"God With Us"

By Zoe

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever"  (Hebrews 13:8).

In chapter 1 of the book of Joshua, after Moses' death, the Lord told Joshua to get himself and all the people with him (all 1 million of them!) ready to cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land. The Lord then said to Joshua, "As I was with Moses I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you...Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:5,9).

Be encouraged today that as God was with Moses, He is with you!

 

 

 

Glorious and Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the same yesterday, today and forever. Please keep us mindful that as You were with Moses you are with us. Please help us to keep our eyes on You and to grow in wisdom and faith in You. In Jesus' name, Amen and thank You Lord!!
 

Choose Joy

By Zoe

"The joy of the Lord is my strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).

Whatever challenges/circumstances you are facing today, you have the power "to choose" your response & your attitude. Easier said than done, but not impossible! Don't give the enemy what does not belong to him, "control of your life." The power to control your emotions/attitudes is IN you and belongs to YOU. Turn to your Heavenly Father, the Source of strength itself.

The enemy is a thief and a liar. He wants to steal your joy because he knows he cannot steal your salvation. His goal is to make you question God's goodness and faithfulness. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10). To choose joy is like crushing the head of the enemy because it - JOY - is the opposite of what the wants and expects from you. He wants you to be filled with bitterness and resentment. There is no better way to defeat the enemy than by being intentional to respond in love instead of anger. Choose JOY!


Holy Spirit, please give us the wisdom and strength to choose joy regardless of our circumstances. May the JOY of the Lord be our strength (Nehemiah 8:10) and may God's Word be our weapon (Hebrews 4:12). In Jesus' name, Amen and thank You Lord!!
 

"Liberty and Justice For All"



By Zoe


"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice" (Proverbs 31:8-9).

 

To the Obama Administration and ALL AMERICANS:

Pastor Saeed is an American citizen, who pledges allegiance "to the flag of the United Sates of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, INDIVISIBLE, with LIBERTY and JUSTICE for ALL."

In addition, the Declaration of Independence states that, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that ALL men are CREATED EQUAL, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, LIBERTY and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That WHENEVER ANY FORM OF GOVERNMENT BECOMES DESTRUCTIVE OF THESE ENDS, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it..." "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations (wrongful/illegal action without authority), pursuing invariably the same Object evinces (reveals) a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism (absolute power/control), it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security..."
 

 

Whether you are a believer or not - Christian or not - you are an American. The Pledge of Allegiance and the Declaration of Independence clearly state LIBERTY and JUSTICE for ALL. Yes, I know, the Declaration of Independence applies to the "United States of America" only, not Iran. But the Declaration clearly states that it is our "duty" as Americans to fight for what we hold dear and true: LIBERTY and JUSTICE for ALL. So when one of our own is in danger and not receiving "these rights," the government must act "to secure these rights" and/or "for the future security" of these rights "for ALL" men/women as it is stated on the Declaration of Independence of the UNITED States of America.

In the words of the late Mother Teresa, "I alone cannot change the world but I can cast a stone across the waters and create many ripples." We must stand UNITED and create some ripples!

This is an urgent matter. President Obama, please take action. Please make direct contact with the Iranian government to release Pastor Saeed Abedini so he may be reunited with his wife, Naghmeh, and two young children.

 

 

For Liberty and Justice,

Zoe Howard, American Citizen
Omaha, NE

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice" (Proverbs 31:8-9).

 

 

 

 

 

Sign Petition: www.savesaeed.org

 

Declaration of Independence: http://www.ushistory.org/Declaration/document/

 

 

"My Holy Discontent"

 

By Zoe

 

Holy discontent, what does that mean? To be discontent means to be unhappy or not satisfied; to want something better. What is your holy discontent? What is something that just breaks your heart and makes you want to weep? Something that you just can't stand by and watch it happen because it is simply NOT RIGHT; for example, social injustices such as human/sex trafficking (an industry where children are 50% of the victims), domestic abuse, homelessness, and poverty to name a few.

 

 

WHAT IS MY HOLY DISCONTENT?

 

My holy discontent, what makes my heart weep, is INJUSTICE of any kind, shape or form. I am particularly burdened by the injustice of human/sex trafficking. I am burdened by the statistics and the knowledge that every day - this very hour, even right now as I am typing this - there are children my daughter's age (8) and my son's age (4), who are being sold and traded, used and abused, against their will for somebody else's benefit, pleasure, and gain (profit). I am burdened by the fact that human/sex trafficking is a $15 BILLION industry.

 

 

"ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER AND BUILD EACH OTHER UP" (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

I encourage you to identify what your "holy discontent" is and then evaluate your resources. How could you use your time, talents and/or money to be part of the solution. We can all be part of the solution. We can all serve in some way or another. Each and every one of us has at least one thing or one talent we could use to make a difference. And the one thing we can all do, PRAY! Let's fight this battle on our knees, because God is faithful and He honors those who humbly go before Him and acknowledge Him in all their ways (Proverbs 3:5-6).

 

And may I remind you, as I am being reminded by the power of the Spirit who dwells in me, that our fight is not against flesh and blood.

 

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth....breastplate of righteousness....your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace....take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one....the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. And pray in the Spirit on ALL occasions" (Ephesians 6:10-18).

 

You may be thinking or asking yourself, "What could I possibly have to contribute? You don't know my situation, I don't have much to give/I don't have time to volunteer at this time. How could little, ordinary me possibly make a difference to change the world anyway?" To me the answer is simple. In the words of Mother Teresa:

 

"I (you) alone cannot change the world, but I (you) can cast a stone across the waters and create many ripples" one life at a time. Every person we reach out to and help, whose life and dignity are restored, is one less person living in captivity; one person set free. One life at a time!

 

Join others who are like-minded and share your holy discontent because we are BETTER TOGETHER!! Alone we can do good things, but together we can do GREAT things!

"WHAT IS 'YOUR' HOLY DISCONTENT?"

 

 

Heavenly Father, You deeply care about all your children. Please break our hearts for what breaks Your heart. We desire to be used by You, to be Your hands and feet here on earth. Give us the wisdom to evaluate and identify the condition of our hearts as well as our resources. Teach us how to use our talents and resources to serve You. In Jesus' name, Amen, and thank You Lord.


Click on the following link to listen to a message on "Holy Discontent" from Christ Community Church's Lead Pastor Mark Ashton: http://www.cccomaha.org/message-media.php?id=122.

My Resolution

By Martin

I just received a great reminder that some things are more important. Too often, I feel that I am not there for my wife and kids like I should be. Because I have that feeling, I know that it is true. Therefore, I need to take steps to better myself for them. I want to be the man my wife can trust to be the leader of our household. I want to be the daddy that my kids can look up to for guidance and stability while remaining humble and generous with my time, my love, and not just my money.

Starting today, I resolve to be the man God has called me to be.

To my wife, I resolve to be a devoted and faithful husband. To love, honor, and cherish her. To guide and protect her.

To my children, I resolve to be a devoted father. To teach them to love God always. To lead them in the ways of the Lord and protect them from the evil one.

I resolve to love my wife and my children with my time. I know that they need me more than the money I bring home.

I resolve to resist the devil's temptations. To remember that God has a free gift for me and I will no longer buy what Satan is selling.

I resolve to smile more and to be happy more. For the Lord is joy and I want others to see His joy through me.

Father God, please send your Holy Spirit to guide me through these resolutions. For it is through Your strenght, and not my own, that all things are possible. I pray that others will see Your love through me. Help me to be the leader You have called me to be. I pray that I will continue to lead my family and be a blessing to them and not be just the man who pays the bills. Father, I know that you have given me the strength to resist the devil's temptations. But, sometimes I forget and so I pray that Your Word will remain on my lips to thwart the devil's schemes. Please lead me in the way everlasting. I love you Father and I thank you for all of Your provisions in my life. For I know that through You all things are possible. It is in the mighty name of Your son Jesus Christ that I pray these things. Amen.

For those of you reading this, I ask that you help and encourage me. We all live in a fallen world and we need each other to stay sharp. Proverbs 27:17: As iron sharpens iron, so one man shall sharpen another. To rely not on my own understanding, but to trust in God. Thank you.

Marriage Conference

By Martin

This past weekend, my wife and I went to a marriage conference here in Omaha.  We had a good time and enjoyed the conference very much.  We have been to a number of marriage conferences and retreats over the years.  It is good to reconnect with each other in an environment specifically geared towards marriage.

One thing that I noticed was the number of times that the speaker would reference topics that I cover in my book, “My Purpose vs. God’s Purpose: For My Life”.  About the couple being a team and not one dominating over another.  But, there does have to be a structure set forth in the household.  That is why the Bible tells us that the man is the head of the wife as Jesus Christ is the head of the church.  And that wives should submit to their husbands in everything (Ephesians 5:22-24). 

Now, that is not to be abused by either the man or the woman because right before that passage, in verse 21, it says, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ”.  My wife knows that I view marriage as a partnership.  We are equal partners.  However, I know that I am the one who will be held accountable for the actions of my family.  I am the one who is to sacrifice my life for them.  And I am the one who is ultimately held to lead them.

During the conference, the speaker touched several chapters in my book, but more specifically on chapters 9, 15, and 23.  Chapter 9 being the quote from a husband, “I don’t mind if she is the head of the household”.  Chapter 15, “I have changed for him/her, but he/she won’t change for me”.  And Chapter 23, “Is it okay to date/marry someone who is not a Christian?”

But, that wasn’t the first time that this has happened.  There have been several instances when I will either hear a sermon, or listen to a speaker, and they will go over these different things that are in my book.  Why do you think that is?  Well, as you may or may not know, this book was completely inspired by the Holy Spirit.  If I did not feel it came from the Holy Spirit it didn’t get written.  And by hearing it over and over again, from different sources, just re-affirms that for me.

The information in this book are relative to everyone, because we all go through these types of situations throughout the course of our lives.  That is another reason why it continues to come up; because we all are dealing with it.  I have written it in a way that will provide guidance and encouragement through the direction from the Bible.  Each chapter begins with a passage from the Bible and has scripture references throughout.

If you haven’t had the chance to read it yet, I highly recommend that you get a copy for yourself and a loved one.  Your life may never be the same again.

Here are some testimonies from just a few of the readers:

"This book is phenomenal. It is a must read for all new believers." - Sue Peffer

"It was an easy read. Informative and a great book especially for new believers. I also loved how you opened up and made yourself known and vulnerable." - Randy Kirk

"I love this book. I read something from it every day." - Sheila Guenther
 
"Thank you so much for this eye-opener..may God bless you!" - Samantha Koyesiga

"I just completed reading this book, it's very inspirational. great depiction of nadir and zenith.. I would definitely recommend reading this book at least once.   Nadir.. the low times and Zenith.. the high time.. are like the sinusoidal wave pattern. A person will never have the not so pleasant time in his/her life forever.. so lets start our day with a smile on our face.. Amen!! I can't thank you enough Martin, as your book answers, the most of the complicated questions that life puts in front of us.. thank you.." - Ajay Bhowmick

Impatience and Fear: What They Have In Common

By Zoe


                                             

“Be still, and know that I am God” ~ Psalm 46:10

We are such impatient beings. And when I say we, I mean people – the human race – in general. We talk to God about our problems or simply the desires of our hearts and, as soon as we are done telling God our problems or desires, we then go on trying to solve them or accomplish them on our own, in “our own strength,” instead of allowing God to give us the solution; He may do so through His Word, through something or someone when we least expect it, or through a sign. We decide how long is long enough to wait for God to answer our prayers. We just don't have time to wait on Him! What is He thinking? Does He not realize the urgency of our request?

When we ask Him for help, He may give us a solution right away through divine wisdom, maybe even divine intervention. But, what happens when it takes longer, when it seems as if He just didn’t get the memo? Impatience sets in. Then fear, the fear of, “what will happen if we don’t get the answer or solution to our problem?”

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” He will give us an answer/a solution when we are willing to be still and "patiently wait" for it. Waiting is not fun to do. It is difficult to wait, I know, but it is not impossible. God wants to give us the desires of our hearts and, with God, nothing is impossible. Therefore, we need to ask Him to give us the wisdom to wait on His timing and the strength as we wait for His provision/deliverance. We need to ask Him to “help us” be patient. That’s right, ask for help to be patient, a request not many people are willing to make out of fear of what God will then do as a result of asking for patience!

Notice I didn't say to ask God “to give us patience” (meaning we don’t have it at all) but rather, “to help us be patient” (meaning exercising the patience we already have). Are we asking for patience as our last resort - as a result of anger, desperation or frustration due to our circumstances – rather than asking for help to be patient as we wait for God’s timing and for His solution to unfold before us?

Knowledge brings understanding, understanding points us to the truth, and the truth is what sets us free. It’s not what we do that sets us free, it’s what we know. You see, God’s Word tells us that those of us who recognize that we are children of God and have received Him as Lord of our lives, He has given us the Holy Spirit, who serves as our advocate and Wise Counselor. And the Holy Spirit comes with benefits! Galatians 5:22 says, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, PATIENCE, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control.” These are the fruits that are produced IN us as a result of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. So if we are children of God, not only do we have a spirit of patience in us, but we also have a spirit of self-control. Isn’t that awesome? So we don’t need to pray FOR patience, but rather for help; help from the Holy Spirit to teach us to exercise the patience that already exists within us!

I hear people saying, “I don't ask for patience, no way. I have learned not to ask for patience, no thank you, not going there.” If you are one of those people, this one is for you. This is what I, once one of the most impatient people in the planet, have learned from spending time in God's Word and getting to know Him and His plan for my life. Not “my” plan, “His” plan.

First, He wants us to know that He LOVES us. Second, He wants us to know that He is who He says He is. So if He loves us and He is who He says He is, then, He will do what He says He is going to do. We can be confident that His Word will not come back void. That said He wants us to boldly come before His throne of grace with whatever is on our mind and in our hearts (from praise and thanksgiving to anger and disappointment); to do anything less than that would be an insult to His ability to provide for us and to deliver us from our circumstances.

People don’t ask/pray for patience out of fear. Fear that, "Oh what is God going to do now, what is going to happen to me now as a result of that prayer?" No! “FEAR NOT,” says the Lord all through His Word. Fear paralyzes us. God’s Word also says, in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of POWER, LOVE and a SOUND MIND (other versions refer to “a sound mind,” as self-control, discipline, sound judgment).”

Fear is such a powerful and debilitating emotion. Our enemy, the devil (and he is as real as our next breath and active in our lives), will use fear to rob us of our joy, which is part of the fruit of the Spirit, and to make us question God’s goodness and faithfulness. When we find ourselves in difficult circumstances, that’s when our enemy will begin to mess with our minds with the “what ifs” and making us feel insecure and doubtful. “What if I fail? What if I get rejected? What if I don’t get the job?” What if, what if, what if. Or he will use people in our life to make us doubt our talents, spiritual gifts (we all have these!), or things we are confident about; our enemy will use the type of people who are always asking, “Why? Why are you doing that? Or, why are you going there? What if?” Why not?!!!

God wants to give us the desires of our hearts. He wants us to have peace in our hearts and to experience fullness of joy. One way to experience peace and freedom in this fallen world is to know who we are. And in order to know who we are, we need to get to know the Author of our lives and take Him at His Word. We also need to learn how to pray. Don’t make prayer “just another ritual.” Prayer is simply a conversation, a dialogue; nothing more, nothing less. We may actually be praying for the wrong things (yes, there is a wrong way to pray). We may be praying for things we already have, but don’t realize we have them, or praying for things we don’t really need. When we know who we are and what we were made for, it makes it easier for us to boldly approach our Father in heaven with our requests.

If you know and believe you are a child of God, know that “the fruit of the Spirit” (love, joy, peace, PATIENCE, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control) is not something you pray for, it is something you already have in you. It is a done deal. It is a matter of learning how to tap into God’s power and learning to exercise and develop these gifts.

If you, on the other hand, do not consider yourself a child of God – you are someone who is seeking or has never made the decision to receive Jesus as Lord of your life – what is holding you back? Maybe you have been hurt by “religion” and all the politics involved with it, or maybe you have been hurt by “self-proclaimed Christians” and their hypocrisy. People, even God’s people, may misrepresent God. It is sad that even us Christians may misrepresent God at some point in our lives (in word or action), but it is a fact. If we were all perfect then we would not need Him. The best way to get to know God and who he is, it is by reading His Word and asking Him to reveal Himself to you personally as you seek Him. And when you ask Him to reveal Himself to you, believe me, He will! And you’re going to be like, “Wow, it’s true!”

If you are someone who has not trusted God, I don’t know what your reasons are for not trusting Him, but I do know that God loves you and wants to have a personal relationship with you. He knows you by name and if you were the last person here on earth, God would have still sent His Son to die on the cross for you, because that is how much He LOVES you. All you need to do to have access to this God who seems so distant is to receive Him into your heart and ask Him to reveal Himself to you in a way that you will know that what you are experiencing is from Him and not of man.


Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us so much that you sent Your One and Only Son, that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Thank You that we don’t have to fear or be impatient because You love us and Your are our Healer, Provider, and Deliverer. Help us and teach us how to exercise the spirit of power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7) that You have given us. Please guard our hearts and minds from the enemy, and give us wisdom to know that when it seems that You are all we have, You are all we need. You are enough! In Jesus’ name, Amen and thank You Lord!


LIFE VERSES

Exodus 14:14 – “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still”

Philippians 4:6 – “Do not be anxious (fearful) about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, make all your requests known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”

Psalm 37:5, 23-24,28 – “Commit your way to the Lord; trust Him, and He will act…A man’s steps are established by the Lord, and He takes pleasure in his way. Though he falls, he will not be shaken (overwhelmed), because the Lord holds his hand…For the Lord loves justice and will not abandon His faithful ones. They are kept safe forever”