Is This an Attack From the Enemy or a Lesson From God?

TERESA SEPUTIS

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Every believer enters a season when God turns up the heat. Here's how to keep the goal of the refinement process in view when going through the flames.

Those of you who are familiar with the process of refining gold know that the gold is first placed in a crucible and subjected to intense heat. The heat causes the gold to melt and its impurities to separate and come to the top, where they can be skimmed off.

This process is repeated as many times as necessary in order to increase the quality and purity of the gold. For example, 10 karat gold does not have to be heated as much or as long as 14 karat gold. Twenty-four karat gold undergoes an even more intensive refining process.

In a similar manner, God is in the process of refining His church. He wants a pure, beautiful bride upon whom He can pour out His anointing and His power. God desires to manifest Himself through His church so that each of us is able to do the things Jesus did (see John 14:12-14).

Surrender: the Only Way to Live

by Rick Warren 

Though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God, but laid aside his mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like men.” (Philippians 2:6-7 LB)

Everybody surrenders to something or someone in life. If not to God, you’ll surrender to popular opinion, money, resentment, or fear, to your own pride, lust, and ego.

We were designed to worship something, and when we fail to worship God, we create gods (idols) to which we surrender ourselves. E. Stanley Jones said, "If you don't surrender to Christ, you surrender to chaos." You’re free to choose what you surrender to, but you’re not free from the consequences of that choice: “So give yourselves completely to God” (James 4:7a NCV).

Surrender is not the best way to live; it is the only way to live. Nothing else works. All other approaches lead to frustration, disappointment, and self-destruction.

In The Face Of Opposition

Written by Donna Mitchell

Take today’s next step: Trying to share your faith but discouraged by a lack of success? It could be that your definition of successful witnessing is incorrect. We can help with that.  

“We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.”  (Colossians 1:11-12, NLT)

The word endurance suggests resistance.  If there were no resistance – there would be no need for endurance. “Endure” means taking a strong stance and not giving up hope when obstacles or opposition confronts you.

Sometimes, there is more at stake than we realize.

Hymn Hypocrisy

Do you ever feel like a total hypocrite when you realize what is coming out of your mouth at church?

I don’t mean the words of worship and praise for God—those always sound right. And I don’t mean the words of confession of sin or the words of prayer. I am referring to the words of hymns that describe our lives as Christians.

Take, for instance, Frances Havergal’s famous hymn of personal dedication, “Take My Life and Let It Be.” The fourth stanza always makes me feel kind of sheepish (we’d blush if that were possible in this age of no shame): “Take my silver and my gold; Not a mite would I withhold.” I think of my decades of selfishness. Can you sing that stanza with a straight face and mean it?

The Joseph Story

Written by John Grant

“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:18

Recently, we attended a drama presentation of the story of Joseph and his family. The Bible story became alive to me as I witnessed one of the greatest stories of reconciliation.

God prepares His servants in many ways to accomplish His purpose. The story of Joseph is repeated every day in the lives of His people. The circumstances may be different, but the results are the same. God trains His servants through sometimes difficult “boot camps.” When that training is complete, He places them in strategic places to be a provider-both physically and spiritually.

Jack Hayford: Developing Christlike Character

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Jack Hayford, founding pastor at The Church On The Way in Van Nuys, Calif. and the founder and chancellor of The King’s College and Seminary, is known for his keen insights on living for Jesus Christ. His seminar at The Cove, "A New Time and Place" will be streamed free of charge Friday at 7:15 p.m. on The Cove's website.

How do you define Christian character?

Hayford: The thing that makes the difference in Christian character is that we are answering to God foremost. Christian character is character lived out in the reverence for and respect for God, as opposed to simply honoring man. The “fear of God” is the biblical terminology for it. The fear of God is the starting place, but what it boils down to is the willingness to die to our own agendas, to die to our own conveniences.

Genuine Christian character involves sacrifice, and that is something that the culture will not require of us. That is something that only faith will bring us to. We are called to be servants—not just honest people, but servants. Jesus cast it in the most severe terms. He said, “So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty’” (Luke 17:10, NIV).

A Life Surrendered

And so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.—Esther 4:16

Don't be afraid of making decisions, because the devil wins all standoffs. God teaches us through our mistakes. Your steps will be ordered of the Lord if you seek Him in every endeavor. Don't allow the devil to gain a toehold in your life through procrastination and indecision.

The children of Israel stood on one side of a valley week after week—until a young shepherd boy with a slingshot came along and made a decision to do something about the situation.

D. L. Moody said, "It is yet to be seen what God would do through one man's life surrendered totally to Him. I determine to be that man." Moody was never ordained, but he shook three continents with the power of God, because he realized "all things are possible to those that believe" (Luke 1:37). 

Ever Surrendered?

And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love; and will meditate on Your statutes. Psalm 119:48

Operation Desert Storm of 1990, do you remember it? It was our definitive answer to Psycho Sadaam Hussein’s brutal and unprovoked takeover of oil-rich Kuwait.

I remember watching footage of that military offensive. Sadaam called it the mother of all battles, but the truth of the matter was the Iraqi soldiers were ill-equipped to take on America. In one memorable scene, the Iraqis surrendered to U.S. military without even a shot being fired. They came out of their bunkers with their hands in the air – the global sign of surrender.

A surrendered soldier has ceased fighting. He has relinquished his weapons and his rights. He is now pliable and agreeable to the will of the conqueror.

SURRENDERED?

Where to unload life’s heavy burdens

In his famous book, Believe and Belong, Bruce Larson tells how he helped people struggling to surrender their lives to Christ: 

	Cast your cares on theLORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. — Psalm 55:22

“Often I would suggest they walk with me from my office down to the RCA Building on Fifth Avenue. In the entrance of that building is a gigantic statue of Atlas, a beautifully-proportioned man who, with all his muscles straining, is holding the world upon his shoulders. 

“There he is, the most powerfully-built man in the world, and he can barely stand up under this burden. ‘Now that’s one way to live,’ I would point out to my companion, ‘trying to carry the world on your shoulders. But now come across the street with me.’ 

Joni Eareckson Tada Not Shaken by Breast Cancer

(Photo: Joni and Friends)

In this undated photo, Joni Eareckson Tada smiles as she sees a little boy in Ghana with cerebral palsy walk for the first time with his new walker.

By Lillian Kwon , Christian Post Reporter

After 43 years of living paralyzed from the neck down and recently learning that she now has breast cancer, Joni Eareckson Tada remains all smiles.

"I want to assure you that I am genuinely content to receive from God whatever He deems fit for me even if it is from His left hand because better something from His left hand than no hand at all, right?" the beloved disability advocate and quadriplegic said in a video message to supporters.

The Ultimate Proof of Total Forgiveness

That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. —2 Corinthians 5:19


The ultimate proof of total forgiveness takes place when we sincerely petition the Father to let those who have hurt us off the hook—even if they have hurt not only us, but also those close to us.


I had come face-to-face with this reality, so I prayed for certain people to be forgiven. However, after a few moments, it was as if the Lord said to me, "Do you know what you are asking Me to do?"


I thought I knew the answer to His question, so I said, "Yes."


He then seemed to reply, "Are you now asking Me to set them free as if they had done nothing wrong?"


That sobered me! I needed some time to think, but while I pondered His words, the Lord reminded me of the many sins for which He had forgiven me. I became frightened of the possibility that He might reveal—or let come out—some of the terrible things I had done.

How To Be Really Free

Written by Helen Grace Lescheid

How can we pray for you today? 

“Jesus replied, ‘…So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.’” (John 8:34a, 36)

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17).

How do you feel about the word “surrender”? It’s not a popular word in our culture. We are afraid that if we surrender we’ll be oppressed. Maybe a person in authority has abused us and colored our concept of surrender.

I have a friend who spent three years in a Japanese prison camp. He witnessed cruel beatings and insults on a daily basis.  Even now, many years later, he is afraid to give himself to God. He thinks he’ll lose his freedom.

Masterpiece in the Making

Gwen Smith, www.GwenSmith.net





And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. ~Philippians 1:6, AMP

It took four years of fresco painting for the Italian Renaissance sculptor, painter, architect, and poet Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, to finish the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Commonly known as Michelangelo, his time painting was mostly spent alone, on his back, lying on scaffolding. (How painful!) The painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is one of the most remarkable in the history of Western art. One thing is for sure: the process that altered a ceiling from plain to fabulous required a lot of time, great discipline, and the hand of a master artist. The same is true for us. The journey from broken into beautiful is a lifelong transformation that requires both discipline and a Master Artist.

As Michelangelo was working, I’m sure that lots of people came through the corridors of the chapel and stood in amazement. As they looked up at the beauty of his work, I bet they said things like, “That is the most fantastic work of art I have ever seen!” or “Extraordinary!” To which he might have said, “It’s not done!” But did the unfinished state of the project negate that parts of the ceiling were beautiful? No! The parts that were complete were still extravagant and breathtaking.

Maybe this is the way God and others see our lives. It’s common for people to notice the work God has done in us and comment on the beauty. And even though compliments are nice to hear, I’ve been known to resist them. (Admit it, you probably have too.) It’s not so much a humility thing as it is an “I-don’t-see-myself-as-beautiful” thing. From my limited perspective, I can see only the unfinished work. But in truth, my vantage point doesn’t negate the beauty of the work God has done and is doing in my life.

Real beauty isn’t about a finished or flawless product. It can’t be. It’s not possible on this side of eternity to have completed beauty. Our restoration will be complete in the presence of God when we see Him face to face.

Now, you might be saying, “But Gwen, I can’t be beautiful! You don’t know what I’ve done…or what I’ve been through…or what I’m going through!”

Friend, God knows where you have been, what you have been through, and where you are now. He knows what your flaws are and loves you in spite of your imperfections. His tender love is far-reaching and complete.

Your past sins do not define you.

Your painful scars do not define you.

Your present sufferings do not define you.

They are just shards of brokenness that God will use to lovingly refine your beauty. The transformation from broken into beautiful is neither easy nor instantaneous. It demands a yielded heart and can be quite painful, but it comes with great reward. God will need your broken pieces—your scars, shame, insecurities, disappointments, betrayals, and failures.

Do you have some of those?

Are they tucked away in a safe, do-not-enter part of your heart?

You might find it hard to hand over hurts. I get that. It’s hard for me too. But difficult as it may be, it’s time to hand them over and let our masterful Lord create a stunning work of beauty in you. And He’s going to need all of your broken pieces to complete the restoration.

Holy Father, I am humbled by Your willingness to love and forgive someone like me. Please take the broken pieces of my life and don’t allow me to have them back. I surrender to Your healing. Mold me and shape me into a beautiful reflection of Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

http://www.crosswalk.com/church/worship/masterpiece-in-the-making.html

Surrender

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Is Suffering Good For Us?

But ought we get to thinking suffering is 'good'? There have been some contemplative writers and teachers who thought so. We have to think seriously about what God can give us in suffering.

You can learn :
the difference between real fears and illusory fears you (or someone else) whipped up. And you can learn the difference between telling yourself to 'fear not' and actually believing there's a reason not to fear.
to depend on God's grace and active love.
to depend on what's done by those who aren't suffering, and sometimes by others who are. And you learn something about how each of us depends on each other. You learn that more good things happen when you cooperate.
that by yourself, you flail and fall and fail -- and so does everyone else.
to wait, often because you have no power to do otherwise, and sometimes because it just works best that way.
that suffering grabs you and drags you to the place where you discover how much you need God's grace.
that most material things aren't much of a help for the actual suffering.
which material things really count, which you're better off without, and which simply don't matter.
that suffering, like death, has a way of stripping away the differences we-all have created.
that you're not so important after all.
that it's a good thing to let down the walls you use to guard your inner self and your privacy.
why the gospel of Jesus Christ is good news: God loves you and is with you! You're not out there floundering around on your own.
that when you've got little to lose, you're freer to surrender yourself to the gospel.

But if good things can come from suffering, doesn't that make suffering good?

No.

The spiritual gains of suffering don't come from what you're suffering from, or even from the suffering itself. The gains come from the fact that God (and, like God, we ourselves) can take 'bad', 'horrible', and even 'evil' situations and make something good come from them. God enjoys doing that. It's this fact that gives us real reason to hope during suffering. This 'good effect' doesn't change the nature or 'badness' of suffering; it is what it is. A mountain of dung is no less filthy when there's a diamond in it.

The truth is, more often than not, the lessons aren't learned, the goodness doesn't come of it. Those who are broken may remain broken. Suffering destroys and beats people down. The devil uses it to cause confusion, anger, delusion, or resignation. It usually leaves some sort of scar or damage. It is exceptionally cruel to speak glibly of 'spiritual gains', real and/or imagined, to those who live with extreme disabilities or are stuck in the poverty class or who lose a loved one. Not that they too can't find gain or hope or even happiness, because many of them really do. But only some, and definitely not most. Our duty is not to tell them to smile harder or to feed them false hopes, but to make it so that they can live amidst their suffering and perhaps be led forward with their life. They need real hopes, and Christians are called on to help make real hopes take root.

The Holy Spirit does not stop life from having suffering. What the Spirit gives is resources so we can face the suffering and make something positive come from it. The Spirit gives the direction and power to make these resources work. The Spirit gives hope, which itself creates perseverance. The Spirit gives wisdom to find the way past the suffering, and to learn from it. And, the Spirit created a body of believers, with the gifts to support and strengthen. In a way, the gifts are geared toward suffering, because spiritual gifts are meant to be for the good of others. Who needs the benefits from those gifts more than those who suffer?

Spiritual gifts are from the Strongest One acting through the weak on behalf of the weakest.

gotquestions  http://www.spirithome.com/suffering.html

Reflections - be still and hear the Lord.

About Reflections

A daily original program for every day of your life.
Experience the highly anticipated Daystar original program “Reflections.” Every morning, enjoy breathtaking scenes from many of God’s miraculous creations. Be immersed in the Word of God while you take in the redwood forests, the California coast, the Hawaiian tropics, the Black Hills of South Dakota, Alaska’s icy terrain and more. Familiar hymns and beautifully produced original music accompany Scripture to help you let go and surrender during a time of daily prayer and meditation. “Reflections” airs every morning from 4:00-6:00 a.m. ET. We pray that it will not only bless you, but that it will provide a peaceful time and place to be still and hear the Lord.

Time: Every Morning: 4:00 – 6:00am EST
Address: Daystar Television Network, PO Box 612066, Dallas, TX 75261
Phone: 817-571-1229
Website: www.daystar.com/reflections 

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