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Posted on January 31, 2019 by beverlyeash

Read: John 3:16-21; Proverbs 20:9; Proverbs 28:13

You are in good company today. Why? Because we have all sinned. We have all missed the mark. There is not a single person who has managed to live perfectly. Not even that person you kind of hate because they seem so put together. Everything is always just right, smile in place, perfect children, great hair, tidy house.

Behind all of that is a human being who has failed just like the rest of us. They just haven’t admitted it yet.

So what do we do when we fail? A few weeks ago, I held a woman as she sobbed because she had failed. Her failure meant job loss and tarnished reputation. She was devastated.

But at the cross everything is made new. I’m not making that up. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says that anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The old life is gone and a new life has begun. I don’t know how he does it, but he makes all things new.

What is required of me? Confession, repentance, receiving.

Confession simply means to say the same things Jesus already knows. It is agreeing with him.

Repentance is turning 180 degrees and going the other way. It isn’t feeling bad we were caught. It is sorrow for what we have done and who we have hurt.

Receiving is accepting forgiveness and the new life he promises. There is no limit on his grace, no cap on what we can receive.

Pause for a few minutes. Is there anything you haven’t talked to God about because it felt like too much? Or maybe it seemed to small? Talk to him about it now.

Remember…we are better together!

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Posted on January 30, 2019 by beverlyeash

Read: Matthew 4:1-11

Jesus amazes me. I wrote last week that Jesus became human and experienced everything we do. He experienced fatigue, hunger and exhaustion. When his disciples fought about who was the best, he might even have rolled his eyes. But most importantly, he experienced temptation like we do. And he overcame! And because he did, so can we.

Jesus’ purpose for coming to the earth was to overcome sin and death and to crush Satan’s head. When Jesus was tempted in the garden, everything centered around derailing Jesus’ purpose.

He could satisfy his physical desire and gain a following by turning stones into bread. That isn’t how God planned it. So Jesus said no.

He could impress and wow the crowds if he jumped off the temple only to have angels swoop him up and set him down on his feet amongst them. Wow! That would be crowd pleasing! That isn’t how God planned it. So Jesus said no!

He could have authority over all kingdoms of the earth if he only bowed down to Satan. He could avoid the cross, the pain, the terror. But that isn’t how God planned it. So Jesus said no.

God has a plan for your life. You have an idea of what that is and you are tempted to short circuit the route God has laid out for you. Will you say no?

God has a plan for you life. You know that includes a spouse and intimacy. Are you tempted to listen to the enemy who tells you a wedding doesn’t matter? Will you say no?

God has a plan for your life. You know you have the leadership skills to be the manager. Are you tempted to cut others down so you might get ahead? Will you say no?

Do you see the way out? Keep looking ’cause it’s there!

Remember….we are better together.

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Posted on January 29, 2019 by beverlyeash

Temptation is common to all of us but when does temptation become sin? Should I repent if I am tempted? Or is it when I act on the temptation that it becomes sin? Sin is an action and every action begins with a thought; the thought is not sin.

Thoughts come to us all the time flitting in and out. Most of them just move on through without any acknowledgement. Others we notice, as a butterfly gently passing by the window, we glance, wonder and away it goes. Others come and want to hang out.

When a sinful thought comes that we invite in for tea, the one that wants to stay and hang out, even be friends – that’s when the problems begin. We need to be relentless with the thoughts we allow to hang out in our minds.

Read: James 1:12-15

Notice the progression in this passage. Temptation comes 1) from our own desires. We are 2) enticed and 3) dragged away; then 4) sinful actions are born 5) sin grows and 6) death comes.

At any point in this progression we can say “no” to the thought and peace returns. Sin averted!

For a story with obvious progression from thought to sin, read about King David in the Old Testament. It provides a vivid, clear picture of a person who at any point, could have said “No!” to avoid many heartaches.

Read: 2 Samuel 11:1-4

What thoughts have you allowed to linger too long? How has God provided a way out of the temptation? Who have you told about your struggle?

Remember – we are better together!

Until tomorrow….

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Posted on January 28, 2019 by beverlyeash

For six years I taught junior high and high school Bible classes at a local Christian school. My favorite days were open forum discussions when, as a class, we considered the students’ questions. Most of the time our discussion ended on some form of “do we really have free will?” We never decided.

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Posted on January 27, 2019 by beverlyeash

We are better together! Find someone to worship with today. People are just plain scary sometimes, but I believe you can do it. If it hasn’t gone well for you in the past, give it another try.

Read: Hebrews 10:23-25

Photo by Chad Kirchoff on Pexels.com

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Posted on January 26, 2019 by beverlyeash

Welcome to Saturday! I love the weekend!

Here’s some food for thought today…

The love of God will impact your life when you start connecting and stop correcting!

Randy Bezet, Bayside Community Church

Jesus’ greatest commandment to us was to love him with everything we have and the second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself.

What keeps you from loving your neighbor? The people you meet on the streets? God loves you. God loves me. God loves the people I don’t like.

Read: I John 2:7-8

Have a great weekend! Find someone to connect with today!

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Posted on January 25, 2019 by beverlyeash

Does Jesus really get it? I mean, after all, he lived a long time ago and the things we face are 21st century issues. Like, did he ever struggle with addiction issues? Internet porn? Insider trading? Road rage?

Probably not those things specifically. But here’s the beauty of temptation – it isn’t all that creative.

Reading: I John 2:16-17; Genesis 2:4-6

Temptation is quite simple, falling into one of three areas: craving for physical pleasure, craving for what we see (I need more) and pride in our possessions and accomplishments (craving to be noticed).

When the serpent tempted Eve, he appealed to her physical desire (the food she wasn’t supposed to eat), craving for what she saw (the tree was beautiful and the fruit looked delicious), and her desire to be noticed (this will make you wise, like God).

Temptation is more than just having a thought. It is what we do with the thought after it comes into our heads. Eve invited the serpent to continue talking, she asked him questions. You might say, she invited him in for tea and cookies. Spending time with the thought leads to temptation which gives birth to sin. See James 1:12-15.

Temptation is not the same as testing. Next week we will look a bit at testing, but in short, the difference is the end result. Temptation is intended to destroy you. Testing makes you stronger and develops character and strength.

Jesus understands your temptation. Matthew 4:1-10 outlines the temptation of Jesus in the desert. Next week we will look more closely at that as well, but he experienced it all. He knows what you are dealing with – approach him with confidence!

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Posted on January 24, 2019 by beverlyeash

Does Jesus understand what I am experiencing? Does he get it when I feel betrayed and left out? What if my family treats me like an outsider? What about when I am angry? Or sad?

Yep! He gets it all. I challenge you to give this exercise a try. Next time you are experiencing a difficult situation, ask Jesus about it. Maybe your best friend betrays you. Ask Jesus what he did when he was betrayed. Ask him how he felt. Just see what he says.

Are others plotting against you? Read Matthew 26:3-5

Trouble with a close friend or co-worker? Read John 12:4-6

Trouble with family? Read John 7:1-5

Trouble with anxiety about the future? Read Luke 22:41-44

Have you lost someone close? Read John 11:33-35

Are you misunderstood? Read John 11:5-6, 12-15, 37

Of course, this isn’t a comprehensive list of all the ways Jesus understands. It is just meant to get you thinking. He doesn’t care about you just because he is God and that’s his job. He cares because he knows what it is like to be human and he knows how difficult life is.

Run to him! Run confidently! Run now!

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Posted on January 23, 2019 by beverlyeash

Here is something I easily forget…Jesus didn’t just come to end the animosity between us and God. Yes, he did that, but he also wanted to share all of life with us. Life is tough – some days worse than others.

When I hit a tough spot there are some people I just won’t talk to about it. I look for someone who’s been there. Someone who understands what I am experiencing.

Reading: Hebrews 2:16-18; 4:14-16

Jesus has been there and because he was made in every way like we are, he knows what it’s like to be human. He invites us to come boldly into his presence and he promises grace and mercy to help us. That means, he isn’t going to shame us ’cause we are struggling. He gets it.

Tomorrow we are going to look at ways that he gets it. But today, I invite you to remember that he came to help you and you are invited to bring it all to him. No matter what “IT” looks like.

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Posted on January 22, 2019 by beverlyeash

This morning I am more than grateful that Jesus came as a human. The last few days have been tough for me as I struggle with my own angst and unrest while at the same time walking with several friends through personal situations.

At times like this, I want to fix all the chaos. I want to cry out for the wind to stop and the waves to be quiet. But as I sit with my own unrest, I remember that it is in the chaos that change comes. When we are willing to acknowledge the chaos and embrace the turmoil, we grow stronger.

Last week in Barre3, the instructor lead us through some balance challenges and I wobbled and struggled to maintain the position. She wisely said, “you won’t ever learn to balance if you don’t ever lose your balance.”

I’ve thought a lot about that. I can’t lose my balance if I’m not challenging myself to balance. And it is in embracing the chaos of wobbles that I learn to maintain balance which ultimately helps me all day long.

Today I am praying for you as you face your own personal challenges and chaos. My heart wants to sit next to everyone of you and put my arm around your shoulders and let you know that He is near. Since I can’t, know my prayers are with you as you remember that He gets it! He’s walked this way before and He knows how it feels!

Reading: Hebrews 2:14-15

I have been meditating on this scripture for several weeks. Jesus came to earth in the weakness of a human body so he could set us free from whatever holds us captive. Here it says he set us free from the fear of dying.

I wonder how much of my anxiety and fear boils down to this one thing – fear of dying. As I write this, Living Hope by Phil Wickham is playing. It captures all of what I believe this scripture is saying!

As you continue your day, pull your shoulders back and hold your head up high. Jesus has great things in store for you today!

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