
God knows everything that has happened and everything that will happen. He knows when we do things for the wrong reasons and when we do things for the right reasons. All things we do should be to serve Him and bring glory to Him.

Application:
Since God knows everything I do and the reasons or motives I have for doing them, I will commit myself to doing everything as if I were doing it for God Himself. I will yield myself to Him daily, that I may do what He wants me to do and be what He wants me to be.

God is Omnipresent

Definition:
The attribute of God by which He fills the universe in all its parts and is present everywhere at once. Not a part, but the whole of God is present in every place. This is true of all three members of the Trinity. They are so closely related that where one is the others can be said to be, also.

Meaning:
Therefore, when man is sinning God is there. If a child is doing something a parent has told him not to do, God is there. There is no place man can go to hide from God.

Scripture Support:

Psalm 139:8
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

Jeremiah 23:23,24
Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.

Ephesians 2:22
In whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit..

Psalm 113:5
Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high.

Psalm 123:1
Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

I Kings 8:27
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?

Matthew 6:9
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Hebrews 1:3
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

I Corinthians 1:27
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.

Matthew 18:20
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Romans 10:6,7
But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? Or, Who shall descend into the deep?

Romans 8:9
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Conclusion:
There is no place to go where God is not already there.

Application:
I need to be serving God everywhere, not just at certain places like church or with my family. I need to be aware of God's presence at all times and walk with Him always.

God is Omnipotent

Definition:
The attribute of God which describes his ability to do whatever He wills. God's will is limited by His nature, and He therefore cannot do anything contrary to His nature as God, such as to ignore sin, to sin, or to do something absurd or self-contradictory. God is not controlled by His power, but has complete control over it; otherwise He would not be a free being. To a certain extent, He has voluntarily limited Himself by the free will of His rational creatures.

Meaning:
This means that if God says something will happen.   He has the power to make sure that it will happen.  Therefore, when He promises eternal life to those who believe in Christ, He has the power to grant it.   Just as He cannot sin, He has the power to forgive those who do.

Scripture Support:

Matthew 19:26
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Genesis 17:1
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

Job 42:2
I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.

Jeremiah 32:17,27
Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:
Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

Luke 1:37
For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Revelation 19:6
And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

Conclusion:
There is nothing that God cannot do except that which goes against His nature. God alone has the power to conquer sin and death. He even created Satan who disobeyed and fell, therefore, He has power over him. He promised to give us the power to overcome he that is in the world.

Application:
I will rely on God's power when Satan tries to tempt me. I will call upon the name of Jesus to provide me with the protection and the peace He promises to those who call upon Him, because He is powerful enough to keep that promise.

In Hope:

We believe that you reach the kingdom of Heaven through salvation in Christ, accepting Him as your personal Lord and Savior. From that moment on, we believe that we have a personal relationship with Him that allows us to seek His Will. We believe that we become Born Again, in that we experience a spiritual "rebirth" where we shed our flesh and material desires; inheriting an eternal life with Our Father. We stand by the belief that the Bible, consisting of 66 books, was written by men, that were inspired and led by the Holy Spirit. Each word was divinely inspired and was presented as the inerrant, absolute truth, and eternal. There is no debate about its authenticity and infinite truth. The Word of God is His heart revealed to us, so that we may know His Will.

Does God hate? If God is love, how can He hate?

Many believers in today’s fast paced world are unable to drag time and energy in pondering the Word of God and its reasoning. Simon Peter; Apostle of our Lord clearly instructs us to have a reason for our faith to answer or defend those who question it. (1Peter 3:15) The series will provide you with some of the prevalent questions faced by the believers.

 

Answer: It seems a contradiction that a God who is love can also hate. We are created with the capacity to both love and hate; it is part of our being created in the image of God. The fact that we are all tainted with sin does not negate the fact that the ability to love and hate is part of the image of God that was created within us all. Therefore, if it is no contradiction for a human being to be able to love and hate, then much more so would it not be a contradiction for God to be able to love and hate.

When the Bible does speak of God hating, the object of God’s hatred is usually sin and wickedness. Among the things God hates are idolatry (Deuteronomy 12:31; 16:22) and those who do evil (Psalm 5:4-6; 11:5). Proverbs 6:16-19 outlines seven things the Lord hates: pride, lying, murder, evil plots, those who love evil, false witness, and troublemakers. Notice that this passage does not include just things that God hates; it includes people as well.

The question that begs to be answered at this point is why does God hate these things? God hates them because they are contrary to His nature—God’s nature being holy, pure and righteous. In fact, David writes, “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you” (Psalm 5:4 emphasis added). God is holy and hates sin. If He did not hate sin, He would not be holy. God is love, but He is also wrath, justice, and vengeance. But His wrath is a holy wrath and His justice and vengeance are holy as well. God’s love is holy. Therefore, He cannot "love everyone all the time no matter what they do," as some like to claim. Nothing could be further from the truth. God loves righteousness and holiness and hates sin and evil. If He did not, He would not be God.

So if God hates sin and loves holiness, how does He love us? Simple. He loves us because we have the righteousness of Christ who became sin for us on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21). He poured out His wrath and vengeance against sin on His Son, so that He could pour out His mercy and love on us. But without that sacrifice credited to us, His wrath and hatred remain on us because He hates our sin. The Bible never says He "hates the sin, but loves the sinner." In fact, He is “angry with the wicked every day” (Psalm 7:11). Is there a sense in which God loves everyone? Yes. Does that love preclude God from also hating sin, wickedness, and evil? No.

Recommended Resource: The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by D.A. Carson.

Questions Asked by God, Questions 11-15

I will question you, and you shall answer Me. Job 40:7

When God asks us questions He is not giving us an intellectual quiz. God is not trying to see how smart we are or how well we can study or cram for an exam. His questions are usually short, simple, and direct. God asks us questions, not to test our IQ, but to test our hearts, to have us examine our ways, and to bring change to our lives.

Here are 5 more questions asked by God. Even though God asked these questions to others, we can all think about how we would answer these questions if God directed them to us.

11. Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? Isaiah 53:1

This question points us to the heart of unbelief within people who reject the message of the Gospel and the person of Jesus Christ. When Jesus went about proclaiming the Gospel and demonstrating the Kingdom of God, He marveled at the unbelief that remained within people’s hearts (Mark 6:6). We, as believers in the Gospel, also wonder why so many people reject the free gift of God’s love, forgiveness, and salvation through Jesus Christ. Thank God for His mercies. John 3:16 continues to assure us that... whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

12. “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy?”  Isaiah 55:2

God asks us a question that goes to the core of what we live for and what we consider important. It is amazing how much effort and energy are put into things that leave us empty and unsatisfied once we have experienced them. Those who fail to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness may want what’s real but will end up with the fake; may look for what’s true but will follow the false; may want what’s fulfilling but will remain dissatisfied; may hunger for living bread but wind up with indigestion.

13. Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Jeremiah, what do you see?" Jeremiah 1:11

This question speaks to us about our focus. God wants us to clearly see and understand His Word as He has revealed it to us, being careful not to add or subtract anything from what He has spoken. When God says “Trust in Me” what does He mean? He means He wants us to trust in Him. When God says “Follow Me” what does He mean? He means He wants us to follow Him. God has not called us to teach, preach, speak, or follow what we think, but what He has said.

14. “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36-37

What a question! Could we ever be asked anything that is more sobering? It causes us to weigh what is temporal against what is eternal; what rusts and fades away with what lasts forever. This question should help each of us put everything in our lives into its proper place. Jesus is reminding us that there is much more to lose than there is to gain—whether our material possessions are great or small, if we miss Salvation, if we miss Jesus, if we miss heaven, than truly we have missed it all.

15. Jesus said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” Mark 10:51

What would you like Jesus to do for you today? It’s a question that can be answered with the voice of faith. Do you need healing? Comfort? Assurance? Guidance? Help? Provisions? Purpose? Are you ready to come to Jesus and ask Him for what you need? Be clear, be open, be honest, be simple, be trusting. Answer His question with your heart-felt request.

Cost of a Miracle

A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even the total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes. Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention, but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!

'And what do you want?' the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice.

 I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in ages,' he said without waiting for a reply to his question.

'Well, I want to talk  to you about my brother,' Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone . 'He's really, really sick...and I want to buy a miracle.'

'I beg your pardon?' said the pharmacist.

'His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now So how much does a miracle cost?'

'We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you,' the pharmacist said, softening a little.

'Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs.'

The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man He stooped down and asked the little girl, 'What kind of a miracle does your brother need?'

' I don't know,' Tess replied with her eyes welling up. I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money.'

'How much do you have?' asked the man from Chicago

'One dollar and eleven cents,' Tess answered barely audibly.

'And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.'

'Well, what a coincidence,' smiled the man. 'A dollar and eleven cents---the exact price of a miracle for little brothers. '

He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said 'Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the miracle you need.'

That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed free of charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well.

Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.

'That surgery,' her Mom whispered. 'was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?'

Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost..one dollar and eleven cents....plus the faith of a little child.

Morale of the Story:

Do we have this child like faith to come to God and Knock at the door? Our Lord wanted us to become like children… and the above story scripts it. Only of such who has the child like faith belongs the Kingdom of God. Lets Pursue it…….Amen

The Best of Both Worlds

'...whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets... everything...' John 3:36

It's said that the wealthy English Baron Fitzgerald had only one child, a son. Early in his teens the boy's mother died. Tragically, in his late teens the boy died also. In the meantime, Fitzgerald's financial holdings greatly increased due to acquiring the artwork of Europe's greatest masters. Before his death, Fitzgerald left explicit instructions that an auction be held at which his entire art collection would be sold.

 A big crowd of prospective buyers gathered. Among them were many well-known museum curators and private collectors eager to bid. The artwork was displayed for viewing before the auction began. Among the paintings was one that received little attention. It was of poor quality and by an unknown local artist. It happened to be a portrait of Fitzgerald's only son.

                                                                  

 As the auction began the auctioneer read from Fitzgerald's will, which clearly instructed that the first painting to be sold was of 'my beloved son'. Because of its poor quality the painting didn't receive any bids - except one. The bidder was the old servant who'd helped raise the boy and had dearly loved him. For less than a pound he bought the painting. At that point the auctioneer stopped the bidding and asked the lawyer to read again from the will. The crowd was hushed as he read, 

'Whoever purchases this painting of my son, gets all my art collection - the auction is over!' 

Christ: without Him you have nothing. But with Him you have the best of both worlds: this one, and the one to come.

A Tiny Rosebud

A young preacher was walking with an older more seasoned preacher in the garden one day and the younger preacher, feeling a bit insecure about what God had for him to do, he was inquiring of the older preacher.

The older preacher walked up to a rosebush and handed the young preacher a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals. The young preacher looked in disbelief at the older preacher and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the WILL OF GOD for his life and for his ministry.

Because of his high respect for the older preacher, he proceeded to TRY to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal intact it wasn't long before he realized how impossible it was to do so. Noticing the younger preacher's inability to unfold the rosebud while keeping it intact, the older preacher began to recite the following poem.

"It is only a tiny rosebud, a flower of God's design; but I cannot unfold the petals with these clumsy hands of mine. The secret of unfolding flowers is not known to such as I. God opens this flower so sweetly. When in my hands they die. If I cannot unfold a rosebud this flower of God's design. Then how can I have the wisdom to unfold this life of mine”?

So I'll trust in Him for leading each moment of my day. I will look to him for His guidance each step of the pilgrim way. The pathway that lies before me, only my Heavenly Father knows. I'll trust Him to unfold the moments, just as He unfolds the rose".

Walking in the Spirit

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 KJV

One of the things God asks us to do as His children is to walk. Our walk begins in our spirits, with the Holy Spirit, not in our feet. Joni Erickson Tada, who became a quadriplegic after a serious spinal injury, said, “You can be in a wheelchair and still walk with God.”

To walk in the spirit means the manner in which we live our lives as we allow the Holy Spirit to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ. Walking in the Spirit means an active life, one that is responsive to the Holy Spirit’s work, rather than a passive life, which does not respond. Walking in the Spirit means going at His pace and not our own pace. Sometimes we want to force fruit to grow, or hurry and pick fruit that is not ready to be harvested. Walking in the Spirit also means following His direction and not blazing our own trails.

When we walk in the Spirit we will…

Walk by faith.

For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV

Walk in love.

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. Ephesians 5:2 KJV

Walk in the light.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John 1:6-7 KJV

Walk as Jesus walked (Pleasing the Father)

He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 1 John 2:6 NKJV  

Walk in truth.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 3 John 1:4

Walk in a worthy manner.

That you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2:12 NKJV

Walk wisely.

Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Colossians 4:5 KJV

Walk properly.

Let us walk honestly (properly) as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. Romans 13:13 NKJV

Walk in newness of life.

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4 NKJV

Roy Lessin

For the Good

No one is good but One, that is, God. Matthew 19:17 NKJV

Because God is good, everything that comes to us from Him is meant for our benefit. God’s good is the highest good; after His goodness there is no better or best. The Gospel is the “Good News” because it comes to us from God. We are also assured that He will not withhold any good thing from those who walk uprightly before Him.

We are told in the Scriptures that God is able to work all things together for the good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. In ways that we may not fully know or understand, God is able to take even the hard and difficult things we go through and use them for the good. Goodness, not evil, will always have the final say in our lives as we trust God to fulfill His purposes for us.

After years of hardships, unfairness, rejection, and isolation, Joseph was able to say, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” Genesis 50:20 NKJV. Joseph understood the goodness of God because he was able to witness the purpose of God fulfilled through all he experienced. The good purpose of God was something much greater than just the life of Joseph, it was to save the lives of the children of Israel and the lives of the Egyptians, in whose land they had come to dwell and grow into a great nation.

Our lives are not just about God being good to us, but also about God using us to extend His goodness to others. We can see this in the lives of people like Corrie Ten Boom and Amy Carmichael. God used the incredible hardships of Corrie Ten Boom for the good purpose of bringing hope, comfort, and encouragement to people all around the world. Amy Carmichael came to understand that God was able to use her pain for the good purpose of ministering, with empathy and compassion, to others who were hurting and going through great suffering.

Whatever you may be going through today, no matter how dark the sky may be, or how deep the valley takes you, be assured that God has not abandoned you, and because He is with you, goodness has not abandoned you…it will follow you all the days of your life, and goodness will prevail in the end.

Roy Lessin

God will take care of you!

Gladys Aylward, missionary to China more than fifty years ago, was forced to flee when the Japanese invaded Yuncheng. With only one assistant, she led a hundred orphans over the mountains toward free China. During the journey she grappled with fear. After enduring a sleepless night she faced the morning with no hope of reaching safety. A thirteen-year-old girl in the group reminded her of their much-loved story of Moses and the Red Sea. ‘But I am not Moses,’ Gladys sighed in despair. ‘Of course you aren’t,’ the girl said, ‘but God is still God!’ When Gladys and the orphans made it through, they proved once again that no matter how inadequate we feel, God is still God, and we can still trust Him. Sometimes God calms the storm, other times He lets the storm rage and calms us. Either way, He sustains us and brings us through. We always have a choice: either we give the burden to God or we try to carry it ourselves. How does God provide for us? One day at a time. Remember the Israelites in the wilderness? Each day God fed them by sending manna from heaven. Notice how it worked. The number of people in your family determined the amount of manna you received, no more and no less. And God would only allow you to collect enough for each day; if you tried to hoard more, it rotted. Getting the idea? So trust God for today and leave tomorrow in His hands.

‘Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you.’ Psalm 55:22.

Fullness of Joy

I enjoy golf, but I enjoy it much more when I am playing a round of golf with a friend. Having the companionship of a friend on the golf course changes everything for me. When I hit a good shot or make a long putt, I find it more enjoyable when a friend shares the moment with me (even the bad shots are easier to endure when a friend shares your pain.)

What do you enjoy? How about a day at the beach or a hike in the mountains? Do you want to multiply your joy? Spend that day with someone you love.

When I was a boy, my dad would take me to visit Palm Springs. I remember enjoying so many things about Palm Springs, not only because I liked the desert, but because I loved being with my dad in the desert. It was my deep enjoyment of being with him that made Palm Springs so enjoyable for me.

The Bible tells us that God has given us richly all things to enjoy (I Timothy 6:17), yet the joy He has for us goes even deeper. He not only wants us to enjoy the things He gives us, but He wants us to experience joy in its fullest measure (John 15:11.) To have the blessings God gives brings enjoyment, but to have God Himself, brings more than enjoyment, it brings fullness of joy. Fullness of joy means having His presence in the midst of all the blessings He gives.

Sharing a meal with a close friend brings great enjoyment, having Jesus sup with you brings fullness of joy; having a cooling wind blow across your face on a warm summer’s day brings enjoyment, to have the refreshing wind of the Holy Spirit move upon your heart brings fullness of joy; walking through a flower garden brings enjoyment, to walk through a flower garden with the One who created the flowers, brings fullness of joy; to relax by a quiet flowing stream brings enjoyment, to be joined to the restful yoke of Jesus Christ brings fullness of joy. It is as though God is saying to us, “The joys that come from the blessings I give you can only go so far, for they are from Me, but they are not Me. I want you to enjoy what I give you, but even more, I want you to have Me—My life, My love, My presence. It is with Me, in Me, and from Me alone that you will know the fullness of joy I want you to have.”

You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11 NKJV

Roy Lessin

Even Though

Trust His ways, even though they may not be your ways.

Take His hand, even though it means letting go of what you are hanging onto.

Depend upon His strength, even though you are aware of your weakness.

Please His heart, even though it means not having the approval of others.

Wait for His time, even though you desire to do it now.

Obey His Word, even though you hear different opinions.

Follow His path, even though it takes you through valleys and hills.

Seek His wisdom, even though you don’t understand everything He’s doing.

Give Him praise, even though you wish things were different.

Be at rest, even though you’re tempted to worry and fear.

Roy Lessin