The Beauty of Being Forgiven… I wonder what it was like for the woman caught in the very act of sin in John 8:1-12. The overwhelming emotions she must have felt… the shame that hung over her head as a loud banner as she was exposed, guilty and soon would be sentenced to death. And with all the emotion and fear swirling around her like a Texas-sized tornado… she knew she needed a Savior… someone at that precise moment to step in and redeem her… When others wanted to cast the first stone, Jesus stepped in and got to the heart of the matter and with great precision and authority said, “He who is without sin, let him throw a stone at her first.” Silence must have filled that moment… as His words pierced the accuser’s hearts and convicted their conscience. One by one they left… for you see, the Light of the world… Jesus Himself… met this woman in her most vulnerable and broken state… and gave her a life-changing gift…  The Gift of Being Forgiven... In the midst of her rescue, the Redeemer spoke these very heartfelt moving words… “Neither do I condemn you… go and sin no more.” Oh, what love and what forgiveness He bestowed upon her… this woman was given a pardon from a death sentence and could now live a new life of  FREEDOM FROM THE BONDAGE OF SIN!  Darling, as I am writing you tears are pouring down my face... Forgiveness is truly such a beautiful thing to behold that has such depth and weight to it. Forgiveness when granted brings liberation… brings freedom… brings hope… hope for a NEW DAY and a fresh start. Forgiveness causes the one who has be forgiven of much, to love much… There too was another woman who was bound by a lifestyle of sin in Luke 7:36-50. As Jesus was eating at the Pharisees home, a woman in the city who was a  known sinner , brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil… her very best… something of great worth to her… something that cost her much… and she stood at Jesus’ feet behind Him weeping… as her tears were pouring out like rain. As she began to wash His feet with her precious tears, and wiped them with her beautiful hair, she kissed His feet and anointed them with the costly, fragrant oil. Oh, how moving and intimate is this scene. A woman who understood in the depths of her soul she was in need of forgiveness and redemption. And at that precise moment of her giving her best… something of great worth to her… to the Lord, the Pharisee speaks to himself and says, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know  who  and what manner  this is  who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” Jesus knowing all things in a man’s heart turns to him and calls him by name and proceeds to tell him a story of two debtors... one who owed a lot of money... and one who owed a small amount. And when both debtors could not repay their creditor, he FORGAVE THEM BOTH their debt. Jesus then asked Simon, “Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him (the creditor) more?” Simon responds, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” Dear One, oh how precious our Lord is… He is Omniscient, All-Knowing, and sees to the heart of every matter. And in His perfect love, He teaches Simon and this woman about  The Beauty of Being Forgiven… And then Jesus turns to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My feet with fragrant oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you,  HER SINS, WHICH ARE MANY, ARE FORGIVEN,  for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven the same loves little.” Could you imagine this woman and Simon hanging onto every word of Jesus… His words piercing their hearts. Then Jesus  says to her ,  “YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN.”  These four powerful words spoken from the lips of her Redeemer brought an immediate liberation to her… lifting off the heavy weight of her sin… releasing her from the bondage of her past failures and mistakes. And with these powerful words she knew she had been washed, thoroughly cleansed and  FORGIVEN . Both women experienced firsthand  The Beauty of Being Forgiven.  Both women’s lives were forever changed the moment they came in contact with their Redeemer, and both women experienced a NEW LIFE through Him. Oh, what a vast treasure we have in Jesus. And oh, how we can relate to these ladies as we too have been forgiven. Do you remember when you came to Christ? That special moment when you realized you needed a Savior… a Redeemer to liberate you from your lost and hopeless state? And when you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior and asked Him to forgive you of your sins, how you felt a cleansing from all unrighteousness, from your past, and you experienced a NEWNESS OF LIFE in Him? What a life-changing moment that was. Our sins had been forgiven. Our past was our past… long gone. We experienced firsthand The Beauty of Being Forgiven  and becoming a NEW CREATION in Him. We now walk as women who have been  forgiven … who understand the life-giving gift  forgiveness  truly is and what a beautiful thing it is to behold! And we have the promise that if we sin, and if we confess our sins,  He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness  (1John 1:9). And not only that, but in Psalm 103:10-12 we see, “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;  as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”  And if that was not enough, Hebrews 8:12 says, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness,  and their sins and their lawless deed I will remember no more.”  So, when we ask the Lord to forgive us for sinning against Him, ourselves or others… He forgives us, He cleanses us, He removes our sin and throws it as far as the east is from the west and then He chooses to remember it no more! Hallelujah!  What Beauty There Is in Being Forgiven! We have much to REJOICE in! Hallelujah! www.bradtuttleministries.org

You see there is something so beautiful about His Promise of Divine Protection… something that settles every fear and chases away every doubt. For as long as I can remember I have made praying Psalm 91 a daily habit. Never leaving my house without the covering of His Promise and the security of His Word… I ask, Have You Appropriated Psalm 91 Today? Last week while Face Timing with my dearest friend from my college days at Oral Roberts University, we discussed lightly the way the nation seemingly is headed, and Psalm 91 Divine Protection came up. And boldly with great determination in her voice she said, “In the face of all of this darkness…  I Will Say of The Lord…  He is my Protector and Defender, and NO EVIL will befall me, my family, my ministry, my property, my vehicle, my home!” As she firmly and fearlessly declared verse 2 of Psalm 91 over all that she is responsible for… all that is in her care… my spirit leapt within and bore witness, as I knew this was the key to our safety and security against danger and dread. And this Divine Promise of Protection, that has been appropriated throughout time by the prayers of God’s children, has proven to be reliable every time… no matter where they are… not matter the presented circumstance at hand… His Promise transcends time, distance and location. David, who had intimately experienced God's Divine Protection throughout his life, so beautifully penned about the safety and security that is readily available NOW to us when we trust in God as our Abiding Defense. HE IS GOD ALMIGHTY… the name by which the patriarchs of faith had personally known... His name means Mighty, Unconquerable, “Mountain” … indicating His Greatness, Strength, His Everlasting Nature  over all enemies and dangerous situations . He is the All-Sufficient God, eternally capable of being ALL that His people need... in time of their need… their PROTECTOR, DEFENDER, SHELTER. What Are You Saying of The Lord? When attacks seem to come like a plague… when danger is all around… the only words we must speak, the only words that truly have power to defend and protect is God’s Word. For His very Life-Source is in His Word and His Word will never return barren, fruitless or void. But it will accomplish that which He designed it to accomplish. But it must be appropriated… spoken… declared… prayed… in order for it to produce His intended Divine results. His Word trumps human words. His Word can instantly change any dangerous situation bringing Divine help your way… for He has given His angels charge over you… they accompany, defend, preserve and keep you in all of your ways of service and obedience to Him. Oh, thank the Lord for His Divine Security Team! Hallelujah! In the midst of uncertain times,  I will say of the Lord…  “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.” When traps, snares, plagues, and epidemics are readily out there,  I will say of the Lord…  “He shall deliver me!” When lies and deception and hidden darkness is hovering over the land,  I will say of the Lord…  “His Truth (His Word) is my shield and buckler and will protect me!” When fear and destruction are in plain view,  I will say of the Lord…  “He is my Defense, and I will not be afraid!” When a thousand fall by my side and ten thousand at my right hand,  I will say of the Lord…  “Because He is my Abiding Defense, it shall not come near me nor my dwelling place!” I Will Say of The Lord…I am saying of Him…  “You are my Refuge and my Fortress… the One I lean on and rely upon… the One I CONFIDENTLY TRUST!” Every morning before we leave the house or start our day, we should activate Psalm 91 Divine Protection by declaring it over our lives, our loved ones, our businesses and ministries, our city, state, and nation. As Kingdom Ladies, when we dwell in the secret place of communion and fellowship with Him through times of prayer and in the Word, we shall remain stable and fixed under the Defense of the Almighty. Unshakable and immovable because He is a Mighty Fortress that surrounds His people. HE is our Defender, Protector and Defense. This week I encourage you to memorize Psalm 91. Get it down deep within you. And make it a daily habit to pray this over your life and loved ones. There is something so peaceful in knowing every day you have covered all your bases… and are being Divinely Protected from on High. Today abide in His Presence! Memorize His Word! Appropriate Psalm 91 Divine Protection by declaring it over your life! Say out loud and often…  I Will Say of The Lord... He PERFECTLY Protects Me! And always remember when calamities try to come, the Lord assures us that He will be present with those who call upon Him and that He will deliver and honor us!

For as long as I can remember, I have found such great comfort and “faith building” in the Scripture passage of Isaiah 55:8-11. When I came upon these verses in the Bible years ago, I was at a place in my prayer walk where  I wanted more …  more  of what God had for me…  more  of what He had promised me in His Word… and then one day a desire was placed in me to  Start Praying God's Word! As the Holy Spirit led me to these verses, I felt as if I had discovered a hidden treasure of priceless worth. I saw that when I began  to pray the Word of God , His Word began accomplishing what He designed it to accomplish. And I quickly started seeing results!  Praying God's Word  was the “key” that would lead to a lifetime of powerful, fruitful  “Getting Results” prayer… Isaiah 55:8-11 so beautifully says… 8 "For My thoughts  are  not your thoughts, Nor  are  your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 "For  as  the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, but water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. " How powerful is that! As God created the rain and the snow for one purpose… to water the earth  AND to make it bring forth and bud  so that crops and vegetation can grow and supply food.  God created His Word for one purpose…  for it to accomplish what He pleases and for it to prosper in the thing for which He sent it.  The rain and the snow do not return to Heaven, but they do what they were divinely designed to do here on the earth… PRODUCE. So, the Word of God does not return to Him void but does what He divinely designed it to do here on earth…PRODUCE in our lives. Hallelujah! Each and every Scripture has been divinely written and divinely designed to accomplish what He called it to accomplish. If you need a provisional miracle, He designed Psalm 23:1, Malachi  3:10-11 , Proverbs 3:9-10. If you need the promise of divine protection, He designed Psalm 91. If you need to enjoy fear free living, He designed 2 Timothy 1:7 and Philippians 4:6-7. Always remember when a Scripture verse speaks to you or your situation, if you will start praying it and declaring it over your life, over that circumstance, His Word will NEVER be barren or fruitless… it will PRODUCE and prosper in the thing for which He sent it, because His own life-source is in it! God's Word is active and alive! It has been designed to do one thing…  that is to bring about what it says it will bring about… to PRODUCE  and prosper. And we can rejoice in this because the power in His Word will always fulfill the promise of His Word. Amen! So Beautiful Kingdom Ladies, start praying God’s Word TODAY and enjoy the rich fulfillment that comes by  Praying the Word . The benefits are so many… Your faith will be built, as you begin to see that His Word trumps over every situation and circumstance in your life and will bring what is needed to get the intended promised results. His Word ALWAYS changes the outcome… Hallelujah! I've enJOYed my precious time with you today and pray you too will discover the hidden treasure of applying God's Word to your prayer life. Have a blessed, peace-filled and joyful week. You are greatly loved and adored. I'm praying for you!

As the ancient Israelite people–suffering under the hands of the Egyptians–lifted their voices to God for help, He heard their cry and surprisingly responded by sending a fugitive, fearful, and fallen man to their aid. Moses was an unlikely choice to bring about God’s redemption, and yet that’s one of the principles our God employs in shaping and caring for His people. We are, therefore, as Moses and the Israelites of old were, in need of trusting God despite our perspectives…because of who He is. God’s ways are not our ways, and His essence sustains even the most unlikely of scenarios. In many ways, Moses was unfit as God’s deliverer of His people. When God reveals Himself to Moses, he is an old man at 80 years old (Ex. 7:7), a murderer, a fugitive, and working for his father-in-law in an occupation despised by the Egyptians (Gen. 46:34). It is not surprising that even after God miraculously reveals Himself to Moses, he goes so far as to question God, “Then Moses said, “What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.'” Exodus 4:1 Nevertheless, it is Moses whom God chooses, and God quickly reveals the power and the efficacy behind His choice. God has always existed in perfect wholeness. This fact God made clear as Moses fumbled through his fear. Wiping away all confusion, God informs Moses that He is the “I AM WHO I AM.” It was from this reality that Moses was to act, move, and respond. God is who God is, and that is enough. He is, in other words, perfectly whole, and from this wholeness, God reveals Himself. Thus, because God is the I AM, the confidence the people of God has is three-fold: God is self-existent:  God was not made and exists in completeness; therefore, everything is a derivation according to His good pleasure. God is self-sustaining:  God is not dependent on anything; therefore, He is sustained within Himself. God is self-giving:  From God’s wholeness, He creates and sustains for His glory and a display and experience of His goodness. From this point, God is the I AM, that the Christian–like the Israelites of old–act, respond, and have our being. In the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son…born of a woman…born under the Law to redeem those who are under the Law. Therefore, those who look to Christ in faith for the forgiveness of their sin and reconciliation with the God who is I AM can objectively view Christ as the fullest expression of God as the “I AM WHO I AM.” Jesus said… “I AM…the bread of life.”  (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51) Jesus feeds the hungry; therefore, we are  satisfied . “I AM…the light of the world.”  (John 8:12) Jesus gives light to the world; therefore, we have  clarity . “I AM…the door of the sheep.”  (John 10:7,9) Jesus opens the way to reconciliation with God; therefore, we have  peace . “I AM…the resurrection and the life.”  (John 11:25) Jesus both conquers death and gives life; therefore, we have  hope . “I AM…the good shepherd.”  (John 10:11, 14) Jesus cares for His people as the perfect Shepherd does for His sheep; therefore, we have  protection . “I AM…the way, the truth, and the life.”  (John 14:6) Jesus provides the truth by giving His life so His people can walk in His way; therefore, we have  direction . “I AM…the true vine.”  (John 15:1, 5) Jesus brings bounty and abundance through His self-giving nature; therefore, we have  delight . God helps us healthily struggle with doubt as we consider God’s perfect wholeness as the I AM!

"Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,' and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone" ( James 2:21-24 ). You are a friend of God if you love Him and obey His Word. Can you imagine life without friends—those precious people who love you despite your failings and who stand by you through joys and sorrows—those to whom you've committed yourself and whose companionship you treasure? They are without question one of God's greatest gifts, yet there is an even greater gift: friendship with God Himself. Jesus spoke of such a friendship in  John 15:13-16 , describing it as one of intimacy, mutual love, sacrifice, and commitment. In verse 14 He says, "You are My friends, if you do what I command you." That's the kind of friendship Abraham demonstrated when he obeyed God and prepared to offer Isaac as a sacrifice ( Gen. 22:3-10 ). Isaac was the son through whom God's covenant to Abraham would be fulfilled. Killing him would violate that covenant and call into question the character of God, whose Word forbids human sacrifice ( Deut. 18:10 ). It took unquestioning trust for Abraham to obey God's command. When he did, his faith was on display for all to see. The Greek word translated "justified" in  James 2:21  has two meanings: "to acquit" (treat as righteous) or "to vindicate" (demonstrate as righteous). James emphasized the second meaning. When Abraham believed God, he was justified by faith and acquitted of sin ( Gen. 15:6 ). When he offered up Isaac, he was justified by works in that his faith was vindicated. Faith is always the sole condition of salvation, but saving faith never stands alone—it is always accompanied by righteous works. That's the test of true salvation and of friendship with God. As a friend of God, treasure that relationship and be careful never to let sin rob you of its fullest joy. Suggestions for Prayer Praise God for the privilege of being His friend. For Further Study Read  Genesis 22:1-19 , noting the faith and obedience of Abraham.

“Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language who were living in all the land: ‘May your peace abound! I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; for He is the living God and enduring forever, and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, and His dominion will be forever. He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions’” ( Daniel 6:25-27 ). It doesn’t take a lot of people to make an impact for Christ; it merely takes the right kind. Today’s passage proclaims the sovereignty and majesty of the living God and calls on everyone throughout the nation to fear and tremble before Him. Those verses could have been written by King David or one of the other psalmists, but they were written by a pagan king to a pagan nation. His remarkable tribute to God’s glory was the fruit of Daniel’s influence on his life. God doesn’t really need a lot of people to accomplish His work; He needs the right kind of people. And Daniel shows us the impact one person can have when he or she is sold out to God. That’s how it is throughout Scripture. For example, Noah was God’s man during the Flood, Joseph was God’s man in Egypt, Moses was God’s man in the Exodus, and Esther was God’s woman in the days of King Ahasuerus. So it continues right down to the present. When God puts His people in the right place, His message gets through. As a Christian, you are God’s person in your family, school, or place of employment. He has placed you there as His ambassador to influence others for Christ. That’s a wonderful privilege and an awesome responsibility. Suggestions for Prayer Thank the Lord for His marvelous grace in your life and for the opportunities He gives you each day to share His love with others. For Further Study The key to Daniel’s fruitfulness, and to yours as well, is given in Psalm 1. Memorize that psalm, and recite it often as a reminder of God’s promises to those who live with biblical integrity. From  Strength for Today  by John MacArthur Copyright © 1997. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187,  www.crossway.com .

Our God is the God of  many generations . Scripture makes that clear.  It’s even found in one of the names He uses for Himself: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham ,  the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Exodus 3:6 God loves the generations and prefers to work within its framework. This passage is a mandate to generational interaction.  The generation that is going off is to pour into the generation that is coming up.  Likewise, the rising generation is to follow the example of the older generation.  In this manner things are to continue — until the end of time as we know it. A perfect design — for the good of all people and for His glory. “…commend…declare…meditate…speak…declare…pour forth…sing aloud…” Read through the passage again and notice.  It is packed with vivid verbs  calling us to action  as we interact with the generations He so loves. In verse four, we see that we are to offer public praise for the “things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us” ( Psalm 73:8 ).  In completeness and in detail, we are to proclaim His great works. Verse five beckons us to private meditation.  We are to spend time alone thinking on the gloriousness of His majesty and reflecting on His works. Just as there is a rhythm to the generational cycle — older to younger, younger to older — we find a cycle in this passage.  Verse four speaks to generational interaction.  Verse five quiets us with a period of personal communication with the Lord. The cycle continues in verses six and seven where in verse six we are instructed to tell other generations of His awesome deeds, things that no person could do on their own.  And in verse seven, where we are exhorted to share our praise for His abundant goodness and to sing aloud His righteousness — a goodness that can never dry up and a righteousness that is perfect and just.

Here are the nine habits of an intentional parent: I will not do for my child what he needs to do for himself—when I do, I disrespect him. I will not overreact—when I do, my child has won. I will not rescue my child from life lessons he needs to learn—when I do, I weaken him. I will not treat my teenager like a child—when I do, I create resentment. I will not be dissuaded from doing right, despite anger, tears, cursing or threats—when I do, I am an irresponsible parent. I will use my Heart—when they are hurting, confused, searching or frustrated. I will use my Head—when they have questions, need guidance or want answers. I will use my Hand (take action)—when they are disrespectful, disobedient or lazy. I will pick my parenting battles carefully—because it’s more important to be the right parent than to be right. I will give lots of encouragement—because it will help my child to succeed. I will provide training, instruction and support as needed—because that’s my job. I will pray daily for my children—because my children belong to God. www.intentionalliving.com

“Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods; therefore I will no longer deliver you. Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your distress.” The sons of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned, do to us whatever seems good to You; only please deliver us this day.” So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord; and He could bear the misery of Israel no longer.” Judges 10:13-16 Let’s break this passage down together…and see what we might learn from God’s Word: Biblical Theological Background:  God gave Israel the ten commandments (and others) as a provision for perpetual fellowship with Him (Exodus 20 & Deuteronomy 5). As Israel  obeyed , they were  blessed  (military protection, food provision, family multiplication, and continual fellowship with God). See Leviticus 26-27 and Deuteronomy 28-29. As Israel  disobeyed , they were  cursed  (military defeat, food deprivation, family cannibalism, exile from the land, and ultimately broken fellowship with God). See also Leviticus 26-27 and Deuteronomy 28-29. The Book of  Judges Background:  Moses and Joshua have died, and Israel is dispersed in their land. During the land conquest under Joshua, the Israelites did not remove all the pagan inhabitants and are therefore facing the consequences, i.e., the pagans are overpowering and persuading them to their ways of worship. Judges 10:13-16 Background: Israel stands condemned for pursuing idols. Explicitly breaking the ten commandments by forsaking the Lord and serving  “the Baals and Ashtaroth, the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the sons of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines.” Biblical Exposition :  God’s deliverance according to His mercy… vs. 13: The people of Israel have been handed over to their sin because they broke their covenant with God. As a result, the heavy burden of God’s justice weighs down upon them as His provision is removed, causing them to sink under the weight of the curse. See also Romans 1:28-32 vs. 14: Their only hope now is to “cry out” for help from the gods they served in hopes of finding their deliverance. vs. 15-16: The response of the people and God’s response to them: The response of the people toward God: Confess : “We have sinned!” Yield : “…do to us whatever seems good to You.” Cry out : “…please deliver us this day.” Remove sin : “So they put away the foreign gods…” Restore worship : “ served the Lord.” The response of God toward His people: Compassion : “He could bear the misery of Israel no longer.” The book of Judges unfolds this pattern time and again. God grants blessing and calls His people to covenantal obedience; they disobey and face the consequences of the curse, cry out to God, and then He is moved by compassion, sending a deliver to meet their needs according to their cries. Reading through the book of Judges (and the Old Testament), one wonders,  “How long will the Lord endure such flagrant exploitation of His goodness?" However, with 30 minutes of examination of our own lives, and a deeper look into the challenges faced by those in the New Testament, we are quickly humbled by God’s goodness toward us and them. In fact, it is the Lord’s goodness that brings us to repentance. How Does This Apply To Us Today? God is holy, and all who are in fellowship with Him must be holy. God gave the Law to show us how to live a holy life and remain in fellowship with Him. However, like sheep, we all have gone astray from the Law in our thoughts, actions, and words, resulting in our unholiness and separation from God. Thus, we are cursed and deserve righteous and terrible consequences provided under the Law. God is just and must judge those who have transgressed His righteous standard set forth by the Law, which means God will not look away or wink at our transgressions. In the fullness of time, Jesus entered our world by taking on flesh and living a life that perfectly aligned with the standards and requirements of the Law. Thus, Jesus is blessed and deserves righteous and awesome rewards provided under the Law. However, Jesus chose to become cursed and not blessed for Him to bless those who are cursed. Therefore, God is both just and the Justifier (Romans 3:26) of sinful man. And so, we never stop crying out… “God, I believe, help my unbelief.” Glory! The goodness of God remains indefatigable. Glory!

YOU WERE DEAD IN YOUR TRESPASSES AND SINS, IN WHICH YOU FORMERLY WALKED ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD, ACCORDING TO THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR. EPHESIANS 2:1-2 We live in a world that is under the authority of an evil ruler. Originally God created Adam and his family to rule over creation. But Adam forfeited his position of authority through sin, and Satan became the rebel holder of authority to whom Jesus referred as "the ruler of this world" (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). During Jesus' temptation, the devil offered Him "all the kingdoms of the world and their glory" (Matthew 4:8) in exchange for His worship. Satan's claim that the earth "has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish" (Luke 4:6) was no lie. He took authority when Adam abdicated the throne of rulership over God's creation at the fall. Satan ruled from Adam until the cross. The death, resurrection and ascension of Christ secured forever the final authority for Jesus Himself (Matthew 28:18). That authority was extended to all believers in the Great Commission so that we may continue His work of destroying the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). All of us were born spiritually dead and subject to the ruler that Paul called "the prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2). But when we received Christ, God "delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son" (Colossians 1:13). Our citizenship was changed from earth to heaven (Philippians 3:20). Satan is the ruler of this world, but he is no longer our ruler, for Christ is our ruler. But as long as we live on the earth, we are still on Satan's turf. He will try to rule our lives by deceiving us into believing that we still belong to him. As aliens in a foreign, hostile kingdom, we need protection from this evil, deceptive, hurtful tyrant. Christ has not only provided protection from and authority over Satan, but He has equipped us with the Sprit of truth, the indwelling Holy Spirit, to guide us into all truth and help us discern the evil one's schemes (John 16:13). Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, I affirm that You are my Lord today. I choose to be a bondservant to Christ and to no other. www.ficm.org

What is your fear? Fear may be driving down the interstate during rush hour traffic, speaking publicly, confronting a difficult person, seeing a spider, or walking into a large room with many people. For others, fear is being alone, not having a purpose or a plan, a ring from your phone in the middle of the night, or worrying about what someone might think of you. Fear manifests in various forms, ranging from the minor and trivial aspects of living to the significant and paralyzing realities of the moment. Let's start by looking at the cause of fear. Fear's Cause In Exodus 20:20, Moses tells the people of Israel not to be afraid but to fear. His command drew a distinction in fear that helps us understand the starting point for dissecting this unwelcome guest. The type of fear Moses highlights is the fear that, at its core, doubts God. It goes something like this. Peter and the disciples are tossed by the waves whipped up by the wind, and they are terrified. They cry out in " fear ." Jesus immediately calms them by saying, " Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid " (Matt 14:27). Jesus' instruction to His disciples follows the same pattern as Moses's to the Israelites of old. The lesson is to trust God. It follows that Jesus asks Peter, " You of little faith, why did you doubt ?" (Matt 14:31) Thus, the cause of fear is a lack of trust in God . Fear's Content To better understand the content of unbiblical fear, we must look at its expression in one of Israel's faithless kings, Saul. "But Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the appointed days, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash, therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.” 1 Samuel 13:12-13 Three components to Saul's discordant fear bubble quickly to the surface: Saul assumed he abandoned . "Because I saw that the people were scattering from me…" One aspect of unbiblical fear is believing you are alone or the only one in the battle. For the Christian, this aloneness mentality grows in the soil of forgetfulness. One of Christ's key promises to His disciples and followers after them is that He would send the Holy Spirit as the Comforter (John 14:15-27). This promise goes far beyond creating a false sense of companionship but to the assurance of God's presence with His people. While Saul was not indwelt by the Holy Spirit like Christians are today, he still had the Mosaic promise that God would fight his battles (Deut 7:17-26) and would be with them as they obeyed (Deut 31:8). Saul forced His way. "...you did not come within the appointed days...so I forced myself..." Previously, Samuel had instructed Saul to wait for the appointed time when he would arrive and offer a sacrifice to seek God's favor before their battle. When Samuel did not come according to Saul's understanding, Saul took matters into his own hands and "...asked the favor of the Lord." The problem with his action was that (1) Saul was not commissioned for such service before God, and (2) Saul presumed upon God treating His means of favor as a box to check. In other words, Saul was a quintessential pragmatist; however, he forgot that God's ways are not his ways. Saul observed his enemy strengthen around him . "...the Philistines were assembling..." Feeling abandoned by his army and Samuel, Saul's perspective of his enemy begins to change. Instead of seeing them as David will soon see them--a reproach to Israel and their God--Saul sees their assembly and acts in fear. Part of God's promises for Israel of old was to protect, guide, and provide for them as they obeyed. The response of God's people was to trust that God would make good on His Word. God would have to be great in their eyes for this relationship to continue--even as their world and surroundings were not so great. Sadly, Saul's enemy grows greater than his God, so Saul transgresses the Lord's command.

Ecclesiastes chapter three is a good commentary on time. The first sentence is: . Then it lists 14 situations in which we often must choose between two legitimate but opposite actions. For example, there’s a time to plant and a time to uproot, mourn and dance, pursue peace or make war. There is a proper time for each action. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the following phrase (which is one of the 14 mentioned) and trying to incorporate it into my life: It’s an important life lesson and necessary people skill. When obeyed it brings peace; when ignored it creates problems. There are at least two ways to disregard this advice. Sometimes we speak when we should remain silent. Do you filter your thoughts before they become speech? Some people don’t. They assume that just a thought is reason enough to verbalize it. When left unchecked, they feel free to say everything they think. This is not good. Before you speak, ask yourself: Is this the right to speak? Is this the right to speak? Have I considered my ? Is what I’m about to say ? ? Will my words to the conversation? Will my words be ? Are my words necessary ? When I speak, am I or ? Incorporating these eight filters would greatly reduce and refine our speech. Sometimes we don’t speak when we should. Remaining mute when we should speak is also problematic. Often, it takes both discretion and courage to speak up. When you see injustice or unfairness, speak. When an important decision is being made, contribute your thoughts. Don’t be mute when your silence could be construed as agreement and you don’t concur with what is being said. If someone is dominating the conversation, start talking and pursue equal time. (I dislike unbalanced conversations.) When someone is being dogmatic about his opinions (politics, religion, current events), express your own. When someone says something that is verifiably wrong, correct him or her. If it’s not obvious whether you should speak or be silent, it’s probably best to remain mute. To speak or not to speak… When you’re unsure, it’s better to err on the side of silence. It’s hard to retract words spoken, and you can always speak later. Personal assessment — Do you struggle more with speaking too much or not speaking enough? When I was young I was out of balance in that I was quiet. In the past ten years I’ve tried to speak out more often. But lately, I’ve had to remind myself to hold my tongue and be silent. This is a never-ending challenge that we will calibrate and fine-tune for the rest of our lives.