JUSTICE

Isaiah 11:4

But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.

Bafaluto, a small village of three hundred in Gambia, was barely surviving. Without access to clean water, the entire population was stuck in a cycle of abject poverty, relentless disease, and hunger— until Brian Harrold and Pamela Morgan, entrepreneurs from Northern Ireland, spent a small fortune digging an 80-meter well for them. When asked what compelled him to do it, Brian responded, “Just to not do any harm in this world [is not] good enough.”

Similarly, the prophet Isaiah saw the world’s disorder, and he portrayed a compelling vision of the world as God intends for it to be. In this new world, God will wipe clean humanity’s vast inequities, giving “justice to the poor” (Isaiah 11:4). In this new world, God will undo every impulse toward violence—so much that even “the cow will graze near the bear” (v.7). While such a vision echoes our hearts’ true longings, it seems fanciful and unrealistic. Are these lines from Scripture theoretical sentimentalities, or do they have concrete touchstones in our world?

God does not live in the abstract—somewhere in the foggy future. He lives in the now. While the culmination of God’s good end for His creation stands in the distance, He has already begun His work toward that conclusion. Following the Eden catastrophe, God immediately put into action His rescue through Jesus—the rescue that would be obediently modeled by God’s people. First Israel, now the church.

Paul’s letters present how we, God’s tribe, are (as one writer puts it), “an anticipatory sign of God’s healing and restorative future for the world.” Even now, our love and works of justice and proclamation of the gospel reflect God’s intention for “the earth [to] be filled with people who know the Lord” (v.9). —Winn Collier, Our Daily Journey 

Intimacy with God

Read Psalm 63-Spiritual thirst is satisfied only by spiritual intimacy with God.

INSIGHT
There is a God-shaped vacuum in every human heart. Man was made for God, and his soul will be restless until it finds its rest in Him. Our longings for love, relationships, belonging, security, meaning, purpose, and identity are ultimately met only in the Lord Jesus Christ. We find temporary fulfillment in the pursuit of people, possessions, and circumstances; but eventually, these will pass away or we will change and they will no longer satisfy. We have been made for God, and we will find our deepest longings met only in Him. Make David´s prayer your own prayer for spiritual fulfillment.

PRAYER
It is amazing to think that the Creator of the universe desires a relationship with us. Praise God for His love:
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; 
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; 
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; 
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes (Psalm 19:7-8).

As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to God: 
Who can understand his errors? 
Cleanse me from secret faults. 
Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; 
Let them not have dominion over me. 
Then I shall be blameless, 
And I shall be innocent of great transgression (Psalm 19:12-13).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; 
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 
More to be desired are they than gold, 
Yea, than much fine gold; 
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 
Moreover by them Your servant is warned, 
And in keeping them there is great reward (Psalm 19:9-11).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

• Peace in the midst of difficult circumstances
• The various ministries of your church
• Spiritual growth for family members

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart 
Be acceptable in Your sight, 
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14).

Stoking the Passion

Matthew 5 

¹³"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

 ¹⁴"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

We are going back to school in a week and God is challenging us as Fusion to step it up!  Matthew 5 is the concept for Passion this Wednesday.

In verse 13 it talks about losing saltiness.  If a seasoning has no flavor, it has no value.  If christians make no effort to affect the world around them, they are of little value to God.  Though he sees us as priceless and died for each of us we render ourselves useless if we are too much like the world, and we are forfeiting what he truly created us for.  Christians should not blend in with everyone else.  Instead, we should affect others positively,  just as seasoning brings out the best flavor in food.  He created us to stand out, to be individually unique!  We are all priceless yet we live as we are common.

Today i want you to journal and think about your uniqueness in the world.  Take 5 minutes and write on your paper, " God, how do you see me as unique?"  Write everything that you see and feel.  

Then pray about them and see how you can develop each in your life to be a light for those around!

Psalm 19

Read Psalm 19-The works of God are declared in the heavens, and the words of God lead to righteousness.
INSIGHT
A creator is known by his creation; an artist is known by his art; a musician by his music; and a sculptor by his sculpture. God can be known by the universe that He has created. Psalm 19:1 says: "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork." Romans 1:20 says: "since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen." Judging from nature, God exists and has power, intelligence, and a flair for beauty!

PRAYER
The Lord is greater than our deep longings, and we praise Him that He satisfies our hearts:
Praise the Lord! 
Praise the name of the Lord; 
Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord! . . . 
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; 
Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant. . . . 
I know that the Lord is great, 
And our Lord is above all gods. 
Whatever the Lord pleases He does, 
In heaven and in earth, 
In the seas and in all deep places. . . 
Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, 
Who dwells in Jerusalem! 
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 135:1, 3, 5-6, 21).

As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord:
No chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; 
nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness 
to those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:11).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High 
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 
I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; 
My God, in Him I will trust" (Psalm 91:1-2).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

• An eternal perspective
• Your spiritual goals
• Passion Night on Wednesday
• The Team coming from Oklahoma for Missions
• Motion Student Conference

Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen
(1 Peter 5:10-11)

True Bride

---

“Have you no other daughters?” “No,” said the man. “There is a little stunted kitchen wench which my late wife left behind her, but she cannot be the bride.” The King’s son said he was to send her up to him; but the stepmother answered, “Oh no, she is much too dirty, she cannot show herself !” But he absolutely insisted on it, and Cinderella had to be called. She first washed her hands and face clean, and then went and bowed down before the King’s son, who gave her the golden slipper. Then she seated herself on a stool, drew her foot out of the heavy wooden shoe, and put it into the slipper, which fit like a glove. And when she rose up and the King’s son looked at her face, he recognized the beautiful maiden who had danced with him and cried, “This is the true bride!” The stepmother and two sisters were horrified and became pale with rage; he, however, took Cinderella on his horse and rode away with her. 

I love this part of the story—to see the heroine unveiled in all her glory. To have her, finally, rise up to her full height. Mocked, hated, laughed at, spit upon—Cinderella is the one the slipper fits; she’s the one the prince is in love with; she’s the true bride. Just as we are. 

(Waking the Dead , 71–72) 

Image

1 Samuel 16:7

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure performed on people suffering cardiac arrest. When I first learned CPR 25 years ago the focus was on both chest compressions and rescue breathing. “Pump and blow” is what we dubbed it.

Today, the focus is primarily on the heart. When you approach someone who has collapsed in cardiac distress, new research suggests that you should focus on chest compressions. Supposedly, there is a sufficient amount of oxygen in the blood to keep vital organs working for a time. What the body lacks more immediately is a pumping heart to circulate the blood.

When you think about it, all of life comes down to the condition of one’s heart. Over and over again the Bible stresses that a spiritually healthy heart is vital. Throughout its pages we are told to search for, serve, and love God and others with all our heart (Deuteronomy 4:29; Matthew 18:35). It tells us to hide God’s Word in our heart so we won’t sin against Him (Psalm 119:11). It warns us that a “deluded heart” is what misleads us into worshiping false gods (Isaiah 44:20 NIV). And it urges us to “guard” our heart “above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23).

While people focus on outward appearance, God “looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). He knows that the real story of our lives springs from what is inside of us. It’s not so much what we see on the surface. It’s what we can’t see below the surface that is the most important part.

Don’t get caught up in focusing on the externals of life. Don’t stop there. Look inside where it counts the most.

What’s the condition of your heart today? —Jeff Olson, Our Daily Journey 

Take Risks

Watch this video by Francis Chan on living out our lives fully abandoned to Christ.  I love how he presents this!

http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=70bc7deea92b7c90a9a1

Philippians 4

Philippians 4

8Finally, 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. ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Read this a couple of times and write in your journal ideas of what it would look like to think about the noble, right, pure, lovely things of this world. 

What do you think is a noble thing?

It also talks about putting into practice the things he is been teaching us...look back over your notes for fusion and your quiet times; is there anything in there that you have put into practice?

Write out three ways you will put those things into practice daily this week!  If you do anything for 21 days it becomes habit.

Why do we do all of this?  The last words of the passage goes as follows,"and the God of peace will be with you."  By pursuing these things and putting them into practice it brings peace into our hearts.  Not peace of this world because God never promises that until he comes back but peace inside of your heart so we can weather all things with Joy!

Metaphors

The Bible uses a number of metaphors to describe our relationship to God at various stages. If you’ll notice, they ascend in a stunning way: 

Potter and clay. At this level we are merely aware that our lives are shaped—even broken—by a powerful hand. There isn’t much communication, just the sovereignty of God at work. 

Shepherd and sheep. At this stage we feel provided for, watched over, cared about. But beyond that, a sheep has little by way of true intimacy with the Shepherd. They are altogether different creatures. 

Master and servant. Many, many believers are stuck in this stage, where they are committed to obey, but the relationship is mostly about receiving orders and instructions and carrying them out. 

Father and child. This is certainly more intimate than being a servant; children get the run of the house, they get to climb on Daddy’s lap. These fortunate souls understand God’s fatherly love and care for them. They feel “at home” with God. 

Friends. This stage actually opens up a deeper level of intimacy as we walk together with God, companions in a shared mission. We know what’s on his heart; he knows what’s on ours. There is a maturity and intimacy to the relationship. 

Bridegroom and bride (lovers). Here, the words of the Song of Songs could also describe our spiritual intimacy, our union and oneness with God. Madame Guyon wrote, “I love God far more than the most affectionate lover among men loves his earthly attachment.” 

Where would you put your relationship with God? Why did you choose that “level”? Has it always been that way? 

(The Journey of Desire Journal & Guidebook , 150) 

Coffee with Jesus

Watch this video.  How many times do we pray to Jesus with a slue of requests but never listen for what is on his heart or what he truly wants us to do or pray for?  So watch this video and then when you pray this week make sure to give him some time to talk back, to interact! After all we are suppose to be having a conversation with him, right?

http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=eb0b7b372491d8bef98b

Tim Hawkins

I thought everyone needed a little laugh today so listen to this video by Tim Hawkins!  He is a Christian comedian and always brings joy to my heart.

Enjoy!

http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=050bbc8d5b1a19742efc

Rebirth of Israel

Read Nehemiah 8-The people gather at the square to hear Ezra, who reads the Law publicly. INSIGHT No one appreciates a glass of water like a man who is truly thirsty. It takes deprivation to appreciate the significance of our blessings. That is why the Christian life is not always easy—with blessings flowing unabated. We get dull and stale to it—just as we do when we have too much food and too little exercise. We are indeed blessed to have the Word of God in such abundance. The returning Jews have never heard the Word, and they are truly thirsty. They stand — from dawn till dusk — and drink it in. To appreciate the Word in your life, imagine not having it at all. PRAYER Give the Lord your praise, because He knows us and loves us and will never leave or forsake us: You who love the Lord, hate evil!  He preserves the souls of His saints;  He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.  Light is sown for the righteous,  And gladness for the upright in heart.  Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous,  And give thanks at the remembrance of His  holy name (Psalm 97:10-12). Pause for praise and thanksgiving. As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord: Seek the Lord while He may be found,  Call upon Him while He is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way,  And the unrighteous man his thoughts;  Let him return to the Lord,  And He will have mercy on him;  And to our God,  For He will abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:6-7). Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pray this affirmation to the Lord: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,  Nor have entered into the heart of man  The things which God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). The Lord encourages us to come to Him with our concerns and desires. As you make your requests known to the Lord, include: The renewing of your mind The needs of your extended family Your activities for the day Whatever else is on your heart Offer this closing prayer to the Lord: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

Completing what you set out to Do

Read Nehemiah 6-The work on the wall is completed.

INSIGHT
Nehemiah resists the efforts of the adversaries to discourage him or distract him from working on the wall. He is convinced that he is doing the right thing, and he steadfastly resists the interference. The Old Testament often has a literal illustration of a spiritual truth that is explained in the New Testament. In Ephesians 6:11, we read that we are to "put on the whole armor of God": the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. Once these are in place, we "resist"—"stand firm!"  It is also a testament to pushing through and completing what we have been sent to do.  So many times we lose heart and stop what we were sent to do when God's deliverance is right around the corner.

PRAYER
Praise God for victory in spiritual warfare as we use His armor: 
Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! 
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. 
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; 
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. 
For the Lord is the great God, 
And the great King above all gods. . . . 
O come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For He is our God, 
And we are the people of His pasture,
And the sheep of His hand
(Psalm 95:1-3, 6-7).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord: 
All we like sheep have gone astray; 
We have turned, every one, to his own way; 
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me,
and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out" (John 6:37).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

• Greater faithfulness with your time
• The president and world affairs
• Your activities for the day
• Whatever else is on your heart

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; 
He shall preserve your soul. 
The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in 
From this time forth, and even forevermore (Psalm 121:7-8).

The lord brings Justice

Read-Nehemiah 5 Nehemiah stops the internal mistreatment among the Jews by force of example.

INSIGHT
The prospects for some of the returned exiles are bleak. There are deficient rains and poor harvests. As a result, the farmers mortgage their lands to their wealthier brethren and, in extreme cases, sell their children into slavery to pay the king´s taxes. The rich Jews, rather than helping out, are capitalizing on the situation to line their own pockets. This is inexcusable! Few things bring on more reproach to the cause of the Lord than the worldliness and hard-heartedness of those who claim to follow Him. Unselfish dedication to the common welfare of others in Christ is our spiritual obligation.

PRAYER
Because the Lord loves each of us equally and accepts our welfare as His obligation, we praise Him:
The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; 
The Lord is clothed, 
He has girded Himself with strength. 
Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved. 
Your throne is established from of old; 
You are from everlasting (Psalm 93:1-2).

He is your praise, and He is your God,
who has done for you these great and awesome things
which your eyes have seen (Deuteronomy 10:21).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
He was wounded for our transgressions, 
He was bruised for our iniquities; 
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, 
And by His stripes we are healed
(Isaiah 53:5).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Your word is a lamp to my feet 
And a light to my path (Psalm 119:105).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

• Greater love for fellow Christians
• Missions in Europe and Asia
• Your activities for the day

Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, 
You ministers of His, who do His pleasure. 
Bless the Lord, all His works, 
In all places of His dominion. 
Bless the Lord, O my soul! (Psalm 103:21-22).

Rise Up- Nehemiah

Read Nehemiah 4-The work on the city wall is ridiculed by those opposing it.

INSIGHT
It is difficult to do any work when we are strongly opposed. We begin to doubt the validity of the task or our ability to perform it. When we are assailed for doing God´s work, we must evaluate the source of opposition. We cannot assume opposition means that God is against us. While it is of little value to blame the devil for everything that goes wrong, the Bible makes it clear that spiritual opposition is a reality in the work of God. If we suspect spiritual opposition, we must oppose the enemy, remain at the task at hand, and redouble our prayers!

PRAYER
Praise God that He has given us instruction for life in the Bible and through the Holy Spirit: 
"My heart rejoices in the Lord; 
My horn is exalted in the Lord. 
I smile at my enemies, 
Because I rejoice in Your salvation" 
(1 Samuel 2:1).

Pause for additional praise and thanksgiving.

Now pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. . . God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.
(1Thessalonians 4:1-2, 7-8)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"No one is holy like the Lord, 
For there is none besides You, 
Nor is there any rock like our God. . . . 
He will guard the feet of His saints, 
But the wicked shall be silent in darkness.
For by strength no man shall prevail" 
(1 Samuel 2:2, 9).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

• Diligence in our work in spite of obstacles
• Wisdom in making decisions
• Your activities for the day

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
By the God of your father who will help you, 
And by the Almighty who will bless you 
With blessings of heaven above, 
Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, 
Blessings of the breasts and of the womb. 
The ble ssings of your father 
Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, 
Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills
(Genesis 49:25-26).

Nehemiah's boldness

Read Nehemiah 2-Nehemiah requests the king´s help in rebuilding Jerusalem.

INSIGHT
Nehemiah comes before the king unable to conceal his agitation over the situation in Jerusalem. When we are faced with situations that need change, preparation is vital. We may not be able to do anything about it at the moment, but we can ask ourselves this question: "If it lay within our power to do anything we wanted to do, what would we do?´ If we can answer that, then we will recognize opportunity when it knocks, and we can capitalize on it as Nehemiah does.

PRAYER
Praise God that He is concerned about the details of your life and is ready to fulfill your every need:
The Lord knows the way of the righteous, 
But the way of the ungodly shall perish (Psalm 1:6).

The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; 
He shall preserve your soul. 
The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in 
From this time forth, and even forevermore (Psalm 121:7-8).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Walk prudently when you go to the house of God;
and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools,
for they do not know that they do evil (Ecclesiastes 5:1).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

• Boldness in sharing Christ with others
• The innocent victims in war-torn lands
• Your activities for the day
• Whatever else is on your heart

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Fear God and keep His commandments, 
For this is man´s all.
For God will bring every work into judgment, 
Including every secret thing, 
Whether good or evil (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

Should the King in Exile Pretend He Is Happy?

We use a phrase to try to console ourselves after what we think is an irrecoverable loss: “All good things come to an end.” I hate that phrase. It’s a lie. Even our troubles and our heartbreaks tell us something about our true destiny. The tragedies that strike us to the core and elicit the cry, “This isn’t the way it was supposed to be!” are also telling the truth—it isn’t the way it was supposed to be. Pascal writes, 

Man is so great that his greatness appears even in knowing himself to be miserable. A tree has no sense of its misery. It is true that to know we are miserable is to be miserable; but to know we are miserable is also to be great. Thus all the miseries of man prove his grandeur; they are the miseries of a dignified personage, the miseries of a dethroned monarch . . . What can this incessant craving, and this impotence of attainment mean, unless there was once a happiness belonging to man, of which only the faintest traces remain, in that void which he attempts to fill with everything within his reach? (Pensées)

Should the king in exile pretend he is happy there? Should he not seek his own country? His miseries are his ally; they urge him on. And so let them grow, if need be. But do not forsake the secret of life; do not despise those kingly desires. We abandon the most important journey of our lives when we abandon desire. We leave our hearts by the side of the road and head off in the direction of fitting in, getting by, being productive, what have you. Whatever we might gain— money, position, the approval of others, or just absence of the discontent itself—it’s not worth it. “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” (Matt. 16:26). 

(Desire , 12–13) 

Leading through Faithfulness

This week we are going to read Nehemiah!  It is one of the largest testiments to faithfulness in the bible.  If Nehemiah was not faithful in his time the Israelites would not have come back and our future would be very different. If one faithful man can change the world what can you do?

Read Nehemiah 1- Nehemiah weeps as he learns of Jerusalem´s deterioration.

INSIGHT
One of the essential characteristics of leadership is that the leader feels the full weight of the plight of certain people and assumes responsibility for their condition. Many people knew of Jerusalem´s condition, but few felt the impact and had the vision for response. Nehemiah did and God used him in a mighty way. What in life "hits" you? What situations cause you to feel the impact of the plight of others, and for what situations do you have a vision for response? It might be as large as a nation or as small as a church nursery. But if you feel it and have a vision for it, chances are God would like to use you there.

PRAYER
Being used by the Lord is a joyful experience. Praise Him as you consider how He might use you:
Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. 
Before the mountains were brought forth, 
Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting,
You are God. . . . 
Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, 
That we may rejoice and be glad all our days! 
(Psalm 90:1-2, 14)

As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord:
"Come now, and let us reason together," 
Says the Lord,
"Though your sins are like scarlet, 
They shall be as white as snow; 
Though they are red like crimson, 
They shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
If you cry out for discernment, 
And lift up your voice for understanding, 
If you seek her as silver, 
And search for her as for hidden treasures; 
Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God
(Proverbs 2:3-5).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

• Contentment in the circumstances of your life
• Greater sensitivity to sin
• The ministry of your local church
• Your activities for the day

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Be of good courage, 
And He shall strengthen your heart, 
All you who hope in the Lord (Psalm 31:24).

Make Me a Christian

What happens when you take 13 non-Christians and get them to live by the Bible’s instruction for 3 weeks? The UK reality TV series Make Me a Christian attempted to answer that question last year.

The contestants included an atheist biker and a lesbian schoolteacher. They were mentored by four clergy—an Anglican, a Catholic, an Evangelical, and a Pentecostal. Though this is a bizarre idea for presenting Jesus to unbelievers, some of the contestants stated that they were going to “pursue Christianity further.” The apostle Paul had some hard words for the Galatians when they were trying to “make themselves Christians” by works (Galatians 3). He asked four clarifying questions:

1. Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? (3:2). The answer was no—for the indwelling of the Spirit had come by belief, by faith.

2. Why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? (v.3). The Galatians were foolishly following the instruction of the Judaizers who were telling them that they could move toward spiritual maturity by works and externals, not by grace and the inner working of the Holy Spirit.

3. Have you experienced so much for nothing? (v.4). Paul’s people had been persecuted for their grace-based faith. If they had returned to following Mosaic Law— denying grace—then they would have suffered for nothing.

4. Does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? (v.5). His answer, “Of course not!” The miracles were not of the Law, but were all about the hearing that leads to faith.

You and I can lose sight of the basis of our own salvation at times—thinking that it’s based on doing the right things. The reality? Our faith flows from God’s amazing grace. Only God can make a Christian

Break In to God's heart

Today we are going to break in by dwelling or meditating on the word of God.  Read the passage and then sit and think what each of the fruits of the spirit look like (or should look like) in your life.  Think about what it would look like in different situations to respond in one of the fruits rather than by the flesh, example: being faithful with something your parents asked you to do rather than purposely not doing it, lying about it, or waiting to do it when you are ready.  

 Galations 5: 22-26

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. ²⁵Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Many times in the bible they equate reading the scriptures as "Eating the Scroll."  Imagine if we read the bible and processed it like we eat a meal.  Reading it and processing it over and over so we dont just vomit out information but we digest it and it becomes a part of fueling and renewing our bodies.  By "eating the scroll" imagine how nourished and strengthened your spirit man would be as you walk with God every day.

The Lord's Prayer

Matthew 6:9-13

9"This, then, is how you should pray:

  " 'Our Father in heaven,

  hallowed be your name,

10your kingdom come,

  your will be done

     on earth as it is in heaven.

11Give us today our daily bread.

12Forgive us our debts,

     as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13And lead us not into temptation,

  but deliver us from the evil one.

*for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Here is a boost to your day! Remember to pray it with your whole heart!

Slavery still in this world?

The sex trade is running rampant all over the world.  We as believers need to step up and end it as we did with slavery in other areas.  Watch the video below and post what God was speaking to your heart!

http://www.exoduscry.com/awareness/media/the-mission-briefing

Conscious decision

Read 2 Chronicles 35-The Passover, unobserved for years, is reinstated.

INSIGHT
Abraham Lincoln once said, "A man's about as happy as he makes up his mind to be." That may be an oversimplification; yet it states a basic truth: Often we must consciously decide what we want to become. Those who grow spiritually are those who have made a conscious decision to pursue spiritual things. Josiah, one of the great kings of Judah, is a strong reformer who tries to lead the nation in righteousness. In 2 Chronicles 34:31, we read: "The king . . . made a covenant before the Lord, to follow the Lord, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul." Have you ever made the decision to follow the Lord with your whole heart?

PRAYER
As He is a God both of power and compassion, we offer Him our praise:
Stand up and bless the Lord your God 
Forever and ever! 
Blessed be Your glorious name,
Which is exalted above all blessing and praise!
You alone are the Lord; 
You have made heaven, 
The heaven of heavens, with all their host, 
The earth and everything on it, . ..
The host of heaven worships You (Nehemiah 9:5-6).

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, 
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit (Psalm 34:17-18).

As you confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, pray this affirmation to the Lord:
God demonstrates His own love toward us, 
in that while we were still sinners, 
Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:

• A stronger desire to be like Christ
• The ministry of our nation's churches
• Whatever else is on your heart

Finally, offer this closing prayer:
To Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21).

Reason and Emotion

The mind takes in and processes information. But it remains, for the most part, indifferent. It is your mind that tells you it is now 2:00 A.M. and your daughter has not returned, for the car is not in the driveway. Your heart wrestles with whether or not this is cause for worry. The heart lives in the far more bloody and magnificent realities of living and dying and loving and hating. That’s why those who live from their minds are detached from life. Things don’t seem to touch them very much; they puzzle at the way others are so affected by life, and they conclude others are emotional and unstable. Meanwhile, those who live from the heart find those who live from the mind . . . unavailable. Yes, they are physically present. So is your computer. This is the sorrow of many marriages, and the number one disappointment of children who feel entirely missed or misunderstood by their parents. 

Yes, the heart is the source of our emotions. But we have equated the heart with emotion, and put it away for a messy and even dangerous guide. No doubt, many people have made a wreck of their lives by following an emotion without stopping to consider whether it was a good idea to do so. Neither adultery nor murder is a rational act. But equating the heart with emotion is the same nonsense as saying that love is a feeling. Surely, we know that love is more than feeling loving; for if Christ had followed his emotions, he would not have gone to the cross for us. Like any man would have been, he was afraid; in fact, he knew that the sins of the world would be laid upon him, and so he had even greater cause for hesitation (Mark 14:32–35). But in the hour of his greatest trial, his love overcame his fear of what loving would cost him. 

Emotions are the voice of the heart, to borrow Chip Dodd’s phrase. Not the heart, but its voice. 

Waking the Dead , 41-42) 

King Josiah

Read 2 Chronicles 34-Josiah leads Judah into righteousness.

INSIGHT
It is almost impossible to imagine the Law could have gotten lost in Jerusalem. How could that have happened? The whole nation is to worship the Lord; the dominant building in Jerusalem is the temple. Israel's entire history revolves around the giving and preservation of the Law. How can this happen? Neglect has a poor memory. How quickly we can drift from the Lord in just a short time of spiritual staleness. Consider our nation. The moral fiber we had 20 years ago is nonexistent today. People are people. Israel drifted the same way—but for a longer time. This ought to serve as a warning to us; the same can happen to us as individuals.

PRAYER
The Lord will guard and care for the heart that follows Him and is filled with praise:
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!
For my soul trusts in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,
Until these calamities have passed by. . . 
I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples; 
I will sing to You among the nations.
For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, 
And Your truth unto the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth (Psalm 57:1, 9-11).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving. 

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise (Psalm 51:14-15).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. 

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. 
No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

• Others to see Christ in you
• The Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into His harvest
• Your activities for the day

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
"Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever. Amen" (Revelation 7:12).

A little help with your prayer times!

Today we are going to break into God's heart by reading the Warfare prayer by John Eldredge.  So read it and read it again over BridgePointe.  How you do that is in place of saying me or I put in them or BridgePointe family and think of us as you pray.  God says that we have the power of life or death in our words.  Lets bring some life and protection to our brothers and sisters today.  

If you dont have the prayer go to the link below and click on it.  

http://bridgepointechurch.org/357339.ihtml

Living a focused life

Today we are going to look for 3 opportunities to show God's love and compassion to the world!  Start in the morning and ask God for 3 people that he wants you to speak to and impact.  Once he gives you those people ask him what he wants you to say.  (whether it is pray for healing, encourage them, or speak a specific word God gave you for them)  Then plan out how you are going to do it; calling them, meeting them for coffee, or just running into them at the grocery store!  Lets use our words for life today rather than death.

Here is some added help for your prayer life!

PRAYER
Bless the Lord. Praise Him for His blessings in our lives:
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, 
The power and the glory, 
The victory and the majesty; 
For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; 
Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, 
And You are exalted as head over all. 
Both riches and honor come from You,
And You reign over all. 
In Your hand is power and might;
In Your hand it is to make great
And to give strength to all.
Now therefore, our God,
We thank You
And praise Your glorious name (1 Chronicles 29:11-13).

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight-
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge (Psalm 51:4).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. 

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord: 
Those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

• Greater personal discipline
• Persecuted Christians worldwide
• Whatever else is on your heart

Finally, offer this closing prayer:
May the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen (Hebrews 13:20-21).

A reminder from a friend that loves us ;)

I needed this reminder today from a dear friend that loves us all!

Champion
"Some people have called me Champion. Why, then do I sometimes feel like a Chump? Could it be the culture around me that puts me down rather than calls me up? Perhaps it's the mocking voices of past failures. It's been said that we tend to believe the opinions of the most significant person in our life. That's why I have to make Jesus Christ my Hero and Mentor. He speaks to me about the culture, reminding me that I am in the world but not of it, and I am a citizen of heaven. Regarding my failures, He says 'Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.' To my feelings of inadequacy He declares, 'You can do all things through Me.' When I allow His voice to be the predominant one in my life, the Champion within bursts forth and propels me to victory. Regardless of how you're feeling this morning, I know, He knows, you ARE a Champion!"

Taking Joy in everyday!

How many times do we take for granted each day that God gives us to breath and live in his presence here on earth?  We get so caught up with our daily lives that we forget that each day is a precious gift that should never be wasted!  

Today we are going to watch the video 99 ballons where a family was blessed with a beautiful child for 99 days!

http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=c975d005cd2c4d261f7f

After you watch it ask yourself these questions:

Am I living my life fully so that every day is a celebration of life?

Would I find God's lessons and joy even during a hard time like this?

May he bless you today and open the eyes of your heart to wisdom and revelation of HIM!