Understanding Guilt..... Dr. Charles Stanley

Understanding Guilt

Dr. Charles Stanley

Guilt over doing something that violates the conscience is a normal emotion. However, living under a cloud of remorse for no discernible reason is not. The Lord designed feelings of culpability and regret to serve as a reminder that a person has done wrong and needs to repent. But Satan twists those emotions to imprison men and women: those living in shame are uncertain of God's love and often lack self-confidence.

Good guilt--the Lord's effective tool for prompting repentance--is a gift that helps us find the right path. However, the Devil encourages false guilt, which involves taking responsibility for things outside our control and then suffering self-condemnation for not changing the outcome. This unhealthy type of guilt is also a widespread problem for those in legalistic churches or lifestyles--certain behaviors or thoughts are labeled as wrong, and then people feel ashamed for doing or thinking those things.

Self-condemnation stunts a relationship with Jesus. Instead of enjoying the peace of God, people who are trapped by shame fear His rejection and feel driven to prove their worth. Trust is nearly impossible because they are waiting for God's judgment to rain down. Their guilt even colors how they see themselves: rather than saying, "My action is wrong," they say, "I am bad."

Jesus did not come to accuse or condemn us. Christ restored our souls and made us righteous before God so that our guilt is removed. If our Savior forgave the woman caught in an adulterous relationship, just imagine how ready He is to take your shame away too (John 8:11).

Being the Light..... Craig Denison

Being the Light

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

We live in the reality that there is both light and darkness around us at all times. This world has both good and evil, right and wrong. As believers we must grow in both our acceptance of this reality and our pursuit of the light. We must allow God to mold and shape us into those who rid ourselves of any darkness, become fully known to God, and allow his light to transform us into reflections of his Son. May the Lord open our eyes to see the glorious light before us this week.

Scripture:“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14

Devotional:

The heart of our heavenly Father is to partner with us in seeing the light of his kingdom advance to every dark corner of the earth. Why he in his perfect wisdom has chosen to use us baffles me. But his desire to co-labor with us is the truth of Scripture. God has called us to be the light shining into the darkness of others’ lives in love.

Jesus said it this way in Matthew 5:14-16,

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

For a long time I considered myself incapable of giving “light to all in the house.” I know my weaknesses all too well. I see the darkness in my life. How can I give light to anyone? You see, I thought the light I was supposed to give was the light of my own perfection. I thought I needed to get my life sorted out before I could ever minister to someone else. And out of that misconception I failed to experience the abundant life that comes from being used by God.

The truth of Scripture is that God is not calling us to minister out of our perfection. He isn’t calling us to figure everything out before we can be used. The most powerful declaration we can make to those in darkness is that we who are in desperate need have been met by a perfectly loving Savior. When all the world sees is our facade of perfection, they know right away that they don’t belong in Christianity. But when we live with the courage to be truly vulnerable and honest, we open our lives for those in darkness to see the light of God within us—that he in his grace encounters, loves, and dwells with weak and desperate men and women.

God is not calling you to share with the world your own perfection. He is calling you to simply be who you truly are, encounter his loving-kindness, and share with the world the grace-filled hope we have in Christ. Take time today to simply let God love you. Allow him to mold and shape you into a child who wholly experiences the love of the Father. And from that place of being loved as you are, open up your life and love others as you have been loved. Live today openly and honestly before God and man. Open up your life to those in darkness that they might see the light of God’s glorious grace. And live as the light of the world, illuminating the path to God’s heart for all those around you. May you experience the joy, passion, and purpose that comes from being used by God to advance his kingdom today.

“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” 1 John 4:16

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”1 John 4:18

3. Ask the Holy Spirit how he wants to use you to be the light of the world today. Whom can you be open and honest with about who God is and what he has done in your life? Whom can you love well today?

“We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.” 1 John 4:19-21

“For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.” 1 Thessalonians 5:5

“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” Ephesians 5:8

You are already the light of the world just as you are. God has called you that from the moment of your salvation. Your light doesn’t depend on what you did yesterday or the thought you just had. You are the light because God dwells within you and is constantly beckoning you to let him work through you. You are the light because you have been redeemed and your life is hidden in Christ. You are the light because he has told you so. Live with faith in what God has spoken over your life. Look for opportunities to see his word spoken over you come to fruition. And work in union with him allowing him to anoint all you do. May those in darkness come to the light as the result of Christ working in you and through you today.

Extended Reading: James 2

Life in Temptation Nation ..... CINDY BULTEMA

Life in Temptation Nation

CINDY BULTEMA

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

Our homes are separated by an ocean, but our hearts are knit together in a friendship that always keeps it real. So when my friend Regina and I were able to meet face to face stateside, we did more than share a cup of coffee; we shared our very messy 2020 lives.

There was heartache over our deep losses in the lockdown. Loss of connection with our life-giving communities, loss of income and work, and most tragically loss of life. We also shared what we’d gained, and what I shared wasn’t good.

In the stresses and messes of working from home and parenting in a pandemic, I coped by turning to tacos and Diet Coke. A tiny slip of a few late-night binges of chips and salsa became a massive slide of unhealthy proportions, which caused me to gain more weight than I would have liked.

Beyond the weight gain, I recognized the triggers that could trip me up and bring old, unhealthy habits into my new days. Twenty-five years ago, similar struggles had led to a downward spiral of cocaine and alcohol addiction. It was time to stop the slide and stand firm on God’s unshakeable Truth.

How about you, friend? In these unique times, have old, unhealthy habits resurfaced, or have new hang-ups gained a foothold?

Maybe your …

Nightly glass of wine has become one bottle, or even two.
Online orders for necessities have now snowballed into hiding delivered packages and receipts.
Scrolling has sabotaged your in-person relationships and you’ve never felt more isolated or alone.

What can we do if our slip becomes a slide or we discover that what we once controlled now controls us?

Thankfully, God’s Word does not leave us guessing. In 1 Corinthians 10:13, Paul gives three keys that speak to you, me, and emotional stuffers and numb-ers everywhere about how to experience victory while bombarded with temptation.

Remember you are not alone. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.” (1 Corinthians 10:13a) Friend, you are not the only one. Secrets keep us stuck. Tell someone your struggle.
Rely on your trustworthy, dependable, faithful God. “And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” (1 Corinthians 10:13b) God is with you. He is for you, and He always keeps His promises.
Recall Truth. God will never allow His followers to encounter an unconquerable temptation. Never! Instead, He does this: “But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13c). God always provides an exit door.

Friend, it’s not a sin to be tempted. It’s only a sin if we give in to the temptation. Today is the day to make a victorious choice. It’s time for you to live full and walk free!

Lord, the next time I’m tempted to run to lesser things, remind me of Your promises. Help me turn to You in my times of trouble. Thank You for providing a way out of temptation so I can walk in Your victory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

How Do We Know What Love Is?..... By Lynette Kittle

How Do We Know What Love Is?

By Lynette Kittle

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” - 1 John 3:16

What is love?

Most of us think of love like the Hollywood version, as a pleasant experience, something easy to give away to others, always feels good in the process, and is painless to express.

Sadly, our human version of love is often offered to others by how it makes us feel rather than for the benefit of the ones we say we love.

Interestingly, when asked why they are marrying their future spouse, engaged couples often list the ways their fiancée makes them feel, mentioning how they help them to be a better person and the ways they make their life better.

It’s a very rare couple, the ones who are looking out for the interest of their future bride or groom more than themselves, wanting to marry the other person because they want to make their future spouse’s life better.

Like Luke 6:32 explains, “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.”

Yet Jesus showed us how to love those who don't love us, by loving us before we loved Him (1 John 4:19).

We as Christians talk much about Christ's suffering on the cross, of how He died for us, but not as much about His selfless sacrifice of loving sinful people, of facing their rejection, hatred, and mockery on a daily basis. No wonder He is referred to as a Man of sorrows.

Isaiah 53:3 paints the picture of His existence on earth, “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces He was despised, and we held Him in low esteem.”

Jesus took on the penalty of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23), suffering public humiliation, unbelievable sorrow, excruciating pain, and separation from the Father through an agonizing death.

Isaiah 53:4 explains, “Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted.”

So why would Jesus take on the sins of the world, suffering all the humilities and agonies known to man, bearing all our sinfulness, sicknesses, pain, and sorrows?

Unlike the world’s selfish idea of what true love is, real love selflessly sacrifices for others.1 John 3:16 explains, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”

And contrary to what some believe, Jesus’ life wasn’t taken from Him but rather, He freely laid it down. In John 10:18, He said, “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father.”

The Lesson of Lasagna..... by Katherine Peters Britton

The Lesson of Lasagna

by Katherine Peters Britton

"Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far has the LORD helped us.'" - 1 Samuel 7:12

Life in the Peters household produced a frenetic Christmas just about every year, but that year eclipsed them all. I was eleven years old when two game-changers happened in quick succession. First, in early November, my youngest sister was born. My twin brothers hadn't yet turned two, so daily life included diaper changes for three kids in addition to the newborn routine. Just a month later, my dad was ferrying me home from a Christmas cookie exchange when a truck broadsided us. Multiple injuries kept Dad laid up for a couple of weeks, right in the midst of Christmas parties and preparation.

The body of Christ carried many burdens for my overwhelmed family during the crazy season that followed. Friends cleaned the house, washed laundry, babysat so my exhausted mother could nap, put lights on our Christmas tree, took us kids Christmas shopping, and more. Even as a kid, I noticed how many people set aside their holiday bustle to lend a hand.

What I remember best, though, is the lasagna.

Church members consistently supplied us with hot meals when we would otherwise have eaten cold cereal, given the circumstances. I remember lots and lots of casseroles during the Christmas season, and - I must embarrassingly admit - my childish tastes invited me to turn up my nose at many of them. Especially the lasagna, which I barely tolerated in the best of times. During those two months, we choked down veggie lasagna that I thought tasted like printer paper, picked at lasagna surfeited with cottage cheese (I still despise cottage cheese), rejoiced over meat-lovers lasagna, and tried to get away with eating just the garlic bread someone brought as a side dish. Lord bless the folks that brought us that signature casserole, but after New Years I never wanted to see lasagna again. Ever.

Of course, the years have chugged along, I swapped out my last name, and I reticently reversed course on lasagna. The casserole has that sweetly sentimental quality of Grandma's cookies now, always reminding me of those crazy two months that began with a birth and closed with a year's end. It's my "edible Ebenezer," if you will. I know that might sound flippant, but I can't help but remember how God provided for my family during a rough patch when I smell that smell. To me, lasagna will always be synonymous with a church's love.

Intersecting Faith & Life:
As we celebrate Thanksgiving, when food and memories intertwine so closely, look around for the Ebenezer stones in your own life. What past events can you point to and say, "Yes, the Lord helped us there." Tell your family and friends the stories of God's grace and provision, so they too will "forget none of his benefits" (Psalms 103:2). We serve a faithful God - let's remember to look back on those markers.

A Prayer for Veterans..... By Debbie McDaniel

A Prayer for Veterans

By Debbie McDaniel

Freedom is powerful. It is a gift to be thankful for and to treasure.

Sometimes we forget the preciousness of our freedoms. It’s easy to take them for granted. We may not be fully aware of just how many men and women have paid dearly for the freedoms we enjoy today. For all those who have protected our nation, for the men and women in uniform, together, we say "Thank You."

A Prayer for Veterans: for Our Men and Women in Uniform:

Dear God,

We thank you for the ultimate freedom from you have given to us, better than any earthly freedoms we have. Christ paid the wages of our sin through His death, so that we may be free from death and have hope of everlasting life with you. For that freedom from our sin, we thank you.

We thank you also for the brave who have fought, and continue to fight, so courageously for our freedoms in our nation. We ask for your covering and blessing over them and their families. We pray that you would be gracious and encircle them with your peace. We pray for your great favor and goodness to be evident in their lives.

Please be with the men and women in uniform, who serve our communities and nation every single day. We ask that you provide your protection, that you would be their guiding force, the one who leads the way, and also their rear guard who keeps them safe from behind. We ask that you would draw them to yourself amidst the dangers they face in a dark world, for you are the Truth, you are the Way, you are the Light.

When the voice of hate rises up against them, we ask that you would silence it. When the plans of the enemy rise up to cause them to stumble, we ask that you would thwart it. When the forces of evil rise up to strike them down, we ask that you would stop it. Lord, we know how powerful you are, all have heard of your Great Name, and we ask that you would indeed be the wind beneath their wings, the power behind their efforts, the heart behind their service, as they are on the front lines against evil in our world today.

Help them to walk wisely. To stay covered in your armor. Give them godly discernment. Make them constantly aware of what lurks close by. Help them to be men and women of prayer, realizing that this is where their greatest help comes from. Help them to stay united and strong, bold and resolute, determined and unwavering.

Lord bless all those who wear the uniform, who serve our cities, our nation, our people. Bless their families. Bless those they love. Give them your great favor, this day, and every day.

Thank you that in our nation today, we are free to worship. We are free to pray. We are free to read your Word. We are free to speak. We are free to share. For this, we are incredibly grateful. Yet, we understand how quickly these freedoms can be taken away. Give us an increased awareness of the spiritual battle we're in. Help us to stand strong in you and for your purposes.

Thank you that as believers, we can be assured, you never leave us, and you are with us always, in this life, and the next.

In the Powerful Name of Jesus,

Amen.

THE THANKSGIVING FACTOR..... Pastor Jeff Schreve

THE THANKSGIVING FACTOR

Pastor Jeff Schreve

In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

In the classic autobiography, The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom tells of her sufferings at the hands of the Nazis during the evil reign of Adolph Hitler. Corrie and her sister, Betsie, were incarcerated at the Nazi concentration camp, Ravensbruck, and experienced terrible atrocities there. On one occasion, they were forced to disrobe before the German soldiers. In that awful, humiliating moment, an amazing discovery came to Corrie's mind: "They took Jesus' clothes too. He hung naked for me." When she relayed that wondrous thought to Betsie, she gasped and said, "Oh, Corrie, and I never thanked Him for it."

One of the things that made Corrie and Betsie such dynamic Christians was the fact that the chose to see life from God's perspective. In the worst of situations, they found new insights to praise and thank God.

The Bible tells us that we are to give thanks in everything, the good things AND the bad things. In Psalm 50:23, God says, "He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me." In the hard times, thanksgiving is difficult. It is definitely a sacrifice to thank God in a Nazi concentration camp, but it is so very necessary. Thanksgiving honors God, and when you and I honor God, He honors us (1 Samuel 2:30).

How is your thanksgiving factor? Are you facing tough times? Have you been griping and complaining about the things in your life that are hard, lonely and frustrating? Why not try praising and thanking God for your difficulty. He knows about it, He is over it, and He cares for you. Without question, He has a purpose in every trial and tribulation. Start today to live a life of thanksgiving. If you will do it, I promise you on the authority of the Word of God, your attitude will change, the people around you will be blessed, and Jesus Christ will be glorified and honored.

Hoping you have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,

Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From His Heart Ministries

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