Take the Leap

Take the Leap

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23

My son posted a video of his two buddies and him bungee jumping. The song ‘Let it Go‘ played as I watched the first young man being harnessed in and clasped to the long, elastic rope. The employee carefully checked the straps and guided the friend through the gate to the launch pad. The jumper shifted his weight and swallowed hard as he inched closer to the edge. He surveyed the deep canyon below, looked at the camera, and then said to the attendant, “Will you, will you push me?” The reply: “No, you have to jump.”

My son’s friend had safety-sealed gear secured around his middle, the company possessed a solid reputation and a group of friends cheered in support. Perhaps it was the survival instinct within that rendered him pale! As I watched the video, I imagined that span between his feet leaving the platform and the point of rebound. A leap of faith never looked more tangible!

Over and over, I am led to the precipice of uncertainty or change and given the option to jump, by faith, into a vast unknown. Sometimes the free-fall is terrifying. But the adrenaline rush of living by faith is balanced by the solid foundation of God’s unchanging nature and promises.

Lord, please remind me daily to walk in the confidence that you are my constant guide and protection. Amen.

Thought: Take time to review the ways God has protected and guided you through difficult times and thank Him, in advance, for how He will continue to do so in the future.

By Shelaine Strom

View from Back of the Desert

View from Back of the Desert

There are three classes of people: those who have been in the desert, those still in the desert, and those who have your day coming in the desert!  If you have been there, you need no explanation from me.  If you haven’t been there, no words of mine will explain it to you.  It is not a popular topic, and God’s people perish for lack of knowledge.

Being “on the backside of the desert” is not a self-inflicted inconvenience or a detour because of our spiritual slackness.  It is one of God’s major destinations for those He wants to take deeper.  He is deliberate in leading us into the desert to speak tenderly to us and to make our trouble a gateway of hope.  God says, “Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope” (Hosea 2:14-15). There we give ourselves to Him in a new way, and He affirms to us that we are bound to Him forever in righteousness, justice, unfailing love, and compassion (Hosea 2:19-20).

God has purposes and blessings for us in the desert and afterward.  From there, we will know Him as Lord more deeply.  He wants to sharpen our listening skills to His voice alone.  He wants us to know that the only proper response when there is nothing we can control is to trust that He is in control, and He can’t get it wrong.  He wants to show us that there are only two places to go: down and out, or right up into His lap.  He gets us where we can’t move in our flesh, because He must do everything of eternal significance by His Spirit.  In the heat of the desert, He burns up or blows away all the wood, hay, and stubble of our pride, confidence, and striving.

The Bible says that John the Baptist grew strong in spirit in the desert (Luke 1:80). There, he preached the message of the new entrance of God into the affairs of earth (Matthew 3:1).  The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert (Matthew 4:1, Luke 4:1).  Luke 4:14 tells us that Jesus came out of the desert in the power of the Spirit and preached his first public sermon: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).  This was His mission statement for the three years of His earthly ministry and His ultimate ministry to us and for us.

What lies ahead?  Based on the experience of the Israelites, we can expect more giant obstacles, more resistance by the heathen and hell itself, fiercer battles, and more confrontation with the forces of darkness.  That is the bad news.  The good news is that there are great things to come: more positioning as the Body of Christ to move corporately, more victories, more blessings, more light, more power in the anointing of the Holy Spirit, more of His presence, and more of His glory made manifest in our world.  For the joy set before us!

by Sylvia Gunter

Grizzlies Charging

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Grizzlies Charging “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him firm in your faith … the God of all grace … will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:6-10 A friend was hunting for elk with a few buddies when they spotted four adult grizzly bears charging down a ridge toward them. Fear gripped their hearts. There was no point in running; there was no place to hide on the open landscape. Their only hope was to stand their ground and make a lot of noise. Even with high-powered rifles the odds of dispatching four adult Grizzlies was slim. They could soon smell the stench of the bears; it wafted down on them from behind a line of trees. But the bears never came. They must have entered the trees and proceeded down the creek bed to the valley below. My friend understood in a new way the dangers of the wilderness. This story made me ask, “What are the deadly beasts that could destroy me if they took hold of my life?” adultery, addictions to alcohol or pornography, love of money and possessions? More subtle sins like pride, bitterness, laziness and jealousy? What are your grizzlies? What steps can you take to make sure you’re out of harm’s way? Action Step: Take a practical step to guard your heart, such as setting a new boundary about what you allow your eyes to see or scheduling a time to prayer through something that’s frustrating you. By Mike Woodard

    

Verse of the Day

    

I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.

—Job 19:25

 

    

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Beyond what these words were first meant to convey, we know today that our Redeemer will return as the Rider on the white horse in triumph and victory. Hallelujah, what a day! Then the world truly WILL KNOW that Jesus Christ, our Savior and brother and friend, is Lord of all things!

When Parents Break Your Heart

When Parents Break Your Heart 

by Mike Woodard  

I was sleeping on the couch. At least they thought I was sleeping. My parents, both drunk, were having a fight. My father pushed my mother with enough force that she broke her pelvis and ended up in the hospital. This was one of many crazy memories of that I have of my family. Even to this day some of the dramas of the carnage of alcoholism remain untold. At another time I, along with my two brothers and sister, were called from our beds in the middle of the night. My parents, again drunk, announced that they were getting divorced. We were asked to choose which parent we wanted to follow. Despair and sadness moved into my life like a fog. Even thoughts of suicide lingered for a season.
I am a survivor ((and many would even describe me as a success ).  I graduated from high school and university with honors. My survival has not been without some baggage. In particular there was a deep-seated anger and bitterness toward my father. That anger created a barrier not only between my father and me but it also affected other relationships. This effect I have now come to call “the theory of primary relationships” is an intuitive theory. I have no scientific proof. The theory goes something like this:  when there are significant unresolved issues in the family, it will affect all our other relationships.
I will never forget a conversation I had with a roommate at Colorado State University during a two week course I was taking. He asked lots of questions, and the topic of home life came up, centering on the relationship with my father. He said, “Mike, you need to love your dad.” I knew that I didn’t, and I was not sure I could. At best, at this point my anger had been mingled with pity.
Months later I looked my dad in the eyes and told him, “I love you.” He cried.
That was the beginning of a restoration work in our relationship. I’m not sure my father ever understood how his actions had affected me, but I do know how my actions affected him. I chose to give love as a gift to him. On Father’s Day I wrote him a letter telling him the good things he had done as a parent. I never heard back from him but my mother wrote me and said, “Your dad got your letter. He sat in his chair, read it and cried. I think it is what he needed.” (This was a significant note from my mother because her relationship with my father was fractured. I was afraid that she would somehow feel betrayed if I was kind to the person who caused so much pain in her life, but she didn’t seem to resent it.)
Somehow, dealing with the relationship with my dad set me free and taught me lessons the have made other important relationships better. As my father came to the end of his life, I had the satisfaction of knowing we were okay with each other, I had done and said what needed to be done and said on my part, so there were no regrets. For that I am thankful.  
I’m sure you are wondering how I could go from anger and bitterness to love. It was only because I experienced love and forgiveness that helped me to understand how to give love and forgive others. This experience came through a journey in personal faith, which started when my sister began attending a youth group. Through her influence I began to understand that God loved me and had in fact sent Jesus Christ to die to demonstrate that love. Christ’s death was not only to demonstrate God’s love but to provide forgiveness of all my sin and to give me eternal life.  God promised once I asked Christ into my life that he would never leave me.
As I understood this love and forgiveness and experienced God’s presence in my life, I seemed to have new resources to love and forgive others. A significant test of this was the relationship with my father. If God could love me and forgive me how could I not do the same for my father?
I realized through this relationship and others there is a circle of “primary relationships” in my life. These are significant for good or bad. Pain and hurt in these relationships can be carried for a life time like the proverbial “ball and chain” resulting in multiplied misery. The process of dealing with the relationship with my father has turning the “ball and chain” into a building block toward health and greater capacity in my relational world.
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You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here’s a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.
If you invited Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you’ll experience life to the fullest.

Talking to God!

Talking to God!

by K J Kehler 

“Always keep on praying” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
Our granddaughters, Mercedes (age five) and Tia (age three), were having dinner with us. They were wiggly and giggly just before my husband prayed before the meal.

“Settle down girls,” I said,
“Grandpa is going to talk to God.”
“Talk to God?” asked Mercedes, her big, brown eyes wide open.
“Grandpa is talking to God?”

That was new concept to her. She knew how to “pray” but didn’t realize that praying was actually talking to God.
Vonette Bright, the co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, International, was the person who first modeled spontaneous prayer for me, “Always keep on praying.” When we were driving from one city to the next, during our conversation, she would suddenly start talking to God about the subjects we were discussing. When we passed a car accident, she would begin praying for the well being of the people in the cars involved in the accident. When she was packing her clothes in garment bags, she would thank for Lord for His provisions.
It is very satisfying to pray spontaneously. For example, last week while my husband and I were on vacation, we continually talked to God aloud while driving or hiking and at home (not as often while playing golf!).
We prayed for our children and grandchildren, for our staff, about the subjects of our conversation, for our friends and acquaintances, the state of the world, for unbelievers, new believers and much more.
When someone asks you to pray for them, do it right then, either person to person, on the phone or email. They will be blessed; you will be blessed. When the Lord brings names of people or situations to mind, pray for them.
Always keep on praying. Prayer is talking to God - talk to Him.
Father, what a privilege it is to talk to You. You are always there, You are always listening. You always hear us. You care! You like to talk to us. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

Monday Morning Miracle

Monday Morning Miracle

by Jana Wegener

It was a Monday morning unlike any other. It was 15 years ago and I can still recall every detail of that day, as if permanently burned into my memory. I replay the events in my mind and it feels as if my life is flashing before my eyes every time I tell the tale. I woke up and started getting ready for work just like every other morning before, completely unaware that my life and the lives of my children would be spared from a terrible fate. That morning I experienced a miracle that changed my life and the way I view life forever.
It was a cold spring morning in early April; I rushed around the house getting ready for work and coaxed my two little ones out of bed to bring them to day care. Still snuggly and warm in their pajamas and smelling the wonderful aroma in their soft hair from the bath the night before, I bundled them up in their winter coats and carefully latched them into their car seats. I offered Lauren, who was 7 months old at the time, her bottle to soothe her on the car ride. Phillip, 5 years old and used to the routine, climbed into his seat as if preprogrammed like a little robot going through the motions.
We lived quite a ways out in the country on a gravel road, and in the spring sometimes as the frost comes out of the earth, it will cause the gravel roads to heave erupting the soil, leaving large rough holes and mounds of frozen dirt in the road. As I sped along trying to get the kids dropped off on time so I would not be late for work, I crested a hill and saw the ominous sight, the black outline of one of these obstacles in my path. I was unable to redirect my impact and avoid hitting the frost heave because either side of the road had a pond that hugged tightly to the shoulder. I braced myself, tightening my grip on the wheel preparing for the impact. As I hit the crater in the road, my car lunged and the loose gravel spun beneath my tires, sending me into a frightening spinning motion that I could not pull out of.
“Oh, God, please help me through this!” I cried out as I felt the speed of my car come to a brutal halt as it slammed into the icy waters behind me. I could feel the momentum of my car drag against the water as the vehicle began to float out backwards deeper, deeper, and deeper.
The black icy water began to bubble up around my feet from below. Powered by self-preservation and fear, my instincts took over. I tried to reach and open my car door to escape. My fear of water and inability to swim caused me to panic and react without thinking of my children buckled into their car seats in the back. The car door thankfully would not open as if being held shut by a ton of bricks; the pressure of the water pressing on my door would not allow me to open it.
That moment gave me time to gather my senses, “Oh, God, please not my babies!" I shouted as my children cried in fear.
I reached back and unbuckled the kids from their car seats. I unbuckled Phillip, who scurried over the seats and into my lap. Then I reached for Lauren, unbuckled her, and grabbed her out of her seat. I gathered them up into my arms as the water rose higher and higher in the vehicle was now above my knees. The frigid cold burned my skin, not knowing the depth of the pond, I feared the car would fill completely with water and we would all drown. I had no choice but to try to escape. I grabbed my little ones one in each arm and reached for the passenger door handle, pulled it open and kicked at the door. As it opened, the black water rushed in with intense pressure and force. The deep penetrating cold shocked my senses and robbed me of my breath. I remember gasping at the pain of the intense cold and clenching by babies close to my body as I prayed, “LORD, I can’t do this without you!” and then nothing.
I remember nothing, not one detail of anything else that happened until I found myself gripping the frozen dirty grass in my fist on the bank of the pond with my son sitting on the edge of the road in front of me and my baby in my arms. I struggled to lift her cold, crying, wet little body out of the water because of the weight of her wet winter clothing. I then gathered my strength and pulled myself up onto the road. I stood up and scooped my babies into my arms, thankful that were alive. Crying and in shock of what had just happened, I carried them both in my arms all the way to a farm house ¼ mile down the road. Frozen solid, dripping wet, terrified, and thankful, I called my husband to come pick us up.
Still clutching the children in my arms, my husband arrived at the door moments later. Thankful to find us all safe, we stood embracing each other in that stranger’s kitchen. Then while telling the story of what happened and going over the details of the events that morning, we realized that my hair shoulder length at the time was not even damp!
Friends and relatives joked saying, “You must have walked on water. “ But I believe my children and I experienced a miracle, and when I called out to God for help, he sent angels to carry me and my children to shore.
That Monday morning was unlike any other. I experienced a miracle that strengthened my faith, beliefs, and values about life and how precious it is. To all those willing to listen, believe in miracles, hold tight to your children, and cherish your loved ones: you never know what each day brings.