Why I Wear a Toe Ring

Karen Ehman

"Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God's slaves." 1 Peter 2:16 (NIV)

I remember begging my mom to get my ears pierced. I was in 5th grade and only one other girl in my class had hole-less lobes. I pleaded my case. "But Mooooooom! EVVVVV-ERYONE has their ears pierced but Heidi and me!"

That year on my birthday, she took me to the Meijer Thrifty Acres grocery store where a nice lady in the jewelry department pierced them for me.

The pain was worth the cool.

When I was in college, my friend Carmen got one ear double pierced. She said she did it to remind her that she belonged to the Lord; that she was His slave.

God’s Personal Attention to Detail

by Rick Warren Your hands shaped me and made me. Job 10:8 (NIV) God formed every creature on this planet with a special area of expertise. Some animals run, some hop, some swim, some burrow, and some fly. Each has a particular role to play based on the way they were shaped by God. The same is true with humans. Before God created you, he planned exactly how he wanted you to serve him, and then he shaped you for those tasks. He carefully shaped and formed you to serve him in a way that makes your ministry unique. God never wastes anything. He would not give you abilities, interests, talents, gifts, personality, and life experiences unless he intended to use them for his glory. Talk about it  What abilities, talents, and gifts has God given you? How do you think God wants you to use them?  What interests do you have that can be used to serve God?  Why do you think God gave you the personality you have? What kind of service do you think he had in mind? Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and most influential churches. Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller "The Purpose Driven Life." His book, "The Purpose Driven Church," was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. He is also the founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for pastors.

Why We Work

by Bill Crowder

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Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: Ephesians 6:5-9

Not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. —Ephesians 6:6

Bible in a Year:
Lamentations 1-5

In the late 1660s, Sir Christopher Wren was commissioned to re-design St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. According to legend, one day he visited the construction site of this great edifice and was unrecognized by the workers. Wren walked about the site, asking several of the men what they were doing. One worker replied, “I am cutting a piece of stone.” A second worker responded, “I’m earning five shillings two pence a day.” A third, however, had a different perspective: “I am helping Christopher Wren build a magnificent cathedral to the glory of God.” What a contrast in the attitude and motivation of that worker!

Why we do what we do is extremely important, particularly when it comes to our working lives and careers. That’s why Paul challenged the Ephesians to do their work, “not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men” (Eph. 6:6-7).

If we do our work merely to earn a paycheck or satisfy a supervisor, we will fall short of the highest motivation—doing our best as evidence of our devotion to God. So, why do we work? As that laborer told Wren, we work “to the glory of God.”

Be not always wanting
Some other work to do,
But gratefully perform the task
The Lord has given you. —Anon.

No matter who signs your paycheck, you are really working for God.

http://odb.org/2012/09/03/why-we-work/

Put Your Faith Where Your Action Is!

Gwen Smith

Today's Truth 

"Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 2:17, NIV).

Friend to Friend 

I remember a time, back in 1993, when I was swept up in the whimsical world of wedding planning. Every detail mattered. I was excited to be marrying Brad Smith and I wanted our wedding day to be a magical springboard to a life filled with amazing adventures and deep years of God-centered love. From the cake choices - to the dress choices - to the music choices - to the guest list choices - to the bridal registry choices: I was all about the business of wedding prep!

The bride of Christ is purposed to be all about the Father's business - to prep for eternity by making choices to bring Him glory throughout our days; to intentionally worship the Lord through our service. As daughters of God, we are called to connect our believing to our behaving; our convictions to our conversations; our lip-service to our life-service.

The Biblical mandate for each believer is this: put your faith where your action is. "Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 2:17).

Throw Open the Door

"Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money in.... And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites.... And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them...this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." (Mark 12:41-44)

Have you ever wanted to get God's attention? You can, you know. There's a certain kind of boldness, a certain kind of faith in giving that will get His attention every time. You can see that in Mark 12.

Read that chapter and just imagine the situation it describes. Jesus was sitting by the treasury watching as people put in their offerings. Don't you know there were some sanctimonious displays going on with Him there watching? There was bound to be plenty of pharisaical robe swishing as those wealthy leaders walked up to put in their gifts that day.

Mary Magdalene: A Devoted Follower Of Jesus

 LESSONS FROM WOMEN OF THE BIBLE

By Philip Nunn 


We usually think of Jesus walking, teaching and healing while with His twelve apostles. Yet, as we look closer at the Gospels, we discover many women who loved Jesus and were interested in what He said and did. Some, like Martha and Mary, offered Him hospitality. Others, like the Samaritan woman, brought a crowd to Him. A grateful woman poured perfume on Him. Another washed His feet. His mother stood by Him. Others, like Joanna and Susanna, followed Jesus and the Twelve, and helped “support them out of their own means” (Lk. 8:3 NIV).

But of all these women, the life and character of Mary Magdalene shines brightest. Have you wondered why the resurrected Christ chose to show Himself to her first? (Mk.16:9). There’s something special about her. She shines bright compared with the attitudes and behavior of the apostles. She had much to teach them through her actions. She can also be a model for us today.

She was tormented by demons. 

Not much is said about her background. “Magdala” means “a tower.” Perhaps some called her Magdalene because of her strong character. But it’s more likely she came from the town of Magdala on the Sea of Galilee. While it was common then to identify a woman in relation to a relative, like “Joanna the wife of Chuza” (Lk. 8:3), Mary Magdalene is mentioned 12 times by name with no family connection. To some this suggests that she was unmarried. Yet there is something more telling about her past – a connection with demons.

We read that “some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases” followed Jesus. Among them was “Mary Magdalene from whom seven demons had come out” (Lk. 8:2). Sometimes evil spirits cause diseases. When the demon is gone, good health returns. If demons “come out,” how do they “come in”?

From what I’ve observed in Colombia where I’m a missionary, there’s usually some family history of witchcraft, drug abuse, incest, prostitution, etc., which allows a demon to possess a non-Christian. Those who’ve met someone possessed, understand the fear and helplessness of this Mary. It’s not uncommon for the possessed to consider suicide. It was in this condition that she met Jesus.

Demons don’t normally come out without a struggle. In the case of the demon-possessed man from the Gerasenes, the demons “begged Jesus again and again not to send them out” (Mk. 5:9-10). In Mary Magdalene’s case, Mark said she was one “out of whom Jesus had driven seven demons” (Mk. 16:9). An understanding of this background is key to understanding her passion to follow Jesus.

What’s your devotion to Jesus like? Could it be described as “passion”? Jesus contrasted the Pharisees to another sinful woman to make clear this spiritual reality: “He who has been forgiven little loves little” (Lk. 7:47). Since each of us has been forgiven much, like Mary Magdalene we should also love passionately. Yet we take our sin too lightly, and come to Christ with little urgency. We think we’re fairly good citizens needing just a little push to get to heaven. It’s impossible for Pharisees, and their modern equivalents, to love as this Mary did.

She followed and served Jesus. 

Once Jesus had made her completely free, she followed and served Him. Perhaps you’ve encountered enthusiastic Christians who love to serve. Maybe you are one. Mary Magdalene teaches us two important lessons. First, to serve Him as He wants, you must be free. Too many Christians try to serve while still bound to sad memories and bitterness associated with our sinful past. We get used to living under such a cloud. If so, stop serving and seek full freedom. Freedom in Christ is not academic doctrine; it’s a real experience available to every believer.

Second, to serve Him as He wants, we must follow Him. The fact that we are busy is not enough. We must be willing to serve the Lord with others. Most Christian service is carried out in teams: Our Lord Jesus formed an apostolic team. Paul traveled and served together with others. Mary Magdalene served Jesus with other women. Teams are usually made up of different personalities and this can easily become a problem. You’d be surprised at how many conflicts exist among missionaries who serve the same Master! Even the apostolic team had its conflicts (Mk. 9:34). Mary Magdalene did not distance herself from team service. She loved Jesus with passion, yet worked with “many others ... helping to support” Him and the apostles (Lk. 8:3).

Men (Lk. 8:1): The Twelve were specially chosen by Jesus. They were sometimes bossy and critical of others. Mary Magdalene must have noticed this, yet she did not compete with them. She was content in her role.

Rich Women (Lk. 8:3): Among those who served was “Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household.” The wealthy are not always easy to work with, yet there is no evidence that Mary entered into conflict with such.

Pushy Women (Mt. 27:55): Jesus called two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, to join the Twelve (Mk. 3:13-19). Their mother also followed Jesus. When the other apostles were distracted, she brought her sons to Jesus and said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” This caused tension among the disciples (Mt. 20:21-24). Jesus called her sons the “Sons of Thunder” (Mk. 3:17). Did this name have to do with the temperament of their mother? Yet we find no conflict between Mary Magdalene and this woman. She shared Jesus with pushy women.

Relatives (Jn. 19:25): John records that Mary Magdalene was at the cross with Jesus’ mother and aunt (Jn. 19:25). They had family ties to Jesus; Mary Magdalene did not. Family connections can cause friction in teams, yet this Mary loved and served Jesus with no evidence of competition or jealousy. Can you work with those who think they’re closer to Jesus or more spiritual than you are?

She stood by the cross. 

Mary Magdalene is most remembered for being at the cross. Some might consider her standing there to be passive. But look closer. Together with the others, she had walked from Galilee to Jerusalem. Jesus was taken captive on Thursday; these women must have wondered all night what would happen next. Can you imagine their hurt as they heard the cries, “Crucify him”? On Friday they followed Him to Calvary. They saw Him nailed to the cross. They found no moral support from the Twelve; one had betrayed Him and another had denied Him.

Imagine how emotionally hurt Mary Magdalene was. But Matthew records more events to add to her pain: “Those who passed by hurled insults at Him” (Mt. 27:39). Yet Mary Magdalene was not ashamed of Jesus. Then three hours of “darkness came over all the land” (27:45). I once experienced a total solar eclipse. We lived for a few minutes in total darkness. I felt a strange coldness.

During those three hours, Mary Magdalene and the other women must have felt that darkness as “Jesus cried out again in a loud voice ... and gave up His spirit. At that moment ... the earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life” (27:50-52). Imagine the panic – earthquakes, open tombs, risen dead! We are told that the soldiers “were terrified” (27:54). What kept Mary Magdalene by that cross? Why didn’t she flee with the others? I think her background made the difference. Unlike the Pharisees, being forgiven much, “she loved much” (Lk. 7:47).

How does our devotion to Christ respond to injustice? Do unanswered “Whys?” move us from Him? How do we respond to ridicule? Do we, like Peter, distance ourselves from Jesus? And what about times when the future seems uncertain? Do we remain close to our Lord? Sometimes the death of a loved one shakes us. Sometimes earthquakes (unemployment, divorce, division) shake our foundations. Sometimes there are resurrections of forgotten problems. Like Mary Magdalene, regardless of circumstances, let’s remain close to our Lord.

She watched Jesus’ burial. 

Jesus died on Friday afternoon. The Sabbath began at sunset, so there were only a few hours to prepare His body for the tomb. “As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph ... Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body” (Mt. 27:57-58). John tells us that Joseph was “accompanied by Nicodemus ... The two of them wrapped it with the spices, in strips of linen” (Jn. 19:39-42). While they were doing this, “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb” (Mt. 27:61).

Would you have criticized Mary Magdalene if she had gone home after the crucifixion? But she stayed until the tomb was sealed. A devoted heart always goes beyond duty. Do you measure your service? Do you compare your devotion with that of others? A heart truly in love with Christ doesn’t make such comparisons!

She returned to the sepulcher. 

When a sinful woman poured expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet, some disciples got upset and asked, “Why this waste?” (Mt. 26:8). Wasn’t it also a waste when Mary Magdalene and the other women “went home and prepared spices and perfumes” (Lk. 23:55-56)? They knew Nicodemus and Joseph had already wrapped the body with “about seventy-five pounds of spices” (Jn. 19:39). Wasn’t that enough? A devoted heart doesn’t reason like that. It didn’t matter what others had done, they wanted to express their deep appreciation.

So many Christian songs have been composed. Why another one? So many Christian books and tracts have been written. Why another one? So many rich Christians give to the Lord’s work. Why bother with my small contribution? So many gifted evangelists present the gospel. Why should I? So many large organizations help the needy in this world. Why bother with one new family that moved next door? A loving heart doesn’t ask such questions. Like Mary, we also want to give Jesus something that smells good. “Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Heb. 13:16). Such acts are also called “a fragrant offering ... pleasing to God” (Phil. 4:18).

“Very early on the first day of the week” Mary Magdalene and two other women “were on the way to the tomb” (Mk. 16:1-3). What made these three women get up so early? The angel at the tomb knew: “I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.” Then he surprised them with the good news: “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said” (Mt. 28:5-6).

She met the risen Christ. 

Mary Magdalene and the other women went to the sepulcher “looking for Jesus” (Mt. 28:5). Near the sepulcher they experienced another “violent earthquake” as the angel rolled back the stone (Mt. 28:2). You may have some difficulties along the way, but everyone who truly seeks Jesus eventually finds Him. “‘You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord” (Jer. 29:13-14). John records the moving encounter between Mary Magdalene and the risen Christ. The disciples visited the empty tomb and went home, “but Mary stood outside the tomb crying” (Jn. 20:10-11). She was alone. She saw the two “angels,” but in her distress she didn’t recognize Jesus next to her. But then He called her name, and she cried, “Teacher!”

Sometimes our natural distress can distance us from the Lord’s intended blessing. The Lord may be using fellow Christians, even angels, to try to comfort our hearts. We hear their words but do not let them reach our soul. We see evidence of the Lord’s kindness, yet in our pain we don’t allow Him to cheer our hearts. Are you alone? Hurting? The same Jesus who felt for Mary Magdalene feels for you. He calls your name. He invites you to turn from your sorrow to worship Him.

Her report was questioned. 

When Jesus was tempted by the devil, He answered “Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only” (Lk. 4:8). After worship comes service. Jesus instructed Mary Magdalene to take a message to the “mourning and weeping” disciples (Mk. 16:10). The Lord was concerned for them. When we open ourselves to His comfort, He gives us grace to comfort others (2 Cor. 1:3-4). Mary Magdalene was special to the Lord, but she was not the only one.

Mary wiped her tears away and did exactly what Jesus said – and she did it immediately. How did the disciples react to her message? “When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it” (Mk. 16:11). She shared the good news joyfully, but the disciples didn’t believe her. Have others questioned your report? Have you been suspected of distorting the truth? How did Mary Magdalene react? Did she rebuke the disciples for being sexist in refusing a female witness? Did she swear, like Peter, to add weight to her words? (Mt. 26:74). Did she storm out in protest? No, no, no.

Mary Magdalene did what Jesus asked her to do, and left the disciples’ reaction with Him. We read that “later Jesus appeared to the Eleven ... He rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen Him after He had risen” (Mk. 16:14). Then, as always, He stood by them. The Lord ensures that the truth will eventually come to light (Lk. 12:1-3). Are others casting doubt on your motives? Do you feel misunderstood? Be like Mary Magdalene: speak the truth, worship the Lord happily, and continue doing what the Lord has given you to do. Opposition never justifies bitterness or paralysis.

What do we do? 

A young man once asked me how to obtain passion for Jesus. Mary Magdalene shows us: First, come to terms with your sinfulness. Unless you realize all that Christ has done for you, you will always “love little.” Second, keep following Christ – not the disciples, a local church, historic saints, or even doctrines. Follow Christ with others, but do not follow others. Third, don’t let your heart get divided. Snacks ruin a good appetite. If you follow religious conventions and try to meet human expectations, you’ll find enough satisfaction to lose your appetite for the real thing. Learn from Mary Magdalene: “She loved much” (Lk. 7:47).

http://www.gtpress.org/gtweb/gtmag/mag06/jul06/feature2.html

Treasures : Who Are You Serving?

Where Is Your Treasure? Matthew 6:19-24

Study By: Bob DeffinbaughNow we come to a very powerful and pivotal point in the passage at hand. This verse, in fact, is the climax of the Sermon on the Mount. This passage asks the all-important question, “Who are you serving?” People often think they can have the best of both worlds – both here on earth serving themselves with riches and living it up, and later down the road in the future, which would be heaven. In this passage, Jesus states: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). Jesus tells us here that we cannot serve two masters. We cannot serve money and God; we cannot serve popularity and God; we cannot serve ourselves and God; we cannot serve our families and God. We can have only one master. Jesus is once again challenging us to look at the whole Sermon on the Mount, challenging us to repent, to change our minds about earthly treasures, about the things that we formerly served, and to serve Him only. You cannot do it no matter how hard you try. One or the other will lose out, and in most cases, it will be God. Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones tells this story:

A farmer … one day reported to his wife with great joy that his best cow had given birth to twin calves, one red and one white. He said, “You know, I have been led of the Lord to dedicate one of the calves to him. We will raise them together. Then when the time comes to sell them, we will keep the proceeds that come from one calf and we will give the proceeds that come from the other to the Lord’s work.” His wife asked which calf he was going to dedicate to the Lord, but he answered that there was no need to decide that then. “We will treat them both in the same way,” he said, “and when that time comes we will sell them as I have said.” Several months later the man entered the kitchen looking very sad and miserable. When his wife asked what was troubling him he said, “I have bad news for you. The Lord’s calf is dead.” “But,” his wife remonstrated, “you had not yet decided which was to be the Lord’s calf.” “Oh, yes.” he said. “I had always determined that it was to be the white one, and it is the white calf that has died.”¹⁹⁸

James Boice comments: “It is always the Lords calf that dies – unless we are absolutely clear about our service to him and about the true nature or our possessions.”¹⁹⁹

I would like to point to an example of someone who had the right perspective on what this meant. Many of you may know this example. It is actually one of my favorite passages of Scripture, one that challenges me greatly every time I read it.

Example 1 – Paul (Philippians 3:7-8).

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

The Apostle Paul was in the religious sense a man who had it all. He was circumcised the eighth day; he was of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. Concerning the law, he was a Pharisee; concerning zeal, he persecuted the church. Concerning righteousness, which is in the law, he was blameless. Paul had it all, but he gave all that up because he saw all this as rubbish, as “dung,” so that he might know Christ and the power of His resurrection. He was serving one Master, and that Master was Jesus Christ, and Him alone. The things of this world and the things this world had to offer did not appeal to him anymore because the Father had changed his heart and made him a new man. In his life, Paul had a change of mind – he repented and until his death, Paul followed Christ. He saw the significance of laying up treasure in heaven, and he laid aside those things that might have appealed to his flesh so that he might live by faith in the unseen and lay hold of the reward at the end of his life – the salvation of his soul.

What about us? What is Christ asking of us? He is asking us to do the same – we are not to serve two masters, but to serve Christ and Christ alone. Below are a couple of passages that illustrate this point. We are to count the cost, because it is either Him or self in our personal pursuits, whatever those might be.

Example 2 – Take up your Cross and Follow Me (Mark 8:34-38, Luke 14:25-33).

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For 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? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:34-38).

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it – lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, this man began to build and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:25-33).

God is calling us to a radical life of service to Him as our Master. As I said at the beginning of this message, there is such huge importance in realizing that God is our Father, and we are His children. God will take care of us and provide for all of our needs as He sees fit. But the temptation to hold onto earthly things weighs heavy on us and tempts us to trust our riches instead of our heavenly Father. In the passages of Scripture quoted above, we see an incredible call to serve our Father, as His children and as His disciples. There are some pretty strong statements in these passages; if you don’t hate your father and mother, etc., you cannot be My disciple. This call is radical in that we are called to give up ourselves completely and to place our complete trust in our Father and to follow Him. We are called to deny ourselves, which means that self no longer has any rights. We are called to take up our cross, which means that we are to take the same path Jesus took, being willing to lay down our lives for His sake and His gospel. And we are called to follow Him. We are called to imitate Jesus in all that He did and to follow His example.²⁰⁰ Jesus wants all of our heart. He desires that we have an intimate relationship with the Father as He does. We cannot serve God and the riches on this earth; it just does not work. One is either despised or hated, while the other one is loved and followed. Whichever one you serve is the one that is your master. If it is riches, those riches are your master, and they have control over you. If it is the Father, He is your Master, and He has control over you. Who are you serving?

Conclusion and Application

(1) In conclusion, I want you to realize that God is not condemning us for being wealthy or rich. The question is, “Are you serving those things and committing idolatry by having them be your god?” Money is not bad; it is the love of money that is the root of evil. “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1Timothy 6:10).

Command those that are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they may be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on to eternal life (1 Timothy 6:17-19).

The example of Demas comes to mind: “Be diligent to come to me quickly; for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica …” (2 Timothy 4:9-10).

(2) The temptation to lay up treasures is a real temptation that we all face from youth to adulthood. I was in Chicago recently, and many times throughout the weekend, I thought, “Man, if I only had a little more money, I could do this,” or “I could have a house on Lake Michigan,” or “I could own that sweet car.” We were down on Rush Street and looked into this Bentley store with all kinds of elaborate cars from red and yellow Ferraris to Aston Martins to Porsche 911’s to Bentleys. I thought to myself that it would be so awesome to drive one of those things home; what would people think of me then? The temptation is real, and it is not just in things like cars and big houses; it comes down to clothes, and X-box gaming consoles, and jewelry, family, power, popularity, hypocrisy etc. This temptation is real, and we need to put on the whole armor of God to combat it. Our enemy wants nothing more than to distract us with these temporal pleasures and things of this world so that we do not have an intimate relationship with our Father.

(3) Where is your treasure? I ask the youth students this each week. I don’t know where your heart is or what your heart is longing for or serving. Only two people know that, you and God. I know that if you are serving yourself by storing up wealth or popularity or whatever it may be, that will come to an end. It is only temporary. But if you are serving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, you will not be disappointed. There is an inheritance waiting for you when you go to be with the Lord. I am calling us to repent of those things and to change our minds and our behaviors. I am calling us to repent on a daily basis, as this is a continual battle we face day in and day out. We have seen the power of the gospel and repented; that must continue every day. We must see the grace of the gospel in our daily lives and its effects day in and day out. We must live by that grace, through faith, in what is to come.

I conclude with an excerpt from the story of a missionary woman who has been a huge encouragement to me. Darlene Deibler Rose lost everything but gained so much more.

“Mrs. Joustra came to our barracks and asked if she could talk to me [Darlene Deibler Rose] for a few minutes… “I came to tell you that your husband in Pare Pare has been very ill… .When I saw her eyes fill with tears, I grabbed her shoulders and cried, ‘Oh, Mrs. Joustra! You don’t mean he’s gone!’ ‘Yes’, she said. ‘Some three months ago he died in the camp in Pare Pare.’ I was stunned – Russell is dead. He’d been dead three months already! It was one of those moments when I felt that the Lord had left me; He had forsaken me. My whole world fell apart. I walked away from Mrs. Joustra. In my anguish of soul, I looked up. My Lord was there, and I cried out, ‘But God…!’ Immediately He answered, ‘My child, did I not say that when thou passest through the waters I would be with thee, and through the floods, they would not overflow thee?’”²⁰¹

Here is a woman who lost everything, including her husband. She was in a prison camp during World War II, yet she found God faithful in all of this. She found that giving her life to Jesus Christ was of far greater value than anything she could obtain here on earth, and through these awful, dreadful years, God used this woman in a mighty way amongst the other prisoners of war, as well as with her so-called enemies that were holding her captive. As Jim Elliot wrote, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Where is your treasure? How is your vision? And who are you serving? I pray that you are serving the Father and Him alone.

http://bible.org/seriespage/where-your-treasure-matthew-619-24

Your Deeds Do Make A Difference!

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
“Let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth” (1 Jn. 3:18 NIV). Wow! What a command! How often do we forget to back up our feelings with good, old-fashioned action? How often do we fail to show Christ’s love to others through our behavior? I am talking specifically about caring for one another’s needs.
This reminds me of the golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.” I always thought this meant, “Don’t do things to others that you yourself would not like done to you.” But it doesn’t say, “Don’t do.” It does say, “Do.” And that means we should actually do for others what we would like people to do for us.
More and more, I find that it isn’t all that hard to serve another. Service can be many things: from small actions like a kind word or an encouraging hug, to larger ones such as listening to another’s problems or helping with a task. Whether small or large, our actions will make a difference in the lives of those around us.
Have you ever watched the face of a person when you do something for them that is completely unexpected? It’s great! Do you know what else is great? It’s contagious! One good deed encourages others to do good deeds too. Sometimes a simple hug can totally change a person’s day! I know because it has happened to me, and I’m sure you can remember when it has happened to you.
The Bible says that we are to “serve one another in love.” Then it says that this command must be our law: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Gal. 5:13-14). It is no mistake that “the fruit of the Spirit” within us is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23). These are the things that are to be displayed through our actions, and what a difference they make!
The Bible also says that we are to “serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men.“ (Eph. 6:7). Whatever we do for another, we are doing for our Lord. And believe me, He notices - no matter how small a thing we do. Why? Because “we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Eph. 2:10).
Think of it: we are actually created to do good works! Praise the Lord! We are not alone in our walk with Christ. We are brothers and sisters in Christ, and it’s a remarkable privilege to have such a loving family! God has given each of us special talents, gifts, and interests, so we can serve Him. What better way than to minister to the needs of others?
This reminds me of Tabitha (or Dorcas) in Acts 9:36-42. Though she was a woman of no special status, she was well known and loved for serving the poor and the widows by making them clothes. She used her God-given talent for His glory. What a difference we could make if we did the same!
Let me give you a simple example from my own life: an elderly Christian man in our church, my “adopted grandpa” I called him, took an interest in me since I was a child. He showed me how to work with wood, how he built things, told me stories and gave me a hug every Sunday at church for nearly 28 years. A hug is a really simple thing, but his had a great impact on my life. Who knows how different I might be were it not for his ongoing expression of love to me?
Our deeds do touch lives. They will be the things that people remember about us, and they might even lead others to Christ. We may never have the opportunity to be missionaries, but we can all be servants. Be encouraged today that the little things you do for the Lord and for others are worth your effort; they do make a difference. Let’s always remember the servant-like character of Christ, and mirror it in our lives.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Heather Darling worked in the mail room at Grace & Truth while studying to become a veterinary technician. When not caring for animals, she serves the Lord by teaching pre-school children in Sunday School, assisting in a teen ministry and conducting an e-mail ministry of encouragement with adults.
Grace & Truth Magazine February 2000