See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. Colossians 2:8-10

It is so easy to get caught up in what others think.  We walk away from a conversation and can’t get it out of our mind?  Someone doesn’t answer our hello and it bugs us for days?  My dear friends, there is a way in each of these examples in which we are looking for something from that person to make us feel complete, whole, okay.  When others disagree with us or are critical and harsh we feel wounded and angry that we are misunderstood.  We lose sleep worrying over conflict in the family, at work or with our neighbor.  Why?  Often, because we want people to like us and even more so, we believe we need people to like and accept us for us to feel and be okay.  When we don’t think they do, it becomes a motivation of our heart to fix it somehow, some way.  All of this points to a heart-belief that others complete us, others define who we are, and others determine our sense of well-being.  As long as we are on good terms with everyone, we’re okay, but if there is an issue with someone it begins to usurp large portions of our waking hours and sometimes even our sleeping hours.  

When we stop to consider our day’s verse, we begin to recall that God alone completes us.  No one will ever be our everything the way that only Jesus Christ can.  Verse 10 says “and you have been filled in him” if we are filled with Jesus Christ, filled full up; there is no empty space that requires other people to fill for us to be okay. So why do we continually look to others to fill us, give us meaning, stability and a sense of value.  Jesus Christ has already done that.  Stop looking elsewhere!

Next time you are feeling attacked, judged, criticized, misunderstood, slandered, accused, or misrepresented, call to mind “I am filled in him (ESV); I am complete in Him (NKJV)” It can suddenly put the entire situation in a Godly perspective and make all the difference in the world in what attitude you will have, how you will process the situation and how you respond.  

Complete is complete. We don’t need other people’s approval or acceptance to make us more complete.  There is no such thing as more complete.  We are complete in Jesus Christ.  

Diane

He is the ark that has saved me from death (Genesis)

He is the solid ground upon which I walk (Exodus)

He is the way into the promised land (Joshua)

He is my Kinsmen-Redeemer (Ruth)

He is the one who comes before and created and sustains all things (Job)

He is high and lifted up (Isaiah)

He is the one in the furnace with me (Daniel)

He keeps the lion’s mouth clenched (Daniel)

He loves me even though my heart wanders (Hosea)

He takes extrordinary steps to draw me back when I run away (Jonah)

He is my Messiah (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

He is my helper (Acts)

He is the way (Romans)

He is my life (Galatians)

He is my joy (Philippians)

He is preeminent in my life (Hebrews)

He is love in me (1,2,3 John) 

He is my eternal salvation (Revelation)

He is the Victor (Revelation)

Diane

The dialog you read yesrterday has been listened to all over the world by millions of people. Why? I think the answer is simple. The thing at the very center of this story, the one thing that brought tears to my eyes, was the simplicity of Logan’s faith – faith that was not the least bit complicated by all sorts of explanations/answers to the “why” question from a son, to his heavenly Father.  There wasn’t a lot of baggage or drama between Logan and God, just simple dialog. It doesn’t get any better than that for me.

How about you?  Is there anything -anything at all- that stands between you and childlike faith with Father God?  What is that thing that stands between you and God and keeps you from seeing Him for who He really is? From believing that He loves you, cares about you and wants you?

Dear ones, there is no thing too small or too great that you have done or that has been done to you which your Father God does not, will not or can not understand. He knows it all and He understands it all. Yes He does! Everything – He understands everything! 

If you are holding back, if you are feeling lost, alone, afraid, hopeless, ugly, fat, useless, unwanted, unloved, abandoned, rejected, afraid…whatever it is, will you talk to God about it? Don’t clean it up or try to make it look prettier or better than it is. Resist the desire to explain it to God and just talk to Him about it. Lay it down at His feet.

Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. ~Proverbs 55:22

I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me.

O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit ~Psalm 30:1-3

Take your mustard seed faith and move toward God, trusting Him to understand everything!! You are more to God than all the dirt you may have collected in your life and/or all the dirty and ugly that has happened to you.

In the words of a 13 year boy, “God can use you. Even when you feel low and you think, “God is never going to use me” and “I’m just a piece of dirt.” He’ll actually use you. You’re not a piece of dirt to God, you’re a piece of gold.”1 

Stephanie

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. ~~ Hebrews 11:6

Today I read one of “those” emails. I read it primarily because it was from one of the very few friends who does not send me email designed to provoke guilt and/or shame you into doing something.  As per usual, my soul was blessed within seconds of listening to it. Today I want to share the gist of it with you and give you the link below, where you can go for yourself and listen to the whole thing. 

What you are about to read was said by Logan Henderson, a 13 year old boy who lives on a ranch in the middle of Nebraska. In late October Logan made a phone call to a Christian radio station out of Houston, Texas. The conversation that follows is the brief dialog which took place between Logan and the host of the radio show:

Logan: “Hey Mike, can I talk to you?”

Mike: “You bet Logan, what’s up?”

Logan: (Breathing a long sad sigh) “I want to tell you something that God just told me.”

Mike:  “Okay…?”

Logan: Last night my dad was roping this calf and this calf had been born from a really old cow…she, she didn’t have really the greatest milk…she didn’t have like the vitamin C and stuff… (sniff)…

Mike: “Okay…?”

Logan: “She broke her back… (the calf)…and…this morning I went out and put her down myself…(with tear choked words, Logan continues)…”I was talking to God and I was asking God why? She was special.”

“And God said, ‘You know Logan, my Son was special…but He died for a purpose.'”

Logan: “It’s kind of the same thing…that calf was close to me…and God’s Son was close to Him.”

Mike: “Logan, you’re so right. It’s true. Think you’re going to be okay?”

Logan: “Yeah, I’ll be fine. But, I just wanted to tell you guys that…that it’s so important…just remember, when you lose a loved one or a pet…always remember that God gave His Son too…and He understands…He will always understand…He will always. Just run to Him.”

Mike: “Logan, you’re wiser than you know buddy.”

Logan: “Oh, I just figured I’d better call and share with you guys. Love you.”

Mike: “Love you too.”

Logan: “Bye.”

Mike: “Bye bye.”1

Meet me here tomorrow for the conclusion of this Victory Call…

Until then, may God bless and keep you safe under the shadow of His wing.

Stephanie

1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0r_FbARIn8 

      My four year old grandson, Elijah, loves stories or shows that have anything to do with pirates and of course…TREASURE! For Christmas he received a treasure chest that has “gold” coins, “jewels” and a treasure map. This is his favorite toy! All children seem to love treasure and the idea of finding it. Well, I don’t think it really stops with the kids but carries on right through to adulthood. What is true today was also true in biblical times. But what is true treasure? Is it gold, silver, sapphires or some other jewels? 

In Job 28 (please take the time to read this chapter), Job discusses this very subject with Eliphaz, Bildad and Shuhite, his three friends. As the chapter begins, he describes how a person must go into the depths of the earth, search in the farthest recesses, into the blackest darkness, where not even a lion would dare to go, to mine treasure. Yet, man will go into the depths and darkness to search for one nugget of gold or some precious jewel. Then Job asks a question in 28:12-13, “But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? Man does not comprehend its worth: it cannot be found in the land of the living.”

Isn’t this just like you and me? We will go to any lengths to find that “treasure.” No, I don’t mean we go into the mine shaft to find a diamond. But don’t some people go to extraordinary lengths to find and get their “treasure” however they define “treasure?” This past Christmas season revealed to the world the lengths some people will go. At a Walmart in Long Island, a 34 year old man was trampled to death because many wanted to get to the “treasure” first.1 Is a man’s life worth a television or some latest fad toy? Sadly, apparently some think so in our world today.

Wisdom and understanding are treasures whose price can not even be compared or measured to the mere trinkets of gold, silver or precious jewels. And if its worth is so great, shouldn’t you and I desire some of it? So where is this priceless treasure? 

Job 28:23 “God understands the way to it, and he alone knows where it dwells… (vs. 28) And he said to man ‘The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.'”

There it is…to reverence our Lord, to try to comprehend His awesomeness…this is wisdom. To “shun evil is understanding.” We need to have discernment and insight so that we can recognize evil when we come face to face with it. To understand means to know with the mind. 2 There is evil all around and most of it looks like real treasure. You and I must be all the more diligent to be filled with wisdom and understanding from the Lord, because the days are growing short.

The best place I know to “mine” wisdom and understanding is in Scripture. No treasure map needed, just open the Bible and read and ask God to reveal His treasure to you. He is always ready to bless those who honestly seek Him. The priceless treasure of wisdom and understanding is waiting there just for you.

      Just like the joy and eagerness Elijah has with his “treasure chest” my prayer is that we all have that same joy and excitement with the Lord’s true treasure.

MaryAnn

MaryAnn and John Kiernan have been married for 35 years, have 2 grown/married sons and are the proud grandparents of two grandsons. She serves at America’s KESWICK as a Biblical Counselor and also as Intake Coordinator for the Colony of Mercy. Her life verse is Romans 8:28.

1 http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local retrieved 1/12/09

2 http://www.bible.lifeway.com/crossmain.asp retrieved 1/12/09

Rarely is there a day that I drive onto these grounds that I am not immediately aware of the beauty of, the glory of, the Lord. His Presence permeates the very air that we breathe here in this place called KESWICK.

Yes, it’s true that this place can, at times, have its fill of sorrow and pain because, well, life happens to all of us.  Sometimes the details are all wrapped up in the pains and sufferings of those we love. Other times, it involves those we get to know for brief moments of time as they come and go from a conference or a summer Victory week.  

Most often, we become carriers of hope, agents of change coming alongside those whose lives are caught up in the bondage of addiction. All the dramas that you can imagine and many more you can not are played out, lived out before us, and it is all a part of the work, ministry and life here in this holy place called KESWICK.

I praise God for the beauty of, the glory and the POWER of His Spirit in this place.  I am grateful that it is His Spirit which supercedes all that we say and do.  Because of Him we are able to, day-by-day, do the work He alone has called us to.  

There’s laughter and tears, joy and sorrow, fun and games, etc.  Most of all there is faith to believe, to trust, to go on and allow God to increase as we learn by trial and error to decrease.

Sometimes I look around at all the people that God chose to call and equip to do this work and I have to chuckle, sometimes to myself and sometimes out loud. I laugh because, basically, were all a bunch of nuts, beautiful nuts that He collected and put into one place, to be about His business in all the assorted different ways that we are uniquely designed.

This time of year you can go to the store and find bins full of assorted nuts, each one different in looks, taste, texture. Some prickly and bumpy, while others are smooth and round, thick, thin, and so on. When I see a bin full of nuts like that, I can’t help but think about the body of Christ that God chose to gather for such a time as this and all I can do is sing His praises, thanking Him alone that in the thick and thin of it we are united, with all our different flavors and taste for a single purpose – to be Jesus with skin to a world that is lost, sick, hurting and will surely die apart from the hope and life of the Gospel.

Wherever you are, whatever church you are planted in, wherever you are working, remember to keep the main thing, the main thing and be about the Father’s buisness.

Stephanie

Francesca Battistelli – Perhaps, like me, you never heard her name. I was driving to work one morning when I heard these words, “Cause I got a couple of dents in my fender; Got a couple of rips in my jeans; Try to fit the pieces together; But perfection is my enemy; On my own I’m so clumsy; But on Your shoulders I can see; I’m free to be me.”  I was intrigued, so I did some investigating on-line and found Francesca’s second radio single, “Free To Be Me,” has set an incredible record! It is being played on more radio stations than ANY other single from a new artist in Christian radio in all of history! 94 out of 118 stations are playing it! 1  

So I asked myself – why?  Why was I instantly intrigued?  Why has her song sky-rocketed in popularity?  This is what I think: because teens and 20-somethings resonate with the words of her song. The first lyrics that jumped out at me were – “a couple of rips in my jeans” – we used to throw out clothes that got so ripped they were tattered, but now young people pay money (and often quite a bit of it) to buy clothes already torn! 

More importantly, the second phrase that jumped out at me was, “But perfection is my enemy.” I am by no means an expert. I have two grown children and have had many, many conversations with young people. It is apparent when talking to them that in many ways they are not trying to be like us, they are different. They are crying out for us to see beyond the hair, the earrings, the piercings, tattoos, and torn jeans.  Every time we try to put a standard before them (that is not specifically God’s) it comes across to them as disapproval, unacceptance, and critical judgment-the enemy of their souls. If we were to be honest, it is the enemy our souls as well.  Perfection is not our friend – perfection is a standard of law, a measure of acceptability.  The law brings the realization that we cannot keep it.  “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain… But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” Galatians 3:21, 23-25 We cannot be perfect in ourselves. We cannot live up to a standard, and if we think we do, let us fall on our face and repent of our self-righteousness.  

If you know Jesus Christ, the only righteousness you have is His.  Our young friends will be saved by the same grace that saved you and me.  Jesus looks past the hair, the make-up, the torn jeans, the pierced noses, lips and brows, beyond the spikes, tattoos and gauges.  He sees the heart.  He reaches down and marvelously saves by His grace and in so doing sets each one of us free. Free to be ourselves IN HIM.  My friends, let us stop looking down our un-pierced noses at those who are unlike us and rather pray that we can embrace them and love them as Jesus does and, frankly, that they can love and embrace us, as Jesus does.    

Diane

1 http://www.francescamusic.com/news accessed 1 14 09

Without commentary, let me share a collection of Scriptures about The God of “much more”:

Matthew 6:30  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Matthew 7:11  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Matthew 12:11-12, 24  He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 

Luke 12:24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!

Romans 5:9-10, 15, 17 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life…But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many…For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 3:9-11 …or if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

Hebrews 3:3   For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses-as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.

Hebrews 8:6  But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.

Hebrews 9:13-14  For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Redeemed Friends ~ be blessed today for God has already given you MUCH MORE.

Diane

Hebrews 7:18-19 “For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.”

The phrase that struck me was “for the law made nothing perfect.”  Why, so often, do we live as if the law at least gets us close to perfect?  We “preach” grace but live as if it really is the law that gets the job done.  I am ever so guilty of this.  I find myself judging people by their hair, piercings, tattoos, music, and dress, just to name a few.  

Intellectually we know that our salvation and perfection are by grace not by the law, but so often we personally set a standard of righteousness, of right and wrong, or of what is acceptable and appropriate.  It is not God’s law but our own or some tradition we have adopted.  We make this standard our own and subtly or not-so-subtly require it of others.  We set an expectation on others as to how they should dress, behave, speak, look, etc., to be acceptable.  We set a law that is more rooted in human tradition than anything remotely related to Christ.  

Why do we live as if meeting these human expectations somehow reflects the righteousness of one’s heart or perfect them? If the law of God does not make perfect a single soul, how foolish we are to live as if man-made laws, expectations or standards can.

Beloved, stop looking around!  Stop looking at others who do exactly what I’m talking about and start looking at your own heart.  Ask God to reveal to you the ways you have erected a man-made standard or adopted a tradition for people to live up to in order to measure up or to be considered righteous and godly (“for the law made nothing perfect”).

“yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”  Galatians 2:16 

“I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” Galatians 2:21

Diane

Hebrews 5:5-11 “So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,’You are my Son, today I have begotten you’; as he says also in another place,’You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.’ In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.” ESV

When did Jesus offer prayers and supplications with vehement cries and tears?  Perhaps numerous times, but one time is recorded, in the Garden of Gethsemane: “And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.’ And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:41-44  

The night He was betrayed, He was pleading with the Father (the One who was able to save Him from death) AND HE WAS HEARD because of His reverence…

When we say God heard our prayer we typically mean -He answered us favorably. When things do not go according to our plan we tend to think God did not hear, or at least did not answer our prayers, and yet this verse says that Jesus’ pleadings and vehement cries and tears were heard-even though the end (or seeming end) was a brutal death on the cross. However, that wasn’t really the end because the result of Christ’s submission and obedience was that He, Messiah, was perfected (vs. 9) and therefore became the author of eternal salvation. 

God, the Father, heard the cries of His Son yet Jesus still suffered and God’s purpose was still accomplished in spite of the suffering, in fact because of the suffering.

When you are experiencing the weight of suffering, God hears your vehement cries and prayers.  He sees your tears.  If your suffering continues, know that God has not turned a deaf ear or ignored you. No…rather, God the Father hears your cries even if you still suffer and God’s purpose is still being accomplished in spite of the suffering, in fact usually because of the suffering.  

Diane