Touching Others I heard an anonymous quote recently that really touched me, "Someone is standing on the other side of obedience" I don't know about you but for me I often only think of obedience in terms of myself, but that is wrong. We are obedient for a purpose. Our obedience reaches out and touches others in ways we can only imagine. I remember an incident years ago. I was in a diner in a downtown area and saw an older man, rather shabbily dressed alone at a table as I was leaving. I had the overwhelming feeling that I should speak to him. Nothing more than hello, but that I should acknowledge him. I shrugged it off thinking why would I speak to this total stranger, a man I didn't know no less. When I walked out without speaking I never forgot him. Who would imagine that all these years later I would still remember a time, seemingly unimportant, but one where I was disobedient to the call of God. I look back and wonder what difference that small 'hello' could have possibly made to this man but something inside of me, to this day, knows that it would have. How often do we shrug off that quiet voice of God. God asks us to do things that often we would consider to be quite strange. Things that make us feel uncomfortable. Trust and Obey I think the reason for this is that God wants to know if we really trust Him. The old hymn went like this: "Trust and obey For there's no other way To be happy in Jesus But to trust and obey." Think about the times God has asked you to leave your comfort zone and step out for Him. Has he asked you to visit a nursing home or to talk to your dear friend who doesn't know God about your relationship with the Lord or to start a Bible study or to be friends with someone who has none? Sometimes God asks us to build a boat on dry land or speak to people far off about Him even though they are His enemies or walk on water or face a giant. The only way Noah or Jonah or Peter or David did these things was by totally trusting God. Obedience Can Be Small Maybe we obey with seemingly no results, but how do we know what seed has been planted in people? The smallest word can mean so much. Many years ago when I was pregnant with my first child (I was 39) I spoke to a friend about my concerns about my pregnancy and fears for my child. My dear friend said this, "It's a gift and not a test." Seven little words that calmed my soul. I know God spoke through her that day. "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. James 1: 22-25 Created for Good Works Many times our obedience calls us to change our behavior. God seeks for us to be better Christians. Our behavior towards others most definitely matters. When we show more love, more patience, more forgiveness the affects on our family and those around us are incalculable. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10 Blessed My prayer for you, and for myself, is that when God speaks I will listen and I will obey. He may speak through a pastor, through His word or through our prayers or however he chooses, but obedience will be blessed. "Know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for all time.” Deuteronomy 4: 39-40 Hope In I Peter 1: 13-16 we read: "Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." " Our hope is always in God's grace and we as His obedient children must make every effort to be holy. The holiness of our obedience is how someone sees Christ. Those people are on the other side of our obedience.

The Lord has a lot to say about humility and meekness. In the Bible we are given role models for humility and meekness. In Numbers 12:3 the Bible says that Moses was the meekest person on the earth. It is hard to imagine Moses parting the Red Sea and yet still being meek. Moses recognized where the power really came from. The power came not from himself, but from God. In Philippians 2: 6-8, Paul tells us that Jesus, in total humility, chose the cross - for us! The World Doesn't Value Humility And Meekness In the world, humility and meekness are not valued. In fact we are constantly told how we should elevate ourselves above others. We are told we should shout our accomplishments to the world. In Romans 12:3 Paul says, " For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." God provides for us, it is He who gives us the ability to perform those accomplishments. He allows us to be successful, He is our hope and when we fail He helps us to learn to rely more on Him. Humility Is... What is humility? It is putting others interests ahead of ourselves. It is an absence of pride. A humble person doesn't have to announce their good deeds. A humble person doesn't have to say "I did this and I did that" to feel good. The greatest blessing is to do a kind act for someone and never tell anyone. In Matthew 6:2 Jesus tells us to do our good deeds quietly and without fanfare. We are not supposed to seek earthly honor. If we do He says we have already received our full reward. I often think of the famous industrialist Andrew Carnegie (as in Carnegie Hall in New York City). Carnegie in his latter years was a famous philanthropist. He gave away the majority of his fortune before he died. But each library he built, each concert hall, each endeavor had his name prominently displayed. Mr. Carnegie wanted people to know who gave the money. He had his reward. Meekness Is... What is meekness? It is a gentleness of spirit. It is a person who endures offenses patiently, who has a controlled strength. Meekness isn't weakness. When we're weak we can't do anything. When we are meek we have chosen not to do something. Meekness doesn't mean that you allow yourselves to be run over. That's the definition of the world. Meekness acknowledges that we don't know everything. We don't know someone else's heart. Only God knows. Peter tells us in I Peter 3:15 that we should share the gospel with "meekness and respect". We Are Not Like The World In Philippians 2:3 Paul says that we should esteem others as better than ourselves. That doesn't sound much like what the world is telling us does it? Our Lord expects us have humility and meekness on our journey with hope. He expects us to be different.

The dictionary definition of holy is dedicated or consecrated to God or a religious purpose; sacred. The word translated holy in the Bible in Hebrew actually means separated or set apart. We are commanded to be holy. Literally told to be set apart for God. It is easy to say that we are Christians but not so easy to live as one. Are You Sober? Where is our holiness? Often, I see people ask for prayer, which is always a good thing, but as I scroll through their social media I will see links to obscene music, pictures of inappropriate behavior, jokes that are off color, exclamations using the Lord's name in a careless way, etc. Where is our consistency? Where is our soberness as Peter tells us? "Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”" I Peter 1: 13-16 (NIV) In this verse, sober, means not to be overly influenced by things that can make us stray from good judgement. Sober minded means to have self-control. Grow In Holiness Many of us have had experiences with Jesus, but then we just stop. We remember that one time when we knew we needed to be saved; when we called on Him and we became a Christian. The expectation for a Christian however, is that they will continue to grow in holiness. Paul says to the Corinthians that since we have these promises, we should cleanse ourselves from "the filthiness of the flesh and spirit" and we should perfect holiness while we fear God (2 Corinthians 7:1). In I Thessalonians 4:7 we are told that we are called to holiness, not uncleanness. Set Apart For God We should be separate, noticeably so, from the culture around us. We should be different in every facet of our life. as obedient children we should strive to truly repent and turn from sin, we should avoid placing ourselves in situations that we know will cause us to be tempted to sin, we should pray, we should study the Word "to show ourselves approved" as Paul says in 2 Timothy 2: 15, we should love others, especially those who seem so unlovable to us, we should strive to live a humble life, "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." Philippians 2: 3, we should show self-control. This is listed as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5: 22-23. We Are Given Power A holy person according to the 2 Timothy 1: 7 has not been given a spirit of fear or timidness but the Spirit "gives us power, love and self-discipline." (NIV) The disciples showed this. They went from hiding in an upper room to preaching to thousands with great power and authority after they received the Holy Spirit. Works Of The Flesh v Works Of The Spirit In Galatians 5 Paul contrasts a life led that only has works of the flesh. He lists these in verses 19-21: "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries". Then he compares a Christian life, a holy life, in verses 22-23. This list is far different from the one above: "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. " Do we live a life set apart for God? Paul says in Galatians 5: 21 that those who practice works of the flesh, "...will not inherit the kingdom of God." The Holy Spirit changes us. We should not be the person we were before we became a Christian. We should be transformed. These verses don't say that we will lead a perfect life, but that we will lead a life that strives for holiness. A life that strives to be set apart for God. Our Goal Is Holiness Our goal is to be a light to the nations, a city on a hill, wheat among the tares (Matthew 13: 24-30) that shows the world a better way to live. In fact, the only way to live, if a person desires to know truth. Do we choose love? Do we choose the characteristics of a Spirit filled life that shows the fruits of the Spirit? Do others see Christ in us? This is a choice we make daily in our encounters with others, from the smallest interactions with strangers, to the daily walk we live in our home with our family. "The holier a man becomes, the more he mourns over the unholiness which remains in him." ~ C. S. Lewis

Have you ever had the experience of being somewhere very different, very strange. Someplace where you just simply didn't fit in? Maybe their culture was different or maybe their language, maybe they were "northerners" and you were a "southerner", maybe you grew up in the big city and they grew up on a farm. Maybe you felt almost like a stranger in the earth. Most of us have some experience with not fitting in. Peter has something to tell us about this. In I Peter 2: 11-12 he says, "Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation." Depending on the translations the word may be aliens, strangers, exiles or foreigners. The idea is identical. You (Christians) don't belong here. You are travelers, strangers that are passing through this world. Your home isn't here. You feel almost uncomfortable here. This place is so different from what is "normal" for you that you can sense you don't belong. Our True Home - Heaven Hebrews 11: 8-10 reminds us that Abraham, full of faith, journeyed to a foreign land, to the Promised Land. There he was a stranger, but what was he really looking forward to? He was really looking forward to a city built by God - a Heavenly city. When we look back at the Old Testament, we see in Exodus 2:22 the birth of Moses first born son. The name he is given, Gershom, literally means "a stranger in a strange land". He was born in Midian, not his true home. His home was the Promised Land. Our home also is not here, it is in Heaven with our Lord and Savior. If there ever is a time in your life when you begin to feel at ease here, when you start to feel as if you belong - beware. Peter begs you to not to give into sinful desires because these desires, these lusts, wage war against your very soul. This is a war we must win. Transformed by the Holy Spirit At one time, before the Lord transformed you by His Holy Spirit you did belong. But since you have been changed, since you have become a "new creation" (2 Corinthians 5: 17), we can no longer fit in. We should not even try to be part of that old world. But this is hard. We may find ourselves still wanting to sin, but now, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the ability to resist. Peter is encouraging us in our battle against sin. Filled with Good Works The world will view us as odd, perhaps even bad people, for not participating in what is considered normal behavior, but even while these unbelievers are saying this they should be seeing the lives we lead. Our lives should be filled with good works. Our loving kindness towards people who persecute us has an effect on the world. When unbelievers see these good works, some will ultimately glorify God. Be An Example Paul tells Timothy much the same thing in I Timothy 4: 12-13. He tells Timothy to be a an example in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity. There is an old expression I am sure you have heard, "Your life is the only Bible many people will ever read." Everything we do is being watched, especially if those around us know we call ourselves Christian. Honorable Conduct Just as the Jewish people exiled in Babylon were "strangers in a strange land" and yet returned to Israel and rebuilt the temple, so today, a small people, of little account and worth, are the ones God chooses to do incredible things. God sees the extraordinary in the insignificant things of the world. He sees the difference we can make when we have, as Peter says, honorable conduct. Overcome Evil with Good In 2 Corinthians 5:20 Paul calls us "ambassadors for Christ". We are sent out into a world that is no longer ours to accomplish the purpose of the One who we represent. In Romans 12:21 Paul tells us to "overcome evil with good". We don't overcome evil by violence, we don't overcome evil by marching in the streets, we don't even overcome evil by going to church; but we do overcome evil by being the opposite of it, by being good. A Stranger in the Earth When someone travels to a foreign land they usually miss their family they have left behind. They write letters, send emails, or FaceTime so they don't lose the connection to the one's they love. In this strange land we Christians live in how do we keep our connection to our true home. Psalm 119:19 explains how. The psalmist says, "I am a stranger in the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me." To stay connected to our true home, the will of God and His word need to be present to us. We need to understand how God would use us in this strange land we live in because we know that where He is is our true home. To overcome evil we have to stay connected to our source of love. In this way we can truly love others and do good to them. Our connection to our Father helps us to win this war for our soul that Peter talks about. Enjoy, This World is Not Home, by the great Jim Reeves.

~God rewards the faithful~ The beautiful coastal city of Izmir, Turkey is at least 3,000 years old. The ruins of the ancient city it once was lie surrounded by the modern city of today. In Biblical times this city was known as Smyrna. The Greek word Smyrna means 'myrrh'. Smyrna was known for its export of Myrrh. Smyrna and Myrrh Myrrh is referenced several times in the New Testament. It was one of the gifts brought by the Wise Men to the young Jesus, it was offered to Jesus with wine on the cross and it was used in His burial. In the Old Testament it was used as anointing oil for consecrating priests and kings (Exodus 30: 23-25) and in the New Testament it was used for embalming (John 19:39). A Letter to Smyrna Revelation is the only book that specifically mentions the church that existed in Smyrna. It was one of the seven churches that was sent a specific letter. We read this letter in Revelation 2: 8-11. The church is described as being poor and yet rich. It is known for its works and the tribulations it has endured. It begins with a title for God, the First and the Last, and Jesus, who was dead, and came to life. God sees this church and knows it. He sees what it is enduring and how it is suffering. It is a church in action, zealously proclaiming the word of God in the face of persecution. No Criticism Of the seven letters to the churches this was the only letter that does not include a criticism. How wonderful to know that the Lord was pleased with them. As Peter tells us in I Peter 5: 10 after our suffering Jesus will "perfect, establish, strengthen and settle" us. The persecutions that this church endured had perfected, established, strengthened and settled it. Rich With the Knowledge of God The Christians in Smyrna were poor, perhaps because of their persecution. But the letter says they were rich! Why was it rich? Because in spite of a lack of worldly possessions it had the most prized possession of all. It had the knowledge of the saving grace of our Lord. It is an interesting contrast to the church at Laodicea in Revelation 3:17-18 which was told that, even though they think they have no needs, they are actually "wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked". The Persecuted Church The Christians in Smyrna were persecuted by many. They were persecuted by the Romans who expected them to acknowledge and worship the emperor and by the pagans, the popular culture of the day, who had temples to Cybele and Zeus, as well as temples to Apollo, Asklepios, and Aphrodite. This scripture also tells us that the 'so called' Jews persecuted them. John calls them a 'Synagogue of Satan'. Why did he call them this? Because by not acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah, they had shown who they stood with, and it was not God. Do Not Fear The church received a command, not to be afraid. So many times the Lord in His word tells us to not be afraid. Why does God tell us this? Because as Isaiah 41:10 explains, it is God who strengthens, helps and upholds us. Even in the face of great persecution we shouldn't fear. Blessed Are They Who Endure The letter to Smyrna goes on to inform the church that for a time things will be very bad. The devil will cause some of them to be thrown in prison and even killed. But faithfulness to the end has a great reward. To those who are faithful, even with such great persecution, will come a crown of life! James 1:12 tells us that God promises a crown of life to people who love Him. If persecution comes we need to pray that like the church in Smyrna we too will be faithful and endure to the end. The Holy Spirit Says to Hear The Holy Spirit speaks to the church and the church is instructed to 'hear'. The church was to take heed of what is being said. The Spirit says, to the ones who overcome, the second death will not hurt. Who are the ones who overcome? In John 16:33 Jesus says He has overcome the world. It is through Him that we are overcomers also. Romans 8: 35-37 tells us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Paul says we are like "sheep for the slaughter" and yet because Jesus loves us we are "more than conquerors." The Second Death And what is the second death that will not affect those who overcome? Revelation 21:8 says: "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Polycarp the Martyr A famous story of persecution during the first century comes from the church at Smyrna. The Bishop of the church there, Polycarp, in about 160AD, was brought before Roman authorities and told to publicly reject Christ and acknowledge the emperor as God. Polycarp had personally known the apostle John. He is quoted as saying, "86 years have I have served him, and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?" He was then burned at the stake and stabbed through the heart according to records of the event. Be Faithful, Fear Not and Hear How wonderful if today our church could hear a word from God and there would be no criticism in it. How faithful are we? Would we be faithful "unto death"? Would we, like the church at Smyrna, "fear not"? Will we "hear"?

God sees and knows our needs. God knows more than anything that in our weakness we need Him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 (a) says, "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him." God Will Show Himself Strong If we are sincere and faithful to the Lord He will "show Himself strong" on our behalf. He will defend and provide for us. He will watch over and protect us. Like David before the Philistine giant, God will defend us. David had seen God's hand of protection before. He told Saul that God had rescued him from a bear and a lion and that he would also rescue him from Goliath. David fully trusted God to show Himself strong. If God Is For Us Many times we think God is not for us, that He is against us. When bad things happen we want to blame Him. If we love Him and are faithful, then as Paul says in Romans 8:31, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Paul experienced more suffering than many of us can imagine and yet He concludes that God is for us! No matter the suffering we endure we are not separated from the love of Christ. (Romans 8: 37-39) Elisha's Servant's Eyes Are Opened In 2 Kings Chapter 6 we read the story of Elisha and the Syrian army. The Syrian army came and surrounded the city at night. Elisha's servant seeing the many warriors was worried. What would become of them? Elisha prayed that his servant's eyes would be opened that he could see that His Lord was with him, his God was for him. Then in 2 Kings 6: 17(b)-18 we read what happened, "Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha." Elisha had no doubts about who was on his side. He knew already who it was that was for him. God is Our Refuge In Psalm 91: 1-2 we are told, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” When we trust totally in God's love and protection then He will be our refuge, the fortress we run to for protection. Why do I know this to be true? Because when my trust is placed fully and completely in Him, He will be faithful, as ever, to His word. The Lord Surrounds His People How blessed are we that our Lord surrounds us. "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the Lord surrounds His people From this time forth and forever." Psalm 125:2 Our Lord lifts us up, lives within us and watches over us forever. We will one day live with Him and our victory over death, made possible by his Son, will be ours. God Protects Us In Job, God describes Job as a "man who fears God and shuns evil". (Job 1: 8) . The Devil speaks up and basically says it's easy for Job to be obedient because, the devil tells God, God had placed "a hedge and around him and his household and everything he has". (Job 1:10). In Biblical times people would literally surround their homes with thorny hedges to keep out animals. This is a metaphor they would understand. God literally can protect us in the same way today if we "fear God and shun evil". Our Faith Protects Us God protects us also through the gift of faith. In Ephesians 6: 16 Paul tells us this, "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." The greater our faith in God the more our shield will protect us. The Holy Spirit Restrains Evil Our greatest gift of protection is found in the Holy Spirit. According to 2 Thessalonians 2: 7 "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way" The restrainer of evil and lawlessness is the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit present in us and in the world, the Devil would have the ability to do evil like we cannot even imagine. God Promises and Does What He Promises The word of God promises, and God does what He promises: He sees our need; God shows Himself strong; He is our refuge; He places protection around us; He blesses us with the gift of faith, our shield against evil; and He gives us the Holy Spirit who restrains evil. Thanks be to the Lord!

Legalism. This word is defined by dictionary.com as dependence on moral law rather than on personal religious faith. When you stress obedience apart from faith you are left with legalism. No one wants to be called legalistic. However, in 2 Peter 2: 19 Peter says, "While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage." In this verse Peter describes false teachers. People in the church who are eloquent speakers and who according to verse 18, entice people with sexual sin without any consequences. To new Christians who have just come to the faith this sounds very good. They can continue in their worldly behavior and don't have to worry about it. These false teachers speak as if obedience to the Word is the same as legalism. A Standard of Conduct We know that God's word has a standard of conduct that we are expected to meet. In I Corinthians 6: 18 Paul tells us to "flee sexual immorality". This includes fornication, adultery, homosexuality, any manner of sexual immorality outside of marriage between a man and a woman. Today, in many churches we are told that it is judgmental to call these behaviors sin. Modesty is considered a laughable, old-fashioned behavior. I Timothy 2: 9-10 says women are to dress modestly and clothe themselves with good deeds. Today purity in music or television is excused as only something to be concerned about for our children (if at all). Slaves of Corruption So to return to 2 Peter 2: 19, what does Peter say happens to people who swallow the lies that sexual sin is nothing that serious? He says they become "slaves of corruption". They are "brought into bondage" by what overcomes them. These new Christians, who have just escaped the bondage of sin, are returned to it by listening to lying false teachers. The Need for Sanctification We are told by these false teachers that God loves us as we are, seemingly forgetting the need for sanctification in our lives. Sanctification is simply the experience of becoming more like Christ as we grow in our faith and knowledge of His word. We become more forgiving, more loving and also, very importantly, more obedient to the will of our Father. Transformed by the Holy Spirit We should always view those outside of Christ with a humble attitude because as Paul says, "such were some of you." (I Corinthians 6:11) We are not better than them, but we are forgiven. We are changed, transformed, by the Holy Spirit who now makes His home in each of us as Christians. If there is no change, then it is doubtful the Holy Spirit has been received. Picking and Choosing Today some of the problem comes from the fact that many people just pick and choose the parts of the Bible that they want to apply to themselves. If it doesn't fit with their own personal idea of what is "truth" then they just reject it. As Christians we profess to believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. Did you really hear that last part? The word of God! The Creator of the Universe has given us a book, not to dismiss out of hand because we don't like what it says, but to treasure it and keep it close to our hearts. Honesty vs Truth A person can speak honestly about themselves; they love the person they are sexually involved with, or they believe themselves to be gay, or their husband/wife is mean to them and they are seeking love somewhere else but that does not mean they speak truth. The truth we all have to search for is God's truth, not what I think truth should be, but what truth really is. God wants us to find joy in our lives and He knows the best way for each of us to find it, is by being obedient to His will in all things. Obedient to things that are easy as well as things that are hard for us. Forgiveness So if you have fallen into a trap of sin that is leading you into bondage, seek God's forgiveness. He is a gracious God. Pray for the help of the Holy Spirit to overcome the temptations of the Devil and pray that God will lead you in the way of truth. Seek Him while you can.

As Christians we are told in the Bible that we will be a happy people, a joyful people. The Bible really makes no distinction between happiness and joy. We should find our happiness and joy in places that the world does not. The world places their joy in their possessions and in their careers or in a stable home life. Certainly all these things can bring happiness but when God is center stage in our lives, we look to Him as our ultimate source of joy and happiness. In Him we find eternal happiness. Joy is Good Medicine In Galatians 5:22 Paul tells us that joy is a fruit of the spirit working in our lives. Proverbs 17:22 speaks of joy as "good medicine". A happy person is often a healthier person both mentally and physically. Joy can lower stress hormones, ease depression and anxiety, and improve your immune system. Paul says in Romans 14:17 that "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." What Brings Happiness? According to the Bible many things can bring us happiness and joy: the Holy Spirit by giving us hope (Romans 15:13) being in God's presence (Psalm 16:11) the words of Jesus to us (John 15:11) the Lord's strength (Nehemiah 8:10) believing in Jesus (I Peter 1: 8-9) trials, because when our faith is tested, we grow in our loyalty and dedication to God (James 1:2-4) the promised return of the Lord (John 16:22) asking and receiving in Jesus's name (John 16:24) the hope of the righteous (Proverbs 10:28) the consolations and comforts of God when we are worried (Psalm 94:19) Where Does Your Joy Come From I Thessalonians 5:16 commands us to "Rejoice always," Again, though, where our joy comes from is the important thing. Does it come from God or does it come from the world? Are we happy because of "the fleeting pleasures of sin" as Hebrews 11:25 puts it, or the eternal happiness that only living our lives for God can bring? Isaiah 61:10 says to rejoice in the Lord because we have been clothed in salvation and wear robes of righteousness. When We Are Sad But you may ask, what about when truly sad things happen to me? When we face the difficulties of life, we often forget Who we belong to. We forget Who it is that is the source of our hope, strength, comfort and happiness. Psalm 126:5 speaks of sowing in tears and reaping in joy. We must persevere in our hope in God when things are very difficult with prayer and study, knowing that eventually there will be a harvest (a reaping) of joy in our lives for not giving up. As David tells us in Psalm 30, his sorrow was turned into joy. For more on finding refuge in God when we are sad click here. Serving Others Brings Joy One way to have joy in times of sorrow is to serve others. The focus of our lives should be outward looking. We need to have our energy turned towards others, not inward. We often spend too much time worried about ourselves and not enough asking God what can we do for others. Joy and happiness are often found in serving others for God. Jesus says, according to Acts 20:35, that more blessings are gained from giving than receiving. Proverbs 22:9 tells us that generous people are happier people. This Joy is for All When the angels came to announce the birth of Jesus, they said their "good news of great joy" would be for everyone. Have we kept this good news of great joy to ourselves? Have we shared the reason for the hope that is in us (I Peter 3:15)? Are we generous, not just with our money, but with our faith? In the U.S. we tend to believe that everyone knows about Jesus, but this isn't true and it is becoming less true with each passing year. Do We Hide Our Joy? Our Creator has promised us a life not like the world. In Him we can have joy and happiness, and a peace that passes understanding. When people are around us is this what they see? Does your soul rejoice in the Lord (Psalm 35:9)? Or have we forgotten our first love (Revelation 2:4)? Pray that we labor in love for others and that our joy is not hidden. Dear Father, Thank you for promising us joy and happiness in You. We pray that we would show this to the world and that we would not forget the price that was paid for our salvation and our hope. In Your Son's Name, Amen

Jesus speaks often of serving others but never talks about helping them. Have you ever wondered why he chose to use the word "serve" and not "help"? I never thought much of it until several years ago when I was on a mission trip in the U.S. Our sponsor made sure that we knew the difference. He Served So We Serve Jesus himself "came to serve and not to be served" according to Matthew 20: 28. When we help someone, we provide them assistance or support. We usually help someone who we think is worse off than we are. We come from a position of power and reach out to someone who is less powerful. But when we serve someone, that is different. Serving others, views the person who is served as equals. We serve because He served. We serve because we serve Christ. Service is out of love, not expecting to gain favor with someone or accolades. Service expects nothing in return. Do We Want to Be Appreciated? Many times in the Bible when Jesus did miraculous things for people, they did not even thank him. He didn't stop doing miracles because he wasn't thanked. He didn't stop performing miracles because he didn't feel appreciated. He continued serving others and He expects us too as well. It is difficult to serve others and not receive thanks. Did you pick up that random sock today on the floor for the hundredth time? I bet no one said thanks. Did you give money to the random homeless person? Maybe they said thanks, but maybe they didn't. Will you still pick up that sock or give money to the homeless? Our responsibility is to serve others, not to feel important or somehow better than someone else because we helped them, but to show them love. The kind of love Jesus showed us and still shows us - an undeserved love. "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5: 13-14 Charity Isn't Pity As Mother Teresa said once, "Charity isn't about pity, it is about love." Do we serve others with everything we have? Jack London once said, “A bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog.” It is easy to help others when we are in a position of strength, but when we serve, we should do it no matter our position. Why? Again, because our motivation is love. Service That is Love There is a story of a hungry Christian family in India that was once given food. Immediately the mother divided the food and took half to the Muslim family next door that was also starving. That was service. That was love. Jesus Strengthens Us Do we serve out of our own strength? No. Only in so much as we are connected to Jesus and long to serve Him can we truly serve others with love. As I Peter 4: 10-11 (ESV) tells us "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." As Peter explains above, it is not that we serve in our own strength, it is God that gives us our strength. Service can be hard at times, unrewarding and thankless, but we do it, according to Peter, so that "in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ". Love In Action When we serve others, don't forget that ultimately we are serving Christ. Jesus reminds us of this in Matthew 25: 35-40. In these verses we see what service really is - love in action. " for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’" Enjoy the beautiful song, A Living Prayer, by Alison Krauss here.

The Feast of Tabernacles (also called the Feast of Booths), today known as Sukkot, is a Jewish feast that God commanded to be celebrated forever in Leviticus 23: 39-43. For Jewish people it is a time of looking back and a time of looking forward. God commanded them to construct temporary shelters to remember God's provision for them when they wandered in the wilderness for forty years. This Feast also looks forward to a time when all nations will come to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. God Provides Just as God provided for the Israelites so also does He provide for us today. He provides for our needs, but most importantly he provides a way of escape from the punishment of sin by the cross and resurrection of His Son. Every day should be a day of celebration, of feasting, when we realize how God watches over and cares for us, His children. Flocking to Jerusalem During this feast men were commanded to go to Jerusalem to celebrate. Many thousands of people would attend this celebration in Jerusalem. This feast is highly symbolic, for just as people flocked to Jerusalem for this feast, so to at the end of the age, will the nations come to Jerusalem when God establishes His kingdom. The Tabernacle - the Center of Everything Tabernacle literally means dwelling. The Tabernacle of the Lord was constructed by the Israelites according to God's instructions. This holy tabernacle went with the Israelites on their wilderness journey. It was instructed to be placed in the center of their group. This was symbolic in that it meant that God should be the center of our lives. Everything should move around Him. Everything depends on Him. As Paul reminds us in Acts 17:28, "for in Him we live and move and have our being" Jesus Our High Priest This feast takes place five days after the Day of Atonement for the people. When the tabernacle was constructed it had three parts. Only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year to pour out the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy seat for the sins of the people. Now, because Jesus is our high priest, we have no need for animal sacrifice. His blood, shed for the atonement of our sins, was shed once for all. Living Waters In John 1:14 John tells us that "the word became flesh and dwelt among us". The word translated dwelt means tabernacle, literally, to dwell in a tent. In John chapter 7, Jesus teaches in the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles. On the last day of the feast, in John 7:37-39, Jesus promises that living waters will flow from the hearts of those who believe in Him. These living waters are symbolic of the Holy Spirit which lives in those who call Him Savior. With the advent of the Holy Spirit we are now quite literally the dwelling place of the Spirit of God. God's Kingdom In Revelation 21:3 we read that God, when His kingdom is established, will dwell among His people and that we will be His and He will be our God. In Zechariah 14: 16-21 Zechariah says that in that day all the nations will come to Jerusalem to worship and keep the Feast of Tabernacles. In Zechariah 14: 8 the prophet says in that day that living waters will flow from Jerusalem and the Lord will be King over all the Earth (Zechariah 14:9). This kingdom of God on Earth is described in Revelation 20:4-6. (Please note that some people believe that this Earthly kingdom is purely symbolic, while others believe it to be literal.) God Dwells In Us “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” 2 Corinthians 6:16 (b) We thank you Father that you sent your Son to walk with us. We praise you Father that you are our God and that we are Your people. We praise you for the Holy Spirit that lives in us. We praise you for your provisions for us. We praise you God for dwelling with us. In your Son's name, Amen Enjoy the hymn, All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name, here.

We live in disturbing, turbulent times. It is good to be reminded that we have the love of God promised to us and that this love will keep us and hold us even when we doubt, even when it is hard to remember His love towards us. God does not forget His promises. Hebrews 6: 17-19 tells us that God is unchanging, that He does not lie, that He is a consoler and an anchor for our soul. What God has said He has done and what He has promised He will do. Hebrews tells us that God swears by an oath that He swore on Himself to do what He has promised. He does this to make clear the fact that His purpose is unchanging. He certainly did not have to swear an oath but He did so to show His love to us. "Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." Hebrews 6: 17-19 God Consoles Us God offers us consolation. Consolation means comfort after a loss or a disappointment. Why do we need consoling? Because our experience as humans tells us that people often don't keep their promises, that they often lie. Because the Devil attacks us and makes us doubt the love of God. But God and his Word can always be trusted. They are immutable, unchanging. God's promise is a promise of a future with Him because of the gift of his Son. What better consolation for the trials and troubles of this life can there be than to know that He has prepared a place for us with Him. (For more on God's peace click here.) God is Our Refuge We flee to God for refuge looking towards the hope set before us. What is our hope? In Psalm 71: 5 the Psalmist says that "you O Lord are my hope and my trust.". In the Old Testament people would flee to refuge cities to escape death by an "avenger of blood" (Numbers 35: 19) for an accidental death they may have caused. Our Savior offers a safe refuge. Christ conquered death, and as believers, we too, have been given victory over death. Our refuge is our hope. We will never die and His gift of life is eternal. (For more about God as our Refuge click here.) Our Comforter the Holy Spirit In Romans 15: 13 Paul tells us "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." So our ability to hope, to have joy and peace, comes from the power of the Holy Spirit filling our lives. The Holy Spirit is our comforter, our consoler. An Anchor of the Soul Our hope that we have is "an anchor of the soul". What does an anchor do? In this sense it means that when life batters us like a storm, God and His word provide security. God's anchor keeps us from drifting away from our one true love. God's anchor reminds us of His promises and faithfulness to us. An Anchor to Heaven Unlike a real anchor that is cast into the depths of the sea, our anchor reaches into the Heavens. Jesus has become our Great High Priest. Jesus can approach God's throne and intercede for us. Our Savior - Our Hope As Paul reminds us in Titus 1: 2 "in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began," Our hope lives in the fact that eternal life was promised before time began by the God of the universe who is unchanging. John tells us in Revelation 13: 8 (b) "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world". Before the world was formed our Savior was promised to us. God provides us with an anchor for our soul, a firm foundation on which to rest our hope! Blessings to all reading this. If you don't have an anchor reach out to the Savior. He is waiting for you. Hallelujah!! How Firm a Foundation How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word What more can He say than to you He hath said To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled Fear not, I am with thee; oh be not dismayed For I am thy God and will still give thee aid I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand When through the deep waters I call thee to go The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie My grace all sufficient shall be thy supply The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose I will not, I will not desert to its foes That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake I’ll never, no never, no never forsake Please enjoy this beautiful version of the great old hymn, How Firm a Foundation here.

Galatians 6:7 gives a stark warning to all of us, "Whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap." As Christians, the Lord has been gracious to forgive us of our sins but sadly there is still a reaping that happens from the bad seeds we have sown. Was anger your great sin, if you repented then God forgives you, but that anger has consequences (what we reap). Was pornography your sin, adultery, fornication, or lying? Whatever you have done it can be forgiven, but there are still consequences. The consequences of our decisions are usually not immediate. It may be decades till we see them. King David In 2 Samuel 12 David is told by Nathan that God has forgiven his great sin of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband however there will be consequences to those sins. The sword will never depart from David's house, adversity will be against him from his own home, his wives will be with other men and his child born with Bathsheba will die. David lived his whole life facing these exact consequences. David saw the death of four of his sons. Two of those sons tried to gain the throne for themselves. One of his sons, Amnon raped his own half-sister. David's son Absalom slept with David's concubines in broad daylight. War was a part of David's life almost constantly. David Praises God in his Psalms What is so wonderful about David and his relationship to God was the fact that David, in the midst of facing the consequences of his sin, did not forget to praise and give glory to God. The great book of Psalm that is such an encouragement to us today was written by the very man who lived this life full of consequences. How could David be so optimistic while going through so many tragedies? Because he knew His sins were forgiven, he knew God was faithful to his promises, he knew that God loved Him, he knew that God was greater than the circumstances he found himself in. When David was discouraged, He cried out to God and God answered him. When David was filled with praises for the blessings in his life, he sang those praises. When David didn't know where to turn, he ultimately always turned to God. The writer of Psalm 23 had seen much evil, even in his own family, and yet he wrote, "I will fear no evil, for thou art with me." This is why the book of Psalm speaks to us so well. David was a forgiven man, like us, but he still faced the consequences of his sin and he still loved God with all his heart. Consequences for Bad Decisions Sometimes we think that forgiven means there will be no consequences. But there always are. Sometimes our consequences are spiritual and sometimes physical. We are not the ones who decide what the consequences of that sin are, it is God who decides. Our bad choices could keep us from having opportunities to serve God that may be lost. Our bad choices may have health consequences years later. Our bad choices may cause us to struggle with certain temptations more than we should have to. Our bad choices affect others. Consequences for Good Decisions But what happens when the seeds we sow are for God? What happens when our choices and decisions are guided by God? It is then that we see the fruits of the Spirit. These fruits come from seeds that are sown by us for God. These are listed in Galatians 5: 22-23 - love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. How much easier, happier, and simpler our lives would be if we would reap this kind of harvest. But our greatest reward for a Spirit filled, Spirit led life is Heaven. As Dr. John Barnett has said, "What really counts in life-actions that lead to positive consequences-are the works Jesus does in and through us when we make ourselves available to God." Pray that God will help you to become more like David and praise Him in the midst of trying times, in the midst of your consequences, and pray that we will, every day, allow Jesus to work through us so the positive consequences of the fruits of the Spirit will be ours.