He's got a mean left hook!

Jab right, dodge left. Shuffle your feet faster. If you don't block quicker, you'll get hit every time. He knows which way you're going next, so you have to outsmart him!

This boxing analogy may be all too familiar to beginning fighters. But, in our Christian walk, it is familiar, too.

-We are hit with jabs on all sides. 2 Corinthians 6:8-10
"...through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything."

-Sometimes our feet are followed, tripped, and planted by the enemy. Psalm 56:13
"For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life."

-If we are not in His word, we do not know when to block the enemy from our path. Matthew 16:23
"Jesus turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.'"

-Just like a fighter knows where the rookie will be moving next, Satan tries to outsmart you and plant you in places of deceit and wickedness. Walk with the Lord and outsmart the fox. Isaiah 55:9
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Beaten, Abused, and Mocked

Have you ever been verbally abused? For that matter, ever verbally beaten where you feel like you've been hit with left hook after left hook? What about mocking? Have you ever been mocked in a way that degraded you as a human being, took everything you've worked for and turning it upside down like you were a mere child and you didn't know what you were talking about?

Sometimes it is not you...it is your spouse or someone in your family...making you feel helpless.


Sometimes people in leadership positions feel as though their job is to nit-pick and make your life a place where you are miserable. That is when a person fills the position of a leader without knowing HOW to be a leader.

A true leader shows fault along with remedies for the fault. In other words, when you find fault:
--bring it up then (don't let it wait)
--show several ways in enhance the area of weakness (in a friendly environment)
--leave by encouraging ("You may be at fault now, but I know you are talented enough to make this little change and bring this back where you need it.")

Moreover, your reaction to fault will show your true faith in your Father.

Psalm 118:13 "I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me. "

Do you think the Lord puts us in certain situations to get a faith temperature? At the times where we are knocked down, mocked, and beaten, know that God is there to help you. Rely on Him.

When going through trials, read Psalm 118 over and over and remember that our Lord was physically beaten, physically abused, and verbally mocked while upon the cross. He has gone through every situation (in some form) that we can experience. Depend on His Word for guidance and support.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%20118&version=31

The Father's Love

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”- 1 John 4:10

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."-John 3:16

"The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again."-John 10:17

"For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these."-John 5:20

"How deep the Father's love for us, How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son, To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss, The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One, Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross, My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice, Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart His wounds have paid my ransom"

Plans...

Do you think God thinks it is funny when you make plans? Just looking down from on high at us going to and fro, carelessly saying we will do this and that...go here and there...

When we lost power, our plans changed. We went to a hotel, then to moms, and waited until the power was back to come home.

Matthew 6:33-34..."But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

May we only think upon today as we are in it. May we pray God's wisdom to overtake our own thoughts and ideas on what we should do. May we do His will and seek His face in all things.

Power...

From Tuesday, January 27 - Tuesday February 3, much of the western part of Kentucky has been without power from the ice storm that came through. We were without power Tuesday night through Saturday afternoon. We were at home Tuesday night, at a hotel Wednesday night, and at mom's in Lexington Thursday afternoon-Sunday morning.


We uprooted out family last week searching for power. Searching for a source of electricity, warmth, and current.


The Bible tells us that we always have power within those who know Christ.


Ephesians 6:10 - "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power..."


I am thankful that, as Christians, we do not have to uproot ourselves searching for a power source...for a feeling of warmth...we have that within us by the power of Christ.

Our lights should never be dimmed for -"You are the light of the world..." Matthew 5:14.

There is a River

David Phelps sings "There is a River" about the woman at the well with Jesus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TScCZn9AMhE

John 6:15-21

15Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
16When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. 20But he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." 21Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
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Jesus withdrew to a mountain...so should we. We should withdraw each morning and night for quiet time with God. Personal moments with God help us to:
1) listen to how He communicates
2) be still and know He is God
3) give Him the personal moments to start and end each day to seek guidance for our lives

Psalm 4: 1-3

"1 Answer me when I call to you,
O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
2 How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame [a] ?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods [b] ?
Selah
3 Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself;
the LORD will hear when I call to him. "

It is comforting for me to know that the writers of the God-Inspired Bible went through times of conflict. David said "answer me" and "give me relief" and "be merciful."

We utter these same prayers today. God is always merciful to us, just not necessarily in our time. We go without a job, lose our health for a moment, go through turmoil in our family, just to be led by God through a valley. If we let God lead us through the valley, His mercy will guide us to the top of the mountain.

Matthew 18:4-6

"4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea."

1) WHOEVER: this process is open to all! Anyone who humbles themselves like a child is the greatest...we all have the potential and the same opportunity

2) WHOEVER (Again): whoever accepts and welcomes little children also welcome Christ. In our ministries, worship, and every-day opportunities, we should get our eyes on the level of children so that we also have the eyes of Christ.

3) ANYONE: Be careful not to lead children to sin...an amazing analogy as it would be better to drown than reap the consequences of leading a child to sin.

Matthew 18:1-3

1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

The disciples had been bickering about who was the greatest in heaven. Jesus overheard them (in Mark's gospel) and asked them what they were arguing about. Jesus spoke the truth to them. He told them three things:
1) you must change
2) become like children
3) if you don't follow steps 1 & 2, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

We all must change to be more child-like in our faith, in our openness to reach out to strangers and trust them, and our love. Children give the benefit of the doubt and accept each other. We are to have the faith of a child. In order to enter, we should change and become like a child.

Psalm 1

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
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1) Blessed are those who do not put their worth in the world, its presidents, or its ways; but put their faith, comfort, and hope in the Lord.

2) More importantly, his hope is in the Lord, and he studies and meditates on His Word all day and night.

3) His life is like a tree that does not go out of season...it continues to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

4) Those who do not walk with the Lord are like leaves that flutter to and fro. Like a tree with no roots in the foundation.

5) The Lord will watch over those who put their trust in Him. The way of the world and the way of the wicked will perish. Our hope is in the Lord.

Job 2:1-10

Job again was confronted by Satan when, in his second test, was afflicted with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Within this test Job's wife even questioned God's plan and Job responded:

"Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?"

Trouble is coming our way. God has a plan for our life and He sends us through valleys and times of turmoil.

With trouble comes:
1) Authority "He is in your hands, but spare his life..." God knew the trouble that was about to come.

2) Questioning "Curse God and die!..." Those around Job lost their faith in this trial.

3) A vision of true faith "Shall we accept good from God and no trouble?..." Job knew we all had a cross to bear. God would not give him something he could not handle.

True faith comes from a knowledge of God's word and a faith that is strong enough to know it and apply it.

Job 1:20-21

"At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell down to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised."

This passage was at the end of Job's first test in Job chapter one. The Lord knew Job was blameless and upright. He told Satan that everything Job had was Satan's, but not to lay a finger on the man, himself.

Soon thereafter, Job lost his family and servants around him. At the end of this chapter, you will find the passage above.

There are many ways we can lose things in our life:
Economic loss
Loss of a family member
Loss of a job
Relationship loss

Through his loss, Job:
SOUGHT GOD'S FACE - "fell down upon the ground"
WORSHIPED GOD - "and worshiped"
PRAISED GOD - "may the name of the Lord be praised"